Life from Titus -1

Titus

The Book of Titus is a letter of Paul's and is written to an individual, unlike most of his other letters which are written to churches. Titus was left in Crete by Paul to continue the work in Crete and to appoint elders in the churches. Crete is an Island, and at the time of this leter was, like most of the Mediterranean world, part if the Roman empire.

Paul says at the beginning of this letter that he has been called to proclaim the faith - to teach people the truth about Jesus. Paul knew his calling and Titus was working alongside Paul to spread the good news. Titus was to complete the work started there, (vs5) and return to Paul.

Titus had a leadership gifting - He was to do the work he had been given,  and to appoint elders in each place to carry on the work. He was to train the people and to encourage right teaching.

This is a short letter but it is full of great teaching. The people of Crete must have been difficult at times.  One of their own men, a prophet from Crete had said they are liars cruel, animals, lazy gluttons. History records this as Epimenedes a poet from 600 BC. The people of Crete had a reputation for greed, for lusting after materialsim, even before the Gospel came to the Island. Paul is clear though that the message of the Gospel, the grace available through Christ is for all epopel everywhere. This message came at the right time and is available to all

What do we learn from this letter?

1. God's message is a message for all
Paul says in verse 1 that his job was to preach the good news - to bring the message of Christ to people. This is a message of truth that shows people how to live godly lives.
This message is of salvation through Christ and gives us confidence of eternal life. This promise of  life was in God before the world began. We are known by God, we are loved by God and God has a plan for us from before the world began.

Eph 1:4
Long ago even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ, to be holy and without fault in his eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his family by bringing us to himself through Christ. And this gave him great pleasure.

God takes pleasure in us and in who we are. Paul says this is the good news they announce to everyone. Paul had a particular gift, but it is the responsibility of every Christian to take the good news, the message of salvation to others. It is a message for everyone to hear. We can't assume that everyone we meet knows God or something of God. The message is for everyone, but not everyone knows that the message is for them. The only way they will know is if we take it.

'Be a friend' is about loving people enough to want the best for them, and to be ready for the opportunity to share the message of Jesus with them.

Romans 10:14-15
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?

We often use this for cross cultural missions, but Paul is talking about salvation for all, for those near and those far away. We are sent by God to our community, to take with us the good news of Jesus Christ. Titus was left on Crete to complete the work entrusted to him.
We are in Wollongong, by God's design to complete the work entrusted to us. The work entrusted to us is the message of the gospel, the message of love for everyone.

Who is God asking us to take his message to?

2. Right living and Discipleship
The next whole slab in Titus is what Titus is to teach to the people, and especially what he is to look for in people that he appoints as elders. An elder was like a pastor or a leader, an overseer. In truth, each of us leads someone in some way!

Don't be put off by this list. If you look closely at this list, it is actually a repeat of what Paul writes about in his other letters (Eph 4. Col 3,4) about right living for everyone who belongs to Christ. Paul is stressing to Titus that leadership is not to be taken lightly, that for people to lead others, they must be able to show their faith not just by what they say, but it must be obvious by the way they live.

When I look at this list I see what is the result of Discipleship. If we follow Christ, if we love him, we choose to live his way. This does not mean we always get it right, but Paul says to Titus, when you are looking for people to lead, choose someone who is showing by their life that they are trustworthy and able.

Col 3: 5
So put to death the sinful earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don't be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry.

Col 3:8
But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behaviour, slander and dirty language.

We could probably spend weeks looking at how to develop and build each of these attributes into our lives. Today, lets think about them from a point of view of which one is God speaking to me about today?

Faithful to his wife - faithful to our partners in life - to those we live with and work with. A heart of loyalty to others.

Children who have been taught how to live and who believe/are faithful.
As parents, our greatest desire should be that our children know and follow Jesus Christ.

Children who are not rebellious: If you are a rebellious parent you may well raise rebellious kids! This is worth thinking about.We often think how we want our children to be successful in life and that is good, but ultimately, it's where there heart is and whether they belong to God or not that really counts.

Not arrogant or quick tempered, violent or heavy drinker, greedy for money. Here Paul is addressing the attitudes of life, the things that can stop us from living lives that reflect the love of God.

A blameless life - we are to live lives of integrity, lives that show who God is and not get caught in the things of this world. In other places Paul calls them the lusts of the flesh, the things of this world that seem bright and shiny, that seem fun, but are actually sin.

Enjoy having guests and love everything good. Living wisely (good stewardship of God's household, good stewardship of our own households,) and judging fairly. We can ask ourselves, how well am I looking after what God has entrusted to me in my life, my ministry, my family?

A devout and disciplined life.  A life that puts God first in all things at all times. This is what Paul says is needed to be able to lead others. Notice that they are all Discipleship issues. We may have great leadership skills but on their own they are not good enough. Character is the key competency.

Paul gives no real direction to Titus on the skills needed to lead. Of course there are skills that are helpful, useful, even necessary, if we are to lead others, but Paul is more interested in our attitudes, our behaviour and the type of lives we lead. Skills can be taught but character develops over time.

Are we disciplined, are we devoted to God, do we have a strong and steadfast faith in our amazing God who has saved us?

We rise or fall on the way we live our lives. How we live, how we treat others, will be seen by others, and will impact others. Are we women of integrity, living in a way that promotes right living and the truth of God's word? Paul says if we live this way, we will be able to encourage others with right teaching, and show others who oppose right teaching where they are wrong.

What aspect of your life are you doing well in?
What aspects of your life are you struggling with?
What is God speaking to you about area?
What is God asking you to do to change that?
What tough decisions do you need to make about the way you live?

3. Stop listening to useless talk.
Useless talk is anything that isn't useful for building others up. Titus lived in a time as today, when there were people trying to add things to the truth, trying to distract people with useless information and deceiving other people. Paul tells Titus to stay away from this stuff and to teach others to stay away from it as well because it is damaging to ourselves and to others. These he calls Jewish myths. In verse 16 he says they are of no use and worthless for doing good.

What would this be for us today?

Well there are plenty of people who want to change the Christian message either because they don't like it or don't fully understand the truth. Even in the time of the New Testament writers this was true .

1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe and will follow lying spirits and teaching that comes from demons. These teachers are hypocrites and liars. They pretend to be religious but their consciences are dead. In other words, there will be distractions from the truth, there is plenty to pull people away, but God has the truth. There are plenty who have twisted the truth that salvation is through Christ alone. We are to stay away from them.

Later in Titus 3:9 Paul encourages us to stay away from godless chatter, geniologies etc. When Paul wrote this letter, the Cretans had a reputation for lying, laziness and gluttony. Paul told Titus to rebuke them where necessary to make them strong in the faith. We all have a reputation of some sort. It is worth thinking about what that is, and whether it is a good one or not!

We don't like rebuke do we, but when we get away from the truth, when we need correction, a rebuke from someone we love and respect is actually better for us than anything else. We want a pat on the back, but the bible says that sometimes rebuke is necessary, it is healthy and it makes us strong in the faith!!

How do we stay clear of deceitful people?

Be devoted to God, to the truth, to right teaching, which we learn through reading the word, through applying the word to our lives. God's word has the power to change our lives if we will let it. Lets be listeners of truth and people who live the message of salvation with love and integrity.

What untruths am I listening to?
What will I do to rid them from my life?

At the end of chapter one, Paul says that all things are pure to those who are pure. When we live in purity according to God's word, we will see life in people, we will see the best in people, but we will be aware of those who try to pull us away.

Have you taken hold of the message of truth?