 The title of our sermon this morning is the Faithful Steward, the Faithful Steward, 2 Corinthians chapter 8, verses 16 through 24. Now in 2 Corinthians chapter 8 and 9, we find the Apostle Paul organizing a collection among the predominantly Gentile churches for poor and suffering saints in Jerusalem. But far from being merely an historical account of the collection these chapters include some of the most helpful, motivating, soul-enriching, blessed instruction in all the Bible on the subject of Christian giving or Christian generosity. Paul refers to this heart of genuine generosity as being a work of the grace of God in verse 1, where he draws our attention to the grace of God poured out on the churches of Macedonia. The Macedonian churches now enabled and powered by grace, those churches prove the sincerity of their love through a lavish, sacrificial, generous gift that Paul then holds up as an example of what it looks like when a Christian gives, when a Christian gives for the cause of Christ, when a Christian gives in love for his brothers in love for the Lord. Now having provided that example in verses 1 through 6, Paul provides us then with the exhortation in verses 7 through 15. You and I must be sure that we abound in this grace of generosity also. We may be abounding or mature in many graces. Paul says, don't lag behind in this grace either. See that you abound in this grace also. We may abound in faith and love in preaching the gospel. We may abound here in our understanding of the Bible. We may abound in our diligence, in our zeal and our love for one another, but don't lag behind in generosity. So calling us in Christ then to be generous givers, Paul has taught us by means of an example in verses 1 through 6 and then he instructs us by means of an exhortation in verses 7 through 15. Now in 2 Corinthians chapter 8 verses 16 to 24, Paul moves on to the faithful stewardship of the money that is being collected for the poor saints in Jerusalem. And Paul is meticulously careful now about who is handling the money and how the money will be handled. Verses 20 through 21, our key to our understanding of this section of the text, where Paul says here in the ESV, we take this course so that no one should blame us, so that no one should find fault in how this generous gift is being administered by us, for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight, but also in the sight of man. Now Paul knows very well how important it is to be exceedingly careful and above reproach when it comes to handling the money. There are very few topics that we will discuss in the church more sensitive than the topic of money. Very few topics that we'll discuss that people bristle at more than the topic of money. Calvin said, certainly nothing is more apt to give rise to unfavorable surmises than the management of public money. Now many a ministry has been discreet by financial scandal, right? We've heard about them. Many a pastor has been put to open shame over their management of money. Some of them revel in it, some of them boast in it and they're mismanagement of the money. And the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of them. Left in the wake of a financial scandal is a stinking trail of vomit and manure rancid with a stench of filthy lucre. Always careful about the selection of those words. Feel like saying it again. Lost people, lost people will avoid the church over a stereotype regarding money, won't they? Working through this section of Second Corinthians, several of you even come to me and have asked me to remind visitors when they come that, listen, we don't talk about money every Sunday in here. We're just working verse by verse through Second Corinthians. It's taken us a little while and we're in two full chapters on this subject. So welcome to Cornerstone for a while, okay? And why do they do that? It's because of the reputation of the churches. It's because of the reputation, the miserable, deplorable, disgraceful, shameful reputation of many churches with respect to how they manage, how they handle money. From false teachers in the Old Testament described as given over to unjust gain, to money grubbing false teachers today, fleecing the flock for expensive cars and big houses, the sinful love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. The Prophet Jeremiah says, because from the least of them, even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness. And from the Prophet, even to the priest, everyone deals falsely and watch the news, and that is true. God says to greedy shepherds through the Prophet Ezekiel, he says, woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves should not the shepherds feed the flock. You eat the fat and you clothe yourselves with the wool. You slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away nor sought what was lost. Those words were true 2,600 years ago, and they are true today. Everywhere you look, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is dishonored among them. And many straying from the faith in their greediness pierced themselves through with many sorrows. It is such a pervasive sin. It is a pervasive sin. Let it not be named among us brothers and sisters. That man called to the past oral office cannot be greedy for money in 1st Timothy chapter 3, verse 3. He cannot be greedy for money in Titus chapter 1, verse 7. He cannot serve for dishonest gain in 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 2. A deacon cannot be greedy for money in 1 Timothy chapter 3, verse 8. All of us, all of us are to be content with food and clothing 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 8. Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. The genuine believers, you and I have to be reminded on a regular basis to be meticulously faithful in our stewardship of money. Reminded, as Spurgeon said, that we are the servants of Christ and not lords over his heritage. Now in organizing this collection for the saints in Jerusalem, Paul isn't ignorant of Satan's devices. Paul knows this is a sensitive issue. And because Paul himself, himself is accused of mishandling the money. When false teachers in Corinth want to discredit Paul, when they want to undermine his ministry, where do they often go? Where do they often go? They go straight from the money. Paul's handling of the money. We see allusions to these accusations throughout this letter to the Corinthian church. In chapter 2, verse 17, Paul says, we are not, as so many are, we are not peddlers of the Word of God. We're not preaching to you to get paid. We're not preachers for profit as the others are. It's an allusion to the accusations against Paul. Turn with me to chapter 11, verse 7. Put the page, chapter 11, verse 7. Paul opens the verse with this sarcastic question. He asks them, did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? In other words, the false teachers in Corinth had twisted Paul's humility, twisted Paul's loving sacrifice in not taking an income from the Corinthians, and they twisted that against him. If he were really gifted, they would say, if what he would say was really important, then he'd be paid for what he was saying. You see? That's what their mindset, their philosophy was. What I say is important, and the way I say it is great. And so pay me for what I say, right? That was their thought process. They said his speech was contemptible. Paul asks, is it sinful that I did this? That I forego my right to spiritual help from you, physical help from you, material help from you. I forego that right for your sake. Is it sin that I did that? He says in verse 8, I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. And when I was present with you and in need, I was a burden to no one for what I lacked. The brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. Those poor brothers and sisters in Macedonia supplied his need time and again. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself as the truth of Christ is in me. Verse 10, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of a chaos. Why? Because I do not love you. God knows. God knows he loves them. Verse 12, but what I do, listen, I will also continue to do that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. Such are false apostles, deceitful workers, greedy for unjust gain. These wicked men transform themselves into apostles of Christ. Flip the page once more and look at chapter 12 and look at verse 11. Chapter 12, verse 11, Paul says, I've become a fool in boasting, and you have compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing, Paul says. Verse 12, truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished upon you with all perseverance in signs and in wonders and in mighty deeds. For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches except that I myself was not burdensome to you? In other words, I didn't take a paycheck from you. I didn't send you a bill and you didn't pay me for my services. That's the only thing in which you're inferior to any other church that I serve. Forgive me this wrong, Paul asks, or says in verse 13, Paul's selfless, loving sacrifice had been twisted into an accusation of wrongdoing. He says in verse 14, now for the third time I'm ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you, for I do not seek yours, but you. I don't want your money. I don't want what's in your wallet. I'm not trying to stick my long arm in your short pocket. I don't want your money. I want you. I want your heart for the children not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children, and I will very gladly spend and be spent for your soul. Paul would give everything that he had and everything that he is for them, for their souls. Though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved. But be that as it may. Verse 16, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning. That's interesting, isn't it? Being devious, that's what the word means. Being deceptive, as he was accused of being, he caught them, the word means bait, cunning, bait, right? According to the false teachers, Paul was faking it by not taking payment from them. In other words, he was trying to hook them. So Paul is there. He's among them. They have to twist this to make it work, right? To accuse him. They're saying essentially that Paul is among them, not taking payment from them so he can entreat their favor so that he can endear them to himself. And all the while, he's skimming money off the top of this collection. Matter of fact, he's in for a big embezzlement. He's going to take the whole collection when he goes. That was the accusation against Paul. In other words, he's manipulating you for money. That was their accusation. And Paul reminds them that he's not alone in this work. It's not just Paul involved here. Commendable men are with him. Men, they know well. Look at verse 17. Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? I urged Titus and sent our brother with him, the brother whose praise is in all the churches we know from chapter 8. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps? Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ, but we do all things beloved for your edification. So Paul, back in 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 then, like knowing this is the circumstance. This is the setting in which this now handling of the collection takes place. And so Paul takes sober-minded precautions back in 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 verses 16 to 24. He well understands the need to be a faithful steward, especially in this issue of money. And he takes steps to ensure that the collection is cared for by faithful stewards. The letter that we're reading, the letter that you have in your Bible was delivered to the Corinthians by three men sent by the churches, sent ahead of Paul to handle the collection in the Corinthian church and carry it to Jerusalem. They're reading this letter by the hand of these three men. And Paul now commends them in 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 verses 16 through 24. In chapter 3 verse 1, Paul explains that he should need a commendation to the church at Corinth. They know him well, right? But here Paul chooses to commend these faithful stewards to the church. What we see here for us as it applies to us is what it looks like to be a faithful steward. Now our text breaks down across three main headings. First, verses 16 to 19, the character of a faithful steward. The character of a faithful