Titus 3:12-15 - "E" is for Essential
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
[Illus] You have probably heard it said, “There is no such thing as a Lone Ranger Christian.”
The term “Lone Ranger” probably refers to the radio and TV series called “The Lone Ranger,” but interestingly The Lone Ranger from the show was never alone.
The origin story for The Lone Ranger goes like this: The Lone Ranger, whose name was John Reid, was a part of a group of six rangers led by his brother, Dan, that was ambushed by a band of outlaws led by Bartholomew “Butch” Cavendish.
The outlaws thought all the rangers were dead, but John survived and was nursed back to health by a Native American Indian named Tonto.
After regaining his health, John Reid becomes The Lone Ranger, donning a mask made from the vest of his dead brother. He wears the mask to hide his true identity, and Tonto digs an empty grave with a marker that reads “John Reid” to make Cavendish and his merry band of outlaws believe that John perished like the rest of the rangers.
The Lone Ranger, his horse, Silver, and his sidekick, Tonto, then set out for justice.
But notice that The Lone Ranger was not The A-LONE Ranger. He was character that understood the essential nature of relationships.
Whether it was the relationship with his brother, the other rangers, or with Tonto, The Lone Ranger knew that he needed people.
We like the idea of the lone ranger or the lone wolf. We like the cop shows where the detective says with steely eyes, “I work alone.” We like the spy stories were the hero is a N.O.C. (Non-Official Cover), also known as a “singleton,” someone who works with no one else because he needs no one else.
But the Christian is no lone ranger, lone wolf, or singleton. The Christian exists in relationship with Christ, which means that he exists in relationship with all his brothers and sisters in Christ. He needs relationship with brothers and sisters in Christ.
[Context] The Apostle Paul knew that he needed relationship with brothers and sisters in Christ. Sure, it would have been easier for Paul to minister alone. It would have been easier to travel alone. It would have been easier to experience suffering and persecution without others to worry about as well.
But Paul knew that he needed his brothers and sisters in Christ, and he was ashamed to say he needed them. As he saw it, they were essential.
We’ve been looking at the last few verses of Titus 3, drawing out what we can from these closing words from Paul to Titus.
Titus has been left on the Island of Create by Paul to strengthen and establish churches. He will do it through qualified leadership, sound doctrine, interpersonal discipleship, and godly living. But Titus won’t be there forever.
Paul is sending either Artemas or Tychicus to take over the ministry on Crete.
[Reading Titus 3:12-15]
12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.
13 Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them.
14 Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.
15 All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.
Exposition
Exposition
Let’s notice a few things about Paul and his relationship to other believers in these verses...
The Names (vv. 12-13)
The Names (vv. 12-13)
12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.
13 Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them.
Artemas - We don’t know anything about Artemas. He is not mentioned elsewhere in the NT.
Tychicus - Tychicus was an Asian man who accompanied Paul on his third missionary journey (Acts 20:4). In Ephesians 6:21 and Colossians 4:7, he is referred to as a beloved brother and faithful minister.
Zenas - All we know of Zenas is what we see here. He is not mentioned elsewhere in the NT, and we don’t know if he was expertise was in Roman law or Jewish law.
Apollos - Apollos is the popular preacher mentioned in Acts (18:24; 19:1) and Corinthians (1 Cor. 3:6). He was a Jew born in Alexandria, Egypt. He understood and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus up to the baptism of John. What was lacking in his understanding was supplied by Priscilla and Aquila, coworkers of Paul’s, who taught him the way of God more accurately (Acts 18:24-28).
These are but a few names of the many people that came alongside Paul during his ministry. Others include...
Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, and Luke (Phil. 23-24)...
Priscilla and Aquila, Onesiphorus, Erastus, Trophimus, Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, and Claudia (2 Tim. 4:19-21)...
Onesimus, Philemon, Silas, Barnabas, Justus, Nympha, Archippus (Phil., Acts, Col. 4:7-17)...
Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus (1 Cor. 16:17).
And there’s some I’ve left out.
Everyone of us has a ministry, and everyone of us should have our own list of names—a list of those people who are coming alongside us in our ministry; people helping us, serving us, encouraging us, working with us to do as God has commanded us.
Pause for a moment and pray, whose names would be on your list?
The Request (v. 12)
The Request (v. 12)
12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.
