A Letter to A Son - Part 1 / Una Carta a Un Hijo
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Introduction
Introduction
There are many things that are important in the life of a local church:
Fellowship
An adequate building
Air conditioning
Qualified staff to teach children
Hymnals
Hymnals
Musicians/musical instruments
Although these things are important, they are not indispensable.
We can have church without these things.
We could have a local congregation without benefitting from these things.
Nevertheless, there are things that are of upmost importance - without these things a church is not a church.
The church needs to go back to the basics.
Going back to the basics requires us to go to the words of the Bible to see what the Bible says are critical elements in the life of the church.
As a Baptist church we believe in the supreme authority of the word of God. This means that the Bible overrides all our preconceptions/prejudices/opinions of what is appropriate for the running/government of a local church.
We submit to the counsel of the word of God in all things.
We bow down before the authority of the word of God so that we may reflect the mind of God in how we life the life of the church.
There are many churches in the world. There are many doctrines, forms of church government, practices/beliefs, in many different congregations.
We believe that people should be able to worship according to their own conscience.
We should not impose our beliefs upon others.
However, we must proclaim that if you call yourself a Christian then you must submit to the authority of the word of God.
For this reason, we will turn our attention to this letter written by the Apostle Paul to Titus. We will consider:
Titus - Paul’s son in the faith
The church in Crete
Agua Viva - A local gathering of believers
I. Titus - Paul’s son in the faith
I. Titus - Paul’s son in the faith
I. Tito - Un hijo de Pablo en la fe
I. Tito - Un hijo de Pablo en la fe
We do not know much about Titus. We are introduced to Titus in verse 4.
To Titus, my true son in our common faith:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
A Tito, mi verdadero hijo en esta fe que compartimos:
Que Dios el Padre y Cristo Jesús nuestro Salvador te concedan gracia y paz.
Paul refers to him as a “son” in the faith. This could mean that Paul evangelized Titus, or he could have also discipled Titus.
Paul sets before us a wonderful example of taking an interest in another purpose for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul was interested in seeing lost people come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and to also grow in Christ.
It is necessary for new believers to grow in Christ.
Older believers should take an interest in younger believers by teaching them about following the Lord. This is a benefit to the older and younger believer.
Discipleship is not a program. Discipleship should be part of the normal rhythm of the church.
Paul’s letter to Titus is included in what we call the “pastoral letters/epistles”.
1 and 2 Timothy and Titus are known as the pastoral letters/epistles.
The reason for this is these letters are written from the perspective of an older church leader to a younger minister.
These letters speak about church government, the duties of church leaders, the dangers of false teaching, the requirements of elders and deacons, the conduct of a church leader as it relates to women, etc.
The content in these letters was intended by God to strengthen the life of the local church.
II. The church in Crete
II. The church in Crete
II. La iglesia en Creta
II. La iglesia en Creta
This letter was written to Titus for the benefit of the church in Crete.
The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
Te dejé en Creta para que pusieras en orden lo que quedaba por hacer y en cada pueblo nombraras ancianos de la iglesia, de acuerdo con las instrucciones que te di.
Crete was a small island off the coast of Greece.
We are not told how the church in Crete was planted. However, it is very possible that this congregation was founded by the believers in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
judíos y prosélitos; cretenses y árabes: ¡todos por igual los oímos proclamar en nuestra propia lengua las maravillas de Dios!»
Acts 2:
On the day of Pentecost there were many people that had come to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover and Pentecost.
Amongst the many nationalities were people from the island of Crete.
The Bible says that on that day more than 3,000 people () believed in the gospel and were baptized identifying themselves with the Christian church.
As they returned to their place of origin, they would have started to gather as a community of believers for the purpose of learning about God, worshipping God, and for mutual edification.
Each local church that was founded during the first century
III. Agua Viva - A local gathering of believers
III. Agua Viva - A local gathering of believers
III. Agua Viva - Un grupo local de creyentes
III. Agua Viva - Un grupo local de creyentes
The church in Crete was not unlike our own local church.
They Christians in had their own trials and tribulations.
They shared a common culture.
They needed to know how to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
They felt the pressures of an unbelieving culture.
They had to identify leaders that would teach them the word of God.
