Titus 3:12-15

Thank you for continuing to stand in honor of

God's Word. Though we are going to be examining

Titus chapter 3 verses 12 through 15 to conclude

Titus 3:12–15

our study in this epistle today, we're actually

going to start all the way back in chapter 1

and verse 1 with our reading. I do feel that

it will be very beneficial for us to do so, and

it is not a terribly long book, so it shouldn't

take us but a moment to read the entire book

once again. Beginning in Titus chapter 1 and

Titus 1 · chapter mention

verse 1, Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle

of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen

of God and the knowledge of the truth which is

according to godliness, in the hope of eternal

life which God, who cannot lie, promised long

ages ago, but at the proper time manifested even

his word, in the proclamation with which I was

entrusted according to the commandment of God

our Savior, to Titus, my true child. in a common

faith, grace and peace from God the Father and

Christ Jesus our Savior. For this reason I left

you in Crete, that you would set in order what

remains and appoint elders in every city as I

directed you. Namely, if any man is above reproach,

the husband of one wife, having children who

believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.

For the overseer must be above reproach as God's

steward. not self -will, not quick -tempered,

not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond

of sordid game, but hospitable, loving what is

good, sensible, just, devout, self -controlled,

holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance

with the teaching, so that he will be able both

to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those

who contradict. For there are many rebellious

men. Empty talkers and deceivers, especially

those of the circumcision, who must be silenced

because they are upsetting whole families, teaching

things they should not teach for the sake of

sordid gain. One of themselves, a prophet of

their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil

beasts, lazy gluttons. This testimony is true.

For this reason, reprove them severely so that

they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention

to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn

away from the truth. To the pure, all things

are pure. But to those who are defiled and unbelieving,

nothing is pure, but both their mind and their

conscience are defiled. They profess to know

God, but by their deeds they deny him, being

detestable and disobedient and worthless for

any good deed. But as for you, speak the things

which are fitting for sound doctrine. Older men

are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound

in faith and love and perseverance. Older women

likewise are to be reverent in their behavior,

not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine,

teaching what is good, so that they may encourage

the young women to love their husbands, to love

their children, to be sensible, pure, workers

at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands,

so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

Likewise, urge the young men to be sensible.

In all things, show yourself. to be an example

of good deeds with purity and doctrine, dignified,

sound in speech, which is beyond reproach, so

that the opponent will be put to shame, having

nothing bad to say about us. Urge bond slaves

to be subject to their own masters in everything,

to be well -pleasing, not argumentative, not

pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that

they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior

in every respect. For the grace of God has appeared,

bringing salvation to all men. instructing us

to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to

live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the

present age, looking for the blessed hope and

the appearing of the glory of our great God and

Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave himself for us

to redeem us from every lawless deed and to purify

for himself a people for his own possession,

zealous for good deeds. These things speak and

exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no

one disregard you. remind them to be subject

to rulers to authorities to be obedient to be

ready for every good deed to malign no one to

be peaceable gentle showing every consideration

for all men for we also once were foolish ourselves

disobedient deceived enslaved to various lusts

and pleasures spending our life in malice and

envy hateful hating one another but When the

kindness of God, our Savior, and his love for

mankind appeared, he saved us, not on the basis

of deeds which we have done in righteousness,

but according to his mercy. By the washing of

regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

whom he poured out upon us richly through Jesus

Christ, our Savior, so that being justified by

his grace, we would be made heirs according to

the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy

statement concerning these things. I want you

to speak confidently so that those who have believed

God will be careful to engage in good deeds.

These things are good and profitable for men,

but avoid foolish controversies and genealogies

and strife and disputes about the law, for they

are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a factious

man after a first and second warning, knowing

that such a man is perverted and is sinning,

being self -condemned. And our passage for today.

