An Introduction to Titus.

Opening:

It is a beautiful thing to open the Word of God on the Lord’s Day. This morning we will be beginning a new study. We spent a long time in Genesis. Since we spent so long in an Old Testament book, it might be helpful to jump into one of the New Testament letters.

This morning as we begin this, it will be a lot more informational. But in this, there are central truths we must remember.

Introduction of the Passage:

Titus is a short letter. It was written by Paul sometime after his first imprisonment and before his second imprisonment that would result in his martyrdom. The letter of Titus is often referred to as one of the pastoral epistles. This means it is linked with 1-2 Timothy. Paul wrote a couple different types of books. He wrote general epistles, which were written to entire churches. Think of letters like 1-2 Corinthians, written to the church in Corinth; Ephesians, written to the church in Ephesus; Romans, written to the church in Rome; etc.

He also wrote letters to individuals. 1-2 Timothy were written to his disciple, Timothy. Titus is very similar to Timothy. A disciple of Paul and a young pastor.

Transition:

But before we get into any of the letter, perhaps it would be a good idea for us to familiarize ourselves with who Titus was. Let’s get to know Titus.

Getting to Know Titus.

This will help us understand the letter much better. We must remember, these were real people undergoing real problems. This letter was highly personal. Paul is writing this to his dear friend, Titus. They had a rich history. Understanding the relationship Paul and Titus had will help us understand the letter better.

But right off the bat we run into a bit of a challenge. Titus is only mentioned a handful of times in the New Testament. Thankfully however, we learn a lot about him in these passages.

Titus was a Gentile convert.

First, Titus was a Gentile convert of Paul early in his ministry, likely from Antioch. He actually travels with Paul to Jerusalem for the Jerusalem council found in Acts 15. Titus is not mentioned in Acts, but Paul talks about this in Galatians 2. Titus went with Paul to the council. The council itself was addressing the Judaizers. The faction that was saying that Gentiles had to adhere to the Mosaic Law in order to become Christians. Specifically, that they had to be circumcised. These were some of Paul’s fiercest enemies.

Paul openly opposed them. We read about this in Galatians 2:1–3 “1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.”

The fact that Paul took Titus with him to Jerusalem is our first indication of how close these two were.

Next: We learn during Paul’s ministry, Titus was sent to Corinth.

Titus Was Sent To Corinth.

Actually, Titus was sent to the church in Corinth twice. Titus was sent to Corinth with the letter of 2 Corinthians. He is the one who delivered it to the church. But we learn in that letter that he was sent there one other time previously. Both times Titus was sent as Paul’s representative to help get things in order in that church.

And if you are familiar with the letters of 1-2 Corinthians, you know this was a tall order. That church had serious issues. Tons of immorality, division, doctrinal problems and more. And who does Paul send to help them? Titus.

This begins a theme of Titus being virtually Paul’s fix it man. It really was Paul’s right hand man. If a church was having issues, Titus was so well trusted that Paul would send him to put things in order.

Next, we see that Paul Leaves Titus in Crete.

Paul Leaves Titus in Crete.

This is where Titus is when the letter of Titus is written. We learn in this letter that Titus was left there in order to set the church in order. There were numerous issues going on in the multiple churches in Crete. They did not have elders, there were divisions, there were false teachers including more Judaizers, the men and women were not operating in their God given roles. These churches were in trouble.

Evidently Paul had to leave, so he leaves Titus there to set all in order. Paul ordains Titus as the bishop over these various churches. Then Paul writes this letter to aid Titus. It was to aid him in addressing these issues. Evidently some people there did not like Titus, especially the false teachers. Titus was a young man, and they were not heeding his authority. So Paul writes this letter to help.

At the close of this letter we see that Titus is to join Paul in Nicopolis once he had finished the work in Crete.

Next: Paul Sends Titus to Dalmatia.

Paul Sends Titus to Dalmatia.

This is the final mention of Titus. It is in 2 Timothy. That would be Paul’s final letter. It was written very shortly before Paul’s death. And in it, we learn that Titus was sent to Dalmatia. Likely this was either a missionary journey, or Paul was sending him to put more churches in order.

Church tradition holds that at some later point, Titus returned to Crete to be the bishop over the various church there. It was in Crete that Titus served until he died peacefully in his 90’s. We have no reason to doubt this. There seems to be good record of this.

Transition:

That is who Titus is. He is not talked about much in the NT, but in the few mentions we have of him, we learn something very important.

Paul Loved and Trusted Titus.

There was a deep bond in these men. They traveled on missions work together. They suffered for Christ together. There was a bond here forged by being in the trenches of ministry together.

We get a sense for how close these men were by how Paul talks about Titus.

Paul calls Titus his son in the faith, his brother and partner in the ministry, a fellow worker for the gospel.

Beyond these titles listen to what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:12–13 “12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, 13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.”

