Titus 3 OUR SAVIOR APPEARED // INTRO This morning, I want to begin by reminding us that the stories and conversations in Scripture are all historically accurate in both the Old and New Testaments When we read the Bible (Genesis to Revelation) it is not simply a story, or even a compendium of several stories or historical accounts (no, they are not fiction, despite what the atheists say) The Bible is THE STORY of God To use the late Francis Schaeffer’s term, The Bible is True Truth And I would submit to you that every good story you have ever read - filled with good and evil and strife and peace - is ultimately rooted in THE Story! So I want to challenge you to think on that as you read about the Christ child this Advent season, and anytime you pick up the Bible Paul reminds us that our Lord Jesus Christ came into the world at the proper time,and at the perfect moment in history But allow me to fill in the “WHY” as to the importance of this event The Word was made manifest - took on flesh - became a person in the womb of Mary, and was born into the world The Word of God was always alive, the the LOGOS - that Word of God - took on human flesh and became a human baby He traveled down the birth canal of His mother, Mary And John 1:14 tells us that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. This was the Advent - the arrival - the coming of the Messiah into the world He came as flesh and blood, and He dwelt among us As John 1:14-18 tells us, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” And as we consider that fact of history that brought us salvation and true life in Christ, we pick up in Titus, with Marcus having brought the Word so well in chapter 2 last week Paul is writing this letter to young Timothy about serving the Lord through serving the Church And remember that Paul considered Timothy to be like a son to him, and he loved him and mentored him Paul wrote to him with instructions about how to organize the Church and its polity, and how Pastors and leaders ought to conduct themselves as a result of being saved IN Christ He wrote instructions about how to love and lead the Church, as well as what, when, and how to come against false teachers who were leading others astray He constantly encouraged those who were born again to take the Gospel to the lost, not expecting the lost to seek it out In fact, it was Jesus Himself who gave us the Great Commission, putting the job in our hands when it comes to making Jesus known to our neighbors and the nations And when the Gospel has been fully given all over the world, then the end will come and we will be going home Evangelism hastens the coming of Jesus, once more!! So let’s go to the text and see what the Holy Spirit wants to say to us this morning // TEXT & EXPOSITION Titus 3 [1] Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, [2] to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. This is precisely what Paul writes to the Church in Rome (Romans 13:1–6): [1] Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. [2] Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. [3] For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, [4] for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. [5] Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. [6] For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Paul takes the opportunity to remind those IN the Church to submit to governing rulers Note that he does not say, “Submit to those rulers that you like” or “Submit only to those rulers who treat you well and say nice things about you!” No. Sorry In this world, you will have trouble John 16:33 - I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” So if you’ve planned a hunkydory, A-ok life with only rainbows and chocolate cake, you’re in for a bit of a surprise I can say that in jest and everyone in the room knows it because we have all had to deal with hard things in our lives No one in this room has been dismissed from the impact of sin on this earth This life is a heavy burden with sorrows and troubles, but Jesus has overcome the world! AMEN? So we’re told here that Christians above all other people should be submissive and obedient (within reason) And we are to be constantly ready for any good work! And our good works are not to gain salvation, but because we already have it Salvation sets our hearts and minds free, even if our physical body is imprisoned, or ceases to work properly If you want an example of that, get a copy of Debi Foster’s book, called “Rescued” It will give you a new perspective on hardship and how to navigate it So no quarreling with others, but instead try to be gentle, and show courtesy toward all people! And the reason for this is… [3] For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. If you’re in denial at this moment, perhaps go back to remember middle school/Jr high We ALL have been foolish in some way, shape or form And if you attempt to deny it, you’re only making yourself to be more foolish, so there’s no escaping it Just acknowledge that you were, at some point in the past, foolish I know I certainly was! We’ve all been disobedient, particularly towards God and His Truth and His ways And if you say you never have, then you’re a liar, and truth is not in you Many of us have been led astray and were slaves to our own passions and pleasures in the flesh And if you think about it, the last bit of v3 speaks the truth in a powerful way Prior to Spirit coming into our lives, we were filled with malice and envy, driven by the world’s value system, not God’s And