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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