Paul was expecting to meet Titus in Troas but the lack of Titus’ presence meant Paul had no rest in his spirit. Paul completes this thought in 2 Corinthians 7:5–6 “5 For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. 6 Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,”

Apparently in Macedonia, they faced fierce opposition and trials. They were troubled on every side. I love the phrasing Paul uses. “Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.” So descriptive. But as soon as Titus shows up they are comforted.

Have you ever met one of those Christians who, no matter how bad things are, you are instantly encouraged when they walk in. If you are blessed, you’ve had friends like that. You can be in the midst of horrific situations, but the moment they show up you instantly feel comforted. I think of my good friend, Seth. I’ve worked with Seth for years, discipling him. He is pastoring now back in South Dakota. Life can be completely chaotic, but when we get together, there is just such encouragement and comfort. I’ve been blessed to have multiple people like this in my life.

This is what Titus was like for Paul. They were facing persecution and pain. Difficulty and struggle. But then his friend showed up. This really paints the picture of the friendship these two had.

Transition:

Now that we have a better understanding of who Titus was, and his and Paul’s relationship, there is another question to be answered.

What is the Letter of Titus About?

Why did Paul write this letter? Well, we’ve answered this partly already. Titus was a young pastor, left in Crete as bishop to set the churches in order.

There were some serious issues going on in the churches there in Crete. There were false teachers, a lack of qualified elders, men and women not fulfilling their rolls. But primarily, it seems there was a theological misunderstanding.

There seems to be a view there in Crete that salvation and godliness were separate. That a person was saved, but not actually obey Jesus. We hear this articulated in our day as well. Many Christians will talk about Carnal Christians. This idea that a person can be saved, but still live like someone who is lost. Paul attacks this idea fervently in this letter. There is no such thing as a Carnal Christian.

Titus 3:8 “8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.”

Christians will produce good works. That is the mark of a Christian. And this is the main thrust of the letter. Yes, Paul addresses many topics in this short letter to Titus, but the heart of it is this: Christians will live righteous lives. Those who love Christ will obey Him.

Transition:

Now that we have a decent understanding of who Titus was and why this letter was written, let’s read Titus 1:1-4.

Reading of the Passage:

Titus 1:1–4 “1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, 3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior; 4 To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.”

Behold, the Word of the Lord.

Prayer:

Our Gracious Heavenly Father, we commit this time in your word to you. May it be glorifying to you and edifying to us. Speak to us now by your Spirit, through your Word. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.

Introduction/ Opening Illustration:

But why would we spend the first half of this sermon on talking about who Titus was, and what the context of the letter is? Why not just jump right into the letter?

Well, often we tend to skip over the greetings of the letters. If we aren’t careful, we can sort of go “yeah yeah, grace and peace… let’s get to the good bits!” But we should never do this. These openings contain incredible depth. They are deeply personal. They give us a window into the personality of both the author and recipient. They are inspired by the Holy Spirit and profitable for us to be fully equipped in the Lord.

Need:

We need to know that Paul and Titus were real people. This is a real letter written to address real needs. And this is Scripture. It was preserved, without error by the Holy Spirit, for us. We should see the depth of this greeting, and love the truth it contains.

Text Idea:

In these first four verses, Paul lays out his greeting, the gospel, and his desire for his son in the faith, Titus.

Sermon Idea:

And in this we learn that God has given us common faith in Christ, His Son, and that through this knowledge, we produce godliness, and find grace, mercy, and peace.

These are truths we must remember. We must be reminded of them always.

Transition:

So let’s begin and examine Paul’s greeting to Titus.

Paul’s Greeting to Titus.

Explanation:

Paul begins this letter similar to many of his other letters. He identifies himself. “Paul, a bondservant of God...” Literally, Paul is saying he is God’s slave. He is bound to do God’s will. Paul is not speaking under his own authority, or his own will. He is bound to obedience to Christ. He is not his own master.

The second statement lines up perfectly with this. “A slave of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ.” The term Apostle means “sent ones.” The apostles were the chosen leaders of the church, directly chosen by Christ. He designated them as the authority over the church. They were gifted to spread the gospel, start the church, lay down the Scriptural Word for the church. They were to be the direct representatives of Christ on the earth. Now, in a sense, we are all sent by Christ and we are to be His representatives. But the apostles stand as the heads of Christ’s church. We are not all apostles. The apostles are the foundation of the church with Christ being the Cornerstone.

And the apostles were not just the leaders of the church in the first century. Even today, we are subject to the Apostles. How? We are to submit to these letters. God used them to write Scripture. We are still in the apostolic church. This is why in the Nicene Creed we confess that we believe in “one holy catholic and apostolic church.” We are still part of the same church began by Christ and His Apostles.

What Paul is saying in these two opening statements is that he is God’s slave, bound to do the will of the Lord, and that he is the apostle of Jesus Christ.

