Blog Post
#StrongerTogether, Part 8 by Ivor Botha
November 20, 2023
Sermon summary:
- Get God's grace. Titus was appointed by the Apostle Paul to minister to a Gentile audience. God's grace gives us salvation and teaches us to say no to ungodliness. God poured out his grace on us.
- Learn to control your character. Grace and conduct go together. Can you control (press the pause or stop button) yourself?
Watch the full service (the sermon starts at 37mins) here.
We are stronger together when we remember who we are. We have family values as part of God's household. We are stronger together when we know who we are and why we are here. We are to represent God's goodness in the world. Our mission unifies us. We are stronger together when we have clear family values. We need to be a praying community, and leadership should be based on having a godly character, not on looks or charisma.
Surprised by hope. We are able to offer hope to others even when we face challenges. Do we see trouble in life as opportunities to advance the gospel? Being united with Christ means we must be unified with others. We are called to look after the interests of others. We need to have humility in all areas of our lives. Press on towards the goal. How much energy do you spend looking at the past instead of straining towards the future and what's ahead. You cannot look behind you when you plough.
Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
Jesus is king. He is all we ever needed but not all we wanted. He rescued us out of darkness into his kingdom (church). Jesus built his church, it was created through and for him. The church becomes weak when it loses connection with the head (Jesus). Don't move from the hope you have in Christ.
We are stronger together when we respect each other; trust one another's motives; pray together, and more. We need to develop inner strength to deal with life's challenges. As we grow deep roots we won't get shaken easily. Then we need to make allowances for each other's faults, be patient, and make every effort to keep the unity of peace.
To know about the kingdom you must know about its king. Do we call Jesus our king, and live out the values of the kingdom?
The theme of the conference was "BUILDtogether" and the speakers and discussions challenged the Elders, Evangelists, Teachers and lay leaders to love God, love people and allow the Spirit to lead the building of the church.
What do fathers represent? Leaders, defenders, authority, providers, warmth, security, belonging and more. Practicals: Lead by example, stand in the gap, establish customs, identify and meet needs, be a source of hope and be willing to pay the ultimate sacrifce.