Commitments Of A Faithful Ministry
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 4 viewsNotes
Transcript
[SLIDE 1] Introduction
Good morning, brothers and sisters.
I want to wish you a Happy New Year.
The New Year often symbolizes many things.
It symbolizes a fresh start.
It symbolizes the hope of achieving new goals and plans.
It symbolizes renewal and transformation.
As we enter into the New Year, we’re also entering into a fresh start of church ministry.
Pastor Jack and I will begin preaching a new series in the letter to Titus at our monthly combined service.
The reason we chose Titus is that we want this to be a year in which we grow in “godliness” as a church family.
This letter has much to teach us about godliness.
[SLIDE 2] It teaches us godliness in three spheres of life:
In The Church (1:5-16)
In The Home (2:1-15)
In The World (3:1-11)
Context
[SLIDE 3] What is Titus all about?
To answer that question, I want you to imagine a church in Vancouver that’s been around for 20 years.
It has a beautiful facility.
It has a history.
There are believers from all walks of life attending this church.
However, there are problems.
False teaching and errors have crept into the church.
Some are causing division in the church.
There is lack of clarity on church leadership.
There is poor witnessing to the world.
Men and women in the church lacked godly behaviours.
And we decided to send a young pastor with the assignment to revitalize that church.
He is to establish biblically qualified men to be elders.
He is to confront erroneous and dangerous teachings.
He is to instruct believers to live in godliness in doctrine and in behaviour.
That’s the general idea of what Titus is all about.
[SLIDE 4] That’s the purpose of Paul’s letter to Titus found in Titus 1:5
5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—
Ultimately, Titus was to prepare the believers to be more effective witnesses to unbelievers at Crete.
In case you don’t know who Titus is, here’s a brief biography:
Titus was a Gentile believer, specifically a Greek.
He was a travel companion and ministry partner of the Apostle Paul.
Since Titus was Greek, he would be equipped to minister in a pagan context.
[SLIDE 5] Titus was commissioned to minister at a location called “Crete.”
Crete is an island in the middle of the Mediteranean Sea.
It is located southeast of Greece.
The Cretans were problematic and unruly.
They had aquired a notoriously bad reputation in the Roman world.
[SLIDE 6]
12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
Apparently, the Cretans were such notorious liars that the Greek language coined a phrase, “to play the Cretan,” which meant, “to lie.”
That’s how the Roman society viewed the Cretans.
And they did so with such prejudices.
I’m sure that there are similar prejudices between cultures in North America or in Asia.
However, regardless of ethnic and cultural prejudices and contexts, the gospel reached the island of Crete.
[SLIDE 7] During Pentecost in Acts 2, some of the Jewish pilgrims were from Crete. (Acts 2:11)
And they heard the gospel preached in their own language.
It is probable that these Jews believed in the gospel.
They brought the message back to Crete.
And they established local churches in Crete.
However, it is also probable that some of the Jews did not believe in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour at Pentecost.
They returned to Crete and saw the established churches.
And they were troublemakers by promoting circumcision in the church.
They were turning people away from the truth.
Therefore, Titus was sent to rebuke these false teachers sharply so that they may be sound in doctrine and in godliness.
And Titus was chosen by Paul for this apostolic assignment possibly for this reason:
[SLIDE 8] To understand the reason, you would need to read 2 Corinthians.
Here’s the summary: the Corinthians were hostile towards the Apostle Paul.
Paul sent Titus to the Corinthian church with a difficult assignment in delivering a reconciling message to the Corinthians.
Titus was apparently a troubleshooter or a problem-solver.
He was able to successfully deliver the reconciling message to the Corinthians.
And he was able to persuade many of the Corinthians to respond positively to Paul.
Titus demonstrated that he possessed the spiritual earnestness.
He possessed skillful diplomacy.
And he possessed a loving concern required to meet the present challenge.
Therefore, the Apostle Paul was confident that this new assignment was safe in Titus’ hands.
[SLIDE 9] Since Crete was a pagan nation, it is not much different from the city of Vancouver.
Although I consider Vancouver a beautiful city to live in, it is nevertheless a godless city.
In a 2021 census, 55.8% of the population in Vancouver are either non-religious or secular.
That’s about 363,000 people.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, how are we to live in this city that is increasingly hostile to Christian values?
The answer is not found in creating better strategies.
It’s not found in making OBC more attractive to the world.
The answer is this:
We are to live in godliness by being committed to faithfulness in ministry just like the Apostle Paul.
Paul’s opening letter has a profound lesson for us as a church.
It is true that the opening verses or his salutation describe Paul’s unique calling as an apostle.
However, the principles he outlines are applicable for every Christian.
They instruct us on how to honour Christ while living in a godless society.
Paul outlines five commitments of faithful ministry.
