Return to Titus Series Getting Ready To Reach Out

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Wheelersburg Baptist Church  4/2/2006                                                Brad Brandt

Titus 3  “Getting Ready to Reach Out:  The Necessity of a Godly Reputation in a Community” **

      It’s one of the most perplexing issues facing the American church these days.  I’m talking about this question…

      What role is the church supposed to play in a pagan society?  We face the abortion issue, the explosive increase of crime, the flaunting of permissive lifestyles, the gay agenda and the political legislation that accompanies it, and we wonder…  How does God want His church to respond to contemporary, ‘political’ issues, especially in light of the rapid moral decay of traditional values?

      There are two common answers to the perplexing question.  One is to unite and fight.  The other is to retreat and moan.

      On the one hand, some passionately tell us, “Unite and fight.  There is strength in numbers.”  Hence the growing popularity and influence of organizations like the Christian Coalition and more recently groups like “Reformation Ohio” that have rallied the troops who hold to traditional, family values, and beckoned the church to get involved in the political process.  “Stand up for your rights.  Speak out.” 

      Some would take it a step further, “Get angry with what's happening.  Write letters to the editor.  Let your voice be heard.  March on Washington.  Demonstrate at the Court House.  Unite and fight.”  Such is the first answer we hear.

      Then, the pendulum swings to the other side and we hear a very different solution to the problem.  “Retreat and moan.  Our culture is too far gone and it will contaminate us if we try to change it.  We must pull out of the public sector.  Get out of the public schools, get out of public offices.  After all, Christianity is a personal matter, not a public one.”

      And of course, in between these two approaches are various combinations of the two.  Truly, these are interesting days for the church.

      In the last two weeks we’ve been giving attention to the mission statement the Lord Jesus placed before us.  You shall be my witnesses (Acts 1:8).  Go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19).  That is our assignment.  It’s why we’re here.  The Savior came to seek and save lost sinners—it’s why He died on the cross and conquered the grave—and it’s our calling to let sinners know they can be reconciled to God through faith in the person and atoning work of Jesus Christ.

      But here's where the water gets muddied.  A church’s reputation affects its ability to fulfill its mission.  A unite and fight church tends to alienate the very sinners it’s commissioned to reach.  And a retreat and moan church, tucked away in a safe holy huddle, often loses sight of the lost people.

      So here’s the issue.  In light of what's happening in our culture, how are we as a church supposed to do evangelism? 

      Back in 1994 Joseph Stowell wrote a book with a very insightful title, Loving Those We'd Rather Hate.  In it he made this observation:

      “I fear that looking at some of us within the church of Christ today, it would be hard to see that we are on a seek-and-save mission since we look so much more like we're into search-and-destroy.  I have to wonder if the doctor who heads the abortion clinic in our neighborhood would say that one thing he knows for sure is that 'these Christians are adamantly against what I do, but they seem to have an unusual concern for me as a person.'”[2]

      Stowell continues, “I have a sneaking suspicion that in many churches in America, if the pastor were to get up on Sunday morning and say, 'This coming Saturday we're going to marshal our forces to go to the local abortion clinic and protest the death of innocent lives and seek to save as many babies as possible'—especially if he offered a nice pancake-and-eggs breakfast at 8:30—chances are he'd get a pretty decent crowd for the day.  If on the next Sunday he got up and said that this coming Saturday the church had planned another strategic kingdom event—based on the fact that they live in a community full of people who have been born but who are dead in trespasses and sin and are liable for the eternal judgment of God—and then announced there would be another great pancake breakfast at 8:30, a time of training, and a blitzing of the community on behalf of reaching those whose eternities were in peril, my guess is that there would be a lot fewer out the second Saturday than there were the first.  The reality that there wouldn't be nearly the fervor for the second Saturday is a reflection that we as a church have yet to be consumed with the focus of the ministry of Christ and the early church.”[3]

      The fact is, what we are facing today is nothing new.  Jesus Himself ministered in a pagan world.  So did the early church.  And what did they do?  How did they respond to flagrant and commonplace immorality, social acceptance of homosexuality, financial corruption, and many of the other sins that confront us today?  For indeed, they faced them.  The answer is almost an argument from silence.  When you read the New Testament you discover that those “issues” weren’t the issue for the early church.  THE issue was the fulfillment of its mission—Go and make disciples, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  That was the focus they sought to maintain.  Nothing must distract us from our mission, not even “good” causes, for in reality, the accomplishing of our mission is the best thing we can do for our society.

      How do you reach out to a world that mocks righteousness?  The epistle the Holy Spirit directed Paul to write to Titus can help us.

