Pastor's Pulpit

June 7, 2010

Yesterday was a good day, even though we had some folks away for the weekend, we had several visitors in the morning service. The following message was preached:

Getting our Families ready for Heaven!
Titus 2:1-15

As a pastor my job is to help or assist you in getting you ready for Heaven. I am to reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine as I Tim.4 tells us. I am to help equip and perfect you for the work of the ministry as Eph. 4 tells us. I am to teach you to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. I am to get you ready for Heaven, because Jesus is coming again. I believe we are going to hear that trumpet of the Lord sound very soon. ( I Thess. 4:16-18 ) Amen! Are you ready? Are you ready for Heaven today? It's time to get our houses in order. Jesus is coming again, and we need to get ready, some need to get saved today. Some need to get their lives right with the Lord. How can we get our families ready for Heaven? How can we get ready to meet the Lord? Look here in Titus 2.

I. Build your lives around the Lord. ( vs. 11-14 )
Some of you have never been saved. You've heard the gospel over and over and you keep rejecting the Lord. God gives everyone at least one opportunity to hear the gospel. ( vs. 11 ) The grace of God, God didn't have to give you the opportunity to hear, or to be saved. But because He loves you and me and is gracious to you. He had mercy, you and I don't deserve salvation, we deserve Hell! Romans 3:23 says we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. You are a sinner. You've sinned against a holy God. The God who created you and gave you the breath you breathe. He keeps your heart beating in your chest. You've sinned against the One who spoke this world into existence. Romans 6:23 , we owe a penalty which is death. Not just physical but spiritual and eternal. If you die without Christ, you will go to hell for all eternity. Christ came 2,000 years ago into this world to die on an old rugged cross. he paid your debt. Titus 2:14
You need to receive Him today, He will save you if you will call on Him now. Romans 10:13
After we are saved, we must live for Him. We are to live according to Titus 2:12. ( soberly, righteously, and godly ) How can I do that?
By building my life around the Lord. Putting Him first in my life. ( Col.1:18 ) " in all things, He might have the preeminence." That means He is to be supreme in my life. Every decision in life should be determined by your complete trust in the Lord and wanting to please Him above all things.
Is Jesus Christ first place in your life?
It also means living a life that glorifies the Lord. For everyone. Notice in vs. 2, Older men, Older women vs. 3, Young ladies, vs.4-5, vs. 6-8 young men. Each of us, vs.12 . we are to live for God.
It means we will be looking for His return. The blessed Hope, vs. 13, I am excited that I could possibly be living in the time when the Lord returns for His bride! To know it could happen any moment. Perhaps today, so let's not be discouraged, let's be encouraged as the world begins to prepare for a one world system, we know that soon the Lord Jesus will appear.
Build your life around the Lord Jesus.

II. Build your life around the Church. ( vs. 14 )
He gave Himself for us - that he might redeem us. We are the redeemed of the Lord, the Blood-washed saints of God! Glory! We are truly a peculiar people, in the NT the church is the Bride of Christ. Eph.5:25, " ...Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it. " Christ loved the church, as God's people we are to love what He loves. We ought to love the church too. We are to love one another. We are brothers and sisters in the Lord. We are to treat one another like family. We are to care for one another, be concerned for one another.
Let's build our lives around the church. Because of this, we should be faithful in attendance. The Bible commands us in Heb. 10:23-25," ...Not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but so much the more, as we see the day approaching. "
A very important reason for Christians to assemble together is encouragement, strengthening, and stirring up. We gain strength from one another, but this is hard to do when you're at home.
It has been said, that the assembling of the believers is often the outward indication of the inner condition. It has also been said, " If a man's faith will not get him to church, it is doubtful if it will get him to Heaven." It's not just about you, you encourage others as well. The purpose of assembling together is for your participation in worship and fellowship with one another. Church attendance is necessary. One of these days, we are going to worship in Heaven. ( Rev. 4:4-11, 5:9-14 ) What a glorious time that will be, Amen? God has saved us and left us here to serve Him. He has chosen to work through one institution to bless and save the world. That is the church, ( Matt. 16:18 ) and the church will be here until Jesus comes, and He will present it to Himself. ( Eph. 5:26-27 )
Support it with your time, talent and tithes. Raise your kids in it. Build your lives around it. Do everything you can to build up your church, don't bring a reproach upon it. Do everything you can to promote your church. You need your church, and your church needs you!

III. Build your life around the Bible.
You need the Word of God. Notice Titus 2:1, " sound doctrine " vs. 7-8, " doctrine " " sound speech " vs. 12, " Teaching us..." using the Word of God. II Tim. 2:15, " Study to show thyself approved of God..." Study what? the Bible of course. You and I need the Bible to keep us straight. That word study, means " to give diligence "- " to endeavor " to show yourself approved. You have to work at this thing called the Christian life. We need some skillful workers who know the Word of God. Men and women who can teach the younger generation how to live for Christ. They need to see Christianity in action. Don't live a life that contradicts the Word of God. Build your life around the Word of God. You can't go wrong living by the Bible. Let's practice in our everyday living. If we would just obey what we already know, we could win this world to Christ. Christians today are to busy trying to be like the world, look like the world, and act like the world. Give me some Christians who will take up their cross, and follow Jesus. No turning back, No turning back! Amen. Keep your eyes on Jesus, put Him first in your life. Then build your life around the church. Stay faithful, stay close to God, and 3rdly, stay in the Word of God, the good old King James Bible. Love it, Believe it and stand for it. Get your home ready for Heaven today. Are you saved? Accept Christ today. Amen.

Pastor Taylor