the sermon this morning is be careful to maintain good works be careful to
maintain good works let's pray Lord we thank you so much for the opportunity to
be in church Lord and we ask that you would just bless the service Lord that
your spirit would have free reign here and Lord that you would Lord help the
people to focus Lord on your words this morning Lord and I just pray that you'd
fill me with the Holy Spirit now as I preach in Jesus name amen all right so
we're gonna focus on Titus chapter 3 verse 8 where it says this is a faithful
saying and these things I will thou affirm constantly that they which have
believed in God might be careful to maintain good works these things are
good and profitable unto men so let's focus just in on what it's saying right
here on and I'm gonna have a an introduction here just going through
some verses but let's focus on what's being said right here it says this is a
faithful saying now what is a faithful saying a faithful saying would be
something that's loyal something that's constant something that's steadfast and
it says that these things I will thou affirm constantly now what does it mean
to affirm anybody know what it means to affirm it means state as a fact okay
assert strongly and publicly and then constantly means continuously over a
period of time or always so every once in a while you got to preach a sermon
like this so that people just put it in their mind that you got to be you know
we that we have to maintain good works we can't just fall back and just let
other people do all the work we can't just fall back and quit doing as much as
we were doing before we got to be constant and we got to be constantly
reminded to maintain good works so when you put all this together it's a it's
faithful to continuously repeat this strongly okay and so it's important and
and let's look at the last part of that verse it says that they which have
believed in God might be careful to maintain good works these things are
good and profitable unto men it now it's profitable unto you and it's
profitable under other people that you do good works isn't it because who do
you do good works for other people right but you could be doing those good works
to help your own spiritual life so what does it mean to maintain it means to
cause or enable a condition or state of affairs to continue to provide witness
with necessities for life or existence so maintain there's a lot of people
that are just maintenance workers okay and there's there's continuous need for
people in the maintenance industry and there's lots of different jobs that are
provided because of constantly needing to maintain work outside I think of you
know there's people that need to fix plumbing because after a while plumbing
goes bad right there's people that need to maintain this city streets and you
know because what happens if you leave things and you don't maintain them you
don't upkeep them then they fall into a state of decay right so so what some of
the synonyms for maintain would be preserve conserve keep retain keep going
keep alive keep up prolong perpetuate sustain carry on and continue God's
Word is saying this is important to maintain your good works right and so I
just wanted to read to you some things about the second law of thermodynamics
who knows what the second law of thermodynamics only the nerds and I'm
just kidding just joking but the second law of thermodynamics is this it
describes basic principles familiar in everyday life it is partially a
universal law of decay so everything tends towards decay the ultimate cause
of why everything ultimately falls apart and disintegrates over time
everything and the Sun is a big factor in that the Sun is gonna do most of the
damage to and why and then constant use if you're constantly using something it
needs to be fixed it needs to be maintained so and just like when we're
doing good work sometimes you can get weary in doing those good works right
and you need to maintain yourself in God's Word you need to maintain
yourself in the things of God and you need to keep going you know the purpose
of maintaining something is so it'll keep going right the reason why you
maintain your car is so that it'll keep driving you everywhere you need it to go
right it's important to maintain your car now I have a bad habit of driving
until the wheels fall off you know what I mean and then I just go buy another
one but you know some people just don't have time to maintain cars or they just
don't know how so but it is important you got to buy new tires every once in
a while you got to get those things rotated or they'll wear and then the
steel showing and you're like oh I didn't even know they were that bad you
know that's me anyway so material things are not eternal are they everything
appears to change eventually and chaos increases nothing stays as fresh as the
day one buys it you know you leave your milk in the fridge for too long what
happens to it it decays and then you get a mouthful milk you're like done that a
couple times you always smell I always smell the milk now before I pour it
sometimes it tricks you though anyway clothing becomes faded shoes become
destroyed that's lots of that's lots of walking to people's doors that's what
that is so um but clothing becomes faded threadbare and ultimately returns to
dust everything ages and wears out every death is a manifestation of this
law the effects of the second law are all around touching everything in the
universe each year vast sums are spent to counteract the relentless effects of
this law maintenance painting medical bills etc ultimately everything in
nature is obedient to its unchanging laws so this would include your
spiritual life also though okay and what are we talking we're talking about
spiritual things we're in church this morning so these good works good works
is a spiritual thing you know if you're spiritual you will do good works well
so but that now don't get confused okay you know a lot of people say oh you got
to do good works to be saved no we don't believe that here so we believe that you
do good works because you love the Lord and you want to obey him so someone who's
saved does need to maintain the spiritual part of themselves prayer Bible
reading hard preaching and good works those are those are four things that you
really need to to focus in on is that four one two three four or five five
things sorry so prayer do you have a prayer life you know if you don't have a
prayer life then maybe you need to like really just take some time get on your
knees and pray to God okay you don't you don't have you have not because you
asked not sometimes people like I just don't understand why don't have the
things I need why don't you ask God one time you know maybe he'll give it to you
Bible reading if you just skip your Bible reading all the time you know how
are you maintaining your spiritual life you know if you're just skipping over
you're gonna learn more from reading the Bible than you are gonna learn from me
preaching or anybody else preaching to you hard preaching helps get the sin out
of your life that helps maintain your spiritual life and good works that helps
you maintain your spiritual life because if you're not doing anything for God
you're probably pretty miserable you know because you know you're supposed
to be doing things for God and then you're not doing them so and it's not