      Titus was Paul’s associate serving on the island of Crete.  There were brand new Christians there and they needed help organizing a church.  That was the job Paul assigned to Titus (1:5).  In this letter Paul identifies three prerequisites that God wants present in His church.  In order for a church to fulfill its mission, these three traits must be in place.  We’ve examined the first two in previous messages…

Chapter One:  The Church must have Godly Leadership.

Chapter Two:  The Church must have a Godly Congregation.

      I am amazed at how simple Paul's strategy for evangelism really was.  He doesn't tell us we need fancy, complicated programs if our church is to be successful in outreach.  Instead, he zeroes in on three basics.  First, as a church, we need to have godly leadership:  a team of leaders who meet God's standards, who know and teach God's truth, and who are committed to dealing with problems in the church God's way. 

      Then we need to have a godly congregation: a group of people who are committed to learning and living by the Word of God, from the older men and women, to the younger.  In Titus, God says that if a church possesses godly leadership and a godly congregation, it's well on its way to being effective in evangelism.

      There's a third trait addressed in chapter three.  The first two have to do with internal matters, what's happening inside the church.  In chapter three, Paul opens the church door and takes the church to the community.  In fact, effective evangelism will be severely impaired if this third prerequisite is absent.

Chapter Three:  The Church must have a Godly Reputation in the community.

      As Christians, we are called to live in the world, but not of the world.  That's a given.  But what should the world see in us?  What kind of reputation does God want us to have in this community?  We find the answer in Titus 3.

Chapter Three:  The Church must have a Godly Reputation in the community.

      As we examine Titus 3, we discover eight marks that God commends.  Or to put it another way, if a church is to have a godly reputation with the world, the church members must exhibit the following eight characteristics (we'll look at the first three in this message, and the final five next time):

  We must demonstrate proper attitudes and actions towards government authorities (1).

      Notice what Paul insisted Titus was to do with the congregation in verse1, “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient [KJV ‘to obey magistrates’], to be ready to do whatever is good [KJV ‘to be ready to every good work’]…”  The verb “remind” is a present imperative, implying that this was to be a regular practice in the church.  “Remind them, Titus, of their civil responsibilities.  Remind them over and over again.”

      Why would this reminder be necessary?  Paul's exhortation implies a couple of things.  First, it implies that Paul himself had addressed the subject when he had been in Crete.  Historians tell us that the Cretans had a notorious reputation for fretting and fuming against the Roman yoke.  But when they became followers of Christ, Paul taught them that had to change.  No more badmouthing the Roman government.

      But old patterns don't leave over night, so Paul told Titus, “You remind them again, Titus, and keep reminding them.”  Which points to a second implication.  Paul's words indicate that Christians need to be taught what God expects of them, in every area, but in this case in such a practical matter as the proper attitude towards the government.  God wants His people to be model citizens, but that doesn’t come naturally.   Consequently, the church needs to teach civil responsibilities over and over, for few catch it the first time. 

      And I want you to think about the government Paul here has in mind.  How many of the civil rulers were Christians when Paul wrote this?  As far as we know, very few if any were for the simple reason that Roman citizens were required to give allegiance to Caesar.  Let that sink in.  Today at least some of our government officials are followers of Christ, but to folks who had few and probably NO Christians serving as civil rulers, Paul gave this charge, “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient…”

      Now let’s take a closer look at the Christian’s responsibility towards government.    Paul insists that we have three responsibilities.

            1.  Submit to government authorities. 

      The Greek verb translated “be subject” (hupotasso) has military connotations and is a combination of two words: "under" + "to arrange," hence "to rank under."  As Christians, we are to submit, to support, to accept the leadership of civil authorities.

      Why?  For two reasons.  First, government authority originates where?  With God.  God delegates authority to civil powers.  I remind you that is true whether or not we happen to agree with the authorities.  In Romans 13:1-7, the apostle elaborates and states in part, “For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God.”

      There's a second reason we must be subject to our rulers.  When Christians are submissive to the government, it gives the church a good name in society.  The opposite is also true.  The only time we should not submit to government authority is if it tells us to do something that violates God’s authority.

            2.  Obey civil laws.  

      The word Paul uses here is the same word Peter used in Acts 5:29, “We must obey God.”  But here Paul says we are to obey earthly rulers and laws.  Christians should have a reputation for being law-keepers.  The implications are pretty significant, aren't they?

      God has placed our president in his position, and we are to obey him.  The same goes for our lawmakers, our local officials, and our law enforcement.  With the one exception being when civil authority violates God's authority (Acts 5:29), we are to keep the law.

