Titus 1:1-4
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Titus 1:1-4 Outline
perspective of Hope
Introduction: (Illustration) How do you choose a restaurant? A church? While many of these aspects of choosing a church can be helpful, the problem is we look from the wrong perspective. We have a self-centered, this is about me perspective. When we look at all these tertiary issues,
We miss the most important aspect, how healthy is it.
What makes a healthy church?
I have a whole shelf in my study on what a church should be like.
The early church struggled with these same issues, not so much based on preferences because they didn't have all the options we have today, but what should their church look like. They all had an opinion I’m sure.
God in His wisdom does not leave us to wonder. Through the Apostle Paul God speaks about what a church should look like, how the people of God should act in a church.
The book of Titus is like a pocket guide to life in the church.
We are launching into the book of Titus. We are going to call this series Foundations: A biblical community. The book of Titus contains the elements on how God uses the church for evangelism, it contains information on elders, and church members, in essence it tells us how to live our lives as Christians and how the church should operate. My prayer is that this series will do two things… encourage you to live as God has called you, and second paint a picture of what God expects of us.
Some important background information.
Location: Crete had a substantial Jewish community and some Cretan Jews were present at Pentecost and mentioned in
Acts 2. Crete was under Roman control and used as a port for Roman vessels. Crete, an Island about 160 miles long and 35 miles wide south of the Aegean Sea.
Time: Between 62-64 AD, Paul was likely writing this between his first and second Roman imprisonments either from Corinth or Nicopolis while he was ministering to the churches in that area.
Recipient: Titus, who was placed in Crete, and Titus likely served with Paul on several of his journeys and was on assignment to Crete to strengthen the new churches there. The Cretans had a bad reputation, in the church some of them were living sexual immoral lives and others were living hypocritical and legalistic lives.
But the gospel must have made quite a difference there, for today the name of Titus is honored in many villages, churches, and monasteries on the island.
Titus is mentioned by Paul in the following passages of Scripture (Gal. 2:3;2 Cor. 2:13)
Interestingly Titus is not mentioned in the book of Acts. But we can learn a few things about him based on his being mentioned in other places. Paul had quite a bit of trust in Titus and his abilities, when Paul had issues with the Corinthian church, he sent Titus as his messenger. In his letter to Titus Paul’s tone is different than his tone with Timothy. While Paul seems to care and value both of them he has to encourage Timothy to be brave and courageous, but he does not do that with Titus, this seems to indicate that Titus was braver or more experienced.
Now in this letter that Paul writes to Titus, the purpose of the letter really is to instruct the church as to what it is supposed to be like. It is a treatise on Christian living, faith and practice. And there are several things that fall very clearly from these chapters. First of all, chapter 1 looks at the character and conduct of leaders, a very appropriate subject for us to discuss in our own contemporary setting in the church. Chapter 2 looks at the character and conduct of members - the members of the church. And chapter 3 deals with character and conduct regarding the church's witness before the world.
Let us read the text: Tt 1:1
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness,
2 in the hope of eternal life that God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.
3 In his own time he has revealed his word in the preaching with which I was entrusted by the command of God our Savior:
4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith.
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
(Pray)
Greeting section of letter, look at the form of these first 4 verses, do you see any periods? The first 4 verses are one long sentence. If you read this without knowing the background you would think that Titus didn't know much about Paul so Paul is explaining himself to Titus. However, what is really going on is that Paul is really investing authority into Titus for the sake of the church. Paul is writing this so that the church knows that Titus is following the instruction of Paul. Because these letters were read to the whole church, Paul is basically saying here is Titus who I sent to you on orders from me.
This passage is primarily about hope, Because of this hope we can make solid and lasting commitments.
Paul starts with his own characteristics, but he does it in a peculiar way.
Paul lays out the marks of a godly leader. The commitments of a godly leader.
Paul is the type of leader that he is, precisely because of his perspective.
Because of the hope we have in eternal life, you can model two commitments, Submission to God, Sacrifice for others.
Because of the hope we have in eternal life, you can model two commitments, Submission to God, Sacrifice for others.
Hope: In this passage.
Leads to Submission to God
Which leads to Sacrifice for others
Which Guides us in where we place our priorities.
