The Preached Word

1. Without love we are nothing (vs 1 - 3)

2. What true love is ( vs 4 - 7)

3. Love in light of the end. ( vs 8 - 14)

Scripture Reading: Psalm 30

Sermon Outline

Introduction

1. Psalm 30 is made up of 2 stanzas. 30:1-5 give an overview of David’s story

while 30: 6-12 unpacks the story with more important insight or details.

2. The song describes David's near death experience, its cause, his plea for

deliverance, the reversal of his circumstances, and his response of

thanksgiving.

II. When we live as if our strength and not God’s favour is our security, we

live in danger of losing our souls (1-3, 7-9)

A. David nearly died (3, 9a)

B. David's heart was heavy (7)

III.We can easily be misguided by our prosperity and ease to become self-

sufficient (5-6,7)

A. David acknowledged that for a time he boasted of his prosperity (6)

B. He had to be woken up by his Father’s discipline (5,7)

“God whispers to us in our pleasures; he speaks to us in our work; he shouts

at us in our pain.” C. S. Lewis

IV. Our cries to the Lord distinguishes us as those who by faith endure

affliction even at the hand of God. (2,8,10)

A. David believed the Lord was yet present to hear his cry (30:2, 8)

B. David humbly reasoned and argued with God (9)

V. When we acknowledged God’s favour overshadow our affliction, we are

compelled to give thanks and praise to Him FOR EVER. (1-2, 4-5, 11-12)

A. The LORD answered David’ prayer (11-12)

B. David’s great turnaround was because of an even greater turnaround that

David’s greater Son, Jesus experienced

C. David acknowledged that the LORD’s discipline is brief but his favor lasts a

lifetime (4 - 5)

D.David exalted the Lord (1–2) for lifting him up

E. David cannot be silent in his joy (4-5, 11–12)

VI. Conclusion

1. We can frequently become self-sufficient, until God wakes us up with a

thunderclap.

2. But we are to hang on amid our afflictions because weeping may stay for a

night but joy comes with the morning. Our affliction is for a moment, but

his favour lasts a lifetime. So hang in there!

3. God delivers us from our troubles so that we might give thanks and praise to

Him FOR EVER. It is not that God needs our praise. It is because worship

filled with praise and thanksgiving invigorates our souls. Give thanks in all

circumstances, Apostle Paul reminded in 1 Thes 5:18; for this is the will of

God in Christ Jesus for you.

Scripture Reading: Titus 3:1-8

Sermon Outline

I. Introduction

• Grace triumphs when all seems lost and hopeless.

• Being reminded of God’s grace that changed us will motivate us to show

His grace to others through our good deeds.

II. Reminder One: How we are to act towards the ungodly world vs 1-2

A. Submissive, obedient, and ready to do good to rulers and authorities

B. Speak evil of no one

C. Peaceable and Gentle to all

III. Reminder Two: You were once just like the people of the world vs 3

A. We were foolish and disobedient

B. We were deceived

C. We were enslaved by our passions and pleasures

IV. Reminder Three: Salvation is of the Lord vs 4-7

1. We were saved by God’s grace and mercy

2. We were saved by Christ our Saviour

3. We were regenerated by the Hoy Spirit

II. Conclusion

• The doctrines of Grace must be preached in season and out of season

• The doctrines of Grace should motivate us to excel in good works for

God’s glory

Scripture Reading: Titus 2:11-15

Sermon Outline

Introduction

II. Grace Definition

III. Grace Saves v11

IV. Grace Sanctifies v12

V. Grace Gives Hope v13

VI. Grace Empowers v14

VII. Conclusion

Introduction

II. Graces and Character of the Christian Man vs 2,6

III. Graces and Character of the Christian Woman vs 3-5

IV. Graces and Character of Christian Servant vs 7-10

Conclusion

Scripture Reading: Titus 1:10-16

Sermon Outline

I. Introduction

· The Eldership must be above reproach, godly and Spirit-gifted to

serve Christ and his church

· The Elders must guard the flock by refuting false teachers and by

correcting believers who have followed false teaching

II. The Eldership must guard the flock by refuting false teachers

· First, false teaching always damages

· Second, the greatest danger for false teaching always comes from

within the church.

