18 June 2006: How's my walk?

TOPIC: Sanctification; Choosing, Elders, Leadership, Righteousness, Service, Walk, Works

TITLE: SANCTIFIED LIVING - How’s My Walk?

TEXT: Titus 2:11 (1:5-3:11)

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Generally speaking, what should we see while reading this postcard to an elder of the church?
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. WE SHOULD SEE THE BIG PICTURE OF PAUL’S LETTER!

A. We Should See the Man of His Choosing!
B. We Should See the Manner of His Choosing!
C. We Should See the Miracle of His Choosing! [2:11-14]

II. WE SHOULD APPLY THE BIG PICTURE TO OURSELVES!

A. We should ask, "Would God choose me?"
B. We should ask, "Has God chosen me?"

TRUTH/CONTEXT: Charles Swindoll was fond of calling The Letter of Paul to Titus a "postcard." You can't get much message in a postcard so whatever Paul wrote to Titus must be fairly easy to see!

We are about to hear from Paul the apostle; in particular, what he has to say to an elder of the church, a man named Titus, about whom we know very little.

Titus, a young minister, is left on the island of Crete by Paul to begin the challenging task of organizing and staffing converts into local congregations.

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,

Titus 1:5

Remember the Cretans were considered contemptible and mock by the slur, "to act the Cretan" meaning literally, "to act the liar" [cp. 1:10-13, a loose quote of a Cretan prophet].

[SCOFIELD (paraphrased)] Titus has much in common with First Timothy. Both concern order in the church. The distinction is this: in First Timothy sound doctrine is more prominent (1 Timothy 1:3-10); whereas in Titus local church order and administration (Titus 1:5) is more prominent.

The value of these Epistles lies in a twofold application:

1. On the one hand, for churches grown careless as to the truth of God
2. On the other, for churches careless as to the order and administration of God's church

And we have a good deal of that in the church today; all one need do is look at the mess the mainline denominations in our homelands are in to see that! Why? Because they became careless with the word and the work.

Paul's brief epistle is thus a practical guide for the local church and her leaders.

Let me speak to that as my good mentor J. Vernon McGee would, "this is where the rubber meets the road" for us at SCCC, we have our homeland and our home church as well as our adopted land and adopted church.

Our job as men is to not allow our churches to grow careless with God’s word of truth, as well as assist them in keeping things in order and her machinery well oiled.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What should we see while reading Paul's postcard to an elder of the church?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. WE SHOULD SEE THE BIG PICTURE OF PAUL’S LETTER!

A. We Should See the Man of His Choosing!

Now ladies don’t get your feelings hurt; we all know the Lord loves you and has you constantly before His face ... but this is talking to elders and the Bible tells us nothing regarding women as elders so we must speak of "the man of His choosing" here!

So here's what you do, if your men (or the men around you) are not living up to the biblical standard, you let them have it and tell them, "Pastor John says the Lord says ....!" Okay?

Seriously ladies, is your man a man of God’s choosing (close your eyes, raise a hand if your man is a "man of God’s choosing"?)

1. God chooses leaders of character! 1:5-9

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely,
• if any man is above reproach,
• the husband of one wife,
• having children who believe,
• not accused of dissipation or rebellion.
• For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward,
• not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain,
• but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching,
• so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

2. These are not just for elders but for us all! 2:15 [2-10]

These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Notice, let no one disregard you!

a) Not Older men 2:3

Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.

b) Not Older women 2:3

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may ...

c) Not Young women 2:4-5

... encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

d) Not Young men 2:6-8

Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

e) Not Bondslaves/Employes 9, 10

Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.

B. We Should See the Manner of His Choosing!

1. God inspects our fruit! [1:15]

a) He chooses - those with godly fruit!
b) He rejects - those with evil fruit!

C. We Should See the Miracle of His Choosing! [2:11-14]

1. God brings salvation! [3:4-7]
2. He brings salvation to those who would serve Him!

So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, "We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done."

Luke 17:10

3. The Triune Godhead brings salvation!

He saved us … according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior ...

3:5, 6

II. WE SHOULD APPLY THE BIG PICTURE TO OURSELVES!

[HOW’S MY] Ever see one of those stickers on commercial vehicles that asks, “How’s my driving?” Then it gives a 1-800 number to call.

God put a sticker on all His children, "How’s my walking? Call 1-777-GOD-WALK!"

Sunday I joined a small group for breakfast; I fell on the way in; immediately I looked around to see if anyone saw me fall!

Why? Because people do watch people and I'm just like you.

A. We should ask, "Would God choose me?"

1. If so, what are the characteristics evident in His choosing me? Are they not the same as for those of an elder?
2. If so, what services do I perform? Are they not the same as for those of an elder?

B. We should ask, "Has God chosen me?"

If so, have I received the gift of eternal life? [3:5-7]

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, He has testified concerning His Son. The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony God has given concerning His Son.

And the testimony is this, God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who doesn’t have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so you may know you have eternal life.

1 John 5:9-13

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: It is absurd to imagine God would give leaders an ideal by which to try to live and not desire, in His heart, that all should try live to that same ideal.

God knows we'd all be fired if we had to meet the ideal perfectly.

Leaders are chosen on the basis of proven character and conduct; false leaders will lack that quality must quickly be detected and removed from leadership; church members of all ages must be encouraged to live lives worthy of the gospel they claim to believe. For if they don’t they are laying reproach at the feet of our Savior … oh friends, I grieve when I stumble for that reason alone.

Paul shares guidelines for young and old, men and women, leader and laity, employer and employed. All must demonstrate the reality of their faith by being "careful to maintain good works" [3:8]. This faith is evident … others see it by our behavior.

[McFly] In "Back to the Future" Dr. Brown and Marty are standing in the parking lot of a large mall in the future as the Doc's hopped up DeLorean races toward them.

McFly is videotaping the oncoming car and begins to move to the left; Dr. Brown raises an eyebrow and gives him a sideways glance ... Marty returns to his place beside his mentor. Later he inches left and without looking Brown reaches out and pulls him back.

So absolutely positive is Brown that his car will evaporate through an unseen time window before it hits them that he puts his life on the line to prove it. McFly isn’t so certain; but Brown’s certainty keeps McFly from fleeing.

We must have this kind of faith in our beliefs.

if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion ... above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

There is a principle of character and integrity taught in this passage and it is calling to all believers ... it is the target for the life of all Christians, the life you expose to all each day.

Won't you walk with more care than a trucker with a "How Am I Driving?" sticker on his rear window?

TAGS: Elders, Homoletics, Leadership,
Preaching, Sanctification, Sermons, Service, Titus,