Biblical Eldership | Titus

Notes

First Baptism in Sioux Falls this Sunday.

Opener

Alexander Strauch page 15 first paragraph.

As you all know we will be appointing more elders at the end of this summer beginning of the fall. There is a letter out the church on this you can read about who and why those men have been and are being appointed. Ron and Bryan will be coming down one sunday to help us with that. it will be alot of fun.

So today we are starting are series on Biblical Eldership. A title i have titled after Alexander Strauch’s book by the same name. We, the future elders, are going through this together. And the purpose of this sermon series we are starting today is to Answer to question what is an “Elder” and why are they important to Christ’s Church?

There are many traditions and opinions on what church government and leadership should look like. I will just say this to you. Alot of what is out their is not rooted in the Scriptures. So we are going to take a, I beleive, more interesting approach to teaching on Eldership. I am going to teach and preach on the topic of Eldership by taking us through the entire book of Titus. If you understand what in the world is going on in Crete… the long island 100 miles off the coast of the romans province Asia that Ephesus was the capital of… you will understand quite quickly why we need biblical Eldership.

Main Text

Titus 1:1–5 NASB95

1 Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, 3 but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior, 4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. 5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,

Point 1 | Problems in Crete

Almost every phrase in these opening 4 verses has loaded meaning for the Christians in Crete.

Crete was a long island off the coast of Asia. Paul when being taken to Rome having appealed to Cesar has a short stay off the coast before getting driven off course on their way to Rome.

Truth and Lies

Verse one Paul speaks of his Gospel calling “for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the TRUTH which is according to godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago.” Crete had a problem with truth. We have a problem with truth in our day. But it was multi layered as it usually was.

The Biblical idea of truth isn’t just that which is factual. It is that which is good and consistently so. Let me give you an analogy. I buy a car… it is a sports car. And friends this thing is awesome. it is fast and it is fun. But as soon as i get a few thousand miles on it it is always having problems. It is in the shop more than it is on the street and it costing me tons of money. You see I could look at in a factual sense and go well the car can go 0-60 in this amount of time, and it can handle and corner better than whatever.... and all of that might be factual. But if its not running. If its not on the road because it needs repairs.... it is not consistent. It isn’t true. It doesn’t corespond to the truth.

Or let me give you a more relatable example. Take a boss at work. He hits his numbers. He is always on time. He stays late. He is loyal to the company.... of but he is also verbally abusive to the employees. He has punched some holes in the wall and he can’t figure out why they have a high turnover rate. Is he a good boss? On the one hand you could say there is data here, here, and here that he is. A highlevel executive might think he is the best manager they have. But someone one the ground might think he is the worst manager they have! He isn’t true. His managing doesn’t corespond to truth.

You see “truth” in the bible doesn’t just mean that which is factual. But that which is good and holy and right and faithfully so.

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Truth

The most common term for truth in the OT is Heb. ʾĕmeṯ, meaning a reality which is “firm” or “certain.” It contains the idea of solidity, validity, faithfulness, and steadfastness. When referring to an individual’s speech, action, or thought, truth denotes a quality of integrity in line with what is “true.”

The same is true with the Greek word “Alethia”. It is often used to translate this Hebrew word in the greek septugint. In the New Testament it can have a broader range of meaning bust also carries over this idea of faithfulness, genuineness, uprightness. The classic example is Romans 3:3-4.

Romans 3:3–4 NASB95

3 What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4 May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, “That You may be justified in Your words, And prevail when You are judged.”

You could some this up as wholistic idea that brings together right doctrine and right action in a believers life. They are asribing to the right belief or creed and they are living a life worthy of that creed or calling. Titus is a call for Christians to be genuine… TRUE Christians. Not nominal. But in confession and conduct! In doctrine and deed!

But Why? Why this emphasis? It is because Cretans… someone form Crete? Do you know what they are? They are liars! Paul literally says this!

Check it out: Titus 1:12-13a

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 1

12 One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

13 This testimony is true. For

This quote comes from Epimenides who was from Crete. This is a Cretan talking trash about Cretans. But it was true they had a reputation for being wrotten. Left was right. up was down. evil was good. They were messed up. Do you ever feel like that in our day in age?

If you needed more evidence I will give you one more.

The Pastoral Epistles Titus’s and the Elders’ Duty in Regard to the False Teachers: 1:10–16

That the Cretans (Κρῆτες,** also in Acts 2:11) were “always liars” (ἀεὶ ψεῦσται) was borne out by the use of the verb κρητίζω, “play the Cretan,” to mean “lie” (see LSJM)

In other words to “lie” was called to “κρητίζω”. Don’t you crete to me. It would be like if Fargo was natorious for something… other than the film. Don’t be a Fargo. Don’t FARGO me.

They were do dishonest if you looked up lying in the dicitionary you would find CRETE.

