Titus #1

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.440 --> 00:00:09.839 You may be seated. We're going to turn to God's word in a moment 2 00:00:09.880 --> 00:00:13.080 that I'll be preaching on this morning and in the coming weeks. I'd like 3 00:00:13.160 --> 00:00:18.120 to give just a little introduction to it first, and then we will pray 4 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:22.920 and then hear it. I'm going to be reading Um, the Book of 5 00:00:22.920 --> 00:00:27.199 Titus, this morning and preaching from it. I've been reading Titus Um a 6 00:00:27.239 --> 00:00:32.960 lot um during my study leave Um every day, UM, sometimes multiple times 7 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:37.759 a day, UM for an important reason. I one of the reasons UM, 8 00:00:38.679 --> 00:00:42.320 One of the reasons I chose that book UM is that there are some 9 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:50.840 really really big key ideas UM, and truths and instructions for pastors and elders, 10 00:00:51.079 --> 00:00:55.880 ministers of all kinds on how to do their job well. And UM. 11 00:00:55.920 --> 00:01:00.200 I wanted to think very carefully about that how to and meditate on that. 12 00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:06.879 I wanted to understand those things, believe them, and reflect them in 13 00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:11.000 my ministry among you. So in reading this book over and over and over 14 00:01:11.079 --> 00:01:15.159 again, I feel kind of like a piano tuner. If you've ever watched 15 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:19.120 a piano tuner in your house, you know it listens to each key and 16 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:23.879 checks them in relationship to his tuner and one another, making sure that everything 17 00:01:23.959 --> 00:01:29.200 is just right. That's what I've been trying to do. I won't tell 18 00:01:29.239 --> 00:01:33.079 you that I've got it all right, but the exercise has been very, 19 00:01:33.280 --> 00:01:37.480 very good, and I hope that, UM, it's a blessing to you 20 00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:42.799 as well. And that's my personal context for thinking about this book and for 21 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:48.359 preaching it. UM. I would like you to consider what your context is 22 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:52.760 as you hear this book. UM. Perhaps you've heard it before and read 23 00:01:52.760 --> 00:01:56.159 it before. I want you to think about what it is you have learned 24 00:01:56.200 --> 00:01:59.719 before. How has it affected you? UM? What have you forgotten? 25 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:04.879 Do you need to remember? What is it that you need to hear from 26 00:02:04.920 --> 00:02:12.520 God's word? Whathever? Where is he prodding and challenging and healing and comforting. 27 00:02:13.479 --> 00:02:15.680 Now this may be a little bit of a challenge because the Book of 28 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:21.800 Titus is most obviously a letter to um pastors, or even more specifically a 29 00:02:21.960 --> 00:02:28.520 pastor um. But Second Timothy three sixteen, another one of the pastoral epistles 30 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:32.439 as we call them, says this, all scripture is breathed out by God. 31 00:02:32.520 --> 00:02:38.479 All scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for 32 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:45.039 reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. So as I read 33 00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:47.560 the letter now, I want to challenge you to be thinking about that, 34 00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:53.120 how does this letter, even though it's written to Titus, this one particular 35 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:58.879 person, at this one particular time, how does it apply to you? 36 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:02.400 What does God doing in this letter, Um, in your life and even 37 00:03:02.840 --> 00:03:07.599 today. So let's begin with prayer, and then I'll ask you to stand 38 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:13.240 if if you're able, and we'll read the letter together. Let's pray, 39 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:15.560 Our heavenly Father, we do thank you for your word to us. We 40 00:03:15.639 --> 00:03:21.199 thank you that all scriptures breathed out by you, and that it is so 41 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:24.960 profitable for us the Holy Spirit. We asked that you would open up our 42 00:03:25.080 --> 00:03:30.479 ears, that you would make our minds um, ready to receive the truth, 43 00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:38.199 to be corrected and changed where necessary, to move from ignorance to understanding, 44 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:44.000 Um, Lord, even things that perhaps are familiar to us, Um, 45 00:03:44.039 --> 00:03:47.840 nothing is completely known. Um. We can grow in our understanding and 46 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:52.319 in our practice of your truth. And so we asked that you would do 47 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:55.240 these things in us. Lord, I do ask that you would guide my 48 00:03:55.280 --> 00:04:00.360 own preaching, and that um, you're uh, you're, you would be 49 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:04.719 at work here among us and this congregation and in this time we pray this 50 00:04:04.759 --> 00:04:11.159 in Jesus name. Amen. Alright, So let's stand together, please and 51 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:29.519 here God's word in Titus three short chapters Paul, a servant of God and 52 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:32.839 an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect 53 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:39.360 and their knowledge of the truth which accords with Godliness in hope of eternal life, 54 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:44.720 which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began, and 55 00:04:44.759 --> 00:04:48.439 at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have 56 00:04:48.519 --> 00:04:55.040 been entrusted by the command of God our Savior, to Titus, my true 57 00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:59.399 child, and a common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and 58 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:03.920 Christ Jesus our Savior. This is why I left you in crete, so 59 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:09.560 that you might put what remained into order and appoint to every elders in every 60 00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:14.120 town as I directed you. If anyone is above reproach, the husband of 61 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:17.839 one wife and his children are faithful and not open to the charge of debauchery 62 00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:24.480 or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. 