When I send Artemis or Tychicus to you, make

every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for

I have decided to spend the winter there. Diligently

help Zenos the lawyer and Apollos on their way,

so that nothing is lacking for them. Our people

must learn to engage in good deeds, to meet pressing

needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. All

who are with me greet you. Greet those who love

us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Let's

pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the grace

you've shown us in your son. And we thank you

for the transforming power of the gospel at work

among your people. We praise you that you have

not left us as we once were, but have called

us to live as a holy people in the midst of a

dark and hostile world. Lord Jesus, thank you

for redeeming your church. and for binding us

together in your truth, in your love, and in

good works. Cause us to adorn your doctrine not

merely with our lips, but with lives marked by

humility, unity, service, and genuine care for

one another. Holy Spirit, we ask that you would

accompany the preaching of your word today. Renew

our minds, strengthen our fellowship, guard us

from selfishness and division, and produce within

us fruitful lives that display the beauty of

Christ to the world around us. Lord, may your

church be strengthened, encouraged, and conform

more fully to your image today. These things

we ask in Jesus' powerful name. Amen. Please

be seated. Having read the whole of Paul's letter

to Titus this morning, I hope we've been reminded

of its context and its central theme. I'm sure

that now that we've been in this... This will

be our eighth week, our eighth and final week

in the letter of Paul to Titus. I'm sure there

are certain things as I read through that, those

46 verses that make up this letter. I'm sure

there were certain things that stood out to you,

certain phrases that may have caught your attention

as we have emphasized those things as we've made

our way through this very helpful letter. Certainly,

the theme of Titus is one that is difficult to

miss because Paul is so good about reminding

us of its purpose. This short, this brief letter

is rich with instruction. It's regarding the

order of the church, how Christ's church should

be ordered, how it should be structured, and

it includes much instruction about the way that

believers should lead their lives, making it

very practical, very applicable, and very helpful

for us. Throughout our study of this epistle,

we've noted Paul's primary emphasis that sound

doctrine must produce godly living, that the

grace of God not only saves sinners, it transforms

them, that believers are, as he puts it in chapter

2 and verse 10, that believers are to adorn the

doctrine of God our Savior in every respect,

that our lives should beautify the gospel. Paul

consistently returns to this language. He notes

phrases like good deeds and good works. He talks

about purity and sound doctrine, dignity and

self -control. Continually, the Spirit -inspired

author of this short letter encourages godliness

in our lives. Consider how often these ideas

appear throughout the letter. In chapter 1 and

verse 8, elders are to be lovers of what is good.

What a wonderful requirement for someone who

seeks to lead in the church that they would love.

What is good? Proactively seeking those things

which are good. In chapter 1 and verse 16, false

teachers, when contrasted to these elders, are

called worthless for any good deed. Believers

are told in chapter 2 and verse 10, as we mentioned

earlier, to adorn the doctrine of God. And also

in chapter 2 and verse 14, It's mentioned that

Christ has redeemed a people who are, quote,

zealous for good deeds. Zealous. I've been accused

of displaying zeal in my life at times. And I

wonder how often I've been accused of showing

that zeal for good deeds. In chapter 3 and verse

1, where we studied just last week, we learned

that Christians are to be ready for every. Titus

is told to speak confidently about these things

so that believers will engage in good deeds in

chapter 3 and verse 8. And now here in our closing

section of the letter, Paul again commands believers

to, quote, engage in good deeds to meet pressing

needs. The Christian life is not merely about

doctrinal and theological correctness. Don't

get me wrong, doctrinal and theological correctness

are good things, but the Christian life is not

merely about those things. We're not called to

an intellectual understanding of these truths

only. We're not supposed to pursue right thinking

for the sole purpose of increasing our knowledge.

After all, Paul writes, actually in 1 Corinthians,

that knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.

By the grace of God, the gospel truths we believe

and profess must be visibly demonstrated in the

church and by its members. When we look at this

passage, verses 12 through 15, there are four

verses here. It might be tempting for us, To

view these verses as being somewhat inconsequential,

we may be tempted to see them simply as travel

plans and personal greetings. To some of us,

these closing verses may read like the typical

ending to any other letter between friends or

colleagues. Yet we know that all Scripture is

inspired by God, right? That all of it is profitable

for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for

training in righteousness. so that the man of

God may be adequate, equipped for every what?

Good work, right? Paul, of course, writes that

to Timothy in another of the pastorals. I would

argue that these seemingly ordinary details,

these final words that almost seem to be Paul's

way of signing off, I would argue that they provide

us with a beautiful and living portrait. of grace

-shaped church life. I would argue that in these

final few verses, we see the marks of corporate

godliness within the church. The ultimate proof

of a church having been transformed by grace

is not merely sound doctrine that its members

confess with their lips. It's a church body that's

devoted to mutual care, to godly living. and

sacrificial service. It's a group of believers

who are engaged in good works, who are leading

fruitful lives to the glory of our Lord. So,

how does grace -shaped, gospel -centered church

life actually look in practice? Because it's

one thing to talk about it. It's one thing for

us to sit week in and week out and to hear that

we're supposed to be A people who are committed

to good works. It's one thing for us, even though

we're receiving this admonition, even though

we're receiving these instructions, it's easy

for us to just think about these things. But

seeing them in practice helps us to know how

we should be acting. What are the marks of corporate

godliness? Verse 12. is where Paul begins to

show us the answer to that question, not through

abstract theology alone, but through the ordinary

sacrificial rhythms of life together in the church.

