Sermon: Not Yet 'Arrived' - Always Reforming by the Word of God
Notes
Transcript
Dear Congregation f our Lord Jesus Christ,
I hope you felt it that the urgent desire of Paul to Timothy and the well established but now faltering church in that key city of Ephesus was stewarding the gospel - protecting the gospel from false teaching. Saw it in the trustworthy sayings: about gospel and law, about the need for godly leaders, about the promise of godliness which has value in every way, not just bodily and by which this hope of the living God save all kinds of people. See vitality of gospel mission depends on protecting the true gospel which is truth unto godliness. This was necessary in this well established but erring community of house churches.
But at the very same time, as Paul has been released traveling you remember perhaps Spain first maybe after, but re-visiting these churches, unable to spend the time he wants in Crete, leaves Titus there, and now traveling the N E side of the Adriatic Sea by Nicopolis. And he writes from there to Titus and this much younger church (at least in terms of organization of Christ followers), on the island of Crete (250km x 11-50km wide). Though we read in of Hellenistic Jews from Crete being at the day of Pentecost, and they heard the gospel in their own dialect of the Greek language and presumably returned home as Christ followers. Much later Paul landed briefly there on his inbound trip for his first trial and imprisonment in Rome, there is no record of a church actually being established. And as we see in our text today in v.5 though there was something there in terms of Christian believers, it needed to be put in order and elders still needed to be appointed (unlike at Ephesus). Paul had just been there and perhaps in a flurry of church planting activity. This is a group of churches that need something different than those in Asia Minor. Because we’re not a church who has ‘arrived’,
Ronald F. Youngblood, F. F. Bruce, and R. K. Harrison, Thomas Nelson Publishers, eds., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1995).. Though we read in of Hellenistic Jews from Crete being at the day of Pentecost, and they heard the gospel in their own dialect of the Greek language and presumably returned home as Christ followers. Much later Paul landed briefly there on his inbound trip for his first trial and imprisonment in Rome, there is no record of a church actually being established. And as we see in our text today in v.5 though there was something there in terms of Christian believers, it needed to be put in order and elders still needed to be appointed (unlike at Ephesus). Paul had just been there and perhaps in a flurry of church planting activity. This is a group of churches that need something different than those in Asia Minor. Because we’re not a church who has ‘arrived’,
Key Truth: We must be constantly reforming & growing in godliness, by reformation based on God’s Word of Promise!
We will be begin looking at the purpose for this letter, then the person it sent too, and finally the PLAN - the gospel strategy already embedded at the heart of this introduction!
A) The Purpose of Titus: Establishing the Practice of the Gospel
And as one student of the Word has noted by the name of Baxter: these pastoral letters form a A trinity in Unity, exhorting us to guard the precious deposit of the gospel! In order of time: Protect 1 Timothy, Titus Practice. And after being imprisoned again: 2 Timothy Proclaimed , We see this in the verse after the introduction in
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—
Paul gives the why of the letter with that phrase put what remained in order, means to set up to establish - Titus had to stay Epidiorthoō (set straight), like orthotomeō (“to cut straight”; ) is built on the root orthos (“straight”). Even as the physically crippled man Paul healed at Lystra was able to stand straight (), those spiritually “crippled” need to “stand” straight
(
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
Diorthōsis (“making straight”) could refer to restoring a broken or misshapen limb. Thus, the implication is that some restoring or making straight had been done when Paul was in Crete, but it had not been completed, and that Titus himself had to make the effort to finish it.
Imagine your spouse gets a big job transfer, another city far part of the world, San Fransicoe! Whole family moves together but then out in the field or some training, are left to left to set up home - not just the furniture, and some yard work, - but doctors appointemnt which shcoools, insurance borker, what dentist, sports teams , play groups, what will we do for recreation, walking paths. Whole host of setting up a household. , an economy, And that is what Titus is left behind to do, and instrumental to this task will be the character and work of the elders.
That is the other key word: the elders are appointed. Their role had similarities to Titus’. The same verb (set up; kathistēmi) is used elsewhere in the New Testament of those placed in charge of small or large households, such as a slave or manager who feeds and oversees the other workers and makes investments, judges over disputers,16 exemplified by Joseph as ruler over a household and all of Egypt (). In addition, the function of steward is explicitly mentioned in (oikonomos).
