What Kind of Church?

What kind of church do you want to join?

That’s an interesting question when you think about it.

What does it mean to join something?

When I was a high school student and was applying for college, part of my resume said that I was a member of “The Society of Outstanding American High School Students.”

I had “joined” that organization while I was in high school.

Now, what were the requirements that I join?

Well, the school had to nominate me and someone obviously did.

I filled out the application they sent to me with my accomplishments and my parents sent money.

My name was printed in a book and we received a copy of that book.

And boom! - I was a member.

We had no meetings.

We had no obligations.

But I had joined the organization and I am to this day a member of “The Society of Outstanding American High School Students,” the book sits on my shelf at home.

Is that what we mean when we say we want to join a church?

Is that the kind of church you want to be a part of?

Say you are a Christian, attend the Covenant new members class, get voted on in conference and boom!

From that moment forward, you are and forever will be unless you decide otherwise - a “member” of the First Baptist Church of Gray, regardless whether you ever darken the door of the church again or not.

Is that what joining a church means?

That’s not what we are talking about today.

Today, when we talk about joining the church, we are talking about being a person who is making a commitment to Jesus and His body, the Church.

Our name isn’t simply on a piece of paper.

But rather, our hearts and lives are invested in the fellowship and mission of the Body.

What kind of church do you want to join?

Just a little quick background, today we’re in the little book of Titus.

So go ahead and hope your Bibles to Titus 1, and if you are watching by live stream or if you are watching a recorded version of today’s service, if you are somewhere where you can safely get your Bible out, please do so and follow along.

If you are here this morning and don’t have a copy of the Bible with you, please feel free to take one out of the pew racks and if you don’t own a Bible of your own, please take one of ours as a gift - it would bless us to know that we were able to give you a copy of the most important book ever written.

So, Paul wrote a letter to Titus much like he did to Timothy.

The situations in the churches were similar.

Timothy was in the church in Ephesus and Titus was in the church at Crete.

But both churches were having similar problems and it’s a problem that’s never gone away.

In Ephesus, some of the leaders of the church weren’t teaching the gospel.

Instead, they were teaching things that allowed people to live undisciplined lives with no regard for the consequences of living that way.

All because the teachers wanted to be wealthy.

We don’t know how Christianity came to Crete.

We know there were people from Crete at the Pentecost event in Acts which would lead us to believe there were already Jews on the island.

So maybe some were saved that day and took the faith back with them.

Or maybe Paul went to Crete at some point and preached.

What we do know is he somehow had a relationship with them and he sent Titus to help them get organized.

While their problem was similar to Ephesus, it was different in that - the Ephesian Church was already organized and Cretan church was just getting started.

We know this from verse 5 which we’ll look at in a minute.

But first, let’s read verses 1 - 4 and consider the question, What kind of church do you want to join?

Titus 1:1–4 ESV

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 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; To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Today is a family worship day so we’ve got some children worshipping in big church today.

Ms. Hannah has made some packets for them to help them follow along with the message.

So parents, help your kids look in the packet for a picture with a cross, a chain and a lion on it.

And as we go along, I’ll tell them which picture to start coloring.

But wait there’s more - after the service, if you’ll put their names on sheets and leave them on the table in the vestibule, next week we’ll have them hanging up for everyone to see.

So let’s started and kids, do your very best work.

Start coloring the cross because a cross represents our faith, and

I want to join a church with an uncompromising faith.

Paul wastes no time getting into the nitty-gritty.

He is a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ.

What’s our job as a church? Same job as Paul’s.

Proclaim and protect the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So, he’s established the right rapport with us - he’s one of us.

He does these things for the faith of God’s elect - those God has called to salvation.

To those who have heard the message and understand “their knowledge of the truth.”

And that truth is, that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.

That he died, rose to life and ascended to heaven so that whosoever will may call on the name of Jesus and be saved.

And that one day Jesus will return to make all things new.

But Paul adds something to “knowing.”

“…Which accords with godliness....”

Simply put, that means this, because you know it, you are different and you act differently because you know it.

He preached the same message in Ephesus.

He is preaching the same message in Crete.

And He is, by the grace of the Holy Spirit who inspired him to write it down and by the grace of the Spirit to lead His church to codify it in a book, you and I are hearing this same message today.

Listen, this never changes.

We’re headed to the book of James next and in it James says, James 2:17

James 2:17 ESV

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

He’s not saying you do things to be saved.