I would help you in this way by saying that if

you're taking notes, that the first heading is

simply this, the corporate need for sacrificial

flexibility and wise living. the corporate need

for sacrificial flexibility and wise living.

Verse 12, let's read it again. When I send Artemis

or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come

to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend

the winter there. Here in verse 12, we see the

relational cost of faithful church life on display.

You know, there is a cost to being faithful.

to being a faithful member of a congregation.

There is expense involved. No doubt Titus had

developed deep relationships with the believers

on Crete. I remember many years ago there was

a particular minister who served in Edwards County

and he had served faithfully for many years.

He was a good and godly man at a particular congregation

here in Edwards County. And he belonged to a

particular denomination that had a tendency to

wait until a minister was doing a wonderful job

in a church and getting attached to his people

and building the church up and then moving him

right along to the next church. Now, don't get

me wrong. We'll see in a moment why sometimes

that might be necessary. But I do remember the

cost associated with that particular minister

leaving that church and how it was very difficult.

for that congregation to leave, that man had

developed deep, meaningful relationships with

the members of his congregation. That man was,

in my opinion, leading them in a godly fashion

and doing a wonderful job of discipling his people,

and yet he was called upon by his denomination

to move to a different congregation. In the same

way, I think Titus... It probably developed those

deep, meaningful relationships with the people

on the island of Crete. Think about the difficulty

of ministering in Crete. Think about how hard

that was for Titus and how difficult it was also

for those faithful members of those churches.

And here in verse 12, Paul says, when I send

Artemis or Tychicus to you, make every effort

to come. to me at Nicopolis. It doesn't take

a rocket scientist to deduce that Paul is calling

Titus away from his ministry on Crete. You see,

I think I can relate to this, maybe not to the

same extent, but I hope I can relate to this,

and I hope the other pastors and elders here

at Grace can relate to this. The congregants

in those churches scattered all around the island

of Crete mattered to Titus. They mattered to

him because they had become his people, right?

And he had become their guy. And I can imagine

the difficulty of being told that he's going

to be called away from them. Paul calls Titus

away. for what appears to be the broader needs

of ministry. I'm sure that's why Paul needs him.

You have to remember, Paul is running around

all over the Roman world, planning churches,

encouraging congregations, and he needs help

from Titus, this true child of his in a common

faith. At the same time, and this is good to

see, Paul... does demonstrate genuine pastoral

concern for those churches. He ensures that they're

not going to be neglected. He says that he's

not going to leave these congregations abandoned

without a shepherd. Instead, he plans to send

Artemis or Tychicus to minister in Crete in Titus'

place. In doing so, Paul shows concern for continuity,

for stability, the ongoing health of the churches

in Crete. But no doubt, this is a difficult thing.

for these people, and for Titus himself. When

he tells Titus to join him at Nicopolis, he's

telling Titus that he is about to leave Crete.

And it would be hard. It would require sacrificial

flexibility from both Titus and his congregations,

the churches he was ministering to in Crete.

Both faithful ministers and healthy churches

understand that gospel ministry often requires

sacrifice. If we were to say that there is a

mark of corporate godliness, by corporate I just

mean the body, that there is a mark of corporate

godliness, perhaps this is one of them, that

they realize ministry is bigger than personal

preference or individual comfort. Godliness sometimes

requires flexibility. Sometimes we will be inconvenienced.

Sometimes we will be required to make difficult

transitions for the good of the whole body. At

times, local congregations may be called upon

to release beloved ministers so needs elsewhere

in Christ's kingdom can be met. No doubt you've

heard of churches doing church plants. What often

happens in a church plant? Certain people among

the church are chosen to go and plant the new

church in a different location, geographically

speaking. And that would be difficult. It would

be sacrificial on both the part of the congregants

who are going to remain and those congregants

who are going to leave. Imagine the discomfort

of leaving. I mean, believe it or not, and I

know I come across as a social butterfly, but

I actually get a fair amount of social anxiety

when I'm around a large group of people. That

might seem strange to you that I would say that,

but it is most certainly the truth. Sometimes

I just want to retreat to my room. That happens

sometimes. And I cannot imagine at this point

in my own life, I cannot imagine after having

put in the time and the work, the effort to get

to the point we're at now at Grace Fellowship

Church, I can't imagine how hard it would be

for me to be called away. But a mark of corporate

godliness in the church is that we're willing

to do those things. Sometimes we just have to

do hard things. And we know that we can do this

because God gives us the grace to accomplish

it. At times, local congregations may be called

upon to release beloved ministers so needs elsewhere

can be met. In those moments, the church must

be willing to prioritize the larger work of Christ

over... personal attachment or familiarity. There's

no question about that. This kind of godliness

has very practical implications for church life

today. Sometimes ministry disrupts our routines

and inconveniences our preferences. It is very

easy as a church, especially, I would argue,

especially in southeastern Illinois or southwestern

Indiana, where we all tend to think very much

alike. It is easy for us to think, I'm good.

Right? It's easy for us to start to think that

way. I know I'm that way. I often joke with my

wife that if I have the privilege of retiring

one day, I'm going to disappear. I'm going to

go disappear. I mean, it'll be in Edwards County,

Lord willing. But I just want to fade away. And

really, the only time I want to be seen is when

I come to church. I tell her that often, and

it's jokingly, but it's kind of true. The more

she deals with the public, the more she starts

to think like me. But sometimes our personal

desires must yield to the needs of others. Philippians

2, 3 -4 reminds us, Do nothing from selfish or

empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard

one another as more important. than yourselves.

This doesn't just have to be about a minister

leaving his congregation. This doesn't just have

to be about certain congregants being called

away perhaps to plant a new church. This might

very well mean that we have to learn to put others'

preferences above our own even as we all hang

out here together. A healthy church is filled

with believers who willingly embrace sacrifice

so others may be cared for more faithfully. Whether

we're facing difficult circumstances within the

church, adapting to changing ministry needs,

or surrendering personal preferences for the

good of others, godliness calls us to be willing

servants rather than stubborn consumers. That

is a mark. of godliness within the corporate

context of the church. And I'd like to read it

again. Godliness calls us to be willing servants

rather than stubborn consumers. Perhaps you've

been around people who have taken on a consumeristic

mentality. You may have seen that. It's kind

of common in the world today. And perhaps you've

even seen that in the church. And you've seen

the devastating consequences. of a people who

are marked by consumerism. Now, I'm not necessarily

talking about materialism. I'm not talking about

the tendency to want things. I'm talking about

the desire to consume rather than to serve. We're

just speaking, Kyle and I were just speaking

with someone the other day. And I mentioned that

I'd like to have a church full of deacons. Not

every one of them fulfilling the office of the

deacon, but every one of them who is a willing

servant. Imagine the lack of friction there would

be in a congregation if the people were all about

the purpose of serving one another. Everyone's

needs would be met, even those who are actively

serving, because as they serve someone else within

the church, their needs also are being met. by

those who have decided to serve them. A group

of people who have set aside their own pride,

their own desires, a people who have learned

to serve because they love the church. So I would

ask, are we willing to endure personal inconvenience

so the wider church family is strengthened and

cared for? Are we the kind of congregation willing

to embrace sacrifice for the sake of Christ and

his kingdom? There are times on the weekends

when my wife tells me that we have plans, and

I say, oh good. I don't really mean it, but I

say, oh good. And it's hard for me sometimes,

because I don't often want to do things on the

weekends. I'm sure many of you know that feeling.

Just practically speaking, that is very good

for me. It is very sanctifying for me. Because

it makes me uncomfortable and it reminds me that

this is not about me. And it's easy for me. I

work a lot of hours. I do. I'll admit it to you.

I probably am a little bit addicted to my work.