A. Refute false teachers by teaching sound doctrines vs 9

B. Refute the false teachers by exposing their false teachings vs 14

III. The Eldership must refute false teachers by exposing their sinful

behavior

A. Bad doctrine always results in bad behavior vs 15

B. False teachers are not usually so honest as to say that they are atheists or

the antichrist vs 16

IV. The Eldership must guard the flock by correcting believers who have

followed false teaching

A. Correct by warning of bad cultural and social norms vs 12

B. Correct by convincing strongly of the importance and narrowness of the

truth vs 13

Conclusion

Scripture Reading: Titus 1:5-9

Sermon Outline:

I. Introduction

II. Necessity of Godly Eldership vs 5

A. Every church without Elders is incomplete

B. Every church requires a plurality of Elders

III. Qualifications of Godly Eldership vs 6-8

A. A goodly man

B. A graceful man

C. A godly man

IV. Purpose of Godly Eldership

A. Feed the flock

B. Protect the flock

V. Conclusion

Scripture Reading: Titus 1:1-4

Sermon Outline

I. Introduction

a. Paul wrote and instructed Titus and the church down the ages on church

ministry; on how to do church.

b. Worldly principles and practices are preferred because they can bring in the

crowds.

c. God helping, we shall learn, relearn, and come face to face with the biblical

principles and practices of church ministry we glean from the Letter to Titus.

d. The first principle of church ministry is servanthood

II. Definition of Servanthood (v. 1a)

a. The word doulos for servant should be more accurately be translated as

bondslave.

b. The bondslave or doulos means that we have been chosen deliberately to serve

God and that we are God’s property

c. There’s a secondary sense in which we like being servants or slaves of God, that

we can also be His ambassadors.

III. Purpose of Servanthood (v. 1b-3)

a. Evangelism

b. Education

c. Sanctification

d. Expectation

e. Proclamation

IV. Passing on the Baton of Servanthood (v. 4)

a. Mentoring

b. Mimicking Christ

V. Conclusion

Scripture Reading: Psalm 95

Sermon Outline

I. Introduction

• Divided into 5 books, the psalms trace the ebb and flow of a life through the lens

of 3 main psalm types : hymns, laments and thanksgivings.

• Books 1 to 3 (Ps. 1-89) of the Psalms, trace this rise and fall of the Davidic

monarchy. At end of Book 3, the crisis of faith arises. Books 4 to 5 (Pss. 90-150)

provide insight into how to respond to this apparent failure of the promises made

to David and his descendants.

• Worship is not an add-on to our lives. It is the heart-beat of our spiritual lives. It is

not incidental. It is primary and it is fundamental. Not only is worship more

important than evangelism, fellowship, edification, discipleship or church planting,

but it is really the means to these things. (Deffinbaugh, B)

II. When things don’t turn out the way we like, we tend to stray away from

coming into God’s presence (8-11)

• As people who have experienced God’s blessings, we enjoy coming into the presence of the Lord

• But hearts can be hardened as we question and quarrel with God’s ways over our

disappointments. (8-9)

• God denies rest to those who stray from coming into His presence and acknowledging

Him as God. (10-11)

III. God is still great and still our covenant God even when we don’t

experience the promised Christian life at every point of our life. (3-5,7)

• God revealed Himself that He is a great God (3-5)

• God revealed Himself that He is our God (7)

IV. Because God is great and is our covenant God we find rest and

blessings worshipping and submitting to Him even when times are

challenging (1,2,6)

• Because God is great, He is worthy of all our worship (1-2)

• Because God is our God, He deserves all our submission (6)

V. Conclusion

• Today and whenever, if you hear God’s voice, God calls you to come and worship Him.

• Will you take heed to God’s voice even in challenging times.

• Worship exposes our hardness of heart and softens it to make way for the Lord’s

kingship. Often, He removes one blessing only to bestow another and a greater. We are His and He is ours.

Scripture Reading: Genesis 15

Sermon Outline

I. The context

a. “After these things.” Abram’s response to God seems to show a sign of his

doubt on God’s promise. God understood and confirmed His promise.

b. In confirming His promise, God has simply acted consistently with Himself, as

He always does and always must.

II. The means of justification (v. 6)

a. Romans 4:1-5, “What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather

according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has

something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture

say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’

Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the

ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.”

b. How can Abram be just before God? Paul answers: “It is not by works but by

faith.”

c. Works mean conformity to the moral law and obedience to the ceremonial law

(see Rom 4:10).

d. Hebrews 11:8 says, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a

place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing

where he was going.”

e. John Calvin: The circumstance of time it is recorded in the Scripture that God

counted Abram’s faith as righteousness is very important and critical.

f. Faith is not the ground but the means of his righteousness.

g. Westminster Confession of Faith: “Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ

and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification.”

III. The faith that leads to justification is the faith in the personal promise

of God regarding the Messiah or Christ (v. 5,6).

(i) Abram believed in the promise of God concerning his offspring – Jesus Christ.

(ii) Abram showed faith in the promise as made to him.

a. Galatians 2:20, “[He] loved me, and gave Himself for me”.

IV. The faith that justifies will persevere to the end (v. 18).

a. The faith that counts has the seal of the covenant.

b. God made a unilateral covenant with Abram in which He took full responsibility

for the fulfilment of these promises.

c. Abram's assurance is also our (every justified believer) assurance.

d. Luke 22:20, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in My

blood.”

V. Conclusion

a. How can a sinful person like me be right before a holy God? Can you settle that

question by trusting God’s Word concerning Christ?

b. Do you know Jesus Christ has saved you?