WEBVTT 00:00:00.820 --> 00:00:01.410 The book of Titus. 00:00:01.480 --> 00:00:05.500 We're starting a new series together today called Planted. 00:00:07.400 --> 00:00:09.980 This is an important book for us. 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:13.760 I'm excited to be able to go through this because of where we are in our church's history. 00:00:14.100 --> 00:00:21.240 By the way, as you're turning to the book of Titus I think it's important to know, if you're just now getting into the Bible, studying the Bible, learning about the 00:00:21.240 --> 00:00:25.740 Bible, I think it's important to know your Bible is not put together in chronological order. 00:00:25.940 --> 00:00:32.960 So, if you pick thing up and you're like, "I'm going to read through the Bible because I've never read through the Bible," you're gonna find out these stories bounce around frequently between book to book, because 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:35.070 your Bible is not put together chronologically. 00:00:35.880 --> 00:00:40.800 Your Bible is actually put together categorically according to literally genre. 00:00:41.580 --> 00:00:45.320 So, when you look at the New Testament, I'll tell you how they put this complex thing together here. 00:00:45.360 --> 00:00:48.380 They put the four gospels in the front because they're gospels, literally genre. 00:00:48.680 --> 00:00:50.760 The book of Acts, which is a historical book, is next. 00:00:51.220 --> 00:00:53.140 Then, they put the epistles after that. 00:00:53.400 --> 00:00:55.690 The epistles they categorized by the size. 00:00:55.740 --> 00:01:02.940 Look at the next 13 letters after Acts are Paul's epistles, and if you wonder how they put Paul's epistles in the Bible, biggest to 00:01:02.940 --> 00:01:03.340 littlest. 00:01:03.800 --> 00:01:04.120 That's it. 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:06.240 It has nothing to do when it was written, it's biggest to littlest. 00:01:06.260 --> 00:01:13.960 That's why Romans is first You're looking at Timothy and Titus here at the end, which we're gonna read together then Philemon, the little dinky 00:01:14.100 --> 00:01:19.140 book that you can, if you ever want to check something off the to do list read Philemon and feel good about yourself. 00:01:19.140 --> 00:01:23.020 I read a book of the Bible, so really short book. 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:30.170 Then they add the remaining epistles to the end of that and then the book of Revelation, which if you ever read that good luck. 00:01:30.420 --> 00:01:32.690 It's a good Halloween-themed book to read. 00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:35.870 There's a lot of crazy things happening in Revelation. 00:01:36.120 --> 00:01:39.050 That's how your Bible is put together, according to categories. 00:01:39.780 --> 00:01:41.040 Titus is a unique book. 00:01:41.220 --> 00:01:47.320 Timothy and Titus, these three books here towards the end of Paul's letters are considered pastoral epistles. 00:01:47.360 --> 00:01:49.900 I think they're really church planting epistles. 00:01:50.960 --> 00:01:56.520 Paul works with a team to plant churches around the world, proclaiming the gospel, making disciples for Jesus. 00:01:56.800 --> 00:02:02.020 When they're going to these cities and towns and they're seeing churches established, they're talking about healthy church, how can we have healthy church. 00:02:03.240 --> 00:02:06.060 This is a book that very much relates to where we are as a church. 00:02:06.580 --> 00:02:08.479 How can we be a healthy church? 00:02:08.500 --> 00:02:15.760 We are a church plant in a valley where we desire not to just survive but to thrive, to be healthy, to multiply, 00:02:15.980 --> 00:02:18.110 to make a difference, to impact lives. 00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:25.580 Just as Paul writes this book to Titus to make a difference, so we can relate what this letter is about in this 00:02:25.580 --> 00:02:28.060 first century to where we are today. 00:02:29.640 --> 00:02:36.860 I love how morning worship began as we dive into this book, because this 00:02:36.860 --> 00:02:44.000 very much relates to where I want to go for us as a church family When you think about planting a church, there's lots 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:48.830 of different church plants with lots of different styles and approaches to how they begin. 00:02:50.180 --> 00:02:57.880 One of the things that I just want to be cautious about in how we build our churches, what you win people with is 00:02:57.880 --> 00:02:58.920 what you win them to. 00:02:59.900 --> 00:03:00.420 Does that make sense? 00:03:01.540 --> 00:03:08.000 So, there is some danger in the way sometimes we approach church planting with that sort of perspective. 00:03:08.060 --> 00:03:10.680 What you win people with is what you win them to. 00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:18.900 Some churches get into certain patterns of doing things that may be good for the moment, but I don't 00:03:18.900 --> 00:03:20.580 always think it's sustainable for the future. 00:03:20.620 --> 00:03:27.820 One of the things I've really appreciated about ABC is that our history as a church, as we've grown by about 10% 00:03:27.820 --> 00:03:29.100 every year since we started. 00:03:29.140 --> 00:03:30.360 That's a healthy growth rate. 00:03:31.510 --> 00:03:35.940 While I think it's important to be relevant, it's important to be relevant where your culture is. 00:03:36.260 --> 00:03:40.130 I don't think we always have to dive into being trendy, because trendy can get exhausting. 00:03:40.780 --> 00:03:44.680 As fast as culture moves today I would say, especially today trendy can... 00:03:44.860 --> 00:03:51.960 Now, it's important to try to be relevant with the culture, because I think the culture creates the platform to share the gospel, but the 00:03:51.980 --> 00:03:53.220 church isn't called to be trendy. 00:03:53.260 --> 00:03:58.730 It doesn't have to match the culture in every way, but it does need to understand the culture where it's at in order to relate to the people. 00:03:59.180 --> 00:04:01.650 While it's always important to be relevant we don't have to be trendy. 00:04:01.820 --> 00:04:04.200 What you win people with is what you win them to. 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:05.380 Here's what we want to win people to. 00:04:05.600 --> 00:04:07.460 Jesus, right? 00:04:07.480 --> 00:04:10.000 The simplicity of our church should be about this. 00:04:10.100 --> 00:04:11.570 We want to love God, love people. 00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:14.410 I think Jesus called... 00:04:14.640 --> 00:04:16.680 The purpose for which His church exists is to make disciples. 00:04:18.019 --> 00:04:25.120 We want to see people to be genuine followers of Jesus where Jesus transforms their life, and in transforming their lives 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:27.560 it transforms their relationships for Christ. 00:04:28.280 --> 00:04:29.380 We say it very simplistic. 00:04:29.580 --> 00:04:33.820 We want you to experience a transformation in Jesus that transforms your relationships for Jesus. 