 So anyway, here we are. We're in Titus chapter one. What I'll do is I'll read verses one through four. I'm going to give to you a foundation. It's going to take a little while because the foundation of the study is always extremely important. It's like a foundation to any building. If you don't have a firm and solid foundation, then the construction is going to be not as profitable as it could be because the foundation isn't solid. And so I'd like to lay a solid foundation for you so you'll know basically what's going on here and all in this book. And so it'll take a few minutes to do that. But I'm going to take us through verses one through nine. I'll take verses one through four together, which is really an introduction. And then I'll pick up at verse five and read to verse nine and look at some qualifications for church leadership. And so it's almost like two different studies. You'll see that even in the transition that it's almost like two different studies. And in a way, it was originally crafted that way. So we'll see this as we go through this. So let's begin here. In Titus chapter one, at verse one, we'll read verses one through four and we'll get into our study. Titus chapter one, beginning at verse one, reading to verse four. Paul, a bond servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. According to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgement of the truth which accords with godliness. In hope of eternal life, which God who cannot lie promised before time began. But has in due time manifested his word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God, our savior to Titus, a true son in our common faith, grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, our savior. So as we see, this is a letter written to a man named Titus. Titus is pastoring a church, a church that is on an island, the island of Crete. Conservative scholars place the date of this letter somewhere between 62 and 64 AD. When you read your Bible, you'll see that Titus is never mentioned in the book of Acts. He is mentioned 13 different times in the New Testament. Galatians chapter two, verse three informs us that he was a Greek and Titus chapter one, verse four, lets us know that he's a true son of Paul, which means he was a convert of the apostle Paul. Now that made him a great example of how God saved both the Jew as well as the Greek. And the scripture doesn't say exactly when or where Titus came to faith in Christ. It's believed that he may have come to faith on Paul's second missionary journey. We don't know under what circumstances that this man came to know the Lord, but we do know that after his conversion he became a pastor and was a very close friend of the apostle Paul. You can see that very clearly in Paul's second letter to the Corinthians. In second Corinthians two, verse 13, Paul said it like this. He said, I still had no peace of mind because they did not find my brother Titus there. In second Corinthians eight, verse 23, he said, ask for Titus, he's my partner and fellow worker among you. He's my brother, my partner, my fellow worker. And so he's held in high regard by the apostle Paul. What happened was this. While on a missionary journey, Paul and Titus had come to the Mediterranean island of Crete. Now when you look at a map, Crete is southeast of Greece. It's about 160 miles long. It's seven to 35 miles wide. And during this time, many Jews lived on this island. According to Acts 211, some of these people, these from Crete, were in Jerusalem on Pentecost and they had been saved. So when they returned to Crete, they would have started a small church and small churches would have come to be planted around the island. They would have met in various places, but they were in need of teaching. They were in need of discipling. And in order for that to take place, in order to be taught in disciple, well, that requires good leadership. And Titus was the one who would do this the best. So the letter Paul wrote to him would serve to establish Titus's credibility because this letter was from Paul. And because the letter was from Paul and Paul had done ministry work in Crete, it would also establish the authority of Titus. So in any of the church, if any in the church had opposed him, they would be in effect also opposing Paul because Paul was writing in relation to Titus and giving him commands for the church there in Crete. Now, as we go through this book, Titus is to organize and strengthen the church in their faith in Jesus Christ. And he's to do this by teaching them how to have and how to live righteous lives. He also did this by organizing the churches, and we'll see this in a moment, under recognized elders or leaders. You see, as commonly happens, the young believers were being preyed upon by false teachers. When we get to verses 10 through 16, you'll see that referred to very clearly. And because these young believers are vulnerable, Titus is being exhorted to act decisively. So Paul wrote this letter to protect them and to help them to live lives that are pleasing to God. And that's the function of qualified and spiritually mature leaders. And so that's what we're going to be seeing as we go through the book of Titus. He is writing to deal with false teachers. He's writing to encourage the churches in Crete. He's writing to encourage a man by the name of Titus. And he's writing in order that he might be able to establish leadership and develop a system of authority