Being a Great Commission Church | Revelation 3:7-13

Being a Great Commission Church | Revelation 3:7-13

Darien Gabriel

Series: Revelation: The Best is Yet to Come

Title:  “Being a Great Commission Church”

Scripture: Revelation 3:7-13

Main commentary help: 

• Exalting Jesus in Revelation by Daniel Akin

• Revelation by Jim Hamilton

• The Seven Churches by Mike Breen

• Breaking the Code by Bruce Metzger

This week’s title: “Being a Great Commission Church”

Our series is “The best is yet to come” as we walk through the prophetic apocalypse that is the Revelation of the Risen Christ, a circular letter to the early church—and to us today. My prayer is that you’ll be strengthened, comforted and encouraged through this word today.

Tension: We must evaluate our church and ourselves to see if we’re being faithful to the Savior, the gospel, and the great commission for God rewards those who are.

Though we may be modestly influential culturally, the church that is faithful to the Savior, the gospel, and the great commission will be rewarded by God.

1. A great commission church sees Jesus as awesome. (3:7)

   1. He is the holy one.

   2. He is the true one.

   3. He is the sovereign one. (Unstoppable)

2. A Great Commission church is faithful to the gospel. (3:8-9)

3. A great commission church lives by the promises of God. (3:10-13)

Motivated by the Risen Jesus | Revelation 1:9-20

Motivated by the Risen Jesus | Revelation 1:9-20

Darien Gabriel

Series: Revelation: The Best is Yet to Come

Title: Motivated by the Risen Jesus...

Scripture: Revelation 1:9-20 NIV

Main commentary help:

• Exalting Jesus in Revelation by Daniel Akin

• Revelation by Jim Hamilton

Last week’s title: “The Best is Yet to Come”

This week’s title: Motivated by the Risen Jesus...

Last week’s Main idea: “Those who hear and obey God‘s word will be blessed by the Lord.”

Summarizing some of my thoughts lately...

1. We see the risen Jesus in all his glory and are motivated to trust and obey. (Rev 1:9-20)

2. When we trust and obey, we’re blessed beyond imagination. (Rev 1:1-8)

3. And finally, we’re blessed to be a blessing to others around the corner and around the world. (The Bible)

We’ll focus on 1 today.

This week’s main idea: “The risen Christ in glory summons forth obedience from his churches. The incomparable glory of the risen Christ motivates John’s audience to heed what John has been commissioned to write. The matchless splendor of Heaven’s King attracts the attention and compels the obedience of the churches John addresses.” -Hamilton

My Bottom line: When we (the Church) see the risen Jesus today, we’ll be super motivated to trust and obey.

Illustration: (Cf. With Isaiah’s reaction in Isaiah 6:1-8) Isaiah went from “Woe is me” to “Here I am” in a very short time. How long would it take for you to surrender all to Jesus and let him send you wherever to do whatever? How long would it take for you to give Jesus a blank check? Not long if you see him as he is today.

I hope your motivation for trusting and following Jesus will recalibrated today. Checked against the standard. The standard is truth and God’s word.

Why are you following Jesus?

Why are you following Jesus the way you are following Jesus? (Half-heartedly vs wholeheartedly)

I. Introduction: Story + Summary (Doignetus)

II. John’s situation and Commission to write (1:9-11)

III. John’s description of the risen Jesus (1:12-16)

IV. Jesus asserts his authority and commissions John to write (1:17-20)

V. Conclusion: Summary + Story + Application + Vision

Opening story/illustration

Diognetus about Christians to Mathetes (Hamilton, pp. 32-33, 37)

1:9-20 “John’s vision of the risen Christ”

I. “John’s situation and commission to write”

“Unlike the Roman Empire, which is promised peace but delivered brutality and fear, the Kingdom of God promises tribulation and delivers peace and confidence and eternal salvation to those who patiently endure.” Hamilton, Pp. 43-44

“Make no mistakes about it: Your best life is not now. Your best life will begin when the skies are split by the shout of the archangel.” Hamilton, p. 44

Churches listed in order an itinerant preacher would visit them beginning at Island of Patmos (where John was exiled) and moving around Asia Minor.

These cities seemed to be natural centers of communication for itinerant ministry and 7 focal cities with respect to the church’s organization and distribution.

• all but Thyatira had temples dedicated to emperors

• all but Philadelphia and Laodicea lead imperial priests and altars

Note, though an apostle, John shared in the suffering of the church.

John shares why he writes Revelation: Because Jesus told him to!

Read 3rd paragraph in Hamilton, p. 45–it’s powerful!

