Truth and Scripture #2

That is why God has given you is the life in which you will find the good works that he is prepared for you to do your life circumstances are not an accident. They are ordained by God. He has set you apart to glorify him to serve him, to proclaim him right in the midst of what you are doing. This is the truth with John Green, founding pastor of truth Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio hi Bill, right today. Don wraps up his look at how growth in the life of a Christian will only come through the purposeful study and steadfast reading of God's holy Scriptures friend if you're ready, let's join Don down as he continues teaching God's people.

God's word with the second half of a message called truth in Scripture you're on the truthful beloved. Jesus was not looking to grow in his obedience. Jesus did not need to grow spiritually. There was no progressive growth needed in Christ, he was perfect, his righteousness was absolute. It was impeccable.

He could never have been any other way. He was the perfect manifestation of the holiness of God. There was no way for him to get better. There is no way for him to grow spiritually and so when he says in the same context I sanctify myself. It's obvious that he's not talking about progressive growth in in spiritual character using the word in the different scents what Jesus is saying is his father. I set myself apart.

I sanctify myself. In other words, I set myself apart saying I I am setting myself apart. I'm stepping aside for the unique purpose that you appointed for me before the foundation of the world.

What's he talking about is talking about the fact that he is about to go to the cross is about to suffer for the sins of his people is about to undergo a work of eternal difficulty work of eternal punishment. Tasting the pains of eternal judgment for all of the sins of all of his people of all time. He says I set myself apart for the work that you've given me to do and I go to it with a son flinched. I go to it with a full determination of purpose. I go to her with a full engagement of my will and the submission of my will to the father. That's how he was set apart and that was the work to which he was set apart. He didn't need to grow spiritually. Beloved, he was set apart for the work that was about to calm because he draws a parallel between himself and the work of sanctification that he's asking God to do for the disciples is asking God to set them apart set them apart. The disciples just as Jesus is about to fulfill his purpose when he goes to the cross, the disciples will have their own purpose in the fulfillment of the great commission and they will need the hand of God on them decisively if they are to have success in the matter beforehand, like Peter, they had served in secular occupations. Peter was a fisherman.

Matthew was a tax collector. They had their secular work that they had done beforehand, but now they were being set apart taken away from that taken away from that occupation that vocation. They were being taken away and set apart for something else, set apart for the work of God, set apart for the word of God, set apart for the people of God, set apart for prayer.

Jesus even spoke about this early on he said follow me and I'll make you fishers of men. You been fishing for literal fish follow me and I'll give you an entirely different purpose will be fishing men not sea creatures and so their purpose would be expressed in the teaching of God's word in the making of disciples as we see in Luke 24 in Matthew 28, being set apart. Beloved, set apart necessary tasks but common tasks will no longer occupy their time. They been set apart for a higher purpose in the eternal plan of God and you see you see the apostle speaking this way in the book of acts we will take the time to turn their bid and in acts chapter 6 verse four.

Early on in the early church. They understood this. There was a dispute there is dispute about the care of some of the widows in the church and the apostle said, we cannot give our time to this we have something else to do so.

Appoint men who can take care of that task for you. But as for us as apostles. They said but we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word they had been set apart for that there are others who could do the necessary tasks of caring for the widows and the church. But the apostles could not do that and also do the work that they had been set apart for they had been set apart for eternal priorities to travel about on missionary journeys and to go places to preach and uphold the word of God to raise up new leaders.

Titus Timothy C in the life.

The apostle Paul Adventist, set apart for a spiritual work by spiritual means with spiritual goals in mind. And so, in light of those eternal priorities that was going to devolve on these week sinful, fearful men who would show their fear.

I'm repeating myself but it's so important for you to understand this.

These men who within hours would flee from Christ showing that they had no natural capacity, ability or strength to do what God required and called them to do. That's why Jesus is praying this way and saying God set them apart and had her hand upon them. They cannot do it.

So father, the strength must come from you and I'm about to depart from them myself.

Christ says so. He says give them a heart that is devoted entirely to your word set them apart with a special measure of your protection and strength so that they can do what you set them apart to do and then so that this word sanctify is so pregnant with with meaning. Jesus not only knowing the nature of the men but also knowing the nature of the task implied in this, his father, as you set them apart. Also order their lives so that they could fulfill what you set them apart to do. Luke Ephesians chapter 2 with this spirit of things in our minds. This gives great conviction and encourage to Christians.

It gives great conviction encouraged to men of God to rise to the occasion and the even in the face of hostile opposition.

