Sermon Tone Analysis

*Titus 1:1-4**.*

*Intro*: Titus was from Antioch  where he came to the Lord through Paul (Tit 1:4).

He was a Gentile who was converted some 14 years after Paul.

He was a traveling companion of Paul, going to the East with him after his first imprisonment in Rome.

They came to Crete and evangelized several towns.

Paul was unable to remain any longer so he left Titus behind to appoint others and to complete the organization of congregations in that region.

Titus found considerable opposition, especially from the Jews and a strong tendency toward insubordination.

Quite possibly, Titus had written to Paul to report this and to ask for his spiritual advice.

Consequently, Paul wrote a short letter pressing him to complete the process of organization, to ordain elders, to teach sound doctrine and avoid empty disputations, and to exercise his own authority firmly.

The letter was probably delivered by Zenas and Apollos.

*Read Titus1:1-4*  Zip files – compressed truth

In the year 35 AD a zealous young rabbi by the name of Shaul was on his way to Syria.

He had a burning passion for the truth, to wipe out heresy.

The particular object of his attention was a new Messianic group following the now deceased Jesus of Nazareth.

He had authority from the high priest himself to wipe out this sect – that is why he was on his way to Damascus.

He was just approaching the city around midday when he was literally struck down by a brilliant light which outshone that Middle-eastern noonday sun.

Paul met up with Jesus!

Paul said, "Who are you, Lord?"

He said, "I am Jesus who you are persecuting."

From that time Paul's life was turned around.

The Messiah Himself commissioned him for service.

Paul had previously served God, now he was His slave.

Jesus commissioned him as His representative to preach the Gospel.

(*Acts 9:15-16**/ /*/But the Lord said to him, “he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”/).

Paul was now an apostle – one who is sent as an official representative on a special mission.

This commission to proclaim the Good News of Jesus now burned within him with a passion that made his former zeal pale in comparison.

Paul describes himself as a "slave" - a humble position, the lowest of the low; and an "apostle" - yet with a high calling - a commission as the official representative of Jesus, the Messiah.

We, like Paul, are slaves of God – we have a mission: we are ambassadors of Christ with the task of making Him known.

What was it that so motivated Paul?

Paul had been commanded by God to proclaim a message.

He had been entrusted with the proclamation of this message – what was it?

*[OHP]*

*Faith –**  *It was a new way – he had been trying to do all the Law required, now there had been revealed a new way – not doing, but relying on what Jesus has already done for us.

The way to God was not by way of the Law but by faith.

The two are mutually exclusive (*Galatians 3:10-12** */For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.”

Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.”

However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them.”/).

Paul wanted things to be right between him and God – this righteousness comes by depending on Jesus' righteousness, not our own.

Faith is the basis and is essential to all we are as Christians.

1.We please God by faith (*Heb 11:6** */And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him./)

2. We are saved by faith (*Acts 16:30** */and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,/).

3.We are made righteous by faith (*Romans 5:1** */Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ/; *Rom 10:9-10 */If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation./).

4. We live by faith /(/*Romans 1:16-17** */For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”/).

5. We walk by faith (*2 Corinthians 5:7*/ for we walk by faith, not by sight/).

Faith is absolutely essential, without faith we have nothing.

What is faith?

– some definitions:Self renouncing, trustful reliance upon God – the attitude of heart of which faithfulness in life is the natural expression.

Faith is the attitude whereby a man abandons all reliance in his own efforts.

It is the attitude of complete trust in Christ alone.

The nature of faith is to live by the truth it receives, rests on God's promise, gives thanks for God grace by working for God's glory.

Faith is the only way of salvation.

Faith in God involves right belief about God – it is not giving assent to Divine truths, one must base one's whole being upon them.

Faith is SURE (*Hebrews 11:1*/,Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen./)

- not risky, it is more certain than knowing.

Faith rests on Divine testimony that Jesus is the Son of God, He is the Messiah, that He died, was buried and rose again and ascended to the Father's right hand.

Faith is a supernatural, Divine gift (*Ephesians 2:8** */For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God/)

*The elect** – * Faith is given to the elect – how wonderful to be the chosen of God! God chose Paul out, picked him out while he was bent on persecuting Jesus.

It had nothing to do with Paul but all to do with God's grace – His gracious choice.

We sing (or used to) "I have decided to follow Jesus" but really it is God who decided that we would decide to follow Him (*John 15:16, 19 */You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, .... but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you./)

It is the chosen who have faith – God gives it to them.

God picks an individual or group for a purpose or destiny of His own appointment.

It is God's gracious choice.

It is by grace that we are saved because God chose us to be saved so that His purpose may be accomplished.

(*1 Peter 2:9** */But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light/).

God has a purpose that He will fulfill and He chooses people in order that His plan can be carried out and His nature and glory displayed in men.

(*Romans 8:28-30** */And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

/*Ephesians 1:3-5, 9, 11 */Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.

In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, ...

He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him .... also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, /*1 Thessalonians 1:4** */knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;/*2 Thessalonians 2:13-14** */ But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ./).

So Paul proclaimed a faith for those chosen, those appointed to believe./

/

*Knowledge of the truth** – *This faith is not irrational - it is based on knowledge, a mental understanding, a recognition of the Truth - the realisation of who Jesus truly is.

(*John 8:32** */and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”/)

Jesus is the truth (*John 14:6** */Jesus //~*//said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me./).

Faith is based on knowing the truth, knowing Jesus.

(*1 John 2:20-21** */ But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.

I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth.

Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?

This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son./).

Not just knowing facts, knowing doctrine, but knowing a person.

Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus (the day I met Jesus in person – you are never the same again).

God wants us to know the truth, to know His Son (*1 Timothy 2:4** */God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth./)

To know the truth we must turn from our own way of thinking – we only come to knowledge of the truth through repentance/ (/*2 Timothy 2:25** */with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth/).

The truth is certain, sure, that which you can base your life upon – unchanging.

Truth came with Jesus (*John 1:17-18** */For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him./).

He made known the truth about God, the Ultimate Truth.

Jesus was the only One who could, because He was the only One who knew Him.

*Godliness* – Knowledge of truth is not just having correct doctrine, being able to give right answers to questions about God – it is life-changing, effective.

It is a personal knowledge of the person of God.

This true knowledge, this personal encounter and relationship with the Son of God produces godliness, leads to the furtherance of reverence for God.

As we get to know Him more and more, we become more like Him (*2 Corinthians 3:18**/ /*/But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit./).

We become like God by seeing Him as He really is (*1 John 3:2*/ Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be.

We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is/).

Knowing Him, we become partakers of the Divine nature (*2 Peter 1:2-7** */Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love./).