(oikonomos).
For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,
The establishment of elders is modeled by Moses.. he was faithful as a steward in God’s house. It was intersting in asking Reuben what is the church - house that God dwells in - not buiklding but lives among His people here. This group need to have this kind of awe about what God was organizing through Titus! but interesting this time told especially with a view to their practice of the gospel. Yes, false teaching here somewhat similar to Ephesus or its neighbouring Colosse, but on Crete - large Jewish community, . Only about 12 today but back then
but interesting this time told especially with a view to their practice of the gospel. Yes, false teaching here somewhat similar to Ephesus or its neighbouring Coloss, but on Crete - large Jewish community,
Aída Besançon Spencer, 2 Timothy and Titus: A New Covenant Commentary, ed. Michael F. Bird and Craig Keener, New Covenant Commentary Series (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2014), 10.
Aída Besançon Spencer, 2 Timothy and Titus: A New Covenant Commentary, ed. Michael F. Bird and Craig Keener, New Covenant Commentary Series (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2014), 10–11.
but interesting this time told especially with a view to their practice of the gospel. Yes, false teaching here somewhat similar to Ephesus or its neighbouring Coloss, but on Crete - large Jewish community,
Sometimes you here of a person getting a big job transfer, another city far part of the world, Whole family moves together but then out in the field or some training, and th other parent is left to set up home - not just the furniture, and some yard work, - but doctors appointemnt which shcoools, insurance borker, what dentist, sports teams , play groups, what will we do for recreation, walking paths. Whole host of setting up a household. , an econmy, And that is what Titus is left behind to do, and instrumental to this task willbe the chracter and wrok of the elders, but interesting this time told especially with a view to their practice of the gospel. Yes, false teaching here somewhat similar to Ephesus or its neighbouring Coloss, but on Crete - large Jewish community,
Sometimes you here of a person getting a big job transfer, another city far part of the world, Whole family moves together but then out in the field or some training, and th other parent is left to set up home - not just the furniture, and some yard work, - but doctors appointemnt which shcoools, insurance borker, what dentist, sports teams , play groups, what will we do for recreation, walking paths. Whole host of setting up a household. , an econmy, And that is what Titus is left behind to do, and instrumental to this task willbe the chracter and wrok of the elders, but interesting this time told especially with a view to their practice of the gospel. Yes, false teaching here somewhat similar to Ephesus or its neighbouring Coloss, but on Crete - large Jewish community,
not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.
And interesting note that among that community - distortion from OT practice not law, Ok’d & growing of polygammy. Heads the list of elder qualifications. IN the same chapter he dientitifeis a circumcission group (which TItus was not), but at the end of the that section he says the big problem is
They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
This book is going to deal with the practice of the gospel, how the true gospel generates and produces good works and how essential that is to a church set up in good working order. And this is not only true in the first and foundational half og the letter (Scriptural basis), but in the practical and personal half, which calls not only the church to get this right, but every single member: Look at the trustworthy saying, our fourth in sequence. Really , really going back to vs. 4-6 as well
so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.
And by way of application, in this need for a church to be set up so that the true gospel results in people living to produce good works, we should think of our church in three ways. First of all our church was set up in the pattern of 1950s immigrant churches, a great start but relied on assumptions that household units in tact, same standards of what good works are and holy living. A lot has changed second and third generation. Time to think what organization might need to chagne to address ourneeds for holy living. Ie Men’s study group - speak er on Porn, Young People on Depression and Anxiety. Basic principales not change, but application for the various needs and circumstance require new approaches: might need to rethink how leadershi prequired for this.
A second way we need to put in order what remains here, is in regard to our greater cutlure and our greater religious culture. Religious consumerism - just chose churches according to felt needs, even good stuff like worship preference, style of preaching, sense of community - but these things are built by people not discovered and consumed. The gospel needs to be practiced among us - stuff in our homes, but real discipleship = come with me, let’s do this togetehr. ie prayer. So easy in NA to be consumers of services and sermon even online and tv - without any real focus on the practice of the gospel. Especial danger in an age of church “shopping” mentality! Chasing latest greatest, vs. real growth together in godliness!
