Category: Devotions

This was a church that had seen many people come to faith in Christ. It was a large church with small groups but these were not healthy, they were cliques and each had their own charismatic ‘hero’. The most challenging of groups were those of rich and poor. They wouldn’t even sit together at the Church fellowship events. Church teaching that called for righteous living had been on the decline and this showed in the pews. The leaders were struggling to hold on to their authority as no one was listening anymore. Everyone was doing their own thing without the slightest concern for one another. Some were taking their fellow believers to court and others were not interested in whether or not they hurt them by their own behaviour. They loved the charismatic gifts, the louder and more dramatic the better. But no one was too concerned about love.

Welcome to the Church. This is Corinth. And this is the Apostle Paul’s first letter to them. He co-wrote it with a man known by everyone, Sosthenes, or perhaps he transcribed as Paul dictated his letter. He wrote it probably from the city of Ephesus around AD53-55 and he did so because someone had told him of how I described the church above.

“Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1 v 1-3)

So the Church that I described is receiving a letter from the Apostle addressing these problems. How will he commence that letter? If he is angry then the opening doesn’t show this. He certainly doesn’t start letting off steam.

It helps us. We may not write letters anymore but we still respond. When things have gone wrong; when Christians are hypocritical; when the Church is not what it should be: how do we respond? Do we just let our anger spill over to them or about them to others? If you see a Christian wander from the truth how do you bring them back? The final question and probably the most difficult: if you have heard that Christians have spoken against you what do you then do?

The way Paul commences his letter gives us some help towards having a more Christ-like response:

• Be confident about yourself. Know your own position in God. Have no doubts about your own calling. Step forward knowing that you are here for such a time as this appointed by God.
• Remind the person/s of their position in God. They belong to God. They are not just a church they are the church of God. It is God’s church. Not yours and not theirs.
• Bring God into the front end of what you are about to say. It is easier to confront when God’s presence is acknowledged. He has cleansed them and separated them for a life with Him. Paul is thanking God for what He has done in their lives.

There are times in all our lives when we have to confront people who are just wrong. Paul certainly helps us with these 3 principles. Don’t go in angrily but do go in confidently, knowing these people belong to God and they do have an experience of Him.

So how are you going to live the rest of your life? Productive lives Titus 3 v 14-15 

Big question for a Wednesday morning I know!

But this is how Paul wraps his letter up to Titus. 

“Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives. Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith.” (Titus 3 v 14-15)

If you decide today to continue to do what is good and if you focus on the urgent needs of others then this will mean your life is productive according to Paul. 

It’s not a bad idea is it?

Thinking of others more than your own feelings and desires.

The world would say production is the other way round. 

Perhaps the way Paul ends the letter with the message of grace is actually the only way anyone of us will accomplish spiritually productive lives. May it be so for all who read this today!

Thank you for journeying with me through this amazing letter to Titus.

Note:

 Please permit me to say one more thing. It is around 8 years since I asked for money through these blogs. But I do so right now.

Over the last few months elim leaders across the world have been praying for a young boy, the teenage son of one of the pastors of elim global. He had awful cancerous tumour and we were praying for a miracle.

This morning at 430am I was able to have a video call with Pastor Weros, his wife and family who were around the hospital bed of Justin, in Bali. Justin had a few minutes before passed away into the presence of Jesus. Hearts are broken obviously and yet also the financial burden is high. They need to bring the body back home, to the island of Sumba and then prepare for the funeral. So today I am asking if you could send anything you have to the UK Elim Missions office, marked ‘For Justin’ to the following:

Account name: ETC EFGA International Missions Board. Sort code 30-91-87. Account number 01439364. Transaction reference: For Justin.

 

Tomorrow I will get a picture of 2 of my friends, one is Ugandan and one is a Brit. They are meeting for the first time. They are both close friends and tomorrow they will meet and I hope will become friends. This is what I love about the power of friendship.

The Apostle Paul knew the power of friendship.

“As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there. 13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need.” (Titus 3 v 12-13)

Artemis was an important goddess in the Greek pantheon, tradition says this one became the bishop of Lystra and yet what we definitely know is that was a friend of Paul.