This is meant to motivate the Church to gladly submit to the word of the risen Christ! This will become clear in chapters 2-3.

1:12-26 “John’s description of the risen Jesus”

• Jesus described in priestly terms

  • References to Zechariah 4

  • 7 lamp stands point to the presence of God in the tabernacle and temple; hence priestly terms

  • Like a priest, Jesus calls the churches to repentance (Chs 2-3)

  • Jesus’ clothing points to a heavenly high priest

• Jesus described in kingly terms

  • References to Daniel 7

  • “Like a son of man” is kingly/messianic term

  • Jesus receives an eternal kingdom (Dan 7 & 10); cf. Rev 1:6 & 9

2 major influences on John’s first vision:

1. The letters to the churches—When you compare Revelation 1 with Revelation 2-3 you see Jesus described the same way

2. The vision of Daniel in ch. 10.

   1. Revelation is fulfilling Daniel’s vision in Daniel 10

   2. When you compare Revelation 1 with Daniel 10 you see Jesus described the same way

   3. Jesus is unveiled as deity in Rev 1:14 in describing like Ancient of Days (reference to God the Father)

“Eyes like a flame of fire” 1:14

3 implications of his blazing eyes:

1. No sin that we commit will escape his notice,

2. He will see every faithful thing his people do, and

3. He will note every injustice done to his people by their enemies.

“Feet like burnished bronze, refined” points to the absolute purity of Jesus.

“Powerful voice” = communicating authority this is to be obeyed. His voice is to drown out other voices that would call you away from true faith and holiness that marks those who truly know God.

Sometimes he does speak in a still, small voice. But there are times when he wants to drown out everything else.

Are you listening? To whom?

3 more...

7 Stars - messengers of 7 churches (Angels, not pastors). Jesus holds in right hand = he is in control

sword in mouth - symbolically Jesus will speak decisive words of judgment.

“Face like the sun” - painful brightness of the sun shining full strength, on which we can’t look

“The risen Christ in glory summons forth obedience from his churches.”

1:17-20 “Jesus asserts his authority and commissions John to write”

John literally blown away by God’s glory in Jesus. No power on earth does this.

Jesus doesn’t leave John. He tells him not to be afraid. Why?

Because he lives forever and holds the keys of death and hell. That is, he defeated death and the cross as seen in the resurrection.

Jesus is terrifying in his holiness. We should tremble, humble ourselves and repent of our sin before him. But no need to fear for our own lives if we repent and we trust him for he empowers us to live with him forever.

Jesus among 7 lamp stands = Jesus is present in and with his church.

Conclusion:

John’s situation and commission is to write down this vision (Revelation), which includes this powerful description of Christ himself in all his glory so that we will rightly be motivated to 1) Worship Jesus, and 2) Obey him.

“Jesus reveals himself to John the way he does to compel John’s audience to

1. Heed the 7 letters he is about to dictate to John about the present, and to

2. Convince them of the truth of...the end of history in Chs 4-22.” -Hamilton

What is God saying to you right now?

What are you going to do about it?

These are not rhetorical questions. Take some time to stop and pray right now.

Let’s pray. Amen.

Trust God to Put Things Right

Pippa and I enjoy doing crosswords together. When we are stuck on one clue we don’t give up, we move on to the next clue. Every time we find an answer it helps us in resolving some of the other clues. In the end, we are sometimes able to solve most of the puzzle.

In a way, reading some of the difficult parts of the Bible is like trying to solve a crossword puzzle. Rather than getting bogged down in a tricky section, you can use the passages you do understand to help you resolve some of the more difficult ones.

Often I find it hard not only to understand some of the difficult passages in the Bible, but also to understand why certain things are happening in our world. There seems to be so much injustice. There are no easy answers.

I love the second great rhetorical question from yesterday’s passage, ‘Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ (Genesis 18:25). One thing that you can be sure about is that on the last day, when all is revealed, you will see God’s perfect judgment – and everyone will say, ‘That is absolutely right.’ Each of today’s passages tells us something about the fact that, in the end, God will put things right.

Believe It Or Not, Jesus Is Coming | Luke 1:5-38

Believe It Or Not, Jesus Is Coming | Luke 1:5-38

Darien Gabriel

Believe it or not, Jesus is coming

Series: As We Wait (for His Second Coming) #Advent

Scripture: Luke 1:5-38

Bottom line: whether you believe God’s word or not, Jesus is coming...again.