just sowing soullings the the main thing here right that's the main good work and
if you don't do anything else that you just go so wanting you know praise the
Lord but you know there's other things that you can do to that are good works
okay so did Jesus just go so wanting or did he do other things he did other
things didn't he so what are good works acts of charity kindness or goodwill
toward other people right so you think about the home here's some things that
you might need to think about maintaining the home you know your
carpet you got dogs you got cats your carpets gonna need to be maintained
from time to time right your floors your roof your cabinets your doors paint yard
fence windows if you don't maintain those things are gonna naturally decay
and I already talked about automobiles but you know if you don't get the tune
ups done the brakes done the water the fluids and you're always having to call
CJ say CJ it's an emergency my car is broken down so CJ seems to be like the
the church mechanic make sure you tip that man all right so but infrastructure
you know I work in the business of infrastructure and what do I do I
maintain things that are already put in place they were already established but
those things tend toward decay and you have to maintain those things a sign on
the side of a road you know those things they get in especially the
Northwest they get moss and algae grow over the top of them you ever seen those
signs are so dirty came Sam well someone guess what someone has to go and risk
their life to go with a squeegee and some soap and wash that sign off you
know that nobody you know I mean if you think about some of those windy roads
you know the windy road sign well somebody is walking up to that and
washing it off you know that's it has to be maintained and if you don't
replace and repair the old system like Remy works with water you know getting
water to people's houses getting water to businesses you know if those water
lines are hundreds of years old they're gonna break you know it gets cold and
then it gets warm and then they snap and then they break and then waters come
shooting out and so someone has to go and clamp that thing off or shut the
water off and repair that thing and that is maintenance so according to
God's Word not only should Christians have good works but they gotta maintain
them all right so why why do we do that our spiritual growth our spiritual walk
with God you know for our own good and for the good of others there is no
retirement from the Christian life okay and I just want to say that you know a
lot of people are like man I can't wait till I retire get my 30 years in you
know that sounds good but there's no retirement from the Christian life did
you see Caleb retiring from the Christian life did you see Moses
retiring from the Christian life no Caleb he said I want that mountain
right there he's 85 years old and goes up and beats all these Giants he didn't
retire you know and I'm not saying I'm not talking about retiring from your job
I'm talking about retiring from the Christian job that you have that God
gives you to do okay so you know Moses he died as the leader of the nation of
Israel he was still as varile and you know the Bible says he didn't lose any
of his natural strength it wasn't abated so he looked old but he was still strong
he was still a strong man of God so what are good works exactly I want to let the
Bible define for you what they are because you know you can look in a
dictionary and say what are good works they're gonna be like charity you know
giving to the poor which is true that is that is a good work but let's look at
John chapter 10 let the Bible kind of define what these works are because what
was Jesus known for doing he was known for being a good anybody that that's not
some god-hating atheist or God hating sodomite is gonna say that Jesus was a
good person even if they don't believe he was God or even if they don't believe
he's the Lord they're gonna believe they believe that he was a good person right
most people believe that so look at John 10 31 it says then the Jews took up
stones again to stone him Jesus answered them many good works have I showed you
from my father for which of those works do you stone me the Jews answered saying
for a good work we stone they not but for blasphemy and because thou that thou
being a man makest thyself God and that scripture was was read by somebody last
night at the men's preaching night which was really good by the way and but it
says many good works have I showed you from my father so what kind of good
works did Jesus do well let's just kind of think about that for a second so what
were his works giving money to the poor did Jesus give money to the poor was
that a good work yes feeding the five thousand did he get that he feed five
thousand yeah healing lepers an incurable disease at that time healing
the blind he made people to be able to see again he the halt people that had
the man that had the withered hand he healed so his other hand was made the
same as the other one the main people that couldn't walk remember the guy and
mark and the book of Mark they pulled him that put there was so many people in
there they had to put it you know tear the tiles off the roof and drop him down
there so he healed the maimed the deaf he caused the people who couldn't hear
to hear again and raised people from the dead he raised several people from the
dead so they could you know their family was distraught over it Lazarus you know
he said Lazarus come forth he comes forth out of the grave those are good
works right saving literally thousands of people from hell during the time that
he was on this earth right so he only did so much but you know who saves
everybody though Jesus so he's got the ultimate good works resume doesn't he
okay so anybody that you know says well I do all this and I do that well Jesus
did more than you did okay and he always has and he always will you know he's
died he died on the cross he raised from the dead so we could have everlasting
life so anybody that's saved is saved because of Jesus that's pretty good
works isn't it millions of people not just the people he saved when he was
here but the millions of people that have been saved throughout time Jesus
Christ made that possible for that to happen and save them so those are pretty
good works right and so Jesus said for what good works are you gonna stone me
you know and they're like we're not showing it because of that you know but
that's another sermon another time so that's all kind of introduction and I
know that sounds like a bad thing but I'm gonna try to rush through some of
this but the book of Titus has the most mentions of good works out of any book
in the whole Bible who knew that brother Matt no nobody so I've just kind of did
a search on good work you know just the word good works the two words put
together and the book of Titus has five mentions of them and we're gonna look at
some of those mentions today and I'm gonna make points out of the sermon from
them so and so let's see number one as Christians we need to show a pattern of
good works so in turn to Titus chapter 2 look at verse 6 Titus 2 verse number 6
and sewing and making type all types of products people use a pattern people
make patents for things that are molds and things like that and they make
patterns for things to follow after right so like you know miss
