Reflections on "Learning" Titus 3: 12-15; Zechariah 7: 8-10

The final sermon on Titus.  I discovered in my research that this passage is very popular among conservative evangelicals because of its emphasis on teamwork and including others.  If you were to search this passage on the Internet, you would find lots of sermons preached on this passage, which really surprised me.

The idea of doing good works is not new, but the passage really emphasized it, so I thought it would serve as a good reminder for us.  

In our world where church seems to have less relevance, hearing the words of the first Christian communities and how they began to understand themselves and their tasks might be very helpful.

“Learning” Titus 3: 12-15; FPC, Troy; Titus Summer Series; 8/26/12

This passage concludes Paul's letter to Titus. It finishes by mentioning a few persons personally and exhorting people to learn to do good works.

Move 1: Reflect on the mention of personal names.

a. For the budding biblical scholars in our midst, the mention of personal names is one of the arguments for Paul's authorship

1. Paul had a habit of mentioning people in the faith community by name.
2. I suspect Paul used it as a tool for credibility.
3. Fundraisers will tell you that a personal note on a form letter greatly increases the likelihood of donor giving.
4. Paul could have done it; those writing in Paul's name might have understood that as well.

100. Reminder that ministry is personal.

1. In A Theology of Personal Ministry [Zondervan], Lawrence Richards and Gib Martin state (p. 201), “The key to effective ministry is never found in its institutional setting, but always in its relational setting. Whenever believers come to know and care for others—and reach out to share, encourage, and help— there is the setting for the most significant ministries that can take place.”

2. The institutional questions facing the early church might have been how what criteria do we need for leaders of the church; or what should we teach our members.

But the answer is found in the personal commitments to ministry and one another that are made by those believers as they come together.

4. that is true for us today. We have institutional questions: how does the church minister in the 21^st century; we have a Session that tries to guide and give vision and direction.
5. But ultimately, the ministry is done personally.

d. This letter reminds us that ministry is personal.

Move 2: The letter also models for us the importance of expanding the circle of leadership and inviting others into ministry.

a. The letter is no longer a conversation between Titus and the author exclusively.

b. Others are needed (I adapted the following descriptions of the people from a sermon entitled PAUL’S TEAM; Titus 3:12-15; June 3, 2007; Steve J. Cole; Flagstaff Christian Fellowship; http://www.fcfonline.org/content/1/sermons/060307M.pdf)  

1. Artemas: This is the only reference to this man. From his name we can guess that he was a Gentile. From the fact that Paul considered him a worthy replacement for Titus, we can surmise that he was a competent, knowledgeable, and faithful. If Titus is going to go to other places to help, someone like Artemas will need to take over his work in Crete.

2. Tychicus – another faithful Gentile believer, a native of Asia (western Turkey). He had traveled with Paul, along with some others, at the close of Paul’s third missionary journey (Acts 20:4). Later, he was with Paul during his first Roman imprisonment.

Paul sent the letters to the Ephesians and Colossians with Tychicus, who told those churches about Paul’s circumstances (Eph. 6:21-22; Col. 4:7-9). IN the letter to the Colossians, Paul calls Tychicus “our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord” (Col. 4:7).

3. Zenas the lawyer --This is the only reference to Zenas in the Bible. His Greek name may mean that he was a Gentile lawyer, but the fact that he was poor enough for Paul to ask Titus to help supply his needs may mean that he was a Jewish expert in the Mosaic law. In any case, he had set aside his career long enough to accompany Apollos on this trip. The two men probably carried the epistle of Titus to Crete. One of the early church traditions has it that Zenas was the bishop of Lydda.

4. Apollos – He was a Jew from Alexandria in northern Egypt, an eloquent orator, mighty in the Scriptures, and fervent in spirit (Acts 18:24, 25). He came to Ephesus where Priscilla and Aquila, took him aside and taught him the way of God more accurately. Later, he had a powerful ministry in Corinth.

b. Ministry needs others.

1. Lillian Daniel, in the book that she co-authored with Martin Copenhaver entitled This Odd and Wondrous Calling, relates that at her daughter’s elementary school musical, the printed program modestly explained: “This musical was originally written for 15 actors, but it has been adapted to accommodate our cast of 206.”

She continues, “You know what kind of show this was. It was the chaotic result of no-cut auditions, where no performer is left without something special to do. Each grade had a scene they had been rehearsing for months. They danced, they sang, they dressed up like archaeologists and Egyptian mummies. Somehow 206 children made their way across the stage that night. It was not a short program.”

2. You know that type of show. Everyone is involved.

3. That's the type of ministry to which Christ calls us – everyone needs to be involved.

4. Yes, some have special gifts that are needed for special tasks; but all of us are needed for the overall ministry.
   
   
5. To change people's lives, to change the world demands lots of help.

Ministry is personal and involves lots of people.

Move 3: Exhortation to learn how to do good works

a. A couple of things to note right off the bat about doing good works.

1. Good works do not save us.

2. . That has been addressed earlier in the Chapter 5 when we are told that Christ does not save us because of our good works.

3. Good works is not about earning salvation.

b. Secondly, notice that they are told to do good works so that they “may not be unproductive.”

1. the letters seems less concerned about the recipients of the good works than than ones doing good works.

2. . Not to say that the people who benefit from the good works do not matter.

3. We could spend another sermon or two discussing how important the people we serve are, or the importance of the good deeds connecting with the needs of the people being served.

4. Last week as you heard the stories of mission opportunities that have happened this summer, I hope you heard how much the people being served were valued.

5. But, in the context of this letter, the good works are not done to earn salvation, the issue is not the people being served.

c. The primary questions is what it means to follow the resurrected Christ.

1. One of the basic building blocks is learning how to do do good works.

2. Not a new idea – the prophet Zechariah, whom we read this morning – tells Israel how it should live as God's people, and it includes caring for the widows and orphans and offering hospitality to strangers.

2. Learning to respond to the resurrection of Christ by extending God's freeing grace to others.

d. Learning also suggests teaching.

1. Role of the church as an institution.

2. be a place where people can come to learn about how to do good deeds.

3. Giving hand-on opportunities to engage in ministry.

4. Studying together to learn where God's Word sends and what God is calling us to do.

Conclusion: We are about to begin celebrating our Bicentennial. 200 years of being First Presbyterian Church here in downtown Troy.

Ultimately, the measure of this church is not the number of years it has been in existence, but the way in which we have shared the good news of Christ's resurrection and equipped those who have heard the good news to go into the world to do good works.