Introduction

• Titus 2:11-14
• God makes it simple: one thing or the other.

Sin always comes with poison.

• Titus 3:3 - There is something pleasurable about sin.
• Hebrews 11:25
• Proverbs 5:3-5 - Adultery is only a temporary pleasure.
• Proverbs 20:17
• Ecclesiastes 2:1
• Ephesians 2:10
• Ephesians 3:14-19 - This is the life God wants for us!
• Ephesians 4:22

Temptations have always been around and always will be.

• James 4:4 - friendship with the world vs. God
• I John 2:15-17
• Ecclesiastes 1:9
• I Timothy 2:9
• Think about hte effect you are having on others.
• I Timothy 4:12
• You are already valuable as a child of God. You don’t have to seek value by dressing immodestly.
• Luke 17:1

There is tremendous joy in living God’s way!

• Galatians 5:22
• What do we gain from doing things God’s way?
  • A strong, secure family - Titus 2:3-4
  • A blissful marriage - I Corinthians 7:3-4
  • A solid reputation
• I Peter 3:3 - There’s not some better life out there!

The life God has mapped out for us is a good life. And the retirement plan is out of this world!

• Titus 2:12

Making Benchley strong

• Revelation 3:1 - It is possible to be a dead church.

Use the Bible as our guide.

• Acts 11:19-30 - All three of Paul’s preaching journeys started in Antioch.
  • Antioch was a brand new church with both Jews and Gentiles and they were doing well.
  • Acts 11:20 - “Hellenists” here is likely referring to Greek-speaking non-Jews (Gentiles).
• We must fall back to our common ground—the word of God.
• Acts 14:34-15:4
• Acts 11:26; 13:1; 15:35 - Lots of teaching was happening at Antioch!

Be devoted to Jesus above all else.

• Acts 11:20-21 - “a great number who believed turned to the Lord”
• There is one Savior and we must be converted to Him.

Live the life.

• Acts 11:27-30
• Are you using your time and money to live for Christ?
• I John 2:3-6; 1:6 - It is not enough to know the scripture - you must act.
• I John 3:7-8 - The one who practices righteousness is righteous.

Rejoice about spiritual things.

• Acts 8:3-4, 39 - The eunuch rejoiced about his baptism.
• Acts 11:23; 13:48; 16:34 - More rejoicing!
• When’s the last time you rejoiced about something spiritual?

Introduction

• Micah 6:8

Matthew 23:1-12

• Focus on self:
  • Love for:
    • Attention and praise from men
    • Being honored by men
    • Elevated and admired by men
• Focus on Christ
  • Look to, focus on God and Christ
  • Practice God’s law: not to draw praise for self
  • Give attention and praise to God
  • Humble themselves
  • Be servants

I Corinthians 1:10-2:9; 3:1-9

• Focus on self:
  • Divide into groups aligned with human teachers
  • Give undue status and authority to men
  • Worldly, physical focus
  • Impressed by:
    • Clever arguments
    • Debate tactics
    • Men’s philosophies, wisdom,
    • Charisma
    • Mighty people: wealth, renown, confidence
    • Eloquent speech, appealing voice
    • Physical attractiveness
• Focus on Christ
  • Focus on Christ and God’s message
  • Preach the gospel of Christ
  • Christ crucified = wisdom of God
  • Spiritual focus
  • Confidence, power, boast in God
  • View themselves as servants
  • Working with God
  • Give credit and glory to God

II Corinthians 1:12-14, 24

• Focus on Christ:
  • Not a “lord” over others
  • Not a person with special distinction
  • Working together with other disciples

John 3:22-31

• Focus on self:
  • Concerned about people following ME
  • Building MY following
  • Pointing people to ME
• Focus on Christ
  • Concerned about people following Christ
  • Building Christ’s following
  • Completely point people to Christ
  • Humbly doing my part in God’s work

When we focus on ourselves

• Love for:
  • Attention and praise from men
  • Being honored by men
  • Elevated and admired by men
• Concerned about people following ME
• Building MY following
• Pointing people to ME.
• Divide into groups aligned with human teachers
• Give undue status and authority to men
• Worldly, physical focus
• Impressed by:
  • Clever arguments
  • Debate tactics
  • Men’s philosophies, wisdom,
  • Charisma
  • Mighty people: wealth, renown, confidence
  • Eloquent speech, appealing voice
  • Physical attractiveness

When we focus on Christ

• Look to, focus on God and Christ
• Practice God’s law: not to draw praise for self
• Give attention and praise to God
• Humble themselves
• Be selfless servants
• Not a lord over others
• Not a person with special distinction
• Working together with other disciples
• Focus on Christ and God’s message
• Spiritual focus
• Preach the gospel of Christ
• Christ crucified = wisdom of God
• Confidence, power, boast is in God
• View themselves as servants
• Working with God
• Give credit and glory to God
• Concerned about people following Christ
• Building Christ’s following
• Completely point people to Christ
• Humbly doing my part in God’s work

Applications

• Convert people to Christ. Be careful of converting people to my church.

I Samuel 25

• I Samuel 25:1 - Samuel died. Israel assembled to mourn him. Samuel gave his own obituary in a way in I Samuel 12:1-5. How great it would be to be able to say these things about myself at the end of my life!
• I Samuel 25:3 - Nabal’s name meant “fool.”
• I Samuel 25:24 - Abigail showed tremendous wisdom and humility in intercepting David.
• I Samuel 25:26 - Abigail said that God restrained David’s hand. David agreed in I Samuel 25:34.
• I Samuel 25:28 - This was possibly a prophecy of what would come from David’s lineage.
• I Samuel 25:32 - David counted meeting Abigail as God’s providence. God helped arrange this turn of events. Don’t overlook the small events that God may be orchestrating in your life!

Introduction

• Titus 2:7-8

Check your motive

• Matthew 22:37 - Being an example should not be our primary goal.
• Matthew 6:1-5, 15 - Be careful of crossing the line and being a showoff.
• Matthew 23:1-5 - The scribes and Pharisees had the wrong motives. See Deuteronomy 6:8. That was figurative language, but were making it literal with their tassels and phylacteries.
• Deuteronomy 11:18
• Numbers 15:39

Think: “What effect will this have on others?”

• Matthew 22:39
• We all know we are not perfect, but we should be operating out of humility.
• I Thessalonians 1:6-8; 2:5-12 - Sometimes we might need to let something go that would normally be our right just to avoid having a bad effect on others.
• II Thessalonians 3:7-12
• Colossians 3:23
• Start out by serving others, but then go above and beyond!

Be like the moon. Reflect the Greater Light.

• Genesis 1:16-19
• Psalms 19:1 - The moon is part of that glory. It is doing its job.
• I Corinthians 11:1
• Matthew 5:14-16