AIM: Vision and strategy for healthy church growth
Ever feel overwhelmed, like you’ve been promoted beyond your ability and your drowning in the details. In his letter to Titus Paul provides encouragement to proclaim the faith, teach godly living and appoint other leaders. He starts the letter in the same way he ends it, which we can equate to be the churches purpose: to proclaim faith in God our Savior and its repercussions. In middle of the letter, we see how to appoint elders and what church leadership looks like. We can be encouraged today with Paul’s letter to Titus because he’s giving us the vision and strategy for healthy church growth. God’s grace and mercy revealed in Jesus Christ is the basis of redeemed, changed lives where once sick people can now live well. Let’s get into the text.
A) Paul’s purpose for Titus is to proclaim faith in God our Savior and teach how to live godly lives (1:1-4).
(1:1) From Paul servant/slave of God, apostle of Jesus Christ sent
· sake of/proclaim faith to God’s chosen/elect
· teach truth showing how to live godly lives
· (2) truth gives confidence for eternal life, God who never lies promised before world began
· (3) right time, revealed message, preaching (announce to everyone) by command of God our Savior
(4) To Titus, true son in common/shared faith:
· Grace (Greek greeting) and Peace (Jewish greeting)
· From Father and Christ Jesus our Savior
Application: When in doubt be encouraged by remembering who our God is and what our calling is and share this with a close brother in Christ. How is your understanding of God’s character giving you confidence in your calling?
B) Titus instructed to appoint faithful, godly men as elders judged by how they live (1:5-16)
(5) Titus on Crete to appoint elders in each town
(6) blameless life, faithful to wife, children must be believers without wild/rebellious reputation (debauchery/insubordination)
· (7) Overseer/church leader is manager/steward of God’s household
· Not arrogant, quick-tempered, drunkard, violent, greedy/dishonest with money
· (8) enjoys guest in home (hospitable), love what’s good, live wisely/just/self-controlled, upright, holy, disciplined
· (9) strong belief in trustworthy word as taught, so that he’s able to encourage others with sound doctrine and show those who oppose it where they are wrong
(10) Many rebellious , useless talkers deceive others – especially those who insist circumcision for salvation
- The message says it this way, "For there are a lot of rebels out there, full of loose, confusing, and deceiving talk. Those who were brought up religious and ought to know better are the worst."
- The message says it this way, "For there are a lot of rebels out there, full of loose, confusing, and deceiving talk. Those who were brought up religious and ought to know better are the worst."
· (11) silence them, turning whole families away from truth – doing it for money
· (12) prophet spoke about them: ”liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons”
· (13-14) true, so reprimand/rebuke them sternly to make them strong in the faith, stop listening to Jewish myths/commands of those turned away from the truth
- - AMP says, "rebuke them sharply so that they will be sound in the faith and free from doctrinal error
- - Doctrine is a statement of position or belief (Law, rule, policy, proclamation, concept), several tenants built into a faith (Creed, dogma, gospel).
- - MSG says, "Get on them right away. Stop that diseased talk of Jewish make-believe and made-up rules so they can recover a robust faith."
- Satan deceives by questioning God's Word, denying it and substituted his own lie
- - AMP says, "rebuke them sharply so that they will be sound in the faith and free from doctrinal error
- - Doctrine is a statement of position or belief (Law, rule, policy, proclamation, concept), several tenants built into a faith (Creed, dogma, gospel).
- - MSG says, "Get on them right away. Stop that diseased talk of Jewish make-believe and made-up rules so they can recover a robust faith."
- Satan deceives by questioning God's Word, denying it and substituted his own lie
· (15) Everything is pure to pure hearted, nothing is pure to corrupt/unbelieving because mind/consciences defiled/corrupted
· (16) they claim to know God but deny him by the way they live, detestable, disobedient, unfit for anything good
Application: To judge your own character, write down details from your life this week – get insight from others perception of you. We need help in ministry from the right people and we’re giving excellent acceptance criteria from Paul to understand who these people are.