Whether it's from close within the family or outside from the world, you know, when you understand that God has set you apart for a purpose to live for him in the life that the Lord has given to you then it clarifies your priority and it gives strength to your soul as you realize what Christ has done what Christ is called in the provision that is made through his own prayers for you.

Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10 thinking about this in the context of these disciples. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10 we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Another way of saying that God has set his people apart not only in salvation but is also set them apart for a purpose, by which they would live for his glory and live, and obedience to him and walk in the good works that God prepared for them and understand beloved. What this scripture is teaching us is that God has given you the life that you have right now that life that God has given you is the life in which you will find the good works that he is prepared for you to do your life circumstances are not an accident. They are ordained by God. He is set you apart to glorify him to serve him, to proclaim him right in the midst of what you are doing now your wanting to know the will of God and how you serve God, you know there's there's a time and place for say what am I going to be doing years from now.

There's also a time and place to say what's in front of me today how do I obey God in the mundane routine circumstances that he's given to me today that beloved is what is set you apart for today to do. That's what you've been sanctified to do today. And so Jesus says father, sanctify them, set them apart in their hearts.

Father continue to orchestrate by your providence by your perfect will.

The works that lie ahead for them, set them apart for the works that you set apart for them, particularly in specifically to do this has application for us. If God saved you, beloved, he has set you apart. Why do you exist you know, one of the things about the whole transgender stuff and all of the confusion. That's all around us and in the in the in the collapse of thought in the world around us is there is there is this awful hopelessness and aimlessness of people not even knowing who they are letting being able to look at their physical anatomy and determine whether there a boy or girl a man or a woman who am I what is a woman. What is a man. What am I here for when you cut the legs off from the most foundational aspects of identity. The only thing that is left is ultimate hopelessness and a complete loss of any sense of why you exist will blend none of that should infiltrate into a Christian mind, none of that. Why am I here and who am I listen, beloved, if you are in Christ you exist to know him to know the will of God and to do it.

That's why you exist in the outworking of that, I mean the general parameters 74 us all are the same as revealed in Scripture. The specific details of it day by day are determined by the providence of God's order for your life. That's what you been set apart for what brings us to our third point the means of sanctification, what is it that secures the well-being of the disciples, what is the source of their empowerment is the spirit of God works in their lives. Go back to verse 17, with me, he says, sanctify them in the truth would come back to our whole theme of the past several weeks. Sanctify them in the truth, and then he explains and expands what he means by the truth, he says, sanctify them in the truth.

Your word is truth twice in that very brief text, the word truth occurs. Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth and truth is obviously the emphasis of what Jesus is talking about here. Jesus had given them the truth in his teaching during his earthly ministry. Look up the Gannett verse 14 he said, I have given them your word.

I given them your word now in verse 17 he says your word is truth. I've given them the truth. I told them what truth is I that I that I taught them the way things really are now here in his prayer, his teaching ministry in his earthly life is teaching ministries come to an end as it does for all teachers of God's word sooner later comes to an end. So you have to live for more than just the act of teaching Jesus had given them the truth in his teaching, and now the truth is going to carry on even though the physical presence of Jesus is not so. He asks God to cover them in that truth for their protection and that he would use the truth in their lives to fulfill the purposes of God, and it is right here beloved that we see how crucial Scripture is to everything else. It is why I say this this kind of thing so many times it is why we put the word of God front and center in everything that we do is because there is no other source of power.

There is no other source of equipping that is given to us other than the word of God that has this kind of spiritual supernatural power. Beloved God sets his disciples apart to accomplish a mission on earth. You and I in our natural wisdom in our natural education. We have no idea what that is. We have no knowledge of the will of God.

Apart from what he has said in his word that the foolish dreams that people talk about the foolish motions of their of what they think in their mind what they think in their heart and God spoke to me. Apart from Scripture and said this.

That's all nonsense and not evidence from God.

None of it is in terms of being a revelation of his truth God has given us his word in order to be the means of our sanctification, and so the purpose of the word.

Is this the purpose of Scripture is to renew our minds to inform us and instruct us and command us to change the way that we think to change the way that we feel to renew our will and renew our volition so that we think like God does in accordance with his word so that we love the things that he loves and hates the things that he hates and having our minds and our hearts informed and that way we go forth and obey what he is done, we do what he instructs us to do and so the word is the fountain of all of that.

Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may prove what the will of God is that which is good and acceptable and perfect in light of everything that's true about salvation. Have your mind renewed by the ongoing submission and submersion of your mind into the truth of God is found in the 66 books of the Bible in like manner, the apostle Peter in his first letter said in chapter 2 verse one he said. Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander other words, putting aside the sins of your natural man like newborn babies long for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation. Beloved, the word of God.

