Titus

Titus 1:1-16

Introduction – Tension

Well it is good to be with you all this morning! For those of you who might not know me, my name is Brandon Moore. I’m the Next Step Pastor here at Family Life Church.

TALK ABOUT LIFE GROUPS – GET INVOLVED IN ONE NOW!

So Robbie is going to be out of town for the next few weeks, and I’m going to preaching through a series on Titus. I’m hoping that over the next couple weeks, we’ll all be edified by studying through this small, but sometimes overlooked letter from Paul to one of his spiritual sons in the faith…Titus. But before we begin today, I was to tell you a little bit about my own personal experience in the church.

A WORD ABOUT CHARACTER AND GODLINESS. TALK ABOUT EXPERIENCE GROWING UP AT WEST AMARILLO CHRISTIAN CHURCH. THE LEADERS WE HAD THROUGH THE YEARS, AND THE FINAL SPLIT THAT HAPPENED WITH JOHN PHILLIPS. DON’T MENTION NAMES.

So...why am I telling you about this unfortunate experience that I had with the church growing up. Well, I’m telling you this, because character matters, right?

A different character should mark those who claim to know and follow Jesus, and this is especially true of Christian leaders.

Who in here has been a part of a church where the character of the leaders might have caused problems? Even a church split? You see, the way that we live our lives as followers of Jesus matter so, so much, does it not? Simply coming to know Jesus doesn’t mean that we can live our lives however we see fit, does it? No…it most certainly does not. Emrbacing grace…truly understanding the grace that we have received in Christ, means that we also live differently in light of that fact. It means that we love godliness…it means that we share Christ with the world! And this is especially true for those of us who are in positions of leadership. And you may be thinking…well…I’m not a leader…but I would venture to say that most of us lead in ways that even we are unaware of at times. Do we lead Godly lives in our workplaces? Are there those who look up to us in our families? You see these important principles that Paul lays forth for Titus aren’t just for those who would be considered Christian leaders. These are principles that we should all understand and follow…as those who seek to serve Jesus.

So, as we think about the different ways that God might be calling each of us to lead as Christians, and what that might mean for how we live our lives from day to day, I’d like to pray over today’s message, and then we’ll begin. Would you pray with me?

PRAY

Short Exposition of Titus 1:1-9

READ Titus 1:1-16

So, first of all, we really don’t know much about Titus. His name is mentioned 13 times in the New Testament, but really our only sources which speak of him are sporadic references in Paul’s letters. He is never mentioned in Acts. However, his career in ministry can be reconstructed from Paul’s letters. He was most likely from Antioch, and probably lived there when he began to work with Paul. We know from Galations 2:1, that Paul describes that Titus went to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Paul. We know he was a gentile…Paul describes him as a Greek. We also know by how Paul described Titus a little bit about their relationship. Titus is called Paul’s “true child in a common faith.” Paul typically uses this language to describe his converts…people who came to faith because of Paul’s preaching of the Gospel. Paul also calls Titus his “brother,” a “partner,” and “fellow worker.” (2 Corinthians 2 and 8). Paul entrusted Titus with a number of difficult missions, and while Titus was Paul’s subordinate in the ministry, he was given considerable discretion in delicate assignments. So Titus was a man who Paul trusted very much. He knew what kind of man Titus was, and what character he possessed. We know from the verse 5 here that Paul left Titus in Crete, at a fledgling church that they had started, in order to “put what remained to order” and to appoint elders in every town there. And now that we know just a little bit about Titus, let’s get into the substance of the letter.

Like most ancient letters, you’ll notice that the first sentence presents the author, the reader, and the greeting. And Paul of course adds a description of his apostleship…”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 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; which I have been entrusted bu the cothe command of God our Savior.” This, essentially, is a summarization of the Christian message! Paul reminds Titus, first of the importance of one’s calling resting on FAITH…that God elects, that God’s revelation is true, and that it affects one’s way of life! And this is where we’re going to be spending a lot of time this morning. Paul then reminds Titus that he was entrusted with this proclamation by the command of God.

Paul connects the first section to the introduction. Because Paul was entrusted with the message revealed in God’s own time, a message so important it was promised by God even before the beginning og time, a message which gives entenal life, by a God who does not lie – therefore identifying godly elders to promote these truths is crucial! As I discussed before, the character of those who we place in leadership positions within the church can have huge ramifications for the church at large! As we’ve said, character matters. A lot. So Titus was charged with putting elders in place who could help the community of faith walk straight. To live right! Now…the question you might be asking yourself right now is…what exactly do elders in the church do?

