Why the Church Needs Revival

WHY THE CHURCH NEEDS REVIVAL

INTRODUCTION:

THE COMMAND PAUL GIVES TO TITUS, UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, IS TO TEACH WHAT IS IN LINE WITH SOUND DOCTRINE.

AND ACCORDING TO PAUL, THERE IS A TEACHING FOR EVERYONE.

- OLDER MEN ARE TO BE SOBER-MINDED, DIGNIFIED, SELF-CONTROLLED, AND SOUND IN FAITH, LOVE, AND STEADFASTNESS.

- OLDER WOMEN ARE TO BE REVERENT IN BEHAVIOR, NOT SLANDERERS, OR SLAVES TO MUCH WINE.

o AND THEY ARE TO TEACH THE YOUNGER WOMEN.

- YOUNGER WOMEN ARE TO LOVE THEIR HUSBANDS AND THEIR CHILDREN, TO BE SELF-CONTROLLED, PURE, WORKING AT HOME, KIND, AND SUBMISSIVE TO THEIR HUSBANDS.

- YOUNGER MEN ARE INSTRUCTED TO BE SELF-CONTROLLED.

- CHURCH LEADERS ARE TO BE MODELS OF GOOD WORKS, TEACH WITH INTEGRITY AND DIGNITY, AND BE OF SOUND SPEECH (PROPER TEACHING).

- BONDSERVANTS (WE MIGHT APPLY THIS TO OUR EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIPS) ARE TO BE SUBMISSIVE TO THEIR MASTERS (EMPLOYERS), WELL-PLEASING AND NOT ARGUMENTATIVE, HONEST (NOT PILFERING – WHICH MEANS TAKING THINGS THAT DON’T BELONG TO YOU), AND SHOWING (DISPLAYING) GOOD FAITH.

AND PAUL GIVES THREE REASONS THAT THIS TYPE OF TEACHING NEEDS TO BE GIVEN, AND FOLLOWED BY THOSE WHO ARE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST.

- IN VERSE 5, HE SAYS “SO THAT THE WORD OF GOD MAY NOT BE REVILED.”

o THAT WORD “REVILED” IS TRANSLATED DIFFERENTLY IN OTHER TRANSLATIONS.

§ THE KJV RENDERS IT AS THE WORD “BLASPHEMED.”

§ THE NASB RENDERS IT AS THE WORD “DISHONORED.”

§ THE ESV RENDERS IT AS THE WORD “REVILED.”

§ THE CSB RENDERS IT AS THE WORD “SLANDERED.”

§ WHAT IT MEANS IS “TO BE SPOKEN EVIL OF, OR VILIFIED. TO BE RAILED AGAINST.”

o SO WE ARE TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE STANDARDS OF SCRIPTURE BECAUSE WE DON’T WANT THE WORD OF GOD TO BE SPOKEN EVIL OF.

- IN VERSE 8, HE SAYS SOUND DOCTRINE SHOULD BE TAUGHT “SO THAT AN OPPONENT MAY BE PUT TO SHAME, HAVING NOTHING EVIL TO SAY ABOUT US.”

o PAUL UNDERSTOOD THE IMPACT OF ONE’S PUBLIC TESTIMONY.

o ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE WHO ARE IN LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THE CHURCH.

§ PASTORS AND OTHERS WHO ARE IN LEADERSHIP ROLES ARE RESPONSIBLE TO GOD TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ANYTHING EVIL TO SAY ABOUT US.

- IN VERSE 10, HE SAYS THESE THINGS SHOULD BE DONE “SO THAT IN EVERYTHING THEY MAY ADORN THE DOCTRINE OF GOD OUR SAVIOR.”

o SPEAKING TO THE SERVANTS, OR EMPLOYEES IN OUR DAY, HE WARNS THEM TO LIVE ACCORDING TO DOCTRINE SO THAT THEIR WORK ETHIC “ADORNS THE DOCTRINE OF GOD.”

o IT SHOULD BE THAT CHRISTIANS ARE THE FINEST WORKERS IN THE WORKPLACE.

o YOU SHOULD SHOW UP ON TIME, COMPLETE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS EXPECTED, AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF YOUR EMPLOYER.

