This week we start a 4 week study in a book of the New Testament: Titus. We will see how important men are and how we grow to be large than life figures. Join us!
TITANS FOR TODAY
Series in Titus
PAUL’S “GO TO” MAN
Titus 1:1-9
Tuesday March 6, 2018 Talk 1
INTRODUCTION:
Hey guys welcome to FORGE! I’m so glad you’re here!
Forge is about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ builds great men.
We want to transform guys into men and men into mentors. Every guy a man, and every man a mentor.
We simply have to take the responsibility as Christian men to positively influence the men around us.
Well today we begin a new series:
TITANS FOR TODAY…a Series in the NT pastoral letter of Paul to Titus.
Perhaps you can see the play on words here:
Titus-Greek Name = Pleasing
Titan- Greek Name= Of the Giants/God Like
A Titan today is someone who is powerful and extremely influential in a particular field of work or industry.
But in this little letter, you and I are going to see a whole lot about Biblical Manhood…Manhood as God defines it!
ILL Better Man Event:
Great time…Mark Batterson
Emmett Smith…All time NFL Leading Rusher
A Titan
Brain Welch…Korn…
Nick Vuchich
Truth: The Gospel takes ordinary men and makes them pleasing to God because of what Jesus accomplished for us and then continues to turn ordinary men into Titans WHERE THEY ARE.
You are a Titan…you are someone really influential…almost taking on god-like proportions in a few people’s lives. You have the ability to make or break those around you!
This short letter of Paul (950 words; in 46 verses), is something we disciples simply have to study so that we can continue to grow into pleasing Titans…
Today: PAUL’S “GO TO” MAN
Paul’s go to man was Titus…I’ll tell you about him but first I’ll read Titus 1:1-4
- GREETINGS MAN TO MAN:
Up on screen:
1 Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, 3 but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior,
4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
- Paul= The intrepid church planter; out of prison-(Ephesians/Phil/Colossians/Philemon in prison)- 62-64 AD…and Paul’s an uncaged lion.
- He’s working for the faith of those chosen of God…”chosen”=elektos…and this word means: chosen/elect. I know we have men from many denominations here, but the fact of the matter is that of all of fallen humanity, God choses/elects/those He wants to be His followers.
I was raised a Baptist and didn’t ever hear this taught until I went to seminary and was forced to study all of the Bible. When I read Romans 9-11…it rocked my world.
I’d come home and tell Caron what the Bible said and we both had never read it before. But there it was! She would cry and I would explain in astonishment!
Subsequently she got a brand new Bible and read Genesis to Revelation and became convinced. It was there all the time.
Up on Screen:
John 6:37
37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.
John 6:44
44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.
John 6:63-65
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would [a]betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”
John 15:16
16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
Now let me tell you why this is important for us as disciples to grasp this:
- You are not a Christ-follower because you figured it out on your own…God called you and chose you. Therefore you are loved by God. Acts 13:48 A man needs to know that He is a wanted man, a loved man, a planned for man.
- This is also important because there are others out there who are chosen, and God wants to use us to go get them. They are there. Evangelism does work, and will work.
FORGE: Transform every guy into a man and every man into a mentor.
Guys, we go to every guy we can…we don’t know who is or who is not one of God’s chosen. That’s above our pay grade!
- All of God’s plan for Salvation was figured out way before any of us were created.
In the eternal counsels the Triune God determined everything and at the right time Jesus was born.
When Jesus was on the cross, He did not die for a nameless mass of humanity. He died for you by name and by face. That’s personal guys…really personal.
Paul’s an APOSTLE (one sent out in the authority and power of another) and he is the one teaching us this. Now what’s so cool is that when Paul cast the Gospel out there, he had no idea who would respond!
At one event…Titus did respond…He became Paul’s son in the faith…and Paul developed him and he became Paul’s coworker- 1: 4:
4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Titus became an example of the type of …
UP ON SCREEN:
- MEN THE GOSPEL NEEDS:
5 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,
- These are the entrepreneurial days of the church. Church=in start up mode.