juzana's swim dresses she has patterns that she sells online so you can make
your own swim dress right no guys don't make swim dresses okay but unless you're
making it for your wife or something all right or your daughter but you know
there's a pattern of ways that you know there's a there's there's good patterns
and if you follow those good patterns in life you'll be successful you know and
works we need to show forth the pattern that God showed us from his holy word
the King James Bible right and show a pattern that pattern to other people
see Moses he was shown a pattern wasn't he of how to build the tabernacle and
and and God put the his spirit of wisdom in men so they could build those things
and build the tabernacle so God could dwell with the children of Israel but in
Titus 2 verse 6 the Bible says this young men likewise exhort to be sober
minded in all things showing thyself a pattern of good works so young men exhort
to be sober minded you shouldn't be doing drugs and alcohol and things like
that but it says in all things showing thyself a pattern of good works so do
you have a pattern of good works young men you know and this can apply to
anybody not just young men everybody should have a pattern of good works it's
a safe person it says in doctrine showing uncorruptness you know not being
oneness with probably a good way of showing that you're not corrupted right
your doctrine is not corrupted gravity sincerity sound speech that cannot be
condemned that he that is of a contrary part may be ashamed having no evil thing
to say about you turn over to Matthew chapter 5 verse number 13 Matthew 5
verse number 13 I'm gonna read for you in Exodus chapter 25 verse number 8 so
my math turn Matthew 5 13 I'm gonna read for you Exodus 25 8 says and let them
make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them according to all that I show
thee after the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of the instruments
thereof even so shall you make it and verse 40 it says and look that thou
make them after the pattern which was showed thee and the mount see God's
always going to show us a pattern and a way to live our lives and we're supposed
to be like Jesus right we're supposed to show forth the works of Jesus and and so
we have a big we have big shoes to fill because he did a lot more than we could
ever possibly hope to do as far as good works are concerned I mean he fulfilled
he fulfilled the whole law he did everything in this book that he was
supposed to do that's how he was able to redeem us so and we're supposed to you
know be cut after the same mold we're supposed to try our best to be like
Jesus and to walk in the pattern that he's shown us so what people say that
about you at your funeral if he died tomorrow and you had a funeral when
people say hey they had a pattern of good works you know would they say that
about you and that's a good question to ask yourself and if not you know maybe
it's time to start working on having a pattern of good works you're in Matthew
5 look at verse 13 it says ye are the salt of the earth but if the salt hath
have lost its savour wherewith shall it be salted it is thenceforth good for
nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden under the foot of men you are
the light of the world a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid neither do
men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it
giveth light unto all that are in the house let your light so shine before
men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in
heaven so we're supposed to show forth the works of God we're supposed to be
the light of the world because Jesus was the light of the world and he's in
heaven now okay and he left us here to be the light of the world salt your he
says what you should be the salt and sometimes salt preserves things and
sometimes salts irritates things doesn't it when you're sweating men if you're
or even women if you're sweating real bad you're working real hard you're just
got sweat drenched in your and you get that sweat in your eyes and it stings
you know that's salt that's the salt that's coming out of your your pores and
it stings you know and sometimes you know people's like oh you guys are too
mean in this movement this new IFP movement you're just too mean well you
know the Bible says we're supposed to be salty we're supposed to be salty okay
we're supposed to be salt we're supposed to be light that you know there's
something there's a time to be salty and there's a time to be sweetness and light
isn't there so you have to have a balance it can't be off balance all
right so the Bible says that they may see your good works and glorify your
Father which is in heaven so your good works should be ultimately to what to
make sure that God is glorified not yourself not your not your own self
you're you know oh look at me look at all the good works that I'm doing that's
what people say to us at the door all the time isn't it well how do you know
you're going to heaven I was a teacher what does that mean I had a guy last
week I was a pastor in men as we're knocking on door and he's like well I
served in Afghanistan that's why I'm going to heaven like okay well so lots
of people so you're just automatically going to heaven because you served in
Afghanistan I mean that's just a stupid answer that's counting on your own works
that's like that's the epitome of counting on your good works you know and
I'm sure the guy had some saw some crazy stuff but does that automatically make
sure if you sign up for the military tomorrow you'll get to heaven all right
says the Pope no I'm just kidding but but do you glorify do people glorify God
because of the works that you do think about that question do people glort say
hey man that guy I might not be a Christian but when I see that guy I see
his works and you know God God needs to get the glory for that I mean do people
want to get saved because of your lifestyle no just kidding but it does
you know you're there is something to be said about your lifestyle and what
people see in your life okay if you're just going to the bar and hanging out
with everybody and then you know you're drinking it up you're drugging it up
with everybody and then you're like hey by the way I want to tell you about
Jesus look you're not gonna have any credibility they're not gonna want to
get saved by you and what they're gonna do is they're gonna look at you and go
you're a hypocrite you know the church is filled with hypocrites why do you
think people say that so number two tonight or this morning we need to be
zealous of good works zealous of good works look at Titus 2 verse 13 Titus 2
verse 13 I'm not trying to make it too difficult for you to turn to the
scriptures this morning Titus 2 verse 13 says looking for that blessed hope
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ who gave
himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto
himself a peculiar people zealous of good works now he wants us to be zealous
of good works so you don't have to have works to get saved but God does expect
you to work for him once you are saved he if the Bible says you should do good
works the definition of zeal is a great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a
cause or an objective so if someone says you're just a zealot say well praise God
