(Titus 008) A Strong Shepherd (Part 2)
Church 101 | A Study Through the Book of Titus • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 57:31
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9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.
11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.
12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.
15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
1. A strong shepherd holds firm to biblical truth.
1. A strong shepherd holds firm to biblical truth.
“He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught.”
Holding fast means to cling to with all you are worth.
(1)A. The Word is trustworthy.
(1)A. The Word is trustworthy.
(1)B. The Word is handed down.
(1)B. The Word is handed down.
“We must hold firm to the trustworthy word AS TAUGHT.”
(1)C. The Word is useful for every situation.
(1)C. The Word is useful for every situation.
vs 9 “So that he may be able to give instruction and also rebuke.”
Offense and defense.
Build up and guard against.
Part of clinging to the trustworthy Word is studying.
Being proficient in.
Being skilled in
Handling the trustworthy Word.
Some shepherds are good at building up.
This is popular today.
All positivity - building up.
People don’t want sin pointed out.
Some are good at guarding the flock.
Constantly calling out sin they see around them.
Constantly calling out false teaching.
Never building up.
A strong shepherd is good at both.
The danger of false teachers.
The danger of false teachers.
What we know about them from other scripture.
What we know about them from other scripture.
1. They look good on the outside.
1. They look good on the outside.
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
2. They will be abundant.
2. They will be abundant.
11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
3. They will come from among us.
3. They will come from among us.
29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;
30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Characteristics of a false teacher.
Characteristics of a false teacher.
Who?
Who?
- Insubordinate
- Insubordinate
Rebellious against authority.
- Empty talkers
- Empty talkers
They were achieving nothing profitable with their many fairy tales about Adam, David, Moses, and others.
- Deceivers
- Deceivers
They lie and lead astray.
Paul described them well in two places in this passage.
12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
What?
What?
- Teaching what they should not.
- Teaching what they should not.
We don’t know what, but it we know who… Jews.
- Upsetting entire families.
- Upsetting entire families.
- Devoting themselves to Jewish myths.
- Devoting themselves to Jewish myths.
Legalism.
The gospel PLUS...
Following made up teaching from men like Abraham, Moses, David, and others.
We need to be careful not to add our traditions with the gospel.
We would say we don’t do that.
What about churches that don’t have the same
Music
Bible version
Name
Why?
Why?
- For shameful gain
- For shameful gain
A false teacher isn’t someone who is mistaken about a certain doctrine.
That is part of learning and growing.
False teachers know what they are doing.
You don’t have to immediately think the worst of someone.
They know they are selling lies to increase their wealth.
We can already see the importance of what Titus was doing and the importance of the disciple-making culture in our church.
Not only is it easier to spot false doctrine.
But we are growing mature sheep who can more easily spot false teachers.
14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
The number of false teachers and eager listeners.
The number of false teachers and eager listeners.
“there are MANY.” (vs 10)
SO… the number of false teachers and those following them should not surprise us.
RATHER… we should be ready!
Have some grace… they are not the false teacher.
They may be blindly following.
It is an opportunity to teach.
Maybe not all at once, but patiently and consistently.
We haven’t spent a bunch of time calling out false teachers by name, but I would guess that most of you don’t have their books on your shelves at home.
Be ready… have some grace… don’t be completely surprised.
Submit to the teaching of your spiritual leaders.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
We need to check our own hearts and live in the community of the church God has given us.
There is safety in the flock.
Not just because of the shepherd, but because of the other sheep.
This could happen to any of us...
We could be led astray.
Even Solomon a great ruler and the wisest man to walk the earth knew of this danger when he wrote things like:
“Two are better than one” (Ecclesiastes 4)
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Prov 17:17)
“In multitude of counselors there is safety” (Prov 11:14, 24:6)
1 Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.
The number of false teachers and eager listeners.
The number of false teachers and eager listeners.
We were never meant to be lone ranger christians.
“My spiritual life is between God and I.”
This is wrong thinking.
There is safety in the community of the church.
This is one of the great benefits of discipleship.
You have someone regularly in your life.
This is the benefit a spiritual family tree.
Somebody is watching your discipler.
This adds a huge responsibility to myself as your shepherd.
People become like their leader.
Sheep become like their shepherd.
So I have to teach well, or a whole flock could be led astray.
40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
The number of false teachers and eager listeners.
The number of false teachers and eager listeners.
This is benefit of having two pastors.
An added layer of accountability.
