Titus 1:1-4 –
Intro: In these
four verses we are going to learn about true hope and how it can be maintained.
1. In Vs 1, Paul`s says that his role was one of
being a servant of God. He understood
that he was a man completely under the leadership and authority of God. His identity was God’s. His purpose was God’s. His past, present and future was God’s. A servant does what his master’s
commands. He anticipates and prepares
for his master’s bidding
a. Paul
was an apostle, sent one or called by God.
He was called on the road to Damascus.
He saw himself as a man sent by God to help God’s chosen people. This was the Jew and the Gentile. God sends people to help us. The 5 fold ministry of the apostle, prophet,
pastor, teacher and evangelist are to help us to do the work of the ministry, build
up the body of Christ and to become nature.
b. He
wanted them to have faith. Heb 11:1 Faith is trusting God. To have faith means that you read and study
the word because faith come by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
c. To
understand the truth. Jesus is the truth
and as the truth He sets people free. Faith,
truth and help give the Christian life a devotion to God. In the NIV it states that all this will lead
to godliness. That is why many of the
prophecies you hear talk about drawing close to God. Draw close to Him and He will draw close to
you.
2. In vs 2, Paul states here that faith and
knowledge gives us assurance and helps
us to see the hope of eternal life that we have. I can honestly say that after 40 years. I have never doubted my salvation. I guess when you know you have been forgiven
much you love much.
a. God
promised this truth before the beginning of time. Before we were even thought of the Lord knew
me the Psalmist says. God knew your
present state even before time. AN
assuring but mind boggling thought.
b. God
does not lie what He says he will do.
This is a wonderful promise you can hold in too when . Talk about when Robert Schuller was building
the Crystal Cathedral
3. In vs 3, Paul says at the right time or the
appointed time God let the world know about Jesus Christ. The KJV says in the fullness of time. At the right time, place and season
came. At the right time Jesus came into
your life and mine. When you look back
at the timing and events that lead you to salvation you can see God’s finger
prints all over it. God is the God of
the perfect timing. He is never late or
early but always right on time.
a. God did this through the Good news message or
as the NIV states through preaching.
This message we bring is good news.
You do not have to go to hell, you can be a friend of God’s. All your sins have been forgiven. You can have eternal and abundant life. This is good news or as Roscoe P. Coltrane
says, “Good news, Good news, Good news’”
b. To
a man with cancer, good news is the cancer has gone into remission of been
cured. To the condemned man good news is
when he has been set free. To a man who
has bitten by a poisonous snake or spider is that there is an antidote.
c. Paul
says, he has been entrusted with the work of letting all in his world know
about Jesus Christ and all He has done.
We have been given the same task.
Matt 28:19. What amazes me is
that God trusts us with this great message.
Last week we saw a man trusted with a task perform his duty to the
fullest when Kevin Vickers protected Parliament from a Terrorist attack.
d. What
also amazes me is the about 15 years ago Focus on the Family did a survey and
it discovered that it will take the average parishioner 29 years to invite
someone to church. That 95 out of every
100 Christians will never tell someone about Jesus or lead someone to
Christ. We have this great message we
need to tell everyone about it.
4. In
vs 4, Paul calls Titus a true son in the faith.
He had proven his metal and shown his trust worthiness in the
faith. They had been through many things
together. There is something about going
through hard times that bonds and solidifies relationships. Talk about Don, Al and Dan. I love the faith that as Christian we have a
common faith. We can have many
expression of that faith but it is a common faith.
a. Paul closes off our message this morning with
wishing Titus and his readers, grace and peace.
What a greeting and wish. These
virtues come from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
You could say it this way as well, “You will
grace and peace from God the Father through Jesus Christ. You receive the complete work of God in your
life which grace brings and enjoy the peace that comes from enjoying this full
life. Talk about a man who found his
faith on the tundra and then died in the victory of His faith on the tundra
with a friend who lived to tell about it.
He had true hope
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