Transition:

Next: Paul says that he is an Apostle for the faith of the elect.

An Apostle for the Faith of the Elect.

Explanation:

What does Paul mean by this? Paul was made an apostle in order to serve and benefit the faith of the elect. This office was not just given to Paul so that he could sit on some throne and be venerated. Paul was given the commission of Apostleship, but then was charged to and preach the gospel. Specifically Paul was commissioned to take the gospel to the gentiles. He was the apostle to the gentiles.

He was given a mission of service. He is on a mission of service to the elect. As he says, for the faith of the elect and the acknowledgement of the truth. Literally, to help the elect come to know the truth. That is Paul’s marching orders. He is to help all of God’s chosen ones come to know the truth.

Transition:

But then Paul adds something incredibly central.

...Which Accords with Godliness.

Explanation:

Paul was sent to aid the elect, to help them know the truth, which accords with godliness.

Here we see that in the very first verse, that Paul lays out the theme of this letter. The faith of the elect, the knowledge of the truth accords with godliness.

To put it simply, true knowledge of the truth leads to true godliness. One cannot know the truth and not act on it. If you don’t act on it, you don’t believe in it, you don’t have faith in it.

Illustration:

And we see this in everything, don’t we.

Imagine it’s college football season. And let’s say we have a man who says he believes the Cyclones are going to win their next game. He swears up and down that they are going to win. Every time you talk to him, he says “Boy the Cyclones are going to win that game.” He is incredibly vocal about this professed belief. But then, the night before the game, he goes and places a $5,000 bet on their opponents. (Don’t gamble on sports). But say he did.

Did he really believe the cyclones would win? No.

Or say you have a man claims up and down he a republican. He is the ultimate “ra ra party line” type of guy. But every election he only ever votes for democrat candidates.

Does he actually believe in the republican party? Obviously not.

Argumentation:

We can see this in anything. From such simple things as sports, to more complex things like our political affiliations. But the truth remains the same.

You can claim whatever you want, but your actions are the best indications of your beliefs.

You actions are the best indication of your beliefs.

that is what Paul is saying here. True faith, true knowledge of Christ accords with godliness. The word there is literally piety. Meaning Righteous religious action. Obedience to Christ and his commands. Anyone can claim to have faith. Anyone can claim to love Jesus. How do you know if they do? Does their faith accord with godliness? Or to put it another way, what’s the fruit?

True faith produces true action. False faith produces false action. True faith comes by knowledge of the truth and produces true godliness. True faith inevitably produces godliness.

Transition:

Paul then gives the end of all true faith.

Hope of the Promise of Eternal Life.

Explanation:

Real faith and true knowledge of Christ will lead to godliness, but it also does something else. It is what leads to heaven. The end of true faith is heaven. It is eternal life with Christ.

And we know for certain because as Paul says, God promised this before time began, and God cannot lie. This is our hope. God cannot lie. He is truly honest and trustworthy, and He has promised us that true faith will lead to eternal life. If our faith is in Christ, eternal life is the promise.

Transition:

And how do we come to know this hope? How do we gain faith? How do we come to know the truth that produces godliness and the hope of eternal life?

The Preaching of the Word.

This is an incredible statement. God promised the hope of eternal life before time began. But how is it manifested? It is manifested through the His Word, through preaching.

Romans 10:17 “17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

How does one come to faith? It is through the proclamation of the gospel. As the gospel is proclaimed, people are called to faith. They come to know Christ. Godliness is produced. Eternal life is given. This is what is happening in the proclamation of the gospel. Romans 10:14 “14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”

And Paul says that this was committed to him. Indeed it was. He was charged by God to go and proclaim the gospel. He was ordained as a preacher to the gentiles.

Transition:

And Paul closes this opening with a blessing on Titus.

A Blessing on Titus.

Titus 1:4 “4 To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.”

I love this blessing. Paul begins by calling Titus a true son in the faith. Titus was converted and discipled under the ministry of Paul. And we see here again that bond these two had. Paul really did have a fatherly role in Titus’ life.

Then Paul says something amazing. He says that Titus is a son in “our common faith.” This is an equalizing statement. In one sense, Paul as an Apostle did stand head and shoulders above Titus. The Apostles had real authority. They were hand picked by Christ to be the heads of the church. But here we see that even in this, there is a true equality in faith. Titus has the same faith as Paul. The same faith, the same Lord, the same saving grace.

This is a beautiful thing about grace. Grace does not destroy nature, it does not destroy hierarchy. God made our world to be hierarchical. There are people who are higher and lower. Your boss is still your boss even if you’re both Christians. Husbands have true authority over their households. The gospel doesn’t destroy that. It does not destroy distinction.

