Introducing Titus
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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.
History
History
Paul wrote his letter to Titus from Nicopolis in AD 63, after the apostle’s release from his first Roman imprisonment. Upon leaving Timothy in Ephesus to minister there, Paul accompanied Titus to the island of Crete, where he intended Titus to lead and organize the island’s churches in their early years of existence. While the gospel had no doubt spread to Crete soon after Peter’s sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:11), Paul and Titus likely did a good deal of evangelism on the island in the weeks before Paul commissioned Titus to a leadership position there.
Why Titus?
Why Titus?
Three summaries of the incarnation dot the pages of Titus, providing a framework within which the Christian can view the work of God in the world and in individual lives (Titus 1:1–4; 2:11–14; 3:4–7).
All three passages involve the manifestation, or appearance, of God in Christ, rooting the Christian faith in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Only when God the Son took on human flesh in the person of Jesus was the believer’s faith in God made sure.
In other words, since God poured out His grace on all humanity, He cleanses His people from their sin and purifies believers for Himself. This grace of God instructs us to live upright and godly lives in this present age (2:11–3:8).
Paul also understood that when a body of believers embraces sound doctrine, the result is changed and purified lives that produce “good deeds” (mentioned in Titus 2:7, 14; 3:8, 14).
God’s grace is the motivation for all good deeds. Paul gave instructions to Titus about the roles of specific groups of people—older men, older women, young women, young men, and slaves—as well as general instructions to all believers about their conduct.
Right living was essential because Christ “gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed,” saving us “by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 2:14; 3:5).
The Author
The Author
How does Paul choose to identify himself to Titus.
Paul is sure to lay out his task before his title.
He is a servant of God before he is an apostle.
What is your task, what is your title.
My task is Servant of the Lord, my task is to love my wife. My task is Daddy! (Anyone can assume the title Father, while not fulfilling the task of daddy.)
You see when I put the task before the title, everything falls into place.
Before I give someone a “title” in church, I look for someone who is already completing the task!
That is how God works!
10 Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.
You want to do something “great for God” it starts with doing the little things. It starts with having a relationship with Him.
How many of you wives would believe your husbands if he told you He loved you. But HE NEVER HELPED YOU, NEVER KISSED YOU, NEVER HELD YOUR HAND. NEVER TOOK YOU OUT, PROVIDED FOR YOU?
You see there are a lot of people in the church today that tell God, oh I love you Lord and yet they NEVER DO A SINGLE THING TO SHOW HIM.
(Being here is not you doing something for God.)
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’
23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’
24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Paul clarifies that it is not about him or his title but simply his fulfilling the work that God called him to do.
Paul has a lot of truth that he wants to impress on Titus who he calls his “true son” in the faith.
Who is your Titus? Who are you pouring truth into on a daily or at least a weekly basis?
Lets notice 2 things in particular this morning as we look at the Apostle Paul’s letter to Titus.
I. The Reason for the Call
I. The Reason for the Call
God’s work in the Cretan believer.
There is a tie here between vs. 1a and vs 2.
The faith of God’s children is what gives them the hope for eternal life.
Lets focus for just a moment on this remarkable phrase in v. 1, the knowledge of the truth, ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας, that leads to godliness.
Later in 2:1 he begins to unpack this in very specific ways and begins with the phrase, “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine…” Then, he goes on to explain some very practical aspects of the faith. The idea is that godliness, actually effects something, it changes behavior.
We will see this over the next couple of weeks.
His purpose in writing this is 2 fold.
Their Faith
Their Godliness
what leads them to live a godly life?
faith and knowledge of the truth.
What is the truth?
17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
160 The entirety of your word is truth, each of your righteous judgments endures forever.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
6 Yet, because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
Jesus is the Truth, He is the Manifest Word of God! The Gospel is the Truth! ultimately we see that God’s word is the Truth!
The Motivation for the Call
The Motivation for the Call
God’s work through the Revelation of His word.
Aren’t you Glad that God is a talker?
All the way back in Genesis 1, Moses introduces the fact to us that God is a talker! He loves to communicate!
The simple words, “Then God Said...”
When God spoke, things happened!
It’s one of the ways in which God has chosen to reveal himself to us!
His word is the foundation of existence.
He doesn’t mix together different ingredients, or use some kind of hocus pocus…
If you like water when you are thirsty, it is only there because God spoke it into existence If you like trees, they are only there because God spoke them into existence. If you like animals, they are only their because God spoke them into existence.
Without the words of God, there would be NOTHING!
Understanding this awesome truth look again at what Paul is passing on to his young disciple simply in his introduction. What he wanted him to understand before he even began to unpack the thoughts on his heart.
He says because of your faith and knowledge!
I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon 1. The Apostle’s Authority and Purpose (1:1–3)
This faith and knowledge, life and understanding, were resting on the hope of eternal life. It takes some rethinking for English-speaking people to think of hope as anything other than wishing. For instance, we hope it will snow on Christmas, or we hope a friend will call—desires that may or may not occur. But hope in the New Testament is an established certainty because it issues from the promise of God.
Our hope is eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time. Unlike the promises we make, many of which are broken or forgotten, God’s promises remain immutable. God does not lie. Just as God brought forth the world by the spoken word, so he confirms the future by a word of promise.
If you are struggling through life right now, and I understand that many are, you can at least take hope this morning in the fact that there has been a way made for you! A PROMISE GIVEN BY A GOD WHO CANNOT LIE!!! YOU CAN INHERIT HEAVEN.
This is not that hope of a simple wish, but a promise from God that you will forever be in the presence of the Lord!
One of the early explorers of South Africa’s ocean waters, Bartolomeu Dias, went around a cape on a stormy sea. His ship threatened to go to pieces, so he called the place the Cape of Storms.
But Vasco da Gama, who came later, changed the name to the Cape of Good Hope, for he saw ahead of him the jewels and treasures of India. You can call this a life of storms if you wish. But if you can see the glorious redemption of eternity ahead of you, you can call it what it is only in Christ—a life of good hope.
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’
23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’
24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Can I close this morning by telling you that there is a difference in profession and possession!
How many in hear today I wonder, have made a profession without ever taking possession of eternal life.
James tells us that faith without works is dead.
Now we KNOW IN FULL CONFIDENCE THAT SALVATION IS BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH AND NOT OF OURSELVES, IT IS A GIFT OF GOD NOT OF WORKS LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST.
SO WHAT WAS JAMES SAYING?
He was saying that if you have truly taken possession of the promise of eternal life extended freely by God, that there WILL be a change in your life, there will be FRUIT showing the change that is taking place.
Archaeologists have dug up first century cemeteries in Greece and Rome and have found many tomb stones that bear the Greek or Latin inscription for “No hope.” Imagine living your entire life with no hope! Imagine going to your death, to that eternal night, with no hope!
The only thing I can think of being worse than this would be living a life believing in a false hope placed in you by simply repeating a prayer that a pastor or soulwinner led you through.
Friend, will you look in your heart today and ask if you have taken possession of the salvation offered by Jesus?
can you find evidence in your own life of the transforming power of Christ?