Straight Line, in a Crooked Culture

Titus 1:1-9

Titus 1:1-9 ~ Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,

2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,

3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;

4 To Titus, a true son in our common faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—

6 if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.

7 For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,

8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,

9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

Introduction — It’s important that we remind ourselves, every time that we pick up the Bible, that the events chronicled in the pages of this Book—or maybe I should say books—they actually happened. Sure, there are some things in the Bible that are mere stories, but the vast majority of these 66 books are set in actual places at actual times. I say this, because I think it is important, as we come to a new book of study, that I remind you, or perhaps inform you for the very first time, some of the things that were happening in the world as this book was written.
1. This letter was written by Paul the Apostle, to a man named Titus.
  1. Titus is an interesting character in the Bible. He shows up for the first time in the first letter Paul ever wrote, Galatians. What’s interesting about him is that his name is never mentioned in the Book of Acts. He’s a silent partner in the ministry of Paul.
  2. He was clearly an important member of Paul’s team. Paul speaks very highly of him in his letters to the Corinthians. It’s likely that Titus was one of the first converts to Christianity among the Gentiles. He was Greek. Probably from the region of Galatia. And from the time of Paul’s first missionary journey, Titus appears to have been one of Paul’s disciples.
  3. He was with Paul when he went to Jerusalem to meet with the early church leaders in Acts 15.
    1. Acts 15:2 ~ Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.
      1. Titus was one of the “certain others” mentioned. We know that Because Paul recounts the story of that Journey in Galatians 2 and speaks of Titus there.
  4. Titus became a co-laborer with Paul, and one of the messengers that Paul often used to courier his letters. He was clearly trustworthy, and a comforter to Paul and many other Christians of the day. But again, he’s something of a silent partner.
    1. In some ways I think Titus’s life and ministry teach us a helpful lesson.
      1. Point 1 — It’s good to be faithful, even when you’re relatively unknown.
        
        Perhaps that’s easy for you. Maybe you’re happy to be anonymous. You like being behind the scenes and incognito.
        
        It’s not easy for me. I find in myself a strong desire for notoriety. And I don’t think that’s all that uncommon in 21st century American culture.
        
        There’s never been a time in history wherein there was so much opportunity to be known. And there are scores of people today trying to get likes, followers, subscribers, views and clicks. And apparently, he who dies with the most subscribers, wins.
        
        But any fame or notoriety you might attain in this world is in every way, temporary.
        
        Therefore, it’s far better to be faithful before God, like Titus. Because though you may be unknown in this life, … well, “God who cannot lie, promised eternal life,” (v. 2) and faithfulness is rewarded eternally.
  5. So Titus was a co-laborer with Paul, a silent partner of his ministry. And ultimately, after the close of the Book of Acts, when Paul was released from what has been referred to as his “first imprisonment” in Rome, Titus traveled for a time (again) with the Apostle.
    1. This was around the years 64 and 65 AD.
    2. During that time Paul revisited the churches that he had planted and pastored in places like Galatia, Asia Minor (Ephesus), Macedonia and Greece. And apparently, while on that last little journey, Paul visited the Island of Crete, and Titus was with him.
      1. Now during this period of time, when Paul stopped in Ephesus, thats when he left Timothy there, and later, while he was in Macedonia (i.e. Philippi), thats when he wrote the letter we just studied through, called 1 Timothy.
    3. So Paul and Titus visited Crete, somewhere around AD 65, and while there Paul decided to do with Titus, just what he had recently done with Timothy. He left him there… Look at verse 5.
      1. Titus 1:5 ~ For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—
        
        More on that later.
  6. So Paul and Titus were traveling through Macedonia and Greece, and ultimately Crete in AD 64 and 65, and shortly after that time Paul wrote this small letter of encouragement and exhortation to his younger co-laborer.
    1. But all that to bring us back to something that stands out to me. As I said a few minutes ago … I think it is important, as we come to a new book of study, that I remind you, or perhaps inform you for the very first time, some of the things that were happening in the world as this book was written.
2. AD 64-65
  1. I’ve spent a lot of time over the last 15 years studying history. History is really fascinating. But we don’t often spend a lot of time thinking about history, because there are just so many other things to consume our minds, and oftentimes the present seems far more pressing than the past. But when you begin to consider the past, you find that things don’t really change much. Almost frighteningly so.
    1. We pride ourselves as being so very progressive in the 21st century. We consider ourselves advanced, modern and sophisticated. And in some ways we are.
      1. Technologically speaking, we are advanced, modern and sophisticated. In many areas that’s true. We’re so advanced that we can send Tesla Roadsters to Space! Don’t even waste your time asking whether or not we should do such things … we absolutely should. We’re advanced and sophisticated.
    2. But when you study history you realize that things haven’t changed as much as we’d like to think they have.
  2. Just a little more than 90 years before this book was written there was a massive upheaval in geopolitics of the day.
    1. For more than 7 centuries the Romans had been led, in part, by the Senate of Rome. In fact, the Senate of Rome became the sole governing body of Rome at the end of the 6th century BC (509 BC).
    2. From 509 BC until 27 BC (482 years) Rome was governed as a Republic, under the governance of the Senate.
      1. It was one of the most enduring institutions of history.
        
        And the concept of the Roman Republic had huge influence on our own Republic in the US.
      2. But, in the second half of the 1st century BC everything began to change.
        
        The Republic of Rome began to be weakened through civil unrest and division. As a result of the destabilization of the Republic, the Senate ceded stronger power to a central governing head, and they gave dictatorial power to Julius Caesar in 49 BC.
        
