“SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER AND WHY”
Titus 3:1 “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,”
Titus 3:2 “to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.”
Titus 3:3 “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.”
(Taken from today's reading in The One Year Bible 10/28/14)
Some background, application, questions and a prayer:
Titus was a pastor in Crete. Paul was writing Titus to help him set some things in order there in the church.
This letter is almost like Proverbs. It's very practical, and deals with many areas of life.
The Cretans where Titus lived were not very nice or productive people.
In fact you might say they were wicked, evil and lazy.
Paul wanted to help Titus help his flock to be Godly, and not ill affected by the society they lived in.
1. We need to be reminded regularly.
Titus 3:1 “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,”
To be reminded, means to be put in remembrance. To put in mind.
We are helped by remembering.
God's Word is so good at reminding us of what we need to have in our minds.
That's what Paul was instructing Titus to do.
Remind the people, bring these truths to their minds.
2. Here are some very good things to be reminded of.
Titus 3:1 “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,”
Titus 3:2 “to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.”
We are to be subject, or obedient to those who in authority over us.
Be that in the city, state, nation, business area, and in the church.
We are to obey.
Apparently this means we are to obey those whom we are in subjection to.
The two would go hand in hand.
Submit and obey.
We are to be ready for every good work.
Or always ready to do what is good.
Have a readiness of mind to do what is good, and not what is bad or evil.
We are to speak evil of no one.
We are to be peaceable.
We are to be gentle.
We are to show all humility to all men.
3. And here's the reason for our being reminded of the things above.
Titus 3:3 “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.”
We used to be different than we are now.
We used to be foolish.
We used to be disobedient.
We used to be deceived
We used to serve various, or many, lusts and pleasures.
We used to live in malice and envy.
That's what we used to be.
It's good to be reminded of what we used to be.
And it's good to see ourselves with compassion for those who are now like we used to be.
Some Questions:
1. Can you remember what you used to be like before you were saved?
2. Can you remember when God changed you and saved You?
3. Can you see the people around you are like you used to be?
4. Will you pray for compassion for those around you?
5. Will you pray for open doors to share Christ with those around you who are like you used to be?
A Prayer:
Father, You are the great changer of lives, the forgiver of sins, the giver of life, and the great Lord who wants to reach the lost through the found. You found us when we were lost, and now that we are found, You want to use us to help find others who are currently lost.
You want to add to Your family by using Your very children to accomplish the work of harvesting souls.
Wow. Thank You, Father. Use us, we pray. Like Isaiah said, "Here am I, send me”. We are here, Lord, and want to be useful to accomplish Your purposes. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.