Well, the role of elder was very similar to that of Titus himself. In Greco-Roman times, Jewish elders had authority in religious and civis matters. They handled administration and also judged matters of dispute within the community. The council of elders for the Jewish people decided whether a person was living according to what they found in the Old Testament scripture or was living contrary to it. They also worked as ambassadors of the faith to the wider unbelieving community. They were men who sought to reconcile differences within the community, and also prayed for healing for those who were sick or in need of help (James). In Titus, the word “episkopos” is used and signifies someone who “looks over another.” They oversaw not only doctrine within the church by also shepherded the people of God. They joined with apostles, like Paul, or his representatives like Titus, to help oversee and guide the church. Now Paul appears to allow the local Christians to select their own elders, and he did not require that the elders be either Jewish or circumsized, or free citizens, or wealthy. In fact there is not mention of ethnic or political or economic status. What was important for Paul were the moral qualifications that he lists in verses 6-9. These are the characteristics that should mark not only Christians at large, but especially those who are in leadership within the church.

Elders are to be above reproach, or in other words, not open to attack by the either the Christian community or those outside the church. He must be a one-woman man, having faithful children who are not accused of being wild or disobedient, not self-pleasing, not prone to anger, not given to getting drunk, not arrogant or quick-tempered, or violent, or greedy for wordly wealth. Rather, they are to be hospitable people, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. And of course, these individuals needed hold fast to the trustworthy word as taught….meaning the teaching passed down by the apostles, like Paul, to the church, because they should also, as we will see next week, be able to teach sound doctrine to those under their care, and also able to rebuke those who teach things contrary to God’s word, or those who live contrary to how God would have them live. To summarize, these are to be men of Godly character who are able to teach the truth!

Now, I think it might be beneficial for us to really delve into a couple of these qualifications, because there are some that have been quite controversial through church history. I mean, it is easy for us to understand why we wouldn’t want someone in leadership who is greedy for gain, or a drunkard, or someone who is violent. You’ll probably notice that the way my translation has translated verse 6 is that an elder is to be “the husband of one wife.” Now there have been, and there continue to be, some churches that would say that this means that an elder must be a married man, and not only that, but they must be someone who hasn’t been divorced. But the true thrust of what Paul is saying here is that an elder should be a man, if he is married, who is devoted and faithful to a single woman. Which is why I used the phrase “one-woman man” earlier. This idea of someone committed to his spouse would have been a dramatic contrast to the larger society in which this letter was written. In Crete, as with the rest of the Roman world, sexual relationships between a married free man and a slave, or even the wife of a poor man, would not have been defined as adultery. This is about faithfulness in marriage…this is about monogamy…the elder must be committed to one woman, and love and serve her as his wife. And this doesn’t necessarily preclude a single man from being in leadership. After all, Paul himself was single and describes in great detail the benefits of being single and singly devoted to the mission of God. And of course, the second qualification that might confuse us today would be Paul’s mention of an elders children being believers, and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. The question might be asked, how can Paul hold the parents responsible for the behavior of their children? Don’t children have their own free will? Aren’t they responsible for their own behavior? And the answer is, “Yes, of course.” But in the ancient world, as opposed to today, children manytimes would continue to live within the household of their parents, even as adults. So when the Christians are trying not to give opportunity for charges to be brought against them, either by the church or the larger society, for elders to have such wild children would be dangerous for the church. This could affect not only their own household, but even the reputation of the church itself in a mostly unbelieving culture.

Application - Landing

So now that we have a good idea of what Paul’s specific moral characteristics were required of elders in the church, the question is…how are we to interpret what Paul might be saying to the church as a whole. What about for those of us who aren’t elders in the church? Now, we’ll come back to elders, their qualifications, and their specific role of teaching in the church in the coming weeks. But what about us? What, broadly speaking, does God require of those who would serve God by leading others…whether in the church, or, as I said before, in our homes, or even in our workplace? Because, as I said, whether we like it or not, the vast majority of us lead in certain areas of our lives…or we will at some point in time in the future. What should our priorities be, as Christians who seek to lead well?

Three Priorities to Help Us Lead Well: Live with grace, practice godliness, and share Jesus.