steward. Secondly, verses 19 to 21, the concern of the faithful steward. Lastly, verses 22 to 24, the commendation of a faithful steward. The character, the concern, and the commendation of a faithful steward. Now consider with me first the character of a faithful steward described by Paul verses 16 to 19, where Paul says beginning in verse 16, but thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. For he not only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he went to you of his own accord. And we have sent him with him, the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches. And not only that, but who is also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord himself and to show your ready mind. The character, character of a faithful steward now is defined by three primary traits in these verses. Among the many God given marks of a faithful steward, there are three primary traits in this text that define his character. I want you to understand those three traits. One is a diligent love, a diligent love. One is diligent labor. And the other is a diligent or earnest desire, diligent love, diligent labor, and a diligent or earnest desire. First, look with me at a diligent love in verse 16, a diligent love. Paul says, thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care. There it is. The same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. Titus not only accepted the exhortation, but being even more diligent, he went to you of his own accord. Now, Paul begins in verse 16 by describing the spude, that's the Greek word, the earnestness or the diligence of Titus. That word used four times in this section of text. It's a wholehearted devotion. It's an unquestionable enthusiasm for them in earnestness. In fact, the earnestness that Titus has in his heart is the very same earnest care that Paul has in his. And we've looked carefully working through 2 Corinthians at Paul's care for this church. Paul loved these people. So now as Paul is commending this faithful steward Titus to the church at Corinth, he says, look, Titus has the same care in his heart for you that I do. He loves this church, loves these people. It is a diligent, earnest, wholehearted, enthusiastic devotion toward them. Not merely mind you a devotion for the work. Titus could be that way. He could be diligent in the cause of Christ, diligent in the work, but not really diligent toward them. Just tell me what to do and I'm going to do it. That's not Titus's attitude. Titus had a heart of care earnest, devoted, diligent care. The word means diligent, earnest, had this love in his heart for these people. Notice that that diligent care resides in his heart. That's where it springs from. Notice that it's not placed in the mind of Titus, right? That's what the Bible says. Titus, he's not laboring by the mere power of his own will. The diligent love, the diligent care resides in his heart. That's where it springs from. But notice further with me, verse 16, who is it that places it there? God does. That's right. God does, right? Paul gives credit where credit is due and he thanks God for his work in Titus. He began that discussion of the example of the Macedonian churches in the same way, didn't he? In verse one, behold, I draw your attention to look at the grace of God that was poured out on the churches of Macedonia. He credits this, he credits this diligent, earnest, enthusiastic love to a work of the grace of God. Now that diligent love, the diligent love that springs from a heart that is moved by God, that kind of love births fruit, bears fruit. It results in action. I believe that we could make this connection together, okay? If God has moved on your heart by grace and it doesn't die there, it compels you to action, right? It gives birth to fruit. It bears fruit. If God is at work in your heart, you bear fruit of that work of grace in your heart, right? Fruits of the Holy Spirit, fruits of obedience, fruit of love and joy and peace and patience and kindness, right? These fruits that are produced by God in the heart of someone who's been saved. Dilligent love bears fruit. Now notice with me the fruit that it bears in verse 17. Titus not only accepts the exhortation, right? He wasn't strong armed, he wasn't coerced, he wasn't manipulated. Yes, I'll go. Yes, I'll go. But more than merely accepting the assignment, he desired it for their sake, right? It's not a yes, I'll go. It's a yes, let me go, right? He loves them. He wants to minister to them. He desired it for their sake. The work of God exemplified by the fact that Titus was freely willing. Titus having the same care in his heart that Paul had, Titus would also say, listen, I'm willing to spend and to be spent for you. I don't want what's yours, I want you, right? That would have been Titus's heart also. A diligent love. Now secondly, Paul remarks on that fruit of a diligent love by referencing the diligent labor of the second brother in verse 18. Look at verse 18 with me. Paul says, and we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches. That's interesting in verse 18, isn't it? That this brother is unnamed. He's unnamed. We know him only as the brother whose praise is in the gospel and throughout the churches. But what an awesome way to be known. Ladies, if you want to name your child, I think this is a great name. They live up to it. We know him only as the brother whose praise is in the gospel and throughout the churches. What a way to be known. This is a fruit of the work of God's grace in his heart. It's the love in his heart that bears the fruit of being such a faithful man of God that his fame, his reputation, what he's known for in all the churches is his work in the gospel. He's known for that. It's very likely that the church here in Corinth doesn't know him personally, right? He mentions Titus by name. Is Titus minister to them there? They know Titus. It's likely that as he's delivering this letter to them that Titus is obviously going to introduce him to the people in Corinth. And this brother known by name only was praised in all the churches for his work in the gospel. He wasn't known in all the churches for his fiscal responsibility, or known in all the churches for his financial acumen and handling collections well. This