1) Where does Paul place his hope? (vs 2)
1) Where does Paul place his hope? (vs 2)
Look in Verse 2, When you read this during the week, did you see this hope?
a) Hope in eternal life? (what is eternal life?) (1 Cor 15:19) Paul explains that if we only have hope in this life, we are most to be pitied. What a pitiful situation we would be in if this is all there is. If death is the end how would we live? Take a look at culture today our behavior is directed by our future hopes.
b) Rooted in the character of God (never lies, has a plan)
Paul roots this hope in two things, the character of God and His divine purpose. Why would Paul tack on about God never lying? The more we consider this little addendum the more significant it gets. The more we learn about humankind and their relationship with their Creator God the more we realize we humans have a hard time believing that God will not lie. Let’s illustrate this by going over to Gen 3:1, the great manipulator the serpent twists God’s word and gets Eve to believe that God lied. Gen 3:4. If we took the time to read the entire Bible, what we would see is that God says He will do something people laugh, imagine the conversation in Lot’s house “God said He will destroy this town” The people of Sodom laughed in derision. Will God do as He said He would?
Over and over again God’s promises are “yes and Amen” what God says will happen happens. This is often called the doctrine of God’s immutableness, essentially God is the same “yesterday, today, and tomorrow” Because God does not lie He is unchanging in His promises, we also know that He has a plan. A plan that we do not always know but parts of which He has revealed to us in Scripture. "God is not a man that He should change, nor the son of man that He should lie" from Numbers 23:19.
God’s utter truthfulness is a grounding for our hope. The next is the plan, lets read verse 2 again.
The hope we have for our eternal souls is not written in shifting sand.
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
The soul, that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will never, no never desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.
"How Firm a Foundation”
-Side note, this is why what we sing is so important. If we sing songs that are untrue, or lack truth we can have the wrong view of God. God’s plan is most clearly displayed in the coming of Jesus Christ.
No more evident is this than in the coming of Jesus Christ.
c) Displayed in Christ (manifested in the Word)
Hope consists of two parts, desire and expectancy. My kids might desire that I would take them to McDonalds every day, but that is not hope, they might desire to go to Disney land, but that is not hope because they have no plan or real hope for it. Desire is part but not the whole of Hope. Expectancy is the second part, I might expect to get a speeding ticket if I drove faster than the speed limit, but I don’t hope to be given a ticket. So real hope requires desire and expectancy, so when Paul says; “in hope of eternal life which God has promised” he is saying that we come to God because we expect and we desire it.
(Transition) This hope drives us to act a particular way. The promises of God: all of them are for us – our comfort, our encouragement, our sustenance, our care, our strengthening in the way – all of them. This is why Paul can say he is a Slave of God,
2) Submission to God (vs 1)
2) Submission to God (vs 1)
a. Servant of God, or more accurately Slave of God.
Paul uses this word often to describe his position before God. This word doulos, gives the picture of the most menial laborer in New Testament times. It indicates a complete and total servitude to God. By identifying himself as slave Paul is indicating two things, one how small and lowly he is in the grad scheme of things, he does not view himself too greatly. Of all the people who could boast I think Paul could probably just by personality and background claim greatness. Remember how Paul used to be a Pharisee trained in the top religious schools and educated by the best teacher of the time. Yet his introduction is one who recognizes his place, servant of God. No task is below us when it comes to service to God.
Second, it teaches us about God, if we are but servant God must be master, Paul recognizes the greatness of God even going on a bit later to draw attention to God’s truthfulness and timelessness. But Paul is not the only one to consider himself a servant of God.
Rev 15:3
turn with me to this passage. Look who else is called a slave of God. Moses! If I am called a slave of God, I am in good company, Moses, Paul and others.
If I asked you what your purpose and life is would you say I want to be a servant? If I looked at a young student and said what do you want to be when you grow up? what do you think their answer is not going to be?
In a culture of live your best life now, or be the best you, or he who dies with the most toys wins type of culture, The Word of God flips it on its head, Jesus flips it on its head.
Culture says; If you ain’t first, your last, Jesus says; The last shall be first and the first shall be last.
Culture says, what can I do to make myself more comfortable? Jesus says; I did not come to be served but to serve!
Paul grasps this boldly, unashamedly.
You: How do you see your life? Are you a slave to God or a slave to your own needs wants desires? A godly leader submits.
We Submit to God because He is holy and worthy and we are not! Look at the end of verse 3, how is God described? Look at the end of verse 4 how is Jesus described? Paul is placing Jesus on the same level as God. Part of submitting to God is recognizing who our savior is.
How does one become a slave to God? Where does Paul or the Old Testament prophets get this boldness? Where can you and I get this level of boldness?
Let’s take a minute to see some of these servants mentioned.
Jos. 1:2; 24:29; Je. 7:25; Is. 44:1
How do the prophets get their marching orders? “the word of the Lord came to...” This happens over and over again in God’s Word. So for us we have the Word of God right before us! You can be a godly servant of God by rightly handling the word of truth! What does that mean? It means that each of you have been entrusted with this Word of God and you must share it. My prayer is that everyone in this room becomes so convicted of this truth that to not speak God’s Word would be like holding a fire inside of you, you must speak it to others or you will catch on fire yourselves!
