Introduction
God’s chosen people and friends, peace to you this Lord’s Day morning. In a moment, you will understand why I call you God’s elect.
Let us pray. Father, we come before you, thanking You for choosing us to be Your children, for bestowing grace upon us, enabling us to be justified, sanctified, and glorified. Thank you for placing us in Your church, allowing us as brothers and sisters to learn Your truth together and to grow in it. Lord, please bless our message this morning. Help us to understand the salvation You have given us and Your will for the church. We pray in the precious name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Our church is currently searching for a pastor for our English congregation. What are the qualifications for a minister? What is the goal of a minister’s service? The church needs elders who are after God’s own heart, but who exactly is an elder? What are the qualifications for an elder? In November, our church will hold its first-ever marriage retreat. One of the reasons for this is because society has confused the roles of men and women, and many Christians are unclear about the different roles for men and women in the church and in the home.
The Book of Titus—we are going to begin a new series today in the Book of Titus. I’ve titled this series “A Healthy Church.” The book we will be studying is one of the thirteen epistles of Paul in the New Testament. The Book of Titus can help us answer the questions we’ve just asked.
Our life groups are currently studying a book called The Healthy Church Member. We hope to coordinate the Sunday pulpit with our midweek life groups, and I will be using the Book of Titus to help us gain a deeper understanding of what a healthy church is. So my hope is that as we study Titus together, our entire church will grow together and that we will all come to understand what a healthy church is.
What is the foundation of a healthy church? The foundation of a healthy church is the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the theme of today’s sermon. The foundation of a healthy church is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Background of Titus
We will be studying the beginning of Titus. If you don’t know where Titus is, it’s one of Paul’s letters, and his thirteen letters are grouped together in the New Testament. You can find it right after 2 Timothy. I encourage all brothers and sisters to bring a Bible so we can learn together. Today we will study the opening, chapter 1, verses 1 through 4.
When Paul wrote letters, he usually wrote to churches, but he has three letters written to individuals: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus. Beginning in the 19th century, some ministers began calling these the “Pastoral Epistles” because they contain truths about shepherding the church. Through the Book of Titus, we can learn what a healthy church is.
Where was this book written? We don’t know for sure; the letter doesn’t tell us, but it was possibly written in Macedonia. Paul, while in Macedonia (modern-day Greece), wrote to Titus, who was on the island of Crete (an island in the Mediterranean). He may have written this letter around the same time as 1 Timothy, approximately 65 AD. Titus was likely written in Paul’s later years, around 65 or 66 AD. The last letter Paul wrote was 2 Timothy, after which he was martyred and went home to be with the Lord. So Titus was written before that, at a time when Paul had already been serving the Lord for 30 years.
Based on church history and what we read in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, we can piece together a picture. In his later years, after the events of Acts 28, Paul was released from his first Roman imprisonment. After his release, he continued his missionary work, and one of the places he went was Crete, where Titus, the recipient of our letter, was located. Paul is writing to a minister named Titus in Crete.
Crete is the largest island in the Mediterranean, and it was morally corrupt. The mainstream culture was Greek, and they worshipped many Greek gods. The people of Crete were known for being liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons. They were a people corrupted by immorality and sexual sin.
When did the church in Crete begin? The first time it’s mentioned in the Bible is in the Book of Acts on the day of Pentecost. When Peter stood up to preach, many people came to faith, and some of them were from Crete. They heard the gospel, returned to Crete, and started churches there. But by Paul’s time, he had gone to Crete, preached the gospel, and then left. He left a man there, Titus, to appoint elders in the various cities of Crete. Another characteristic of Crete was that there were many false teachers spreading untruthful teachings, and there were also divisive people who loved to create factions. The Book of Titus helps us learn how to face these kinds of church difficulties.
Now let’s look at the structure of Titus. The introduction is verses 1-4, and the conclusion is in chapter 3, verses 12-15. The main body in between can be simply divided into two major sections. The first is chapter 1, from verse 5 to the end, which is addressed to the leaders of the church. The second major section, from chapter 2 to the end, is addressed to various groups of people in the church. Chapter 2 focuses on how to live in the house of God, and chapter 3 focuses on how to live in society. This is a basic outline of the Book of Titus.
We will likely be studying Titus from now until Christmas, which aligns perfectly with our life groups’ study of The Healthy Church Member. And thank God, Titus is also full of the truths of salvation. Just as Paul often does in his letters, he will tell us what we need to do, and at the same time, he tells us why we have the power to do it.