is the brother who's famous for taking up offerings in the churches. No, right? Wasn't do his accounting skills. It was in the gospel. It was in the gospel. His praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches. Paul described Timothy in a similar way in Philippians chapter two as one who served with him in the gospel. So what is Paul talking about when he makes this comment in the gospel? He's talking about his labor in the gospel, preaching the gospel, laboring with the word of God to see sinners converted to Christ, to see the saints edified, right? Laboring in the cause of Christ. And that's how this faithful steward is known. Let me make the leap for you. That's how a faithful steward is known. If you are faithful, then you are faithful in the gospel. If you are a faithful steward, then you are faithful in the work of serving Christ in the gospel, right? That faithfulness is what a faithful steward is known for. You may be gifted in many ways, gifted in many ways. But if you're faithful, you're faithful with those gifts in the work of gospel ministry, right? This is a faithful steward. Not only that, look at verse 19, but this brother, famous for his diligent labor for Christ, was chosen by the churches then to travel with us with this gift. Now there are two qualifications then for this faithful steward that was chosen. One, he was praised for his diligent work. And secondly, he was chosen then by the churches. The Greek word for chosen here literally means that he was appointed by means of raising your hand. They took a vote, right? They had a meeting of elders. People got together, they voted. This brother's name came up. He was nominated for this because of his reputation, and they voted. This brother was selected to accompany Paul to Jerusalem in delivering the collection. They voted for him. Now a bunch of elders did this for his business skill? No. Do you think this brother's personality was the reason they chose him? No. Was it like Saul in the Old Testament? He was chosen because he was tall. He was taller than everybody. Let's pick the tall guy. No. Or because he was handsome. That's the way a lot of people choose representative today. Crazy but true. He was tall. No. He was chosen because this brother was faithful. This brother was faithful. In Acts chapter six, they needed faithful stewards to help with the problem, didn't they? In the distribution of food to the Hellenistic widows. And so the elders in Jerusalem came together in Acts chapter six to appoint men to help with the distribution of food. And it says there in Acts six that they chose seven men of good reputation. They were full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. Faithful stewards. Now notice and think about this with me, right? They don't appoint someone to this work in hopes that they will be faithful. They appoint a faithful brother. They don't appoint someone in this work hoping that the responsibility of this collection will make him faithful or will grow him in faithfulness. No. They appoint a faithful brother. They appoint a faithful believer. This man was proven trustworthy. How? How was he proven trustworthy? By his faithfulness to labor in the work of the Gospel. Because he labored in the work of the Gospel. Notice his praise. His praise is not in perfect attendance at church services. There are many who claim to be Christian who can't even claim that praise. His praise was not good attendance. His praise was faithfulness, labor, his labor in the work of the Gospel. The character of a faithful steward not only defined by diligent love, but the character of a faithful steward is defined by diligent labor. A diligent, earnest, wholehearted love that is springs forth in for the sake of Christ and for the sake of his church springs forth in diligent labor for the cause of Christ. Now that character then of a faithful steward further defined now by an earnest desire, an earnest desire. Look at verse 19. Not only that, but he was chosen also by the churches to travel with us with this gift which is administered by us, here it is, to the glory of the Lord himself and to show your better translated hour, to show our ready mind. Apollon Titus were going. The churches selected this unnamed but faithful brother to go with them with an earnest desire. There's an earnest desire. Their earnest desire reflected in a twofold purpose from verse 19. The glory of the Lord himself, in other words, the glory of the Lord is wrapped up in how this collection is going to be administered. It's the glory of the Lord and not just the glory of the Lord. The glory of the Lord himself is wrapped up in how we do this. The glory of the Lord himself and to literally our goodwill, our goodwill. It's a compound word meaning to give evidence or to give proof of their goodwill, right? To give evidence of their goodwill. The elders, if you remember from Galatians 2, the elders in Jerusalem had advised Paul to remember the poor. They told Paul, be sure that you remember the poor. And Paul said, it was the very thing that I was eager to do also, was to remember the poor. Now, Paul intends by virtue of this collection to give evidence of that desire in the way that he administers this collection in Corinth, right? He's going to give testimony of his ready mind, his goodwill. Back to the connection now between love and action. Love and action. Considering the twofold purpose, the glory of the Lord and Paul's love or goodwill. How can you or I say that we love Christ when we don't live in a way that brings glory to Christ? How can we say that our love is genuine? James asked the question, doesn't he? Show me your faith. How can you show your faith? By works, James says. Right here, in essence Paul is saying, prove your love. I'm testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. Paul has already said, right? How can you say that you love Christ when you don't live in a way that brings in glory? When you don't give expression to your love in laboring for Christ, how can you say you love your brother when you aren't taking tangible steps to put your love into action? We hear people say that all the time, don't we? I love the Lord. I love the Lord and yet they don't take tangible steps to express their