00:04:35.820 --> 00:04:43.000 Just having the simplicity of a guitar this morning and singing, that is some of my favorite worship where it's just one musical instrument, God's people, 00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:45.970 their voices lifting in worship to God, a beautiful thing. 00:04:45.980 --> 00:04:48.480 It doesn't have to be all the additional things. 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:52.400 It can be, because I think music speaks to the heart and people like that stuff, right? 00:04:53.400 --> 00:04:55.220 But, it's really about where your heart is in Jesus. 00:04:56.440 --> 00:05:01.200 The interest of our heart is about reaching people and where their heart is as it relates to Jesus. 00:05:02.400 --> 00:05:09.560 When you consider the book of Titus that's what Paul is interested in writing this letter. 00:05:09.760 --> 00:05:16.880 Paul is writing this letter to Titus as Titus is sent to the place of Crete in order to see a church that's sustaining. 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:24.520 When we think about our church here we are a church plant, and we want to 00:05:25.240 --> 00:05:32.500 become sustaining and not just be about us, not just about this place and our people, but we're not 00:05:32.500 --> 00:05:39.900 just our kingdom focused but really His Kingdom focus, and how what God does here can multiply beyond us 00:05:39.900 --> 00:05:42.550 throughout this Valley in seeing churches thriving. 00:05:43.940 --> 00:05:51.020 Paul talks about this with Titus in discussing what a healthy church looks 00:05:51.020 --> 00:05:51.500 like. 00:05:51.580 --> 00:05:54.860 Let me just say this in the most simplistic form. 00:05:55.340 --> 00:05:56.290 We think about church. 00:05:56.500 --> 00:06:01.280 I'm not talking about building, I'm talking about me and you. 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:02.660 We are the church. 00:06:04.320 --> 00:06:07.920 The health of the church is determined by the health of the individual that makes up the church. 00:06:09.220 --> 00:06:14.320 So, the big question is, "Where is your heart?" Where is mine before God? 00:06:16.500 --> 00:06:23.520 When Paul starts off this letter, I love the beginning of this because he starts with the foundation of the way the church is leading itself. 00:06:25.260 --> 00:06:29.450 He begins by using his own life as the primary example. 00:06:30.400 --> 00:06:32.670 What we're gonna look at is how Paul views himself. 00:06:32.700 --> 00:06:37.120 When we think about a church thriving in this valley, and the church in Crete thriving. 00:06:37.140 --> 00:06:40.240 As Paul communicates In the meantime, he starts by using himself as an example. 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:41.450 How did Paul view himself? 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:46.040 How did Paul view his God, and how did Paul view ministry? 00:06:46.120 --> 00:06:51.260 So, we're just gonna talk about those three things when it relates to healthy church, and the first five verses of this book. 00:06:51.340 --> 00:06:52.900 We're gonna spend five weeks in this book. 00:06:53.640 --> 00:07:00.820 As we look at how Paul describes how a church plant first century should look, we're gonna relate this to our church and what God desires for 00:07:00.820 --> 00:07:08.020 us, because we want to run, and thrive, and our relationship with Jesus as His community, and how God can call us to make an impact 00:07:08.020 --> 00:07:09.560 in this valley. 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:13.360 How does Paul view himself? 00:07:13.840 --> 00:07:16.560 He uses himself here as the primary example. 00:07:17.160 --> 00:07:24.540 He says this, "Paul, a bond servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, for 00:07:24.540 --> 00:07:31.940 the face of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness." So, Paul begins his identity 00:07:31.940 --> 00:07:37.960 as it relates to church by connecting it to himself and his position in the church. 00:07:38.020 --> 00:07:38.920 I love what he does. 00:07:38.960 --> 00:07:42.540 He takes these two thoughts as it relates to him in the way he does ministry. 00:07:42.740 --> 00:07:50.060 He says, "I have the identity of an apostle and bond servant." I love 00:07:50.060 --> 00:07:56.250 when Paul is sharing who he is as he writes this letter to Titus, the people of Crete. 00:07:56.360 --> 00:08:03.210 He begins his identity not with apostle, like people that just want to put the trump card forward would start there, like, look me and my authority. 00:08:03.660 --> 00:08:11.800 Paul rather lowers himself in his positional understanding that before anything else what he is as it relates to God is 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:12.200 a bond servant. 00:08:14.520 --> 00:08:19.980 God's leaders are never above a plunger and a broom. 00:08:21.160 --> 00:08:28.260 When I graduated from a bible college one of the ceremonies they have at the end of the service when you receive your diploma is 00:08:28.560 --> 00:08:29.660 they give everyone a towel. 00:08:31.760 --> 00:08:39.120 It's to remind you that the purpose of ministry is about serving, and the thing that your Savior, 00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:45.500 the one that you pursue in life, was all about at the end of His life was taking the lowest position of a servant and washing the feet of His disciples. 00:08:47.680 --> 00:08:49.190 He is the one to be modeled, right? 00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:57.120 So, Paul calls himself to this position just like his Savior, just like his Lord and 00:08:57.120 --> 00:09:00.760 God, that he himself is also a bond servant. 00:09:00.840 --> 00:09:02.700 What exactly is a bond servant? 00:09:04.680 --> 00:09:05.620 It really means slave. 00:09:08.500 --> 00:09:10.360 Bond servant is a slave. 00:09:12.900 --> 00:09:16.960 What exactly is Paul trying to get across to us by using these terms? 00:09:17.180 --> 00:09:23.060 In our culture today when we think about slavery we sort of position that word against American history. 00:09:24.820 --> 00:09:33.860 We look back in the 1800s and we see the degrading of a race of people, and 00:09:33.860 --> 00:09:37.160 we sort of associate slavery with that identity. 00:09:37.720 --> 00:09:42.460 But, when the Bible talks about slavery it's not rooted in American understanding of slavery. 00:09:42.780 --> 00:09:47.320 In the time of Paul's days a slave wasn't subject based on race. 00:09:48.700 --> 00:09:52.360 A slave could have been anybody during this time period. 00:09:53.580 --> 00:09:56.400 It wasn't just one particular people group. 00:09:57.720 --> 00:10:04.840 When you look at this idea of bond servant in scripture, the Mosaic law actually allowed indentured servants to become 00:10:04.840 --> 00:10:07.040 bond servants, or slaves. 00:10:08.200 --> 00:10:10.140 Now, why in the world would someone want to do that, right? 00:10:10.540 --> 00:10:17.660 An indentured servant was one that owed a certain debt and they would work for someone to pay it off and they end up paying off that debt, and when they were finally freed from being 00:10:17.660 --> 00:10:23.540 that indentured servant they could make a choice, you can go on your own freedom now or you could become a slave to your master. 