And the third application has to do with the season our church is in right now. We have new comers, some disenfranchised tired of church hopping, others from a Church that closed down, gone through some real hurt, conflict, dysfunction, we’ve gotten larger and have members who can play it safe on the fringes, and not engage in growth in godliness together - like our 3rd membership vow. Every church have believers that are so fearful that they’ve failed God, don’t experience the grace of Jesus as a launch pad to living the new life of service and assurance. So exciting to welcome a mother not an active member for various reasons, but now coming in , household being introduced, and we have a challenge to do church in away that the gospel is not just an assurance of future eternal life or an entrance into a club, but is also about transforming practice, deliberate focus! What is at stake is whether the church will just be a holding tank, in which we just wait for heaven on the one hand - safely isolated from the world or whether it will be a church with not only good doctrine at the cetnre, but actively working to produce a godliness that announces to the world the missino of God is going forward!
But if you can see a bit of the unique situation of this church at Crete and the resulting purpose that Paul has in sending the letter, you should also be able to undetsand now why it is Tiothy that is given this posting in God’s kingdom.
BB. The Person: Why Titus? Our Expectation for Mature Godly Leadership
True child - when history How many of you had heard of a man named Timothy before we studied the book? Probably know his mother Eunice, grand mother Louis, prbably know apprentice nd timid. But strange to say beyond this book title you probably have not heard of Titus. While Timothy is mentioned 7 times in Acts with Paul, Titus isn’t at all. Yet in the Epistles while Timothy is better known mentioned 19x, Titus is actually named actually comes up 13x times. He played a critical role in the apostolic age with Paul. And to understand the particular task of Practicing the Gospel at Cerete you need to know a bit about Titus.
While Timothy appears to be younger, and certainly milder and faced with a timidity, and while we’ve seen he was holding back and not letting other look down on him, quite the opposite seems to be the case with Titus. He was evidently endowed with strong leadership qualities from the beginning. He first shows up at three keys points located on the map. #1 when Paul was preaching the gospel in Arabia it is the new convert Titus who accompanies Paul and Barnabas to the meeting in Jerusalem. And here another key difference between Timothy and Titus comes up:
Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.
Titus was taken up as an example of Gentile who had converted to Christ receive d the Holy Spirit, and the church had to settle the question does he need to become Jewish, and therefor require circumcision in order to be truly saved. Do Gentile Christian need to become Jewish and follow the Jewish law for their salvation. Timothy you’ll remember had a Jewish mother and Gentile father and Paul did have circumcised but not on a salvation principle but in order for him as Jewish man to minister to Jews more easily and be less suspect. But Titus represent the Gentile Christian at the Jerusalem Council of 49 AD. But some 8 years later we find him with Paul on his third missionary journey and he is at Ephesus, but the church at Corinth that he helped establish but had to leave in a hurry, it is in real trouble and Paul sends Titus there i his place with the letter we know as first Corinthians. There he deals with some really big problems. Paul is so anxious to hear how Titus has made out #3 he goes around to Macedonia to find out and is reunited with Titus who has delivered 2 Corinthians, and also brings back good report that repentance and order being reestablished. It was Titus experienced and strong leader that did this.
in a common faith… Corinth, Galatia …
Listen to how he is described when they meet in Macedonia:
But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,
He is a comforter, and listen in
Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace.
Paul trust him so completely to work out these doctrinal and pratice problems at this young church with such big problems. That it is no surprise that in 2 Cor 16 we see that it is Titus that oversees the relief collections gathered for the suffering church in Jerusalem.
So now you see that when you understand the situation of this church in Crete and the personality and leadership qualities of Titus that you see the reason for Paul’s choice. And this also has a big lesson for us today at Covenant. Certainly the church at Corinth, and now especially this church with lots of young believers, and unorganized believers at Crete - these churches are not completed, perfected church- and I wonder if we would acknowledge that this is the case with us as well.