Exposition
[SLIDE 10-11] First, A Faithful Ministry Is Committed To God’s Authority. (v.1a)
The letter of Titus begins this way:
1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ...
Paul establishes his credentials.
First, he’s a servant of God.
This word, “servant,” is doulos, which can be translated as “slave.”
Paul is owned by God.
God is His Master (a loving and good Master).
Paul committed his life to obeying His God faithfully.
It is called by God to serve Him.
He’s under divine authority.
Paul is describing something that is true for all believers.
Did you know, brothers and sisters, that you are a slave of God?
That’s your identity as Christians.
James, Peter, Jude, and John were slaves of God.
We are purchased by the blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
We no longer belong to ourselves.
We belong to our loving, gracious, and merciful God.
He owns us.
If God tells you to go, then you go.
If God tells you to stop, then you stop.
If God tells you to serve, then you serve.
If you confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, then He owns you.
Therefore, you are to obey Him.
You are to serve Him as your Master.
You are to love Him because He first loved you and gave Himself up for you.
Second, he’s an Apostle of Jesus Christ.
What does it mean to be an “apostle?”
Here are several qualifications of an apostle:
First, an apostle must have been commissioned directly by Jesus.
Second, an apostle must have been taught directly by Jesus.
Third, an apostle must have been given authority by Jesus.
Paul was not the original 12 Apostles.
However, Paul was uniquely chosen by our Lord to be an apostle to the Gentiles in Acts 9.
He planted churches.
He laid the foundation for the church.
He wrote letters, which were the inspired word of God.
Of course, Paul died.
After the death of the last Apostle, which would be John, there are no more Apostles today.
The original Apostles have already laid down the foundation for the church in the inspired word of God.
If we are to devote ourselves to the Apostles teaching in Acts 2:42, then we are to study the Bible.
Therefore, like Paul, we must recognize that we are under divine authority from our Lord in our personal life and in the local church.
Christ is the head of the church, not the elders nor the pastors.
We seek to honour Christ.
We follow and submit to the authoritative word of God.
[SLIDE 12-13] Second, A Faithful Ministry Is Committed To God’s Mission (v.1b)
The Apostle Paul was entrusted with his apostolic ministry with specific goals in mind.
1b for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,
Paul’s apostolic ministry is God’s mission for His people.
First, Paul is a slave and an Apostle for the sake of the faith of God’s elect.
The purpose of Paul’s ministry was sent by God to proclaim faith.
He proclaimed the gospel to those whom God had sovereignly chosen for salvation before the foundation of the world.
Paul’s aim was that God’s elect would believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
This was the evangelistic zeal of the Apostle Paul.
Second, Paul is a slave and an Apostle for the sake of their knowledge (i.e. God’s elect’s knowledge) of the truth.
Paul was chosen to teach them to know the truth.
This was the educational zeal of the Apostle Paul.
This is what it looks like to make disciples of all nations.
The disciples are taught to observe all that Jesus has commanded us.
And thus, we fulfill the Great Commission.
By teaching the believers the full counsel of God’s word, God’s people might be sanctified by the knowledge of the truth.
Paul says at the end of verse 1 that it is God’s truth that produces godly living.
You cannot have the knowledge of the truth without the godly life because that’s hypocrisy.
You cannot live out the godly life without the knowledge of the truth because that’s ignorance.
Brothers and sisters, if you look at your week even right now, how much of God’s truth are you receiving?
The truth of God’s word should teach you how to live in a godly manner.
This also implies that if you’re not receiving the knowledge of the truth, you shouldn’t be able to discern what godly living looks like.
Instead, most likely, you may live in ungodliness.
If that’s you, then you need to repent of your sins and come back to Jesus.
Renew your covenant relationship with the Lord.
He died for you so that you no longer live for yourselves, but to live for Him.
May 2026 be a stepping stone for you to grow in godliness by receiving the knowledge of the truth.
We see that Paul was committed to God’s mission...by evangelizing and by educating.
That’s our calling as well.
[SLIDE 14-15] Third, A Faithful Ministry Is Committed To God’s Promise (v.2)
2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
This hope of eternal life is not speaking of uncertainty or wishful thinking.
It is talking about what is not yet in our full and present possession and experience.
This hope of eternal life is grounded on God’s promises.
Nothing is more certain than the promise of God.
That’s because God is not a God who lies by breaking His promises.
God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19) because He is the truth.
Truth and lie do not co-exist.
You can call it half-truth or a white lie. It’s still a lie at the end of the day.
Lying is a sin (Exodus 20:16)
Proverbs 6:16-19 says that God hates “a lying tongue” and “a false witness who breathes out lies.”
1 John 1:5: “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
God’s character is the basis of our confidence in His promise.
