Titus lesson 11

All right, so we are on lesson 11. I'm anticipating probably three weeks of this, going through this lesson. We've got folks that are out, Mike and Courtney have some travel coming up, so. Let's get our Bibles open to Titus chapter three, verse one through five. Now read that for us.

Says, remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed. To malign no one, that's a tough one. Sorry, that's not in the passage, but we'll get to that. To be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.

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. So in Titus chapter three, kind of kicking this chapter off, we start off with the Apostle Paul encouraging Titus to remind believers to be respectful and obedient to those in authority. We know that this includes, you know, rulers and authorities and whether they're even just in the government, also spiritual leaders. So we're going to talk about that. Question number one is, I maybe reworded it a little bit, but statement and then a question.

We aren't dealing with new truths here. This is stuff they already knew. So why do they need to be reminded? I'm sorry, that was a comment. No. You know, it's, we need to be reminded, you know, I just go back to the Lord's Supper. Do this in remembrance. Do this in remembrance. Why do we have to be reminded all the time? You know, it's we we we get diverted, you know into the worldly different our lives everything else and these We have to be reminded all the times. Yep, because we're very forgetful people.

I Like that you brought up the Lord's Supper there That's a great example. I I was kind of thinking through being taught, and I had a Bible teacher, Charlie Clough, some of you may remember who he is or know who he is, but he constantly would say, repetition is the key to learning. I was like, oh my gosh, how many times are you going to tell me this? He's like, that's the point. because it helps reinforce God's truth and it solidifies in your memory.

And so, Paul was encouraging Titus, remind the believers here about these things. You know, when we encounter and When we repeatedly encounter and engage with a concept, these pieces of information become available to us, not just to know them, right?

Why would just remembering them not be enough, if I can ask it that way? Just to remember something, what's the value there? I can recall to you, for example, the way that the Lord was faithful in the Old Testament. But if you remember and you don't walk by faith in that remembrance, remembering is not that valuable. So that's why what he's asking them to remember are things that are applicable to their life. And so go back and think about the Old Testament.

There's a lot of different examples of how the Israelites were reminded of God's faithfulness. It's like that was something that was centuries and centuries baked in and almost constantly being put before them. You've got the example of the Exodus, right? So when God delivered the Israelites from slavery, provided their needs in the wilderness, the whole point was to remind him that he's faithful to his promises. So it wasn't just remembering, it was also a matter of operating by faith in what God had provided to them. You've got the Ten Commandments, you've got the Promised Land, you've got the judges, the prophets, these are constant reminders in the Old Testament of how God works.

You remember last when we talked about how they would actually, the Israelites would build an altar, right? So they'd build a rock altar to remember what God had done there. This is what God taught us. This is what God is promising to us as a people, a chosen people. And they would build an altar just to remember. But, you know, sometimes in life you've got to build an altar too in your mind to remember what God's taught you.

You know, anything like that going on? I just think all of those examples prove that over millennia, We need to be reminded. Over millennia. He created us, and he realizes that we need to be reminded. We need to have that constant reinforcement of, you know, through the Old Testament. Everything, everything, everything just kept reminding and pointing, all of it pointing towards Christ.

And then when Christ came, now, you know, we're to remember all that Christ is and all the Paul's pistols and butts in there, you know, we're to be reminded. It's just, I guess what we were thinking when you said that, it's like, yeah, we're, he knows us, we're forgetful. And over, you know, since he created us, he's had us to remember. And, you know, we had sacrifices, we had everything from day one. you know, things to focus us back on him. Yeah. And he just knows who we are, I guess. Yeah. Yeah.

And I think, I mean, as parents, we are reminded that repetition is a key to helping our children grow and learn. And our Heavenly Father does the same thing with us. That's one of the ways that He grows us is through reminding us and having us remember these things. And, you know, I think about as a kind of a thriving young believer, I was like, give me the next thing I'm so excited about. I want to, give me the next book. I need the end times, you know, the greatest and latest publication on the things that are to come.

And so it wasn't necessarily anything wrong with having a desire to do that, but how often does the Lord, when we say, when we use the term, take us back to the basics, what is He doing there? He's reminding us of the things that He first taught us. You know, we, and this is a little bit of a rabbit trail, but when we think about the spiritual truths, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, seeding, and then we think about the kinds of things that we're teaching on Monday night, the ground of growth, which we all know that Myles Stanford has kind of helped really structure that, what is it all remembering? The Gospel. the basics, the death, the burial, the resurrection, the ascension.

