The Good Life

Titus 1:1-16 The Good Life Introduction: The Book of Titus is a letter written by Paul the Apostle giving instruction and exhortation to his protégé Titus, on the mission of the Church in Crete. Paul is giving Titus and the Church a vision of a life that touches people in small but decisive ways - a life that has eternal consequences. He is setting out for us the good life. - Chapter one is all about keeping the Gospel central - Titus is to counter false teachers by appointing gospel-centered leaders who can encourage and rebuke with the Gospel. - Chapter two is about assuring the gospel is central to everyday life everyday life is the context in which the gospel is to be lived and in which it is to be taught. - Chapter three is about ensuring the gospel is central for the sake of mission - keeping the gospel central to everyday life so that the world is reached. The big idea of the book of Titus is the Good life. Now there are obviously many ways in which we might interpret that term. You might think that the good life is winning the lottery and retiring at age 30. You might think the Good life is something like the American Dream, or being a world traveler.. Aristotle, the one who first coined this term, described the good life this way -“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” The point is, that everyone of us have an ideal life that we would like to live - the good life. One of the claims of Christianity is that it, and it alone, can really give you this good life..maybe not the the good life you had dreamed of but the life your heart truly longs for. Jesus claimed again and again to be the one who alone could give living water that could satisfy our souls. The problem so often with seekers in the church and outside of the church, or should I just say all people, is that we take this idea of the good life, taught in scripture, and we run with it because we think we know where the scripture is going. Because of this our definition or standard of the good life causes us to throw out or reject the authority on which this proclamation and offer of the good life has come to us. And this is a huge part of Paul’s point in writing to Titus. It is the truth of God, as revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ that brings this good life, or as the scripture calls it here “godliness". C.S. Lewis, in his essay, Is Christianity hard or easy? from Mere Christianity, says, that putting on Christ is not one task that a christian does among many others, or a task that is reserved for the over achievers, - but that this “putting on Christ" is the whole task of Christianity.. He comments that this is so very different from being good, or ideas of morality. When we are dealing with morality or being good… we come to realize that there are desires that we have that must be suppressed. Our ideal of the “good life” sometimes can’t be obtained simply because there are moral obligations that stand in our way… the rearing of our children, faithfulness to provide for family, or to pay our taxes, robbing a bank, killing our great aunt so we get our inheritance.. or whatever it might be - because they are not good or nice by any moral standard, or right for the good of society..Being good is giving in to those claims that society has on us. When we do the “right thing” (suppressing our selfish desire for the good of others) we are actually hoping that when we have met the demands of those around us, we will still have some chance, some time, to get on with our own desires and do what we really want..(Like a man paying his taxes) If we are living this way there are two results likely to follow - either we will give up trying to be good, or else we will become very unhappy... if you really meet all the demands that are put upon your natural self - you will not have enough left to live on.. The more you obey your conscience the more it will demand of you…and as your "Self is starving you will get angrier and angrier.. in the end you will either give up trying to be good or you will become one of those people who live for others, but are always discontented and complaining about it, wondering why people don’t take notice of your “selflessness”. This will make you even worse of a person than if you just decided to live selfishly.. The Christian way, he says, is different: harder and easier. "Christ says, “Give me all of you!!! I don’t want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work. I want YOU!!! ALL OF YOU!! I have not come to torment or frustrate the natural man or woman, but to KILL IT! No half measures will do. I don’t want to only prune a branch here and a branch there; rather I want the whole tree out! Hand it over to me, the whole outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams. Turn them ALL over to me, give yourself to me and I will make of you a new self---in my image. Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself. My will, shall become your will. My heart, shall become your heart.” 1. The Charge 1. “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” 1. Paul, as were told, has left Titus in Crete for the sake of wrapping up the ministry that he and Paul started there but was cut short for Paul for some reason. Scholars believe that this would have been during Paul’s third missionary journey (sometime between his first imprisonment in Rome and his second imprisonment and execution under Caesar Nero) which scripture doesn’t describe in detail, but it is alluded to in Paul’s letters. 