He’s saying if you are saved you do things.

Real quickly, what else do we know?

We know this faith in Jesus gives us knowledge of our hope of eternal life.

Why hope?

Because you aren’t dead yet - one day you will be.

“On a long enough time line the chance of survival for anyone is zero.”

But, for those who trust Jesus - this hope - this unrealized certainty we have will be proven true.

And how do we know this?

Because Titus 1:2 “...which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.”

Because God the Father promised it.

Before you were born.

Before time began.

Before creation existed.

The Father promised it and He never lies.

His Word is true and His Word never changes.

That’s the church I want to belong to.

I want to belong to a church that has an uncompromising faith that the Father loves us.

That through Jesus He saves us.

And through the Holy Spirit He guides, protects and keeps us until the day that our timeline expires in this flesh and begins in eternity.

Uncompromising faith.

That if the Holy Spirit inspired Word of God lays the truth in front of us then we claim if for truth and hang on to it for dear life.

Never wavering, always convinced, living that truth and looking forward to the consummation of that truth.

I want to join a church that has an uncompromising faith.

I want to join a church that has a Godly order and structure.

Alright kids, I hope you’ve finished up the picture of the cross.

Now it’s time to start on the chain.

Are we good, oh, and every link in that chain should be colored a different color.

See if you can figure out why we have a picture of a chain as we read Titus 1:5-9.

Titus 1:5–9 ESV

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— 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. 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, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 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.

Why a chain?

Listen to what Paul told Timothy.

“I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order...”

Now a chain has an order, right?

One link connects to the next link that connects to the next link.

All the links must be uncompromisingly strong in order for the chain to be useful.

Because if any link is weak, it breaks, right?

One of the links in the chain for a strong church is a strong Elder body.

Remember we said the Bible uses several words for Elders including Pastors and Overseers.

The function of this body of men is found in verse 9: Titus 1:9 “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.”

They must hold firm - that is, they must be uncompromising in the gospel - “as taught.”

As it has been written and delivered to us.

The Bible is not a living book in that it changes with the times.

It says what is says and it is never old-fashioned.

The truths are timeless and the truth of Jesus Christ is especially timeless - if a truth can be especially so.

And the elder is to hold to that truth so they can give instruction about the truth and rebuke or correct those who oppose it.

So he can Proclaim and Protect the gospel.

We should have that point burned in our memories at that point.

Now in these verses, Paul explains to Titus what the qualifications to be an elder are - and it is essentially the same list he gave Timothy.

But since it is family worship day, I want to point out one particular verse.

Titus 1:6 “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.”

Your family is the bedrock of civilization really.

It’s how God designed the world to exist.

If a person is to be an elder, he absolutely has to be devoted to his wife.

She is a part of him - created by God to complete him.

He is not whole without her and she is not whole without him.

Unless you care called and empowered by God to be a celibate single, this is a biblical truth.

Not very popular right now in 2022, but I have a feeling that one day it’s popularity will return.

I do, because one day people are going to realize, God got it right.

But then it says, Titus 1:6 “…and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.”

Paul is saying, if an elders children are old enough to understand what it means to be a sinner and need salvation, then they should be well on their way to the faith, if they are not a Christ follower already.

And - they are not open to the charge of debauchery.

I suspect very few, if any, people in this room could give a good definition of debauchery.

We just don’t use that word.

But there is a phrase that my family used when my kids were growing up that defines debauchery perfectly.

You may have heard me say it before.

We told our children, “Recognize stupid, then don’t do it.”

Tell me I’m wrong - here is the textbook definition.

Debauchery is behavior which displays a lack of concern or thought about the consequences.

Young folks, listen to me.

I have the privilege to address this to you, first because I am an Elder/Pastor and secondly, I’ve been your age.

And the world is different, there is no doubt.

But guys, let me explain something to you, stupid is timeless.

There is some Tic-Toc challenge going around where there is this toy gun that shoots things like paint balls only not.

But when you get tagged by one, it does sting and can injure someone if it hits them in the right place.

The challenge is for you to shoot unsuspecting person.

Haha! I got you! And everyone is supposed to laugh and move on.

But that carries a legal definition called assault and if it injures someone it can carry other legal definitions that could result in jail time and law suits.

If you participated in this challenge, or the tide pod challenge or any number of challenges - that’s debauchery.