praise God you know cuz God says he wants you to be zealous he wants you to
have a zeal for the things of God and to do good works and to live the
Christian life you should have a great zeal in your heart and not be a
lukewarm you know weakling in the faith so can you cannot be said about you do
you have a great zeal to do good works and if not why not you know did God save
you did God save you so that you could just sit and you know watch stupid shows
on TV or just not do anything for God at all just just you know just float
through life I'm gonna go to church once a week and that's all I'm doing no he
saved you because he wants you to be zealous to do good works for him so turn
to second Kings chapter 10 second Kings chapter 10 love these verses second
Kings chapter 10 verse number 15 second Kings 10 verse 15 the Bible says this
and when he was departed thence he lied it on John Johanna dab the son of red cab
coming to meet him and he saluted him and said to him is thine heart right as
my heart is is with thy heart and Johanna dab answered it is if it be give
me thine hand and he gave him his hand and he took him up into his chariot and
he said come with me and see my zeal for the Lord so they made him ride in his
chariot we're talking about Jehu the son of Nimshu but yeah we're talking about
Jehu okay that he drove furiously right he drove like me but you know he said
come with me and see my zeal for the Lord all right so he's a is your heart
like my heart so if your heart is zealous and full of good works to do the
good works for God then you know are you taking someone else but as someone
following you with your zeal you know he said come on up come with me and I'll
show you the zeal my zeal for God you know that's the way our attitude should
be hey that there's other people around here you know let's let that zeal rub
off on other people okay not only should we be zealous to do good works but our
zeal should rub off on other people and look when people see your zeal they're
gonna be like man I want it I want that zeal I want to do good works too I want
to do all these great things so and that's what makes this movement unlike
any other movement that's what makes our church different from other churches our
zeal for lost souls our zeal to see people saved and our zeal for good works
but it's like I said it's not just about soul wanting it is a lot about soul
wanting but there's other things that we can do and our zeal for people but our
zeal for getting people saved is what drives this movement along it really
does and that's what really just plugs people into a church like this is it
like hey they care about people being saved brother Matt was talking about
this in his sermon he's like people you know if you're not just going just to
invite someone to get another tithe envelope in the offering plate that's
not what we're out there doing really we're inviting the church we could care
less if they ever come to this church ever as long as they get saved right
there that's what we really care about and people should know that when you're
at their door you should have a passion and a zeal for what you're doing not
just like going through your having a little frowny face on your face the
whole time you're so winning that's weird be nice to people show them that
you care plead with them please get saved you're gonna die and go to hell
Revelation chapter 3 look at verse 14 turn over there
Revelation 3 verse 14
because isn't that the ultimate goal though is to see people saved you know I
mean there's a lot of things in the Christian life but our main thing is to
get people saved that's what Jesus wants that's what he left us here for otherwise
we'd already be gone right revelation 3 verse 14 says it under the angel of the
lay of the scenes right these things say at the Amen the faithful and true
witness the beginning of the creation of God I know thy works that thou art
neither cold nor hot I would that were cold or hot so then because thou art
lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth because thou
sayest I'm rich and increase with goods and have need of nothing and know us now
no it's not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked
if you're not cold or hot for if you're not you know he'd rather have you be
cold than than lukewarm he'd rather have you be hot than lukewarm lukewarm just
means yeah do I go sewing today I don't know what do you think you know that's
Luke that's a lukewarm attitude you know either be cold or be hot but God it
makes them sick to see someone that's just lukewarm or just doesn't really
care yeah you know they just are just like yeah whatever you know that makes
God sick and he says I'm gonna puke you out of my mouth that's what speeds the
spew you know it's gross right that's what makes God sick okay look at verse
18 says I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be
rich and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed and that the shame of thy
nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with I self that thou mayest see as
many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent so what's
he saying you got to stop being lukewarm you got to be zealous and repent and
start doing good works start doing what God asks you to do you know don't be
lame you know you can't if you came from a lame church don't bring lameness
into this church be on fire be fired up if you're lukewarm today and maybe you're
you're on the outside you're doing the works but in your heart you're really
not doing the works you're just going through the motions be zealous and
repent of that and get on fire for God and start doing it for the right reasons
you know and and look by all means continue to do things if you're
lukewarm and you're going through the motions continue to don't stop you know
because you'll get that back again you'll get that zeal back again the next
time you see someone say that the door you're like yeah that's why I do this
that's why I go every week and knock on you know five hundred doors or whatever
you know you eat we'll knock on doors and then sometimes like I was with Chris
a couple weeks ago and we knocked all these doors nobody was interested people
were being rude to us and the very last door you know we're ready to hang it up
it was the last door girl got saved 14 years old never even she was Catholic
she had a statue of Mary sitting on her table right there in the end table and
she got saved so easy it was just like like she was just waiting but she was
low-hanging fruit and she just got saved super easy and it's like that's that's a
good reason to keep going and that's a good reason to not waste people's time
too that's a good time you know don't waste your time with heretics just you
know they they say that their oneness or they say that whatever they are there
you know as soon as they say they're Mormon I'm just like man but I still
ask the questions you know but you know they're not gonna let you know even if
they do let you give them the gospel they're not gonna get saved because
they're just gonna go I really don't believe that huh even though they agree
with you the whole time you're telling them so there's time wasters you know
and you know don't waste your time out there because there's someone that's
waiting just down just down the block waiting to get saved so look at Hebrews