If we move back to the very first part of this letter, which we moved quickly over earlier, namely, in verses 1-4, Paul gives us exactly these three things. Paul explains to us his own person, his own purpose, and his primary and central message, and one which he expects us to imitate. As I said again, Christians who want to lead well, in whatever context we’re placed in, should lvie with grace, practice godliness, and share Jesus. Paul, in his opening of this letter to Titus, calls himself “a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.” Paul, might I remind us all, earlier in his life, was a zealous persecutor of the church. He had become an enemy of Jesus Christ, who hunted down Christians in order to kill them. He stood by while Stephen was stoned and gave his approval for Stephen’s murder! But this same violent man who one persecuted Christians, now calls himself “an apostle.” This is a reminder of the extreme measure of God’s grace…and this is, in part, what it means for us to live with and understand grace! How great is the grace of God? Greater than we will ever know or comprehend. God pardon’s the worst of sinners, if they turn to Him, and will transform them into incredible servants for His kingdom! Paul also reminds us, in verse 1, of the incredible was that grace comes to dominate a person’s life! It is by faith…Paul says he is an apostle…why…”for the faith of God’s elevt and their knowledge of the truth.” Paul reminds us that it is only by faith that we come to be saved…not by the work of our hands…not by anything we HAVE DONE OR WILL DO…but by the love of a God who chooses to have mercy on us to love us and save us even when we were at our worst! Paul reminds us, as well, that this is for eternity! He says that the faith and knowledge he is speaking of rest on “the hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.” When we live with and understand grace, this means that we know that when we are saved…it isn’t just for a moment…but we are saved beyond this present life, and our life and relationship with God will never be broken! Grace began in and extends to eternity! Have you ever wondered whether you could exhaust God’s grace? The answer to that question is, you cannot! God’s grace is forever! Paul, with regards to living with grace, reminds his audience, and he reminds us of the “grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.” This grace and peace statement from Paul appears in most of Paul’s letters. And you can understand why! When people are completely convinced that their standing before God is based entirely on God’s grace, and not on themselves, peace reigns in their hearts! Full understanding of this truth…living in grace, means that we’re not longer striving for status…or earthly affections. Competition fades…we’re not in this for ourselves…we’re in this for God and His kingdom, and we work in unity with those who have received this same grace! We understand that because of grace, we are part of God’s family! Clear understanding of the grace of God means that we have an awareness of our own sin, a deep humility and gratefulness for how God has saved us, and an intense desire to live holy and blameless lives before God! Which leads us to the second priority.

Those of us who would seek to lead well as Christians should prioritize practicing godliness in our lives! Grace compels us to practice godliness! Paul says, again in verse 1, that God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth…accords with godliness! Our lives must conform to the truth that we’ve found in the doctrine of grace…of living in grace! This message is the same for leaders, parents, children, male and female, young or old…grace SHOULD produce godliness in our lives! And how does grace produce godliness in our lives? Because Biblical grace, and understanding and living IN THAT GRACE, strengthens us for ministry, and for practicing godliness by enabling us to asknowledge weakness and depend on the mercy of God! Grace LEADS to godliness. It doesn’t work the other way around…as you’ve probably heard us say before, you can’t DO anything that wil bring you into a right relationship with God…but rather…understanding and living in grace LEADS to practicing godliness. Paul says in the strongest terms, specifically with regard to elders in the church, but this applies beyond elders…that those who have real knowledge of the truth DO NOT LIVE as the world does. We always remain concious that the life lived in grace always seeks to glorify God…not because it will make Him love us more…but because it is an overflow of our heart for the Lord! It is an overflow of a heart that has been radically transformed, and who seeks to please the one who has so graciously saved! The conduct of everyone who claims to follow Jesus SHOULD be different from those who are in the world…from those who don’t know Jesus. It should be a huge red flag for us when a supposed beleiver’s life varies very little from those around them who DO NOT know Jesus.

The third thing that we should prioritize as we seek to lead well as Christians is sharing Jesus. There’s a tendency…a trend you might say…in our culture today, especially in the United States, that is pushing us towards a private faith. Our culture would tell us, as Christians…what you believe is fine…believe whatever you want to believe…but keep it private. But it is clear from Paul’s own statements in verses 1-4 that Paul undersands that God does not intend for us to live our faith alone…in isolation from others. God is interested in much more than simply saving us as individuals…though this is part of the plan. Our lives are intertwined with others…other believers…and even those outside the church! Most young believers…those who are new to the faith, begin with the perspective that their walk with jesus is just between themselves and God. But over time, a sense of responsibility not only for ourselves, but also for those around us…matures and grows. Over time, as we mature and grow in Christ…live in grace, and practice godliness…we also begin giving of ourselves…sharing our resources…praying for those in need. We practice forgiveness with those who have sinned against us. We develop more and more selfless and Christ-like attitudes and hearts. And this SHOULD move out from us and into our community! Paul describes himself as a servant of God in verse 1. And for those of us who have been taken captive by the gace of God…as Paul has…understand that our responsibility to share Jesus with an unbelieving and dark world takes priority in our lives! Listen…no matter where you might be in our society…whether you’re an elder in the church or not….there is no higher calling than making your life a witness for Jesus! And how do we share Jesus with others!? We share Jesus by telling those around us about Him! Manytimes these conversations start because our friends, family members, coworkers, etc…who do NOT know Jesus recognize that we live a different life! We do seem to be different…just a little bit different. Our lives are marked by love…how we love God, and how we love each other!

I hope that this morning has been encouraging for us. And again, I do believe that Paul has much to teach us in this letter…not just for those who might end up elders in the church…but for all of us. Paul is begging us to live as he lived…we live in grace…we live in the hope of heaven…the eternity with our Creator that this grafe brings. We practice godliness…not because godliness will save us…but because it gives our lives meaning and beauty and points others to Christ! And we finally share JESUS not only with those within our own community…within the church…but especially with those who are lost, and in great need of the good news of Jesus…the grace and life that can be found when they come to know Him as their savior…and Lord!