It's Not You It's Them (Titus 1:5-11)
Gary McManus, 10/25/2020Part of the Words that Divide, Words that Unite series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
October 25, 2020 Titus 1:5-11
We continue talking about “called” and
“sent” and Pastors, and Elder/Shepherds.
Titus:Galatians 2:1, 2 Corinthians (9 times).
Titus is called “my partner and co-worker among you” (2 Corinthians 8:23).
Titus in 2 Timothy 4:10. Are these all the same guy
named Titus? Maybe. . . .Maybe not.. . .
First some basics. . .let’s talk about the Bible itself.
The Bible is the inspired word of God (60 NT references)
. . .it is spirit breathed.( 2 Timothy 3:16).
But did the Bible drop out of the sky?
The Bible that Pastor likes to read was written by
Holy Spirited men of God, taught by Jesus,
led by Jesus on this earth. So the Bible is a
real book about real people.
Why might this be important? Because there
is trouble in Crete; full of trouble. . .trouble enough
for a person of faith. . ..trouble enough for an Apostle.
Pastor feels that a real person facing real problems
can help him. When Pastor is told to love his neighbor,
does the writer really know what he is asking?
In this letter to Titus, we get plenty of context.
Titus 1:5; called? sent? left? abandoned?!
A close look at Crete might explain why the
Apostle wanted to leave Crete!
Crete needs Elder/Shepherds.
This is for review. . . .
Jesus is THE shepherd, the head shepherd. (1 Peter 2:25) Overseers/ can often be translated Elder:
1 Peter 5:2, 1 Tim 3:1-2, Titus 1:7 The New Testament speaks of positions in congregations as
Shepherds/Pastor: Eph 4:11, 1 Peter 5:2, John 21:16 Minister/servant/”deacon”: (diakonous)2 Corinthians 3:6,
Colossians 1:7, 1 Timothy 4:6
The word “pastor” only once, Ephesians 4:11.
But the verb that means "to shepherd" occurs several times. (including John 21:16 and Acts 20:28). People in positions don’t control, they serve.
Church positions have to do with service.
Three simple, but important observations from God’s Word: 1) the churches had elders; 2) the elders were shepherds; and 3) the elder-shepherds were charged with the oversight of the flock. Think about what shepherds do.
Elders are chosen from among YOU. They serve as a part of our Lord’s design.They need your prayers. (See Colossians 1:7, 1 Timothy 4:6, Romans 15:16)
But not just any Christian man will do to be an
Elder/Shepherd. Why men? Maybe Crete will answer
that question. Titus 1:10 “many rebellious people”
“full of. . .deception” AND, in addition,
a circumcision group!
The new Elder/Shepherds get to deal with these.
Would you WANT to send your daughter into
that? (Pastor didn’t ask if it was okay—would you
want that?) What about American women in combat
in the United States? See 1 Peter 4:12.
Remember what Jesus faced: denial and betrayal
Jesus said, Matthew 10:24:“The student is not above
the teacher, nor a servant above his master.
A Pastor cannot expect or anticipate better
treatment just because the church is a Christian
organization. And the charge to the Pastor/shepherds
does not change: Ephesians 5:25, Ephesians 5:29,
1 Timothy 3:5
The Apostle wants Titus and the Elder/Shepherds
to teach THE TEACHING (Titus 2:10,
1 Timothy 4:6, 1 Timothy 6:1, 1 Timothy 6:3,
2 Timothy 1:13, 2 John 1:9-10. . .
the teaching of Christ (1 Timothy 6:3)).
Titus 3:14: Doing what is good. . .
because that is why we were saved. . .
so we COULD DO good.
Amen.
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