A Church Who Lives Together (Titus 3:9-15)
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
A Church Who Lives Together
Titus 3:9-15
Sunday, August 11, 2024
Land O’ Lakes Bible Church
Introduction
Introduction
At some point from my teenage years to the season of being in many friends' weddings, an interesting trend appeared, the trend of using two separate jars or bottles of sand and pouring them into one as a symbol of the couple’s unity. In case you have not seen this, they take their jars of sand and pour it together and it forms unique designs as they do this. We did not do this and I honestly never paid that much attention to the details to understand the fullness of it. Before this trend was unity candles.
It's interesting all the ways that we have come up with to symbolize unity and its importance. In high school, we had a chaplain use pieces of saran wrap in a Friday chapel before the game to show how a single piece is easy to tear, but many wrapped together is impossible to tear, even by the strongest players on the team, even if they worked together.
These things show that unity is important. It is important on a team, it is important in a family, and it is important in the church. The church is to be a united people in the hope of the gospel. A unity that must be guarded, because when disunity begins to creep in it begins to break apart the people. But not only does it break apart the people, that disunity hinders the productivity of the church in working towards its mission. And this is what we are going to talk about this morning. So I invite you to take out your Bibles and turn with me to Titus 3:9-15. If you are using one of the Red Pew Bibles, you can find our passage on page #1185.
The key theme of Titus has been that there is a link to our faith and daily living. That our faith in Jesus is to change the way we live as men, women, in the workplace, and in our interactions with others. All because of the mercy and grace of God to us in Jesus. And it is this truth that is the grounds for the instructions for the church to live rightly and the rebuke toward these false teachers. It is because of these things, the church must rightly be put in order, starting with its leaders, then to the whole of the church, so that together the church may display the mercy of God as the embassy of God, advancing his rule and his purposes to those in a foreign country in good ways. We see this idea of being purposeful as we conclude the letter this morning. (Titus 3:1-15).
Main Idea: If we are to be a useful church, we must be devoted to good works and avoid divisiveness.
We are going to unfold this in 2 points: (1) Unprofitable Work (V.9-11) and (2) Profitable Work (V.12-15).
Point #1: Unprofitable Work
Point #1: Unprofitable Work
In Titus 3:8, which we looked at last week, we see that being devoted to good works is excellent and profitable for people, speaking to those in the Church of Crete, those who have been saved and transformed by God’s grace. But, V.9-11 shifts from what is profitable and good to that which is unprofitable. Starting with instructions for Titus. V.9.
Paul has already spent time in the letter warning Titus and the Church of Crete to beware false teachers, to rebuke them as they contradict sound doctrine, and how they are known by their works. But now, Titus himself is being reminded to make sure he himself does not enter a work that is unprofitable and worthless. For the time is short and Paul wants Titus to stay on task, to stay focused on the mission at hand and what is actually important. In other words, Paul is telling Titus there is no time for these foolish controversies, these genealogy discussions, these dissensions, that is arguments, and these quarrels. These things are unprofitable.
As time was precious for Titus and Paul in their ministry, the same is true today. The time is short. And the things of foolish controversies, foolish genealogies, foolish arguments, and foolish quarrels about the law are a waste of our time and energy. And yet, we are so quickly and easily sucked into such foolishness about the law.
As to what these foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments, and quarrels about the law that Paul is referring to is again uncertain, but there are lessons to learn from this. As one commentator notes, it certainly cannot refer to all controversies or Titus would need to retire from any ministry work. But it is the foolish controversies regarding the law that Titus is to avoid.
In his own day, Charles Spurgeon commented about such controversies, writing:
Our days are few and are far better spent in doing good than in disputing over matters that are, at best, of minor importance. The old Schoolmen did a world of mischief by their incessant discussion of subjects of no practical importance, and our churches suffer much from petty wars over abstruse points and unimportant questions. After everything has been said that can be said, neither party is any the wiser. Therefore the discussion no more promotes knowledge than love, and it is foolish to sow in so barren a field.
This was true in Spurgeon’s day and it is true in our day. So many controversies and disputes arise within the church that cause disunity over minor things, some even on silly things. Consider many of the common controversies that have arisen in our days, controversies over instruments in the church service that have caused church splits. The arguing over what color the carpet should be. Such trivial things. Other arguments regarding what we can call third tier levels of doctrine.
First tier level being that which is essential to the gospel and salvation. These are of first importance and should not be compromised. Namely that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. The truths of this and other matters will divide and rightly so. These we certainly should not be afraid to divide as the cross is folly to all who do not believe.
Second tier issues are that which separate us from others, particularly in levels we do not deny salvation, but we couldn’t necessarily belong to the same church. Issues such as the mode of baptism. I love many of our Presbyterian brothers and sisters and am eager to partner with them in gospel ministry. However, I likely could not nor would not belong to a Presbyterian Church being convinced by Scripture the mode of baptism is immersion and not sprinkling. Or issues on how a church is structured could lead us to this level of separation.