within the churches that are loosely knit together at this time. And so that's what we'll be looking at as we go through the book of Titus. We begin at verse one. And Paul introduces himself, as is the common way during the time of the writing of letters in the days of Paul. He begins by saying who it is who's writing the letter. Paul. And then he describes himself or identifies himself in this way. He says, Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgement of the truth which accords with godliness. And so it's instructive how Paul begins the letter. It's a letter that is intended to bring correction, as mentioned a moment ago. He begins by introducing himself as Paul. Notice Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus. That immediately speaks of he himself being a man under authority. He is a bondservant of God. This clearly reveals that he's a servant. And a servant is one who is first and foremost submitted to God. A servant of God obviously would be one submitted to God. He calls himself a bondservant. This is an important word and I'll share a little bit about it. The word bondservant speaks of one who gives himself up to another's will disregarding his own interest. It's somebody who gives himself up to another person's will disregarding his own interest. What it is is a voluntary slave, a voluntary slave. In the Old Testament book of Exodus in chapter 21 verses 2 through 6, we see something of the bondservant. Notice what it says. It says, if you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years. In the seventh, he shall go out free and pay nothing. If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master has given him a wife, she has born him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her masters. And he shall go out by himself. But if the servant plainly says, I love my master, my wife, my children, I will not go out free, then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door or doorposts. His master shall pierce his ear with an awl and he shall serve him forever. Let that sink in, guys. An awl is thick like a nail to take him and fasten him to the door to say, I'm your permanent servant. It was voluntary. It was voluntary. He could have gone free. He served his time. He was a bondservant, but he set free in the seventh year. But he had a wife. He had children. And what he would do is he would say that I'm devoted to my master. I voluntarily will remain in this house under my master's authority. So when Paul speaks of himself as a bondservant, he is speaking of himself as a voluntary slave forever to God. That's how he's beginning. He's pointing himself out as one under God's authority. And this is what he wanted everybody to know him as. You know, Paul could have spoken of himself in different ways. He could have spoken of himself by saying Paul a very, very well-known rabbi. He could have said Paul an incredibly astute philosopher because he was. He could have spoken of himself in many ways. He could have said Paul the intellectual because he was an intellectual. But he didn't. He didn't begin by speaking concerning the things that others would have rejoiced in and even boasted in. What he did is he boasted in the fact that he was a servant of voluntary slave for a lifetime to God himself, because that's how he saw himself. Instead of beginning his letter by referring to the fact that he was a great man in a previous life, he is saying, I am a voluntary slave of God. You see, during that day, being a servant was one of the most disrespected roles people could hold. But it was what Paul knew himself to be, and it was what Paul wanted them to know that he was. In 1st Corinthians in chapter 4, verse 1, this is what he said. Paul said, Let a man so consider us as servants of Christ, stewards of the mysteries of God. That's what we are, servants of Christ and stewards. A steward is an individual who takes care of somebody else's property. He said, All I am is a bond servant. All I am is a servant. All I am is a steward. And that is a very humbling declaration. But even in the declaration that I'm a bond servant, that establishes his authority to give commands, because he's not lording it over anyone. He's an example of what he'll be saying. There is a sense in which all believers are to regard themselves in this fashion. We belong entirely to the Lord. He purchased us, didn't he, through redemption. In 1st Corinthians 6, 20, it says it like this, you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body and your spirit, which belong to him. And so we have been called also to be servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. But he's not only God's servant. Notice he goes on to say and an apostle of Jesus Christ. When he says I am an apostle of Jesus Christ, that word apostle is a word that speaks of someone being a delegate, someone who's been sent forth with orders. He's saying I am delegated with authority and the authority that I have comes from Jesus himself. I want to develop something with you. I at first didn't know whether I should. I was going through my notes thinking should I or shouldn't I. And so I think it may be valuable to do it at this time, because sometimes I get questions related to this. And so it'll take me a moment to do this. But I think it's, I think it would probably be profitable because there are those today who have asked the question, are there modern day apostles? You can turn on the television, you