63 00:05:25.079 --> 00:05:28.879 He must not be arrogant or quick tempered, or a drunkard, or 64 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:33.680 violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self 65 00:05:33.759 --> 00:05:40.240 controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the 66 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:44.279 trustworthy word is taught, so that he may be able to give instruction and 67 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:48.839 sound doctrine, and also to rebuke those who contradict it. For there are 68 00:05:48.920 --> 00:05:55.839 many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision 69 00:05:55.920 --> 00:06:01.040 party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching 70 00:06:01.079 --> 00:06:05.560 for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. One of the Cretans, 71 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:10.879 a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, 72 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:16.040 lazy gluttons. This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply that 73 00:06:16.160 --> 00:06:20.800 they may be sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and 74 00:06:20.839 --> 00:06:26.079 the commands of people who turn away from the truth. To the pure, 75 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:30.319 all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. 76 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:34.839 Both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, 77 00:06:35.480 --> 00:06:42.040 but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, 78 00:06:42.600 --> 00:06:47.120 unfit for any good work. But as for you, teach what accords with 79 00:06:47.240 --> 00:06:53.879 sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober minded, dignified, self controlled, 80 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:59.360 sound in faith, in love, and insteadfastness. Older women likewise are 81 00:06:59.399 --> 00:07:03.040 to be reverend and behavior, not slanderers or slaves too much wine. They 82 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:06.120 are to teach what is good and so train the young women to love their 83 00:07:06.199 --> 00:07:11.959 husbands and children. To be self controlled, purer, working at home, 84 00:07:12.439 --> 00:07:15.240 kind and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not 85 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:20.959 be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self controlled, show 86 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:26.639 yourself in all respects, to be a model of good works in your teaching, 87 00:07:27.160 --> 00:07:31.519 show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so 88 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:35.600 that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about 89 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:41.360 us. Bond servants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything. 90 00:07:41.399 --> 00:07:45.680 They are to be well pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing 91 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:49.240 all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God, 92 00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:55.800 our savior, for the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for 93 00:07:55.839 --> 00:08:00.399 all people. Training us to renounce on godliness and worldly passions, and to 94 00:08:00.439 --> 00:08:05.920 live self controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, waiting for 95 00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:11.519 our blessed hope and our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our 96 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:16.879 great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem 97 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:20.560 us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession, 98 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:26.600 who are zealous for good works. Declare these things, exhort and rebuke 99 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:33.000 with all authority. Let no one disregard you. Remind them to be submissive 100 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:37.840 to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good 101 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:41.120 work, to speak evil of no one, to have avoid quarreling, to 102 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:46.720 be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves 103 00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:52.279 were once foolish, disobedient, let astray slaves to various passions and pleasures, 104 00:08:52.679 --> 00:08:58.360 passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 105 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:03.399 But in the goodness and loving kindness of our of God, our Savior 106 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:09.000 appeared. He saved us not because of works done by us in righteousness, 107 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:13.799 but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of 108 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:16.720 the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ, 109 00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:22.480 our Savior, so that being justified by His grace, we might become heirs 110 00:09:22.519 --> 00:09:26.159 according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I 111 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:31.440 want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in 112 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:37.200 God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent 113 00:09:37.480 --> 00:09:43.279 and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and 114 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:48.759 quarrels about the law, for they are improfitable and worthless. As for a 115 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:52.200 person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have 116 00:09:52.360 --> 00:09:56.200 nothing more to do with him, Knowing that such a person is warped and 117 00:09:56.240 --> 00:10:01.960 sinful, he is self condemned. When I send Artemis Articus to you, 118 00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:07.759 do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to 119 00:10:07.799 --> 00:10:13.840 spend winter there. Do your best to spend a speed zenus the lawyer and 120 00:10:13.879 --> 00:10:16.519 a police on their way, see that they lack nothing. And let our 121 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:20.960 people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of 122 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:26.440 urgent need and not be unfruitful. All who are with me send greetings to 123 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:30.039 you. Greet those who love us in the faith, grace be with you 124 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:35.080 all. Amen. May God bless this word to us, and you may 125 00:10:35.080 --> 00:10:56.200 be seated. So I asked you to think about how this letter applies to 126 00:10:56.279 --> 00:11:03.080 you, applies to me, applies to all of us together. Um. 127 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:09.399 But before we consider our personal context an application for this letter, let's remember 128 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:13.720 the original context that it does come to Titus, and Paul is charging him, 129 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:18.600 right, He's giving him essentially a to do list, um, some 130 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:22.360 things to think about, things to focus on. I want to, uh, 131 00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:26.480 just talk and give a little bit of teaching on the context for the 132 