COME: Drink the Water of Life

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Revelation 22:12-17
Series: COME

One of the traits I find most attractive about the God of Scripture is that, although He's all-powerful, He doesn't force His will on us. Instead, He invites us to come to Him and then patiently waits . . .

1. The invitation to "Come, drink the water of life," is an invitation to personally experience Jesus.
2. The invitation to "Come, drink the water of life," is an urgent invitation.
3. The invitation to "Come, drink the water of life," must not be taken lightly.
4. The invitation to "Come, drink the water of life," is an invitation to a celebration already paid for.
5. The invitation to "Come, drink the water of life," is an invitation to have your deepest thirst quenched.
6. The invitation to "Come, drink the water of life," is to be extended by the Church until Jesus returns.

May all who come behind us find us faithful!

COME: Let Us Return to the Lord

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Hosea 6:1-6
Series: COME

As one reads through the Old Testament, it quickly becomes apparent that God is almost constantly extending an invitation to His people to "return" to Him. That His people need this invitation over and over again speaks of their fickleness. That He extends it again and again speaks of His steadfast love.

1. The invitation to "Come, return to the Lord," is extended to God's people during seasons of unfaithfulness (see chapter 5).
2. The invitation to "Come, return to the Lord," carries with it the promise that it is not too late to experience His mercy (vv. 2-3).
3. The invitation to "Come, return to the Lord," is an invitation to revival/restoration (v. 2).
1. National revival
2. Church revival
3. Personal revival
4. The invitation to "Come, return to the Lord," requires that we forsake everything else and pursue Him (vv. 3a, 4-5).
5. A genuine response to the invitation to "Come, return to the Lord," will show itself in:
1. Right relationships with others (v. 6).
2. A constant pursuit of God's will (v. 6).

Response: "TODAY, IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS!"

COME: Find Rest!

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Matthew 11:25-30
Series: COME

Stress, anxiety, depression, sleepless nights, a weariness that eats away at the soul—these are common complaints from a generation that has been taught to find its value and worth in the amount of its productivity.

1. Jesus’ invitation to “Come, find rest,” is intended for those:
1. Trying to carry burdens God never intended them to carry.
2. Trying to carry legitimate burdens in their own strength.
2. His invitation to “Come, find rest,” is extended to:
1. The weary—those who see life as a struggle (v. 28).
2. The burdened—those who are burdened down by the stuff others have piled on their backs (v. 28).
3. The childlike—those who humbly seek God's enabling grace (v. 26).
3. Jesus’ invitation to “Come, find rest,” is an invitation to yoke yourself to Him (v. 29).
4. His invitation to “Come, find rest,” by yoking yourself to Him is an invitation to:
1. Learn the disciplines of rest from Him (v. 29, see also v. 27).
2. Labor alongside One who is gentle and humble (v. 29).
3. Lean into the yoke He has fashioned for you (v. 30).
5. His invitation to “Come, find rest,” is an invitation not to inactivity or ease but to a refreshing of one's soul (v. 29).

Personal application: Lord, I’ve grown weary under the weight of this world’s burdens. I am in desperate need of Your refreshing. Today, by faith, I lay down the cares that threaten to crush me and gladly place my shoulder under the yoke you have fashioned for me. Grant me the soul-rest that You alone can give. Amen.

COME: Come and See

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: John 1:35-51
Series: COME

What makes a "great invitation" great?

1. The nature of the invitation is to "come and see":
1. It's an invitation to the true seeker (vv. 35-37).
2. It's an invitation to honest inquiry (vv. 46-47).
3. It's the invitation of one who can bear close scrutiny (v. 39).
2. The results of accepting this invitation:
1. If we come, we risk being convinced (vv. 41, 45).
2. If we come, we must be ready for intimacy.
3. If we come to Him, we risk self-disclosure (vv. 42, 47).
4. If we come to Him, we must be ready for more than we dreamed of (vv. 38-41, 46-49).
3. The rewards that await those who say "yes" to Jesus' invitation:
1. The results we fear are the very rewards that we will receive.
2. Something we can be certain of.
3. Someone who truly loves us.
4. Someone who knows and understands us.
5. Something bigger than we've even dreamed of.

Personal application: A "great invitation" calls for a thoughtful response.

COME: Worship the Lord!

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Psalm 66
Series: COME

The call to worship our God is at once an invitation and a command. In the keeping of this command, we discover our greatest reason for being.

1. The invitation to worship the Lord is an invitation extended to all mankind (v. 1). 
2. The invitation to worship the Lord is an invitation to rejoice in Him (vv. 1, 6). 
3. The invitation to worship the Lord is an invitation to consider how "awesome" He is (vv. 2, 5). 
4. The invitation to worship the Lord is an invitation to wholehearted celebration. 
5. The invitation to worship the Lord is an invitation to remember and rehearse His great acts on behalf of His people (vv. 5-12). 
6. The invitation to worship the Lord is an invitation to praise Him for all his deeds (vv. 8-12). 
7. The invitation to worship the Lord is an invitation to personally "tell what He has done for me!" (vv. 13-20, especially v. 16). 

"Praise be to God who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me!" (Psalm 66:20). 

The Irreducible Pattern of Life Together

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Titus 3:9-15
Series: The Irreducible Gospel

The least read and least appreciated portions of Paul’s letters to the churches are his closings. Yet these lists of strange-sounding names and highly personal instructions have an important truth hidden in them.

1. We share a common responsibility to strive for unity among our brothers and sisters (vv. 9-11).
2. We share a common need for one another (vv. 12-13).
3. We share a common calling to do what is good for one another (v. 14).
4. We share a common affection for one another (v. 15a).
5. We share a common experience of grace (v. 15b).