10 Hebrews 10 this is a long point it's probably the longest point of the whole
sermon Hebrews 10 because it's important to have a great zeal for God
for a zeal for the works of God Hebrews 10 24 says and let us consider one
another to provoke unto love and what good works see let us consider one
another wouldn't that be the people in this room right provoke to provoke unto
love and good works it says not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the
more as you see the day approaching see people think church isn't important I'll
tell you what it is important and I'll tell you another thing if you're not
here I do notice that you're not here you know that like man I sure I wonder
where they're at you know somebody had said yeah you know you probably didn't
even notice I was I was yeah I did I did I noticed I noticed when people leave
early I you know you you might not think I'm paying attention but I am so I do I
do notice when you when you're not in church and you're not sometimes you you
know there's reasons I understand that but to just skip church because you
don't feel like going that's lame that's what you know the old IFPs puts you to
shame in that at least those those people will show up three to thrive they
might not be getting anything out of it they're just doing it as a you know but
least they're doing it go to church you skipping church for any old reason can
have a bad effect on your brothers and sisters in Christ because why did verse
24 say and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works
why does why does it say that and then immediately after that says not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together why does it have it in that
order because God wants us to know that the reason when you skip church that
it's you're letting other people down you don't even realize it you think it's
just all about you but it's about other people too that's what good works is all
about you provoke people to love and to good works you provoke them to do good
right so so skipping skipping churches is not a good thing for you to do and
you might think well so so so skips church all the time so so doesn't have
doesn't come to all the services okay and what so what so but what that does
to that person though is is is that they say well if it's not important to them
well maybe it's just not that important you know if that person who seems to be
a pillar in the church is missing Church over every little thing then they're
that's gonna unzealous ly affect someone if that's even a word it's gonna it's
gonna zap the zeal right out of them cuz they're gonna be like that guy he's
somebody in the church he's somebody that I look up to and then they just
miss church for every little stupid reason it's lame don't be lame you
affect other people so what you do affects others skipping church doesn't
allow you the opportunity to provoke unto love and to good works so if you're
not here how you gonna provoke someone to do good works how you gonna do that
it has the opposite effect it it unprovokes people it does that's why
God says it in his word right I'm just gonna read for you this verse
Ecclesiastes 12 11 it says the words of the wise are as goads and as nails
fastened by the masters of assemblies which are given from one shepherd so
what is it go to go to is is to provoke or annoy someone so as to stimulate some
action or reaction so the words of the wise are like goads you know get to
church get to church get to church you know a goat is something that you drive
an animal with did you know that it's a spike stick used for driving cattle
what's the name of the judge that killed without well he killed like 600
men with an ox Shamgar the judge killed you know he killed six I think was a 600
people I think it was 600 people anyway but it's a spike stick that's what you
use to drive cattle yeah yeah but that you know it says the words of the wise
are as goads you should be goading other people on to good works you should be
pushing other people and it and the other the other word for it is to
revoke or annoy you know why aren't you in church why aren't you in church why
aren't you in church where were you where were you know and obviously that
could get really annoying so just kind of you know but it when you when you
when you set the standard then you can you can give it you can give a little go
to other people and help them along you know make them feel bad for not being
anyway I'm moving on to number three okay be ready to every good work be
ready to every good work turn to Titus 3 verse 1 Titus 3 verse 1 the Bible says
this Titus 3 1 it says put them in mind to be subject to principalities and
powers to obey magistrates to be ready to every good work so not only should
you be zealous but you should be ready you should be ready to go I'm ready to
do some good works you know and and brother Matt I'm I'm bragging on brother
Matt today but he said you need to have an outline for your soul winning if
you're are you ready to go soul winning right now if like we just all walk said
hey you know what I'm done with the service let's go so wanting right now
are you ready to go right now do you have your your Bible marked out do you
have your verses memorized are you ready to go so any right now because
that's a good work isn't it are you ready to help at a moment's notice when
someone needs help are you ready to help around this place when someone when we
need the help are you ready to help just just carry something just move something
just pick up a water jug and put it over there are you ready to help are you
ready to do good works are you ready to grab a heavy thing that a lady's carrying
and say hey let me grab get that for you are you ready to do that see we're
supposed to be ready to all good works and that those are good works you know
taking a heavy load out of a lady's hand you know that you're way stronger then
and you can't me just it just amazes me when I watch ladies the walk the walk by
with something really super heavy and just there's just dude just down there
come on guys grab something do something so turn over to first Kings
chapter 10
first Kings chapter 10 verse 1 first Kings 10 1 the Bible says this and when
the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord
she came to prove him with hard questions she came to Jerusalem with a
very great train with camels the bare spices and very much gold and precious
stones and when she was come to Solomon she communed with him of all that was in
her heart and Solomon told her of her questions all of her questions there was
not anything hid from the king which he told her not and when the Queen of Sheba
had seen all Solomon's wisdom and the house that he built that he had built
and the meat of his table and the sitting of the servants and the
attendance of the ministers and their apparel and his cupbearers and his
ascent by which he went up to the house of the Lord there was no more spirit in
her and she said to the king it was a true report that I heard mine own land
of thy acts and of thy wisdom how be it I believe not the words until I came and
mine eyes had seen it and behold the half was not told me thy wisdom and
prosperity exceeded the fame which I heard happy are thy men happy are these
thy servants which stand continually before thee and that here thy wisdom
blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set thee on the