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:25.840 Now, why in the world would you do that? 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:28.610 Well, let me give you an example as it relates to our culture today. 00:10:30.180 --> 00:10:37.460 I think it's completely possible in America today to work a job full-time and even beyond 00:10:37.460 --> 00:10:39.540 that and still not to be able to afford where you live. 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:50.600 In the days of indentured servants your master could do such a good job in providing for you that rather 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:53.740 than go out and find a new job you're like, "I got it good where I'm at. 00:10:53.800 --> 00:11:00.860 I want to belong here." They would make themselves a bond servant to that master for their lives, because their master 00:11:00.860 --> 00:11:01.840 treated them so well. 00:11:01.860 --> 00:11:05.820 They could work their job and still have their home and their family taken care of. 00:11:07.620 --> 00:11:14.780 Some would even argue that when you compare some of the ways indentured servants were treated to how we treat people in America when it's 00:11:14.860 --> 00:11:21.900 possible to work a full job and still not be able to afford where you live, that you could be worse off than a slave and that would be an indentured servant subjecting themselves to 00:11:21.900 --> 00:11:22.220 a master. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:26.620 It's not the same as American history. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:34.030 We could even look at that and argue for Paul becoming a bond servant here. 00:11:36.060 --> 00:11:38.540 That he has found a place for which his life is satisfied. 00:11:40.900 --> 00:11:44.900 A bond servant gives the idea that you will be mastered and controlled by something. 00:11:45.900 --> 00:11:48.080 It's impossible not to. 00:11:48.320 --> 00:11:55.300 You're a being created for worship, and being created for worship you will look for something to give you worth, value, and meaning. 00:11:57.100 --> 00:12:04.300 Where you find that you will make yourself belong to it because it gives you your identity, your sense of satisfaction of who you 00:12:04.300 --> 00:12:04.740 are. 00:12:05.320 --> 00:12:09.040 The reality is nothing in life will ultimately satisfy you the way God will. 00:12:11.560 --> 00:12:18.760 So, seeing that, Paul says that his life is mastered and controlled by his Lord. 00:12:20.360 --> 00:12:22.080 You will serve something. 00:12:24.220 --> 00:12:25.810 What controls you? 00:12:27.980 --> 00:12:31.900 Bond servants understand we have a purpose bigger than ourselves. 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:40.420 A bond servant is about dying to self in order to live out that purpose. 00:12:40.420 --> 00:12:45.540 Paul was rescued and he becomes a servant of God to help others find that rescue in him. 00:12:45.700 --> 00:12:52.860 Look what it says, "A bond servant to God, an apostle to Jesus Christ for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to 00:12:52.860 --> 00:13:00.080 godliness." So, he finds his purpose in his identities that relate to God in proclaiming this truth which 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:06.600 really sets him free as he surrenders himself to who God is. 00:13:08.100 --> 00:13:13.020 The church exists for a purpose greater than the individual. 00:13:16.040 --> 00:13:22.100 The second part of verse 1 tells us it's about multiplication. 00:13:22.540 --> 00:13:25.940 Our purpose as a church in multiplication... 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:28.050 Really the word is discipleship. 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:36.180 We say this, the purpose of the church as it relates in verse 1 what Paul is showing us is really 00:13:36.180 --> 00:13:37.820 the great commission and the great commandment. 00:13:38.400 --> 00:13:39.380 I've already told you this. 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:43.160 The great commandment and the great commission. 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:46.330 The great commission is to make disciples, go in the world and make disciples. 00:13:46.620 --> 00:13:53.720 God created the church to make disciples, and the great commandment love God, 00:13:53.720 --> 00:13:54.300 love others. 00:13:56.500 --> 00:13:57.760 God cares about the heart of people. 00:14:00.920 --> 00:14:04.740 God desires to use you to reach the hearts of people that His glory may be made known. 00:14:08.020 --> 00:14:09.020 That's why the church exists. 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:19.140 Paul who once persecuted the church has now made himself a servant of God and 00:14:19.140 --> 00:14:23.460 in serving God he loves what God loves, and what God loves is the church. 00:14:23.500 --> 00:14:24.550 It's His bride. 00:14:26.740 --> 00:14:33.480 Paul helps the church become all that it's called to be, which is why he's writing to Titus in this place of Crete. 00:14:34.460 --> 00:14:35.500 He wants to see them thrive. 00:14:37.000 --> 00:14:43.240 Now, using his life as his own example he says this, "That my identity first is that I am a bond servant. 00:14:45.340 --> 00:14:53.820 I am surrendered to this King who gave His life for us that I might give my life in return for Him," maybe 00:14:53.820 --> 00:15:03.360 even begging the question for us, "Why do you serve God?" Is 00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:07.340 it because of what you get or because of who He is? 00:15:09.730 --> 00:15:13.260 Is God your prize or do you serve Him for another prize? 00:15:15.500 --> 00:15:15.910 Does that make sense? 00:15:16.100 --> 00:15:21.440 Because if you pursue God for what you get, the minute you stop getting what you want guess what you do? 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:27.320 You abandon God, because all He really was a tool to serve your needs. 00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:35.920 The God in that scenario was really you, because you just leveraged God as your tool to get what you want, because you were making it about yourself. 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:41.840 The call to the Christian life is to see God as the prize. 00:15:43.960 --> 00:15:47.220 We do this not even thinking about it theologically as Christians. 00:15:47.340 --> 00:15:49.620 We talk about heaven in that way. 00:15:49.640 --> 00:15:56.720 When we think about eternity we say things like this, "Are you going to Heaven?" Because what makes Heaven heaven is 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:57.060 God. 00:15:58.920 --> 00:15:59.950 It is His presence. 00:16:02.020 --> 00:16:06.120 So, the pursuit of Heaven isn't about the place in itself, because the place apart from God isn't really Heaven. 00:16:07.760 --> 00:16:08.800 God is the prize. 00:16:10.630 --> 00:16:12.940 God is the reason for which we do these things. 