Now let’s turn to the introduction, from verse 1 to verse 4. Why am I only covering four verses? Because reading the Old Testament is different from reading the New Testament epistles. The Old Testament is narrative; a long chapter might teach us one truth, so we need to read it quickly. But in the epistles, a single verse might teach us ten truths, so we need to slow down. The opening of Paul’s letters is very important, and Titus is particularly special. The introduction to Titus is the second longest of all thirteen of Paul’s letters; the longest is Romans. Verses 1 through 3, if you look at the original Greek, are one single sentence.
Let me read this passage to you:
“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages bega1n and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.”2
This introduction helps us understand that the foundation of a healthy church is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I can divide this opening into three parts: first, it speaks of the minister of a healthy church (verse 1); second, the message of a healthy church (verses 2-3); and third, the relationships in a healthy church (verse 4). Today, we will learn about the foundation of a healthy church through these three main points.
Point 1: The Minister of a Healthy Church (Verse 1)
First, let’s identify the attitude and ministry goal of a minister in a healthy church. Please look at the first half of verse 1: “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.”
This tells us Paul’s identity in two ways:
- He is a servant of God: This is the only time in all thirteen of his letters that he calls himself a “servant of God.” The Greek word for servant is “doulos,” which means slave. A slave is someone owned by a master, with no freedom, completely under the master’s authority. When Paul says he is a servant of God, he is first expressing his humility. But more importantly, he is expressing that he is a person in complete submission to God’s authority. He willingly becomes God’s servant. He knew the depth of his sin; before his salvation, he was a persecutor of Christians. He knew his great sinfulness and that it was God’s precious grace that came upon him, so he was willing to completely dedicate himself to God. What he does is for the pleasure of his Master.
- He is an apostle of Jesus Christ: What does “apostle” mean? It means “one who is sent.” Jesus had twelve apostles, but besides the twelve, the most important one was Paul. Apostles were people specially called by God at the beginning of the church, sent out to build the first churches and lay their foundation. Therefore, there are no more apostles today. Paul’s apostleship means he served with a mission, and it also says to his readers, “I have authority.” This authority did not come from him, but was given to him by the Lord. An apostle has authority; what he says represents what God says.
That is his attitude and identity. Next, we look at the ministry goals of a servant of God. We see two here in verse 1: “…for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness.”
- For the faith of God’s elect: The phrase translated “for the sake of” is a good rendering. Paul’s ministry goal was for the faith of God’s elect. Who are God’s elect? They are the brothers and sisters in the church of Crete. They are you and me, those who believe in Christ. The emphasis of “elect” is on God’s sovereignty. God chose us. When did God choose His people? Ephesians chapter 1 tells us it was before the foundation of the world. Before the earth existed, before time and space, before the universe, God chose us, His elect. Paul says, “As an apostle, my responsibility is to preach the gospel so that the elect might believe in Jesus.” Secondly, for those elect who have already believed, his goal is to strengthen their faith and help it grow.
- For the knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness: Paul’s ministry goal is to preach the truth, but that is not his ultimate goal. His goal is transformation; his ultimate goal is “godliness.” The purpose of this message, this truth, is ultimately for the lives of the brothers and sisters to be changed, little by little. Every time we hear the word, we are changed a little bit. Therefore, our sanctification is directly related to God’s word, and our spiritual growth is directly related to our hearing of God’s word.
Paul is the model for all ministers. Pastors throughout the history of the church should have the same goals and attitude. When we listen to sermons, it’s often easy to be satisfied with gaining knowledge without being willing to change. When we listen, we should think, “What does God want me to hear today that can change my life, to make me a little more like Jesus?” This should be our attitude when we listen to a sermon.
Point 2: The Message of a Healthy Church (Verses 2-3)
What should a healthy church preach? Verses 2 and 3 tell us the message of a healthy church.