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:31.759 book in which it was originally heard. And the SV Study Bible rightly summarizes 133 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:35.919 a scholarship when it says that Paul wrote this letter in the mid sixties, 134 00:11:35.960 --> 00:11:41.919 between his first imprisonment that we read about in Acts eight and his second imprisonment 135 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:46.440 that we read about in Second Timothy, that second one probably leading to his 136 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:54.039 death. So mid sixties, right after um Um, about thirty years after 137 00:11:54.120 --> 00:12:00.679 Christ ascended to his father. It's written about the same time that Paul wrote 138 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:05.919 his first letter to Timothy UM similar letters. Both of these men, Timothy 139 00:12:05.960 --> 00:12:11.159 and Titus, were trusted and beloved co workers in the Gospel. UM I 140 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:16.000 used to think of Titus when I read this letter as a brand new pastor, 141 00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:20.200 and Paul's giving instruction to him, sort of, right, you're the 142 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:22.919 new guy. Here's what to do. He tells him what to do. 143 00:12:24.039 --> 00:12:26.399 But he's not really a new guy. And I think this is an interesting 144 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:31.320 thing to consider. I'm Titus. We know that Titus was with Paul as 145 00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:35.360 early as fifty a d. During the time of the Jerusalem Council. We 146 00:12:35.399 --> 00:12:41.320 know that from Galatians to one, and he was clearly ministering along with Paul 147 00:12:41.399 --> 00:12:46.759 by at least fifty six a D. When Paul sent Titus to corinth Um, 148 00:12:46.759 --> 00:12:50.879 Paul stayed in Ephesis where he had heard some really bad news about corinth 149 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:56.720 and he sends Titus to corinth to do some pretty hard work. Um. 150 00:12:56.759 --> 00:13:03.679 There were trouble um in in among the Corinthian churches, continuing ongoing trouble, 151 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:07.639 and he sends tit Us there um to help. And it seems that tied 152 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:13.440 Us, a good troubleshooter, administrator, a godly minister um was able to 153 00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:18.879 do good. Paul cites evidence in Second Corinthians seven ten, saying that they 154 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:24.080 were brought because of Titus's work. They were brought to godly repentance. It's 155 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:30.159 a wonderful thing. That's exactly what we would want to see. All of 156 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:35.159 this to say that Titus seems like a very able and capable minister working in 157 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:41.679 very difficult pastoral charges. By the time he gets this letter some a decade 158 00:13:41.720 --> 00:13:46.320 after that. So that makes this letter a decade maybe even longer. I'm 159 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:52.480 quite remarkable. There's no indication here that Paul was concerned that Titus was going 160 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:56.279 to do a bad job and really needed to step in and tell him how 161 00:13:56.320 --> 00:14:01.200 to fix things and do things right. Titus, from every indication we have, 162 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:05.120 is a faithful man, an able man, a godly man who is 163 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:11.759 doing great work. Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit, Believe, the Holy Spirit 164 00:14:11.240 --> 00:14:20.440 through Paul made Titus's charge clear. He made sure that both he and all 165 00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:26.159 of us through these thousands of years understand what it means to be a faithful 166 00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:31.919 minister, a faithful elder, a faithful congregation, and people of the Lord. 167 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:37.080 It makes me think about what I was saying earlier. If Titus needed 168 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:41.360 a word like this after a decade or so of of faithful ministry, maybe 169 00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:46.840 even more, maybe even close to two, then perhaps there's something for us 170 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:50.480 to hear as well. Perhaps this isn't just a letter for a new person, 171 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:54.159 a new pastor who needs to figure things out. Maybe there are things 172 00:14:54.279 --> 00:15:00.320 here that we all need to reflect on and need to reflect on over over 173 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:07.159 again. So what is Titus charged with in this letter? The basic charge, 174 00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:13.559 the um task that he has given is given in verse five of chapter 175 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:16.559 one. Paul's pretty clear. He says, this is why I left you 176 00:15:16.679 --> 00:15:22.279 in Crete, so that you may put what remained into order, and a 177 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:26.080 point elders in every town as I directed you. Now, the whole island 178 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:31.159 of Crete is about half the size of Pima County in terms of land mass. 179 00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:35.600 So if you know you're Arizona geography well enough, you could think of 180 00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:45.159 Crete as being about the size of Cells to Willcox and Green Valley to casas 181 00:15:45.200 --> 00:15:50.360 Adotes. That's about the size of the island. Good chunk of land, 182 00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:52.480 right, uh, A fairly good size. I think it's something like three 183 00:15:52.519 --> 00:15:58.080 thousand, two hundreds something square miles UM, with quite a few cities in 184 00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:00.559 there, probably around fifteen may your cities at the time, some of them 185 00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:04.080 possibly quite large. Um. One thing I read said that one of the 186 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:10.000 major cities was maybe around three hundred thousand people. So UM, big cities 187 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:14.600 UM spread across the island. UM. This is why I like to think 188 00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:18.799 about Titus as what we call, if you've been around our presbytery a little 189 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:22.480 while, a regional home missionary. UM. We have a regional home missionary. 