Conclusion: The church Christ desires is a “mutual community.” It is God’s chosen ones enjoying all the present benefits of life together.

The Irreducible Gospel

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Titus 3:3-8
Series: The Irreducible Gospel

In one of the most complete yet succinct statements of the gospel in all Scripture, the Apostle Paul spells out the who, what, when, and where of our salvation.

1. What was our condition before God intervened? (v. 3)
   foolish, disobedient, decieved, enslaved, living in malice and envy, hated and hating
2. What did God do about this? (v. 5)
   saved us
3. Who saved us? (vv. 4-6)
   God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit
4. By what means did He accomplish this? (v. 5b)
   washing, rebirth, renewal > the Holy Spirit
5. Why did He save us? (v. 5)
   not because of righteous things we have done but because of His mercy
6. When did He do this? (v. 4)
   when the kindness and love of God appeared
7. How was our position before God altered? (v.7)
   we have been justified by His grace
8. To what end has He saved us?
   that we might become heirs of God
9. Who are the recipients of this great gift? (v. 8; see also Ephesians 1:4-5,11)
   those who have trusted God
10. What is the evidence of our salvation? (v.8)
    our devotion to doing what is good

This is a trustworthy saying!

The Church’s Irreducible Pattern of Behavior towards the World

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Titus 3:1-2
Series: The Irreducible Gospel

Among the frequent reminders found in the letters to the churches is a call to behave in a Christlike manner toward unbelievers.

1. Who we were before Christ (v. 3):
1. Foolish
2. Disobedient
3. Deceived
4. Enslaved
5. Living in malice and envy
6. Hated and hating
2. What He did to transform us (v. 5):
1. He saved us!
3. How we are to behave in our relationships with the world (vv. 2-7):
1. We are to be subject to rulers and authorities.
2. We are to be ready to do whatever is good.
3. We are to refrain from striking out against unbelievers.
4. We are to be considerate of others.
5. We are to demonstrate humility in our dealings with unbelievers.

Personal application: Where does my life fail to measure up to the pattern of behavior taught here in Titus 3:1-2? How can I access the transforming grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in this area of my life?

The Irreducible Duties of Various Groups within the Church

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Titus 2:1-10
Series: The Irreducible Gospel

As we look about the church, we can see not only individuals but also various groups. Each of these groups must be taught to observe their God-given duties.

1. Within every local church, one may observe various groups of believers who are gathered around one or more common denominators:
1. Age and/or gender (vv. 2-6)
2. Social or cultural factors (v. 9)
3. Special needs or interests (1 Timothy 5:3ff)
2. Each of these groups must be taught to understand its special duties in the life of the church:
1. Older men: maturity and practical godliness
2. Older women: reverent, training the younger women
3. Younger women: “home lovers”
4. Younger men: self-mastery
5. Slaves: subject to their masters in everything
3. When each group is fulfilling its God-given duties, the result will be transformational:
1. In the church
2. In the home
3. And in the watching community
4. Both the motive and the enabling for such godly behavior has been provided by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ:
1. His grace teaches us how to live (v. 11).
2. His grace redeems us from slavery to sin (v. 14).
3. His grace purifies us (v. 14).
4. His grace motivates us to do His good will (vv. 13-14).

Personal application: Where did you find yourself in today’s message? What special duties are yours as a result of the group(s) that you are part of? Are you seeking and finding God’s grace in Christ to sustain you in your daily walk?

The Irreducible Qualifications for Leadership in Christ's Church

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Titus 1:5-9
Series: The Irreducible Gospel

It is an almost unheard of thing that a local church should rise above the level of her leadership. This being the case, God's people should give special attention to the selection of their leaders.

1. With regards to reputation before the community, church leaders should be blameless (vv. 6-7).
2. With regards to their leadership in their own families, church leaders should be:
• faithful to his wife (v. 6).
• in control of his own children (v. 6).
3. With regards to vices to be avoided, church leaders must not be under the control of any one of the five strong temptations:
• pride: overbearing (v. 7).
• temper: quick-tempered (v. 7).
• drink: given to drunkenness (v. 7).
• power: violent (v. 7).
• money: pursuing dishonest gain (v. 7).
4. With regards to virtues to be pursued, church leaders should show themselves to be:
• hospitable (v. 8).
• those who love what is good (v. 8).
• self-controlled (v. 8).
• upright in their dealings with others (v. 8).
• holy—devout in their relationship with God (v.8).
• disciplined (v. 8).
5. With regards to doctrine, church leaders must:
• hold firmly to the inspired message (v. 9).
• encourage others by sound doctrine (v. 9).
• refute those who oppose sound doctrine (v. 9ff)

Implications
Once we have determined the scriptural qualifications for leadership in Christ's Church, we may give our attention to several important implications growing out of Paul's teachings on leadership.

1. The character of church leaders is more important than the word used to designated their roles in the church.
2. The character of church leaders is more important to our Lord than their gifts, experience, training, or past successes.
3. The maturity of church leaders is more important than their age.
4. The past indiscretions of church leaders are less important than evidence of present holiness.
5. The godliness of church leaders is more important than their gender.
6. The ability of church leaders to control their own family and themselves is more important than their ability to control others.

Action Steps

1. Know and apply these criteria for leadership when selecting or affirming church leaders.
2. If you have a concern about a church leader, take your concern directly to him.
3. If you still suffer from a past hurt at the hands of a church leader, actively seek personal healing.
4. Seek to make the work of your church leaders an occasion for joy rather than burden (Hebrews 13:17).