Sermon Central
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Unfinished Business Part 4 Series
Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 5, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: The church needs to complete the unfinished business of doing what is good. Many of us have been given a task that is unfinished by the Lord and He wants us to complete it for Him.
Unfinished Business Part 4 – Titus 3
Thesis: The church needs to complete the unfinished business of doing what is good. Many of us have been given a task that is unfinished by the Lord and He wants us to complete it for Him. He wants us to do what is good. The result - if we accept these missions is that many will come to understand the truth, many will embrace the truth and many will live by the truth.
Opening Illustration: I received this DVD a few weeks ago about the movie “The Passion of the Christ” and it spoke to me that Mel Gibson had the Lord speak to him about the need to complete an unfinished task for him and that was this movie. So lets see what the Lord laid on Mel’s heart when he challenged him to make this movie about Jesus.
Text:
3At 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. 4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he 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, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. 9But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. 11You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. 12As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there. 13Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need. 14Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives. 15Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.
Introduction:
Titus was given the task by Paul and the Lord to minister to the Cretan people and to make sure that he completed the unfinished business of the Gospel on this island. Titus was given a few major responsibilities by the Apostle Paul so that the Crete people could come into a personal relationship with Jesus and live the life. He had to appoint spiritual leaders, teach sound doctrine, and equip the people to do the good of the Gospel.
Titus was given the responsibility to reach this island. This task seemed almost an impossible mission but he knew “We can do all things with God” and all I need to remember is my own life testimony as to the transforming power of God.
Today is the biggest day for the NFL football with Super Bowl 38. Many of the players today know that their jobs, their business is not done until they are the Super Bowl Champions. The hype all week has been focusing on completing the unfinished job and that is to win the Super Bowl. Many of players have been focusing on the unfinished task all week. Reviewing the film of their opponents and learning what to do and how to do it good enough to win. According to KTIS there are many Christians on both teams. The one kicker for the Patriots is a Christian he said his goal or unfinished task is to a witness for Jesus Christ in the lime light of Super Bowl 38.
T.S. -- We come back to our illustration last week about keeping our eternal perspective, are you focused on the little black dot or the big white paper?
1. Remember were you have come from and in light of that complete the unfinished business of sharing the Gospel with the lost.
a. It’s always good to remember our own past because it will keep us humble and it should keep, us focused on the ultimate goal.
i. If we are the body of Christ and have experience the transforming power of the Gospel we need to complete the task of reaching the lost with the Gospel through doing the good of the Gospel.