love for the Lord. I love my brothers and yet you don't take tangible steps to put your love into action. Many say that they love the Lord or love their brothers and then they take tangible steps out the door. After they've said, I love my brothers. I love the Lord. Many have done that, right? They're not giving expression to love. They're giving expression to some other thing. The great desire, the earnest desire of these faithful stewards, their ultimate hope was to glorify the Lord himself and to demonstrate the sincerity of their love to show their ready mind. The earnest desire of a faithful steward will be those two things, the glory of God and the good of his church, the glory of God and the good of his church. Now Paul expresses this earnest desire often in this letter even. Second Corinthians chapter 4 verse 15, Paul says, I do all things for the sake of the elect so that thanksgiving may abound to the glory of God. I labor for the people of God so that then God can be glorified in it, right? Turn with me. Just put the page and look at 2 Corinthians 9. 2 Corinthians 9 and look at verse 12. Paul says here, speaking of this collection, right, in verse 12, Paul says, for the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints or that not only takes care of the people of God but also the administration of this service is abounding through many thanksgivings to God while through the proof of this ministry they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ and for your liberal sharing with them and all men and by their prayer for you who longed for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you, thanks be to God for his indescribable gift, right? The good of the elect, the good of those people loving the brothers and the glory of God, right? Those two things bound up together and all of that is characteristics, characteristic of a faithful steward, a diligent love, a diligent labor and a diligent desire and earnest desire, a driving motivation. Now we could say, couldn't we, in looking at this text, that these characteristics describe those three men that were taking care of this collection in Corinth? That's true. That's what the text is teaching. But this is the definition or description of a Christian, isn't it? The Christian has a diligent love. The Christian's not marked by half-hearted love. That's not the love of a Christian. I wish that you were cold or hot, but because you are lukewarm, the Lord said, I'm going to vomit you out of my mouth. Lukewarm love is a lost love if you ever had it to begin with. It's not the love for Christ of a genuine Christian. A Christian is marked, a faithful steward is marked by diligent labor. A Christian is not one who simply sits and listens week in and week out, thinking that somehow that is service to God and the cause of the gospel out of love for the Lord, out of love for the Lord's people, is bound forth out of their heart to love him and to love them by serving him and by serving them. And it's an earnest desire. The genuine Christian who is a faithful steward desires the glory of God and the good of his people. That means that the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and the good of the church, the good of his people, trump their personal desires. That they often submit or sacrifice personal desires out of love for Christ or love for his people. That's a mark of a faithful steward. Not just a description of these three men, but a description of a Christian. Now, remember, Paul begins to define the character of a faithful steward by giving thanks to God for his work in the heart of Titus. I think with me, God not only knows the heart, searches every square millimeter of it. God not only knows the heart, God moves on the heart by grace. God moves on the heart of his people. Listen to Ephesians chapter one, verse 17. Paul prays for the saints at Ephesus that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that's the work of God, right? That you may know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his mighty power. Listen, if you're in Christ, you're going to struggle with sin. You have a battle that begins the day that your eyes were opened, and that battle will assail you from now until the day that God calls you home. This side of eternity, you're going to battle sin. But listen, there is within you by God's grace the riches of an exceeding great power toward us who believe, and that battle is waged according to the working of his mighty power in you. Can the Christian just sit back, defeated, and wallowing in his sin, wallowing in a bad attitude or indifference, wallowing in apathy, when that exceeding great power works in you, that is the case for you this morning. And this diligent love, diligent labor, this earnest desire is lost on you. If you have lost your first love, listen, if you're in Christ, then the riches of his power are for you in him. Trust him by faith and labor. Trust him by faith and love God's people. Trust him by faith and pursue the glory of Christ. These are the riches of glory, the glory of his inheritance in the saints. In Colossians chapter two, he encourages our hearts. In Philippians chapter two, he works in us both the will and the do for his good pleasure. And here in Second Corinthians chapter eight, God kindles a fire, a zeal in the heart of Titus. And God will kindle a fire, kindle a zeal in your heart by faith in Christ if you will turn from your sin and trust him. God is the one who puts it in the heart. God is the one who authors the spirit, the heart, the desire, the labor of a faithful steward. We're not, it's not possible for us to conjure up that kind of work in us ourselves. It's just not possible. Apart from him, my heart is dead. Apart from him, I have no will to do any righteousness. Apart from him, everything that I do is worthless. God puts a diligent love. God puts a fruit-bearing love. God puts an earnest, God-glorifying love into the heart of a faithful steward. Now we're not to look to these men, these three guys that took this collection. We're not to look to these three men and magnify them for their faithfulness. Paul doesn't do that. What does Paul do? I thank God that he put the same earnest care that God himself put in me. I thank God that he put that into the heart of Titus. I thank God, I thank God that he's put it in some of you, many of you in this church. And I pray that God will work in you mightily so that we all demonstrate that diligent love, that diligent labor, that earnest care, that earnest desire. We're not to magnify these men. We're to glorify God for their faithfulness. And then we're to imitate them as they imitate Christ. God has given you a stewardship. Right? It's not a collection for poor saints in Jerusalem. God has given you a stewardship. He's given you a stewardship. He's certainly given you a stewardship with the gospel. He says there are lost people around. You preach the gospel to them. Preach the gospel to them. You have a stewardship. If you are married, you have a stewardship. Love your wife. You have a stewardship. Love your husband. If you have children, raise those kids in the nurturing admonition of the Lord. Why? Because God has given you a stewardship. Approach that stewardship with diligent love, diligent care, diligent labor, and earnest desire to glorify God. If you're a student, he has given you a stewardship. If you're an employee, he has given you a stewardship. If you know nothing of this love, nothing of this labor, nothing of this earnest desire, you're not a Christian. Settle it in your heart and mind. You are not a Christian. You need your heart transformed. You need a new heart. If you're not giving evidence of such a love, evidence of such a desire, such that people can't see it in your action, such that your praise is not in this church for your faithfulness, then it calls into question the reality of your love. It calls into question your faithfulness. It calls into question your profession, the tragic commentary on the so-called Christian life of many, many, many today. And they will supposedly praise God for all that he has given them, right? And rightfully so, praise God for all that he has given us. It's right for a lost person to do that, but then to go on and bear no fruit with the grace that they've been given, to have taken the grace of God in vain. They come to church to get, not to give, not to be employed in gospel labor. They come to church to get, and they want to get, and they want to get, and they want to get. And when the getting doesn't meet their expectations, we don't, when they don't get what they want, they'll go somewhere else to get it. There's no commitment here. There's no love here. There's no employment and labor here. They'll go somewhere else to get what they want to meet those expectations. And so they go somewhere else to get, and they get, and they get, and they continue to live their so-called Christian life, getting, getting, and that's what Christian life is to them. I'm just going to go sit down and get until, until they want something that Christ isn't offering, until they want that divorce, or until they want that adulterous woman, or until they want that promotion, or they want that baby, or they want that marriage, or the whatever they want that has become an idol to them. And then they abandon an earnest desire for him, an earnest desire to pursue love of God, love of his people. They pursue instead the earnest desire for that thing that they want. Brothers and sisters, we cannot be that way. We must pursue our first love. We must be employed for our master, the object of our first love. We must employ ourselves in diligent labor for him. Let the labors that we do here in the cause of Christ be our praise in all the churches, right? Known in all the churches because he is worthy of that. We must pursue them with an earnest desire for the glory of God and the good of his church. It speaks, doesn't it, of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. Do you think about the connection of those two truths in Scripture? God is the one who plants the desire in the heart of Titus. And then it's Titus who labors diligently, pursues that, right? God is the one at work in us to will and to do according to his good pleasure. And what are we doing? We're working out our salvation with fear and trembling. God gives us a stewardship. God gives us the gospel. He gives us brothers and sisters in the church. He gives us our spouse, right? And then he is the one who worked in the heart to bring about fruit. And he is the one who makes us faithful stewards. And so we depend entirely upon him. And then notice that it's these three men who labor, labor then to be faithful. They are pursuing, displaying diligent love, diligent labor and a diligent desire. How does that happen, right? We've looked not long ago at the text, don't take the grace of God in vain, right? Be sure not to take the grace of God in vain. Well, how is it that we keep ourselves from that sin and error? Ordinary means, brothers and sisters, ordinary means the spirit of God working in the heart of a person through the ordinary means that God has appointed, obeying the word of God, learning, studying, meditating on, taking in the word of God, obeying, loving the word of God, obeying the word of God, being zealous with the word of God, preaching the word of God, praying, depending upon God in all that you do, not attempting to do that in your own strength, but you cannot do. The spirit of God working through ordinary means, be faithful. Be faithful. Be faithful in the means which the Lord has given you. Be faithful in Bible reading, Bible intake, Bible meditation, scripture memorization. Be faithful. Be faithful in prayer. Take the time to pray. Take the time to meditate on the scripture. Take time. Be faithful in ordinary means. Be faithful to preach the gospel. Be faithful to come to church. Be faithful to love your brothers. Be there in group with them, to pray with them, to carry their burdens with them, right? Be faithful. And the Lord will work in that by His grace to bless it with free. And we look first at the character of a faithful steward. Notice next the concern of a faithful steward. The concern of a faithful steward in verse 19. Repulses in verse 19, and not only that, right? Get to this point of the sermon, and not only that, right? Not only that, but who was also chosen. This brother was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind. Avoiding