The 66 books of the Bible and no more. The Apocrypha is not part of the word of God. The word of God is at the very heart of his purpose for your life and the transformation of your life. The word changes our thinking from our worldly environment in into conformity with the mind of Christ and beloved.

It is only by a transform mind that you can fulfill the purposes of God is in Scripture as you read it in your private devotions is only in Scripture. As you hear it, taught by biblically qualified men from the pulpit that God immerses you in an understanding of Christ in the purposes of redemption and with that renovated mind.

You are now able to discern the false philosophies of the world and to and to train your heart away from the sinful enticements and temptations of the world because your mind has been transformed that you been set apart in you been set apart so that your mind will be transformed. Here's the point.

Beloved from that position of mental strength with a renewed mind, then you are in a position to understand, assert and defend the truth of Scripture. Despite the hostile forces that surround us. The word of God makes you strong in Christ to be able to do that and with a renewed mind with a will that is renewed in accordance with that renewed mind.

Then you have the resolve necessary to overcome the obstacles and to stand firm in the fight of faith to stand like a rock in the midst of the waves of adversity to stand like a man in the face of criticism and rejection to stand like a man in the midst of the routine, mundane course of life ennobled instructed enabled by the power the word of God to fulfill the purpose that you've been set apart for sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth, so we must never forget the treasure that we have in God's precious word to hold it close is the most precious thing that we have turned to second Timothy as we close second Timothy chapter 3 verse 14 Paul speaking to Timothy and noticed this love this just crossed my mind in the moment.

I love it when that happens to Christ as he was about to depart, looked at his disciples and said father sanctify them in the truth. Now Paul in his last letter. A second Timothy looks at his disciple Timothy. He's doing the exact same thing is sanctifying. Timothy setting Timothy apart to the word of God so that after Paul is gone, the word would continue on in Timothy. Just as when Christ was gone. It would continue on in his disciples same thing Paul the apostle leaving the word continues on chapter 3 verse 14 you, however, continue in the things you have learned to become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known what the sacred writings you know the word of God.

Timothy, which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work and what's the consequence of that.

Then, in light of what Timothy knows to be true about the word of God. In light of what the word is in and of itself. What then is Timothy to do what are you and I to do what is truth community church to do in light of these great principles that we seen from God's word today. Well, the word of God is not joking around here. This is not this is not a moment of entertainment or seeker sensitivity appealing to the carnal desires of unsaved men now were on were on solid ground here. Chapter 4 verse one. In light of these things and Paul knowing that he himself is about to depart soon enough. This Timothy Timothy, I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom preach the word be ready in season and out of season, reproof, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. Timothy, this is not going to be popular when you do it do it anyway do it in season and out of season. Do it all the time.

This is your chart Timothy that unto which you have been sanctified, you can set apart to this, it does not matter if the world rejects you, it does not matter if the world does not receive your teaching do it because this is the purpose of God, under which you been sanctified by extension, it's what we all do, transformed and equipped by the word of God.

We do this beloved. The only growth in service of God comes from those in happens in those who read and study the word of God beloved. That is why must prioritize Scripture in your day-to-day life have an ongoing feeding of the word of God in your own life.

That is why we emphasize Scripture at our church. That is why beloved.

We call ourselves truth community church that's going green, bringing our lesson for today to a powerful close from the truth. Pulpit friend if you'd like to have a copy of today's message. Or maybe you'd like to share it with a friend.

Simply go to the truth.

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That's the truth. Pulpit.com now before we go. Here's done with the final word. Well, my friend. There is so much about life on this earth to make us anxious, fearful and discouraged and I just want to say this to you whether you go through this life with joy is directly tied to what you believe about the nature of God and the salvation that we find through faith in Jesus Christ alone. My friend, do you know the God who is all powerful, all wise and all loving is that God, the one who hears your prayers, and even numbers. The hairs on your head. You see, you can only know God truly by reading and studying his word.

That's how he makes himself known well. I hope that the truth pulpit is a source of strength to you as you live for Christ and if it is would you do us a favor would you return the blessing by dropping us a note at the truth.

Pulpit.com look for the contact us link in the upper right-hand corner of your brief greeting can assure that we keep the broadcast on this outlet as we continue to minister to. Thank you so much and God bless you. Thanks Don and Fran, thanks for spending some of your valuable time with us today.

I'm Bill Wright hoping you can join us next up is done green continue teaching God's people. God's word on the truthful