watch one, and you can go into certain programs. And sometimes the person who's there holding a Bible behind a pulpit identifies himself as the apostle. I'm pretty sure if any of you ever watch any Christian quote unquote TV or programs, perhaps over time you've seen that. That's out there right now. Every once in a while you'll see come, you know, I'll read, you know, as I'm scrolling through things that are on TV and it'll say such and so program and it'll say with the apostle, you know, John Matta or something like that. Apostle Judas Matta, something like that. And today there are those who refer to themselves as apostles as a title. The word apostle again is somebody who's delegated with authority sent out on a mission. And so sometimes people will say, well, I'm an apostle in that sense. I have an apostolic calling maybe as a missionary evangelist or whatever. They'll use it, but that's a loose term. That really isn't a precise term. That's a loose term. That's a term that that that can be applied on occasion to certain things, but they are identifying themselves in that way. There are others though who believe that they hold the same apostolic office that Paul himself did. And they will refer to themselves as the apostle. And I've seen that quite often. There are, there are even, even cults like the Mormons who speak of themselves as having the apostle, who is the leader of the Mormon church. And so there are those who refer to themselves holding apostolic office apostles. And so in the New Testament, the word apostle can be used as an official title. You obviously have the 12 who were appointed by Jesus as in Mark chapter 3, 14 through 19. We know that ultimately Judas, who was one of the original 12 was replaced by Matthias. You see that in Acts 126. And then later we see Paul as an apostle. Paul was added later. You see some today called themselves apostles, but there are none who are the same as what would be in the New Testament apostles. And this is how you can develop this. Apostles had at least five specific functions. And you can use this when somebody says that they're an apostle, because an apostle in scripture had at least five functions. One, an obvious one, is they were preachers of the gospel. The apostles preached the gospel. First Corinthians 117, Christ did not send me to baptize, Paul said, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words less the cross of Christ might be of no effect. So they would preach the gospel. We know that, but they also taught. And they prayed specifically for the life and the health of the church. You see that in the book of Acts in chapter 6, verse 4, when there was a difficulty taking place in the early church, and the apostles had been approached and told that there's a problem we're having. And they said, it is not right for us to leave the word of God in prayer and to wait on tables. In other words, it's not right for us to cease praying for the church and teaching the church. So you need to seek out men who have certain qualifications so they can do that work on behalf of the church. But what the apostles did is they were overseers of the church, and they would pray and they would teach the church. An apostle would work miracles. An apostle would work miracles. In 2 Corinthians 12, verse 12, Paul said, truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance and signs, wonders and mighty deeds. The apostle would perform miracles. The apostle would appoint spiritual leaders in the church. In Acts 14, 23, it speaks of how they appointed elders in every church commending them to the Lord in whom they had believed. And especially the apostles would be used by God to write scripture, even as we see here in the book of Titus. So there is no man today who has that role or office as apostle. They are not writing scriptures. They are not performing the miracles and all that we find in scripture. And so when someone says that they are an apostle, they may be using that word in a loose sense, meaning that they're delegated with certain authority in preaching the gospel and all. But no, they are not identical to the apostles in the New Testament. And so he was called. He was called, verse 1, by God and he was given spiritual authority by God. In other words, he didn't call himself to this position. He was appointed to it by God. It's like what he says in Galatians 1, verse 1, when Paul said, Paul an apostle sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead. He says in verse 1, continuing, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgement of the truth. Now, this doesn't mean that he's only an apostle to those who believe he's one. You see, something ministry authorities, based on whether they give you, they themselves give you such authority. He's not saying, if you think I'm an apostle, then I am to you. What he's saying is I'm an apostle according to, and that speaks of being in the interest of or on behalf of you. So Paul is saying, I have preached and taught a message that is to be received in faith by the hearers. And I have been sent by God to do that on behalf of you that you might have instruction knowledge of God. So it's on your behalf. So what's calling as an apostle is intended to build up believers in their walks. Now he was called by God to proclaim the gospel, a gospel that results in the salvation of people. One of my favorite scriptures concerning this is Romans 1, 16, where he