190 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:29.000 He's a minister, UM, an ordained minister who's called to help established 191 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:34.720 churches throughout our region UM, southern California and Arizona. That's an impossible job. 192 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:40.840 So we should pray for Chris Hartshorn a lot. Um. Titus has 193 00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:45.480 a smaller area UH to deal with, right UM, and UM, that's 194 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:51.480 probably a good thing. Titus UM is working. His job is to help 195 00:16:51.960 --> 00:16:56.679 not just one church, the pastor of one congregation, but to establish many 196 00:16:56.799 --> 00:17:04.519 churches UM throughout this legion, particularly by establishing leaders who are able to continue 197 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:11.119 on the work in as he says, every town. Now, this is 198 00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:14.680 a big task, right. Imagine that you were charged with something like this, 199 00:17:15.079 --> 00:17:18.000 All right, go to all of the cities and a point elders in 200 00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:23.440 all these places. Interestingly, UM, Paul seems to have something of a 201 00:17:23.480 --> 00:17:29.079 deadline on on on this kind of work. UM. He expects that this 202 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:33.839 would be uh done um as he before he comes. This is a big 203 00:17:33.880 --> 00:17:37.759 task, and we only have a short letter here, which is I think 204 00:17:37.799 --> 00:17:42.480 also remarkable. Right, Paul doesn't tell Titus how to do every single thing, 205 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:45.759 um, how to talk to every person, how to schedule everything, 206 00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:51.480 um, how to how to approach all these things, but he does give 207 00:17:51.559 --> 00:17:55.359 him five I think we can summarize as we look at the letter as a 208 00:17:55.359 --> 00:18:00.119 whole, five big ticket items that he needs to print off and tape on 209 00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:03.880 the side of his monitor so that before he checks his email and gets involved 210 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:10.519 in his daily work every day, he remembers his big tasks. He remembers 211 00:18:10.519 --> 00:18:15.440 what he's supposed supposed to focus on. So what are the five things, 212 00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:21.319 these five big tipket things that Paul emphasizes throughout this letter. I think we 213 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:23.880 can summarize them in these points, which I'll list now, and then we'll 214 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:30.640 go through briefly. Number one, be a good shepherd. That's his first 215 00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:34.920 task, to simply be a good shepherd, a good elder himself. Number 216 00:18:34.920 --> 00:18:45.119 two, appoint good shepherds. Number three silence false teachers. Number four teach 217 00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:51.720 what accords with sound doctrine. Teach what accords with sound doctrine and number five 218 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:57.960 teach sound doctrine. Those are the five things, the five big ticket big 219 00:18:59.000 --> 00:19:03.359 objectives at Paul Um gives tied us in this letter, and we'll will consider 220 00:19:03.400 --> 00:19:08.119 each now in summary, and then as we go through Um in smaller sections 221 00:19:08.119 --> 00:19:15.599 in the coming weeks, we will see these things arise. So let's take 222 00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:21.039 a look at each first, be a good shepherd. If you want to 223 00:19:21.079 --> 00:19:22.920 look in your Bible as you can look at chapter two, verse seven, 224 00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:27.279 where he says explicitly, and it's a lot of other places. Implicitly, 225 00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:33.519 he says to Titus, show yourself in all respects to be a model of 226 00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:38.039 good works, and in your teaching, show integrity, dignity, and sound 227 00:19:38.119 --> 00:19:42.880 speech that cannot be condemned. And he gives a reason for this, so 228 00:19:42.920 --> 00:19:48.160 that an opponent may be put to shame having nothing evil to say about us. 229 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:52.039 There's a lot of other reasons right that Paul or that Titus needs to 230 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:57.279 have good integrity and character in his work. It's essential to everything that he 231 00:19:57.319 --> 00:20:03.400 does. Uh. Stephen Mr. Covey, the former president of one of 232 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:07.960 the largest leadership and training institutes in the United States, echoes the importance of 233 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:15.839 this when he says that leadership works from the inside out. Instead of commanding 234 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:22.839 and controlling based on one's official authority, leaders trust and inspire based on one's 235 00:20:22.920 --> 00:20:29.200 recognized integrity. Think about Jesus, for example. Jesus, Yes, he 236 00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:36.000 was anointed by the Lord and commissioned by the Holy Spirit UHM at his baptism, 237 00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:41.319 But Jesus didn't have some official office within within the church. He was 238 00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:45.079 not one of the scribes, he was not one of the Pharisees. He 239 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:51.319 didn't belong to the Sanhedron. It's not to say that offices are unimportant. 240 00:20:51.359 --> 00:20:53.759 They clearly are. Paul wants timoth or sorry, Titus, I'm gonna make 241 00:20:53.799 --> 00:20:57.039 that mistake a lot. I'm gonna try to stop doing that. Follow on 242 00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:00.920 Titus, Uh, Paul, it's tied us to a point. Right, 243 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:10.119 appoint elders and overseers in every town. Nevertheless, what qualifies them? It's 244 00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:17.279 not their appointment that qualifies them. What qualifies the overseers? Is there character? 245 00:21:18.119 --> 00:21:22.440 Right? This list that we have in in Um chapter one, Versus 246 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:30.079 six through nine, and in other places again implicitly and before Titus goes and 247 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:33.480 appoints these people, before Titus does tells them here's what you need to do, 248 00:21:33.559 --> 00:21:37.599 and here's how you need to be. He needs to be that kind 249 00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:42.400 of person himself. Yes, Titus needs to appoint good shepherds who meet the 250 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:47.920 qualifications for overseers, but in order to do that work, he needs to 251 00:21:47.960 --> 00:21:53.000 be that kind of person himself. So be a good shepherd. Second on 252 00:21:53.079 --> 00:21:59.400 his big list of five appoint good shepherds. We see that explicitly in verse 253 00:21:59.480 --> 00:22:06.200 five and um and in the following commands and work. He needs to make 254 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:12.039 disciples who make disciples. That's what a disciple is. A disciple is one 255 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:19.119 who follows Jesus and helps other people to follow Jesus. These men need to 256 00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:25.440 be models themselves. They need to be firm in the faith. Look at 257 00:22:25.559 --> 00:22:30.000 verse nine of chapter one, the last qualification given for the office of overseers. 