(Titus 003) The Greeting (Part 2)

Titus 1:1–4 ESV

1 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, 2 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; 4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

1. The introduction to the author.

Titus 1:1 ESV

1 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,

(1) A. A slave first. An apostle second.

Doulos - slave

Not even a bond-slave

Because Paul was a slave first and an apostle second, this caused him to...

(1) B. A life lived on mission.

It is easy for us to lose focus on the mission.

It takes us a long time to begin to comprehend what the mission is.

Titus 1:1 ESV

1 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,

Paul lived his life for the sake of others.

Because he is a slave of Christ not because he was an apostle.

Because he had a stewardship from Christ.

“For the sake of”: in the interest of or for the benefit of.

Everything we do is for the sake of something.

Every single decision we make every single day is for the sake of something.

For christians it is pretty easy...

For the benefit of self or for the benefit of others.

1 Corinthians 9:19–23 ESV

19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

For the sake or benefit of the Gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

“I have made myself a servant to all...”

Douloo - to enslave

1 Corinthians 9:19 ESV

19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.

For the sake or benefit of the Gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

We have no rights.

We have no liberty.

We have no freedom.

Slaves live their life for the interest of their master.

We spend a lot of time fighting for our the rights we perceive we have as Americans.

We don’t want to lose our freedom!

While we are fighting, Paul says he willingly have them up and became a slave for the sake of the gospel.

Be careful what you fight for in the world.

I almost never talk about the political party I support.

I can find good things to say about either side if not I can find a way to be quiet.

Because if I may never get a chance to share the gospel otherwise.

For the sake of....

Philippians 3:8 ESV

8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

For the sake or benefit of Christ. (Philippians 3:8)

Paul gave up every earthly gain (a picture of a slave) for the sake of gaining Christ.

Paul fully believes that living is Christ.

If we are living our life for the sake of Christ we do what benefits Him not us.

Do we follow His example?

Do we follow His commands?

Do we consider His will first before our own?

Do we order our daily lives around Him or us?

Ultimately, are we looking to gain our own good?

Or are we looking to gain Christ at any cost?

Think about a slave… Get to know our master better, emulate Him, and make Him look good.

For the sake of....

Colossians 1:24 ESV

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,

For the sake or benefit of the church. (Colossians 1:24)

We have probably figured out by now that we do a lot for ourselves.

Each of these other “for the sake of’s” are challenging.

How much do we do for the sake of the church - specifically the local church.

Paul was willing to suffer.

Physically suffer persecution.

We have a hard time showing up and being involved.

The list of reasons I hear as to why people don’t show up is incredible.

Yet Paul says this physical suffering, imprisonment and persecution is ok because it is for the sake of the church.

When trials and struggle come into your life there are generally a couple of lines of thought.

First is an unbiblical reaction and we just get mad.

Second is realizing that God is working His purpose.

Se we start trying to figure out what He is doing in our lives.

We start asking what He wants to teach us.

Did you catch that… we are so trained to think that this life is about us that this is what we think.

What if there is a third line of thinking we should have...

Sure God will teach me something, but maybe this isn’t even about me.

Maybe it is for the benefit of the church. Other Christians.

This goes more than one way...

This isn’t just showing up but,

Letting the church be the church.

Let them help you.

Let us encourage you.

Allow us to carry your burden with you.

Paul understood that his life was not his own but was lived for the benefit of the church.

Let me encourage you...

I’m sure some of you are thinking this sounds exhausting.

All of these places we are called to live for the sake of could be seen as opportunities given by our master to invest what he has entrusted us with.

So… the parable in Matthew tells us that we will hear well done and be blessed if we invest what we are entrusted with.

Galatians 6:9 ESV

9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

For the sake of.... (today’s passage)

Titus 1:1 ESV

1 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,

For the sake of or the benefit of God’s elect.

i. For the sake of the the elect’s salvation.

For the sake of the faith of God’s elect.