A dog and the point

“If you try to point out something to a dog, the dog will often look at your finger instead of at the object you’re trying to point out. This is frustrating, but it illustrates a natural mistake we all make from time to time. It’s the mistake many people make when reading the Christmas story in Luke’s Gospel: focusing on the manger—the Christmas crib. The most famous animal feeding-trough in all history. To concentrate on the manger and to forget why it was mentioned in the first place is like the dog looking at the finger rather than the object.

The point Luke is making is clear. The birth of this little boy is the beginning of a confrontation between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of the world. (Caesar) Augustus never heard of Jesus of Nazareth. But within a century or so his successors in Rome had not only heard of him; they were taking steps to obliterate his followers. Just over three centuries later, a Roman emperor became a Christian.

Luke’s narrative reminds us not to stop at the manger but to see the explosive truth it’s pointing to.”

-NT Wright, Luke: 26 studies for individuals and groups, p. 23

Advent wreaths

I grew up with advent wreaths...

Advent = Coming

1st advent = 1st coming of Jesus (as a baby/Christmas/incarnation)

2nd advent = 2nd coming of Jesus (as a warrior-king/consummation of his earthly reign)

Luke 1:5-38

Compare and contrast 2 faith responses to God’s word (truth).

Applications

Whether you believe God’s word or not, it will come to pass.

Even when you fail to believe, God’s mercy is there for you. He disciplines his children when they fail to trust him. But he brings them back into fellowship as well. Just ask Zechariah.

You can please God when you take him at his word. Just ask Mary. (Cf. Heb 11:3)

Make sure you don’t miss the point for the pointer. The point is that God wants to walk in fellowship with you. He sent Jesus to restore our fellowship with him. That’s why he came the first time. The second time he’s coming to finish what he started. Are you ready?

Cross-reference

I want to be “confident and unashamed” at Jesus’ return. 1 John 2:28

Illustration

We're all waiting for something, but the Christian hope is the difference between waiting impatiently and waiting expectantly. Waiting for time to heal wounds is an exercise in futility. We sit impatient while growing both more agitated and more numb. But waiting expectantly means we hope in the healing that God promises, while expecting the world we live in to continue in its brokenness. In the hope of Advent, we’re not surprised by the darkness, but we’re not consumed by it either.

This is not a fine and theological distinction that has no bearing on life today. In fact, I would suggest this is the only way to make sense of your life today. Hoping in Jesus’ return is the only way to look at the brokenness of reality and maintain hope despite it all. And this takes practice. Just like our waiting impatiently is a learned practice reinforced through daily habits of expecting news and notifications and clicks to make us feel better, so waiting expectantly is a learned practice reinforced through communal spiritual disciplines of reading, praying and carefully directed longing.

-Justin Early, email

Be Prepared To Answer | 1 Peter 3:15-16

Be Prepared To Answer | 1 Peter 3:15-16

Darien Gabriel

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15-16
Title: Be Prepared to Answer

Bottom line: Doing good means always being prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you why you have hope and to do so w/ gentleness, respect, and a clear conscience. That includes your enemies and your persecutors.

Be prepared & ready to share with anyone why you have hope.

Open with motto of the Boy Scouts: Be prepared. I tried and gave up after 2 months.

Prepared for tests?

I walked into physics class one year after spring break fresh and rested from no studying. But I wasn’t ready or prepared for the test they handed out unexpectedly (to me) that day. I promptly left to withdraw from the class.

I was ready but not necessarily prepared for my first SAT test. We didn’t study for them back in my day. So taking the test was really a way to answer the question, “Am I ready for college?”

Where is God?

Elie Wiesel was born into a Jewish family in Romania. He was only a teenager when he and his family were rounded up by the Nazis and taken first to Auschwitz, and then to Buchenwald. In his book, Night, he gives a terrifying and intimate account of the increasing horrors he endured – the death of his parents and eight-year-old sister, and the loss of his innocence by barbaric hands.

In the foreword to the book, François Mauriac writes of his encounter with Elie Wiesel: ‘On that most horrible day, even among all those other bad days, when the child witnessed the hanging (yes!) of another child who, he tells us, had the face of a sad angel, he heard someone behind him groan: “For God’s sake, where is God?” And from within me, I heard a voice answer: “Where He is? This is where – hanging here from this gallows.”’

...His words point to the most profound answer to the question, ‘Where is God?’ God is in Christ. He was on the cross bearing our sins in his body. Now the crucified is among his people. Not only has he suffered for you, but he now suffers with you. (Bible in One Year 2020 With Nicky Gumbel: Day 327 • Devotional)

Peter exhorts the early church to be prepared to give an answer for the hope they carried in Christ. He knew, however, that he was writing to a suffering people. The time was one of persecution and opposition. From family, friends, religious institutions, philosophical discussions, employers and, of course, the government.