It all goes back to what a particular point in time where God said, I am faithful. And this is historical in terms of how I've interacted and provided for you in reality. I want you to go back to that. Go back to that. As you were talking to us, whoever... Charlie. Charlie. Yeah. Reminded you and you bristled at that. What about when you remind your kids a hundred times? They get really... Stop it.

I know. I know. I think we do as Christians. You know, we do almost the same thing. I know. I got this. I got this, Scott. I got this. No, you don't. Remember, do this and remember. We bristle at him, no, I got it, you don't need to tell me again. Well, and then three minutes later we fail and that's just what he reminded us about.

This is kind of a recent example, we were watching the football game last night. And they're like, everything that you train for throughout the year is extremely advanced. I mean, the play calling the field, everything is down to the AI statistic. And the commentator said, today, it's about just catching the ball. And the ball is hard, and it's not like it normally would be. And so they're like, sometimes football comes down to just the ball. Don't cough it up. And yeah, Mike. I think we're great. What am I supposed to do, people?

And what the gospel teaches us and what Paul's epistles teach us is a new thing, which is grace, which is something we receive, not something we earn. We're indwelled by the Holy Spirit, and he has a role to play in our Christian life. And yet, you know, I can't tell you how many times a day that I think, oh, I ought to be doing X. Wait a minute. I don't need to be doing that. I want to do whatever the Lord would have me do.

And the remembrance is to remember those basic principles. I'm saved by grace. I live by grace. I'm under grace. And that there's a, like with Titus, there is a life under grace that matches up with the doctrine. Now, I may not live that life consistently, but I know it's there, and I have to learn it. And so repetition is really important in terms of it isn't that I just do it, there's a motivation. You know, a life that's, it is a life and it's manifested and it's a life that resurrected Christ.

And so, that's where the reminder comes in. The reminder is not so much do, do, do. The reminder is who are you? And what's happened here? You know? Can you walk by faith without remembering? I don't think you can. Yeah, well, no. I think you have to. You do. But I do think life is a spontaneous thing. I love the brethren. I don't have to think about that. I just do.

And there should be, as you grow in Christ, there are manifestations of the life that happen that you don't even think about. As a matter of fact, you're kind of surprised when it shows up. The other times, though, there are the reminders that here's the truth. How do you deal with the truth?

I'm to believe it. Right. I don't know if I came in late, but what ran through my mind is how self-serving we are. And the Lord encourages us to be in his word. Why? So that we're focusing on him rather than back on us. And that's the redundancies there as well. It's good. Yeah. I'd say for us, the reminding gives us rest.

So not only just the biblical truths, but even like looking back on our marriage or where the Lord has led us from Canada to Colorado, Texas, all the stuff. Sometimes we get a little bit like, should we be, you know, everybody's moved and what should we do? And we just go back and we're like, this is how the Lord has worked in our lives. And then all of a sudden we're like, okay, we feel this restful peace again. And we're reminded like he's at work and he's leading us and anytime he wants us to do something, he makes it clear for both of us. And so when it's not clear, then rest, rest in him. Yeah, that's really good. Yeah. When you're when you're self-focused, you're not remembering anything.

I mean, maybe you are, but you're certainly not recalling the truth of God's Word and His faithfulness. And I think that where Titus is taking us has to do with authority. And remembering certain things in an authoritative environment can be hard, too. So let's kind of start thinking about maybe the second question. I think we could probably answer it.

One second here. The concept of authority is expressed by the two nouns. What are they? So we've got rulers and authorities, right? I think we can break this down with question number three. So I'm going to just pack those two together. The two nouns that we're looking for, rulers and authorities, right?

So let's spend some time kind of thinking about where Paul was leading Titus through this reminding the Christians in Crete. So the question number three, I think, is going to wrap into, what are the duties of the believer relative to civil authority? And we're going to talk about a couple other verses here. So Titus 3, 1 and 2, let's just remember what we're focused on today.

Paul says, 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. These two verses are packed, but let's unpack them a little bit with some additional scripture. Can someone grab Romans 13, one through seven, and we'll read that together.

Every person is subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore, whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinances of God, and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.

For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have to praise from the same. For it is a servant of God to you for good, but if you do what is evil, be afraid. or it does not bear the sword for nothing, for it is a servant of God and avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices it. How far am I going to go to seven? Therefore, it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this, you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Pay to all what is due them, tax to whom taxes due, custom to whom custom, respect to whom respect, honor to whom to honor.