we were hated by others and hating one another And in His lovingkindness, Jesus stepped into all that mess! We certainly didn’t deserve it We could never have merited it by our works He did for us what we could never do for ourselves And that is the basis by which we love one another instead of jockeying for position in the Kingdom [4] But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, [5] he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, [6] whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, [7] so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. God’s goodness appeared God’s goodness is on every page, from Page 1 to the last “.” on the last page The Father sent His one and only Son as the Savior of the world, and that involved Water and Spirit Water because of the birth of the Son of Man - His humanity, being fully Man And Spirit, because it was an immaculate conception (and when we say that, we mean that Jesus was miraculously formed in Mary’s womb by the Spirit - she had never been sexually involved with any Man) This miracle of our salvation was by the Son’s obedience to the Father And He poured out the Spirit richly (abundantly) through Christ our Savior on the Day of Pentecost And when one puts his or her faith in Christ alone for salvation, that one is justified before God It’s JUST AS IF I’D never sinned And not only does God wash away the ledger of all my sins, I am adopted into the family of God - we are Sons and Daughters Not only did we NOT deserve this, but we actually deserved death and Hell forever And yet, He has made a way for whosoever will come, putting faith in Christ alone It’s really incredible when you stop and ponder it, especially when you realize you could never merit His love and favor And then there’s the eternal life thing…I know it’s true, but when I try to think about being with Jesus for eternity, I just have to give up really quickly, because I can’t conceptualize that - not even close - it hurts my brain! I just know it’s going to be amazing! [8] The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. V8 is a continuation of Paul’s thought, insisting on these things, so that we who are the children of God do not waste what little time we have here on earth You might live to be 100 years old or more, but in eternity, it will be a blip So you and I (if you’re IN Christ) are going to reign and rule with Jesus But for those who do not have faith in the Son of God, they will be under eternal judgment So devoting one’s self to good works isn’t about meriting anything It’s about the overflow of God’s love in us, spilling over into the lives of others so as to ultimately bring them to Jesus, and thus salvation So DO GOOD WORKS, but as an overflow of what Jesus has done for you [9] But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. [10] As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, [11] knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. “avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless” This is pertaining to the Law of God in the Bible, not the law of the land (which in WA state is SEVERELY jacked up!) Here we are told not to get caught up in things that don’t bear fruit Foolish controversies would be like arguing with someone as to whose football team is better, and really getting intense and heated It’s just foolish - I mean, don’t people know that the GA Bulldogs are the best in the country?? To quote President Biden, “C’mon, Man!” So let’s take these one at a time: Genealogies = who begat so-and-so “I’m the great-great-great-grandaddy of Olaf Judson who founded the First United Methodist Daycare and Dog Spa waaaaaayyyy back in 1883…” Great. Way to go! This won’t be good grammar, but it’s the truth: “God ain’t never had a grandchild, only a child will do…” So-and-so may have done some great things in for the Kingdom of God and the local church, and we are beneficiaries of that work and love But we do not venerate them We appreciate what they have done as those who came before us Dissensions I don’t know what to say - churches NEVER have dissensions… It’s simply disagreement over a course of action But this is also why our church polity isn’t congregational (like some churches I grew up in) They just put it to a vote But there are some things in life (and in the Church) that don’t require ¾ of the members to ratify it There are times when Pastors and Elders must set aside the staff of the shepherd that comforts them, and instead take up the rod to discipline them, in order to keep those sheep who are wayward from causing strife Quarrels about the law Paul gives Titus some advice: “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him” It’s not worth your time or effort at that point You’d be better off talking to other people who are more open to hear what you have to say And remember that the context of this is not just casual conversations This is being encouraged towards us in the context of sharing the Gospel with others Remind those with whom you speak about these things that the Law is good, and that it is our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ The Law is good, but salvation in Jesus is higher and better by far And if you have put your trust and faith in Christ alone, you are no longer under the Law “knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.” Paul, by the Spirit of God, makes it clear that this kind of talk and puffing one’s self up is actually sinful And so the point of detailing these things is so that we can see how silly they really are in