Go to a city, preach the Gospel, train people in the basics, appoint elders, take off; leave if possible an Apostolic Delegate there to pastor and develop the people.
Move your key guys around because you had so few key guys!
Paul had to write 2 letters to Timothy but only 1 to Titus…
We see Titus’ name 12 times in the NT
- Greek/uncircumcised-a test case of grace!
- Several difficult assignments
- In Corinth as Paul’s representative
- Including collection of $ for Christians in Judea-2 Cor. 8:23
- Intermediary between Corinthians and Paul-7:6,7; 13-15, 12:18
- Titus was with Paul on Crete and left there to organize the church
- Titus rejoined Paul at Nicopolis as Paul requested 3:12 and we by the time Paul wrote 2 Timothy ne was north of Nicopolis in Dalmatia (2 Timothy 4:10).
- Tradition= Titus went back to Crete and served as bishop there until his old age!
- Timothy was Paul’s son in the faith too…but Paul had to tenderly care for Timothy…Timothy was Timid. Grace made Timothy tougher than he could have ever been by himself.
- Titus was built of a different temperament and tougher by temperament. I love this guy. Grace made him even tougher.
- Throughout this letter, we see the urgency in Paul’s voice…clipped sentences…Paul the Cholerc who is not afraid of offending Titus, issues orders. And Titus is all in.
Now I want you to note something else:
- The absolute need for sound and godly leadership in the church:
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,
Elders= episkipoi
Elders/plural
The church needs many leaders. As we’ll see in Titus 2 there are two classes of officers/leaders in the church Elders and Deacons.
That’s the NT model.
And it’s based on the OT model instituted;
Exodus 18:13-27
13 It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening.14 Now when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?” 15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 When they have a [a]dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.”
Jethro Counsels Moses
17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. 18 You will surely wear out, both yourself and [b]these people who are with you, for the [c]task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.19 Now listen to [d]me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. [e]You be the people’s representative before God, and you bring the [f]disputes to God, 20 then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do. 21 Furthermore, you shall [g]select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, [h]of hundreds, [i]of fifties and [j]of tens. 22 Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major [k]dispute they will bring to you, but every minor [l]dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to [m]endure, and all [n]these people also will go to [o]their place in peace.”
24 So Moses listened [p]to his father-in-law and did all that he had said.25 Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, [q]of hundreds, [r]of fifties and [s]of tens.26 They judged the people at all times; the difficult [t]dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor [u]dispute they themselves would judge.27 Then Moses [v]bade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way into his own land.
- Now…what kind of leaders?
Character, Competency, Chemistry (Bill Hybels)
UP ON SCREEN:
- 6 namely, if any man is above reproach,
- the husband of one wife,
- having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.
- 7 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,
- 8 but hospitable,
- loving what is good,
- sensible,
- just,
- devout,
- self-controlled,
- 9 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.
Challenge:
- This is every man’s goal character wise. Jesus’ image
- Flesh out your character in your temperament and with your spiritual gifts – you are not a copy, you’re an original
- Every church is desperate for godly men who will set an example and support a pastor
- Will you see this list as a growth path?
- Will you make it focus of your life, because of grace?
- Will you pray for me as I seek to continue to grow?
TEAM TABLE TALK TODAY:
Ok, you’ve got a lot to talk about around the tables today, but the very first thing I’d love for all of you to do is start a TEXT CHAIN of the guys on your table.
- Some of you already have started a TEXT CHAIN.
- Why do this?
- Pray for each other daily
- Emergency prayers
- Reminders to get to FORGE
- Have one person be responsible for the TEXT CHAIN to start it each day.
- You’ll be glad you did this.
WRAP UP:
SLIDE UP:
FORGE ESSENTIALS-
- INVITE A FRIEND (OR AN ENEMY)
- PASS ON ONE TRUTH YOU LEARNED
- BECOME A PARTNER- go to ForgeTruth.com (Donate)
2018 goal: 50 new partners.
- MEMORIZE THE SOS: (Scripture of Series)
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness, and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteous and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.”
Titus 2:11-14
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