said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel because it's the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew and then for the Gentile. You see, it's through the preaching and teaching of God's word that people learn how to live godly lives in Jesus Christ. The Psalmist in Psalm 8611 said it like this. He said, teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth. Teach me your way and I will walk in your truth. Teach me how to live. Teach me what you intend for me. Reveal to me what your will is for me. And as I obey those things, I'll be walking in your truth, not in this phrase that we have today in my truth, whatever that's supposed to mean because truth is truth. And the way we walk in truth is we walk in his truth. And so if we know his ways through his word, that's how we can walk in his truth. And that's the purpose of the word of God, by the way. In Psalm 119, verses 103 to 105, listen to what the Psalmist said. He said, how sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth. Through your precepts, I get understanding. Therefore, I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. So Lord, I will walk in your truth because you lighten my way. I will walk in your truth because you have enlightened my understanding. So Paul would preach the Gospel because the Gospel opens up the understanding of man. And it's through the ways of God, through the Gospel of God, that we're able to do those things that are pleasing to him. So when we read the Bible, even as we are right now, and we look for practical application, we can understand that we can actually do those things that please him, because he's telling us in his word what pleases him. When we were first married, my wife and I, we went through our, I think it was our first Christmas together. And I've shared this before it comes to mind. You know, I wanted to please her. So I went to the swap meet. That's where all discerning shoppers go. And you get to get some great, great deals. I still remember coming home with a bright red pair of pants, a bright green pair of pants. And I mean, and I wrapped it up all carefully, you know, and, and it's Christmas. And, and I'm, I'm, I just know that I, I, I hit a grand slam. I just knew, I knew that my wife was going to be going, Oh, you're just too much. You, you, you, you big hunk of a Santa Claus. I just, I just, I just knew she was going to be so pleased. And, and I'm waiting for her. And she's opening up one gift after another, because I bought her, man, you can buy a bunch of stuff at the swap meet. And one thing after another, her face, her smile is kind of like at first, I think she thought I was kidding. That's why she was smiling by the end. There was no smile. And, and so I thought that in, it's not like she's ungrateful, because I'll hear this tonight. She was an ungrateful. Okay. Now it's that I didn't know what she wanted. Guys, you, every guy in this room who's married knows exactly what I just said. I didn't know what she wanted. So I bought her what I thought she wanted. That doesn't work. It does not work. So over the years, I grew into wisdom. And I'll just say, I'll go with you. Your gift is me being with you as we go through the storm. That's your gift. Get what you want. You know, because I'm, I, you know, I thought those red bell bottoms are very cool. But, but you didn't, you know, how are you going to know if that person doesn't tell you what they want? How are you going to know? And I eventually realized I'm not a mind reader. I cannot figure those things out. So I took the better way, the better path. I ask, I ask, what is it that pleases you? What is it that you want? And that's not in that frustrated, because sometimes that's what do you want? No, I'm not saying it like that. So what is it that you want? What can I do that will please you? That's something I want to do. Why? Because I love my wife. And so I want her to be happy. And all of that in the best way possible. I learned a long time ago that that instead of me trying to put some life together that will please God. I just, I just need to ask, what is it? What is it? And I find the answer in Scripture. And as the Scripture unfolds and reveals to me, this is how you can walk and please God. That's what you do. Because why would I give him red, you know, bow bottoms when he doesn't like them? Why would I give him, you know, this big old thing of perfume? I thought, what a deal, man. This five gallons, man, for four bucks. I mean, what a deal. Who needs Chanel when you can get Channel? I mean, and that gold necklace, you know, that green stuff washed off her neck. Pretty good, you know. I mean, come on. So, see, we have the privilege, the blessing, the honor, and the gift to be able to get into the Word of God and present it as it is. And that's why the psalmist would tell us that God's Word is a lamp unto his feet and the light unto his path. It's because in reading God's Word, he knows what God wants. And God will reveal his ways to us as we do so. Well, that's what Paul is intending to do. And that is in direct contrast. And we'll see this next time we're together in verses 10 and 11 of the same chapter. That's in contrast to what false teachers are doing as they're creeping in to the church there in Crete. The church is in Crete. So, he begins in this way. He says the truth which accords with godliness. Godliness comes through the truth. The truth is the Word of God, which God gives to us so that we