He wants them to do good (like Titus) but he accounts for their suffering.

We just finished Paul’s letter to Titus where we emphasized the principle that good deeds/works flow from good doctrine taught and lived in a community united in Christ.

Here we see Peter also talking about “doing good.” More specifically, he talks about suffering for doing good.

Thanksgiving is a time when family, food, politics and religion collide for a few hours resulting in a wide range of reactions. Maybe you experienced that this year. 2020 is the year of disruption and as a result we’re all not at our best. Things have been amplified and accelerated—good and bad things. As a result, our cultural norms have changed quickly.

Ex. We now have a cancel culture where people are much quicker to write someone off for something they said even long ago with no second chance.

Ex. We are much more polarized than in the past.

Ex. So much has been politicized too. Your views on race, immigration, borders, guns, marijuana, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, and police move people to make assumptions about you and put you into stereo-typed groups so that they can label you for or against them. Tribes are becoming our new identities.

As a result, people are quicker to condemn, criticize and cancel you. We are often guilty by perceived association whether it’s true or not.

But the biggest one we’re going to be dealing with in the months ahead is where you are religiously.

Like it or not, if you are a Christian who is committed to the Bible in that you believe it and live it and share it, you will be stereo-typed and labeled horrible things. Things that aren’t even true about you. And gradually, as it becomes more socially acceptable, you will be persecuted.

What can you do this about this? I have a few suggestions:

1. Decide who you really are? Where do you really stand? What’s your story? How does it fit in God’s epic story?

2. Prepare yourself and your family for the coming storm; for persecution. We’ve been saying for years it’s coming. COVID accelerated everything. It’s here. Prepare for suffering.

3. Decide how you are going to respond to this personally?

   1. Will you push back? Demand to be understood? For you will be misunderstood. Jesus was and he never once defended himself.

   2. Or will you lean in? Bless instead of curse. Return good to your tormentors? Will you reinforce their stereotypes or will you show them a better story?

4. Do you have hope? What or who is it in? Why? Know the answers to these questions.

The Apostle Peter spoke to early Christians about this very thing in 1 Peter 3:8-22. It is there I believe God led me to this week to share before we head into the Christmas season of sermons. It seems extremely fitting and timely.

Many of us are experiencing a crisis of faith. Do we really believe this Bible is really a word from God? If so, then let’s prepare together. If not, then it will be extremely hard for you to move forward with other believers. This is why people are leaving churches in droves. This is why churches are closing all over America.

Caution for new persecution

“In the first two chapters Peter referred to “all kinds of trials” (1:6), accusations of “doing wrong” (2:12), “the ignorant talk of foolish men” (2:15), and “the pain of unjust suffering” (2:19). All these persecutions seem to have resulted from the natural reactions of a pagan society against Christians who faithfully obeyed Jesus Christ.

Peter then warned that a time of more severe persecution and suffering was close at hand. He cautioned Christians to keep clear consciences when facing injustice, to endure the inevitable suffering with Christlike courage.” (BKC)

I. Overcoming Injustice in the coming days

1 Peter 3:8–12 (BKC): “Peter used both Christ and Noah to illustrate the principle that in times of rising persecution the right response to injustice results in blessing.“

“Finally” introduces a new section.

“Peter now addressed all his readers (all of you) and gave practical principles for living peacefully in a hostile pagan culture. First Peter 3:8–9 is Peter’s exposition of Psalm 34:12–16, which he then quoted (1 Peter 3:10–12). Peter constructed his thoughts around the three exhortations in the psalm.”

A. A Compassionate Conduct - 1 Peter 3:8-12 - 3 practical exhortations from Peter from David:

1. Keep from speaking evil. This includes what you say to someone AND what you type/write to someone via text, email or social media. (10)

2. Turn from evil and do good. (11a) “Turn the other cheek” -Jesus (Matt 5:39)

3. Seek and pursue peace with God and man. (11b) Respond to insult with blessing. Start with what you say then with what you (or refrain from).

B. A Clear Conscience - 1 Peter 3:13-22

“Persecution occurred, however, in spite of believers’ desires to live peacefully and their eagerness to do good. Peter encouraged his readers with the fact that the right response to undeserved suffering results in blessing. He presented the principle in verses 13–17 and provided examples in verses 18–22.”