Some think Tychicus was originally one of Paul’s students. He was one who definitely accompanied Paul on his mission journeys and yet probably more important than all this, the student had become a friend of Paul. 

Zenas the Christian lawyer has been venerated as a saint by the Catholics but before this he was a friend of Paul.

Apollos was definitely a significant leader in the Church originating from Egypt. A colleague and most importantly a friend of Paul.

Titus is told to meet Paul in Nicopolis for the winter break. Where it was (in Greece) is not as important as the fact that Paul wanted his friend Titus to be with him.

Artemis, Tychicus, Zenas, Apollos and Titus, friends of Paul. 

Right now who do you class as your friends? 

I don’t mean people you once knew.

I don’t mean Facebook friends.

I mean friends who you still send, support and cheer on in ministry, v12.

I mean friends you ask to spend time with, v12.

I mean friends you connect your other friends with because you know they will be supported, v13.

We all need friends. Let us thank God for them. Let us not abandon them.

“But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.” (Titus 3 v9-11)

I wonder what Paul would say about the foolish controversies and arguments that exist today in the church? We may not be concerned about genealogies and the law of Moses but nevertheless we see division.

In contrast to what people thought was important, within this letter, Paul is focused on practical living and behaviour. He could no doubt debate and probably win those who want to argue things that are nothing short of ‘foolish’. But he would rather focus on the simple Word of God. Keeping the main thing the main thing. 

Ever find yourself in a heated conversation asking yourself why you are arguing this particular topic? 

Is it helpful?

Is it encouraging?

Is it edifying?

Some people are not only involved in such controversies they are actually ‘divisive’. 

We do well to draw from Paul’s advice given to Titus: try and convince a divisive person to stop behaving the way they are and if they don’t change then make a decision to turn way from them.

Interestingly Paul doesn’t advocate for continuing to try to persuade the person nor to publicly humiliate them but to leave them alone and presumably taking into account what Paul says elsewhere, leave them to God. 

Why waste your life walking with divisive people? 

(Titus 3:8)

Actions speak louder than words.

Don’t judge a book by its cover.

The early bird catches the worm.

Practice makes perfect.

Better late than never.

No these don’t originate from Paul. But this does:-

“This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.” (Titus‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬)

I’ve been thinking this morning of “This is a trustworthy saying”. I think Paul is wanting Titus and the churches to build their lives on it. To not only memorise it but to do it. 

With the loudness of so many voices crowding the church today it is time for trustworthy sayings!

He has 3 more, written to his other spiritual son and all being “trustworthy” :-

• “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:15.
• “Godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8.
• “If we have died with him, we will also live with him.”  2 Timothy 2:11
• And this one today …”so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to do good works.”

4 trustworthy sayings to build our lives on. Can you memorise them? Can you apply them to your life?

Titus 3 v 4-7

Paul is telling Titus that he should remind the church that they were no better than the Cretans they live with. The only difference is that the church had eceived grace and grace changed everything for them. 

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3 v 4-7)

His grace is amazing but it also offensive. It is not fair. There seems to be no justice.

It throws parties for sons who have wasted the inheritance.

It promises assurance to dying thieves who ask to be remembered in the next life.

It is found in defeat not victory.

In the prisons of failure not the palaces of achievement.

It refuses to break the bruised reed that everyone wants to break or snuff out the smouldering wick that everyone sees as useless.

Grace says this: God loves you. Nothing else. That’s it. Right now. How things are. No matter how bad.

If you really want to gauge your love for God then look at how you have been loving people.

If we focus our attention on what people are not or what they should be then we have not understood grace. 

Who is your enemy? Who is the person that hurt you? If you could what would you do to them? What do they deserve? Grace was given to you so where is grace? 

Paul is telling Titus that he should remind the church that they were no better than the Cretans they live with. The only difference is that they have received mercy and mercy changed everything for them. 