258 00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:34.519 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word is taught, so that he 259 00:22:34.599 --> 00:22:41.559 may be able to give instruction and sound doctrine and also rebuke those who contradict 260 00:22:41.640 --> 00:22:48.000 it. These shepherds must be models themselves. They must hold firm to the 261 00:22:48.119 --> 00:22:52.200 faith so that they are able to do the work that they are called to 262 00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:56.279 do. Now again, we'll think more about these qualifications and um in a 263 00:22:56.319 --> 00:23:00.599 future sermon, what makes a good leader? What makes a good Christian? 264 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:06.359 What are these qualifications require? But for now, simply remember this is one 265 00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:11.279 of his big tasks. One of his biggest tasks is to appoint of these 266 00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:17.880 men number three silence false shepherds. We see this in various places. UM. 267 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:22.359 First, in the verse we just read um about contract rebuking those who 268 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:26.799 contradict the word. In verse ten, it continues that there are those who 269 00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:32.599 are in subordinate empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 270 00:23:33.000 --> 00:23:40.319 They must be silenced. They're upsetting people, They're upsetting whole families, and 271 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:45.519 they need to be dealt with. Church discipline is one of the core tasks 272 00:23:45.559 --> 00:23:51.240 of an elder, and it comes up in other places as well, UM 273 00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:55.799 where they where UM, like in chapter three, for example, in verse 274 00:23:56.359 --> 00:24:00.240 verse ten, as for the person who stirs up to vis vision after warning 275 00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:04.599 him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing 276 00:24:04.599 --> 00:24:11.720 that such a person is warped and sinful, he is self condemned. This 277 00:24:11.799 --> 00:24:17.920 is why we call um elders who are ruling elders UM ruling elders because they 278 00:24:18.200 --> 00:24:22.279 rule, they use their authority and the power that they've been given to by 279 00:24:22.359 --> 00:24:30.319 Christ to protect the sheep, to keep people from um disrupting and controlling and 280 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:37.680 leading the church in bad directions. This work of rule is essential for the 281 00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:41.440 life of the sheep. And that's why Paul tells Titus, you must silence 282 00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:47.920 these false shepherds. It's not good enough to just appoint good ones. You 283 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:55.119 need to protect the sheep from the bad ones. Number four, Titus is 284 00:24:55.160 --> 00:25:00.799 to teach what accords with sound doctrine? What accords with sound doctrine? The 285 00:25:00.839 --> 00:25:08.079 answer is godliness. What accords with sound doctrine? Godliness is the answer. 286 00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:15.640 Consider, for example, Um Paul. Beginning of Paul's letter. Here Paul 287 00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:19.119 a servant of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the 288 00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:25.720 faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness. 289 00:25:26.839 --> 00:25:29.640 Also in chapter two, verse one. But as for you, he 290 00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:33.279 says to Titus, teach what accords with sound doctrine? And what is it 291 00:25:33.319 --> 00:25:36.759 that accords with sound doctrine? Well, then he lists it right, older 292 00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:40.599 men, older women, younger women, younger men, and all of these 293 00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:45.680 he gives descriptions of godliness. Being the sound and faith, having love, 294 00:25:45.799 --> 00:25:51.039 steadfastness, um being a model of good works. These other kinds of things 295 00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:56.519 we are told in chapter three remind them to be uh submissive to authorities, 296 00:25:56.559 --> 00:26:02.720 to be obedient, to be ready forever good work. I love that phrase 297 00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:06.640 they was. Christians were not just supposed to be doing good works, but 298 00:26:06.839 --> 00:26:12.160 ready for them, fit for them. Unlike those who are unfit for any 299 00:26:12.200 --> 00:26:18.279 good work. We are to be fit and ready. The opposite of this, 300 00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:23.240 you see in for example, in verse sixteen, about people who profess 301 00:26:23.359 --> 00:26:29.039 to know God but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, 302 00:26:29.079 --> 00:26:33.400 disobedient, unfit for any good work. You see, he makes this correlation 303 00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:41.960 between bad theology and bad living. They go together, and so likewise good 304 00:26:41.039 --> 00:26:48.960 theology, sound doctrine accords with sound life, good works, and godliness. 305 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:56.440 Paul cares very very very much that the people, the churches, the Christians 306 00:26:56.480 --> 00:27:03.440 and crete and here and everywhere in a world are holy, are godly people. 307 00:27:04.680 --> 00:27:10.359 He cares about that because God cares about that, and Titus should care 308 00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:14.359 about that, and we should care about that. Notice what he says in 309 00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:18.559 chapter three, verse eight, After a long list of things, he says 310 00:27:18.599 --> 00:27:23.200 this saying is trustworthy. And I want you to insist on these things so 311 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:29.200 that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good 312 00:27:29.240 --> 00:27:36.799 works. So does Paul, with his um clear doctrines and teachings about justification 313 00:27:36.920 --> 00:27:41.200 by faith alone and grace alone by in Christ alone. Does that Paul care 314 00:27:41.240 --> 00:27:47.240 about good works? Yes, he does. He wants us to be fit 315 00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:52.880 for them, ready for them, doing for them, here zealously devoting ourselves 316 00:27:52.599 --> 00:27:57.519 two good works. He wants Paul, he wants Titus to emphasize that, 317 00:27:57.680 --> 00:28:03.720 teach it, explain it, give definition to it, encourage people in it, 318 00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:08.640 because it accords with sound doctrine. And that leads us to the last 319 00:28:08.640 --> 00:28:15.400 one. Number five. He is to teach sound doctrine the um there were 320 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:19.799 people in the churches that we're not doing that, as we've considered. In 321 00:28:19.960 --> 00:28:23.160 verse nine of chapter eight, or sorry, first nine of chapter