Since He promised the hope of eternal life to His people, we can have confidence that God will keep His promise.
We can have confidence that nothing in this world can snatch us out of the Father’s hand.
We can be assured that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Therefore, this is an encouragement for us to continue to hold on to God’s promises.
His promise encourages us to serve Him.
His promise encourages us in trials and tribulations.
[SLIDE 16-17] Fourth, A Faithful Ministry Is Committed To God’s Word (v.3)
3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;
Since God promised the hope of eternal life to His people, He revealed His word at the proper time through preaching.
The word, “preaching,” means to herald.
It is the public proclamation of God’s word.
For Paul, he was under the divine command of God our Saviour to preach the word among the Gentiles.
Such preaching brings sinners to saving faith.
It builds them up in divine truth.
And it strengths them for godly living.
One of the signs of an unhealthy church is bad or poor preaching.
If the church is not fed with biblical preaching, she’ll be spiritually, biblically, and theologically malnourished.
Preaching is not storytelling.
Preaching is not entertaining you.
Preaching is proclaiming what God has to say to you from His word.
As pastors at OBC, it is our commitment to faithfully preach the word in season and out of season.
It doesn’t matter whether the preaching is popular or unpopular.
Whether people like the message or not.
We’ll be preaching God’s word expositionally because we have been entrusted by the command of God.
And every ministry and every believer in this church must be faithfully committed to God’s word.
We are stewards of God’s truth.
So every Lord's Day when you gather here, I pray that you would demonstrate your commitment to God's word by:
Opening your Bibles and following along as your pastor preaches.
Opening your hearts to receive what God is saying, even when it confronts your sins.
Opening your lives to obey what you hear, not just admire it.
Opening your mouths to discuss it with your family and friends, teach it to your children, and share it with your neighbors.
[SLIDE 18-19] Fifth, A Faithful Ministry Is Committed To God’s People (v.4)
4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith:
Paul writes this letter to Titus.
This was his way of greeting Titus and by implication those who are in the church of Crete.
Paul describes Titus as his true child in a common faith.
By calling Titus his true child, Paul may have done two things in Titus’ life:
First, Paul may have been responsible in bringing Titus to saving faith in the Lord Jesus.
Second, Paul may have a mentor-student relationship with Titus.
Paul may have played a major role in nurturing Titus spiritually and training him for gospel ministry.
Paul knows Titus enough to send him to Crete to handle a difficult situation with the churches.
He delegated his authority to Titus to carry this important responsibility.
Here’s Paul’s leadership quality:
Although he was an Apostle, he never worked alone.
He normally had partners and fellow workers in the gospel ministry.
He had relationships with believers.
He knew people personally.
He mentored and discipled men like Timothy and Titus.
The goal is that they can go out and be effective witnesses and ministers in the church.
The Lordship salvation vs. Free Grace Theology.
Is this issue heretical or not what is going on here?
Titus was also a true child in a common faith.
This is talking about the faith in a sense that Titus was doctrinally like-minded and sound in the Christian faith.
Titus was grounded in the word of God.
He can be trusted to handle the word of God.
Paul would not have given such responsibility to Titus if he were not rooted in Scripture.
And this is vitally important in Christian leadership.
If you’re not grounded in the Bible and in sound doctrine, you have no business being in leadership at the church.
You have no business being an elder/pastor.
Christian leaders with a lack of doctrinal conviction is a recipe for disaster for the local church.
[SLIDE 20] Paul closes his greetings to Titus with these blessings to him:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour. (v.4b)
Have you ever paused for a moment to understand what that means?
Why does Paul need to wish Titus “grace and peace?”
For Titus, he needs God’s grace.
This means that he needs the divine strength for life and service.
He needs God’s peace.
This means he needs freedom from anxiety, panic, and distraction despite difficult circumstances.
Titus needs God’s grace and God’s peace to be able to address the challenges he faces in Crete.
This is important in Christian ministry.
We need God’s grace and God’s peace as a church in 2026.
Your elders and pastors need God’s grace and His peace this year as we do our best to lead this church spiritually.
Your ministry leaders need God’s grace and peace so that they can serve this church faithfully.
Conclusion
At the start of 2026, we want to be committed to the following things:
[SLIDE 21] A Faithful Ministry Is Committed To God’s Authority (v.1a)
[SLIDE 22] A Faithful Ministry Is Committed To God’s Mission (v.1b)
[SLIDE 23] A Faithful Ministry Is Committed To God’s Promise (v.2)
[SLIDE 24] A Faithful Ministry Is Committed To God’s Word (v.3)
[SLIDE 25] A Faithful Ministry Is Committed To God’s People(v.4)
The question is, brothers and sisters: will you commited to these marks of a faithful ministry?
