STUDIES FROM BRETHREN IN CHRIST

SERMON MENU SELECTIONS

10/11/2013 ~ The Purpose of Our Good Deeds


Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. ~ Psalm 34:14

God calls us out to do good works.
We need to be conscious of good deeds.
                               
┌─> All souls are mine. (Ezekiel 18:4)                              
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which
God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. ~ Ephesians 2:10

└─> Victory for God in His salvation plan through Christ’s coming.    

We are recreated with a new life in Christ.  

... made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
and raised us up together, ... ~ Ephesians 2:4-9



GOD
CREATOR OF ALL

/              |              \
       HE IS     HIS SPIRIT     HIS SON -
              |                |                |          ⭨
  God of this age - SATAN - Father of lies
⭩          ↓          ⭨
         
Sinners  
  
                     
Adam
 & Eve 
    Believers
waiting for
the light
Faithful
   in the light   
            

We are more than just His art,
we are His workmanship created for His good pleasure.
We need to remain mindful that He created us and that He watches us.


... O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all we are the work of Your hand. ~ Isaiah 64:8


                                    Denies the maker!? <─┐
... shall the thing made say of him who made it, "He did not make me"? ...
~ Isaiah 29:15-16


"For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has
anything been kept secret but that it should come to light." ~ Mark 4:22


Light will bear witness as the works of darkness fade.

For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil. ~ Ecclesiastes 12:14


God is not of our making.
To listen to Him is to know Him and our purpose in Him.
We are His tools, His vessels to be used in His grand plan of becoming.
Examples have been given to enlighten us to know how to help anyone.
It is what God calls for.  


... in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, ...
~ Titus 1:5


One of them, a prophet of their own, said,
"Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." ~ Titus 1:12

└─> Hyperbole declaring all in Crete despicable and detestable.    

How do you bring God to a detestable people?
⭨  ↓  ⭩
~ By learning to engage in good deeds.


And let our people also learn to maintain good works,
to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful. ~ Titus 3:14

      └─> Be fruitful.

SUMMATION OF CHRISTIAN LIVING IN A PERVERSE WORLD
BY LEARNING TO ENGAGE IN GOOD DEEDS

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
~ James 4:17


┌─> (Galatians 6:10)                                
To always do good reveals awareness of His will without hesitation.
We all need to learn how overcome the obstacles of fear.
It is what God calls for.  


... those who have believed in God should be
careful to maintain good works. ... ~ Titus 3:8


BASIS OF OUR SALVATION
CAREFUL TO MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS

People that believe in God need to be careful.
Carelessness has no honor in glorifying He who carefully made us.
It is careless to assume glory for actions that should be to glorify Him.


"... when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say,
'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.' "
~ Luke 17:7-10


Works can not save us and especially if we expect them to.
As servants, our good works are required through our faith.
It is what God calls for.  


... by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ~ Romans 12:1


How we offer exposes our hearts to God.

But do not forget to do good and to share,
for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. ~ Hebrews 13:16


(Galatians 5:22-24)     (John 14:15)     (Ephesians 5:8-11)
God has made it abundantly clear what He asks of us.
He will have mercy on whom He will and He knows those who are His.



\  

ALIVE IN
CHRIST

  /

  MERCY   Works Alone
Will Not
 Free us From 
Deserving
Death
  GRACE  

/  

GIFT
OF GOD

  \


... it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs,
but of God who shows mercy. ~ Romans 9:15-16


... not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to His mercy He saved us, ... ~ Titus 3:5-7


Not By Our Works → By His Mercy → By His Grace → Through Jesus

                             ┌─> Prepared as opportunities arise.
... authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no
one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. ~ Titus 3:1-2

⭦        ↑        ⭧
Challenging teachings for all.

Are we ready? - Vigilant for God?
Our attitude should be: "I want to be ready (prepared)".


WORK ORDERS
READY
CAREFUL
ZEALOUS
(EAGAR)

... who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless
deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
~ Titus 2:14


He redeemed us from lawless deeds that we would pursue good works.
Doing good deeds is effective in healing the wicked.
Light is always brighter than the darkness.


THE CHRISTIAN LIGHT
Created for
Good Works

Humble


Sin Likes to Hide.
Pattern of
Good Works
Obey

Reverence

Gentle
Peaceable


Do Good
       and To Share       


Hidden Works
in the Dark


Liars                   Sin

Evil Beasts
            Lazy Gluttons            


Secret Evil

Integrity

Speak Evil
of No One


    Incorruptibility    

Zealous for
Good Works


Learn to
Maintain
Good Works



Ready for
Every
Good Work



Careful to
Maintain
Good Works



... in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works;
in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, ... ~ Titus 2:7


In all we do, God wants us to be engaged in good works.

                                                                        Detestable <─┐
They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable,
disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. ~ Titus 1:16

Worthless for doing any good deeds. <─┘  

Claiming to be good and practicing wickedness is hypocrisy.

... "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,"
~ Romans 2: 21-24


●  Counting on good deeds to redeem us
is a worthless self centered endeavor.
→ It is where our good deeds inhibit a         
true humble serving nature for His glory.

If it is not meant to glorify God, it is something else.

"So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will vomit you out of My mouth." ~ Revelation 3:16


Hypocrisy uncovered is always repulsive.

"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who
does not gather with Me scatters." ~ Luke 11:23


When answering the call of God, there is no no in yes.
A little Christianity is worthless in the eyes of God.


"You are the salt of the earth; ... You are the light of the world.
A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ..." ~ Matthew 5:13-16


Our actions reflect what we are.
If God is not in us, God has no use for us.


                                   ┌─> Good for nothing.
... Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?
It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. ...
~ Luke 14:33-35


Actually, being of a saltless (un-flavorful, impotent)
nature can be dangerous for all involved.
Militant atheists personify hateful hearts.

When we say we are a Christian,
we stand out on top of a hill for all to see.
We are representatives of God’s word and
He does not care to be made to look foolish.

Confession without good deeds is hypocrisy.


... whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also
will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me
before men will be denied before the angels of God. ~ Luke 12:8-9


Good deeds without confession is self promotion.
The purpose of good deeds is to glorify God.  


X CONFESSIONGOOD DEEDS = HYPOCRISY
X GOOD DEEDSCONFESSION = SELF PROMOTION
CONFESSION + GOOD DEEDS = GLORIFIES GOD

... "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him and make Our home with him. ..." ~ John 14:23-24


Belief in action defines our immortal bond.

... but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified
in my body, whether by life or by death. ~ Philippians 1:20


In all that we are, stand unashamed.

... adorn the doctrine of our God our Savior in all things. ~ Titus 2:9-10

Adorn the doctrine of God.
Embrace all that He is applying it to one’s best abilities.
Do not be ashamed to humbly wear His light for all to see.


                          ┌─> Trim = Adorn
"Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps." ~ Matthew 25:7
                               └─> Knowing without preparing halts deliverance.

When the call comes, be ready (prepared) to respond.
Jesus asks us to go that extra mile in all that we do.


Without depth of purpose,
only a shallow response remains.
FOLLOW HIM FOR HIM.


I would like to again thank my exceptionally passionate and astute brother in Christ, Andy Cantrell.



 

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