Gtcotr/ws041019
Last week we hoped to conclude our study of
the New Testament book of Titus however, with our missionaries from Thailand,
Pastor Ralph and Annie Dryden, we were blessed to hear a good word from them.
Our Church is fortunate to have been allowed the privilege and the pleasure of
sending so many missionaries out into the world to spread the Gospel of Christ
during these past 3 decades.
We have raised up, recognized, prophesied
over, sent out and supported individuals from our Church Family on long-term
mission endeavors to so many foreign fields. A long-term mission endeavor is
one that requires the relocation of an individual or family to a foreign field
requiring a stay of a year or more to accomplish the work. People from our
Church Family have moved from Southeast Texas under our covering, with our
support and because of our vision to foreign countries from Mozambique to
India; from Russia to Mexico; from Indonesia to Thailand; from England to the
Philippines; from Vietnam to Latvia; and from China to Kenya. Some have stayed
a year and some 10 years, others more than 20. Each and every month these
missionaries from our Church receive their prayerful support from you and have
partnered with us to carry out our part of the Great Commission to the many
fields of their service for the cause of Christ.
In addition we have sent and supported
members of our Church family on short-term mission trips, those less than a
year, to more than 200 countries; we’ve broadcasted to Gospel message by a
weekly television programs to 242 countries, and by internet to every available
IP in the world, every hour of every single day for the past 15 years.
Our Golden Triangle Church on the Rock family
has also impacted the immediate communities surrounding us here in Southeast
Texas by raising up, sending out and financially supporting the birth of a
dozen new local Church congregations. We have found local property, remodeled
facilities, poured concrete, purchased equipment, trained leadership and sown
hundreds of families who were sent to our Church by God for the purpose of
being equipped put to work for such a time as this.
The past efforts of the Church you are
sitting in right now aren’t exhausted by this brief recounting of the blessings
afforded us by God through the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit and
the anointing that has been on us and our calling. Through our vision and your
support we have successfully birthed and operated medical clinics, counseling
schools and clinics, feeding centers, food banks, drilled water wells, funded
safe houses, rescued families, rebuilt homes, given scholarships, underwritten
schools, afforded surgeries, given hope and saved lives both in our local
communities and in communities like ours all around the globe. On top of this
we have enjoyed the benefits of worshipping and sharing the Word of God together
as a growing congregation several times each week.
I just want to say a big thank you to all who
have made what we do such a pleasure and such a success. To God be the glory
and my thanks to each one of you who has prayed, encouraged, supported, given,
went and worked. And, may God continue to bless you mightily for the work we
have yet to do.
Now let’s get to the Word and see if we are
able to conclude the book of Titus this evening.
Titus 3 NLT
1 ¶
Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They
should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.
·
Submit
and obey
·
Obedience
is doing whatever is required by recognized authorities
·
Recognized
authorities are those whom God recognizes as being in authority over us.
·
Submission is the Greek military term “Hupotasso”
which means to line up according to rank; to arrange yourself in line under the
leader; to subordinate one’s self to another and get yourself in line.
2 They
must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be
gentle and show true humility to everyone.
·
Must
not slander anyone
·
Avoid
quarreling
3 Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient.
We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were
full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.
4
But — “When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love,
5 he
saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his
mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the
Holy Spirit.
6 He generously
poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.
7
Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence
that we will inherit eternal life.”
8 This
is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that
all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are
good and beneficial for everyone.
·
The
Gospel is
o He saved us
o Because of His mercy
and His grace
o Not because of our
righteousness
o He washed us
o He poured out the
Spirit on us
o He declared us
righteous
o He gave us
confidence in eternal life
·
We
must insist these things be taught in the Church …
This evening we pick
up where we left off in verse 9:
9 ¶ Do not get involved in
foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about
obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time.
Don’t
waste time on useless quarrels and debates about things that do not matter …
things that do not save the soul
Don’t
even get involved in these foolish discussions.
Stick
to the Gospel message
Jesus
didn’t save us because of who we are, but because of who He is.
Because
of His mercy - Because of His grace
He
saved us; made us righteous; filled us; and gave us confidence that we have
eternal life.
10 If people are causing
divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing
more to do with them.
11 For people like that have
turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them.
Correction
is an unfortunate responsibility of the ordained Church leadership.
Paul
told Titus to not put up with unruly and stubbornly opinionated people who
refuse to recognize authority and cause division.
As
a leader in the Church, warn them once or twice and then if they persist, have
nothing else to do with them.
12 I am planning to send
either Artemas or Tychicus to you. As soon as one of them arrives, do your best
to meet me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to stay there for the winter.
It
was important to the Apostle Paul that Titus come to be with him in Greece
however, not before a replacement arrive to relieve Titus of his Apostolic and
Pastoral duties in Crete.
The
evidence of this verse shows the desire of Paul that the Church, or Churches,
not be without the leadership of a seasoned Bishop to oversee and instruct them
in their continued growth.
This
also lends credence to the consideration that some specific individuals and
gifts are most needed and best used in one specific location, as opposed to
another, and that this need might change.
Remember
we discussed the fact that these ‘good for nothing servants’, such as Timothy,
Titus, Artemas and Tychicus, served at Paul’s pleasure and considered him their
boss even though they were required to make their own way and provide for
others as well.’
These
things reinforce the fact that Church leadership is a Team.
13 Do everything you can to
help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos with their trip. See that they are given
everything they need.
The
Apostle Paul requested missionary support from Titus to aid Zenas and Apollos
with their trip.
It
is supposed that Titus would have need to raise the needed support from the
Churches he was leading in Crete.
Do
everything you can … See that they are given everything they need.
14 Our people must learn to
do good by meeting the urgent needs of others; then they will not be
unproductive.
Assisting
and supporting others in the approved ministries of the Gospel assures us that
we will not be unproductive.
Our
people must learn to do good by meeting these needs …
15 Everybody here sends
greetings. Please give my greetings to the believers — all who love
us. May God’s grace be with you all.