It is a terrible thing when a church this side of glory leaves the impression that it has arrived. I love Reformed theology and I will go the carpet defending the critical doctrines of grace and teh sovereignty of God, human resposobiityand human depravity. So much is at stake. But just because we have accurate theology, certainly doesn’t mean that our throeoglical stystem thogh refined is perfect,. And even more many have pointed out that certainly in the area of Christain practice, the Reformation which recovered teh doctrine of justification needed what others called the Fruther Reformation, or the Doleantie in the Netheralnds, Puritanism in the CHurch of England, Pietism in the dead orthodoxy of the Lutheran churches of Germany, Wesley Methodism - a reformation of sancrtifcation, of our walking with the Lord and practice of the gospel. This is partly the good of how the charismatic churches emphasis on experiential Christainity, - living in the step with the Spirit - has had on the broader church around the world!
Q. Do we ever leave the impression that we’ve arrived? And if not do we recognize the ongoing need for a Titus ministry among us ti put what remain in gospel order. Every congregation is always one generation away from extiction! Pride comes before the fall! As a church this means that, as those Reformers understood that we are always to be a church continually reforming. Our understanding of Scripture and gospel direction should ever be deepening and the circumstances of our culture or church problems these are always changing. But unlike many use that phrase Always reforming today, and by it they mean let’s change church — like a wax nose, any shape we desire, change for change sake, change church and even the gospel according to to what we assy the Spirit is saying, and according to the worlds sense of right and wrong. NO that little phrase means to the church is ever reforming according to Scripture!
And that brings us to the middle part of our text and our last point of introduction to this book this evening:
C. The Plan for Reforming Gospel Practice
This is another interesting feature of this short letter of Paul. Titus actually has his second longest introduction, only the critical book of Romans has a longer introduction. And these introductions contain a microcosm of Paul’s teaching, packed in and shrunk into compact form in the middle of the introduction in v.1b-3 In Paul identifies the two things that produce godliness in us:
In Paul identifies the two things that produce godliness in us:
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,
The first is the faith of God’s elect and the second is knowledge of the truth. He is writing for the sake of those two very related things that must increase. Faith is not a work of ours, but a gift from God to his chosen. Wherever you are at in grasping God’s election, and every believer of Scripture even those who disagree with predesitnation - must grasp taht God’s church consists of those CALLED OUT BY GOD< and CALLED with Purpose: Election is always understood as unto service! And God’s call both outward to all, and inward by those the Spirit is drawing unto Himself, is never static, mechanical! But once received it is this grace that enables you to take hold of Christ and his benefits in increasing manner. And this knowledge of the truth, in the NT has less to do with merely the facts of the the faith, but rather the knowing, the personal knowing of God, abiding in Him and His ways and His Kingdom-purposes that results.
Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace.
Then in Paul explains that this faith and this knowing God is so rooted in a hope. Now what your hoping in defines what you live by and towards. In Timothy, we saw that at Ephesus some had placed their hope in money, and governed by desire for riches. Here Paul more positively is saying, your trust & knowledge have got to be about this life, eternal life from above. So different than hope=so - wishes of this world. It is what the Biblical Theologians call the End Times Hope, the Eschatological Hope. Certain hope accomplished already in Christ, reserved for Christians now in heaven and in the Coming of Christ!
in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
Do you get that all the"religion”, and “spiritual practices” in the world can’t get us to this eternal life and hope. The emphasis is on the fulness that Christ has already through his death resurrection, ascension , that’s the frist fruits and already we have the down payment of that eternal life when we - believe are filled with the S[pirit, and start to be remade after the image of the Son of Man who is the Son of God. Grace doesn’t destroy or stand against nature, but it restores nature. And so Jesus says whoever believes has eternal life already. says:
And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
But here focus us on thefuture, coming reality - the Christian HOpe, new heaven and new Eart. At its heart this future hope is just before this verse
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
We are to live towards that, live trying to give every part of our life shape of the things to come. That’s Paul’s goal for a Titus minstry among those at Crete and among us!
He says for you to get how this faith and knowledge in hope of eternal life works, get this perspective not first of all of what you have to do but of what God has already done in the past and will do. And then with that perspective you’ll understand what needs to be done now. Do you have that straight in your mind. What God has done for in the past, what he’ll do in the future. Imagine trying to hang on a rope and to climb it if it isn’t fasten to anythiing on top of the cliff or the bottom. Just pull it down no traction,. Well look at what Paul fastens this reality of truth unto godliness to - and where he locates what we are to do in the present, what we hang onto and what our job is.