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3 v 4-7)

Years ago, there was a master violinist in Europe. He would play in concerts, and he had a magnificent

Stradivarius violin, extremely expensive. He would play the Stradivarius violin in concert and everyone would whisper in the crowd, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” He would play in churches, and people would say, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” He even played before kings and queens, and they, too, would turn to one another and say, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” All the glory went to the instrument.

Then one day this master violinist was walking by a pawn shop. He noticed an old, beat-up, worn-out violin. He walked into the pawn shop and asked how much it would cost. The owner of the pawn shop told him the American equivalent of five dollars. He bought the violin, and he took it home. He polished it, and he refined it, and he tuned it, and he re-tuned it, and he built some character into that violin. Then, when he was to play the greatest performance of his life in a concert hall, he took out the little, five-dollar, worn-out, beat- up violin that he had polished and refined. He put it up to his chin, and he began to play, and everybody in the concert hall whispered, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” (“Rejoicing in Our Suffering,” Preaching Today, Tape No. 74)

I have met and will continue to purposely meet many five-dollar, worn-out, beat-up, violin-type people around the world. At first glance there isn’t much to look at until you realise the master has got hold of their life and something beautiful emerges. I have heard the beautiful sound of the Stradivarius from the amputees of Sierra Leone; the persecuted of northern Nigeria and Burkina Faso; the raped and the child-soldiers of DRC; the prisons of Niger; the HIV stories of Eswatini; the famine of many nations; the slums of Kenya; the lepers of India; the graves of Zimbabwe; the orphans of Malawi; the list just goes on. And the sound coming from the pain … there is none like it in the whole world! 

They are rejoicing because of mercy.

They are not carrying the evil acts that were committed against them. Mercy has cleansed the evil that has been done to them. 

Martin Luther King, Jr. stated that: “The old law about ‘an eye for an eye’ leaves everybody blind.”

Those who carry a sense of right and wrong are prone to revenge and retaliation. 

What is in your hands can be a blessing or a curse.

We have all seen how position and power can inflict a retaliation that is way beyond what is equal to any mistake or pain inflicted on you. We have seen that innthe regime leaders around the world, government leaders and sadly we have seen it with Church leaders.

The abuse of power. Justified in the eyes of those who hold the sword in their hands but not in the sight of God.

Let’s be different today. Where there is hurt let us bless. Where offence comes let us take every barrier down. Where there is war let us bring peace. Who do you struggle with today? Bless them. Show kindness. Demonstrate the cross. Die for them. Do not pick up the sword no matter what they have done. This life may have battered you into a worn out violin but mercy will make you sound like a a Stradivarius. 

As we show mercy then mercy is proven in us.

Mercy was given to you so where is mercy? 

Not that we are better. But Paul now reminds Titus of how they used to be before their salvation.

 “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.” (Titus 3 v 3)

It’s quite a picture and Paul doesn’t hold back.

Read the list gin slowly. 

So this is why we should show compassion to everyone. It is because we are no better and we know better. For we too were as guilty as what annoys us in other people. 

We feel that sinful nature in us even now.

I’ve witnessed in my life many times people being unkind to others because they feel justified in being so. They are upset because they see a lack of spiritual understanding; they seem rebellion against the church and God; they see people with no self-awareness; they see all kinds of addictions and behaviours; malice, envy and hate. They are upset and they let their world know. In all of that context I wait for gratitude. I wait for some humility. I wait for kindness. I wait. 

We need reminding.

We forget. 

Something happened to us that changed us. 

We know better. 

For when we point our fingers at someone we are pointing at the person we used to be. 

Why do people who follow Jesus behave so badly? Is it because they lose sight of their senses? As I have gotten older and more aware of my own sinfulness it is a question I ask myself: why do I react that way? why do I think like that? When I already know. Have I forgotten? What have I forgotten? What do I need reminding of? 

Paul in his letter to Titus returns to complete his instructions for living. He starts with an interesting word in verse 1:

‘Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.” (Titus 3 v 1-2)

Tell the people what they already know. 

Remind them.

They already know how to be a godly citizen. Under this Roman government and rule they know what is right. 

And so do we. 