may walk in a way that pleases him. And then he goes on to say in verse two, in hope of eternal life, which God who cannot lie promised before time began. And so, everything he's saying is resting on the hope of life everlasting. And so, he speaks of it. He says in hope of eternal life, which God who cannot lie promised. And so, when he speaks of hope, hope is defined as confident expectation as to be contrasted by wishful thinking. Sometimes they say, well, I hope that's not biblical hope. Hope is a confident expectation. We confidently rest on his promises. Knowing that his promises will be fulfilled and his promise is that we might have life everlasting. And this hope motivates Paul's ministry. And this hope for life everlasting encourages every believer to live a life that is godly. You see, we can confidently rest in his promises. Notice, he says because God cannot lie. God cannot lie. In 2 Timothy 2.13, Paul said, if we are faithless, he remains faithful. He cannot deny himself. In Hebrews 6.18, it is impossible for God to lie. And God has given to us a promise. God has promised, and Paul is speaking of this in verse two, he has promised us eternal life, age, abiding life, not simply the duration, but the quality, the abundance, the life that comes from him. In John 5.24, Jesus said it like this. He said, I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned. He has crossed over from death to life. It's not one of those things where, man, when I die, I just hope, I just hope, no, no, hoping that in that kind of wishful thinking way, no. This is one of those lessons that I had to learn early. And even as I'm looking at the clock, I'm saying to myself, you're not going to finish this, which is okay. I'll stop at the right place. When I first got saved, I've said this before, but it comes to mind. I used to say that to my friend who had stood with me the day I got saved. I said, Oh, I hope I go to heaven. Oh, I just, and he would say to me, David, he'd say, God has promised. God has promised. It isn't any works of righteousness you have done, but according to his mercy, he saved you by the Washington of regeneration by the renewing of the Holy Spirit. It isn't your works. If it were your works, you would boast. You would say, look what I accomplished. I was saved because of how good I am. Right? We all know that, but perhaps we don't because sometimes people will try really hard to be the best that they can be. And in fact, we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. There's none righteous, no, not one. We all have sin. We have been born into sin and we have a sin nature and we sin because it is our nature to do so. We don't become sinners when we sin. We sin because we are sinners within ourselves. You know, you've seen those of you who are parents, you know, you have a baby and oh, that's the cutest little thing. It's the cutest little thing till that baby gets mad. And if that baby could swell up and become a person, a human person, a big person, they'd kill you. You know, that's their nature. That's their nature. It is wrapped up within them. It's in their nature. It's in our nature. You know, sin is tied up within us. And so what the Lord has done is he's given us a new nature that comes through the gospel. That's what it means when he says if any man be in Christ, he's a new creation. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new because the Holy Spirit has regenerated us. And now we can have the hope of eternal life. It is a guarantee that God gives to us. It is a confident expectation that when I close my eyes here, it's only to open them up there because of what he's done for me. And this is what motivates us, not the attempt to be saved, but because we are saved. And that's what Paul is building here, this hope that will motivate us, that we can confidently serve God and rest in his promise and have eternal life. In 1 John 5, 11, this is the testimony. God has given us eternal life. This life is in his Son. He says in 1 John 5, 13, I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life, not that you would simply wish that you did, but that you may confidently rest at night in that knowledge that you did. You have eternal life in Jesus Christ. I don't think we understand that yet. I'm positive that many of us don't. I'm certain because I'm still coming to the more full realization of that myself after 50 years. It's a long time. You would think I'd get it by now, but I am becoming more and more aware that God has made a promise that he won't break and that when the day comes when it is said of me, did you hear Pastor David died? And it will be said of me unless a rapture occurs. And I certainly want that to happen before either way. Pastor David died. I still remember when, when Marie, my wife woke me up one morning in October, eight years ago, woke me up three o'clock in the morning. I still remember her waking me up and her sweet little whisper in my ear. Look up stupid. No, she, her sweet little whisper. Pastor Chuck went to heaven. I'll never forget that. She shook my shoulder softly and she whispered in my ear. Pastor Chuck went to heaven. He had just died and the phone call came. She picked up and then she told me, but I also remembered what Chuck said. He said, don't say that I died. Just say that I changed residences, that I've gone home. Do you have that hope? Do you have that hope? Do you know? Do you know that when you close your eyes here, it's