Dear Friends,
Does the gospel look good on you?
In his letter to Titus, the Apostle Paul tells his protégé that he is to teach bondservants (employees) to be submissive to their masters (their employers). “They are to be well-pleasing,” he says, “not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior” (Titus 2:9-10, emphasis added). In other words, they should conduct themselves as employees in such a way that they make the gospel look even more beautiful.
We all know what it looks like when someone’s life discredits or contradicts the gospel. It’s ugly. It’s embarrassing. It makes us hesitant to speak openly about our own faith, for feat someone who hears us talking about Jesus will draw the wrong conclusion about our character or our integrity.
What we say we believe about Jesus and how we live our lives are necessarily connected. In fact, if you want to know what someone truly believes, you should look at how he lives and the choices he makes. That’s a better barometer of his faith than what he says he believes.
Jesus takes this very seriously. In Luke 17, when Jesus talks about causing a little one to stumble, he is warning his disciples about falling into temptation. To give into temptation, He says, may result in someone else stumbling spiritually. They may follow your example and be led into sin themselves. Or they may wind up dismissing Christianity altogether because of your hypocrisy.
JC Ryle speaks to the soberness of this warning from Jesus. This extended quote from Ryle is a somber reminder that our lives are to adorn the gospel. Ryle says “professing Christians cause others to stumble and sin whenever they bring discredit on their religion by inconsistencies of temper, of word, or of deed. We do it whenever we make our Christianity unlovely in the eyes of the world, by conduct not in keeping with our profession. The world may not understand the doctrines and principles of believers. But the world is very keen-sighted about our practice.
The sin which our Lord brings before us is unhappily very common. The inconsistencies of professing Christians too often supply the men of the world with an excuse for neglecting religion altogether. An inconsistent believer, whether he knows it or not, is daily doing harm to souls. His life is a positive injury to the Gospel of Christ.
Let us often ask ourselves whether we are doing good or harm in the world. We cannot live to ourselves, if we are Christians. The eyes of many will always be upon us. Men will judge by what they see, far more than by what they hear. If they see the Christian contradicting by his practice what he professes to believe, they are justly stumbled and offended. For the world's sake, as well as for our own, let us labor to be eminently holy.
Let us endeavor to make our religion beautiful in the eyes of men, and to adorn the doctrine of Christ in all things. Let us strive daily to lay aside every weight, and the sin which most easily besets us, and so to live that men can find no fault in us, except concerning the law of our God. Let us watch jealously over our tempers and tongues, and the discharge of our social duties. Anything is better than doing harm to souls.
The cross of Christ will always give offence. Let us not increase that offence by carelessness in our daily life. The natural man cannot be expected to love the Gospel. But let us not disgust him by inconsistency.
Adorning the gospel by how we live is something each of us should strive to do. For our children’s sake. For our co-worker’s sake. For our neighbor’s sake. For the sake of the cashier at the grocery store or the barista at the coffee shop or the person who cuts your hair. Adorning the gospel with kindness, with gentleness, with compassion, with humility and with grace will make that person more open to the claims of Christ.
And when stumble? When your actions are at odds with your profession of faith in Christ and the godly character that should accompany that profession? Make it right. Confess. Humble yourself. Seek forgiveness. People need to see that message of the gospel provides hope for those who stumble and fall into temptation. When we model what repentance and humility look like, that adorns the gospel as well.
Today, and every day, strive to live your life in such a way that people will “see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Adorn the gospel.
LEADERSHIP IN THE LOCAL CHURCH
Tomorrow night, all men are invited to the second of six classes where we examine the qualifications and responsibilities outlined in scripture for those who are called to serve as leaders in a local church. Even if you weren’t able to attend the first class back in September, you’re welcome to join us for this second class.
ROOTS HANGOUT
This Saturday night, our Roots students will be getting together for a hangout at Pastor Cole and Hannah’s home. Here’s the info.
TRUNK OR TREATOur Trunk or Treat outreach is a week away!
Don’t forget to:
- Pray for good weather!
- Buy a big bag of candy this week and drop it off at church on Sunday morning.
- Show up and help out. There are plenty of ways you can serve during the event. Just show up and report to Jen Gurney. She’ll put you to work!
FALL WOMEN'S RETREATHave you signed up yet for the Fall Women’s Retreat?
It’s a two-night getaway in November with other women from Redeemer. It’s a great time to relax, study God’s word, have fun and come home spiritually refreshed.
Click here (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=56ccef81ec&e=fbb0a4052b) for info or to register.
NXTGEN GET TOGETHERAnd speaking of hangouts, the Gurneys will host a get together for young singles and young married couples in our church. The NxtGen get together is the first Saturday night in November.
UNITED GATHERING
On Sunday night, November 9, area churches are gathering for a city-wide night of prayer and worship. It’s called the United Gathering, and it will take place at the Immanuel Baptist Church City Center facility at 315 Shackleford, just north of Markham, in between the Jason’s Deli and the church.
The heart behind this event is to pray for God to bring a move of His Spirit in our city. Think about attending on your own or with some friends (maybe with your small group).
You can find out more about the event by clicking here (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=108e8211e6&e=fbb0a4052b).
SMITH FAMILY CARE TEAM
Thank you for continuing to pray for and care for Paul and Shirley Cherry as Paul begins his first round of chemo this week.
And please keep praying for Steve and Jenni Smith. Steve’s condition has taken a turn for the worse.
And for Jenni and her daughter Shauna, there are some challenging days ahead.
This Sunday night at 6:15 at church, we are convening a care team for the Smiths. In the days ahead, we expect they will need people who can help with a wide variety of needs – everything from yard work to meals to listing items for sale on Ebay or Facebook Marketplace to emotional support. Being part of this care team means your name will be on the list to be available as you’re able to be to help support the Smiths in the days ahead.
If you’re able to attend and help out, plan to meet with us on Sunday at 6:15. If you’d like to connect virtually, let me know and we’ll send you a Google Meets link so you can join us online.
PREPARING YOUR HEART FOR SUNDAY
Here’s our New City Catechism questions for this Sunday.
Here is the link to this week’s video (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=3432cd2515&e=fbb0a4052b) where Tim Keller talks about this week’s question and answer.
(https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=369316375e&e=fbb0a4052b)
And here is this week’s catechism song (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=6fb00f29d6&e=fbb0a4052b):
(https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=f1d3997aed&e=fbb0a4052b)
And finally, as always, here is the link (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=52a1afbca8&e=fbb0a4052b) that will take you to the Spotify playlist of the songs we’ll be singing together this Sunday.
SUNDAY'S COMING
Why does God save any of us? As we’ll see on Sunday, Ephesians 1 gives us a variety of answers to that question. He saves us to rescue us from eternal punishment and judgment. He saves us to unite us in His family and establish His eternal Kingdom. Ultimately, He saves us because it brings Him great glory. We’ll explore God’s purposes in salvation as we continue our study in Ephesians this Sunday.
See you in church.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Bob
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