This is not a blind obedience. The Assisted Dying bill which the British government are voting on this week has rightly meant Christians have petitioned their members of parliament. This is being a good citizen. But inflaming riots on our streets by calling people to do so and even taking part, isn’t. We have to respect those who rule even if we disagree with them. 

But Paul goes further in his call for a reminder apart from our civil responsibility. 

Remind them to be law-abiding. Continuing on from being a godly citizen it may seem strange in the UK and other western nations to instruct a Christian to keep the law. But when the law is enforced by law-breakers who are corrupt; traffic police officers seeking bribes; when the very core of those who rule is rotten (you might think the UK is not far from those descriptions) then what does it matter if as a Christian we also break the law? It matters.

Remind them to do good. 

Remind them to be peaceable.

Remind them to be considerate.

Remind them to always be gentle to everyone.

I’ve stopped expanding these thoughts as you can see. 

I know and you know these things. We don’t need clarity on them.

We have been taught them. We know. 

But we need reminding. I think continually. Why?

1. If everyone is breaking the law and benefitting then why can’t I?
2. Doing good often means I am getting nothing back from it. “I’ll start doing good when good is done to me!” No!
3. Being peaceable means I cannot bear a grudge and it means I have to apologise when I am in the middle of a dispute. 
4. Thinking less of myself and considering others ahead of me is too sacrificial.
5. If I am gentle to everyone then I cannot be angry with anyone!

This is why we need reminding. 

You already know. But you do need a reminder. 

Last Sunday I had the joy of preaching in a church which is pastored by 2 young leaders. They are married and they are called to serve together. After the service the church people continued to gather for what was around 1 hour having refreshments and talking to one another. I hadn’t seen people stay that long for some time. It was obvious that this was very much part of what was important for the church.

I had lunch with these 2 Pastors afterwards and I enjoyed my time listening to their stories so far of ministry. I suddenly began to feel my age as I looked at them and remembered what life was like for me as a Pastor at their age.

I am thinking of this couple as I read this verse this morning. Whilst it is focused on Titus, the Church leader, responsible for the work in Crete and though Pastors (like my young couple) will draw from the lessons, this verse can be applied to every disciple.

“These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.” (Titus 2 v 15)

Teach – Paul has already told Titus to focus on older men and women, younger people and the slaves/workers. He gave Titus specific topics to teach on. But these were not some mere speaking subjects but divine wisdom for godly living. Recently this young Pastoral couple had just finished a series on spiritual gifts and it brought about further moments of empowerment and mentoring. To teach is to enlighten, to open a window so that light can penetrate into the deepest recesses of our heart and mind where responses can change impacting our action. To teach is also to remind, to draw from what may lie dormant from years ago and to bring it to the surface of the hearer’s life. 

Encourage and rebuke with all authority – As I looked around the church people after the service I noticed these 2 Pastors in separate places sitting with their members of the church. I didn’t know what they were saying or when praying for them. However the picture was of 2 Pastors who were coming alongside others to urge them to go forward in their discipleship. It was as if they were being their coach not only there to instruct but to personally motivate each member of the team. I am sure that at some point those conversations have contained rebuke. Pastors often call me to ask for advice on how to rebuke a member. They want to do it in love. They don’t want to lose them but they also don’t want their member to be lost due to straying from the truth. It is a difficult place but love compels us to do it. This encouragement and rebuke is done with all authority. This is not from ourselves. This is delegated authority. This is not abusive. This is with humility. This is for us all.

Do not be despised – I started out as a Pastor being the youngest member of my church! My couple that I keep referring to are also ministering largely to those who are not only older but have been Christians longer than they have. They do it by not allowing the age to be a barrier. This also applies to Pastors who may be old (like me!) Age is not a thing. I know of people older than me still praying passionately for a move of God more than those 2 generations below them. I also know of young people who carry a humility which is more pure than those who were leading the church when they were not even born! Whatever age – don’t let people put you down, stand firm and protect the message God has given you. If there is pushback that doesn’t mean you have to be pushed back. You can push further forward because you have the truth of God’s Word.

These are helpful instructions for us all not only my young Pastor couple.