00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:18.960 Paul when he's saying he's a bond servant it's not about what he might get from God, but it's because his pursuit is God itself. 00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:26.700 We are called to live for a purpose greater than ourselves and our purpose is found in that relationship to our Lord. 00:16:26.820 --> 00:16:28.640 As we come to love Him we love what He loves. 00:16:32.020 --> 00:16:38.250 What we produce ultimately reproduces, because it's about disciples. 00:16:40.020 --> 00:16:47.220 So, building a church here, this church isn't an end in itself, but rather a means in 00:16:47.220 --> 00:16:54.340 creating an end, which is further disciples in pursuit of Jesus, and living 00:16:54.340 --> 00:16:56.360 out this great commission and great commandment. 00:16:56.440 --> 00:17:03.770 When we look at these two phrases, Paul says one bond servant, which is really what I want us to think about, guys, when it comes to Christianity sometimes 00:17:05.400 --> 00:17:12.420 people will only pursue Christ for the accolades and titles rather than from just the 00:17:12.420 --> 00:17:15.040 sheer joy of relationship and loving God. 00:17:15.040 --> 00:17:19.640 A servant in God's Kingdom is greater than any other position anywhere else. 00:17:21.460 --> 00:17:23.770 You look at these two titles, bond servant and apostle. 00:17:24.220 --> 00:17:31.290 I want to talk just a little bit about what apostle represents, because I think, at least from my theological understanding, 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:35.700 I think sometimes there is a little bit of misunderstanding as it relates to these term. 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:37.480 I want you to know... 00:17:37.560 --> 00:17:38.770 I'm gonna share some theological verses. 00:17:39.040 --> 00:17:41.720 If you disagree with me that's okay, don't be angry, okay. 00:17:43.180 --> 00:17:46.340 But, if you disagree with me find some verses that back up what you disagree with. 00:17:46.740 --> 00:17:46.960 That's it. 00:17:47.960 --> 00:17:55.140 When it comes to apostle I would argue as it relates to apostle today, I find the position of apostle as 00:17:55.280 --> 00:17:56.120 something that has passed. 00:17:56.280 --> 00:17:58.000 Let me give you a few reasons why. 00:17:59.980 --> 00:18:06.360 In Acts chapter 1 Paul says he's a bond servant here, which we want to emphasize, not apostle, but he does have the identity of apostle. 00:18:07.120 --> 00:18:14.420 In Acts chapter 1 when Judas takes his life the disciples quote from scripture and 00:18:14.420 --> 00:18:21.440 they say, "Well, the Bible says," quoting from scripture if you back up to verse 20 you'll see it in the Old Testament they say that it was foretold 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:22.600 that they were to replace this person. 00:18:23.320 --> 00:18:30.440 Acts chapter 1, verse 21, "Therefore, it's necessary that if a man who is accompanying us..." They're giving the qualifications hour for an apostle, "It is necessary that 00:18:30.440 --> 00:18:37.660 a man have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning with the baptism of John until 00:18:37.940 --> 00:18:45.260 the day that he was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection to occupy this ministry, 00:18:45.300 --> 00:18:51.780 an apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." So, it's saying, "Look, Judas is gone. 00:18:52.020 --> 00:18:56.360 It's prophesied that we're supposed to have a 12th apostle right now, and so let's appoint one. 00:18:56.360 --> 00:18:56.860 Here's the qualifications. 00:18:57.320 --> 00:18:59.600 They had to have done ministry with Jesus and see the resurrected Christ. 00:19:00.940 --> 00:19:05.600 One of the reasons I think apostleship isn't something that we pursue today is because the qualification is an impossibility. 00:19:06.780 --> 00:19:09.560 But, in Acts, chapter 1 they lay out what the qualifications were. 00:19:10.600 --> 00:19:13.220 Now, you see that they're picking the 12th apostle here. 00:19:13.220 --> 00:19:16.110 now, we could very easily say, "Okay, what about Paul? 00:19:17.660 --> 00:19:22.480 Where does Paul fit in this?" In 1 Corinthians 15, it says this about Paul. 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:29.640 He's saying that Jesus appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all as to one untimely born he appeared 00:19:29.640 --> 00:19:36.660 to me also, for I am the least of the apostles." So, Paul's saying, "Look, when it comes to the apostles you have the apostles. 00:19:37.020 --> 00:19:45.060 Jesus appeared to the apostles and that was the qualifications to be an apostle, Acts chapter 1 says, but, God also appeared to me and 00:19:45.060 --> 00:19:47.010 this is what give me the opportunity to be an apostle. 00:19:48.220 --> 00:19:50.860 But, His appearance to me was unique. 00:19:50.860 --> 00:19:52.490 I mean this wasn't something that was supposed to continue on. 00:19:53.240 --> 00:19:55.260 "He appeared to me also and I'm the least of the apostles. 00:19:55.760 --> 00:19:59.020 I was one that was untimely born." There's the uniqueness of this. 00:19:59.820 --> 00:20:00.760 So, we look at the 12 apostles. 00:20:01.080 --> 00:20:05.600 The 12 apostles versus the 12 tribes, and then Paul was to the Gentiles. 00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:07.400 He is referred to as the apostle to the Gentiles. 00:20:08.540 --> 00:20:12.260 So, his uniqueness as it relates to the Gentile world was birthed out of this. 00:20:13.820 --> 00:20:18.400 We think about the position of apostle, I just argue with the thought of why would you want to be one? 00:20:19.300 --> 00:20:26.520 Because when you look at what apostles did in scripture, apostles weren't people that 00:20:26.520 --> 00:20:30.750 stood in lofty positions with wealth before crowds. 00:20:31.240 --> 00:20:38.400 Apostles were ones that went into the most dark places of the world and faced the worst 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:40.600 persecution for the proclamation of the gospel. 00:20:42.120 --> 00:20:44.280 That's biblical apostle in New Testament. 00:20:45.700 --> 00:20:52.700 Paul, the 12 apostles, when you study the apostles of the early church, they were severely persecuted, 11 of the 00:20:52.700 --> 00:20:56.860 12 lost their lives because of their faith in Jesus. 00:20:56.920 --> 00:21:03.860 They scattered all over the known world and faced heavy persecution and difficult martyrdom because of their faith in Christ. 00:21:04.340 --> 00:21:05.820 Paul himself one of those. 00:21:07.140 --> 00:21:11.180 The only one that wasn't martyred was John and he was exiled on the Island of Patmos. 00:21:11.660 --> 00:21:13.840 He was thrown in a boiling vat at one point. 00:21:14.940 --> 00:21:17.300 So, they faced tremendous persecution, and Paul writes about it. 00:21:17.980 --> 00:21:24.130 In fact, if you read 2 Corinthians 11, there were people going around calling themselves super apostles and Paul's like, "Why are they super apostles? 