They had to be aware of false doctrine that could creep in.
Agua Viva has its own beginning, its own history, its own past/present/future.
Agua Viva has a culture.
Agua Viva has wonderful memories of the past.
Agua Viva has not so wonderful/or even sad memories of the past.
Agua Viva has many things that have been accomplished.
Agua Viva has neglected to do things that it should have done.
Agua Viva is just as imperfect as any other local congregation - and yet, Agua Viva is a local church loved by God.
The members of Agua Viva, share along with Crete the characteristics that the Apostle Paul mentions regarding the church in Crete.
We are chosen by God so that we may believe and experience true godliness
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—
Pablo, siervo de Dios y apóstol de Jesucristo, llamado para que, mediante la fe, los elegidos de Dios lleguen a conocer la verdadera religión.
Titus
Paul identifies himself as a servant (slave) of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.
This means that Paul sees himself not as authoritarian leader but as servant/slave of God. He is devoted to God’s service.
Paul sees himself as being sent (apostle) by God to fulfill the mission of preaching the Gospel.
and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,
Ahora, a su debido tiempo, él ha cumplido esta promesa mediante la predicación que se me ha confiado por orden de Dios nuestro Salvador.
God appointed Paul as a preacher of the Gospel.
It is through the preaching of this wonderful good news that people come to saving faith.
There is no other method or strategy that can bring people from death to life.
People must hear that we all have sinned, we deserve God’s just condemnation because he is holy, and yet God sent Jesus Christ to live a perfect life for our sake. Jesus Christ died and rose again such that if we believe in him, confess our sins, we are forgiven of our sins.
This is the gospel!
Paul says that he was called so that those who were chosen by God would come to faith (through the preaching of the gospel) and experience true godliness.
God has called all those who are to believe.
We are saved not because of anything good we have ever done but because of the initiative God has taken to open our hearts so that we may believe.
God’s work of salvation leads us to experience a life of godliness.
Those who believe can testify that they have become a new creation.
God changes our desires, our heart, our entire life.
The gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to radically transform our life.
Those who believe undergo a total transformation - this is the cleansing power of the gospel.
Those who call themselves Christians but have not experienced true godliness - demonstrate they have not known the gospel of Jesus Christ - otherwise, their lives would give evidence of the power of the gospel.
We have an eternal hope
Believers have a true and eternal hope.
in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,
Nuestra esperanza es la vida eterna, la cual Dios, que no miente, ya había prometido antes de la creación.
All believers have recieved from God eternal hope.
This eternal hope is not a positive outlook on life. Eternal hope is not being hopeful that things will turn out ok.
Eternal hope is much more substantial.
Eternal hope does not refer to a subjective feeling that makes you feel good about yourself.
Believers have recieved an eternal hope that points toward an objective reality - eternal life!
Eternal life is the hope of the believer.
We know that though we one day will die - we shall one day be resurrected and live eternally with God!
We believe in the resurrection and life everlasting.
The tomb is not the end for the believer.
How can we be sure of this?
We can be sure that we will inherit eternal life because of the character of God.
God does not lie.
Since God does not lie, and since he has promised us eternal life, he has promised to gather us to himself at the end of time - then we can have absolute confidence in his promises.
God will fulfill every single one of his promises.
We have peace and grace by God the Father and Jesus Christ our Savior.
All true believers experience true godliness. All true believers have an eternal hope that points towards the reality of eternal life.
We have peace and grace by God the Father and Jesus Christ our Savior.
However, Paul wants us to understand the wonders of the blessings of God for this life - we have recieved from God: peace and grace!
To Titus, my true son in our common faith:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
A Tito, mi verdadero hijo en esta fe que compartimos:
Que Dios el Padre y Cristo Jesús nuestro Salvador te concedan gracia y paz.
These promises are not limited to the church in Crete.
These promises are not limited to Paul.
These promises are not limited to Titus.
These promises are given to all believers throughout all time.
We have recieved from God: grace and peace.
Grace - the underserved favor of God. God is for us and not against us. This is grace!
Peace - a peace that surpasses understanding. Peace in the midst of trials and tribulations. Peace as we face pain, tragedy, and heartbreak. Peace as we face the moment of our death!