throne of Israel because the Lord loved Israel forever therefore made he the
king to do judgment and justice so what what what do you get out of this story
that the people and Solomon's kingdom were ready for guests they were ready
they had everything that they had was an order that was decent and the Queen of
Sheba she had heard about the famous song but when she came and saw it for
herself that she had no more spirit in her you know and she said the half of it
wasn't even told how great it was what the God that people that come to this
church would think the same thing about our church you know that the attendance
of his ministers the apparel which they dressed it you know God does care what
you wear he does care when you go to church on Sunday there's nothing wrong
with putting on your Sunday best you know why because it is impressive to
people it your the way you dress has an impression on people's minds and it says
the cup bears the ascent by which they went up to the house of the Lord the
meat of his table the sitting of the servants I mean just everything was
super organized and and they blew the Queen of Sheba's mind just like by the
stuff that they had built and the things that the way they had things in place
and I want this church to be when people come to this church that and they hear
about Verity Baptist Church Vancouver or sure Foundation Baptist Church when it
becomes that did they come and they say wow the half of it wasn't even told of
me you know but what it takes to get that to happen do you notice that it's
not just Solomon doing all this stuff it's the people that were with Solomon
the people of his kingdom that made everything the way it was and so that's
that's being ready unto every good work you know are you ready for guests are
you ready is this church ready when people walk in the door is it a total
disaster area you know those are things that are important those are things you
know it didn't say that there was you know just stuff all over the place when
she came and she was like wow the half was never told me you know we got a
we got to pay attention you know about things in this in this in this building
here you know this isn't the building isn't the church it's the people and the
way we are is the way we're gonna reflect to others so and everybody has
stuff to work on in that area including myself but you know we need to be ready
to receive guests we need to be ready to to have people say that same thing about
our church you know a lot we get a lot of compliments at this church about the
way we run things and just the way that the the kindness of the people you know
we have a very friendly church so I'm not trying to beat everybody down here
I'm just saying we can do better we can do better than what we're doing
including myself it takes a whole team to have the effect that that that we
want to have on people to visit this church so would people say that about
our church and our people you know the half wasn't even told me how nice
brother Joe was that wasn't even told me how great the soul-wanting program was
the half wasn't even told me about the meat that they had at their at their
luncheon every every Sunday you know what I mean it's just you know those
things have an effect on people the way you treat people when they come in has
an effect on people are you trying to are you checking people to make sure
they're saved that I mean or are you just waiting to talk to your friend
about oneness you know what I mean I'm not saying that you're believing it I'm
just saying about what's the new hot what's the new scuttlebutt in the church
what's going on on Facebook or are you attending to the people that come to
this church and saying hey I want to make sure that person's saved before
they walk out the door was that person saved I don't know they got out of here
so fast you know but we got to stop people and at least ask them if they're
saved you know those are things that we need to think about so or you know would
someone come into this church and say hey ten percent of the people do a
hundred percent of the work well that would they say that so I mean being nice
is one thing but what about that's that's the what a lot of times it's
three percent of the people do a hundred percent of the work you know but we can
all pitch in and do stuff it's not just one person's responsibility to do stuff
here it's not just my responsibility it's not just my wife's responsibility
and it's not just you know a select few everybody can do something to help make
this church better everybody and you know what standing around watching other
people work that's unacceptable to me I mean you can do it if you want I'm not
you know this is a volunteer thing I'm volunteering I don't get paid to be here
you know I'm volunteering but you know it's a funny thing and when most when
Moses father-in-law came to him he said you're gonna burn yourself out he said
you got a you got to distribute the work that's how it should be but it even
even so at a lot of churches there's still a lot of just like a small group
of people doing all the work and I don't want that our church to be like that I
want everybody to pitch in everybody can be doing something for the Lord even in
this building okay so do you sit and watch other people work or do you find
something that needs to be done and do it that's what a number one worker does
you see a piece of paper on the floor you don't walk past that you bend over
and pick it up that's what a number one worker with and you know we're supposed
to work like we're working for God right in our regular jobs how much more at
this house so you know do you just sit and watch other people work I mean
that's that's pretty lame you know obviously everybody has their their jobs
that they do here but you know if you're just sitting around watching people work
and you're like what can I do to help and you're just sitting there well get
up and help it's real simple right Ecclesiastes 10 18 says by much
slothfulness the building decayeth and through idleness of the hands the house
droppeth through so you know this is a building isn't it so idleness of hands
will make this building decay just like anything else in this world and you know
with the idleness of hands the house drop the the house drop it through you
don't repair your roof it's gonna cave in right so moving on to number four be
careful to maintain good works look at Titus chapter 3 verse number 8 Titus 3
verse number 8 why it's so quiet in here I feel like there's an echo in the room
I don't know anyway number four be careful to maintain good works this is a
faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they
which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works these
things are good and profitable unto men so what's it mean to be careful it means
to be cautious of one's actions it could also mean taking pains in one's work
being exact being thorough and it can also be of things done or performed
with accuracy or caution so being careful to maintain good works I mean
all three of those kind of fit in right to be cautious in one's action hey make
sure you're doing good works make sure you're maintaining your good works make
sure that you're being exact and thorough in your good works in your
maintenance of your good works make sure that you're doing things with accuracy
don't skip part of your soul winning presentation whoops you know you got to