only to see him there. Do you know that? Paul did. And Paul said, this is a message Titus, you're to give this hope of eternal life, this confident expectation and knowledge that God cannot lie. And he promised it to us. And he's not some evil father who pretends he's going to give his kids something only to hurt them by not. He's a loving father who would not hold back on his child but gives him abundantly more than he could ask or think because that's the father that we worship. He says in verse two in hope of eternal life, which God who cannot lie promised before time began. Before the world began, God decided to call into existence a people that would be called the church. In Ephesians one verse four, it says he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In first Corinthians two verse seven, he said, no, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. Somebody once said, when God decides to call into being a people for his own possession, the fulfillment of this decree is so certain that the grace which they will receive can be spoken of as having already been given. Just as the life is described as having been already promised. You see Romans 4 17 says God gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they are. He said in verse three, but has in due time manifested his word through preaching which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior. Notice in the right time he manifested his word through preaching. This message of preaching, the message and the preaching had been given to Paul. It was his responsibility and from eternity God had promised life everlasting and he made this promise possible by the preaching of the message. In first Corinthians one 18 it says the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved that message of the cross to those of us who are being saved it is the power of God. I'll be teaching out of the gospel of Mark and you'll be seeing this that next time we're together how that the Lord Jesus Christ had had had such power and such authority and I love the way Mark has been just emphasizing that from chapter one up to we'll be looking at chapter five next time we're together and how God is revealing himself to us in the authority and power of Jesus because I'll be highlighting the fact that that the people are astonished at the authority in which he preaches. No man ever spoke like this man but also in his power over creation we saw him as he still the storm and his power over the demonic forces you know that even after Satan had attempted to cause him to succumb to temptation it was Jesus who said to him get thee behind me and it was the demons who would see him and understand that you are the Son of God have you come to torment me before the time they will say those kinds of things and as I've been going through that I've come to realize that that the emphasis that we have in scripture of who Jesus is and what he has done and yet in the midst of all the various things that he does he always comes back to one thing go and tell them the great things that God has done for you and it's not just the witnessing of what takes place we'll be looking at the man of Gadara the man of the Gadarenes and how this was somebody we all know was so fierce that people didn't even want to pass by where he was and he would he had chains that they had put on him and he would bust those chains and and no one could could bind him and he was running naked they're living in the tombs among the dead because he himself was dead spiritually dead and and unclean and and and and yet you see when Jesus delivers him and all that the response of the people even though they knew who this man was and what this man had done they say this to Jesus depart from us and one of my commentators pointed out no matter how much good Jesus did they still didn't want to hear who he was and you know what that's the preaching we tell people about Jesus Christ they see a deliverance like that they can see a miracle they can know of things like that they can see changed lives but it's the preaching of the gospel and this gospel is what transforms people they are saved by the power of God now notice verse three he says which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior that word committed means to be entrusted I have been entrusted to proclaim God's word it reminds me of 1st Thessalonians 2 verse 4 where it says but as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel even so we speak not as pleasing men but God who tests our hearts here's one last thought because I can't take you through all of this I wanted to so I won't entrusted let me give you some insight I keep hearing this and therefore I'll say it out loud perhaps some in this room might be I don't know maybe some maybe this will be something that that I can say clearly if there's anything that people will tell me and this sounds so self-serving I'm regretting even beginning sharing this but but I want you to hear my heart on this they'll say thank you for teaching us the bible thank you for teaching us the bible I've heard that many times especially through this COVID thing thank you for keeping your hand on on you know stirring the ship properly making sure we're going straight thank you for not veering to the left and not veering to the right but remaining in the center and moving forward why do you do that my conviction is very simple I have been entrusted I have been entrusted with God's word