C) Titus is instructed to teach and promote living for all age groups to make God our Savior attractive in every way (2:1-10).
(2:1) For you, teach/promote living that reflects wholesome teaching:
· (2)Older Men: self-controlled/sober-minded/worthy of respect/sound in faith/in love/steadfastness
· (3) Older Women: life honors God, not slander others, not heavy drinkers but teachers of what’s good
· (4-5) train younger women to love husbands, children, live wisely, pure, work in homes, do good, submissive to husbands – to not bring shame on word of God
· (6-7) same way, encourage young men live wisely, be an example, doing good works of every kind, reflect seriousness of teaching
· (8) Teach truth so it can’t be criticized, opposition will be ashamed, nothing bad to say
· (9-10) Slaves/bondservants obey/please masters, not talking back/stealing but show themselves to be entirely trustworthy/good – make teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way.
Application: How are you implementing the strategy of age appropriate teaching, application and life-style Paul talks about? Litmus test to determine your effectiveness: Is this making God our Savior attractive in every way? Use all your senses, look, listen, smell, touch – is there harmony in the ministry? Is there unity across the ministry “in the same way”?
D) God’s grace and mercy revealed in Jesus Christ is the basis of redeemed, changed lives where once bad people can now do good (2:11-3:15).
(11) For grace of God revealed, brings salvation to all people
· (12) instructed to turn from godless living/sinful pleasures – living in evil world with wisdom, righteousness, devotion to God
· (13) looking forward to that day, our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, (14) who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness (every kind of sin) and purify us (cleanse) to make us his own people, committed to doing good deeds.
(15) Must teach these things, encourage believers to do them, you have authority to correct them/don’t let anyone disregard what you say
(3:1) Remind believers: submit to government, its officers, be obedient, ready for every good work
· (2) not slander anyone, avoid quarreling
· Instead gentle, courteous (well-mannered, considerate, polite, gallant)
(3) We once were foolish, disobedient, mislead, slave to various lust/passions/pleasures, Our lives were full of evil/envy hating one another
Application: This is where we need to remember the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5-6, be humble and love those who hate you. How have you once shown your own foolishness, disobedience and hatred of others? How will you use this memory to love and serve those who are not yet believers in the divine revelation of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior?
(4) BUT – when God our Savior revealed his kindness and love (5) he saved us not because of our works of righteousness, but his own mercy
· “He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit”
· (6) He generously poured out the Spirit through Jesus Christ our Savior
· (7) Because: his grace – made us right, in his sight AND gave us confidence/inherit/eternal life
· (8) this is trustworthy, key teaching so believers in God will devote themselves to doing good – teachings are good, beneficial, profitable for everyone
Application: This is the core of the Christian Faith; God’s work not ours is the basis of salvation. God’s mercy, his Holy Spirit revealing truth to our hearts changes us (Romans 10:17, Hebrews 4:12, Hebrews 11:6, Mark 11:22-24, Luke 1:3, Hebrews 11:1)
(9) Avoid useless wastes of time: foolish discussions, controversies, genealogies, dissensions, quarrels about the law
(10) hitting the ball causes unity, 3 strikes you’re out because “stirs up division/causing divisions”
· (11) that person is warped, sinful, self-condemned, turned away from truth
Application: Don’t waste time with arguments, speak the truth in love and make the Gospel mouthwatering and refreshing for those who have ears. How will you know? You bring unity in the Holy Spirit, in accordance with the Scriptures proved by the lifestyles of your growing faith community. So how much time do you spend on what Paul calls a useless waste of time and how much time are you spending on proclaiming the good news and teaching about godly living? What needs to change to make it 100% on proclaiming the good news and teaching about godly living?
(12) Paul is planning to send Artemas, Tychicus - when arrives do your best to meet me at Nicopolis (13) do all you can Zenas/Apollos with their trip, given everything for needs
(14) Our people must learn to do good by meeting urgent needs of others; then not unproductive
(15) All with Paul send greetings, give my greetings to believers who love us in the faith
· God’s grace be with you all