00:21:24.560 --> 00:21:31.960 I have more reason to be an apostle than them," and he shares his accolades as being an apostle and look what he says, imprisonments, beaten times without number, 00:21:32.200 --> 00:21:39.520 often in danger of death, five times I received from Jews 39 lashes, three times I was beaten with rod, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, night 00:21:39.520 --> 00:21:46.660 and a day I spent in the deep, I have been on frequent journeys and dangers from rivers, dangers of robbers, dangers of countrymen, dangers of Gentiles, dangers in cities, dangers 00:21:46.660 --> 00:21:48.680 in wilderness, dangers in seas, dangers in... 00:21:48.700 --> 00:21:49.560 You get the point, right? 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:52.310 Why would you want that? 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:54.400 Sign me up! 00:21:54.720 --> 00:22:01.760 But, when you think about these two positions, the purpose in all of this is for us to consider, guys, 00:22:02.020 --> 00:22:06.100 what God calls all of us to be, His servants. 00:22:09.080 --> 00:22:10.860 I'm leery of people that just want titles. 00:22:13.320 --> 00:22:14.680 Don't pursue Jesus for titles. 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:18.660 Titles are things that might bring clarification later. 00:22:20.750 --> 00:22:23.610 We pursue Jesus to serve Him and His kingdom. 00:22:25.180 --> 00:22:32.200 I think if you just want to know a few more verses as it relates to apostolic authority, again this isn't to argue, this is just to challenge 00:22:32.200 --> 00:22:33.020 us theologically. 00:22:34.740 --> 00:22:41.880 2 Corinthians 12, it says "The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance by signs, wonders, and miracles. 00:22:43.800 --> 00:22:51.000 When you read in Acts it tells us that Peter, in chapter 5, performed signs, wonders, and miracles, so much so that people would bring out their sick 00:22:51.120 --> 00:22:53.430 and Peter's shadow would heal them. 00:22:56.880 --> 00:23:02.800 I would just say this, the office of apostle was affirmed by signs, wonders, and miracles. 00:23:03.960 --> 00:23:08.340 In Peter's day, something unique about his time period, is there really weren't any hospitals. 00:23:09.840 --> 00:23:15.600 People associated physical things that happened to you as spiritual torment from the gods. 00:23:16.620 --> 00:23:21.880 You had done something done to make the gods mad, so anything physically wrong with you is because the gods were angry with you. 00:23:22.340 --> 00:23:28.020 In some cultures they would cast you out in the streets, because they didn't want to be caught helping you, because if they helped you that could make the gods angry at them, too. 00:23:28.020 --> 00:23:29.640 So, hospitals weren't in common practice. 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:31.620 It wasn't until about 325 A.D. 00:23:31.660 --> 00:23:37.590 that the Christian church started adding hospitals to their places of worship to treat people. 00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:39.780 Hospitals weren't a regular thing. 00:23:39.860 --> 00:23:46.960 In fact, if you had anything associated with a hospital it was more like medicine men where spiritual leaders would come in 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:50.720 like medicine men and do spiritual chants over you hoping that you got better. 00:23:52.360 --> 00:23:56.700 This is what I would say, anyone that would claim the ability to have signs, wonders, and miracles... 00:23:57.480 --> 00:24:04.860 In Peter's day, Paul's day they didn't really have hospitals, but if you were to claim to have that, then please go to the hospital, go 00:24:04.860 --> 00:24:05.720 heal them please. 00:24:07.640 --> 00:24:10.050 We know where they collect, right? 00:24:11.340 --> 00:24:13.750 Caring for them becomes important. 00:24:14.300 --> 00:24:18.600 But, here's what the early church is taught to do. 00:24:18.760 --> 00:24:25.940 When you read in the New Testament you will not find a letter written by Paul or any of the early 00:24:25.940 --> 00:24:33.420 apostles that says, "Look, your church needs more apostles, or your church needs certain types of leadership." When the 00:24:33.420 --> 00:24:40.700 church established leadership they only had an outline for two positions in the church, one was the deacon and 00:24:40.700 --> 00:24:41.280 the other was an elder. 00:24:42.740 --> 00:24:46.020 So, when the churches are being birthed, like in Crete, you're gonna see this next week. 00:24:46.340 --> 00:24:53.340 When the churches are being birthed [inaudible 00:24:48] world, Paul's not writing them, "Look, you need to appoint apostles." What Paul is writing them 00:24:53.340 --> 00:25:00.600 and saying is, "Look, you need leadership and let's call them elders." So, the church wasn't called to appoint apostles, 00:25:00.600 --> 00:25:01.670 they were called to appoint elders. 00:25:02.500 --> 00:25:09.640 It says this in Ephesians chapter 2 just to put it in perspective, "You're fellow citizens with the saints and all of God's household," so all of us together make 00:25:09.640 --> 00:25:13.500 up God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. 00:25:15.240 --> 00:25:22.420 So, notice in the active tense, we are this right now, we are the saints, we are God's household right now, having been built 00:25:22.420 --> 00:25:25.820 on the past foundation of what the apostles and prophets laid out. 00:25:27.120 --> 00:25:28.820 I would just say this, I would argue this. 00:25:28.920 --> 00:25:33.560 If God wanted us to continue in these positions, that he would lay out the qualifications for that. 00:25:34.060 --> 00:25:39.740 But, because the Bible is silent laying out the qualifications for us to present these in churches but rather what God highlights is the elders. 00:25:39.780 --> 00:25:43.020 What God is interested in leadership in the church as it relates to elders. 00:25:44.620 --> 00:25:45.140 Here's how you find them. 00:25:47.060 --> 00:25:47.970 They have the heart of a servant. 00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:53.440 How do they care for others? 00:25:55.140 --> 00:25:56.340 How do they care for their family? 00:25:57.940 --> 00:25:59.470 How do they minister to the hearts around them? 00:26:01.860 --> 00:26:07.970 The point of all of this, guys, is to remind us that how did Paul view himself as it relates to a thriving church? 00:26:09.520 --> 00:26:11.130 Church is as good as the people that make it up. 00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:14.110 Where's our heart? 00:26:15.300 --> 00:26:16.280 Is it about position? 00:26:17.740 --> 00:26:18.380 It's about service. 00:26:19.640 --> 00:26:20.460 Is it about what we get? 00:26:21.340 --> 00:26:22.440 It's about who He is. 00:26:24.260 --> 00:26:26.200 The heart in these moments is about worship. 00:26:28.300 --> 00:26:30.340 Jesus, you are my King. 00:26:30.670 --> 00:26:32.780 Just move on a little bit further past there. 00:26:32.780 --> 00:26:37.220 Paul not only talks about his identity, but then he talks about his God. 00:26:37.220 --> 00:26:44.380 It says this, "He's a bond servant and an apostle for Jesus for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, and the hope of eternal 00:26:44.380 --> 00:26:52.120 life, which God who cannot lie promised long ages ago." I 00:26:52.120 --> 00:26:59.340 think if we believed what the statement was communicating we would live a little more boldly 00:26:59.600 --> 00:27:01.210 and urgently in our Christian life. 