Sermon: Godliness Summary: We need to support our faith with godliness, which has more to do with a reverential, devout fear for God and loving God wholeheartedly than it does empty appearance. Know: Being godly means being pre-disposed toward God in thinking, decisions, and all of life. Feel: The emptiness of outward religion as godliness Do: Identify ways to demonstrate godliness through loving God and those whome God loves. Scripture Reading: Titus 2:11-13 Intro: 1. Text 2 Pet 3:6 2. Support faith with godliness. What is godliness? a. Know a man who is moral, respectful, honest, etc. Is he godly? b. He is also an atheist. Being moral itself is not what makes you godly 3. What does it mean to be godly? I. Avoid False godliness (2 Tim 3:4-5) A. They have something that looks like godliness 1. People can be ungodly and yet look godly 2. Some characteristic of ungodliness a. Self-Centered, not God centered b. (v.7) Always learning the wrong thing 3. You wouldn’t think someone like this would be religious person? B. Example of the most religious ungodly people (Matt 23) 1. (v.5) - Tassels and phylacerties - to look godly 2. (v.6-7) - Called “Rabbi” - lit: my great one 3. (v.23) - 4. (v.25-28) - Looked good C. ILL: Man to dentist with wife, no novacaine, cheap. Really tough. Which tooth? Show him honey! 1. A lot of talk, no real substance. 2. We don’t want to apply to all else and not self, no substance D. Being godly is not about playing church on Sunday II. Fear God A. What does fear of God have to do with godliness? 1. 3 Greek words translated godly. This one is “eusebeia” 2. Translated by: godly, pious, or devout 3. Greek O.T. often use this word to translated “yara” - to fear a. Especially when it is speaking of fearing God b. Eusbebeia has idea of devout fear for God 4. Couple of examples of this use a. Prov 1:7 - Fear of the Lord = Piety toward God is the beginning of the discernment of wisdom b. Isa 33:6 - Heb: The fear of Yahweh is his treasure - LXX: Piety/godliness towards the Lord... B. ILL: What does it mean to fear God? Run away and hide? 1. Several examples: a. Work around dynamite, fear it means respect it b. Work around water as lifeguard, respect the water c. Work around high voltage, respect the voltage 2. Better Example: Feared parents - John in trouble all the time? a. Story: My Gremlin - Fishy, primer, loud - Always go to get freind Shawn - Always walking out to driveway to meet me - How do you know exactly when I coming? - Can hear you 2 blocks away b. Pulled over for speeding - Bad shocks, a little unsteady - Sobriety test, members of church drove my c. Now I have fear - of Dad - Not just because he had power of life and death - Actually, power of freedom over me d. Fear came because I also respected him - Fear for Dad not like fear I had of high voltage - I didn’t want to run away from Dad, he was Dad - Relational fear, I wanted to honor him as my Dad 3. But there is very little comparison of God to my Dad a. 1 Sam 2:2 - No one is holy like Yahweh b. He is worthy of all honor, praise and glory C. What if God were to appear right now in this room? How you react? 1. Would you run to him, look at him, etc.? 2. How others did: a. John 1:17 - John fell at the feet of a glorified Christ b. Exodus 20:18-20 - People trembled at Mt Sinai c. (Isa 6:1-5) - Call of Isaiah - Seraphim hid himself with his wings - Cowered in his presence - Isaiah said “woe” is me 3. No one died, because responded with fear, awe, reverence 4. God responded with grace a. Isaiah got coal to purify lips so can serve b. Jesus touched John and said, do not be afraid c. Titus 2:11-13 - Grace of God appeared, bring salvation - instructing us to deny ungodliness - live sensibly, righteously and godly in present age D. What does it look like every day? 1. (Acts 10:1-2) - Cornelius, a God fearer. How? a. Prayed to God continually - seeking God b. Gave to the poor c. (v.3ff) He was obedient to God’s instructions 2. He had a relational fear for God 3. That is what fearing God looks like, but it should grow... III. Fall in love with God A. 2 Pet 1:3 - Everything need for...godliness by true knowledge of him 1. Notice, didn’t say “true knowledge of the Bible” a. Can know Bible and not know God b. Can know about God, and still not know God c. Godly person loves God 2. Godliness is “god-wardness,” which carries the idea well. B. Greatest commandment? (Matt 22:36-38) - Love God with all might 1. What is my purpose? --- To love God 2. ILL: Sould Concern Skit - What songs does God hear? a. We’re part of a famly, we fight all the time b. Footprints of Jesus, well look there they go c. Here am I, don’t send me d. My Jesus I like thee e. Sitting on the premises of Christ my Lord 3. Don’t just love him on Sunday, but always 4. Not to the love of your life, love at home, not work a. Joy to be together b. Mind is always on trying to please him c. Nearness of my God is my good - Ps 73:28 C. (Matt 22:39-40) - Jesus didn’t stop there, love neighbor 1. 1 Cor 13:1-3 - Without love, religion is nothing 2. 1 John 4:7-8 - He who does not love does not know God a. 2 Pet 1:3 - All need for godliness through knowledge... b. If know God, will love your neighbor c. Cannot love God and not love neighbor 3. Luk 10:29ff - Who is my neihbor? Good Samaritan story. a. Love neighbor means to help anyone in need b. When confronted, don’t pass by the other side c. If you refuse, 1 Jn 4:8 says you don’t love God D. Falling in love with God means 2 things 1. Loving him every hour every day with undivided loyalty 2. Loving those whom he loves a. Commend you for Churches of Christ disaster relief b. Some of you have privately done benevolence c. Commend you for desire to share Gospel - Mission Trip, We Care, Support missionaries - Church planting in Tongonoxie with We Care 3. We love God, therefore we love his mission as well 4. He will bless us as we grow in and demonstrate his love Concl: 1. 2 Pet 2:9 - The Lord knows how to rescue the godly a. If you have not obeyed the Gospel, cannot be godly b. God wants you to commit yourself to him c. (Invitation) 2. If have obeyed, remember that growth in godliness involves 2 things a. Fear God b. Fall in Love with God over and over again - Love those whom God loves