      Frankly, the issue isn't whether you can save a few bucks by "adjusting" some figures on your tax return without getting caught.  The issue is obedience.  The issue isn't whether you agree with copyright laws, nor if you can duplicate your friends CD in the privacy of your home.  The issue again is obedience.  We have a third responsibility…

            3.  Be ready to do whatever is good. 

      The literal order in the Greek text is this, “For every good work be ready.”  Do you want to know a great way to capture the attention of unsaved people in a community?  God's Word says, teach church members that when they see a good work that needs to be done, do it!

      Our culture is becoming so increasingly self-centered that if Christians will devote themselves to doing good, we will stand out like a searchlight in the midnight sky!  The popular mentality of people these days is, “Let someone else do it.  Why should I get involved?  What will I get out of it?”

      In a day where greed and personal gain rule, we have a great opportunity to reveal what genuine Christianity is all about.  We ought to be eager to get involved in community service-projects.  We ought not view coaching little league teams and volunteering on the Fire Department and serving on the PTO as obligations, but as opportunities.  Opportunities for what?  To make a name for ourselves?  No.  To pad our resume?  No.  We should do good for one reason, the one identified in Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus.”  Why should we serve?  Because that's what our Savior did.

      The community ought to be able to look at our lives and get a picture of what Jesus is like.  The problem is, too often, the church has retreated into its "holy huddle," where it's safe and secure, and we rob non-Christians of the opportunity to see what Christianity is all about.

      The point is this.  If we are going to be effective in evangelism, we must have a godly reputation in this community.  And if we're going to have a godly reputation, we must exhibit proper attitudes and actions towards government authorities.  The second characteristic, which we see in verse 2, is related to the first.

  We must be known in the community for being people who use our tongues to promote peace, are considerate, and humble (2).

      Verse 2 states, “To slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.”  The KJV puts it this way, “To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.” 

      This is so practical.  Having a good reputation in a community happens one person at a time.  To “slander” or “speak evil of” is literally “to blaspheme.”  It means to badmouth, to smear another person's character or reputation.

      May I ask you a personal question?  Are you careful with what you say about other people?  I am amazed and saddened by the way I hear people talk about other people.  In the church.  In the community. 

      In addition, we’re supposed to be “peaceable” (lit. ‘not contentious,’ ‘not looking for a fight’) and “considerate” (the word means ‘gentle’).  Would those two words come to the mind of the typical non-Christian when he thinks about evangelical Christianity in America?  Are we known for being peaceable and gentle?  Would those two words come to the mind of the unsaved person you work with when he thinks about you?

      Beloved, if we are to be effective in evangelism, we must have a reputation in this community for being people who, instead of fighting for our rights, do everything we can to promote peace.  That’s what we’re to be known for.

      Let’s consider a very practical situation.  How should we respond if someone cheats us out of some money?  The world says, “You’ve got a right to get that money back, so do whatever it takes to get it.”  But God’s Word says something different.  Sure, what’s right matters and if it’s possible to get the money back, we should try.  But our “rights” aren’t our number one concern.  The testimony of Christ is. 

      And what if the person who cheats us just happens to be a Christian?  That very scenario took place in Corinth.  When Paul heard that a Christian in Corinth had brought a lawsuit against another Christian, he wrote a letter and rebuked the church with strong language.  Listen to 1 Corinthians 6:5-6:  “I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers!”

      What bothered Paul most was that this lawsuit between two church members in the civil courts was making a mockery of Christ in front of unbelievers.  We can tell the world that Christ offers peace but they hear a contradictory message when they see a lack of peace between two brothers.  “Work the problem out in the church,” Paul says.  “Keep it out of the courts.”

      “What if two Christians can’t work it out?  What if I’ve been wronged by a church member and I take it to the church, but I don’t get the justice I think I deserve?  What then?”  Paul answers that question in the next verse, 1 Corinthians 6:7, “The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?”

      Beloved, the reputation of Christ in His church is more important than my rights.  In every situation, I need to ask myself, “If I do such-and-such, how will it affect the way non-Christians view my Savior?”

      Listen again to the charge in verse 2, paying particular attention to the final three words,  “To slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.”

      The truth is, we know how to be considerate and show humility to some people.  Our problem is we tend to be very selective, and in fact, very inconsistent in the way we demonstrate compassion to people.

      Let's camp on that word all.  We are to be considerate and show humility towards ALL people.  In the Greek text the word “all” appears twice, calling us to show “all humility towards all men.”

      The amazing thing about Christianity is that God enables us to love the unlovely—which is what He did with us.  “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8).” 