2. As we’ll see the situation in Crete was pretty dire. According to one of the Cretans own prophets they were a pretty awful people he calls them liars, evil beasts and lazy gluttons… obviously this is not to say that every single person on this island was this way, but it is a comment on the virtues that these people valued.. 3. What was Paul’s missionary strategy for this debaucherous pagan culture? It was to preach the gospel, and then to organize christians into local churches. His strategy was church planting. You can see this all throughout the book of Acts. Paul believed that the greatest missionary effort was carried out by a local church -living out there new life in Christ. Paul would remain in a city or region in order to train and place pastors over these local congregations. Through the teaching of God’s word (the gospel) they themselves would grow in Christ likeness and godly character that would result in mission to their cities… this is how Christianity spread and triumphed throughout the Roman empire…. 1. I wonder if this is why Paul began his letter like this to Titus? Was Paul even in his greeting reminding them of the power and purpose of the Gospel? 2. “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, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began 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. 3. Paul is committed to the faith of God’s people to see it grow through knowledge into godly living. Our faith is our belief in the gospel, the good news of what Jesus Christ has done. 1. The gospel is the good news of gracious acceptance. Jesus lived the life we should live. He also paid the penalty we owe for the rebellious life we do live. He did this in our place (Isaiah 53:4-10; 2 Cor 5:21; Mark 10:45). We are not reconciled to God through our efforts and record, as in all other religions, but through his efforts and record. Christians who trust in Christ for their acceptance with God, rather than in their own moral character, commitment, or performance, are - simultaneously sinful yet accepted. We are more flawed and sinful than we ever dared believe, yet we are more loved and accepted than we ever dared hope at the same time. This produces radical humility and radical security simultaneously. 2. Paul believes that the situation in Crete will be changed through people who’s everyday lives have been altered by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in fact it is these type of men who are to lead God’s church in the mission on the island of Crete. 1. Think about this for a moment - the way to know Jesus is through the preaching and applying of the Gospel, the way to grow in our faith in Jesus is through the preaching and applying of the Gospel, the way to reach the world around us is through the preaching and applying of the Gospel. Therefore we need leaders, pastors, shepherds who will teach and exemplify this. 3. He says, “If anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 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, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” 1. Elders are to be blameless in their marriage and Family (1:6) 1. The word blameless doesn’t mean sinless but it means without reproach - their lives are to be exemplary. 2. Elders are to be blameless in their character and conduct (1:7-8) 3. Elders are to be blameless in their doctrinal orthodoxy (1:9) 1. These leaders embody the fact that the gospel results in a certain way and quality of life - godliness.. it’s not just rules that they follow it is a kind of people that they have become through the working of the Spirit through the teaching and application of the gospel. 2. The situation - What was the actual situation in Crete? What was the philosophy or worldview that the Church was combating? 1. “For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” 2. Crazy enough what we find as the greatest opposition to the gospel on the island of Crete is not paganism, or secularism but moralism and religiosity - Paul specifically calls out the circumcision party. Remember these were those who not only pushed circumcision on Gentile Christians, but also all sorts of Jewish, man made observances which Jesus himself rejected… 3. We’ve talked about this before, especially in our studies in the book of Galatians - moralism or religion is as great an enemy to the Gospel as immorality or irreligion. 4. Why? -Perfect example seen in the parable of the Prodigal Son one son is immoral or irreligious and the other is moral or religious but both sons are living apart from the the father’s love.. one by rebelling the other by perfectly obeying…Keeping the rules is more often than not a way to avoid God… 1. First, Religious rules do not enable their followers to escape the influence of the world. Rather, the result of rule keeping is to completely succumb to it. 1. Paul in the book of Colossians wrote, “If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.” 2. Secondly, Laws and rules often look as though they are promoting and protecting godliness when they are actually limiting godliness. They reduce godliness to ticking some boxes. As long as I do this, this, and that I’m ok. As long as I don’t do this, or that I’m ok. We compartmentalize godliness, when God demands all of us! 1. I can convince myself that I’m godly because I don’t listen to certain types of music, or watch certain movies, but I cheat on my taxes and lie on my time card at work. I can convince myself I’m godly because I don’t look at Pornography, but I blow up at my wife all the time… or I don’t drink alcohol, but I have no control over my eating or my finances… and a hundred other examples of this sort of double standard. 