1. Who is going to hurt you? (13-14) Blessed here means “highly favored”, not feel delighted.

   1. Fear God over men. Isaiah 8:12 (ESV): “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread” (14)

2. Overcoming fear requires us exalting Christ as Lord (15)

   1. Reason = apologia or defense for why you believe what you believe about Christ Jesus.

   2. 1 Peter 3:15 (BKC): As a result Christians should always be prepared (hetoimoi, “ready”; cf. 1:5) to give … the reason (apologian, the “defense” which a defendant makes before a judge; cf. Acts 22:1; 25:16) for their hope in Christ. Such an oral defense should be consistent with one’s “set-apart” conduct.

   3. There’s the posture of prepared.

   4. There’s the work of prepared.

   5. There’s the willingness of prepared.

3. Give your reason in a way that honors Christ. How you do this matters. (16)

   1. Perhaps Peter is recalling how he did not do this when confronted 3 times after Jesus’ arrest. (Mark 14:66-72)

   2. Yet it may be God’s will for you to suffer for doing good. (17)

4. Illustrations on the above principles (18-22)

   1. Jesus is our supreme example. He suffered greatly for doing nothing but good. (Healing, miracles, preaching, serving, and the cross) Great summary: “1 Peter 3:18 (BKC): In verses 18–22 Peter illustrated the principles given in verses 13–17. Once again Christ provided the perfect example. He suffered for doing what was right (2:14). His sinless life provoked the unjust hostilities of evil men. However, He did not fear men but trusted Himself to God. Christ clearly stated His purpose and committed Himself to a course of action. He died in mankind’s place, keeping His conscience clear (cf. 2:23). As a result He received tremendous blessing and reward in His own resurrection and exultation.” (18) Maybe the greatest summary of the gospel in one verse in the Bible.

      1. Christ (anointed one) suffered once for sins (fully sufficient sacrifice for all sin)

      2. the righteous for the unrighteous (our substitute)

      3. to bring you to God (to reconcile us to God)

      4. Put to death in the body (cross)

      5. Made alive in the Spirit

   2. Through whom he preached to the spirits in prison (19-20)

      1. Noah kept hammering and preaching to encourage others to repent and believe despite incredible oppositions and hostility. So must we.

      2. Noah feared God over men.

      3. Noah’s reward was salvation for he and his family.

   3. Water (21)

      1. Baptism represents a complete break from the past.

      2. 1 Peter 3:21 (BKC): He exhorted them to have the courage to commit themselves to a course of action by taking a public stand for Christ through baptism. The act of public baptism would “save” them from the temptation to sacrifice their good consciences in order to avoid persecution. For a first-century Christian, baptism meant he was following through on his commitment to Christ, regardless of the consequences.

      3. Baptism doesn’t save you from sin but from a bad conscience.

Notes

WW notes

Preparing for the Best (3:8-17)

Peter is preparing believers for the fiery trials of persecution that were coming. But preparing for the best, not the worst. Hope-filled words!

III. God’s grace in suffering

A. Cultivate Christian Love (8-12)

B. Practice the Lordship of Christ (13-15)

C. Maintain a good conscience (16-17)

Bible in One Year 2020 With Nicky Gumbel: Day 327 • Devotional

Where is God?

Elie Wiesel was born into a Jewish family in Romania. He was only a teenager when he and his family were rounded up by the Nazis and taken first to Auschwitz, and then to Buchenwald. In his book, Night, he gives a terrifying and intimate account of the increasing horrors he endured – the death of his parents and eight-year-old sister, and the loss of his innocence by barbaric hands.

In the foreword to the book, François Mauriac writes of his encounter with Elie Wiesel: ‘On that most horrible day, even among all those other bad days, when the child witnessed the hanging (yes!) of another child who, he tells us, had the face of a sad angel, he heard someone behind him groan: “For God’s sake, where is God?” And from within me, I heard a voice answer: “Where He is? This is where – hanging here from this gallows.”’

François Mauriac goes on, ‘And I, who believe that God is love, what answer was there to give my young interlocutor... What did I say to him? Did I speak to him of that other Jew, this crucified brother who perhaps resembled him and whose cross conquered the world?

‘Did I explain to him that what had been a stumbling block for his faith had become a cornerstone for mine? And that the connection between the cross and human suffering remains, in my view, the key to the unfathomable mystery in which the faith of his childhood was lost... That is what I should have said to the Jewish child. But all I could do was embrace him and weep.’

His words point to the most profound answer to the question, ‘Where is God?’ God is in Christ. He was on the cross bearing our sins in his body. Now the crucified is among his people. Not only has he suffered for you, but he now suffers with you.

In the Old Testament, the tabernacle (and later the temple) was the place where people went to meet with God. This was God’s home as we see in our Old Testament passage for today (Ezekiel 43:5).