BUT WHEN THESE THINGS BEGIN TO GET OUT OF BALANCE.

WHEN CHRISTIANS BEGIN TO SLIP IN THESE AREAS, THERE IS A NEED FOR RENEWAL, A NEED FOR REVIVAL.

I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A BIT OF A LENGTHY INTRODUCTION, BUT THE FOUNDATION NEEDED TO BE LAID BEFORE WE CAN LOOK TO THE REST OF THE PASSAGE FOR THOSE ATTITUDES WE CAN LOOK FOR TO REMIND US THAT THE CHURCH NEEDS SPIRITUAL RENEWAL.

AND BY THE WAY, THE CHURCH DOES NEED SPIRITUAL RENEWAL…ALWAYS HAS, AND ALWAYS WILL.

PAUL TAKES ALL THIS TIME TO EXPLAIN TO TITUS WHAT HE NEEDS TO BE TEACHING THE PEOPLE HE LEADS SO THAT HE CAN GET TO MEAT OF THE MATTER IN VERSES 11 THROUGH 14.

HE SAYS “TEACH ALL THESE THINGS, BECAUSE THE GRACE OF GOD HAS BROUGHT SALVATION FOR ALL PEOPLE, AND THOSE PEOPLE TO WHOM SALVATION HAS COME ARE EXPECTED TO LIVE ACCORDING TO A HIGHER CALLING.”

AND IF WE ARE NOT LIVING ACCORDING TO THIS HIGHER CALLING, WE THEN, NEED REVIVAL.

SO QUICKLY, LET ME SHARE THREE THINGS FROM THE REMAINDER OF THIS PASSAGE THAT TELL US THAT THE CHURCH NEEDS REVIVAL.

FIRST, THINK ABOUT THIS…

1. BECAUSE THE CHURCH HAS BECOME LESS WILLING TO RENOUNCE UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY PASSIONS, WE NEED REVIVAL.

a. WE HAVE ALLOWED THE “LIVE AND LET LIVE” ATTITUDE OF THE SECULAR CULTURE TO PERMEATE OUR LIVES.

b. THE LINES HAVE BECOME BLURRED BETWEEN WHAT’S RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG.

i. THE LINES HAVE BECOME BLURRED BETWEEN WHAT IS SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE, AND WHAT IS SCRIPTURALLY ACCEPTABLE.

c. GODLINESS HAS BECOME SOMETHING THAT IS LOOKED UPON AS OLD-FASHIONED, AND OUTDATED.

i. IT’S VIEWED AS OUT OF STEP WITH THE CULTURE, AND OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY.

ii. BUT SO BE IT, BECAUSE IF GODLINESS IS OLD-FASHIONED, THEN JUST CALL ME OLD-FASHIONED, BECAUSE I WANT TO BE A GODLY MAN.

iii. THE TRUTH IS THAT GODLINESS IS OUT OF STEP WITH THE CULTURE, BUT DON’T YOU THINK FOR A MOMENT THAT GODLINESS IS A SIGN OF ONE BEING OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY.

iv. IF YOU ARE LETTING THE CULTURE DEFINE MORALITY FOR YOU, YOU ARE THE ONE OUT OF STEP WITH REALITY.

d. BECAUSE GOD’S WORD IS TO BE OUR STANDARD FOR MORALITY.

e. THE OTHER ACTION PAUL ENCOURAGES TITUS TO CALL THOSE HE SERVES TO IS TO DENOUNCE WORLDLY PASSIONS.

i. IF WE ARE TO DENOUNCE WORLDLY PASSIONS, THEN WE CERTAINLY WOULD BE RIGHT TO EMBRACE SPIRITUAL PASSIONS.

f. BUT WAY TOO OFTEN, PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO BE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST ARE RUNNING AFTER THE SAME THING THE REST OF THE CULTURE IS RUNNING AFTER.

g. THE CHURCH HAS BECOME LESS WILLING TO RENOUNCE UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY PASSIONS, THEREFORE, WE NEED REVIVAL.