But many of the issues that arise and create disunity and quarrels are matters of differences of opinion. Dividing over preferences regarding carpet colors, musical instruments, opinions on matters of sabbaths and the intake of wine, or the timing of the end times. Beloved, the Bible does not insist towards any of these views and yet we so easily are caught up in quarrels and controversies regarding these matters to the point of breaking apart from one another. Oh the day that will come when congregations never break up from such!
These controversies and quarrels are foolish, they add not one ounce of love for God and neighbor, therefore not helping us to grow in godliness and become more like Christ!
Our days are short, we are here today and gone tomorrow. For like grass we wither away. This is not to be Debbie downer, but this is to help us see the brevity of life if we haven’t already come to recognize that fact. And because our time is short, we have no such time to be wasting away in controversies, genealogies, arguments, and quarrels about the law that are rooted in speculation and have no adding of godliness. Beloved, let us be wise and productive, not foolish and unproductive in the use of our time, not just from the public ministry of the word, but in the private as well. As you talk with one another before and after our gathering, through the week, and as you do life together, help one another avoid such unproductive discussions for the sake of one another. But if this is true, then we must also beware of those who seek to insist on such foolishness. V.10-11.
Paul returns to warn Titus again of the false teachers, those who stir up such divisions by these foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments and quarrels about the law. He tells Titus to pursue the steps of warning them in hopes that the warning will sink in and take hold in their hearts about the seriousness of what they are doing to the body of Christ, creating division by controversies and arguments and quarrels.
There will undoubtedly be times where division will happen, where division is actually good and right. One of the ways that division should rightly happen according to the gospel is a clear division between those who are in and out of the covenant community of God. You see, one of the ways that the gospel has always divided is by rightly dividing those who are in and out, those who have professed faith and those who have not. To some, this seems like division, but this is the lines that Jesus himself drew in Matthew 16 in giving the keys of the kingdom to the church, those who had professed faith in him as the Christ were to be brought in and those who had not were to be bound and cast out.
Again, there are moments of necessary division. And we should be careful before calling any division bad. However, we must not divide where our King has not divided, particularly over issues of controversy, quarreling, arguments, and genealogies that have no eternal value. And division over such petty things is not to be tolerated.
When such foolish division creeps in, Paul urges Titus, and those with him, to go and warn them once, and then again if they fail to hear and repent. But after that, if they continue to sow seeds of division, they are to be cast out and nothing more is to be done with them. For they have planted their feet in the work of sowing division amongst God’s people, not laboring for a people united in and under King Jesus!
And such as these are already self condemned, because they are a person warped and sinful (v.11). They care not about the knowledge of truth which accords with godliness. Instead they would grumble and gossip and slander to sow the seeds of discord and break apart the church as they are given to their unprofitable work rooted in foolishness. They in their hearts are already condemned for their persistence on disunity.
Proverbs 6:16–19 (NIV)
16There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:
17haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
And so, without hesitation or delay, if there is one in our midst who is self-condemned, having been warned once, then twice about sowing the seeds of division, of conflict, they are to be removed and had nothing more to do with. For their judgment is already sealed, they are self-condemned as one who is warped and sinful.
Their desire is not for the good of their brothers and sisters in Christ, their desire is to be right, to push forward their opinions, preferences, and agendas and not Christ’s.
Brothers and sisters, we must take serious the call to warn such that are or maybe in our midst for the good of the body of Christ and the glory of our LORD!
Land O’ Lakes Bible Church, let us be a church that labors to avoid that which is unprofitable, setting our time, our energy, our focus on that which is profitable.
Point #2: Profitable Work
Point #2: Profitable Work
V.12. Unprofitable work is that which is given to controversies, arguments, quarrels, but profitable work is a work that is built around true fellowship and living together. Titus was sent by Paul to do a job, a job in which further instructions have been given even in this letter, but as winter approaches, Paul desires Titus to join him, to spend time together in the winter. What a beautiful picture of Christian brotherhood!
Despite all the work needed to be done, the setting in order, the establishing of elders, the rebuking of false teachers, Paul desires Titus to join him after his replacement has arrived. Whether there is another work to prepare for or this is merely a time of encouragement we know not for sure. But what is clear is that time together is of vital importance, and a strong encouragement to us today in regards to application.
There is not a more fruitful, more productive work that we can give ourselves to as the church than time with one another, on Sunday mornings and throughout the week. For it is in this time together where we are then able to labor for each other's good, encourage one another, stir one another, not in controversies and quarrels, but in the knowledge of truth and towards godliness. This is fruitful and productive labor in ministry.