This is why Paul tells shepherds to “take heed to themselves” in Acts 20.
If the sheep become like the shepherd, that can be used to our advantage!
2. A strong shepherd teaches and applies biblical truth.
2. A strong shepherd teaches and applies biblical truth.
“So that he may be able to give sound instruction.”
3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness,
2. A strong shepherd teaches and applies biblical truth.
2. A strong shepherd teaches and applies biblical truth.
Teaching for teaching sake is useless.
Teaching for knowledge accomplishes nothing.
We need teaching that brings godly living.
Teachers, disciplers, men in the leadership class.
We need teaching with application!
13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
2. A strong shepherd teaches and applies biblical truth.
2. A strong shepherd teaches and applies biblical truth.
Following the pattern of sound words brings depth to our spiritual lives.
It allows others to see the good fruit in you!
This sound instruction that changes our lives helps us determine truth from falsehood.
How do you know if something is wrong?
If a false teacher comes from within and looks like a sheep, how do you know if they are a false teacher?
By knowing and living truth.
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
2. A strong shepherd teaches and applies biblical truth.
2. A strong shepherd teaches and applies biblical truth.
We must be quick to hear.
Eager to hear.
We could even say DESPERATE to hear good biblical truth taught.
What is your level of desperation to hear the Word?
What is your level of hunger for good doctrine.
Think about how you order your life?
You may give an answer, but your calendar gives the correct answer.
We make time for what is important to us.
Teaching sound doctrine is also fighting against false doctrine.
You could see it as preventative maintenance.
The better grounded you are, the less we need to worry about false teaching pulling people away.
However, I can’t do my job as a shepherd if you aren’t gathered with the sheep.
3. A strong shepherd rebukes false teachers.
3. A strong shepherd rebukes false teachers.
“to rebuke those who contradict it.”
This is to rebuke sharply.
Paul has no tolerance for false teachers.
Paul is not worried about sensitivity.
False teaching is to be stopped and corrected.
The stakes are too high to be worried about feelings.
But don’t miss what Paul is saying here. (two things)
First - False teachers and lost people living in their sin are two different things.
16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
3. A strong shepherd rebukes false teachers.
3. A strong shepherd rebukes false teachers.
A false teacher professes to know God but denies him with their works.
This is not someone who completely denies Christ.
This is someone who claims to be a Cristian yet they are destroying the church from the inside.
Unlike the our lost neighbors, Paul says in 1 Cor. that we shouldn’t even sit and eat with them.
Be careful who you are rebuking.
Be careful who you refuse to eat with.
Second - The ultimate goal is always redemption or restoration.
It could be redemption or it could be restoration.
Their salvation is questionable.
13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
3. A strong shepherd rebukes false teachers.
3. A strong shepherd rebukes false teachers.
God is not merely interested in rebuking, but using the ones we would not expect. God’s goal is redemption.
Redemption or restoration!
This seems to fit in with Matt 18.
Jesus says confront them. If they don’t repent, treat them as a lost person.
4. A strong shepherd silences false teachers.
4. A strong shepherd silences false teachers.
To stop the mouth by bridle, or muzzle, or gag.
Stop them from spreading their lies.
Stop them from destroying households.
By any means necessary.
Though we would treat someone who has been disciplined out of the church as lost, in this case we would still silence them.
This interesting because silencing them requires them to submit to leadership, but they are characterized as rebellious.
The goal is redemptive in nature but protecting the other sheep comes first.
“The pastor ought to have two voices: one, for gathering the sheep; and another, for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves. The Scripture supplies him with the means of doing both; for he who is deeply skilled in it will be able both to govern those who are teachable, and to refute the enemies of the truth.” - John Calvin
A Strong Shepherd (Titus 1:9-16)
A Strong Shepherd (Titus 1:9-16)
Paul is telling Titus that false teaching should be guarded against at all costs.
Rebuke them.
Silence them.
Teach against them.
Guard the pulpit.
Guard Sunday School classes and smaller groups.
One of the reasons why we want you to follow the pathway.
Don’t go off on your own.
We don’t know what is being taught.
It might not be you, but the material.
False teaching damages people.
False teaching comes from within the church.
Let your shepherds guard you!
Questions for the week:
Do I claim to know God intimately, but do not believe and live sound doctrine?
Am I flying solo or living purposefully and continually in the community of my church?
What is my level of hunger for good doctrine? Do the practices of my life reflect that answer?