So what was the solution. The Gospel of TRuth. And in fact that the “God who cannot lie” had made us a promise of eternal life found in Christ. In a land of lying CRETE desperately needed to truth in a GOD that was so righteous, so holy, and SO TRUE that He was the God who is incapable of lying. And the fullness of grace and truth, Himself, Jesus the Christ… was the solution to them being saved from a perverse generation.

Grace and Chaos

But it wasn’t jsut the lying. As you can imagine. Liars are rarely noble in other areas of their life. Are we surprised when liars steal? Are we surprised when liars are unfaithful to their spouse? Are we surprised? Not hardly.

Wayne Grudem writes: “The ancient historian Polybius [a few hundred years before this time] wrote that it was “almost impossible to find … personal conduct more treacherous or public policy more unjust than in Crete” (Histories 6.47). Cicero [about a hundred years before this] also stated, “Moral principles are so divergent that the Cretans … consider highway robbery honorable” (Republic 3.9.15)1 1 Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2349). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

And the Paul quote of the old Cretan who called all Cretens liars said they were also “evil beasts and lazt gluttons.” One histortian said the most of the men on the island had served as mercenaries. Now we have some military men in our church. Some former and others current. And they will tell you that combat can make you a jayded person. But being a mercenary… a hired gun or sword in this case. Essentially doing whatever is asked of you for the right pay was the normal course of life for men in crete. You can imagine this being rough place.

And of course Paul is like “LETS PLANT CHURCHES THERE”!

So as one of the major themes we are going to see is that Paul is deeply concerend that the right conduct be on proper display from every member of the body of Christ. And the situation is Crete was actualy worse than this. Because it wasn’t just gothem city. It wans’t just immoral. It was also heavily infultrated with false teachers. Those who were deciving and pedeling false Gospel messages and corrupting the faith of some.

So Paul is concerned deeply with two ideas. Right creed and right course of action. Right doctrine and right deeds. No verse in Titus sums up the idea better than Titus 2:11-14.

Titus 2:11–14 NASB95

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

Did you hear it? “Grace” its “our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us.” That is right doctrine. and did you hear? “Insutructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and live sensibly, righteously and godly...” and to be “zealous for good deeds”.

RIght doctrine and right deeds coming together. But do you see there is a background where this truth really shines. There is a darkness… a pitch blackness almost… yet the Light of Jesus… the TRUTH of CHRIST shines through.

Point 2 | Gospel Solutions

At the heart of the solution Paul is going to bring us back again and again and again to the Gospel.

He starts with it in the opener “the hope of eternal life”.

In chapter two He preaches it as I already read, “Christ Jesus who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession...”

In chapter three he hits it again stating

Titus 3:4–7 NASB95

4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The Gospel is the answer to the problems of Crete. But the problems of Crete are serious as well. and the church must be on guard so there are some practical… incredibly practical Gospel Solutions Paul is going to implement to help the church survive the long haul!

Authorization Letter

It is believed that this Epistle what appears to be a letter to Titus is really an authorization letter. it is a letter that Titus would read to the house churches scattered across Crete. It says things like:

Titus 1:5 NASB95

5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,

In other words Titus is going to be doing some things here and I need you all to work with him on this. Everybody understand.

In chapter 2 it lays out right conduct for Old men, older women, young women, and young men and after saying all that and rooting it in the Gospel he says,

Titus 2:15 NASB95

15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

And he says things like

Titus 3:1 NASB95

1 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,

At the end of the letter he reminds Titus that he is sending reinforcements. Becuase when you crete you need reinforcements.

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Elders!

All that to say in this beautiful book of Scripture. The Epistle of Titus. There is one primary purpose that Paul puts out right away. That is Paul’s model throughout the Bible… that mimics Jesus’ model exactly BTW, that he uses again and again in establishing Biblical CHurches and it was the appointing of Elders.

What was the best way to deal with false teachers how about Godly Shepherds who could:

Hold fast to the Gospel

Teach others sound doctrine

and refute those who contradict

Shepherding, Biblical shepherind looks like feeding sheep and fending off wolves. But the Shepherd had to make sure he was holding fast first.

This was Paul’s Model with Timothy who he tells to appoint elders laying out the standards for them in 1 Timothy 3.

and in 2 Timothy 2:2 he says this:

2 Timothy 2:2 NASB95

2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

I love that word faithful. In Titus 1:9 the elder is to be the one “holding fast the faithful word”. They are sold out to the Testimony of Christ, the Gospel, as found in Scripture.

“Elder is an office” in the church commisioned, commanded, laid out in the Bible. If you think that was just a stepping stone to a much more complex and heiratchichal system that would come later as the church progressed and developed… I would say you don’t have a Biblical view of Scripture. The Bible, the NT in particular, is a complete revelation. For this very simple reason… Jesus is the fulness of God in bodily form the Scriptures say. Hebrews one teaches us that now, in these last days, God has spoken in this full and complete way in the person of Jesus. Because you can’t top Jesus… you can’t top this revelation. The reason the cannon is closed is because Jesus isn’t on earth anymore. Our doctrine of Scripture centers on the person of Jesus Christ.

This means we are not progressing with other models that minimize what Paul is teaching here on eldership. This is the Jesus model. This is His design for the church to hold fast to the faithful teaching. And lets be honest is the church progressing in man’s wisdom doing things its own way. Hardly.

But I want to get you excited about this because God has a model for spiritual leadership in the Church and its called Eldership.

It is an office: it is a possion of leadership. We will get more into what the word “elder” means in future messages but for now I want you to know it is used synonumously with the term oversear and in places “Shepherd”. Or what we might call today “Pastor”. These were the spiritual leaders of the church. They were not a committee. They were not a business board. they were devoted followers of Jesus who authoritatively discipled others. They were shepherds. They were pastors.

I realize not all “pastors” today are able to do what Titus 1 commands them to do: “exhort in sound doctrine” and “refute those who contradict” let alone those who cary the title elder. and it is a hard job. especially if you are volunteer. Do you understand the doctrine of justificaiton. Do you understand the nuts and bolts of the atonement? why did Jesus have to die? and elder… a shepherd shouldn’t just be able to answer those questions they should be able to 1) teach others 2) refute those who contradict. They don’t have to be perfect. they can make mistakes but they are always sharpening their pencil. There nose is in the Scriptures. So that they can help others.

Its not always this obvious things. the devil likes to be little more subtle then that at times.

Polygamy story.

Eldership, godly men, who could hold the line in screwed Crete. Godly men who would remain faithful to the Gospel as the world falls apart around them. Who feed and take care of the sheep. and who would chase off the wolves that were upsetting whole families.

Eldership this is no small calling.

Point 3 | Eldership is a big deal in Scripture!

Eldership is a big deal in Scripture. It is obviously a big deal in Titus. Is the primary duty Titus had for being there: “For THIS reason I left you in Crete”… “For THIS reason”: “That you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you. Obviously the ungodli present age of Crete inparticular only amplifies this.

But it not only a big deal in Titus. It is a big deal in other places as well.

ACTS!

Acts 14:23 NASB95

23 When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

This was their model for establishing biblical churches was establishing biblical leadership… which means establishing biblical ederlship.

Acts 20:28 NASB95

28 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

Again warning about false teachers.

1 Timothy is filled with instructions concerning Elders:

Qualifications for the office

Their labor and compensation and honor

Accusations against them and standards for correcting them

Peter who would spend time in Ephesus give instructions to the elders (Shephers modeled after the Great Shepherd) in 1 st Peter 5.

We get practical comment surrounding them in James, Hebrews, and 1 Thessalonians.

But let me just say this. In as much as we often want a manual for how do we do this thing called church and the Bible is often more interested in giving an example then IKEA assumbly instructions the Bible actually does give us very specific instructions regarding elders, their qualifications and duties. So it is something we must prize highly if we value THE WORD OF GOD.

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I will leave you with one final thought.

In 2 Timothy 1:15 Paul says this:

2 Timothy 1:15 NASB95

15 You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

This was the Roman province Asia… not like we think of it today. It would have included the whole broader area where Ephesus was the capital city. Crete was a 100 miles off the coast from it more or less. Paul makes this comment. Paul warned of this happening with the Ephesian elders. he warned church after church after church against false teachers. He warns the church of Galatia. The Corinthians he tells to examine themselves to make sure they are in the faith. The Ephesians we have already mentioned. it just goes on and on. Jesus is doing it in Revelation still.

The word all here can mean most and it could refer to a specific group here. But nevertheless, Craig Keener, says that Paul would actually die with out seeing the church really flourish. It was under siege at that time. Yet here we are 2,000 years later talking about it.

I want to submit to you two things. The Gospel is TRUE that shines even brighter the darker it gets. And 2) part of that Gospel plan was to have Shephers, modeled after the great shephered, who would hold fast to the faithful word and help others do the same. And friends it worked.

What can stem the tied of corrupt Crete? what could keep on shinging no matter how dark the days got in Asia? faithful shepherds who were truly born again, and by the grace of God,

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 2

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bbringing salvation to all men,

12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,

13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of bour great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,

14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

Paul invested in people. Just like Jesus who invested in the 12. And was left with 120 altogether. and it worked. At the heart of eldership. is faithful men who have the heart of our great God and Savior. and willing to love, defend, and invest in others as we wait for Jesus’ great and glorious appearing.

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I hope your as excited to dive into Titus and the island of Crete and eldership as I am. I hope your excited for us to appoint more elders. Please pray for them. Please pray for their families.