2. Tim Chester writes, “We limit the demands of godliness, reducing it from becoming Christlike to becoming a little less like our culture in a few ways. Christian maturity is exchanged for not sleeping around, not getting drunk, and turning up to Bible study….legalism dilutes godliness from whole life commitment to part time project.” 3. But the God who held nothing back, gave us his most precious gift, the life of his precious Son, for our sins on the cross, demands all of us. His life for our life. Not only will morality, compartmentalizing or limiting godliness never work, You are worse than you think. The Bible tells us that we don’t simply need a cosmic bath, or to make up a few missed commandments, we (our self, our sinful nature) need to be executed on Calvary’s tree and raised to new life in Christ.. and that is exactly what has happened to those who are in Jesus. 1. The Gospel tells us: We are not our own we belong to God Therefore we are not to live to please ourselves, we are not to live as though we belong to ourselves. 2. That means that first of all that we are not to determine for ourselves what is right and wrong, we give up the right to determine that, and rely fully on God’s word. 3. We give up the operating principle we use everyday in life, and we stop putting ourselves first and we always put first what pleases God and what loves our neighbor. 4. It also means that we are to have no part of our lives that is immune from this self giving, were supposed to give ourselves wholly to God, body and soul. -no limiting of godliness 5. Lastly it means we trust God through thick and thin, both in life and in death.” 3. Thirdly, legalism will never satisfy…It promises rest through hard work and diligence but it can evener deliver. You will never feel as though you have done enough, you will always be wondering if your righteousness is enough, if your godliness out weighs your immorality.. It can never produce the peace that is needed for the good life, the peace that God gives us through the one who said, “it is finished, it is paid in full!” 3. The Gospel offers us something better 1. In legalism we are always saying to ourselves: You should not do this. In the Gospel we are saying: you don’t need to do this because God is always bigger and better than sin. Legalism takes away, Gospel fills you up… 1. “Legalism says, you shouldn’t sleep with your boyfriend..you should read your bible everyday…You should not get drunk…You should evangelize your friends…You should not lose your temper. None of those are good news to someone struggling with those issues. To them it is condemnation and sounds oppressive. What the Gospel says is this: You don’t need to get drunk because Jesus offers you a better refuge. You don’t need to lose your temper because God is in control of the situation. Sin is always making promises; and the gospel exposes those promises as fake promises and points toward fulfillment in God, who is bigger and better than anything sin offers. That is good news.” -Tim Chester 2. “Sometimes when we wrestle with biblical realities like holiness… we miss the forest for the trees. The forest is this: Christian living is living permeated by God. God in the morning; God in the midday; God in the evening; God as motive; God as guide; God as moral standard; God as comfort; God as strength; God as truth; God as joy….What emerges from the whole New Testament is that the Christian life is a life lived in God. Ever aware of God. Ever submitted to God. Ever trusting God. Ever guided by God. Ever hoping in God.” -John Piper 3. We must remember that when the Bible speaks of a holy life it is not talking about a boring, reclusive, lifeless life. But it is life in fellowship with God, life the way it was meant to be; life in all it’s fullness…The good life. 4. “The word holiness suggest to modern man something pale, anaemic, withdrawn, negative, and passive. That shows how little modern men know about it! Scriptural holiness is in fact the most positive, potent and often passionate quality of life that is ever seen.” - J.I. Packer Conclusion: How are we going to reach the city of Santa Rosa and Sonoma? Paul’s strategy would be to see that the Gospel is central to the life and teaching of the church -both the Elders and members. This will result in the transforming of our lives on an everyday level that touches people in small but decisive ways - a life that has eternal consequences. This “good life” will draw people to God’s salvation through Jesus Christ. How can we promote this better? fellowship, encouraging, pointing again and again to the Gospel and How Jesus alone meets all our needs.. (Building fences or digging wells?) This is the call of the Church - Closing thought from Lewis -“May I come back to what I said before? This is the whole of Christianity. There is nothing else. It is so easy to get muddled about that. It is easy to think that the Church has a lot of different objects—education, building, missions, holding services. Just as it is easy to think the State has a lot of different objects—military, political, economic, and what not. But in a way things are much simpler than that. The State exists simply to promote and to protect the ordinary happiness of human beings in this life. A husband and wife chatting over a fire, a couple of friends having a game of darts in a pub, a man reading a book in his own room or digging in his own garden— that is what the State is there for. And unless they are helping to increase and prolong and protect such moments, all the laws, parliaments, armies, courts, police, economics, etc., are simply a waste of time. In the same way the Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose. -Lewis