But also, there is a real sense in which none of us stand as better than any other. We are all sinners saved by grace. None of us merit salvation. This is why at communion, I will often say “the ground at the foot of this table is level.” We are all hopelessly lost. Unless God brings us to life, none of us would be saved.

Regardless of station, all of us stand as sinners before our perfect savior, redeemed by His work alone.

And this is so encouraging. All of us are saved by the same grace, same faith as Paul. Titus is standing as Paul’s equal in Christ. And I can imagine how encouraging this would have been for Titus. He is a young bishop, trying to lead multiple troubled churches in Crete. There were detractors questioning his authority. He was dealing with issue after issue after issue. How often must Titus have wished that Paul were there. “If Paul were here, this would go so much better. These people wouldn’t have any issue with Paul.”

Likely, Titus heard that from his detractors. “Oh sure, you say we need to do this or that. But come on Titus, you’re just a young buck. You’re no Paul.” But here, Paul says, “Titus, my son, we have the same faith. The same Lord. The same Word. Now do the work.”

And imagine how much benefit this would have had when this letter was read in these churches. Paul is practically smacking Titus’ detractors. “Nock off your division and false teaching! Listen to Titus! He is your pastor, your bishop!” Paul was good at doing that.

Transition:

But then Paul closes this blessing with one of the most comforting statements.

Grace, Mercy, and Peace.

There is a common practice throughout church history called the passing of the peace. Where Christians will say to one another “peace be with you.” “And also with you” or “and with your spirit.”

There is something very real in this practice. It is not just a nice sentiment. It is deeper than this. What we are saying is “May God give you peace.” It is a blessing. And blessings have power. Think about it, the Bible is clear that our words carry power. Curses certainly carry power. If this true, then the inverse is also true. Blessings also carry power.

When we bless someone, there is a reality to this. It is to come from a heart of truly wanting God to bless this person. So Paul is not just giving a greeting here. He is actually blessing this young minister who is troubled.

Grace: The word used here “Charis” like charity. It means a gift of kindness. Literally “be favored.” This word is almost a prayer in itself. May God favor you.

Mercy: The word used here is eleos. It is literally linked with God’s mercy. Another prayer. May God be merciful to you.

Peace: The word used here is eirene. I bet you would familiar with the Hebrew equivalent. In the LXX eirene is what is used to translate the Hebrew word “shalom.” It was a blessing of peace. Yet another prayer contained in one word. “May God give you peace.”

You can see Paul’s care for Titus in these three simple words. May God be gracious to you. May He give you mercy. And finally, may He give you peace. And for a young minister trying to lead multiple churches toward righteousness and facing difficulty, this would have been so comforting.

Conclusion:

Do you see the care Paul layers into this opening? It is filled with theological truth and fatherly care. You can feel the compassion here.

“Titus, Be encouraged. Remember the faith we have. The knowledge of the truth. The godliness true faith produces. The hope we have in eternal life with Christ. Remember our mission to proclaim this truth. May grace, mercy, and peace from God encourage you.”

For a young minister, facing a challenging church, this would have been like a drink of cool water on a hot day.

Visualization:

In the midst of difficulties, we need to be reminded of the truth. We need to be compassionately reminded of often what we already know. Titus knew this. This wasn’t new information to him.

He was with Paul for years. He was discipled by the Apostle Paul. He likely had a better grasp on biblical truth than we could ever hope to have.

And yet, Paul opens by reminding him of these truths. Remember these truths.

Reiteration:

We need this reminder as well. Regardless of what is happening in life, we need reminders of God’s truth constantly. Even if we’ve heard the gospel 1,000,000 times, we need to be reminded of it once more. Always once more.

And even more so in the midst of challenges. Remember Christ. Remember our faith. Remember that God, who cannot lie, has given us hope.

Application:

I pray I never get bored of hearing these truths. I pray the truth of our faith always moves me.

We need to be reminded of these truths, always.

Remember your faith.

Remember that it is through faith we are saved. And this faith is the same faith that has saved every saint that has ever been saved. We must know the truth. We must love the truth.

And then:

Remember faith produces godliness.

Here is the big one. Faith is never alone. True faith produces righteous action. Piety. A true godly character. Remember this. Faith is never just a list of facts we believe. If we believe this, it will accord with godliness. True faith always leads to righteous action.

And finally:

Remember God’s grace, mercy, and peace.

To all those who have faith in Christ, who are producing righteousness, hear these words.

May God’s grace, His favor rest upon you. May you know the goodwill of your Father who loves you.

May God’s mercy rest upon all your works. May you rest in the mercy of the Lord who has washed you clean from all your sins.

May the peace of God, who defends you against every foe, be with you. May you be comforted by the peace that surpasses all understanding. In the midst of a life of chaos, of struggles, of pain, surrounded by those who seek your destruction, may you find God’s peace holding you tight to Christ.

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Let’s pray.

Closing Prayer:

Offering:

Offertory Prayer:

Benediction: