Let Our People Learn

Titus 3:12-15[1]

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, February 27^th, 2011

By way of introducing and contexting the message today, I am going to read these three chapters of Titus. 

Now for the last few verses that we will focus on as we finish this rich little book today, Titus 3:12-15.

12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.

13 Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing.

14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.

15 All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

Prayer: Father, let Your Word quicken the hearts of believers to learn today. Open our ears, and open our minds, and open our hearts to be teachable, submissive to You. And Lord, there are likely those among us who are close to faith in Your Son or curious about Your Son, but not followers of Your Son; please draw them to believe in and follow Your Good Son this day; I pray this for Your glory and for our good, through Jesus: amen.

The message of this book is that sound doctrine brings good works. As I just read, Titus was left on Crete to 'put what remains into order' there among those churches. What I want to focus on today is "Let our people learn." When the gospel is working in you, church family… You listen differently. You look at people differently.  You love more.

Listen to 1:1 again… "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,". Now listen to verse 14 again. "And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful." He writes and serves for the sake of the elect, and their knowledge of the truth. Then he closes with a command to let our people learn to devote themselves to good works. When we receive a good sound knowledge of the truth, and instruction in godliness, we learn to devote ourselves to good works. This is how things look in an orderly church.

An orderly church has godly men leading it. These men have godly lives, godly homes, and can teach and defend the truth.  As stated when we covered this, it is important to note that God consistently calls for male leadership in the home (1 Cor 11:1-3, Eph 5:22-31) and in the church (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, 1 Peter 5:1-4). This isn't to disdain the gifts or abilities of women, it is God's wise plan to protect you and to provide for you, ladies.

An orderly church has godly men, women, and children growing in it. Paul gave instruction for how all of us should be living in 2:1-10. There was also instruction for the pastor and for slaves. Our witness of godly living must support the message of God's saving grace.

An orderly church is a gospel-centered, grace-soaked church. This is the primary way you defeat false teachers – you consistently teach the gospel rightly. You keep the gospel out there so it will do what only God, working through His good gospel, can do!

·      Save lost, sinning people

·      Justify guilty people

·      Regenerate 'dead-in-their-sins' people

·      Wash dirty people (make them holy, closer to God and further from the world)

·      Instruct these believers in godly living and good works

These people Paul calls 'the elect' in Titus 1:1 are called to Christ through 'the knowledge of the truth', and made holy and mature in their faith through this same truth. At the same time it informs and educates your people in the truth of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.  It explains our hope of eternal life through this gospel, and our hope in His return and our resurrection, church family!

An orderly church is a submissive church. Submission is consistently taught to the church in this letter, and insubordination is a mark of the ungodly false teachers. Submitted people can learn, grow, change, and be molded. Titus has to be a submitted man to take all these direct commands from the Apostle Paul – they weren't explained with the caveat, "That is, Titus, if you feel like coming to me here." He had to stay when he was left there and, here in this last section, be ready to leave when replacements get there.

An orderly church is a fruitful, working church. This is the meat of the message yet again; the knowledge of the truth, the sound doctrine, the right instruction in the grace of God leads to good works. In fact, we are to be…

·      Zealous for good works

·      Ready for good works

·      Devoted to good works

·      Learning to devote ourselves to good works

People who learn are teachable.

People who learn don't already know it all.

I noticed something in Proverbs 26:1-11 yesterday in my devotions; ten of those verses describe the fool and some of the folly that comes from him. He is painted as a hopelessly useless person! There is humor, sadness, and exasperation in these verses. Then comes verse 12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Isn't this shocking when you think about it? The sad, exasperating stupidity of the fool, and yet – more hope for him than for a know-it-all.

You can't teach someone who doesn't know that they need to learn.

That describes how Titus was to 'put what remains into order'. An orderly church glorifies God and is used by God to bring people to saving faith in Christ, and to grow in godly character. So let's ask ourselves today, in light of these observations and this call to 'learn to be devoted to good works',…

Are you submissive and teachable? Can't learn anything if you aren't. Do you know Christ? Do you know the gospel? Can you communicate it with people? I don't intend to be harsh, but – how long will it take of sitting under the gospel before you know it well enough to explain it to a lost person?

Does your life leave a wake of good works and godly, growing character? I looked over the side of the cruise ship Spirit many times last week, marveling at the size and power of such a vessel. I looked over the side and saw the wake it left lingering for miles. The ship was making 3-5 foot swells as it drove through the Caribbean. What kind of wake are you leaving as you go through this life? Is it a wake of God-honoring obedience and good works? If not, your life looks like and will look more like false teachers – unfruitful, unfit for any good work, and full of works that deny Jesus Christ – sinful stuff.

Is your joy and hope in Christ's death, life, and coming return? Other joy sources will dry up.

As the gospel is rooted in our lives, then are we, church family, learning good works?

Paul would ask, "Jeff, are you teaching them?" And I must; we are to be an orderly church. Let me say that pastors must teach folks to be giving people – and we are. We budget for sending God's missionaries on their way with the gospel, and many of you give above your tithes to other mission work. Give in faith and love, folks. And we must learn to listen, look, and love. Don't wait on me – just bless people. They are hurting all around you. When you walk in the Spirit and see or hear need, Christ leaks out through your life to meet that need This learning is instruction, but it is a growing sensitivity to need in your life. When the gospel is working in you, church family… You listen differently. You look at people differently.  You love more.

Christ does, and He is in you, making you godly, fruitful, and useful.

When Paul says let our people learn, let us do so! Don't wait on my planning or instruction – just listen, look, and love!

May God help me instruct you well, and may God help us all learn to be devoted to good works. Because we believe Christ; for it is true that sound doctrine brings good works. I encourage you all to read Titus through one more time this week before we move on, most likely to the book of Esther. Let's pray.

 

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[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.