Or, as we said to my children, that’s stupid - recognize it and don’t do it.

And realize that what you do IS a reflection on your family.

And maybe that doesn’t matter to you now, but remember this from your Elder/Pastor.

One day you’ll have hair like mine.

And God willing, you’ll have children.

And then you’ll want your children to be children that make the family - that make you - proud.

To the point of Elders - the idea here is someone qualified to be an elder will have worked hard to help their children be wise and make wise decisions.

They will help them know Jesus with a saving knowledge that results in a changed life.

And that changed life will recognize stupid - it will recognize ungodliness - and it will run from it.

And God willing, lead others to run as well.

Titus 1:10–14 ESV

For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.

Children, it’s time to color the lion.

Color the lion to look as powerful as you possibly can.

You know why a lion?

Because a lion is brave and,

I want to join a church that is brave.

In her confirmation hearing to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court, Katanji Brown Jackson was asked by Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, “Can you provide a definition for the word, “woman.”

Ms. Jackson dodged the question and eventually quipped, “I am not a biologist.”

However, as someone else pointed out, she had used the word “woman” 14 times prior to that question.

So, according to her own words, she was using a word that she had no definition for.

Well, that doesn’t make good walking around sense - she has a definition or she wouldn’t use the word - or she’s daft.

Either way, this is a sign of the times we are in - the evil one is seeking to replace the truth of God’s creation with his truth.

The person who calls himself Lia Thomas swam in the NCAA 500 yard swim finals as a woman and not surprisingly finished first.

It takes nothing more than seeing Lia Thomas with your own eyes to know that Lia Thomas is a man either pretending to be a girl for nefarious reasons or he is genuinely mentally traumatized.

And who in their right minds, 30 years ago, would have believed that as I stand here saying this that I would feel a knot in my stomach knowing I am offending people and risking criticism and maybe even retaliation for our live stream?

There is a lot we could unpack in these verses, but netted out, Paul is telling Titus that the Elders of the church must be so sound and so convinced in their grasp of the gospel that they will be unafraid to confront error when it tries to lead God’s people away.

I read 1 Kings recently and the number one sin that caused the nation of Israel to have issues was weak leadership that was not committed to the Lord enough to confront error and stop it in their midst.

In other words, these Kings, brave in battle were not brave for the Lord.

I believe this is a weakness we need to address, because the church hasn’t been very brave in recent years.

I don’t mean that the church should be mean.

But the church must be firm.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is clear.

Godliness is defined in the Holy Scriptures clearly for anyone who is willing to read and listen.

Our goal is never to condemn, but as Paul tells Titus, Titus 1:13 “Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,”

We know - and we must be convinced, uncompromisingly - that the only way to live a full, contented life pleasing to the Lord is to follow Jesus as closely as we possibly can at all times, whatever the cost.

As the Lord commanded Joshua Joshua 1:9

Joshua 1:9 ESV

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

We must be strong and courageous.

I want to join a church that is brave.

I want to be a part of that kind of church.

I want to be a part of the body of Christ.

I want you to be a part of the body of Christ too.

We who are the members of the First Baptist Church of Gray, we want you to know Jesus.

We want you to have an uncompromising faith.

We want you to come to a church that has a Godly order and structure.

And we want you to come to a church that is brave - full of brave Christians who can band together and hold each other up when the battle gets hard.

Let me tell you - from this Pastor’s heart - some of you are fighting some of the toughest battles I’ve ever heard of.

And many of you have battles you haven’t shared.

This new world order is trying to invade your friends and families.

You are under stresses you never knew existed.

It was so easy to come to church 10 years ago.

Now coming to church is an act of defiance.

But as much as we need each other, we want you too.

As I said earlier, on a long enough timeline, everyone’s chance of survival is zero.

But that’s not entirely true.

Because everyone’s timeline extends into eternity.

Jesus is going to make all things new.

He’s going to make this earth new.

He’s going to make His people new.

We want you there.

We know for a fact, that Jesus is the way to eternal life.

He is the truth to live our lives by.

And He is life - when you know Him, well - no weapon formed against you will prosper (Is. 54:17)

My brothers and sisters.

Be strong for one another.

Make the family of God proud as we see you stand for your faith.

Live brave and bold for Jesus.

And my friends who have not trusted Jesus yet, please.

Come join us on the journey.

Let us pray.