        I know, you’re wondering … “what’s this got to do with Titus?” We’ll get there.
        
        Within 25 years of that move by the Senate, the Roman Republic became the Roman Empire.
        
        Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 AD.
        
        Of course the assassination was the move of some Senators within the Roman Senate. They wanted to maintain the Republic and the important institution of the Senate. That would not be the outcome.
        
        Caesar’s successor was his adopted heir Octavian. Over the next 22 years, after his ascent to power, Octavian’s dominance became unassailable.
        
        In 27 BC the Roman Senate granted Octavian almost total power. They gave him a new title, Augustus. And he became Rome’s first Emperor.
        
        The Roman Republic became an Empire.
        
        Over the next 9 decades there would be Emperors Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and then Nero.
  3. Now the year is AD 64-65. Nero is Emperor of Rome. He has been for about 10 years, and he’s basically nuts.
    1. For example:
      1. He murdered his own mother
      2. He married two different men in his life
      3. He kicked his pregnant wife in the stomach, killing her and his unborn child
      4. He built a “Golden House” with a 120’ statue of himself in front of it.
        
        Some writings suggest that the Golden House was built only for the carnal pleasures he was completely overcome by.
      5. He was a musician who loved to play music. He was known for put on incredibly long performances, at which he would lock the gates, requiring the audience to hear him play.
      6. He was an athlete who
      7. He’s known for intentionally burning portions of Rome (AD 64), so he could have them rebuilt as he wanted them.
        
        And he apparently blamed the fires on Christians. Which led to a large persecution of Christians in 64 AD.
        
        It just so happened that Paul had been released from his first imprisonment before this happened.
      8. He’s also known for putting both the Apostles Peter and Paul to death (AD 66)
    2. The only thing that could have made things worse in the 1st Century was if Nero had had a Twitter account.
  4. Again, “What’s this got to do with Titus?”
    1. I’m glad you asked…
      1. All of this came to a head in 65 AD. The chaos that was Nero became so great that some who were close to him conspired to kill him. It is believed that his former tutor, the Stoic Philosopher Seneca, was among the conspirators. But the plot was discovered by Nero, and the conspirators were forced to commit suicide.
      2. In the midst of this chaotic climate we read…
Titus 1:1-4 ~ Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,
2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,
3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;4 To Titus, a true son in our common faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
1. Most of Paul’s ministry and writing took place during the reign of terror that was Nero’s tenure. And yet, Paul never mentions a single thing about Nero; his insanity, his unrighteousness, his bad leadership … nothing. Paul doesn’t say anything about rising up in opposition to Nero, or Rome. He doesn’t give political commentary or prescriptions. Instead he writes things like
  1. Romans 13:1-2 ~ Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
    2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
2. What’s the point?
  1. Point 2 — It is good to maintain faithfulness, even when the world is in chaos.
  2. And it’s good in and through whatever happens to happen in this world that we remember who we are, and who’s we are…
Titus 1:1 ~ Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ,
1. Paul was a free man in the Roman world in which he lived. But he found his identity as a bondservant of God.
  1. He was a servant of God, not by compulsion or obligation, but by choice. And as a servant of God, he was an apostle of Jesus Christ.
    1. An apostle is one “sent with a message” (a delegate or messenger).
2. Though Rome would burn, and it’s Emperor was a raving lunatic, that wouldn’t change the nature, power and position of God. Nor would it change His call.
Titus 1:1b-2 ~ according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,
2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,
1. Point 3 — It’s good to remember that we live in hope of God’s promised eternal life.
  1. Well that’s exactly what we need to remember, now isn’t it? The world can be in chaos, but God—the one who cannot lie—he Promised (and it’s been His promise all along) eternal life.
    1. So our hope is not a wishful thinking hope, but an absolute certainty. And thus it’s all the easier to maintain faithfulness, though the world be in chaos.
      1. That’s not to say that it’s easy. It’s just easier.
2. Now I can’t leave this verse without a comment on a couple of things in verse 1…
  1. If you have faith, then you are God’s elect.
    1. And you are elect “in Christ,” and you are “in Christ” by faith.
      1. I don’t have a lot of time to go into this, but Ephesians 1 would be a good passage for your further reading.
        
        Ephesians 1:3-4 ~ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
        4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
  2. If you are God’s elect (by faith) then you should grow in the truth that produces godliness.
    1. Point 4 — It is good for faith to produce the fruit of godliness.
    2. NLT ~ This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.
      1. This is a key theme in Titus…
        
        Sound faith, according to Sound doctrine, should produce Sound conduct (that’s why this series is called “Sound Check”)
      2. Titus 2:11-12 ~ For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
        12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
Titus 1:2-3 ~ in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,
3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;4 To Titus, a true son in our common faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
1. Eternal life was God’s plan and promise from the beginning, and now He has made it known—and continues to make it known— through preaching.
2. Point 5 — It is good for us to proclaim the good news of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
  1. That’s what the chaotic world of the 1st century needed. It didn’t need Paul’s political commentary on the lunacy of the Emperor.
  2. This is what the chaotic world of the 21st century needs. It doesn’t need my political commentary or prescriptions.
    1. Our world needs Jesus.
      1. Our world needs the gospel.
      2. Our world needs Christians who bear the fruit of godliness, when the rest of the culture is given to hedonism.
    2. Yes, there is a primary election coming up in a little more than a week.
      1. Yes, I recommend that you vote, if you’re able to do so.
      2. No, I don’t believe your vote will usher in righteousness in America.
        
        Only the Gospel of Christ can do that.
3. So may God extend to you (this week) the same grace, mercy and peace, to walk in faithfulness to God our Savior.