Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Last Lord’s day, we began a series title, “Hearts on Fire: Every Christian a Zealous Christian.”

Our goal in this series is to help us as soldiers of Christ to face our spiritual battles each day with a burning desire in our hearts to draw near to Him and to be victorious.

We defined zeal last week as, “having a burning desire to please God which leads us to action - to love and serve others with courage, diligence, and wisdom” and we saw a great example of the zeal that we need as we go out into battle - the LORD.

Isaiah described the LORD who prepares Himself to go out to war by stirring up His zeal, and as a great soldier, how he puts on His armor with zeal.

Hopefully as we go through this series of lessons we can grow to have zeal for God’s will that is more like His.

1. Purifying Our Environment

For our lesson today, we are going to talk about how we can light our fire - or our zeal - for the LORD.

So if you have your Bible, and I always hope you do, please turn to .

Titus chapter 2.

(Removing Sin & Depending on God's Grace - God's power to overcome sin..).

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There are a few points I would like to make in the context of to show us things that we need to consider in order to ignite our zeal for the LORD.

CONSIDER GOD’S MERCY

One of the

Remembering who we were w/o God's mercy... ()

In talking to the lukewarm christians in Laodicea, Jesus told them that instead of thinking that they needed nothing, they needed to see their need to come to Him to receive what they need.

Whether we have obeyed the Gospel or not, we are in need.

We need humility in order to see this fact.

Without the Lord’s mercy and grace on a daily basis, we would be lost.

CONSIDER THE CROSS

Paul reminds Titus why the Christians needed to be zealous for good works in .

All throughout this section of chapters 2 and 3, there is a focus on the good works that Christians need to be doing.

In , Paul instructs Titus regarding the things that he needed to teach different groups within the church to do in the area of good works.

Make yourself an example of good works

It is in the midst of this large section on doing good works that we have the passage that we closed on last week: .

“Remind them to... be ready for every good work” (, CSB)

It is in the midst of this large section on doing good works that we have the passage that we closed on last week: .

Jesus “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works.”

(, CSB)

I made the point from this passage last week that Jesus redeemed us, cleansed us, and made us His people so that we could be zealous for good works.

But what else do we see in this passage?

What did He do in order to make us a zealous people: He gave Himself for us.

He gave His life as a sacrifice for us on the cross.

The great news that Jesus came to this earth to give His life for you and for me so that we would have life should be news that stirs up our fire to want to do good works in showing our gratitude to Him.

If someone gave their life for you, what would your response be?

Let’s say that you were crossing a road and all of a sudden you heard your cell phone ring.

You get your phone out of your pocket.

You look down to see who is either calling you or texting you, and then all of a sudden, as you are crossing the road, someone tackles you.

You were walking out in front of a car and were distracted by your phone, and this person, at the risk of their own life, saved your life.

What would your response be to this man?

How grateful would you be.

What would you be willing to do for this person?

You may make some sacrifices for a short amount of time to show this person how thankful you are for their good deed.

How much more should you be willing to show your gratitude to Jesus after what He has done for you?

He Purchased You

Jesus purchased you with His precious blood.

He knew His mission would bring Him to Cavalry, but He came anyway because of the incredible value He places on your soul.

He “gave Himself” to purchase you and all people.

Jesus purchased you with His precious blood.

He knew His mission would bring Him to Cavalry, but He came anyway because of the incredible value He places on your soul.

He “gave Himself” to purchase you and all people.

These facts should stir us up if our fire is burning low or going out.

These facts about what Jesus did should light a fire in us if there is not one yet.

He Purified You

Jesus doesn’t leave you in a sin-stained condition.

He purifies you.

Jesus cleanses His people like He is restoring a priceless work of art.

He gives every Christian a new and pure life.

He makes each one of them a temple of His Spirit!

In Jesus, all your sins are washed away so that you stand before the Lord with a clean slate.

Jesus doesn’t leave you in a sin-stained condition.

He purifies you.

Jesus cleanses His people like He is restoring a priceless work of art.

He gives every Christian a new and pure life.

In Jesus, all your sins are washed away so that you stand before the Lord sparkling and new.

He Took Possession of You

“…a people for His own possession…”

Because of the excess of American culture, it is common for people to purchase things they never fully use.

It is not so with your Lord.

His mission took Him beyond payment and purification.

When Jesus saved you from sin, you became one of God’s most prized possessions that He desires to use for His glory.

These facts should - theses facts MUST stir us up or ignite our fire if it is burning low or going out.

These facts about what Jesus did should light a fire in us if there is not one yet or if our fire has gone out.

Remember the cross.

It can ignite your zeal.

Our second point goes along with this point.

CONSIDER GOD’S MERCY

In this passage, Paul reminds Titus that God’s mercy and grace needs to be what motivates us to do good works.

First in , after giving all of these teachings about the good works Christians need to be doing, he says,

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people...” (, CSB)

Why do you need to do good works?

Because God has been merciful.

He gave you life - life to one who was unworthy of it.

His grace appeared… His grace was willing to send Jesus to this earth to die.

He, by His grace, is willing to do what He has promised.

He gives us a hope to live for.

His grace is the reason why we can, as verse 13 says, “wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of our great God and savior Jesus” with any confidence.

Also, look at .

In verses 1 and 2, Paul tells Titus to remind his brethren about their need to submit to and obey their rulers and authorities and to not slander them or anyone else.

They instead were to show kindness and gentleness to ALL people.

Then Paul gives the motivation behind doing these things in verses 3-7:

“For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.

But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life.”

(, CSB)

What is Paul saying here to Titus?

Why should God’s people do good works and submit to and obey their authorities?

Because you and I were shown God’s kindness and mercy.

We may look at what our governing authorities do and what people who live around us do and decide not to be gracious towards them.

We may decide to slander them and be unloving and unkind.