The message of our New Testament passage though is that the glory and presence of God is to be found supremely in Jesus. It is at the very moment that Jesus is rejected and crucified that God’s presence among people is finally and fully realised. From that point on there is no need for a physical temple. The only church building the New Testament speaks about is a building made of people (Ephesians 2:20–22), founded and built upon Jesus, the chief cornerstone. The holy temple in the New Testament is one made of ‘living stones’ (1 Peter 2:5) – in other words, people like you and me. This is God’s new home.

The War on Error | Titus 1:10-16 | Undeserved Grace

The War on Error | Titus 1:10-16 | Undeserved Grace

Darien Gabriel

Series: Underserved Grace

Scripture: Titus 1:10-16 (Main passage)

Title: The War on Error

Bottom line: 

For the Church to be sound in the faith (doctrine & deed; belief & behavior; creed & conduct), we must confront false teachings and the Errorists who spread them.

Remember what an elder does:

1. Lead - Follow me as I follow Jesus

2. Feed - Teach/Train

3. Protect - Confront/Rebuke/Correct

Opening comments

When we were talking on our Virtual Church Project on Zoom last Sun night.

Extremes of blogging about false teachers.

Some false teachings that we may be more acquainted with ( and many not even realize is false) include:

”Coffee cup theology”

• Co-habitation is a good idea before you get married. (Not biblical or wise—see Proverbs)

• If someone hits you on the playground, son, you’d better hit them back. (So much for turn the other cheek)

• You deserve God’s blessing (when all we deserve is eternal wrath of God)

• If you’re suffering or sick, it’s because you sinned and God is punishing you. (It sometimes is a consequence but)

• You don’t have enough faith if God didn’t heal you. (This can be the reason but to say it’s always the reason...)

• You aren’t a true Christian if you can’t or haven’t spoken in tongues. (Not true)

• If you commit suicide, you are going to hell no matter what. (Not true)

• Falling out of love with your spouse is grounds for divorce. (Nope)

• It’s not a sin to worry about things. That’s just natural. God understands and overlooks that.

• God and country:

  • God loves America and would never allow anything bad to happen to her.

  • Not distinguishing between America and the kingdom of God. They are not the same thing.

• All religions basically teach the same thing. No. Christianity is fundamentally different than the rest.

• Hell isn’t real.

• All things are possible with God. (Context is being content in all things at all times)

• God is a God of love, therefore, he would never send people to hell. (He’s also a God of justice)

• I’m free in Christ. Therefore, no one has the right to tell me what to do. (Freedom in Christ doesn’t = freedom from responsibility)

• God helps those who help themselves. (God helps those who can’t help themselves)

• If you obey God, he’ll have to bless you financially or materially. (I guess Jesus wasn’t blessed)

• God doesn’t ask anything of you but to trust Jesus. (Actually, he asks a lot of you. Come and see. Come and obey. Come and die)

In the Bible...

• 1 Corinthians - bodily resurrection of Christ

• Galatians - Salvation is grace alone—no works required

• Colossians - Adding of Jewish myths and Greek philosophies

• 1 John - That Jesus was truly God in the flesh

What makes this so difficult is that these carry some truth in them. And they are often from the Bible.

Errorists almost always appeal to the Bible because people respect it.

What does Paul say to Titus (and us) about this war on error?

We must confront them.

Why?

Because that’s what pastors/elders train their people to do.

How?

Lead, feed and protect and leading others to do the same.

When we think of false teachers, we tend to think of crazy, religious cult leaders wearing purple Nike’s and drinking cyanide-laced Kool-aide. But false teaching permeates our culture. It’s in churches and our homes. It’s on talk radio and NPR. It’s on YouTube, Facebook and Snapchat. We cannot escape it. We can only prepare ourselves for it’s onslaught.

Are you preparing yourself?

Are you preparing your children? You can’t prepare them if you aren’t preparing yourself.

Studying the Bible regularly will prepare you to recognize the false teaching like studying authentic currency helps you identify counterfeit money.

Much of the NT was written to deal with false teaching. Examples include:

1 Corinthians - bodily resurrection of Christ

Galatians - Salvation is grace alone—no works required

Colossians - Adding of Jewish myths and Greek philosophies

1 John - That Jesus was truly God in the flesh

Paul equips us to win the war on error by:

Matthew 7:15 (Jesus)

Acts 20:29-30 (Paul)

2 Peter 2:1-3 (Peter)

1 John 4:1-3 (John)

Jude 3-4 (Jude)

2 Tim 3:16

While God has called us to a ministry of reconciliation he has also called us to a ministry of rebuke. That’s Paul’s focus here.