“…make every effort to come to me...” - As we’ve discussed, Paul will spend the winter in Nicopolis, a city northwest of Crete in northwestern Greece. But Paul wants to have Titus there with him.
Although Paul had concern for all the churches and, thus, all the believers in those churches, there are some who were closer to Paul than others. Of course, Timothy, Luke, and Titus come to mind as those who seem to be closer companions of the Apostle Paul.
Here he tells Titus to come to him.
In 2 Timothy 4:11, he says that only Luke remains with him. Others have deserted him, gotten ill or injured, or be sent on to other ministry assignments.
Thus, in 2 Timothy 4:21, he tells Timothy to do his best to come to him before winter.
Paul, at least in my understanding, seems closer to these men.
As I said, everyone of us has a ministry and there are likely many who have come alongside us in that ministry, but there are likely a few who have been especially supportive, especially encouraging. These are the people that you would want close to you as endured a long winter.
Pause for a moment and pray, who would be your few?
The Greeting (v. 15)
The Greeting (v. 15)
15 All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.
“All who are with me greet you.” - Paul is sending people to Titus, some to replace him and some that he is too help. He is asking Titus to come to him. But even as he makes his request, Paul is not alone. He has others with him. He understood the essential nature of relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ.
Beginning, building, and maintaining these relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ is something we practice in the present even more than it is something we plan for in the future.
Titus was to come to Paul at some point in the near future, but until then Paul would be practicing fellowship with those who were already with him.
We might long to have face-to-face fellowship with a brother or sister in Christ who has moved across the country, but the Lord has put brothers and sisters in our immediate vicinity. It’s not wrong to long to fellowship with believers half a world away, but it is wrong to neglect fellowship here and now because we long for a fellowship still off in the future.
Pause for a moment and pray, who is it that’s around you in your week-to-week life or even your day-to-day life that you could fellowship with as a brother or sister in Christ?
Illustration
Illustration
Grab a hymnal and turn to hymn #389.
10,000 Sermon Illustrations Pastor for Life
In 1773, the young pastor of a poor church in Wainsgate, England, was called to a large and influential church in London. John Fawcett was a powerful preacher and writer, and these skills had brought him this opportunity. But as the wagons were being loaded with the Fawcetts’ few belongings, their people came for a tearful farewell.
During the good-byes, Mary Fawcett cried, “John, I cannot bear to leave!” “Nor can I,” he replied. “We shall remain here with our people.” The wagons were unloaded, and John Fawcett spent his entire fifty-four-year ministry in Wainsgate.
Out of that experience, Fawcett wrote the beautiful hymn, “Blest Be the Tie that Binds.”
Look at the words....
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above
Notice verse 2 mentions prayers, fears, hopes, aims, and comforts and cares. Verse 3 mentions woes, burdens, and the sympathy we find in the body of Christ. And then verse 4...
When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.
This is how we feel when we find our people. This is how I think the Apostle Paul felt about Titus, Timothy, and others.
Have you found your people?
I can tell you this, they are in the body of Christ!
Application
Application
In the body of Christ, we need one another...
…because of our burdens.
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
…in prayer.
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
…for encouragement.
11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
…for acceptance.
7 Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.
...for love.
34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
…for peace.
50 “Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
…for truth.
25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
…for comfort.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
…for hospitality.
9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint.
Of course, Scripture gives us many other reasons we need one another, but from this short list its clear that we really do need one another!
Perhaps this week you could text, call, or even (and I know this is old school) write someone telling them that you are glad to be in this ministry, in this walk with Jesus together.
Maybe you could just take them to lunch and tell them.
No matter how we do it, I think it’s important that we do it.
Let us be doers of the word and no hearers only.
Conclusion
Conclusion
J. I. Packer wrote...
10,000 Sermon Illustrations Christian Fellowship
Christian fellowship is two-dimensional, and it has to be vertical before it can be horizontal. We must know the reality of fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ before we can know the reality of fellowship with each other in our common relationship to God (1 John 1:3). The person who is not in fellowship with the Father and the Son is no Christian at all, and so cannot share with Christians the realities of their fellowship.
The Christian exists in relationship with Christ, which means that he exists in relationship with all his brothers and sisters in Christ. He needs relationship with brothers and sisters in Christ.
He needs the fellowship that he can only find in the family of God—fellowship exemplified in the life of the Apostle Paul.