Titus 1:1-16

Opening

If you have your Bibles with you, please open them to Titus 1.

Titus is a shorter book of the bible and is located after 2 Timothy and before Philemon which is before the book of Hebrews.

The book of Titus is called an Epistle, which basically just means a letter. So the book of Titus is a letter that was written to Titus by the Apostle Paul

This letter was written by Paul somewhere during the 60’s AD.

Was Written to offer encouragement and wisdom to Titus in the work he was doing.

With that, I invite you to read along with me as we Read Titus 1:1-4.

Pray.

A letter written by Paul somewhere in the 60’s AD

Was written to offer encouragement and wisdom.

Titus was in Crete, and was enduring opposition from legalists and Ungodly people in his congregation.

Paul instructs Titus to elect overseer’s or Elders for the local congregations who we under His care.

Paul includes instructions regarding the qualifications for these elders.

Paul’s Introduction

This letter starts similar to most of Paul’s Letters.

We see Paul identify himself as the author, He includes a greeting, and makes mention of Who his intended audience is.

Paul opens the letter by identifying himself by name as the author he says:

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.

There is no question as to which Paul would have written this based off this introduction. We know that this is Paul who was previously known as Saul.

When He encounter Jesus on the road to Damascus and later accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior, he began going by the name Paul.

In this conversion, Paul becomes what we like to call “Born Again” meaning that he is now made into a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old sinful person of Saul has been shown grace and Mercy and now has the Holy Spirit living within him. The old self has died, and he has begun a new life in Christ.

This is why we see Paul refer to himself as a servant of God.

Some translations may say bond-servant.

This word “Servant” or “Bond- Servant” comes from the Greek word “Doulos” which directly translates to mean slave.

But this isn’t just any slave or servant. A Bond Servant was different than a hired servant. They had protection under the authority of their master.

Sometimes a bond servant was a slave who was purchased, they could have also been captured by a conquering nation, they could have also become a slave due to a penalty or debt that they owed.

The later of these would require them to serve until their debt had been paid off. And even then, were at the mercy of the one they were in service to.

A bond servant could also voluntarily go into service. For example, sometimes people who were forced to serve as a slave due to a debt would voluntarily decide to continue as a servant to their master after their debt had been paid off.

If they served under a good person who treated them well, it could easily be a better life for them, than leaving and going back into society. Where they would need to fight against the day to day struggles to provide and survive.

Similarly, When we recognize the bondage we are under as sinners. When we realize there is debt we owe, that will take a literal eternity to be able to pay back. The reality that we will never be able to pay the debt back in full because as sinners we continue to sin increase that debt daily. We realize that we need a savior. We need someone who can rescue us from our captivity to sin.

In this case, when we can recognize the free gift of Salvation that is offered through Jesus Christ. The mercy He is willing to show us. When we call upon Christ as Lord, we willing surrender ourselves to His authority. We go from being a captive to being a voluntary servant of our Master.

When Paul calls himself a servant of God, this is what he is referring to. He is in the service of doing to the will of God. Not his own. He has surrendered his human liberties on earth to be a Bond Servant. In other words, he does not live for selfish gain or reward. But in turn he lives his life in submition to God’s authority and His protection, for the sake of the Gospel. So that other may hear the great news of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:19–23 ESV

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

What is also interesting to note in the letter, is that this is the only letter in which Paul calls himself a servant of God. In his other letters he always introduces himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ or will call himself a servant of Jesus Christ, But in this particular letter, he calls himself a servant of God. He also then follows up that statement with being an apostle of Jesus Christ.

Why is this so significant?

Well for starters it makes an implication and connection to the deity of Jesus.

Jesus was fully man, But was and IS also fully God.

Paul serves God and was sent by Jesus.

That is what an apostle is.

The general definition on an apostle is someone who is sent out by someone else with a commission. A commission is a command, a duty, or a charge given to someone or a group of people.

When we look at a commission given in the bible we can think of the Great Commission given by Christ in Matthew.

Matthew 28:19–20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

This was charge or command given to all believers to share the gospel with the world.

Does this mean that all christians are apostles?

No

Not in the biblical sense definition.

When we look at apostleship according to scripture we see something very unique that only applies to specific period of time.

Paul was commissioned by Jesus Christ personally, to do a specific task. This physical, personal encounter with Jesus Christ himself, made him an apostle of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:1–2 “Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.”

The only apostles of Jesus Christ, are his disciples, who were personally charged, or commissioned, by Jesus.

This doesn’t mean the great commission isn’t for us. It is! But we there specific requirements to be considered an apostle that nobody today can meet. It was a specific title, for a specific purpose, during a specific time.

So here Paul is very definitively stating that he is a servant of God, and has been commissioned by Jesus Himself who is God.

Now we need to ask ourselves Who is Titus? And why is he receiving this letter?

Paul’s Purpose

Who is Titus? Why is he receiving this letter from Paul with such a bold and powerful introduction?

Titus is a greek convert of Paul. After giving his life to Christ, Titus served with Paul in his efforts to share the gospel with the Gentiles.

Gentiles are people who are not Jewish.

They know each other, have served together

Galatians 2:1 “Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.”

I mentioned earlier that this epistle was written to give encouragement and wisdom. This is true. By why?

Paul then goes further into identifying himself. Why is this important?

Give opportunity for a response..

This is important because