      But God not only enables us to love the unlovely, He requires us to do so, to show love without any trace of discrimination. 

      To see how close we are to God's standard, I invite you to take the following “compassion test.”[4]  Be honest.  How would you respond if you were to hear the following.  Your two options are: 1) “He got what he deserved,” or 2) “I'm saddened to hear that.”

      1.   A typhoon has devastated Malaysia

      2.   A major plane crash has killed hundreds in Detroit

      3.   An AIDS victim who lives in your town has died, and, according to your newspaper, he was a leader in the gay rights movement

      4.   A dog in your neighborhood has been hit by a car

      5.   A convict was shot while escaping

      6.   A family of another color on your street has been receiving threatening phone calls

      7.     A tragedy has struck someone who has misused and deeply offended you

      8.   Homeless persons are begging money on the street where you work

      9.   The abortion doctor in your town discovered a bomb planted in his new Mercedes Benz as he was about to leave for the airport to spend the weekend at his condo in Palm Springs

         How did you do on the test?  You say, “Where’s the answer key?”  It’s in Titus 3:2.  God does not say:  Show some humility to some people.  Nor, show some humility to all people.  Nor, show all humility to some people.  God says:  Show all humility to all people. 

      Is it really possible to have that kind of reputation?  Yes it is.  How?  The answer is linked to the third characteristic.

  We must live in the grip of grace, never forgetting that the reason we are different is because of what God has done, not what we have done (3-7).

      Brothers and sisters, we need to live in the grip of grace.  You say, “What’s involved in living in the ‘grip of grace’?”  We find out right here, two requirements.  To live in the grip of grace…

      1.  We must never forget what we were.

      And what were we?  Verse 3 puts it bluntly, “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.”

      Does it bother you to see people sinning recklessly in our society?  It should.  Sin should grieve us deeply.  When we see sin we should think, “That’s not right.”  And our very next thought should be this.  That was me.  And that would still be me if it weren’t for the grace of God.  We must never forget what we were.

      2.  We must constantly affirm why we are no longer what we were.

      And what’s the answer to that?  Titus 3:4-7 tells us:

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”

      When we start getting a little smug and haughty, when we find our hearts growing cold towards the need of people around us, we need to re-read the three words Paul repeats twice here:  He saved us.

      Why are we so quick to forget that truth?  We didn't save ourselves.  We couldn't.  We didn't even want to, for we were foolishly enslaved to our passions and pleasures.  Until God saved us.  Until He reached down and picked us up out of the death-pit of sin, and adorned us with the righteous robe of His Son, and adopted us into His family.

      A church that has a godly reputation in this world is a church that's been impacted by the grace of God.  We must never forget that the reason we are different is because of what God has done, not what we have done.  He saved us.  And what He’s done for us, He’s doing with others.  He’s saving them, the very people whose sin now offends us and may even be hurting us.  And He desires to use us to reach them.

      I read an interesting observation about tow trucks in England.  In American they’re sometimes referred to as "wreckers," but a traveler to England observed that some of the trucks he saw had the word "Recovery" written on them.  Same truck, same mission, but a radically different perspective (Stowell, 18).

      Oh, how grace changes perspectives!

      Fellow Christian, I would remind you that God has sent us on a recovery mission, not a wrecking mission.  Our job is to win the lost, not fight the world.

      Is that the reputation we have in this community?  Far too many churches are known for what they're against, not what they're for. 

      Make it personal.  Do the people who live near you, who work with you, who go to school with you, do they know what Christ means to you?  Or do they just know that you don't like their lifestyle?

      Beloved, we have the best news imaginable.  God saves sinners!  We should know, for He did it with us.  And how did He do it?  Here’s how…

      Verse 5—“through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”

      Verse 6—“through Jesus Christ our Savior”

      Verse 7—“having been justified by His grace”

It’s because of grace that we are worshiping God today, all grace and only grace.  Are you living in the grip of grace?  It’s indispensable if we’re going to have a winsome reputation with the lost in our community.

      Next Sunday morning we’ll investigate the rest of Titus 3 and see five additional characteristics of God’s kind of church.  I’ll merely mention them now:

  We must be known for doing good in our community (8).

  We must refuse to allow petty issues to distract us from our mission (9).

  We must practice church discipline when necessary (10-11).

  We must be generous in helping Christian workers who have needs (13).

  We must be known as being productive, hard workers (14).

Think about it:  What are some specific things we can do as a church to develop and maintain a God-honoring reputation in our community? 

      We’re going to be discussing that critical question and others this evening in our small groups.  I hope you’ll join us as we seek practical ways to put what we’re learning into practice.