I love what I do. And I like spending time. doing

what I do. But it's good for me to have to set

down that thing that I love so much, my work,

right? It's good for me to have to put that down

sometimes and to do what my wife and my children

and my church need me to do. Because ultimately,

this is not about my comfort. This is not about

my interests. It's about serving the body. Are

we the kind of congregation that's willing to

embrace sacrifice for the sake of Christ and

his kingdom? We might even ask, are our ministers,

the four men who oversee this body, are we willing

to be joyful, to model? joyful obedience and

sacrificial service before the flock. I'm not

calling anybody out. I'm just saying we need

to question ourselves. We need to ask. In addition

to the church's need for sacrificial flexibility,

we must also note something wonderfully practical

in this passage. It's something in verse 12 that

I think we would be tempted to just... because

it's really not on the nose, but it's definitely

there. In verse 12, near the end, referring to

Nicopolis, Paul writes, I have decided to spend

the winter there. You may be thinking, Dustin,

where are you going with this? Notice first what

Paul does not say. Paul doesn't claim to have

received some mystical vision. Here. There was

no supernatural sign from God about where he

should go, and he did not receive his itinerary

via angelic revelation or visitation. Paul has

simply made a wise decision about where he'll

spend the winter. And again, this may seem mundane.

This may seem... consequential to us. But I really

believe this is an important detail in this passage,

especially for some of our young people. And

I've hit on this before, but I think it bears

repeating. And it's not just for the young people,

but young people, I do think it applies to you

in a very profound way. Many believers seem to

be paralyzed by fear over decision making. They

fear choosing the wrong school. They fear choosing

the wrong job. They fear choosing the wrong place

to live or the wrong person to marry or accepting

the wrong opportunities. In some ways, many Christians,

especially young believers, seem to be waiting

for some type of mystical certainty before they

are willing to act. Godliness, however, does

not produce fearful paralysis. It produces wise,

trusting confidence. You've seen this, and I

think in large part this has become an issue

in the church since the time that charismaticism

really started to get a stranglehold on broader

evangelicalism. This idea that somehow I have

to know the will of God. Think of Proverbs 3,

5, and 6. My kids love to sing our little song.

I have no idea where we came up with it. I'm

sure we stole it from somebody, but I don't remember

for sure, and I will save you and me both the

humiliation of singing it for you. But Proverbs

3, 5, and 6 says, Trust in the Lord with all

your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will

make your paths straight. Romans 12, 2, and do

not be conformed to this world, but be transformed

by the renewing of your mind so that you may

prove what the will of God is, that which is

good and acceptable and perfect. Going back to

Proverbs chapter 16 and verse 9, the mind of

Proverbs 16 · chapter mention

man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.

This is a biblical pattern. We could find other

proof texts and cite them. that godliness in

our lives should produce wise, trusting confidence.

The reality about our decision -making process

is this. If you're walking with Christ, if you

are immersed in His Word, if you are loving His

church, and if you are seeking godly wisdom,

not only from His Word, but even from godly men

and women, who have more experience than you,

then you can make good decisions, wise decisions.

You can live in wisdom. You don't have to fear

ordinary decisions. You're not going to accidentally

overthrow God's sovereignty. And when you make

a mistake, when you do make the wrong decision,

because you will, at times, make poor choices,

guess what? God's sovereignty still applies.

So if we want to live in wisdom, if we want to

be a people who are sacrificially flexible, if

we want to be a people who make wise decisions,

we just have to know God. We have to know His

Word. We don't have to beseech God for a clear

answer on every decision of our lives. Should

I choose this school or should I choose this

school? Should I go into this trade or should

I go into this trade? Oh God, I'm so confused.

I don't know what to do. And certainly there

are times when you will feel that way, but you

should know, Christian, God is providential in

the way that he brings about his will in our

lives. And even when you make poor choices, he

can use those things for your... because he is

a sovereign God who works all things together

for the good of those who love him, for those

who are called according to his purpose. So trust

the Lord, make wise decisions, seek counsel,

and move on. That is freeing. Do you realize

the freedom in that? Rather than spending your

whole life clutching your pearls, wringing your

hands, worrying about every decision you make,

you simply do the best you can. You consult God's

word, you consult godly counsel, and you move

on. And if you mess up, you try it again. So

Paul's spoken here about the need for sacrificial

flexibility. And wise living in the church as

these marks of corporate godliness. Now he moves

on to another of these marks. The corporate duty

of mutual provision. Verse 13, the corporate

duty of mutual provision. Let's read that again.

Diligently help Zenos the lawyer and Apollos

on their way so that nothing is lacking for them.

Here Paul emphasizes the shared responsibility

believers have to provide for and care for one

another within the body of Christ. He commands

the church to actively assist these fellow laborers

in the gospel. Now, I would say that in our context,

culturally speaking, we can take one of two positions

with this. We can be the kind of person who needs

a little bit of help. Someone who does in some

ways need to be provided for. And we can, in

our pride, in our unwillingness to accept hell,

deny those things. Or we can also be the kind

of person who looks at those who are in need

and thinks, what's wrong with you? Right? I think

that there's both of those. Both things exist.

Both types of people exist. I did it. What's

going on here? Pull yourself up. Let's go. Right?

Sometimes we have a tendency to think that way,

or we think, there's no way I would ever let

anyone know what I need. Here we're commanded

to actively assist. Here, in the immediate context,

Titus is... being told that their corporate body,

their church, should help Zenos, the lawyer,

and Apollos. These are traveling ministers. Of

course, we all know Apollos. We all know him.

He was this eloquent, dynamic speaker in the

New Testament church. Zenos, we don't know as

well. We don't really know him. But certainly

he was a traveling companion of Apollos, perhaps

his assistant. The phrase, so that nothing is

lacking, is probably what's most important, though.

Because it communicates thoughtful, intentional

care for their needs. This point reminds me of

the illustration that James employs in James

James 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2. What use is it, my brethren, if someone

says he has faith but he has no works? Can that

faith save him? If a brother or sister is without

clothing and in need of daily food, and one of

you says to them, go in peace, be warmed and

be filled, and yet you do not give them what

is necessary for... for their body, what use

is that? Even so, faith, if it has no works,

is dead, being by itself. This is not mere sentiment

that Paul is referring to in chapter 3 and verse

13. It's not mere sentiment. It's not passive

concern. It's active responsibility that's expressed

through loving action. It is easy. It is easy

for those of us who like to talk. It's easy for

us to sound godly, isn't it? We might say things

like, well, I'll be praying for you. We might

say things like, I hope the Lord is able to provide

for you. And that sounds godly, but a mark of

real godliness in the body is that we take action,

that we do something about it. Passages like

this remind us that Christianity is fundamentally

corporate in nature. It is fundamentally corporate

in nature. We are a body. We are Christ's body.

He is our head. And how did he live his life?

He lived sacrificially, didn't he? Modern Christianity

often becomes highly individualistic, but the

New Testament consistently presents the church

as a body and a family of faith. Believers are

called to bear one another's burdens and to meet

one another's needs in love. The apostle writes

in Galatians 6 .2, bear one another's burdens

and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. In Acts

2 .44 -45, we all know this story. And all those

who had believed were together and had all things

in common. What a thought for just a moment.

Wouldn't that be amazing? For a church to have

all things in common. And they began selling

their property and possessions and were sharing

them with all as anyone might have need. In a

healthy church, mutual care becomes one of the

most visible evidences of gospel transformation.

Believers are not abandoned when hardships enter

their lives. Suffering is not ignored. Burdens

are not carried alone. The grace of God produces

a people who willingly move toward one another

in love and sacrifice. So when someone within

our church family has a need, whether financial,

emotional, spiritual, practical, whatever it

is, we should ask ourselves an important question.

Do we instinctively move toward them in loving

care, or do we move away from them in indifference?

Let it never be said of us that we profess to

know God with our lips while denying Him by our

actions. Meeting the needs of fellow believers

is one of the clearest demonstrations of genuine

godliness and Christian love in our fellowship.

Meeting the needs of fellow believers is one

of the clearest demonstrations of genuine godliness

and Christian love in our fellowship. Are you

interested in meeting the needs of fellow believers?

It visibly displays that we belong to Christ.

and have been transformed by his grace. John

13, 34 through 35, you probably remember the

context of John 13. They're in the upper room.

At this point, Jesus has washed the disciples'

feet, which is the lowliest of the lowliest jobs.

The least ranked, the lowest ranked servant in

the household will be the one assigned this task.

Jesus takes a towel, wraps it around his waist,

gets water, goes and washes his disciples' dirty,

disgusting feet. I can't imagine because I'm

a bit of a hypochondriac washing someone's clean

feet. And here is Jesus, the sovereign of the

universe, God incarnate, who takes on the role

of a humble servant and washes his disciples'

feet. And after he's done this, he says a new

commandment I give to you, that you love one

another even as I've loved you, that you also

love one another. By this all men will know that

you are my disciples if you have love for one

another. In what better way, church, can we demonstrate

our love for one another than by diligently helping

and providing for one another? Paul's concern,

however, extends beyond just isolated acts of

kindness, and he tells Titus in verse 14 to develop

a culture of good works. Develop a culture of

good works. Our people must also learn to engage

in good deeds, to meet pressing needs, so that

they will not be unfruitful. Notice his language.

He says, our people. He's speaking collectively.

He has the local church in view. Christianity,

and we've touched on this already, is not merely

private spirituality. It's not just theological

knowledge. It's not only moral aspiration. It

is visible, active, practical love. Notice also,

good works must be learned. I can't speak for

you, and I wouldn't try, but I can speak for

myself and say that learning to do good by others

is a great way to put it. It requires learning.

Paul says believers must learn to engage in good

deeds. Learn to engage in good deeds. Godliness

is cultivated. By God's grace, it is taught and

it is developed in the church over time. It is

not something, by and large, it is not something

that will come to us immediately, but it is something

that we will learn. Christians must train themselves

to recognize and respond to real needs. And this

really connects the entire letter together, doesn't

it? Here, the second to last verse of the whole

book of Titus. Remember Titus 2 .14? Paul said

Christ redeemed a people, we mentioned it earlier,

who are zealous for good deeds. Good works are

not the cause of salvation. We know this, but

we need to be reminded good works are not the

cause of salvation, but they are the evidence

of it. Ephesians 2, 8 -10, I know I've quoted

it numerous times, but it applies so well. For

by grace you've been saved through faith, and

that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God,

not as a result of works, so that no one may

boast. For we are His workmanship, created in

Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared

beforehand, so that we would walk in them. Grace

comes first, resulting in salvation through faith,

and it produces good works. And this should be

a mark of our corporate godliness. That we do

good by one another. That we provide for one

another. That we're flexible for one another.

That we help one another to live wisely in our

lives. Next he says, meet pressing needs. Pressing

needs. These are immediate needs, real world

needs, tangible needs. A mark of corporate godliness

in a healthy church is a membership that notices

people who are lonely. Have you ever thought

about that? Who's lonely in our church? Do you

recognize that? A mark of corporate godliness

in a healthy local church is a membership. That

sees people when they're sick, when they're experiencing

grief, when they're discouraged, when they're

going through financial struggles, when they

have practical hardships and so on. That church

does not merely notice, however. They act. They

respond to those needs by meeting them. Ask yourself

this question. If our church vanished tomorrow,

would there be a noticeable absence of good deeds

in our community? Your elders have been very

purposeful to establish right doctrine. We're

a confessional church. We follow a historic confession

that has been beneficial to the church for hundreds

of years. We have a robust statement of faith.

We have our own set of distinctives. We have

been purposeful in the way that we order our

worship service. committed to the public reading

of Scripture, committed to expository preaching.

We don't sing 7 -11 songs, the same seven words

sung 11 times. We sing good songs. Sometimes

the melodies are hard, especially when you have

to lead them and you don't remember the melody,

but that's for a different time. We do those

things very intentionally, and I would like to

think... that the people who have been exposed

to our worship service notice that. Now, whether

they do or not, I don't know. I can't speak for

them. As important as all those things are, and

they are very important, we were intentional

about them because we saw them as being so important.

But if our church were only known for being doctrinally

sound, And yet people in the world never noticed

our love for one another by the way that we care

for one another, by the way that we meet one

another's needs. We have failed. Do you understand

that? If we are right, but we are living wrongly,

we have failed. And I say that. Feeling a certain

amount of conviction in my own heart as the words

come off my lips. As a church, we should be marked

by godliness. We are the body of Christ. We are

his hands and his feet. We should be doing the

work that he has assigned to us. And yes, that's...

When we go out into the world, when we go door

to door and we share the gospel, we hand out

tracts at the fair, those are great things. But

if all we're doing is professing the gospel and

never accompanying that faith with good works,

just like James said, it's not enough. That faith

is dead if it's not accompanied by good works.

And sometimes those good works... are something

as simple as seeing a brother or sister in Christ

who has lost their spouse and going to their

home on a given night and sitting with them and

letting them cry. Being there for them and listening

to them. Sometimes it's something as simple as

knowing someone has lost their job and slipping

them. A $50 bill. Sometimes it is just that simple.

