Good Works for Gospel Ministry Beyond Crete

PRAY

INTRO: For our 16th and final lesson in Titus, we are going to reread the whole book of Titus and then have a Christmas party. I’m just kidding. Kids, if you got excited about that idea, I apologize.

No, we’re gonna do what we always do. I’m gonna preach the text and hopefully help us to understand it and apply it in ways that just a cursory reading wouldn’t evoke.

What I expect you to find out is that these closing instructions and greetings have more meat to them than meets the eye, and they are tied to the overall purpose and understanding of the letter. In these last verses in Titus, of personal and practical instruction, and of final greetings and benediction, we see that Paul’s vision for gospel ministry extends beyond Crete, and he is eager to let the Cretan churches be a part of that broader Christian community and common mission.

Titus 3:12–15 NASB95

12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them. 14 Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. 15 All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

Notice this first, in vv. 12&13, that…

Underlying Paul’s personal plans and instructions for Titus lies a network of missionary movement and cooperative ministry. (vv. 12-13)

… “When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you”… suggests that Paul intends to send one of these two men soon, but hasn’t done it yet and hasn’t decided which, at the time this letter is sent. In all probability it sounds like the one coming is to act as a kind of replacement for Titus.

-Artemas is a Greek name, but isn’t mentioned elsewhere in the NT, so we don’t know anything more of him, only that he must be a trusted partner in ministry with the Apostle Paul and Titus and Timothy and other teammates.

-We know a bit more about Tychicus (also a Gk name), because he is mentioned as being from the region of Asia (minor) and a companion in Paul’s 3rd missionary journey (in Acts 20:4). Paul also entrusted Tychicus to carry the letters from him to Ephesus (Eph 6:21) and Colossae (Col 4:7), possibly in the same trip, and he was undoubtedly authorized to answer questions, explain, and give additional information.

These two men are trusted, beloved brothers and faithful ministers. Assuming these events after the letter to Titus and those in his 2nd letter to Timothy are reasonably close in timeframe, Paul also says in 2 Tim 4:12 that he has sent Tychicus to Ephesus (again), so we might rationally conjecture that Paul ended up sending Artemas to Crete to free up Titus to rendezvous with him at Nicopolis. One of the reasons we don’t know for sure where Paul is writing from to Titus is that we can only rule out where he clearly is NOT. He’s not at Nicopolis because he still intends to go “there,” and have Titus meet up with him.

And where is this place? … “do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there”…

Nicopolis was the name of more than one location, because it means ‘victory city.’ But the most likely Nicopolis [map] described here is the one on the western side of the Greek peninsula, in the region of Epirus, northwest of Corinth. One of the reasons we believe this to be the location is because later in 2nd Timothy Paul mentions Titus [second map] going northward to Dalmatia (2 Tim 4:10), presumably on Gospel errand.

Paul has decided to winter there, because sea travel during the winter months was exceedingly hazardous. It’s quite possible too, even probable, that Paul views this as an ideal place for a couple of reasons. 1. Not mentioned elsewhere in his travels, this city would provide a strategic location for gospel ministry during the winter months. 2. Paul’s stated goal earlier in Romans to head westward all the way to Spain with gospel proclamation (Rom 15:24, 28) but was interrupted by God’s plan to send him to Rome via arrest and imprisonment (see Acts 21:10-14, 23:11). It would make sense if Paul perhaps still had plans to do so, and Nicopolis would provide an ideal launching point. (Although some Christian tradition suggests that Paul made it to Spain before his final Roman imprisonment (2 Tim 1:16, 2:9) and his execution, the Bible doesn’t say that anywhere specifically.)

Let me ask us…

Why should we care what Paul’s plans are for himself and Titus? - Paul’s missionary mindset never sleeps, and ours shouldn’t either.

We’ll see as we continue how, although we may not all travel to Ephesus and Nicopolis and Dalmatia (or to Brazil and South Africa and India), yet even so there are ways for us to be involved in ministry that reaches far beyond our immediate vicinity.

Again, we are saying that… underlying Paul’s personal plans and instructions for Titus lies a network of missionary movement and cooperative ministry. - Paul’s second instruction to Titus in v. 13 is to earnestly, diligently, urgently make sure that these other two missionaries are sent on their way with your help (Titus).

-The Apollos mentioned here is quite likely the same Apollos, a Hellenistic Jew from Alexandria, known to us as a talented public speaker and sincere follower of Christ who has been active in gospel proclamation (Acts 18:24; 19:1; 1 Cor. 1:12; 3:4, 5, 6, 22; 4:6; 16:12). And although there were issues with Christians in Corinth dividing into factions with some claiming to side with Paul, others Apollos, others Cephas (Peter), and the truly holy ones said they were in the Jesus party…. Paul corrected that divisive mindset in Corinth and clearly does not bear any ill will himself against Apollos.