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:08.230 We're talking about in this verse eternal life which God who cannot lie gives to you. 00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:17.500 The death of Jesus, like God becoming flesh and dying for us should communicate the urgency of 00:27:17.500 --> 00:27:18.540 the human condition. 00:27:20.760 --> 00:27:27.780 If God is willing to become flesh and die for us how important it should be for our ears to be 00:27:27.780 --> 00:27:31.340 attentive to what it is He is accomplishing on our behalf at the cross. 00:27:33.540 --> 00:27:34.140 It's eternal life. 00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:38.060 The soul faces eternal death. 00:27:39.940 --> 00:27:41.620 Death doesn't mean you cease to exist. 00:27:41.700 --> 00:27:42.550 Death means separation. 00:27:44.480 --> 00:27:51.600 What God in being the King of peace has brought to us is life, reconciliation to relationship with Him for 00:27:51.640 --> 00:27:52.800 all of eternity. 00:27:54.040 --> 00:28:01.440 He says it this way, "That God cannot lie." What would encourage Paul 00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:02.640 to write this type of statement? 00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:05.480 God doesn't lie. 00:28:07.260 --> 00:28:13.760 Maybe it's because the Cretans he's writing to they thought God was a liar based on what they thought about God. 00:28:15.720 --> 00:28:22.720 When we engage the world we find out that people tend to have a hate for God, but their hate 00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:26.300 for God is based on the idea of the God they've conceived within their mind. 00:28:27.220 --> 00:28:28.860 Doesn't necessitate that it is the real God. 00:28:29.540 --> 00:28:30.030 Does that make sense? 00:28:30.280 --> 00:28:37.940 Sometimes I'll encounter people and they'll say to me, "I hate God because there's so much evil in the world." First 00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:43.480 of all, where did you get the idea for the basis of determining what's right and wrong, what's evil and what's good? 00:28:43.900 --> 00:28:44.710 Where do you think that came from? 00:28:47.400 --> 00:28:55.260 If you've looked at this world to determine certain things are evil and you hate that and God would have created you to hate evil and 00:28:55.260 --> 00:28:58.760 love good, maybe, just maybe, that God agrees with you. 00:29:00.180 --> 00:29:01.580 So, there's a disconnect in their mind. 00:29:01.580 --> 00:29:02.460 There's evil in this world. 00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:03.240 I hate evil. 00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:04.880 God created it so, therefore, I hate God. 00:29:06.340 --> 00:29:11.680 So, there's a disconnect in their mind in trying to be able to understand how God can be good and yet allow evil in this world. 00:29:13.420 --> 00:29:14.440 Why is there evil if God is good? 00:29:17.080 --> 00:29:18.400 The reality is it relates to our death. 00:29:20.500 --> 00:29:27.560 2 Peter 3:9, "God is long-suffering to us, not willing that any should perish but all come to repentance." Our 00:29:27.560 --> 00:29:30.460 souls are disconnected from God. 00:29:31.280 --> 00:29:33.450 Our souls are on a path of death apart from Christ. 00:29:35.160 --> 00:29:40.700 God allows the world to continue in its trajectory to give us opportunity to turn to Him as our King. 00:29:42.780 --> 00:29:45.840 It's His sustaining grace that allows us to breathe right now. 00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:54.260 In His plan of providing grace for you to be able to come to Him, God is also going to reconcile every wrong ever done in this world. 00:29:54.260 --> 00:29:57.980 There will not be a tear that is ever wasted in God's hands. 00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:01.770 God agrees with you. 00:30:02.300 --> 00:30:03.700 God hates evil. 00:30:03.780 --> 00:30:11.260 That is why with such passion He came in this world as flesh and bone and died on the cross so that He can reconcile 00:30:11.260 --> 00:30:12.540 those things in Him. 00:30:14.300 --> 00:30:17.800 Your heart agrees with God in hating evil. 00:30:21.740 --> 00:30:29.100 They don't hate God, they just hate the version of God that they're thinking of, and so they're saying this God does not lie so that we could see the truth of 00:30:29.100 --> 00:30:31.810 God and cling to it. 00:30:32.980 --> 00:30:39.980 As you pursue God in your life here's the comfort of this is that your calling in living for God in this world, your calling is only as capable 00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:40.980 as the one who calls you. 00:30:43.230 --> 00:30:47.360 If what you believe in isn't trustworthy then who cares. 00:30:48.480 --> 00:30:53.540 You could think it's a bed of roses all day long but at the end of the day if it's not dependable it's not gonna hold you. 00:30:55.020 --> 00:31:00.120 If God is who He says He is when He makes a promise you can walk in that. 00:31:01.840 --> 00:31:09.100 As it relates to God what Paul is saying here is, "Look, God has given you promises, because when you live as a church there's gonna be challenges, and in the midst of those challenges 00:31:09.100 --> 00:31:10.540 what do you cling to? 00:31:11.340 --> 00:31:15.540 Do you give into the challenge or your hope in your God? 00:31:17.820 --> 00:31:19.480 God can't lie. 00:31:21.100 --> 00:31:28.140 That makes His promises so precious to us that we would hold onto that and pursue 00:31:28.140 --> 00:31:28.660 Him. 00:31:29.380 --> 00:31:36.500 When you think about this section of scripture and Paul identifying His calling, he's wrapping his calling as a bond servant in 00:31:36.500 --> 00:31:38.000 the truth of who God is. 00:31:38.900 --> 00:31:44.910 When you see anyone doing anything effective for the Lord and His kingdom it always happens that way. 00:31:45.240 --> 00:31:48.460 I love in Exodus chapter 3 when Moses is called at the burning bush. 00:31:49.360 --> 00:31:56.680 God calls Moses, Moses comes to God in Exodus chapter 3, verse 11 and God tells him what He wants him to do and Moses asks this question. 00:31:56.680 --> 00:31:57.460 He says, "Who am I? 00:31:58.780 --> 00:32:00.620 Who am I that I'm gonna do this, God?" Verse 11. 00:32:02.040 --> 00:32:03.200 You know how God answers his question? 00:32:05.620 --> 00:32:06.880 With a question. 00:32:08.620 --> 00:32:10.480 Moses it isn't who are you. 00:32:11.780 --> 00:32:13.470 The question is really who am I? 00:32:15.500 --> 00:32:19.990 Because, everything that God calls Moses to do isn't based on Moses' strength. 00:32:21.280 --> 00:32:22.780 It's based on His. 00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:28.780 That's when God says, "Tell Him I Am has sent you." Yahweh. 