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TITUS PART 4
There are 4
things I’d like to get through in this session. I’d like everyone to take a sheet of paper and sit quietly before God
and write out what Jesus has entrusted to you. What has He put into your hand
so that when you leave from here you leave with your mandate, command,
commission from Jesus. This is a symbol to remind you of what God has given
you.
Ch3:4-6
In our quest
to build good churches to raise up Titus’ to impact our communities, we should not forget the preaching of the
gospel of Jesus. In all that we do we mustn’t forget to preach the gospel.
I was reminded of this while I was preparing the gospel. When last did I lead
someone to Christ? I am always with church leaders. When last did I have the
privilege of seeing someone being born again. Paul paints this picture of this glorious gospel and then he says I
want you to insist on these things.
1
As we go
from here I want to encourage you to personally lead people to Christ and grow
our churches to salvation.
Ps 132 – He
clothed the priests with Salvation. At Gateway I spoke that this is the gospel
of Jesus. Seven people got saved – lives no longer in sin and shame. I know it
does not end there but starts there
About 1995
Simon Petit was leading Jubilee Church in Cape town and Lex Loizedes joined
him. He is an evangelist and want people to be saved. He calculated that they
had only a hand full of people saved in the last few months. That is shameful
for a church of 800. That means we have not trained the church well. They then transformed the church so that everybody’s
lifestyle became the message. As Elders they asked the people to forgive
him. Sometimes the desire for a mature churches
stops us from reaching out. So in everything they did they always has the
gospel. At the end of the year 349 got saved.
In Gateway 2014 we were facing the same thing.
We were growing fast but not born out of ourselves – coming from overseas but
not seeing people saved. You can’t go out in that nation and preach. So our
messages always had the gospel. But by May we led 49 people to the Lord. I want
to ask you today what is in your heart for your church in faith? We need to build well, We have Titus’ - young men and women raised up, our work
amongst the poor to flourish . But we must see the gospel flourish.
It’s not
about the number but the desire for people to know Jesus Christ. We want to see
people saved and added.
3:9 – This
is key for us in the age of the internet where are people have access to all
sort of things. There is this big preacher giving a new revelation about the End
Times with Brexit as a part of this. The problem is we want to be God. We want
to know, control our futures. We don’t want to submit our lives to someone
else’s authority. And so controversy is born.
Paul is
saying Titus stay true to the Word. In Crete there were all sorts of people
peddling stuff. Be discerning what you
are listening to. Just because they gather a big crowd does not mean what they
are saying is right.
3:10 the enemy big tactic is to divide us.
In the dessert Satan tried to divide the Trinity. He will put people in our
midst who will be divisive. We need to give good godly leadership. Every
culture handles it differently. In Africa where there are differences they will
take a gun and shoot the people. The culture is violent.
I’ve noticed
in USA if there is some division you slander the person on the net. In the UK
it happens but not as much. In India I’ve learnt you are quite dramatic!! Your
movies are always about division – the tears!! The trouble is we let that come into the church when we face hardship.
So Paul is teaching Titus how to handle this.
Here is my
view on how to handle division in the church. Our culture mustn’t determine how we respond but we should be Biblical.
Always believe every single person
can be won for Christ.
In hardship everyone can win – this is the gospel. We are all victorious. Go in
with the attitude that we want to win this.
Never pre judge. Think right thoughts about the
person. They might be in your church by an act of God to shape your leadership
gift. God put that stone in your shoe. You learn to walk differently. Ask what
can I learn from this situation.
Recently I
was looking at the Last Supper. I saw it’s the final night he is going to be
betrayed. The one who is going to betray him is known to him. You are having
your final meal- you are seeing your friends in that context for the last time. And you have one person who will betray
you. Where would you put him? He was on Jesus left hand side – a place of
honor, where Jesus would lean on him.
A
commentator Kent R Hughes – Says right up until the last moment Jesus was
reaching out to Judas to show him a better way. My question is that our
experience in the church?
Bring warning by opening truth -
Matt 18 The Bible teaches us how to handle these things.
Keep
reaching out with truth until they reject it. You seek them out. Jesus went and
looked for Peter Then you have to release them. Keep believing until the final moment.
Bless them
as they go. In handling someone who is divisive let them know that they are
precious to God. They are not the enemy.
They are blood bought. Bring to their attention why what they are doing is causing
hindrance.
Never write
emails about these things. NEVER.
Discern whether there is rejection or insecurity or a demonic response. Keep reaching out to meet them. How many
time? Seventy times seven. If there is no response release them. I am
accepting that you are working in team. When
this happens bring it to the attention of the church not to shame the person
but to disciple the church.
Last year in
Gateway we went through a difficult situation. We handle it like this. We took
it to the church. Our numbers went up by 10%. No one should leave the body
without an explanation. It’s a body.
Keep
believing in people.
Lastly. If
you are here and you are a divisive person, please build up the body. Division comes out of pride, selfishness
and sin.
3:12
Titus had
been left to finish a task but he was not left alone. So even though Paul left,
Paul is sending Artemus and Tychitus. Tychitus
carried the same letters to Colosse. So this guy had proved faithful because
some of Paul’s letter did not reach the churches.
When God calls us to do things, when
we send people out we should back them up by sending people to encourage them
There is
another lesson I want us to learn. “Come to me.” i.e Its time to lay down the
work that you are doing esp. when its fruitful. It can give you your identity. It is the work of our labor and sacrifice.
It’s difficult to lay down. What[b1] ever you are doing hold it lightly. When we don’t do this we plateau and
stop growing.
In Africa
they cut a pumpkin a small hole – for a Baboon to put his hand in. When they do
this they can’t; let go and then this is how they get caught. Some leaders are like that. They can’t let
go.
Paul calls
Titus. This is Paul at his relational best. Give and you will receive. Be ready
to release. Be faithful with your part of the building and trust that Jesus
will truly builds his church.
One of the major reasons why Churches
don’t grow is because they don’t release.
I end with this – Grace and peace be
upon you all.
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