three, 322 00:28:23.160 --> 00:28:30.119 he says, avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the 323 00:28:30.200 --> 00:28:36.480 law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. It's interesting, we'll think about 324 00:28:36.519 --> 00:28:40.599 this later, but it's interesting that sometimes he he tells Titus to sort of 325 00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:44.319 face things head on, and other times he says, just to avoid stuff, 326 00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:48.680 just leave it alone. Right, there's good doctrine and good things that 327 00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:52.759 you need to immerse yourself in. You need to rest in, sit on 328 00:28:52.880 --> 00:28:56.759 and insist on. And then there's other stuff. Just leave it alone, 329 00:28:57.279 --> 00:29:00.799 stay it away, don't bother of it, just ignore it, avoid it, 330 00:29:02.640 --> 00:29:08.480 etcetera. Titus is to be a firm in the faith, firm in 331 00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:15.759 sound doctrine, and to teach it as well. And what specifically might we 332 00:29:15.839 --> 00:29:19.119 be talking about. For the sake of time, I'm not going to read 333 00:29:19.240 --> 00:29:26.680 again UM this long section and chapter three UM approximately verses three through eight, 334 00:29:27.039 --> 00:29:32.440 but I will read a slightly shorter version of this that gives just before it. 335 00:29:32.440 --> 00:29:38.920 In chapter two. I want you to pay attention to this UM. 336 00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:42.559 In verse eleven, he says, for the grace of God has appeared, 337 00:29:42.599 --> 00:29:48.079 and that grace he describes in chapter three the goodness and loving kindness of God 338 00:29:48.119 --> 00:29:52.839 appearing, washing, renewal, regeneration by the Holy Spirit, not being saved 339 00:29:52.839 --> 00:29:56.680 according to works. All that right, that's what he means when he says, 340 00:29:56.720 --> 00:30:00.319 for the grace of God has appeared. Now, look what the grace 341 00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:07.200 of God that appears. Look what it does. Listen to the verbs bringing 342 00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:15.799 salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to 343 00:30:15.839 --> 00:30:22.279 live self controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, waiting for 344 00:30:22.359 --> 00:30:27.519 our blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and savior, 345 00:30:27.920 --> 00:30:33.880 Jesus Christ. And then he circles back to that point about the grace 346 00:30:33.880 --> 00:30:37.640 of God appeared when he talks about Jesus in verse fourteen, and he says, 347 00:30:38.359 --> 00:30:45.119 Jesus who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to 348 00:30:45.279 --> 00:30:51.240 purify for himself a people for his own possession, who are zealous for good 349 00:30:51.279 --> 00:30:56.960 works. All right, So where does salvation for all people come from? 350 00:30:57.039 --> 00:31:07.200 Where does training training for renouncing ungodliness, training for renouncing worldly passions, training 351 00:31:07.240 --> 00:31:11.920 for being self controlled, training for being upright, training for being zealous? 352 00:31:11.920 --> 00:31:15.799 Where does that come from? Where does waiting for the blessed hope and the 353 00:31:15.839 --> 00:31:22.000 appearing of God our Savior come from. It all comes from the grace of 354 00:31:22.039 --> 00:31:29.200 God that has appeared. It all comes from the wisdom of the gospel about 355 00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:37.079 Jesus who did what redeemed us from lawlessness, All all lawlessness purified us and 356 00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:42.279 makes it making us zealous for good works. So, in other words, 357 00:31:42.319 --> 00:31:45.359 there's a lot of ways, and we'll talk about this a lot. But 358 00:31:45.400 --> 00:31:48.599 if Titus just says, Okay, these people need to be zealous for good 359 00:31:48.599 --> 00:31:52.039 works, I'm gonna get in there and give them lots and lots of law 360 00:31:52.559 --> 00:31:56.680 about good works and what they ought to do, and he doesn't give them 361 00:31:56.720 --> 00:32:07.559 anything else, this pastoral project will totally fail because the godliness if the answer. 362 00:32:07.599 --> 00:32:14.720 Remember what's the question? What accords with sound doctrine? Right? Where 363 00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:21.680 does godliness come from? It comes from believing and trusting in the grace of 364 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:27.319 God, not just by going and working harder and pursuing good works. Do 365 00:32:27.400 --> 00:32:30.880 we work harder? Do we pursue good works? Are we zealous? Are 366 00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:32.559 we ready and fit? Yes? Yes, yes, yes, yes, 367 00:32:32.640 --> 00:32:37.279 yes, yes, over and over we must do that. But where is 368 00:32:37.319 --> 00:32:40.519 the power for that? Where does the Where is the the engine that drives 369 00:32:40.599 --> 00:32:46.960 that? It is all from God, and so we must know him and 370 00:32:46.960 --> 00:32:53.200 and Titus must insist. He must insist not just on things to do, 371 00:32:53.759 --> 00:33:00.160 which he must, but he must insist on the things that God has done. 372 00:33:00.480 --> 00:33:06.119 Our faith needs to be firm in the Lord and in him and in 373 00:33:06.359 --> 00:33:09.720 his works. If we are going to be zealous in ours, that's where 374 00:33:09.720 --> 00:33:15.839 it comes from. That's where the fruit is born out of and so um 375 00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:21.839 that is um. These are Titus's big tasks. He has to be a 376 00:33:21.880 --> 00:33:27.160 good shepherd. He is to appoint good shepherds. He is to deal and 377 00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:31.720 with in silence false shepherds. He is to teach what accords with sound doctrine. 378 00:33:32.240 --> 00:33:37.759 And he is to teach sound doctrine. So I asked you earlier, 379 00:33:37.799 --> 00:33:43.359 you know, how does this letter to Titus, our regional home missionary in 380 00:33:43.400 --> 00:33:46.720 the first century? How does that apply to you? How does that apply 381 00:33:46.839 --> 00:33:50.720 to us? And I'd like to help you think about that, begin to 382 00:33:50.720 --> 00:33:54.519 think about that now by suggesting five ways. I didn't didn't mean to make 383 00:33:54.519 --> 00:33:59.599 it five both, but it's five. Nevertheless, five ways that this letter 384 00:33:59.599 --> 00:34:05.039 will help us, um together five ways that it's helped the Lord's Church for 385 00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:09.480 many, many years. Let's let's consider each, and I will be brief. 386 00:34:10.039 --> 00:34:16.119 Number one, Titus. This letter to Titus gives us labels and categories 387 00:34:16.159 --> 00:34:20.719 for the kind of people that we are called to be. Apostle Paul tells 388 00:34:20.800 --> 00:34:23.719 us to seek to know the Lord's will to discern it. He tells it 389 00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:28.480 to us right here. It's really wonderful, Right Lord, what do you 390 00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:30.199 want me to do? Here? It is? He tells us what he 391 00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:34.599 wants us to do. That's a real blessing. And a lot of the 392 00:34:34.760 --> 00:34:39.400 mythologies and and pagan religions, people are often left wondering what it is that 393 00:34:39.440 --> 00:34:45.679 there God wants, never really sure, never really knowing. It's a lot 394 00:34:45.719 --> 00:34:50.719 of stress. It's a lot of heartache and confusion. Our God, the 395 00:34:50.760 --> 00:34:53.880 one true God, he's not like that. He tells us what he wants. 