00:32:29.600 --> 00:32:32.340 We have the first declaration of scripture in the name of God. 00:32:34.100 --> 00:32:39.020 When you follow that theme in scripture you see that calling on anyone that does anything for the Lord. 00:32:39.020 --> 00:32:42.460 David was passed over because he was a little servant boy. 00:32:43.600 --> 00:32:46.260 He was the least of his brothers, the last brother in line. 00:32:47.620 --> 00:32:52.320 Isaiah, he comes before God in Isaiah chapter 6 and what does he see? 00:32:53.340 --> 00:33:00.520 He sees the angels in heaven surrounding the throne of God as it thunders, and 00:33:00.520 --> 00:33:05.100 the angel comes down and touches Isaiah's lips for the declaration of the message of God. 00:33:05.280 --> 00:33:11.960 Based on God's authority he says, "Here am I, send me." It's not about you. 00:33:13.520 --> 00:33:16.020 It's about Him. 00:33:16.960 --> 00:33:23.940 It's how Paul views himself in light of who God is and so how Paul views his God. 00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:27.100 A third is this, how does Paul view his ministry? 00:33:29.340 --> 00:33:32.780 Look in verse 4 and 5. 00:33:32.780 --> 00:33:36.360 To Titus he finally shares with us where he's sending this. 00:33:36.980 --> 00:33:37.800 To Titus my true son... 00:33:37.800 --> 00:33:38.780 I should probably read verse 3. 00:33:38.800 --> 00:33:39.720 Let me read this for you. 00:33:39.780 --> 00:33:45.940 "But, at the proper time manifested even His Word and the proclamation which I was entrusted according to the command of God our Savior. 00:33:46.040 --> 00:33:50.980 So, Paul has given this message to share he's saying and then he shares this with Titus. 00:33:51.060 --> 00:33:57.160 "To Titus, my true child in a common faith, grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus, our Savior. 00:33:57.460 --> 00:34:03.810 For this reason I left you in Crete that you set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you. 00:34:04.580 --> 00:34:06.060 How does Paul view his ministry? 00:34:07.320 --> 00:34:14.570 So, you see in these verses he's seeing this message God's given him and now he's sharing it with Titus, and he's thinking about in verse 5 Crete, 00:34:14.679 --> 00:34:16.199 the church that's in Crete. 00:34:16.360 --> 00:34:18.360 How does Paul view his ministry? 00:34:20.300 --> 00:34:27.420 When I use the word ministry, or when any of us use the word ministry, I'll always hesitate in saying this, 00:34:27.560 --> 00:34:33.300 because I want us to understand, when we say ministry the focus of ministry is people. 00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:37.040 The primary goal of ministry is not task. 00:34:37.159 --> 00:34:38.360 The goal of ministry is people. 00:34:38.440 --> 00:34:40.320 The reason ministry exists is to reach hearts. 00:34:41.500 --> 00:34:43.960 If there are no hearts to reach, there is no ministry to be had. 00:34:45.199 --> 00:34:46.620 The goal of ministry is people. 00:34:46.620 --> 00:34:47.659 It's not about accomplishing tasks. 00:34:47.699 --> 00:34:49.690 Sometimes you can hear people talk about their calling. 00:34:50.179 --> 00:34:55.460 They'll look at it with dread, like you got to get there and do your job because you've been assigned to do your job. 00:34:55.739 --> 00:35:01.780 If you ever view ministry that way just take a pause in your heart, okay, because that's not what ministry is created for. 00:35:02.100 --> 00:35:06.520 God gives you a place to serve in order to leverage a position to minister to a heart. 00:35:06.520 --> 00:35:07.920 The goal of ministry is about a heart. 00:35:08.360 --> 00:35:11.600 When Paul's thinking about ministry he's not thinking about, "Let's build a church here. 00:35:11.620 --> 00:35:16.620 Let's see a building erected and let's just create this structure, guys. 00:35:16.620 --> 00:35:18.060 No, what he's thinking about is people. 00:35:18.840 --> 00:35:24.620 He's thinking about the hearts of Crete, and he's thinking about those he does ministry with in order to reach the people in Crete. 00:35:24.680 --> 00:35:26.020 So, he's writing this letter to Titus. 00:35:26.600 --> 00:35:32.680 He cares about those he serves alongside and those he is serving with together in order to reach that place. 00:35:33.400 --> 00:35:39.460 So, he's serving with people, concerned about their hearts, and he's serving with these people to reach people, concerned about their hearts. 00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:45.280 So, he checks with Titus, his teammate. 00:35:46.420 --> 00:35:47.920 I love the way Paul refers to him. 00:35:47.980 --> 00:35:51.190 He talks to him about a child, a spiritual child. 00:35:51.980 --> 00:35:59.180 He's got this relationship to him where, I think, Paul led Titus to the Lord, so true child in the common 00:35:59.180 --> 00:35:59.620 faith. 00:35:59.620 --> 00:36:00.860 What unites them is this faith. 00:36:01.520 --> 00:36:04.500 It's not there faith personally but the faith of Christianity. 00:36:06.360 --> 00:36:12.640 He finds this relationship where he's this spiritual mentor, the one who led Titus to the Lord. 00:36:12.640 --> 00:36:18.120 He's a spiritual child under Paul's wing in which he is mentoring him, because Paul in ministry is concerned for his heart. 00:36:18.120 --> 00:36:21.510 That's what ministry is about, the concern for hearts not accomplishing tasks. 00:36:23.320 --> 00:36:26.400 Titus, you see, in the New Testament is mentioned 13 times. 00:36:28.020 --> 00:36:32.340 He went with Paul as Paul conducted his ministry journeys. 00:36:34.120 --> 00:36:36.300 Paul sent Titus to Crete. 00:36:37.520 --> 00:36:38.870 A few reasons, I think, Paul sent Titus. 00:36:39.520 --> 00:36:42.260 Crete was a Gentile area and Titus was a Gentile. 00:36:44.040 --> 00:36:51.140 Unique to Paul's ministry a lot of Jews working with Paul, but here Paul has a Gentile working with him, and Crete 00:36:51.240 --> 00:36:52.090 was a tough area. 00:36:54.000 --> 00:36:55.200 Titus was a tough guy. 00:36:56.820 --> 00:36:57.950 Paul had problems in Corinth. 00:36:58.040 --> 00:36:59.780 He didn't send Timothy, Timothy was too nice. 00:37:00.760 --> 00:37:01.340 He sent Titus. 00:37:03.020 --> 00:37:04.040 He thinks about Crete. 00:37:04.080 --> 00:37:05.540 Crete's a Gentile area. 00:37:05.540 --> 00:37:09.300 Crete's a tough area, and Paul sends Titus. 00:37:10.820 --> 00:37:16.260 I think Paul also sent Titus to Crete because Titus understood the culture better than anyone and could minister to it. 00:37:17.060 --> 00:37:17.980 Context matters. 00:37:19.540 --> 00:37:21.080 Being relevant matters. 00:37:23.180 --> 00:37:25.190 The culture around you matters. 00:37:26.460 --> 00:37:29.380 Culture creates the context to share the gospel. 00:37:31.860 --> 00:37:33.520 Where's the need in where you live? 00:37:35.000 --> 00:37:38.350 How can we leverage the gospel to speak into the hearts of people? 00:37:39.840 --> 00:37:43.160 If you care about the people you'll care about what they care about. 00:37:44.760 --> 00:37:48.300 You'll know them, and you'll love them. 00:37:49.680 --> 00:37:50.700 Titus understood Gentiles. 00:37:51.880 --> 00:37:53.200 Titus understood rough. 00:37:54.640 --> 00:37:56.160 Titus understood this context. 00:37:56.280 --> 00:38:03.600 In fact, in Titus chapter 1, verse 12 it says this, "One of their own, a prophet of their own said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, 00:38:03.700 --> 00:38:08.100 lazy gluttons." What a place, right. 