this, that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift, which is administered by us, providing honorable things not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. Now the concern of a faithful steward is a very practical concern. It's a very practical concern. Paul was being viciously slandered as embezzling funds, embezzling money, and planning a big embezzlement when all this collection came together, okay? So Paul, being aware of that, was very aware of the great need, the great need for care, for caution, for concern with respect to how he was going to handle this collection. He wanted to ensure that nothing that he did would be a means of Satan to bring reproach on the name of Christ. Paul was thinking about this. He was very thoughtful about this. Not only was he careful not to sin in a way that would bring reproach on the name of Christ, Paul took precautions to carefully guard against even the potential for reproach. He's laboring to protect these men. He's taking weapons out of the hands of the enemy and how he's dealing with his collection and above all he's pursuing in this the glory of God. Now his labor in this doesn't stop all the accusations. The accusations are flying and they're going to fly, but his efforts do buttress himself and these men against those accusations. In Paul's circumstances, let me ask you the question. Is it that Paul is concerned with his own name? I ask it in that way because it's a bit of a trick question. Yes. Yes. And why? Why would Paul be concerned in this work for his own name? Because Paul's name, Paul's own reputation is bound up as a Christian, as a professing Christian. It's bound up with the reputation, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Do you see? Because the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ is bound up in Paul's testimony as a steward. Paul must take care with his ultimate purpose being the glory of God and the good of his church. Paul must take care to protect his own reputation, his own name. That's important for you, brother. Important for you, sister. Paul claims to be an ambassador for the Lord Jesus Christ. And because the enemy, the enemy purposes to bring reproach on Christ through money, Paul takes every precaution that he can to protect his work, to protect his ministry against this work of the enemy. One pastor said this. He said this was the man who wrote in 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 3 that to him it is a very small thing that I be examined by you or by any human court. He wrote in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 12, our proud confidence is this, the testimony of our conscience. And he said in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 4, we speak not as pleasing men. In other words, not concerned with what men think, in that sense, but God who examines our hearts. This was not someone who was a slave to the fear of man or who sought his self worth and identity in the evaluation of other people. It doesn't describe Paul. Paul's concern was the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, the gospel work. Paul's concern wasn't for that sake, wasn't only or merely doing right. Paul's concern was also appearing right for the sake of Christ. So when Paul was taking precautions, he's thinking about not only doing right, being obedient, but appearing right for the sake of Christ in doing it. And so his diligent labor for the glory of God leads to a wise concern, particularly in verses 20 and 21. Avoiding reproach in verse 20 where he says there so that we cannot be blamed and then promoting honor in verse 21 for the Lord's sake and the sight of man. You see the negative and the positive, right? One primary concern of Paul was avoiding reproach. The other concern of Paul verse 21 is promoting honor, promoting the Lord's honor, promoting the honor of his own ministry, the honor of his own testimony for the Lord's sake. One commentator said this. He said, it's a most interesting thing to note that this same Paul who could write like a lyric poet and think like a theologian could when it was necessary act with the meticulous accuracy and care of a chartered accountant. Paul was a big enough man to do the little things and the practical things supremely well. He didn't find these things to be beneath him, right? He did these things out of a care, out of a concern for the glory of God. Now, Paul does several things in thinking of this, does several things that are very wise. I just want to make note of them to you quickly. Notice that in this, Paul distances himself from the collection by sending three brothers ahead of his arrival. Now, you meditate on that for a while. That's very wise. Paul himself didn't go at this point in time. He sends this delegation, his three man delegation ahead of him to ensure that the collection gets taken up, that it gets handled properly so that when he arrives, it's done. Okay? And not only that, but he's protecting the work of God among them. Listen to chapter nine, verse one, chapter nine, verse one. Now, concerning this ministering to the saints, this collection, it is superfluous for me to write to you for I know your willingness about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago and your zeal has stirred up a majority. Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that as I said, you may be ready. Lest, if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, should be ashamed of this confident boasting. Therefore, I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. Now, that's a lot. We're going to get into this text very soon, but that's thoughtful. That is caring. That is wise. Right? That is concerned with the glory of God, concerned with their testimony, concerned with the testimony of those three men. He is taking precautions here, being very thoughtful, very wise. Brother, sisters, we need to do the same. We need to imitate Paul here in being careful, being thoughtful. Notice that he doesn't take the collection alone. Paul could have done that. He was an apostle. But what does he do? He employs three brothers to do that with him. I'm not going to be the only guy. Right? That's wise. Notice that it's not only Paul's delegates that take the collection, Titus