maintain those things but and if you're only going so only once a month you're
not maintaining it very well okay once a month is not going to get it done you're
never going to become a better soul winner if you don't go on a regular
basis so are you careful to maintain your good works do you check the oil in
your car no most people don't most people that are bad mechanics anyway do
you wash your car I took mine through the through the car wash for the first
time time and they still didn't get it all it was pretty bad I'm gonna have to
make make a few trips for that one but do you make sure your tires are good
I've had two flat tires and like the last week on the same exact tire so I
don't know if someone's getting too close you know when they borrow my car
if they're getting too close to the other lanes or what's going on but
screws and nails have been the culprit so actually I saw I had two tires three
tires so two on the back of my Kia one was a screw and one was a nail and then
on my tracker there was one a nail on the side so I don't know something
something's going on maybe someone's sabotaging me or something I don't know
what's going on maybe God's punishing me I don't know but if you if you do
those things to maintain your car then you should do things to maintain your
spiritual walk turn to Ephesians chapter 2 turn to Ephesians chapter 2
Ephesians chapter 2 look at verse 8 the Bible says this for by grace are you
saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of
works lest any man should boast and those are some verses you should have
memorized for your soul wanting program but so the our salvation doesn't depend
on our works okay and that's where I you know people get confused I don't know
why because when you show them this verse it's like it's not of works it's
not it's not of works no seriously it's not of works that's what the Bible says
right like what I still think you just have to follow God keep his commandments
just live by the golden rule no that's not what the Bible says my friend just
look at that it says not of works anyway verse 10 says for we are his
workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works so the creation part happens
first right you get saved and then he creates you unto good works so the good
works it's not like oh I repented of my sins and I believe to Jesus no see
that's putting the cart before the horse those works mean nothing those are
called dead works according to Hebrews chapter 6 ok so which it says which God
hath foreordained that we should should walk in them now does it say you have to
well you should should is like hey you you ought to be doing this but if you
don't you're still saved but then are you still are you salty no you're not
salty then you're not being salt you're not being light you're not being
anything you're being useless and what's it say about the useless salt
when it loses its Savior it's useless it's cast out right so don't expect God
to bless your life don't expect God to even allow you to live if you're not
doing something for the Lord right so what on earth are you doing for heaven's
sake what on earth are you doing for heaven's sake in Acts chapter 9 verse 36
the Bible says now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha which by
interpretation is called Dorcas this don't laugh this woman was full of good
works she's in heaven she can hear you saying the laughing about her name so
this woman was full of good works and alms deeds which she did so she was
filled with good works Tabitha was a great woman of God you know that's I
would like to have a clip in the Bible that said Aaron was full of good works
and alms deeds which he did alms deeds is giving the poor giving to the poor
clothes or whatever they need to get through you know there's a lot of poor
people in this world I'm not talking about lazy bums that don't want to work
that's not what I'm talking about I'm talking about poor people that are just
struggling to get by and you helped them out if someone has a sign and they stay
there that same place for five or ten years I'm not giving them nothing get
out and get a job so number five is the last point learn to maintain good works
learn to maintain good works not so there's two you know I don't want you to
be confused that that's the same point because it's not because it says be
careful to maintain good works and then number five is learn to maintain good
work so turn look at Titus chapter 3 verse 14 Titus chapter 3 verse 14 I see
you see how Titus has so many verses about that it's pretty cool
Titus 3 verse 14 says and let ours also learn to maintain good works for
necessary uses and that they be not unfruitful turn over to Proverbs 11
Proverbs 11 so what is the point of learning to maintain good works what
what's the point well it says for necessary uses right what's a necessary
use well you know given someone the food that they need is a necessary thing
right it takes food to live but Proverbs 11 verse 30 says the fruit of the
righteous is a tree of life and he that winneth souls is wise here in Titus
chapter 3 verse 14 it says and let our and let ours also learn to maintain good
works for necessary uses that they be not unfruitful so the the works that you
do should be a necessity you know they should be necessary uses and those
things will make you fruitful not unfruitful see that's saying that you
have to do necessary works okay having a garden a church garden I don't know
how that becomes a necessary use I mean I guess if you're helping the poor with
that and you're actually you know but there's some churches they don't have a
soul-willing program but they have a church garden okay they don't have a
soul-willing program but they have a church pantry okay if you if you have
those things and you're not getting people saved by them then it's a
useless unnecessary work okay you can feed people all the time look I see him
in downtown Portland all the time with jackets nicer than me I'm out well I
looked at a bum the other day he had brand-new clothes on but he was still a
but I mean you can still tell he was a bum he was all spaced out of his mind
and wasted but he had a North Face coat on I don't have a North Face coat I got
a goodwill coat I don't even know if I have I mean I have jackets for church
but I don't even I might have a coat I don't know anyway I have coats for work
but you know we're a forgetful people so God makes sure to let us know more than
one time how important it is to maintain our good works and how we need to learn
to maintain those things how do we learn to maintain those good works the Bible
the Bible is going to teach us what we need to know to learn to maintain the
good works turn to 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verse number 16 2nd Timothy 3 16 2nd
Timothy 3 16 is very famous scripture the Bible says all scripture is given by
inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for
instruction and righteousness so that is right is instruction and how to be
righteous is that good works yeah that the man of God may be perfect through
Lee furnished unto what all good works what's the Word of God for to teach us
how to be righteous to reprove rebuke and all that stuff but it's also to be
through Lee furnished unto all good works that's what it's that's the
purpose of the Word of God for us it's the second part of Titus 3 14 says
