Michael Porter- Self-Control

Strengthen Your Core Series

Self-Control

October 13, 2019

Pastor Michael Porter

Sermon Series Introduction: Our physical bodies are made up of several core muscles.  If kept in shape through exercise, they will function properly.  God’s goal for followers is to make us more like Jesus.  This happens when we think like Jesus, CORE beliefs, act like Jesus, CORE practices and be like Jesus, CORE virtues.   We need to exercise our CORE in order to glorify God.  The journey of becoming like Jesus begins by thinking like Jesus. When we start thinking like Jesus, we are well on our way to becoming like Jesus. 

Today, we will consider the core virtue of self-control.

Sermon Text: Titus 2:11-14:

      11     For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

      12     training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

      13     waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

      14     who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Key Idea: Better self-control requires greater submission to the Gospel.

Sermon Outline:

I.      Self-Control Begins with the Gospel (Titus 2:11)

II.     Self-Control is Motivated by the Gospel (Titus 2:12)

III.    Self-Control Anticipates the Hope of the Gospel (Titus 2:13-14)

I. Self-Control Begins with the Gospel (Titus 2:11)

Titus 2:11, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,”

II. Self-Control is Motivated by the Gospel (Titus 2:12)

Titus 2:12, “training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,”

III. Self-Control Anticipates the Hope of the Gospel (Titus 2:13-14)

Titus 2:13-14, “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Spiritual Growth Questions for October 13, 2019

Reflect on the following questions and use a scale of 1-6 to rate how well you are living out the statements below (1 = not living out at all, 6 = living out completely). 

___      I desire a greater sense of self-control in my everyday walk with God.

___      I recognize that sin is what makes self-control needed in the first place, and only the gospel of Jesus Christ can do away with my sin.

___       I believe I truly can be freed from my habitual sins and addiction and attain better self-control when I surrender control to God.

Other Verses to Reflect On

1.     Romans 8:1-4 (Memorization Recommended)

               8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

2.     Galatians 5:19-25

               19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22            But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

3.     2 Peter 1:3-4

               3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.