alone, that working directly with Paul, but Paul goes to the churches and the churches, all the churches take a vote and they appoint this unnamed brother and then another unnamed brother to go with Paul. So the accusers couldn't say, listen, it's just Paul and Paul's lackeys that are taking the collection. Right? Paul's in cohoots with these guys to take this collection. They're going to rob it from me. No, these are guys who have a reputation among the churches that Paul didn't pick. Very wise, right? Very thoughtful. Paul submits himself to the decision and the leadership of these churches. So we've looked at the character of a faithful steward. We've considered the concern of a faithful steward, the glory of God. Lastly, we have Paul's commendation of a faithful steward, his commendation. Look at verse 22. We've sent with him our brother, whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent because of the great confidence which we have in you. These brothers commended in the sight of men, commended. A faithful steward will be commended in the sight of men. Faithful steward, he said in verse 22, is proven diligent in many things. In other words, faithful stewards are proven through times of testing many things. Evangelism, preaching stewardship of money, the raising of children, how they interact with their spouse, work they do in the classroom, they work they do on the job. They're proven faithful, loving the brothers, serving the church, serving the body. They're proven faithful, proven diligent in many things. Regarding deacons in 1 Timothy 3, Paul says, before you appoint a deacon, Paul says this, he says, but let these also first be tested. In other words, you don't appoint a deacon hoping that he's going to deek well. You appoint a deacon who's been deaking well. These guys have been deaking. Let's make them deacons, right? They're tested, proven. Then they said, then let them serve as deacons being found, being found blameless, then let them serve as deacons. The faithful steward is to be found faithful through testing, through experience. Secondly, their diligence here, verse 22, is fueled by confidence. Notice that no diligence is fueled by pessimism. No diligence is ever driven by complaining. Here, their diligence is earnest care, is motivated by, fueled by confidence. Much more diligent because of the great confidence which we have in you. This brother is hopeful. This brother is encouraged. The church of Corinth had problems, but this brother had every confidence in the grace of God at work, in those brothers and sisters in Corinth, that he has confidence in them and it fuels, it motivates, his diligence for them, his diligence on their behalf. It doesn't have confidence in them for their sakes, you see? His confidence is in the Lord who works in them, right? Confidence in them because of the grace of God at work in them. We're to believe the best about the people that we minister to. If you come to church during the week or come up here on a Sunday and it's like, that brother is not faithful and that sister better get her act together. Nobody around here does the stuff they're supposed to do. If that's your attitude, not the heart of a faithful steward and nothing gets accomplished, nothing is motivated, fueled by pessimism or complaining. You're just tearing it down, brother. We're to build up, right? He's fueled by his confidence in the Lord in them. We're to believe the best about those that we minister to. We're not speaking to them in suspicion. We're not visiting them in doubt. We're not doing that, right? We're believing the best. We don't want their money. We want them. We want their hearts, right? And then Paul leaves off his commendation with this glorious description in verse 23. If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, Titus and these two brothers, they are messengers apostolos. They are sent ones of the churches. They are the glory of Christ. Man, what a hopeful, encouraging, positive. There's no better word. What a glorious commendation of these men of a faithful steward that once wicked rebels. Paul said, I was a blasphemer. I was a proud, insolent man. And God softed it to pour out his grace upon me, putting me into the ministry, right? That these once wicked rebels now in service to the King are described in verse 23 as the glory of Christ. Doesn't that fuel your desire to be a faithful steward? And the Lord has given us so much. Behold what manner of love he's bestowed on us that we can be called children of God. And then to be described in this way, right? Be faithful, brother, be faithful, sister. Verse 24, we see the response that we owe these. Those who are so noted, they are worthy of our love. Verse 24, therefore show to them and before the churches the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf. Show to them the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf. Well, let us be faithful in the stewardship the Lord has given us. Amen. Examine your character. Is it marked by a diligent love, marked by a diligent labor and earnest desire to pursue the glory of God and the good of his church? Is that you? Is that your heart? Is that your character? What are your governing concerns? Are you taking every precaution? As much as depends upon you, are you taking precautions to avoid dishonoring him? Avoiding bringing your approach upon his name? Are you taking every step to live honorably for him in the sight of men knowing that your testimony as a Christian is wrapped up in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, wrapped up in the gospel for his sake? Can you be commended as a sent one of this church? You can leave the doors here today and you go out into the world as a sent one of this church. Can you be commended as the glory of Christ wherever you are being a sent one of this church? None of us are faithful in and of ourselves. We need the Lord's help. So brothers and sisters, let's have that fervent desire in our heart. The same earnest care in Paul, let it be residing by his grace in our hearts as well. Amen. All praise, honor, and glory to the one who by his grace places that same earnest care into the hearts of his faithful stewards. Let's pray and when you are done praying, you are dismissed.