necessary uses that they be not unfruitful what does God want us to do
he wants us to do good works the main thing is soul winning but there's other
things also there's the necessary needs of others you know being a good
counselor to someone that's a good thing isn't it you know because most people
will go to the council of the world mom you know your unsaved parent or whatever
and say well you know so my husband's my new husband's doing this but don't go to
your your parents for advice after you've already you know gotten in let
them override what your husband says to you that's not right it's not right you
know we need to get the rolls back in place in this country because it's all
crazy you know my daughter's not gonna go work at Taco Bell my daughter's not
gonna go work at McDonald's where they teach you hey you gotta wear a pair of
pants to work here so what you're you're having your daughter go out and cross
dress you're telling your daughter to go out and cross dress I mean that's
what it is right it's cross-dressing hey go get a job and let all these guys
drool all over you all day that's not right you should be protecting your
daughter so anyway I'm off on a rabbit trail there sorry I got worked up a
little bit anyway so so you know good works that are necessary or needed I
just kind of wrote a little list of things that would be good how about
showing God's mercy to people his tenderness his kindness his charity his
long-suffering his compassion his protection his meekness his sacrifice
his hope those are things that God provides for us and we we can show those
things in our lives to other people sometimes people just need mercy you
know and and we should as Christians should be the first to forgive somebody
when they say they're sorry don't hold grudges on people when they say they're
sorry that's it that should be the end of the story now if they don't that's a
different story you know but even if you can see you still don't have to hold a
grudge if you forgive that person that's gonna make you feel better even if they
don't deserve it right so turn to 1st Timothy 6 17 that'll be the last
scripture I have you turn to well not the last the second plus all right 1st
Timothy 6 I'll just read it for you you turn to Galatians 6 turn to Galatians 6
I'm gonna read 1st Timothy 6 17 says charge them that are rich in this world
that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the Living
God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy that they do good and that they be
rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate now this is a
charge to people that are rich in this world people that have a lot of money he
says hey be rich and good works you know don't be just rich with your money but
see this could again can apply to anybody you even if you're poor you can
still be rich in good works and look that is a rewards program in heaven the
good works that you do that are not wood hay and stubble on this earth you get
rewarded by God for all eternity that's a good rewards program see rewards
programs at 7-eleven those only last as long as your points last okay the
Jamba Juice card that only lasts for so long but in heaven you get unlimited
rewards that's good right so you don't have to be rich to have good works you
know you can be rich in this world it with God right Hebrews 12 you're still
in six Galatians 6 I'm gonna read one more set of scriptures here Hebrews 12
1 says wherefore seen we are also compassed about what so great a cloud of
witnesses let us lay aside every weight and every sin which doth easily beset us
and let us run with patience the race that is set before us see the Christian
life is a race but you got to pace yourself you don't want to do so much
that you're burning yourself out you know you got to set aside the weights
and the sin that easily besets you and run with patience you know that's well
the first time I ever ran a mile when I was in elementary school I had to learn
to not try to just smoke everybody and then you know because then you still got
three laps to go right and then your dog tired you got to run that race with
patience you know and you know it's not saying walk like the Jehovah's Witnesses
walk to every single door I'm talking about a steady pace that's not gonna
burn you out for your whole lifetime because if there's no retirement then
you gotta you gotta be patient you gotta run it patiently right says looking unto
Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross despising the shame and it is set down at the
right hand of the throne of God and yes he's at the right hand of the throne of
God just for you one this believers Galatians 6 9 says this you're already
there right and let us not be wearing well-doing for in due season we shall
reap if we faint not so don't faint in your good works if you need to dial
something back you know your own self don't get so burnt out that you're just
gonna quit because that's what people do that they're called the Roman candle
Christians right they're there and they're just like yeah yeah yeah and
then the next thing you know they're gone where'd they go you know they're
just done because they just they made a pretty they made a pretty fountain right
and then they're just done you know they're just a carcass of a of a
firework laying on the ground so you know they have faith but it's dead right
that faith hey you can use fireworks for your dead faith anyway great so it says
at and verse 10 it says and as we have therefore opportunity let us do good
unto all men especially unto them who are of the household of faith so we're
supposed to be doing good to all men but especially to our fellow brothers and
sisters in Christ so hopefully this you know this was a good you know just a
motivational sermon that's what it's intended to be an exhortation for us to
you know get recharged you know we have a short break coming up next week I
don't think we have anything really planned for the weekend it's been a
while since I've been able to say that you know sometimes we need to recharge
our batteries Jesus says go you out in a desert place and rest a while he even
told his apostles to rest for a little bit but they didn't get a lot rest for
that long today you got one weekend we're going back right to it so anyway
but you still gotta go to church all right unless you're on vacation but you
know maybe yours you're a good works engine needs a tune-up you know and
maybe you're you need to clean your spiritual spark plugs you know and maybe
you need to a complete spiritual overhaul on your engine but you know let
the Word of God refresh you let the Word of God repair your spiritual motor
and get get tuned up and get ready to go back and and let's let's do some great
works for God let's do better than we you know we can always do better if
you're at zero you know one is better than zero isn't it God expects a certain
amount of works but we can do more for God and be more than a zero Christian
right let's pray Lord we thank you so much for the scriptures Lord we thank
you for the book of Titus and we thank you for just Lord the ability to get
rewards in heaven Lord what a great program you have for us and we just ask
that you be merciful to us Lord and help us to see and reflect in our lives where
we need to improve and Lord we give you the praise for that in Jesus name Amen