I've been entrusted with God's word and I take that very seriously I have taken that very seriously since September of 1973 when I first opened the word to share with other people over 48 years the one thing I know for sure is God's word is true that I know that I know God's word is true and that's how I teach God's word is true I was teaching a bible study in Norwalk at one time and a young man came to me after the study and he said to me this he said I'm a salesman he says I actually train other salesmen in the art of the sale he said I I came here for the first time to hear a bible study for me and I just want to tell you this I've never forgotten this he said I want to tell you this he says I know that the best salesman believes in his product he says and I can tell you believe in yours that's a compliment and I said yeah I can give you two gospels for five or I can give you three for ten but listen that again let me be real with you when I say do you believe that because today there are many people in pulpits like this who don't who think that I've got to say something to tickle the ears or the audience doesn't come back they will actually speak of them as ladies and gentlemen kind of audience you're not my audience you're my family that's what you are you're not my audience you're my family we are in Christ related we're having a family talk over God's word that's what keeps us together some people want that and others don't those who don't will find a place that meets their need as it is God bless them as they do I hope they do but I made a choice a long time ago to tell you the truth the whole truth and nothing went to truth when we studied the word why is that because I have been entrusted with God's word and I never was trusted with anything before I became a Christian because I was not worthy of people's trust so when God saved me and entrusted me that has always meant something to me I will not veer to the left and I will not veer to the right I'm going to do my best to say in the center on the path because I have been entrusted and so have you with the word of God so we don't try and make the word acceptable to people because it's the word that makes people acceptable to God and that's how it's supposed to work and so he speaks of this and God he said he said again was in due time God has in due time manifested his word through preaching which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior and then he says to Titus a true son in our common faith grace mercy and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior and so my true son my genuine convert one who has in the fullest sense been born again when he speaks of a true son that's what he's saying when he speaks of our common faith that speaks of a genuine faith that is shared by both Paul and Titus now because this is a true son who shares the common faith that makes Titus a great person to leave in charge of a church because he is selfless he's a servant and he sincerely cares for the spiritual lives of the people 2nd Corinthians 8 16 he said at Paul said I thank God who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you it is very difficult to find somebody who has the same kind of loving concern for the church that you yourself have again you know many people could care less about this but it's true I really do as a pastor shepherd of this fellowship I really do have a great concern for you I really do have that I go to bed at night with this fellowship on my heart I wake up in the morning and it's still there and it's been there for 40 years it is a burden it is a joy it is a blessing it has pain it has tears it has grief it has sorrow it has hurt but it also has just a sense of fulfillment and pleasure for me that's what ministry is some of you want to go into ministry you need to have a heart for people and Titus did Titus did and that's why Paul would speak of him in that way that's why Paul would say that God put into his heart into Titus's heart the same kind of loving concern that Paul had and then he goes on to finally say grace mercy and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior grace mercy and peace from God you see salvation originates with God but it is secured by faith in Jesus Christ in 1st Timothy 4 10 it says for to this end we both labor and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Savior of all men especially of those who believe he is the potential Savior for any he is the actual Savior of those who do believe and so if you're not saved he stands as your potential Savior he's there to save you but if you are saved he's your actual Savior he has saved you and when you preach the gospel you're preaching a promise of eternal life that you have in Jesus Christ and so in conclusion because I have to conclude and I don't want to because I really wanted to go through more verses with you but in conclusion false teachers are creeping into the church in in Crete and Paul is speaking here concerning the power of preaching the gospel reminding him he's a true son of faith in Jesus Christ but that you're going to have to deal with those who are coming in in order to do that you're going to need to appoint godly men because Titus there are churches all through Crete that are in need of mature spiritual leaders because God ordained pastors elders to care for the sheep and we'll look at that next time we're together what the qualifications are for such a position we'll close here