Apollos had been helped by Paul’s friends Aquila and Priscilla to grow in greater clarity in his understanding for gospel proclamation (Acts 18:26), and Paul is evidently fully supportive of Apollos’s ongoing ministry. In fact, it seems likely that Apollos (and Zenas) are delivering this letter to Titus precisely because Paul found out they were making a stop in Crete before continuing on in ministry. In other words, this is being done in coordination with Paul and his mission efforts. Paul is not threatened by Apollos, but instead promotes his ministry. (There is something here for us, in whatever ministry God might see fit to give us, to not be envious or jealous of others, but to view them as teammates for the same purpose. Instead, we should be grateful to God and promote their ministry.)

-Zenas the lawyer is the travel companion of Apollos, and this is the only NT mention of him. It’s not unusual for Paul to attach a profession as a distinguishing feature for some particular people, like “Luke the beloved physician” (Col 4:14). Zenas is apparently known for his legal prowess, and in this case it seems likely he’s an expert in Roman law as opposed to Jewish law (although he might still be a Hellenized Jew, like Apollos, and his name, meaning “gift of Zeus,” doesn’t necessarily preclude this, either).

But the point is that Zenas is quite evidently a ministry traveling companion of Apollos, at least at present. Paul, then, is encouraging Titus to urgently assist them, making sure they lack nothing, almost certainly meaning that they be generously supplied for their journey.

Why does Paul care about how Zenas and Apollos are helped? - Paul’s missionary mindset extends far beyond his own immediate interests because the spread of the gospel—the expansion of Christ’s kingdom—is the objective.

And if we are in Christ, then our objective is the same as Paul’s. There are people across the globe, created in the image of God and loved by him, who haven’t heard God’s good news that Jesus offers restoration to God through forgiveness of sin and granting spiritual life (by his death and resurrection). And the people who have not heard the gospel clearly proclaimed and explained and lived out are not just across the globe, they are also across the street, across the hall, even at times across the room.

Does the mission of Jesus Christ motivate you to look beyond your own interests to a bigger picture for your life? Does the Lord’s mission to make his name great among the nations, to rescue individuals to himself, move you to simply ask God, with open hands and hearts, “God, what would you have me do? How may I serve you, Lord? Convict my heart and lead me to be willing to do anything you say, when you say, anywhere you send, and with anyone you choose.”

And if it should happen that the Lord sees fit to keep us where we are, then a second opportunity we see clearly in this text is that Paul cares that the true believers in Crete show their true colors in giving as an example of good works in promoting the gospel, the good works that are a central theme of this letter. Good works as evidence and as evangelism… Good works are evidence of the true change Christ makes in us, and they are connected to evangelism in that same way—that Jesus does truly make all the difference in our lives, in our understanding of who we are and what our purpose is.

Just so, that’s where Paul goes in v. 14. Paul wants the local believers to see hospitality and generosity as a primary and practical means to be active in good works for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom beyond Crete.

In this context, giving generously becomes a primary and practical means for local believers to be active in good works for the advancement of Christ’s global Church. (14)

Titus 3:14 (NASB95) Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.

First, this undoubtedly flows out of the previous instruction for Titus, suggesting that Paul intends the case of Zenas and Apollos to be one such example where the Cretan Christians can be devoted to good works through giving generously toward needs. (However, Paul likely doesn’t intend to limit it to only this one case, either.)

By saying “and let our people,” Paul is surely speaking of those in Crete who are true believers and therefore bear the fruit of good works, in contrast to the false teachers (in this letter) who also prove themselves false followers of Jesus by their unfruitfulness (1:16).

And with this, as we said earlier, Paul has circled back to the chief theme of the letter: Good works are evidence of the true change Christ makes in us, and good works are connected to evangelism in that same way—that Jesus really does make a difference. “Let out people learn to devote themselves to good works…”

What should we make of Paul saying, let them “learn” to devote themselves? Part of learning is in the activity of doing. This is significant. A key element to gaining true knowledge and skills is to actively obey, to put it into practice. And where our translation says “to devote themselves” or “to engage in” it actually means “to be preeminent” in good works.

Do you become an expert sword fighter by simply knowing what a sword looks like… or even by strapping one to your side? You don’t get to the level of Inigo Montoya and the Dread Pirate Roberts (aka, Princess Buttercup’s sweet Westley) without sword fighting again and again, for years even.

Paul wants these Christians to be all-stars in exercising good works, so they need to be active in obedient, practical application of what they know is right. Specifically in this example, Paul is challenging them to grow to be preeminent in generosity. Literally he says in helping to meet “essential needs.” I take that to potentially broaden the scope of this generosity beyond helping to meet the essential needs of the traveling missionaries, but to also help with meeting the material needs of members of their Christian community when there is necessity.

Now these young churches in Crete may not have planned for Zenas and Apollos, so they may have, in essence, taken up an offering. “Hey, let’s everybody give some of your firstfruits and make sure these guys are generously supplied.” OR Titus may have in fact organized these younger, smaller churches to give consistently and create a pool of resources from which they could do what the Apostolic helpers did early in Acts, with distributing to the widows and poor from the collective coffers.

In the long run, probably both are necessary and encouraged: systematic, consistent generosity into an organized treasury for dispersement when needed, plus also a heart and willingness to care for those in need on special occasions when it comes to our attention. Both systematic and spontaneous generosity for meeting needs is in order.

