… do your best …
Summary: Three little words in Paul’s instructions to Titus give us a clue to peace and contentment as we live our lives in service to Jesus.
Continue reading “Titus 3:12 (b) — Your Best”Titus 3:12 (b) — Your Best
Titus 3:12 (a) — Tychicus
As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you…
Summary: We know next to nothing about Artemas and very little about Tychicus, but what we do know suggests that God’s army was both faithful and busy.
Continue reading “Titus 3:12 (a) — Tychicus”Titus 3:11 — Not Titus
You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.
Summary: How we see God’s Word has a big impact on what we see in His Word. It is very helpful to keep in mind that we are not Titus. Paul and Titus had a very close relationship, so Titus would have had a much better understanding of Paul’s intent behind his words than we can ever hope to have.
Continue reading “Titus 3:11 — Not Titus”Titus 3:10 — A Church Divided
Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.
Summary: Paul’s reasoning behind his instructions regarding divisive people is grounded in both the protection of God’s church, and the wellbeing of all believers.
Continue reading “Titus 3:10 — A Church Divided”Titus 3:9 (e) — Worse Things
… because these are unprofitable and useless.
Summary: Paul has constructed example of both the profitable and unprofitable. He stops short of comparing that which is unprofitable to sin, but does feel strongly that such behavior should be avoided.
Continue reading “Titus 3:9 (e) — Worse Things”Titus 3:9 (d) — The Trick
But avoid foolish … quarrels about the law …
Summary: Paul’s life story is a case study on which kinds of controversy are legitimate and which kinds are foolish. We can learn from looking at the examples he struggled with.
Continue reading “Titus 3:9 (d) — The Trick”Titus 3:9 (c) — Words & Meanings
But avoid … arguments and quarrels …
Summary: The words Paul used to describe conflict to be avoided are translated differently in the NIV and the KJV. Looking at the Greek helps us to understand the differences. Understanding helps us to honor our Lord.
Continue reading “Titus 3:9 (c) — Words & Meanings”Titus 3:9 (b) — My Dad’s Bigger
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies …
Summary: Genealogies are a useful tool, but like other tools they can be misused. Paul instructs Titus to teach people to avoid them as a means of gaining power over other people.
Continue reading “Titus 3:9 (b) — My Dad’s Bigger”Titus 3:9 (a) — Foolish and Sensible
But avoid foolish controversies …
Summary: The concept of a “foolish controversy” is one that opens the door to a lot of discussion. Understanding the difference between what is foolish and what is sensible requires wisdom.
Continue reading “Titus 3:9 (a) — Foolish and Sensible”Luke 24:1-8 — Happy Easter!
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words.
Summary: Looking back at our discussion of the church liturgy and calendar, we see two of the simplest and most powerful tools for sharing the Gospel in existence: Christmas and Easter.
Continue reading “Luke 24:1-8 — Happy Easter!”