00:38:08.580 --> 00:38:10.790 Buy me some real estate, we're gonna call it a vacation home. 00:38:12.220 --> 00:38:15.950 This place was known as a home for mercenaries for hire. 00:38:16.040 --> 00:38:17.590 The streets were unsafe. 00:38:19.820 --> 00:38:22.140 It was a place of no accountability really. 00:38:22.140 --> 00:38:28.640 It's probably where the slogan was adopted, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." Crete was one of those places. 00:38:28.920 --> 00:38:33.380 But, at the same time it was ripe for the gospel because it was a place where spiritual battle was happening. 00:38:34.340 --> 00:38:40.480 In that darkness you could see the apparent need for Jesus to be made known in the hearts of the people. 00:38:43.160 --> 00:38:50.980 So, Paul sent Titus to establish a church that would make disciples, and 00:38:50.980 --> 00:38:51.620 reach the world. 00:38:53.500 --> 00:38:57.560 Paul knew in order to live out the calling to make disciples he could not do this alone. 00:38:58.760 --> 00:38:59.440 We need each other. 00:39:01.640 --> 00:39:04.300 We need each other to do what God has called us to do. 00:39:05.720 --> 00:39:07.120 Paul worked with a team to do that. 00:39:08.700 --> 00:39:15.880 He says to Titus, verse 5, "That he would set things in order and appoint elders 00:39:15.880 --> 00:39:17.500 in every city as I directed you. 00:39:19.040 --> 00:39:22.840 Find leaders that care to make a difference and set these things in order. 00:39:24.160 --> 00:39:27.180 Find out where the need is in the gospel and help people pursue that. 00:39:28.620 --> 00:39:35.080 Set these things in order and establish leadership. 00:39:35.960 --> 00:39:43.380 Guys, as a church we consider our area, to 00:39:43.380 --> 00:39:51.900 set these things in order and just ask the question, "Where is the need for the gospel in our midst, in 00:39:51.900 --> 00:39:52.320 our communities? 00:39:54.920 --> 00:39:58.620 We all need a burden for which to care and a purpose for which to live. 00:40:00.500 --> 00:40:07.520 To be a thriving church you can think in this context of verse 4 and 5, it's not about ministry to 00:40:07.660 --> 00:40:10.260 accomplish a task but care for the people around us. 00:40:12.660 --> 00:40:19.720 What Paul is saying in this passage is a thriving church needs true servants of the 00:40:19.720 --> 00:40:27.320 Lord, helping God's people mature, believing in God's promises, faithful 00:40:27.320 --> 00:40:34.660 in verse 3 to what God has entrusted us, striving as a team concerned for the gospel need in their area. 00:40:36.550 --> 00:40:40.360 To think about our ministry, our purpose. 00:40:40.460 --> 00:40:45.200 I think about an effective church, my mind thinks of three areas. 00:40:46.580 --> 00:40:47.030 What's the purpose? 00:40:48.240 --> 00:40:49.610 We don't have church just to have church. 00:40:50.860 --> 00:40:53.560 Places may do that, but we don't show up on Sunday just to show up on Sunday. 00:40:54.660 --> 00:40:56.740 Let other people do that, I don't want to do that. 00:40:56.940 --> 00:40:59.800 I didn't move my family across the country to live for that reason. 00:41:00.500 --> 00:41:01.750 I want to make a difference, right? 00:41:02.620 --> 00:41:05.160 What's the purpose for our existence, the great commission, great commandment. 00:41:06.060 --> 00:41:08.100 Make disciples, love god, love people. 00:41:09.820 --> 00:41:10.600 What's the need? 00:41:11.920 --> 00:41:16.260 The context of the culture creates the platform to leverage the gospel. 00:41:18.100 --> 00:41:23.860 What's the need in our area for which we could speak the truth of Christ that sets us free? 00:41:25.420 --> 00:41:31.280 Where does darkness pervade in the lives of people where the gospel and the light of the gospel can make a difference in their hearts? 00:41:33.240 --> 00:41:35.480 How can I share that truth with them? 00:41:37.820 --> 00:41:43.160 For years I've thought about this in our context and I finally brought it down to one word, and I think I've shared with you before. 00:41:45.560 --> 00:41:51.260 I think the most powerful need in our valley, and it may surprise you if you've not heard, but I think it's loneliness. 00:41:55.310 --> 00:41:57.340 I think people today are lonely. 00:41:57.600 --> 00:42:00.580 You look at it and think, "How is that a gospel need?" Let me tell you why. 00:42:03.140 --> 00:42:07.400 In the Garden of Eden when Adam and Even first sinner what did they do? 00:42:10.820 --> 00:42:13.780 They ran and they hid, right? 00:42:13.920 --> 00:42:15.560 They ran and they hid and they clothed themselves. 00:42:16.480 --> 00:42:20.540 Here they had this naked world to run free in and now all of a sudden they got to wear them clothes, right? 00:42:20.960 --> 00:42:23.860 But, they run and they hide. 00:42:23.980 --> 00:42:32.580 What it's communicating for us there is that as soon as sin in the world what followed was separation, loneliness. 00:42:33.960 --> 00:42:34.940 They didn't know what to do with their sin. 00:42:36.640 --> 00:42:38.460 It separated them from one another. 00:42:38.460 --> 00:42:39.580 It separated them from God. 00:42:41.560 --> 00:42:43.440 I think today we still fight that battle. 00:42:44.560 --> 00:42:51.960 We're the most connected as any generation of people could have ever been and still loneliness is one of the deepest needs and 00:42:52.060 --> 00:42:56.740 the core of us as human beings, more so, I think, than ever before. 00:42:58.780 --> 00:43:03.260 So busy we don't have the depth of relationship that our soul longs for, and definitely not with our God. 00:43:04.500 --> 00:43:06.260 What do we do with our sin? 00:43:08.640 --> 00:43:09.780 How do we connect to people? 00:43:11.420 --> 00:43:18.520 The gospel invites us in to show us a God that has pursued us in the midst of our sin that separates from Him, a God 00:43:18.520 --> 00:43:25.560 that desires to know you and to allow you to enjoy all of eternity with Him, a place where in your brokenness you can come and you can just 00:43:25.560 --> 00:43:28.430 be transparent with your failures, because God is the one that heals. 00:43:29.420 --> 00:43:33.930 You don't have to pretend, just bring yourself before the cross. 00:43:34.940 --> 00:43:42.020 That's what this church is, a place of imperfect people gathering together to find our identity in Jesus, because our worth, value, and meaning is really 00:43:42.020 --> 00:43:48.190 not designed to be discovered in anywhere else other than in Him, and for Him to make us new. 00:43:50.000 --> 00:43:50.950 That's how we live our mission. 00:43:52.860 --> 00:44:00.040 In the midst of loneliness here's what we desire, for people to experience a transforming relationship in Jesus 00:44:00.040 --> 00:44:03.540 that transforms their relationships for Jesus. 00:44:05.580 --> 00:44:12.700 At that loneliness our soul aches [inaudible 00:44:09] will be destroyed in Christ and that there would be 00:44:13.180 --> 00:44:19.340 birthed in Jesus a community of people that care and love one another no matter where we come from. 00:44:21.680 --> 00:44:28.680 When we live in that reality God brings life in Him through us to reach this world.