2. SECONDLY, BECAUSE CHRIST-FOLLOWERS ARE FAILING TO LIVE SELF-CONTROLLED, UPRIGHT, AND GODLY LIVES, WE NEED REVIVAL.

a. THAT WORD SELF-CONTROLLED COULD ALSO BE STATED AS BEING OF SOUND MIND.

i. THAT MEANS MAKING WISE DECISIONS.

ii. MAKING GOD-HONORING, CHRIST-EXALTING DECISIONS.

iii. MAKING DECISIONS THAT LEAD TO UPRIGHT LIVING.

iv. THE WORD UPRIGHT IS A WORD THAT LENDS ITSELF TO THE CONCEPT OF HOLINESS.

v. IN THE FORESTS OF NORTHERN EUROPE AND ASIA LIVES A LITTLE ANIMAL CALLED THE ERMINE, KNOWN FOR HIS SNOW-WHITE FUR IN WINTER. HE INSTINCTIVELY PROTECTS HIS WHITE COAT AGAINST ANYTHING THAT WOULD SOIL IT.

1. FUR HUNTERS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS UNUSUAL TRAIT OF THE ERMINE. THEY DON'T SET A SNARE TO CATCH HIM, BUT INSTEAD THEY FIND HIS HOME, WHICH IS USUALLY A CLEFT IN A ROCK OR A HOLLOW IN AN OLD TREE. THEY SMEAR THE ENTRANCE AND INTERIOR WITH GRIME. THEN THE HUNTERS SET THEIR DOGS LOOSE TO FIND AND CHASE THE ERMINE. THE FRIGHTENED ANIMAL FLEES TOWARD HOME BUT DOESN'T ENTER BECAUSE OF THE FILTH. RATHER THAN SOIL HIS WHITE COAT, HE IS TRAPPED BY THE DOGS AND CAPTURED WHILE PRESERVING HIS PURITY. FOR THE ERMINE, PURITY IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN LIFE.

b. AND FOR THE CHRIST-FOLLOWER, PURITY – HOLINESS – MUST BE MORE PRECIOUS THAN LIFE.

i. IF POPULARITY, OR PRESTIGE, OF POWER, OR ANY OTHER FACTOR, IS MORE PRECIOUS TO YOU THAN PURITY, THEN YOU NEED REVIVAL.

c. SO BECAUSE CHRIST-FOLLOWERS ARE FAILING TO LIVE SELF-CONTROLLED, UPRIGHT, AND GODLY LIVES, WE NEED REVIVAL.

3. FINALLY, WE NEED REVIVAL BECAUSE GOD’S PEOPLE HAVE DEVALUED THE BLESSED HOPE OF EVERY BELIEVER, AND MISPLACED VALUE ON THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD.

a. I’M NOT SURE THERE HAS EVER BEEN A TIME WHEN BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN LESS HEAVEN-MINDED THAN THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.

b. OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN’T BE ONLY MINDFUL OF HEAVEN, AND THE PROMISES GOD MAKES ABOUT LIFE BEYOND THIS LIFE, BUT WE MUST REMEMBER THAT WHAT WE’RE ABOUT IS AN ETERNAL HOPE.

c. THE CHURCH IS TO BE ABOUT SOMETHING MUCH GREATER THAN PROGRAMS, AND ACTIVITIES.

d. THE CHURCH IS TO BE ABOUT THE WORK OF SHARING THIS HOPE WITH EVERY MAN, WOMAN, BOY, AND GIRL.

e. OUR MESSAGE SHOULD NEVER BE:

i. WE HAVE A GREAT PREACHER, OR…

ii. WE HAVE GREAT MUSIC, OR…

iii. WE HAVE GREAT PROGRAMS…

iv. THOSE THINGS SHOULD BE PART OF THE FRUIT OF THE BLESSED HOPE WE HAVE, BUT THEY ARE NOT THE END WE SEEK.

f. OUR MESSAGE MUST ALWAYS BE – WE HAVE A GREAT SAVIOR!!!

g. GOD’S PEOPLE HAVE DEVALUED THE BLESSED HOPE OF EVERY BELIEVER, AND MISPLACED VALUE ON THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD, AND BECAUSE THIS IS TRUE, WE NEED REVIVAL.