- The Content of the Message: The Hope of Eternal Life：Verse 2: “…in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.” This shows us that what the church preaches is the “hope of eternal life.” Eternal life has two basic concepts: one is the duration—an everlasting life, a life that does not die. The other is the quality of life; eternal life means we have the life of Jesus Christ, that Christ lives in us. When do we receive eternal life? The day we believe in the Lord. But here it says the “hope of eternal life.” This refers to the eternal life that is to come. We who believe now have eternal life, but one day when you see the Lord face to face, you will receive a richer, more perfect eternal life. This is our hope. No matter how difficult our lives are, how narrow the road of following the Lord is, or how great the troubles we face, we have a hope. This hope enables us to move forward. It allows us to get up when we fall, and it brings healing when we are hurt, because we have the hope of eternal life.This hope is described in two ways:
- It is promised by a God who never lies: This hope of eternal life is a promise, so we can be at ease. It is a certainty. God’s elect will surely have eternal life. He specifically tells us it is from a God “who never lies.” God does not lie. When God speaks, He keeps His word. Hebrews chapter 6 tells us that it is impossible for God to lie. What God says stands. This is what must be proclaimed from the pulpit.
- It was promised by God before the ages began: “Before the ages began” is the same timeframe as when He chose the elect—before time existed. Before you and I were born, before God created this world, before the ages began, God promised His elect that they would have eternal life.
- The Channel of the Message: Preaching (Proclamation)：What is God’s ordained way of delivering this message? Verse 3: “…and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior.” The phrase “through the preaching” is a good translation. It means to proclaim, to declare God’s promise. God ordained a method to transmit His message—the hope of eternal life—and that channel is preaching. He says that through preaching, He “manifested in his word.” This “word” is the logos, God’s Word. So what is spoken from this pulpit? The pulpit must speak the Word of God. God uses the pulpit to express His Word, to explain the Scriptures to the brothers and sisters, so that they may have a knowledge of the truth, which leads to godliness and spiritual growth. He says this responsibility of preaching was entrusted to “me” by the command of God our Savior. Who is “me”? Paul, the apostle, the servant of God. God’s will is for the hope of eternal life to be proclaimed through the apostles. But the apostles are gone; there are no more apostles. So how is it proclaimed now? Paul wrote to Titus, his assistant, a minister, to teach other ministers to preach, and those ministers were to teach other ministers, and so on, for two thousand years until today. So why do we stand here, why do we need to hear preaching? Because this is God’s method for delivering His Word, His message.
Point 3: The Relationships in a Healthy Church (Verse 4)
What are the relationships like in a healthy church? Verse 4: “To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.”
- Relationships are Like Family：Paul calls Titus his “true child.” Titus was a Greek, not a Jew. How could Paul give birth to a Greek man? Of course, that’s not what he means. He is saying they share the same faith. It could mean that Titus was a fruit of his evangelism. It could also refer to their spiritual father-son relationship; Paul was his teacher, his mentor. We see that Paul and Titus had a very good, very close relationship. This is essential for a healthy church. Brothers and sisters, we are brothers and sisters, and we should have an intimate relationship. I hope the older brothers and sisters in the church—if you are 50, you will care for the 30-year-olds; if you are 60, you will care for the 40-year-olds. Don’t think that the pastor should do all this work. Do you think I’m Superman? A healthy church is one where everyone stands up to care for those around them, to care for those younger than them. We need to love our brothers and sisters, care for them, invite them to a meal, invite them into your home. Only then can God’s house become healthy.
- The Basis of Relationships is Grace：At the end, he says, “Grace and peace… be with you.” “Grace” is grace. Paul blesses Titus, praying that grace may be upon him. The relationship between Paul and Titus was built on grace. What does this mean? When Titus was weak, Paul was understanding. When Titus wronged him, Paul forgave him. When Titus was in need or facing difficulties, Paul often prayed for him, asking for God’s grace to be upon him. We should have this same attitude toward our other brothers and sisters. This is the kind of relationship a healthy church has—a family relationship, founded on grace. You have received God’s grace, you are God’s elect, you have the hope of eternal life—now go and live out Christ by caring for your brothers and sisters.
Conclusion
Brothers and sisters, we have begun the Book of Titus. Titus tells us what a healthy church should be like, and there are many precious lessons within it. But my hope is that we won’t just listen and be satisfied, thinking, “I know this.” My hope is that we can, by God’s grace, live it out.
Let’s pray together. I invite the choir to come up. As we sing the response hymn, let us stand and reflect on God’s word. Today is also the first Sunday of the month; we will partake in communion together and respond to God’s word.
Lord, we thank you for speaking to the church through the Book of Titus. We thank You for choosing us before the ages began and for promising us eternal life. We thank You for placing us in the church so that we can love one another and treat each other with grace. Please bless Your church. Hear our prayer, in Jesus’ name, Amen.