396 00:34:54.400 --> 00:34:58.599 He gives to us his will, and it's and it's very good. 397 00:34:59.840 --> 00:35:04.440 He tells us the kind of people that we're called to be. The qualifications 398 00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:07.599 for elders doesn't just apply to elders. It's a description of godliness that we 399 00:35:07.679 --> 00:35:13.599 see echoed even in the descriptions to older men and older women, younger women 400 00:35:13.679 --> 00:35:17.519 and younger men. The descriptions here we see um are something that we all 401 00:35:17.519 --> 00:35:22.239 ought to take and consider and examine in our own lives. And when we 402 00:35:22.320 --> 00:35:28.679 find weakness and um sin, we move forward in repentance and confession, on 403 00:35:28.840 --> 00:35:34.159 boldly seeking the Lord's grace and sanctification in our lives. So that's the number 404 00:35:34.159 --> 00:35:37.440 one. It gives us labels and categories um descriptions of the kind of people 405 00:35:37.519 --> 00:35:43.559 that God wants us to be. Number two is he gives us headings and 406 00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:47.039 descriptions and labels for our faith. What it is? What is it that 407 00:35:47.079 --> 00:35:51.480 we are called to believe? What is it that we need to hold fast 408 00:35:51.559 --> 00:35:57.159 too and be firm and clear about? Well, Paul doesn't just tell Titus 409 00:35:57.239 --> 00:36:01.599 to teach sound doctrine. He teaches it here in this letter. And we 410 00:36:01.639 --> 00:36:07.400 would do well to pay attention to those and focus on those things and make 411 00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:14.199 sure that we understand what Paul means when he says mercy or washing of regeneration, 412 00:36:14.400 --> 00:36:19.199 or the Holy Spirit who has been poured out richly on us? What 413 00:36:19.320 --> 00:36:28.199 do these things mean? Number three? Number three, he helps us to 414 00:36:28.280 --> 00:36:32.679 understand, as I've begun to talk about this, the right relationship between the 415 00:36:32.760 --> 00:36:40.079 law and the Gospel. There's hardly anything more important in this life than understanding 416 00:36:40.159 --> 00:36:46.199 that relationship. An he passed or that and that does not understand that will 417 00:36:46.239 --> 00:36:52.039 struggle and possibly do great, great damage. Even as some of these teachers 418 00:36:52.400 --> 00:37:00.320 were doing among the churches in crete and it's not just true for pastors. 419 00:37:00.199 --> 00:37:06.239 The better that we understand and apply the right relationship between the law and the 420 00:37:06.360 --> 00:37:09.320 Gospel in our lives. If I could put it in a simple way, 421 00:37:09.599 --> 00:37:14.719 the better Christians will be, the more honoring to the Lord, the more 422 00:37:14.800 --> 00:37:20.159 sure in our faith, the more steadfast will be. The better we understand 423 00:37:20.280 --> 00:37:24.400 that, the better will understand all kinds of things throughout the scriptures. It's 424 00:37:24.480 --> 00:37:30.599 so so important, and it's one of the big things that Paul emphasizes too 425 00:37:30.599 --> 00:37:37.400 tied us here number four. He gives us clear expectations, not just for 426 00:37:37.480 --> 00:37:42.559 our own lives, our own individual lives, but church life. God gives 427 00:37:42.639 --> 00:37:46.039 us directions in the Bible for our doctrine, for our worship, and for 428 00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:51.440 our church government. And this is not only good as I mentioned before and 429 00:37:51.559 --> 00:37:54.559 helping us to know God's will, but I'll add that there's protection in this, 430 00:37:55.639 --> 00:38:00.519 there's transparency in this. It helps us to get back when we get 431 00:38:00.519 --> 00:38:04.960 off track. It helps us to know how what to do and how to 432 00:38:05.000 --> 00:38:07.519 fix it when we're not doing it well. Have you ever been in a 433 00:38:07.559 --> 00:38:13.960 business or a situation where you don't know what's expected, where you don't know 434 00:38:14.079 --> 00:38:17.239 what the leadership is really expected to do, and it seems like things are 435 00:38:17.280 --> 00:38:23.119 always changing based on the whim of the day or the style of the moment. 436 00:38:24.440 --> 00:38:31.079 How wonderful it is that the head of the Church, Jesus Christ himself 437 00:38:31.559 --> 00:38:38.440 says to the church, here's what I want, here's what's expected, So 438 00:38:38.519 --> 00:38:44.719 that when m pastors and elders, like some of these false teachers here go 439 00:38:44.920 --> 00:38:50.199 astray and don't do what they're called to do, every single person who has 440 00:38:50.239 --> 00:38:55.320 read this letter can know it and have confidence about it and not have to 441 00:38:55.440 --> 00:39:01.840 submit to evil things and evil people, but can call lay Christians, can 442 00:39:01.920 --> 00:39:10.760 call even ordained brothers in Christ to repentance. That's a good thing. It's 443 00:39:10.760 --> 00:39:15.599 a protection and and in a in a way that the Lord loves us and 444 00:39:15.840 --> 00:39:22.280 works within the body as a whole. And the last thing I'll mention that 445 00:39:22.360 --> 00:39:27.960 we last, a fifth point or area of application that we ought to be 446 00:39:28.039 --> 00:39:32.400 considering, is that all of these things teach us the heart of our Savior, 447 00:39:32.559 --> 00:39:37.880 the head of the church. Now we'll consider this much more. I'm 448 00:39:37.920 --> 00:39:43.039 even beginning next time when we look at Versus one through five and consider Paul's 449 00:39:43.079 --> 00:39:49.119 self understanding about his job, about his role and what he's doing. But 450 00:39:49.239 --> 00:39:52.880 first, just think about this for a moment, considering some of the categories 451 00:39:52.960 --> 00:39:58.880 I've I've already given you. Think about the call to integrity and character. 452 00:39:58.960 --> 00:40:02.480 For example, as it relates to the Lord Jesus, tied Us is to 453 00:40:02.519 --> 00:40:07.679 be a man who is a model of good works and in his teaching shows 454 00:40:07.840 --> 00:40:15.639 integrity. In other words, used to be a man like Jesus. When 455 00:40:15.679 --> 00:40:17.800 we hear this command to tied Us, when we hear how his life is 456 00:40:17.840 --> 00:40:22.280 supposed to be, we see how our Lord, how how our Lord's life 457 00:40:23.079 --> 00:40:27.559 is. In other words, put me put it this way. God directs 458 00:40:27.679 --> 00:40:30.760 us to this kind of life because it is his life, that is the 459 00:40:30.800 --> 00:40:35.880 way he lives. And what that means for us, brothers and sisters, 460 00:40:36.000 --> 00:40:40.199 is that the Lord who leads us, the Lord who is our shepherd, 461 00:40:40.320 --> 00:40:46.719 is a good shepherd. We can trust him, we can follow him, 462 00:40:46.920 --> 00:40:53.599 and never ever worry that he's leading us astray. We have to be careful 463 00:40:53.599 --> 00:40:59.920 about that all the time. In our daily lives. We're about to allow 464 00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:06.239 a new leaders right this week we have we are always thinking that these big 465 00:41:06.360 --> 00:41:12.199 moments and in little moments, is this person trustworthy? How do I trust 466 00:41:12.280 --> 00:41:16.920 them? Um? What can I do? And often people are imperfect and 467 00:41:17.039 --> 00:41:22.800 sometimes they're really really awful. With Jesus though, we have someone that is 468 00:41:22.920 --> 00:41:29.599 very different. We have someone that is perfectly trustworthy, perfectly capable, perfectly 469 00:41:29.679 --> 00:41:37.000 wise, and he loves you so so much. That's why people were so 470 00:41:37.079 --> 00:41:42.119 impressed with him. They were They didn't say, wow, Jesus really rose 471 00:41:42.159 --> 00:41:45.239 through the ranks and became this great pharisee, we should really follow him. 472 00:41:45.400 --> 00:41:50.920 No, they saw his character, they saw his love, they heard his 473 00:41:51.039 --> 00:41:54.199 words, and say, this is a man who teaches with authority, this 474 00:41:54.239 --> 00:42:01.000 is a man who does miracles. And that's that same man and god man 475 00:42:01.400 --> 00:42:07.960 that we follow, that you follow. We also see Jesus heart and his 476 00:42:08.079 --> 00:42:13.119 love for us, his care for us in his appointing of good leaders. 