Whether at church or where you live, work, learn, and play, there’s a time to rebuke or confront false teachings.

We know this is effective for we do it with our kids. We rebuke, then correct them, then train them. (2 Tim 3:16) This is how we prepare our children to walk fully and faithfully with Christ.

Episodes:

Notes from Warren Wiersbe in BE Commentary

3 Responsibilities of Titus:

1. Preach God’s word. (1:1-4)

2. Ordain Qualified leaders. (1:5-9)

3. Silence False teachers. (1:10-16)

The enemy is the father of lies; the chief errorist.

Silence False Teachers/ Errorists. (1:10-16)

1. 3 Facts about False teachers:

   1. What they were personally. They were...

      1. “Rebellious” people—actively resisting obedience and authority.

      2. ”Full of meaningless talk”—hot air and claiming but not doing (16)

      3. ”Deceptive” people—“Errorists”

      4. “Liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” (12)

         1. Appetites (idols over spirit-filled life)

         2. Notice adjectives

         3. Celebrities—not servants

         4. Lived it up at other’s expense

      5. Paul summed them up in v. 16:

         1. detestable—disgusting character.

         2. Disobedient—will not be persuaded.

         3. Unfit for anything good—Not able to pass the test.

   2. What they did. They...

      1. Told lies from “home to home” (whole families led astray)

      2. Lie upset faith because faith rises and falls on truth.

      3. Jewish legalism (circumcision)

      4. Jewish myths—“When the plain sense of scripture makes good sense, seek on other sense.” -Dr. David Cooper

   3. Why they did it.

      1. They did it for “dishonest gain” or greed/money.

      2. Testimony—I went into engineering in college for 1 reason: I could make a good living financially. My motives were mixed. They likely included greed. Well, God has a sense of humor! Every time I’ve taken a new job, I’ve taken a pay cut. It was not a surprise to get a pay cut going from Civil engineering to a youth pastor in ‘97. But it was going from a youth pastor to a pastor. Yet, God continuously provides for our family. Even without financial help from family or other financial windfalls (other than 1 family), we are 18 months away from putting 4 daughters through college debt-free. And Anita was not working outside the home until our last daughter’s senior year in high school. God’s grace + Faithful giving to God + Minimizing debt + Living within our means + our girls working from 16/17 on = No student loans or major debts. We only owe for our house.

      3. I share all of that to show that to encourage you in how and why you do what you do to make money. These false teachers were all about dishonest gain. Greed.

      4. BTW, you can be a pastor and be greedy. It’s ultimately a matter of the heart. Which is why Paul makes such a big deal about it with Titus and Timothy.

      5. Reason behind their covetousness:

         1. ”Corrupted” conscience.

         2. They lived a double-life. Outwardly teaching, inwardly corrupt.

         3. You cannot serve 2 masters, said Jesus.

      6. Teachers have corrupted minds and consciences so when they look at innocent foods they are sin because sin has defiled their vision; it’s blocking the light of truth.

   4. One further matter...what Titus must do:

      1. ”Encourage others by sound doctrine and rebuke those who oppose it.” (9) “Sword of the Spirit”

      2. ”They must be silenced” (11)

      3. ”Rebuke them sharply” (13)

      4. 2 Tim 3:16

      5. False teaching is like yeast:

         1. It enters subtly

         2. Grows quickly

         3. Permeates completely

         4. Therefore, the time to rebuke/confront is asap.

      6. The worlds attitude: It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you believe and do so sincerely. Contrary to the conductor’s words on Polar Express, it matters completely what you believe, no matter how sincerely you believe. (Ex. Terrorists)

      7. Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

Other intro thoughts...

One of the most frustrating things about our culture today is how difficult it is to discern what is true.

Whether you’re hearing about:

• COVID-19

• Historic racism

• Debate points

• Campaign ads

Truth in religion is no different.

Even truth in Christianity is a challenge these days.

Whether it’s

• Healing ministries

• Prosperity gospel ministries

There’s no shortage of distortion and deception.

And some are even worse because they do it for dishonest financial gain. I call these folks Errorists.

Jesus Is Lord Over Disease | Matt 8: 5-17

Jesus has absolute authority in the world and deserves absolute allegiance from the world.

Jesus is Lord over Disease | Matt 8:5-17

Darien Gabriel

Listening to a podcast yesterday (Donald Miller, Story Brand), I learned that Elon Musk’s great dream and therefore goal in life is to colonize Mars as a backup for when humanity destroys the earth. His biographer Ashlee Vance said in all his interviews in preparing to write the book he only teared-up when he talked about this.