the light of Jesus Christ, what He’s done, and what He has actually called us to do The common denominator in this section is people that can’t see the forest for the trees The Law was given to show humanity that we could not merit or earn God’s grace Grace, by its nature, is given freely [12] When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. [13] Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. We get to see the instructions from Paul to Titus Because of the season of the year in that part of the world, sea voyages were more dangerous due to the weather, so Paul was in dry dock, waiting out the winter And he asks for a lawyer named Zenas, and also Apollos, asking Titus to make sure that those men had everything they needed for the journey And I’m sure it must have been like it has been for many of us in the local church, asking friends and family to help us get the money and resources for a missions trip somewhere around the world [14] And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. Paul is speaking about Christians (our people), and especially those who were newer to the faith The whole “Good Works” thing was likely confusing since the motive needed to be pure, instead of a “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” kinda thing Even Christians, when they’re “babies” in the faith, can be unfruitful But the inverse is true, as well I’ve seen many new Believers take to ministry like a duck to water, and in truth, it is new converts who share Jesus with others like no one else, because they cannot help but to speak openly about how Christ has changed them from the inside out But if person will press into the Spirit, He will mold them in Christ’s likeness That’s a promise! [15] All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. // APPLICATION Go back to v4 with me, as we make application pertaining to Christmas from our text this morning… And I specifically going back to this phrase: …the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared I know we all might not agree on everything, and especially electing people to office, but we can 100% agree that every single person in government is less than perfect That SHOULD get a hearty AMEN (even if you’re excited about the outcome) There is no perfect politician precisely because there are no perfect people…save One We know that Jesus is the Perfect King, and that He is good And we know from experience that many rulers, kings, and politicians do not always rule well or manage well But we are of those who have seen the Lord We are of those who have tasted the heavenly gift of Life in Christ Jesus We are of those who wait patiently upon the Lord to set things right one day in the future! And His timetable is not our timetable And His approach to how He will remedy all these things will not be as we would have have it And the reason for this is simple He is perfect We are not His ways are only always good and righteous Our’s are not So we wait, trusting in His goodness and grace,His mercy and lovingkindness And we wait for His unfettered wrath upon the earth, believing that we will be taken out of the way, knowing that we are His Bride As Martin Luther preached on Christmas Day so many years ago, he said, “How could God have shown His goodness in a more sublime manner than by humbling Himself to partake of flesh and blood?” His salvation and love are ours if we will have them, and it is upon us, with the Holy Spirit IN us, to keep that goodness and to pass it on to others What difference does Chistmas make in the real world? God has personally extended himself to us in sending Jesus. He has initiated his justice for our world, and he shows his promises are sure God came to earth and was born of a virgin On that day a little over two thousand years ago, the 2nd Person of the Godhead descended from heaven, came to earth, and stooped to come through Mary’s birth canal Of all the ways for God to enter earth, why come as a baby? Personally, I think that it was so He wouldn’t scare us Nobody’s afraid of a baby The Trinity enjoyed perfect communion with each other throughout eternity So imagine the scene in heaven as Jesus prepared to leave, and the angels watched THIS is the heart of God a heart filled with love for His Creation A love so strong and so loving that He sent his Son to live and to die among us sinners Yes, Christmas is about the arrival of Christ in time and space, but it is ultimately about the reconciliation of all things unto God In Christ, God has set about to redeem and renew His Creation, and particularly Mankind And the way that He does it is by the Holy Spirit who lives in us “HARK! (harken to me - listen to what I have to say…) The angels were heralds, announcing the coming of the Christ child into space and time And now we are the heralds in the Christmas song Our purpose is to live and love one another as God’s own people, and to seek and save what is still lost And the proclamation goes on into the next generation until Jesus comes again It’s not too late here at Christmas time…in fact it’s the perfect opportunity to talk about the child who was born in Bethlehem He came as a baby, lowly and humble He’s coming again as a conquering King! Tell your friends and family, your neighbors and anyone who will listen Emmanuel - God with us has come! // PRAY // SING // GO I send you out with Psalm 96 this Christmas… Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.” Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness. May it be so! MERRY CHRISTMAS, Emmaus Road Church!