Scripture: Titus 3:1-8
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- WELCOME: To Central Church of Christ, not a place, but a people called to show God’s love, tell God’s story, and be God’s family. As we continue in the process of affirming elders and deacons on July 18th, it’s wise for us to look at more than just a list of qualities listed, but at the context of the entire Bible.
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Titus 1: Qualities of Elders
Titus 2: Qualities of older men, older women, younger women, younger men, slaves. Vs11
Titus 3: Remind them, Who The elders, older men, older women, younger women, younger men, slaves…
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- Titus 3:3-7 tells us the church has always been filled with losers.
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“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
Titus 3 declared that God built His church completely from a roster of losers.
ILLUS: Mars Hill Church – Marc Driscoll
In 18 years –
Mars Hill Church was a Christian megachurch, founded by Mark Driscoll, Lief Moi, and Mike Gunn. It was a multi-site church based in Seattle, Washington and grew from a home Bible study to 15 locations in 4 U.S. states.[1] Services were offered at its 15 locations; the church also podcast content of weekend services, and of conferences, on the Internet[2] with more than 260,000 sermon views online every week.[3] In 2013, Mars Hill had a membership of 6,489 and average weekly attendance of 12,329.[4]
From <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Hill_Church>
Some of the charges are as follows:
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- October 2011—Mark said in a meeting that he did not want a certain staff elder (who was not slim) to take on a certain prominent leadership role because “his fat ass is not the image we want for our church.”
- May 8, 2012—In a meeting of the Full Council convened to vote on the slate of nominees for the new board of advisors and accountability, Mark was explaining to the elders that under the newly revised bylaws, the Full Council would have the right to review any changes by the board. One elder corrected Mark with his own understanding that the new bylaws, in fact, allow the board to make decisions without running it by the Full Council. Mark’s response to that elder was bullying, with some elders present recalling language to the effect of: “I don’t give a shit what you think. I’m trying to be nice to you guys by asking your opinion. In reality, we don’t need your vote to make this decision. This is what we’re doing.”
- March 2013—Violence: Threatened to tear down a former elder’s church plant, saying “I’ll tear his church down brick by brick.”
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“… it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24
“Peter replied, ‘REPENT and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” Acts 2:38
“… (God) commands ALL people EVERYWHERE to repent. Acts 17:30
Back in 2006 the Washington Post conducted a poll,
- 79% of Americans believed they were “above average” in appearance,
- 86% feel they were above average in intelligence,
- and 94% believed they were above average in honesty.
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men…”
“… Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners— of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience…” I Timothy 1:15-16
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- &&&ILLUS: Years ago a preacher named Carl Ketcherside (non-instrumental Church of Christ) moved to St. Louis and began working with a group of teenagers he described as “a crew of ripped off long haired kids.” Most of them had a history of drug addiction.
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But he loved them and he listened to them, and one by one baptized them into Christ.
An affluent member of the church apparently wasn’t pleased with having these young folks come to their church building and he asked Ketcherside, “How are you making out those long haired, sad looking specimens you have been meeting with?”
And Ketcherside replied, “Those aren’t specimens, they are children of God. You are talking about my brethren in the Lord.”
The other man smirked and said, “They look to me like something the cat dragged in.”
And Ketcherside replied, “No. They look like someone the shepherd brought home.”
http://donaldcrane.blogspot.com/2014/07/hippies-someone-shepherd-brought-home.html
“He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:5b-7
Acts 2:38 “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
John 3:5
Jesus told Nicodemus, “ “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.”
To be saved we need to be born of the water AND the Spirit.
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- *NICODEMUS VIDEO
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INVITATION – Loveable Losers – Bring Christ Your Broken Life