Godly leaders must be servants of the Word of God. We must not seek to use it to say what we want it to say, but let it speak through us. How do we know if the word of God is being properly handled? What is the fruit? Are lives being transformed? Are people becoming more like Christ? If not the whole truth, the fullness of truth might not be clearly presented.
A godly leader submits his Thoughts, Feelings and actions to the Word of God. Most clearly displayed in Jesus Christ. There will be more on the how to, as this series continues in the following weeks.
Paul isn’t done yet, he puts an and there. He says Paul a servant/slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, a messenger of Jesus Christ. Paul is showing his submission to God by being a slave and now shows his Sacrifice.
3) Sacrifice for others; Apostle of Jesus Christ.
3) Sacrifice for others; Apostle of Jesus Christ.
a) Message
Paul the messenger is bringing a message. Paul is a man on mission. The hope we have in God leads us to bring the message. What is this message we are to bring?
The message is the Gospel, the message of Hope, eternal life promised before the ages began. That while we were yet sinners Jesus Christ died for us. But why is this a sacrifice? the last part of vs 2 says:
for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,
Some key words to examine here, “for the faith of God’s elect” the Niv says it this way “to further the faith of God’s elect”
We submit to God and others for the sake of the faith, we sacrifice and serve for the body of Christ, the elect. Elect at the most basic level means chosen people, God chooses His people, He chose Abraham to be the father of the Israelites in the desert and He chose His church to be His people. The elect are always identified in the New Testament as those have already began to believe and follow Jesus.
To be a godly leader we must sacrifice for the people of God. In the following chapters we will see more of what this looks like but we have a quick snapshot in this verse. “The knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness”
Here then are two fundamental characteristics of the people of God: faith and knowledge. Far from being incompatible, faith and knowledge, or faith and reason, belong together. It is those who know God’s name who put their trust in him. Their knowledge of God’s name or revealed character is the foundation of their faith in him. They trust him because they know that he is trustworthy.
Consider faith first, as Paul does. God’s people are believers, ‘the family of faith’. Yet there are degrees of faith. Jesus spoke of people having either a ‘little’ or a ‘great’ faith. And Paul thanked God that the Thessalonians’ faith was ‘growing more and more’. Our knowledge is also to grow, for it is part of Paul’s apostleship to further or increase it. In particular, he has in mind our knowledge of the truth, which itself leads to (kata again) godliness or God-centredness (eusebeia). It is an essential feature of truth, and a good test of its authenticity, that since it comes from God it leads to God. Any doctrine which does not promote godliness is manifestly bogus.
A fascinating pattern has emerged here. Did you notice it?
Faith-----Knowledge of the truth-------godliness
Pattern, faith---knowledge---godliness
The teaching should provide fruit.
b) Method: Truthfulness. Paul mentions that as an apostle he has the message of Jesus that is revealed in the Word. The way that it is spread is through the preaching. More specifically through the Kerygma that is the proclamation, preaching or heralding of the message. We will see later in our series that this is an important aspect of the church, the preaching of the Word. Right now we need to notice the role it plays in Paul’s life and consequently in ours. The message that he was entrusted with the Gospel we need to share with others. We are to sacrifice our own needs wants and desires in order to proclaim this message to others.
The hope in eternal life reminds us that this life is not all there is. Like Paul we can count all our own accomplishments as nothing, our own efforts are like rags compared to the glory of knowing God.
How does this look practically? If I believe that this life is all there is when someone wrongs me I will want revenge.
Illustration: Comfort and going home
c) The result: godliness, or holiness, or Christlikeness. If we can grasp this hope that is presented to us, our lives we actually begin to reflect the truth that is in us. I can think of no better example than that of Christ going willingly to the cross.
Christ when tempted in the wilderness responded with God’s word. Unlike eve’s response Christ responded in total trust.
Conclusion: Eternal perspective (vs 4)
Conclusion: Eternal perspective (vs 4)
Paul has this eternal perspective of hope he encourages Titus by reminding him that he has the same faith.
What role does this hope have
a) In your life?
b) In the life of others?
c) In the church?
In verse 4 Paul acknowledges Titus by calling him his “true child in a common faith” Paul is passing on his authority to Titus to complete the mission here in Crete, is there anyone that you can think about to pass on the faith too? My challenge to you is to begin to pray about one person to disciple, to share the gospel with. coworker, neighbor whoever.
Who is your one?
Who is your one?
Think about one person and write their name on a piece of paper, that is your mission to pray for and to invite to church, and to share the gospel with.
Next week we are going to examine the qualifications for elders and why that maters to all of us.
(Close in prayer)