He also talked about how this is what drives him—saving the human race. He’s driven by logic.

When I see him building multiple successful companies to accomplish this noble goal, I am left wondering if he doesn’t have more zeal for his life mission than I do for mine. I realize his motives are not pure—but he’s driven but this goal to save humanity as if it’s logically the most important thing he could do in life. And, if this were all there was, he’d probably be right.

But it isn’t.

There’s life beyond this universe. Jesus is preparing a place for us. God is creating a new heaven and new earth to replace the current ones.

His mission may be unnecessary (probably). Yet, his zeal drives him.

What about mine?

Rom 12:11

• Jesus is always able but not always willing.

• When tempted to doubt or fear, remember who you’re dealing with. Jesus has absolute authority in the world because he as God created it.

I. (Centurion) Jesus heals the ethnically outcast. (8:5-13)

A gentile approaches Jesus... (Ethnically outcast (diff “race” or culture; invader even)

A gentile approaches Jesus in faith...

A gentile approaches Jesus in faith and Jesus responds with amazement.

Why? Jesus was amazed by his faith.

David Platt says this should cause us to ask, “What kind of faith is this?”

Here’s the picture Matthew gives us: “Faith is humble trust in the authority of Jesus.”

• He calls Jesus “Lord”

• He’s too overwhelmed to have Jesus in his house

• He knows he merely needs to speak the word

• v. 9 explanation shows his understanding perceiving Jesus’ authority over disease

Jesus doesn’t appear to have healed in this way before (not going himself) either. So he’s just believing Jesus has absolute authority over disease. He does.

Platt says further, “He simply and humbly had absolute trust in the authority of Jesus in a way that no one else among the Jewish people, including the disciples, had displayed up to this point.”

He then says that “servants of the kingdom”l must have this same faith for salvation. 

Do you? Follow the Centurion’s example and simply and humbly believe Jesus has absolute authority in this world.

What authority matters? Jesus’ authority over sin—to save you from your sins and to rule over you as Lord of your life. (We don’t like the second part, just the first. But the second part proves you get the first part)

Authority over disease:

1. He cleanses the physically unclean (Leper) (8:1-4)

2. He heals ethnical outcast (Centurion) (8:5-13)

3. He restores the culturally marginalized (Peter’s mom-in-law, a woman) (8:14-17) Now Jesus heals a woman defying the traditions and practices of his day.

16-17 Healing “many”

V. 17 is a quote from Isaiah 53:4 from the suffering servant passage. See vv. 5-6)

Isaiah’s prophecy concerns Jesus’ substitutionary death in place of sinners...how does this relate?

No, by connecting Jesus’ healing authority to Isaiah’s prophecy, Matthew is showing that Jesus has the power to overcome all our suffering. 

Matthew attributes this power and authority to Jesus because he paid the price to overcome all our sins. That is the point of the cross.

Consider the larger context of redemptive history.

All suffering in the world ultimately goes back to sin. (This was my point with Elon Musk's dream)

• Before sin, there was no suffering. (Gen 1-2)

• After sin, suffering entered. (Gen 3)

• Result, the world marked with evil, suffering, sickness and pain.

So, when Jesus came to die on the cross, he came to address the root problem—not suffering, but sin.

The price was his life to over our sins.

Does that mean his will for the world is we no longer experience pain, sickness, and suffering? No.

These pictures of miraculous healings are to give us a picture of what is to come in the fullness of God’s kingdom when Christ fully exerts his absolute authority and reign over the earth. But not yet.

In the meantime, we live in a world of suffering and pain. In fact, suffering will actually increase as a result of trusting Christ for salvation. So consider that before trusting and following Jesus. Lots of words from Jesus and Paul confirm this will happen. 

Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross has killed the root of sin, but not the fruit. Not yet.

14th

But, this conquering sin should enable you to endure the suffering of disease, sickness, suffering, and pain with courage and faith that it’s temporary for those in Christ. 

There’s a day coming when death, mourning, crying, and pain will be no more. (Rev 21:4)

As we wait, don’t run from suffering. Rejoice in suffering for our future hope.

2 kinds of suffering:

1. Due to the general effects of sin in the world. 

2. Suffering for God’s purposes, though often hidden. 

   1. Humbly embrace this suffering as you trust him. Rejoice in it, even.

3. Due to a particular sin in someone’s life.

4. When a Christian continues to sin, he will inevitably suffer, for God disciplines those he loves.

   1. It may be physical, mental, emotional, relational, or spiritual, but sin leads inevitably to suffering. 

   2. Response? Not rejoicing but run from sin.