In applying this to our situation even further, I have a couple of thoughts for you, by way of comparing this to the concept of tithing. Tithing, which means giving a tenth of your firstfruits, is not explicitly commanded in the NT, but there is instead language of free generosity and cheerful giving. (2 Cor 9:7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.)

Yet the OT model of tithing does help us think about our cheerful and generous giving in a couple of ways: 1. At the very least it communicates to our minds that this is a generous portion. 2. Some element of planning and consistency is in order.

- A full tenth is not nothing; it is a substantial something. And that substantive giving marks a grateful response to God and an ongoing trust in his provision, and a desire to use what he has given us to bless others and further his kingdom. Branson Bible, I want to encourage you that, although I don’t know any real numbers and or even who gives, I perceive a great deal of generosity here, both systematic and spontaneous.

- My family and I are exceedingly grateful for being well-supplied and not being worried about our daily needs so we can focus on ministry. - Our missionaries, with two more being added in the coming year, are thankful for the generous and consistent support of their cross-cultural ministry endeavors. - And the week to week ministry of the local church literally runs on your faithfulness in cheerful giving. - There is a family in our church that is in particular need right now. (“Christmas mercy”)

We are not money-focused around here and constantly harping on this issue. And we certainly won’t tell you the lies of the prosperity gospel, that if you give God will make you wealthy… unless by wealthy you mean to be richly blessed in your spirit, knowing that God is pleased with a faithful believer who is marked by good works from a sincere heart. There is good reason for us to be cheerful givers—because God has been and continues to be so generous with us.

Paul here indicates that giving, as an example of good works, allows them to not be unfruitful. Although stated in the negative, this is intended to be an encouraging exhortation to be fruitful through generosity. In fact, I for one close this letter with no doubt that the churches under Titus’s care would respond eagerly in following Paul’s instruction, and in this way be united in Christian community and be connected to the common mission of the Church.

In that same vein of community and common mission, Paul ends the letter with sincere greetings of Christian love and with a benediction of God’s grace upon them all.

Paul’s final greetings and benediction are a sincere expression of Christian love in a common faith grounded in God’s grace. (v. 15)

Titus 3:15 (ESV) All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

Paul directs his first greetings to Titus (with a singular you), not giving the specific names of “all who are with [him].” This could be either that Titus already knows them, or perhaps doesn’t know them. In several other letters from Paul, he is significantly more specific with the names of those who send greetings and to whom they are sent.

The second part of his greeting then is for Titus to share that greeting with all the rest of the true believers in Crete who share in the common bond of faith in Christ, that have a sincere love for the Apostle and other faithful believers. Here too may be another hint in this letter that there are those among them, the false teachers in Crete, who do not really love Paul and those who should be their fellow workers and teachers.

There should be a common bond in Christ, and a common growth in Christ, and a common aim of kingdom advancement in Christ.

- The love that we have for one another in Christ bridges distance and a great many differences, breaks down dividing walls of cultural distinctions, and breeds a unity of direction (of mission).

Soldiers build a strong bond because they are fighting for a common cause, sharing an intense common experience. And they have one another’s backs, literally entrusting their life and death to each other. There is an even more clarity of common love and common cause in the body of Christ.

Now I know I’m a reflective person, and a sap, so when I think of you and pray for you, I thank God for his providential direction to intertwine our lives at this present time. And however long we should live and serve side by side, that is God’s grace to us to know one another, and love one another, and serve one another in the faith.

But it’s not just us right here that God unifies in Christian love. Even with Christians we don’t really know personally, there is a common bond in Christ, a common growth in Christ, and a common aim of kingdom advancement in Christ.

Just so, Paul closes the letter with a final prayer of benediction for God’s grace upon them all—that is, all the believers in Crete. God’s grace in Christ Jesus permeates Paul’s letters, and this one is no exception. And that’s because…

- Acknowledgement of God’s grace in Jesus is central to the Christian faith & life.

Paul’s letter to Titus opens with grace (1:4) and closes with grace (3:15), and everything in between—the truth explained and the obedience commanded—is all grounded in grace: For the the grace of God appeared in Christ Jesus to bring us salvation, and therefore by his grace he redeems a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works (2:11-14), so that we might behave and teach one another in the family of God as the children of his grace (2:1-10). So too we are justified, we are declared to be right with God, not by our works by but his grace, and that acknowledgment of his mercy (3:4-7) leads us to live in merciful kindness and evangelism to those who have yet to acknowledge God’s grace to us in the Lord Jesus Christ (3:1-3).

And since I’ve already made a lot of application and have reached the end of our time, let me close our study in Titus the way Paul closes the letter: with a prayer of benediction that emphasizes God’s grace.

PRAY: God, we do indeed seek your blessing. But we do not presume upon you, for you alone are God. Instead, we recognize fully that all that you have done for us in Christ Jesus is by your grace, and all that you will do in us and through us is also by your grace to us and to others in Jesus. Father, make us, this church family, a people of your possession who are marked by the good works of faithful behavior and faithful discipleship among us, and make us merciful in our evangelistic living and proclamation to others around us. And we pray this not for ourselves only, but for your true Church everywhere. God, advance your Kingdom. Amen.

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