I could certainly study that one for a couple of months. So, we're remembering, right? We're remembering. The first thing that we're remembering is subjection. That's what he's reminding these believers in Crete. Remember, you're subject to authorities and rulers. In Romans 13, in subjection. And then I, that's verse one. Every person has to be in subjection. And remember, this all exists because God established it as so. That's the thing that you can hang all of this on.

Because if you're just remembering that you've got rulers and authorities, you can get pretty put out. But when you combine that with established by God, He goes on, and what Mike just read, but in verse 5 of Romans 13, therefore it is necessary to be in subjection. But also for conscience sake, I'm not going to go there, but that's interesting. Remember to be in subjection to authority. Okay, I got a problem for you. Let's go. I got a problem for you.

So during COVID, if I drove to Douglas County, I didn't have to wear a mask. But I live in Denver, where you have to wear a mask. So do I spend all my time in Douglas County? And I'm prideful about that. I don't have to wear a mask, and you do. And I'm somehow resisting the federal authority by living in Douglas County.

Let me ask you a question. Sure. Do you have to agree with the rules of the authority? Oh. I'm not saying abide, but do you have to agree? I think so. I think no. I don't think we have to agree with it, but it doesn't mean that we don't subject ourselves to it. Yeah. We may disagree wholeheartedly with a lot of laws. Yeah. And we may disagree with who's in power, and how they got in power, and whether or not they're even capable of the power that they're given. We may have all kinds of doubts and concerns and disagreements in our minds. But when in Douglas County, do as Douglas County does. When in Denver, do as Denver does. The pride comes from a lack of not understanding being subject to the ruler and authority. What do you agree?

You brought up the point. that most Christians struggle with is, gee, things seem to be a lot better 50 years ago, or 60 years ago, or 70 years ago in the United States, and now look at it. We got rulers that aren't even awake during the day, and they're taking us down to this socialist path, and on and on it goes. I think if you don't understand that God is in charge, Well, you know, then you really do have a problem. Well, your conscience won't be able to rest. That's what Paul talked about in Romans 13. You can't be at rest with what the rulers and authorities are for you, because You don't understand that they're established by God. And so there's an uprising in your heart. I don't like this. I don't want this. It doesn't mean that you can't take the proper process to challenging those and making change there.

But when those are established, your conscience will not allow you to rest, is what Paul says, unless you recognize that they are established by God. I think one thing going back to the I can't remember which one, faith or grace or whatever. There are spheres of authority, husband and wife, elders and this, mayors and this, and they have an area of authority.

So I think the thing is, what I read in this, if you don't like it, your conscience can't do it, you get out of that rule of authority. And if you don't like the United States and where we're at, get out of the United States. If you don't like Denver County, get out of Denver County.

Because that's the rule and authority that God had established for that area. God has granted authority to various human functions or whatever. You know, I think of this subject to rules. If you don't like it, if you can, get out of there. If not, you have to stay and be subject to that at the moment. Because it's established by God. That's the important part.

Yeah. Sorry, Mike. Unless God has called you to be there. Yeah, either way. But that's the conscience. We seem to have, like you guys moved from Texas to Canada to Colorado because you thought That's where the Lord wants you. Do you know what we're trying to persuade? I wanted free health care. That's why I moved there. God wants him to come to Denver. The second half of what J.D. is saying is the conscience.

Your conscience says you have peace and rest where you're at. If God wants you in the middle of the war, he's going to leave you there. Your conscience says, I'm going to stay there. But if not, if you're just being torn apart, and you just don't have peace about it from the Lord, then you move yourself out of that authority. Or you grow spiritually. Or either one.

And that may be, he's taking it through, but ultimately it's, you know, you have to look to the Lord to see, you know, give me clear guidance, you know, give me the peace that I know I'm supposed to be here. Yeah, and I think what Les was saying earlier, it's not always just about like Adams County for us, or, you know, Douglas County for you, there's a lot of problems all over the place with rulers and authorities. 1 Peter 2, 13 through 17, I'm gonna read this and kind of get our brains moving forward on this concept. Verse 13, chapter two, verse Peter.

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake. Huh, for the Lord's sake. To every human institution, whether to a king, as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bond slaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. So, I mean, think about the Roman authorities in place in the book of Titus. You think those guys were better than the ones we got today? They had a lot better back then. If they only knew what we were dealing with today. No. No. I've got some examples, but it looks like you are.

Well, I was reading this morning that the mayor of Denver was on CNN and said that it's his Christian faith that guides him. And so he quotes out of the Sermon on the Mount, you know, to clothe the naked and that kind of thing. I thought, well, the guy never did read Second Thessalonians chapter three about if you don't work, you don't eat. That kind of thing. So I, you know, it's really interesting.

We, I think, I think the Lord puts us in places for how we're supposed to serve Him and where, and the government be what it may. It's like missionaries go to places that are dangerous, yet they go because God has called them to go. It's not the conscience, it's the call. You know, your friends, they're there, and they can't imagine being anywhere else, no matter what the government's doing. And I also think that when it comes down to it, Christianity is a function of the body of Christ. I think it was Newell who said, we live behind the enemy lines and we're surrounded on all sides. And that's who we are and that's where we live. No matter where you relocate, as long as you're on this earth, that will be true. That's true. The Douglas County is just a little bit close. You're in the front of the plan. If you work just a little harder. You believed a little more. You can move to Douglas County. Well, you do realize that.

No, I'm not going to say that. Wait, is this being recorded? It's a joke. It was a Texas joke, so you can put it together. You can put it all together. Especially during COVID, we heard a lot from our Texan friends compared to what we were dealing with. Oh, yeah.

Well, so I have a question here. When you're functioning on a day-to-day basis and walking with the Lord as best you can, And you have a believing friend who is an anarchist, he or she wants to go to every rally and demonstrate and do whatever, and they think that they're getting the Is it all legal for them to do what this rebellion is? I think it is, but how do you deal with somebody like that? Somebody that wants to participate in... Well, they want to get rid of all of what they consider to be bad people and replace them with good people like them.

That's heavy. I think if it's legally, it's okay. Yeah. Illegal protests. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Across the land, you start breaking by, breaking windows, stopping traffic or, you know, things that are illegal in that. Then you're going against the authority, you're going against the laws. But if it's illegal, then we're able to protest and do that. you know, you can affect change. Well, you know, when abortion was the big issue before there was the Supreme Court ruling, Gus Rowe versus Wade, you know, I had people tell me, well, it's your responsibility to go demonstrate at an abortion clinic. I'm not going. Maybe it's your responsibility, but I don't have a conscience about that. That's the conscience of the call. You know, there are people, laborers who, that's what they're calling, they feel.

As long as it's legal, they're doing whatever. We supported a lady named Salazar that had a clinic, counseling service, right across the street from Planned Parenthood in Denver. And that was her ministry. She would counsel girls, young girls, girls period, that were headed into Planned Parenthood for an abortion.

But these are the needs around us, right? This is the environment that the Lord shines light. We know that there's an eternal glory that we are all destined for. and can experience quite fully now to a degree without being face-to-face present. We can experience the life of the Lord Jesus today and that's really what this is all about. So this is a bit of a, I'm going to wrap it up, we're at time, but we have to remind ourselves of what the previous verses were in this chapter. Titus is, this book is talking about, there's a lot of do's and don'ts. There's a lot of imperatives, and we're gonna look at next week, we're gonna start talking about not only just what we did today about being subject, but not to malign, not to, or to be peaceable. So we have to remember, I think, that because we live in the reality of grace and can literally experience the life of the Lord Jesus wherever you are, that that is the light that he wants you to shine where you are.

You know, it's kind of a, it was an old, not crochet, but cross-stitch, right? Just a little cross-stitch frame that one of our friends in Canada had and it says, bloom where you are planted. You know, I know that that's not biblical, per se, but it certainly can be explained in the sense of, the Lord has placed you here. Now, you may not agree, you may be able to legally take action on the things that you're capable of having an impact on. But more importantly, you are the light there. And light, on this side of our, On this side of heaven, there's darkness. And that light is very, very important.

And I'll leave it at that. That's okay. All right, let's close in prayer. Father, how we thank you that we can be at peace in our hearts about what you have established. It doesn't mean that we understand it. It doesn't mean that we always agree with it, but we're finite and we're limited in our understanding and our abilities to make those changes. But we know that you are in control and you are sovereign and that you are eternal and that your plan cannot be thwarted. You are faithful.

I just ask that you would remind us of that, even in the midst of the dark places that we find ourselves, the frustrating leadership and rulers and authorities. Lord, you have established, and it is your will, and we pray that your will will be done. And it is your name we pray. Amen. Amen.