For the faith of - human responsibility.

Ephesians 2 says God give us that.

God’s elect - divine sovereignty.

God chose them, but He intended that we be in connection with their believing.

Ephesians 1:4 ESV

4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

Romans 10:13–15 ESV

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

i. For the sake of the the elect’s salvation.

We clearly see the tension between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility.

We can’t explain it, but we know it is true.

When God laid out His redemption plan in eternity past it not only included our salvation,

It included us as His hands and feet for taking that good news to His elect.

This takes away all the pressure on you and I.

We are simply taking the gospel to the world. Those who God has already chosen will believe when they hear the gospel from us.

If this takes away all the pressure then it also take away all our excuses!

Maybe it then puts a different pressure on us, or we could say a certain focus to our lives.

Because what do think God is going to say to our excuses when we haven’t even tried to build a redemptive relationship and lead someone to Christ?

Isn’t that the reason He left us on this earth?

We should be living our lives for the sake of the faith of the elect.

A couple of questions...

First: do you have an unsaved person that you are praying for?

A specific name that you praying God would give you the opportunity to have a Bible study with them.

If you aren’t doing this you probably aren’t going to lead someone to Christ.

You almost surely are not going to be a disciple-maker.

You are missing the reason you are on this earth.

Are you building into your schedules times to be with them.

To build a genuine relationship with them.

Are you finding creative ways to be around them and show them love?

We should be living our lives for the sake of them.

If you don’t have this person, pray for one.

Second: are you putting aside self for the sake of lost people?

There are a lot of opinions about student loan forgiveness.

Be careful what you get sucked into this elections season.

Think about who you are (A slave of Christ for the sake of the faith of the elect) before you hit that share button on Facebook or get sucked into an argument about earthly things.

ii. For the sake of the elect’s spiritual growth.

Titus 1:1 ESV

1 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,

ii. For the sake of the elect’s spiritual growth.

For the sake of their knowledge of the truth.

This knowledge isn’t knowledge for knowledge sake.

This is knowledge that goes with or leads to godly living.

This isn’t simply leading someone to Christ, but then teaching them what Christ has commanded so they can live they way they should!

For the sake of their faith AND their knowledge of truth.

Again let me ask you… how often does it cross your mind that your life is for the sake of others knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness?

Our lives are for the sake of teaching others the truth so they can live godly in this world. How often do you think about that?

This changes the way we live.

This changes our Bible study habits.

This changes our conversations.

This changes all kinds of things.

Please don’t miss seeing this pattern in other places.

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Ephesians 4:12 ESV

12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Ephesians 4:16 ESV

16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Concluding thoughts...

Paul was a slave first as are we.

The mission didn’t change.

We are here for the sake of the elect.

The Great Commission was given for the sake of the elect.

We are teach them to obey.

We are responsible for their spiritual growth.

We have to care about our brothers and sister.

We have to pay attention to their spiritual lives.

Not just pastor, but you.

There are people you know better than I do.

I can’t properly shepherd each of you.

That’s why Eph says I’m to equip you to do it.

For the sake of the elect.

When we don’t engage in what is going on in our church.

When we come when we feel like it.

When we sit on the outside looking in.

We are ignoring our mission.

THINK ABOUT THIS… Every decision we make is for the interest or benefit of something.

We are either making a decision to benefit self or others.

Paul lived his live for the sake of...

The gospel.

Christ.

The church.

The elect.

To be a a part of the belief of the unbeliever.

To teach truth to the believer.

What are you living your life for the sake of?

What is your mission?

Paul lived life on mission because he was a slave of Christ, not because he was an apostle.

We are to live life on mission because we are slaves.

Philippians 2:4–8 ESV

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Why do we think we can live our lives for ourselves?

Why do we think we can go day after day…

We might pick up our Bible.

We may find our way to church.

We may even be a member of that church.

But why do we think we can go day after day and never even consider the elect.