More so, notice what is enabling Titus to go to Paul, the sending of a replacement in Artemas or Tychicus. Whether they are coming to replace Titus for a season or for the long haul in Crete, again, we do not know. But a practical application for productive ministry here is to labor productively and fruitfully, but hold the ministry loosely. Gospel ministry is not to be held onto firmly by any of its laborers. This means as pastor, I should labor diligently to be fruitful and productive. Yet at the same time, I am not laboring as if all of the ministry is dependent on me. While I pray that I am here a long long time and this doesn’t happen anytime soon, unless the Lord returns beforehand, I will not be the last pastor at Land O’ Lakes Bible Church. Therefore, like Paul, and even here Titus, I must be ready to pass on ministry to others, to hand it off, entrusting that the Spirit will carry the work on through others.
Church, do not hold onto ministry as if it is dependent on you or as if no one else is capable of replacing you. Productive ministry isn’t dependent on one person, it is ministry that is held loosely in realizing others may step into the work as partners or in replacing you.
V.13. Productive and fruitful gospel work goes to work to aid others in pursuit of gospel ministry. Paul has just been writing telling Titus to instruct those in the Church of Crete to do that which is good, to be considerate to others. And here he presents them with an easy way to do that. He tells them of two that are coming their way, two that he knows and commends them to support in sending them on their way.
Now, a misapplication of this would be that everyone who comes in here asking for us to support them and send them on their way, we should support. By no means is that what Paul here is encouraging those in Crete or us here in Land O’ Lakes today. He is encouraging the support of known, faithful workers to help them ensure they have what they need, likely on their way to advance the gospel.
And while this is the only place we see Zenas mentioned in the Bible, Apollos is mentioned elsewhere. First in the book of Acts, Acts 18:24 in speaking boldly about Jesus. He was later discipled, but then mentioned again throughout 1 Corinthians. Both though have Paul’s recommendation to support, and now the Church can go to productive work in supporting these two as they travel. They can ensure they are well equipped for the journey ahead, especially since there is no Energy Mart or Pick N Save to stop and get supplies on the way.
V.14. Paul once more here calls the people to ensure they are being devoted to doing good works, helping cases of urgent need, being fruitful and not unfruitful in all they do. For the knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness is summed up in living lives that do good. The false teachers are unfit to do good works (1:16), Titus is to be a model of good works (2:7), the people are to be zealous for good works (2:14). And so, again Paul repeats what was said in V.8 here in V.14, be devoted to good works.
Brothers and sisters, does this describe our lives? That we are devoted to good works? To help out with urgent needs in the church? In the community? Helping the broken people around us?
Let me take the moment to encourage here, many of you do this extremely well. Stepping up to help with a broken door, a leaking roof, helping support one another in the providing of meals or extra cash flow. In the nearly year of being here church, this has already been visible, and may that always stay true. May we here at Land O’ Lakes Bible Church always be a people who are quick to do good, meeting urgent needs and living productive lives in Christ.
But return with me here to a particular phrase Paul uses here in V.14, our people. Paul here uses this pastoral phrase of ownership and binding to the people with this, our. He takes responsibility for them, but affectionately cares for them. For these are those he is united to in their fellow union with Christ.
For this our is both encouraging in uniting a people to Jesus, but it is also a phrase that makes a clear distinction. A distinction that he is talking to those who have entered the covenant of grace in Jesus, his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, his fellow Christians.
Paul has already called those who were divisive warped and sinful and self-condemned (3:10-11). He has already said that the false teachers are incapable of good works (1:16). But here, he is seeing those who have tasted and been transformed by the grace of the gospel to be devoted to good works.
As Christians, we must continue to learn to be devoted to good works, to doing good as we follow King Jesus.
But if you are one here this morning who has not yet believed in Jesus, friend, the call to be devoted to good works is actually not for you. In fact, you are incapable of such good works apart from Christ.
But, here is the good news for you, Christ stands ready to save you by his grace. He stands ready to do you good in welcoming you into his arms if you will but come and rest in his arms, in his salvation. For he came and laid down his life as a sacrificial lamb in order to take away your sins. He died, was buried, but rose again defeating the curse of sin and death. And he has come to give life to all who believe in him, who place their faith, their hope in him and him alone for salvation. Friend, if you have not yet believed, will you make today the day of your salvation? Will you make today the day that you come and rest in the arms of Jesus, trusting him alone to deliver you from your sins? I’d love to talk with you after the end of our service and tell you more about this, or grab a friend nearby and let them tell you.
V.15. Paul closes this letter with the sending of greetings, again to those who love us in the faith, recognizing the family love amongst believers, and wishes grace be with them all.
A productive church is a church who lives together in unity, unity built on the knowledge of truth that leads to godliness. A church that serves and cares for one another, builds one another up, rejoices and weeps with one another, a church that rebukes one another as necessary, a church that seeks to do good and point others to Jesus! Land O’ Lakes Bible Church, if we commit to laboring for this kind of unity and giving ourselves to this kind of labor, we will be a productive church that produces fruit and brings glory to our great God! And we should, because we are to be a people who live together in unity, a unity rooted in the gospel.
Let’s pray…
Endnotes
[1] Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon Commentary: Titus, ed. Elliot Ritzema, Spurgeon Commentary Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014), 336–337.