477 00:42:13.880 --> 00:42:15.920 Right, Titus is called to do this work of appointing leaders. But think 478 00:42:15.960 --> 00:42:21.800 about Jesus's work. This is Jesus's letter, after all, given through the 479 00:42:21.840 --> 00:42:27.679 apostle Paul in Titus, in Paul, in the lives of people that you 480 00:42:27.760 --> 00:42:32.880 know and love, the Lord Jesus Christ is making himself known to you. 481 00:42:35.320 --> 00:42:40.679 Remember how we talk sometimes about the fruits of the spirit. It's things that 482 00:42:40.719 --> 00:42:46.480 are produced by the Holy Spirit of God. And when we see that in 483 00:42:46.559 --> 00:42:51.559 our elders, as we do here, when we see it in these descriptions 484 00:42:51.960 --> 00:42:54.599 Um, and the book of Titus, as we see it in Titus himself, 485 00:42:54.639 --> 00:42:59.960 as we see it in Paul, this should make our hearts very happy, 486 00:43:00.639 --> 00:43:05.480 knowing that the Lord who promises to take care of his church does and 487 00:43:05.840 --> 00:43:10.920 is. These are demonstrations in the lives of his people of the goodness of 488 00:43:12.000 --> 00:43:17.360 God. When we see his life in their actions, when we hear his 489 00:43:17.599 --> 00:43:23.519 voice in their words, when we experience his his presence in their presence, 490 00:43:24.199 --> 00:43:30.320 we ought to rejoice and give thanks. Jesus didn't just set the church in 491 00:43:30.480 --> 00:43:36.960 motion and then sort of walk away. Best of luck. He is involved, 492 00:43:37.480 --> 00:43:45.440 present, active. It is his body that is in motion. We 493 00:43:45.519 --> 00:43:51.639 are in him, all praise to God. The same goes with the protecting 494 00:43:51.719 --> 00:43:58.039 that Jesus does. He loves us enough to protect us, to discipline us. 495 00:43:58.079 --> 00:44:00.559 He gives us the strength to say, I know to do the right 496 00:44:00.639 --> 00:44:06.480 thing, even when it's hard, and he uses that discipline among us to 497 00:44:06.639 --> 00:44:13.559 make us stronger, to perfect us, to um purify us, and grow 498 00:44:13.679 --> 00:44:19.880 us. And Jesus, of course, in a perfect way teaches us godliness 499 00:44:19.920 --> 00:44:24.039 in accord with sound doctrine. And in this I want you to hear the 500 00:44:24.079 --> 00:44:31.519 Savior's goal for your life. Jesus wants you to have the good life, 501 00:44:32.559 --> 00:44:42.760 a blessed life, godliness and peace and understanding and unity. It's not just 502 00:44:42.880 --> 00:44:46.079 a show for Jesus. He doesn't want us to just kind of be busy 503 00:44:46.119 --> 00:44:51.800 about these good things to impress other people. He wants us to have. 504 00:44:52.039 --> 00:44:58.119 He wants you to have the real deal, real peace, real purity, 505 00:44:58.400 --> 00:45:05.320 real how beness and love and glory and honor. And he's promising us and 506 00:45:05.400 --> 00:45:08.599 working in us and showing us that when we put our faith in him, 507 00:45:08.760 --> 00:45:15.000 these are the benefits that we get. And we can be assured that we 508 00:45:15.119 --> 00:45:20.079 get those benefits because he himself, as the head of our church, as 509 00:45:20.119 --> 00:45:28.119 our leaders demonstrated in the words of this letter, he did what he died. 510 00:45:28.760 --> 00:45:35.280 He gave his own life to break the power of sin, to put 511 00:45:35.360 --> 00:45:40.440 to death death itself, to shame the devil and give us eternal life. 512 00:45:40.760 --> 00:45:45.800 Or as verse fourteen in Chapter two says, he gave himself for us what 513 00:45:45.920 --> 00:45:51.360 love is. In those words, he gave himself for us to redeem us 514 00:45:51.800 --> 00:45:57.440 from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who 515 00:45:57.480 --> 00:46:05.079 are zealous for good works. Good works sin separates us from God and his 516 00:46:05.320 --> 00:46:12.159 love and all of those benefits. Jesus repairs that relationship, and you can 517 00:46:12.199 --> 00:46:16.880 depend on it because you're depending on the very life of God himself. You're 518 00:46:16.880 --> 00:46:22.360 depending on the promise of God, who in chapter one we read in verse 519 00:46:22.440 --> 00:46:35.320 two never lies promised before the ages began this love for us. So what 520 00:46:35.440 --> 00:46:38.800 this letter reveals for us is the heart of our Savior, the love of 521 00:46:38.840 --> 00:46:45.599 our Savior. So my encouragement to you is, as we read this letter, 522 00:46:45.400 --> 00:46:50.599 get to know him. Get to know Jesus. And this is the 523 00:46:50.679 --> 00:46:54.920 greatest application of all. No his mercy, no his love for you, 524 00:46:55.239 --> 00:47:00.639 know his care for the church. The more that we know him, the 525 00:47:00.679 --> 00:47:05.599 more firm that our faith is in him, the better our lives will be. 526 00:47:07.559 --> 00:47:13.719 We don't just hear commands in this letter. We hear the commander, 527 00:47:14.159 --> 00:47:19.360 our King, who is also our Savior, our forgive your, our husband, 528 00:47:20.159 --> 00:47:24.280 our God, whom we can live for now and who will one day 529 00:47:24.320 --> 00:47:30.639 reveal his glory as he brings us into eternal life. That is the knowledge 530 00:47:30.679 --> 00:47:35.679 and faith that accords with Godliness, and it gives us hope in this life 531 00:47:35.679 --> 00:47:42.679 and in the life to come. Amen, let's pray together, our heavenly 532 00:47:42.719 --> 00:47:46.480 Father, we thank you for this wonderful letter. We thank you for revealing 533 00:47:46.639 --> 00:47:52.800 in it to us Jesus Christ and the work that he is doing in this 534 00:47:52.840 --> 00:47:55.199 world and in us. We asked that you would help us to put our 535 00:47:55.239 --> 00:48:01.079 faith entirely in Him and through Him, and through that faith we ask for 536 00:48:01.159 --> 00:48:09.519 the blessing of zeal and fitness for good works. May we be people that 537 00:48:09.880 --> 00:48:15.719 avoid quarreling, and our gentle ready for every good work, that show courtesy 538 00:48:15.800 --> 00:48:21.599 and love towards even our enemies, Having been those who have been washed by 539 00:48:21.599 --> 00:48:28.079 the Spirit, renewed and renewed in Him, and justified by Your grace. 540 00:48:29.320 --> 00:48:31.760 Lord, we thank you for the forgiveness of our sins. We thank you 541 00:48:31.800 --> 00:48:37.840 for the sanctific sanctification in our lives. We praise you and and put our 542 00:48:37.880 --> 00:48:42.840 hope entirely in the glory that is to come. May you be glorified in 543 00:48:42.960 --> 00:48:49.719 all of these things, and may we live in you now and forever. 544 00:48:50.800 --> 00:48:52.199 We pray this in Jesus name, on that