First he highlights God’s work in eternity past. God elected all who come to faith, and look how that’s described at the end of v.2.
in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
All the false teaching that pulls us away from the gospel of Jesus, is false not because it contains FATAL lies, but because it can’t deliver eternal life. Self-help all has grain of truth, but it does not the gospel truth. The lie isn’t the facts of human fabricated religion, but the lie is that method or teaching can’t deliver eternal life - both quantity making us right with God so we can live Him forever, but also quality, new life full of the Spirit of God and peace and joy and rightouenss. And Paul says God who never lies, whose Word and plan especially in terms of the gospel - life-giving words, with 100% certainty and results - he promised this eternal life when - before you made any choice of him, before you did antyhing good to earn this life. Before ages began, the promise of God to save us, the Father Son and the Holy Spirit - covenant to redeem us freely! What does eternal promise and election mean? It is not a required for your performanc, elect before they were even born did anything. He knew us in Christ, and out of pure mercy nothing in us, he promised and would with purpose see to the delivery of this grace in a world that would fall. It’s fasten down there at the root of time and before time.
But where’s the other end of the rope of God’s work hanging? In midair like human fabricated religion, no real end point? No, look at the beginning of verse 2 in hope of eternal life. This is the future-salvation, the perfected world we are to be calling out for, anticipating, and already reaching on our tiptoes for. Some say, so heavenly minded no earthly good. But if you actually look at world history, the most heavenly minded are the one who actually work the most earthly good, they have this goal and this purpose and motivation. Does that describe you?
Then if you understand how God has both ends of your line, eternal love and promise of election in the past, and the future hope Christina hope in the future. Look to where we fasten on now:
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;
Jesus Christ is alive, this persecutor and chief of sinners Paul - now the servant, literally slave, of this Christ and he is his power of attorney, his messenger. And not just Paul but Timothy and Titus and the whole church are to be ambassadors of this grace. Why. Because the living Christ from heaven, is still being manifested today. There was his first coming at just the right time in history, and there is coming at the end of time. But Jesus said he would come personally by His Spirit in to the lives of any who believe in Him. Do you get that at the proper time, God manifests this eternal life, who is Jesus, into peoples lives - and how ? By this Word, Christ’s Word, the Holy Scripture preached. And that is the charge the command, to not only Paul, Tmothy and Titus but the church as a whole - to see Christ manifest personally and partiuclaryl through his Word - to come to our children, to come to Cretans with the lying uncertain deceiving religion of Zeus,(Zeus was from Crete and he got his way by lying) and those like the Jewish community only have a religiosity without the livig Christ. You are called on this rope to bring the gospel unto both salvation of the lost but the upbuilding of those who need to put the gospel into practice.
And that leads us to the conclusion of Paul’s introduction to itus and teh Creatans. Its something so common you may miss iti, but it is tied to the central message of practicing the gospel and that is in
To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Here is something so wonderful, yes Paul was a spiritual father, to Titus, in his conversion so long ago, but for the whole church loosely organized, and not really that well established, Paul says in a common faith. Do you feel that here? Everyone gets on that rope the same way. Nothing better about any one of us . a common faith… Corinth, Galatia … revolutionized the world - Greek and Jews, Slave and Free, Male and Female - in Christ made the new humanity together by grace. So radical. And that’s where you may just miss what Paul is saying in His powerful greeting: Grace and peace.
That order is so important and the foundation of this letter. Just like the root from which faith and knowledge unto godliness grows is that hope of eternal life, so too the peace, that passes all understanding, that unanxious resting in the Lord and knowing he’ll work peace through all the conflict in our lives in in this word, that peace is not something you must earn or achieve, it is something that results from free grace. Free grace is the root, peace is the resulting fruit. Do you how essential that is to practicing the gospel. Do that is so central we repeat the greeting in that order every time we gather in Christ’s name - grants grace and mercy first; and then the peace is sure to follow! Human religion gets that order mixed up and says - you work the peace, you get holy enough, or meditate enough, or get smart enough - you preform and then God will give you grace. But the gospel is the grace freely given is the foundation, of the whole Christian life.ANd the peace you receive and work for then follows.
C. Theme = faith of gods elect and their knowledge - time - hope hime now =
command = charge
Grace and Peace order!