And it's a demonstration of the reality of your

faith. I mean, there are a myriad of ways that

we can do these good works. And there are different

ways that all of us will be gifted to do those

things. But we should be intentional about doing

them. So again, I ask, if our church vanished

tomorrow, would there be a noticeable absence

of good deeds in our community? Is our church,

is Grace Fellowship Church, I ask you, is our

church developing a culture of good works? Do

we meet pressing needs, the pressing needs of

our fellow congregants? Is the world observing

our love for one another in that way? The final

mark of corporate godliness briefly visible in

this letter can be seen in the way Paul closes

the letter. He demonstrates affection, grace,

and love that's rooted in our common faith. In

the final verse we see this, the corporate bonds

of gospel affection. Verse 15, the corporate

bonds of gospel. of gospel affection. All who

are with me greet you. Greet those who love us

in the faith. Grace be with you all. Paul's final

words are deeply personal. Now you might be tempted

to think, well I've read the way Paul concludes

all of his letters and they are very similar.

It's interesting how similar Paul's letters end.

We might be tempted to think, well this is just

like a signature line at the end of an email

or something. This is just his way of doing it.

But that is not the case. His final words are

deeply personal. You can see that there is warmth

and affection here. He speaks of those who love

us in the faith. This is not superficial friendship.

This is shared life in Christ. Going back to

Jesus' words to his disciples in John 13, by

this all men will know that you are my disciples

if you have love for one another. Gospel grace

creates supernatural affection among believers.

Do you feel affectionately toward other believers?

I would argue that if you are a genuine born

-again Christian, you will feel affection. For

other believers. A desire to be close to them.

A desire to know the intimate details of their

lives. Now I'm not saying we have to run around

telling everybody everything about our lives.

Certainly that's not the case. But in the same

breath, are you concerned? Or is this just one

more thing you check off your list every week?

This is about shared life in Christ. Paul closes

also, though, by writing, grace be with you all.

The final phrase of this beautiful, practical

letter, though addressed to just Titus, closes

with a plural phrase, grace be with you all.

He's speaking not only to Titus, but to the whole

body of believers on Crete with these words.

Paul knows that grace sustains the body. It sustains

the church's unity and its love. Grace sustains

the church's endurance and it makes our good

works possible. Churches cannot survive merely

on organization or activity. We need God's grace

continually at work among us. So when Paul concludes

this letter in this loving way, he is acknowledging

that they need God's grace. You and I need God's

grace because doing good things for others does

not come naturally. Naturally, I want everything

done for myself. Naturally, I want to be served.

Naturally, I do not want to serve others. As

we conclude our study of the letter of Paul to

Titus, it's important for us to remember the

great emphasis, as we mentioned earlier, that

sound doctrine must produce godly living. Guys,

hear me. Sound doctrine should produce godly

living in your life. And I would challenge you

with this. If it is not producing godly living

in your life, you need to prayerfully consider

your position in Christ. Grace creates a holy

people. It creates healthy churches, loving fellowships,

and fruitful lives. As he wrote under the inspiration

of the Holy Spirit, Paul's concern throughout

this epistle has never merely been intellectual

precision, external morality, or church efficiency.

His concern has been a transformed people who

adorn the doctrine of God through their lives

together, not as individuals. Certainly there

is an individual element to it. You go out into

the world, you go to school, to church, to work,

or not to church, to work. You go all these different

places throughout the week, and certainly there

is an individual element to it. But when we come

together, we should be marked by corporate godliness.

In order for us to demonstrate corporate godliness

as a body, we must learn good deeds, we must

love one another deeply, we must carry one another's

burdens, we must trust God's sovereignty in our

daily lives, and we must commit ourselves fully

to the life of Christ's church. The world should

not merely hear what we believe, they should

see the transforming power of the gospel in the

way we live together. I told Kyle he had to keep

his announcement short at the beginning of the

service because I had a lot of pages of notes.

And that's the end of them right there. I thought

about this a lot last night as I was wrapping

things up. The tendency among people, the tendency

among Christians, is to think about... ourselves,

to think of our Christianity as it applies to

ourselves, me as an individual. But church, you

are the body of Christ. And I don't think that

point can be driven home too hard. I don't think

that I can overstate the necessity of the church

body. It's why we take membership seriously here

at Grace Fellowship Church. And we should, as

a body, be marked by godliness. We should be

concerned about one another. This should not

be something we do one day a week and feel like

we've accomplished that task and now we can move

on to the work week. And it's tempting to do

that. It is tempting to live that way. But that's

not what you've been called to. If you know the

truth, if your heart has been changed by the

Spirit of God, then your life in the corporate

context of the church as a member of this body

should be marked by good works. Doing good works.

for one another.