Moments in the life of a Pastor

Walking with God

Category Archives: Titus – Firm Foundations


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4. Taking Time to Give Thanks – Part 4

Colossians 1:1-8

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,and Timothy our brother, 2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on ou]behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.”

The vertical dimension of faith then leads to the horizontal element of love. 

LOVE

Because of what Jesus had done in their lives, they were able to love “all” God’s people. This love is agape, which has sacrifice as its key character and is displayed in actions. Love is a transforming act because it is really faith in motion as Galatians 5:6 says, “…the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Live in love, ….and love to live! 1 Corinthians 13 concerning the love we should portray. Love is patient; …. love is kind; ….love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; …. it is not irritable or resentful; ….. it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, ….but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, ….believes all things, …..hopes all things, …..endures all things. …… Love never ends. Do we put this love into practice? Do we allow this love to permeate our very being? Do we really consider it a thriving aspect of living. Well God does and the time we stop loving is the time we stop living. Jesus loved Judas so what’s your excuse?

HOPE

Our shared faith and mutual love result in our common “hope that is stored up for you in heaven.” Faith and love spring from hope because hope is the root, faith is the plant and love is the fruit. Because God has “laid up” hope for us in heaven, we can have full confidence in our faith and express our love without holding back. We don’t have to vaguely wish for something better to come when we have complete confidence in the reality of heaven. Why have faith in Christ if there is no hope for a glorious future? Why love others if it doesn’t matter in the end? Hope makes all the difference because we have a confident expectation that everything God says in His Word is true today, or will come true in the future. Hope is stored up for us like a treasure and one of the blessings of hope is it allows us to sacrifice the present on the altar of the future. Colossians introduces us to God’s trilogy of virtue—faith, love, and hope. Faith is the soul looking upward to God; love looks outward to others; hope looks forward to the future. Faith rests on the past work of Christ; love works in the present; and hope anticipates the future.


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36 Teaming Together – Part 4

Titus 3:8-15

8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. 9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned. 12 As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there. 13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need. 14 Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives. 15 Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

  1. Support those who serve – 13 Give to the goers

Once again, we know a lot about one of these men and not much about the other. Zenas was a lawyer, meaning he was either an expert in the Old Testament law or had been trained in Roman law. Acts 18:24-28 tells us that Apollos was a Jewish believer who was not only well trained but had a tremendous knowledge of Scripture and spoke with passion. These men were traveling missionaries, who had come to Crete to minister and were now in need of people to give so that they can go to the next place. Paul called the Cretan Christians to not only meet their financial needs but also their physical needs. Missions matters, I am a product of people who gave generously to missions. Because of peoples support a Pastor went to Africa and I was saved. Are you supporting those God sends or are you sitting on the sidelines? One of the biggest blessings that many of us miss out on is giving God access to our bank account and parting with our possessions. Where are you investing your treasures, are you spending them on the temporary or are you investing and engaging them in eternity, storing up treasure in heaven instead of squandering them just on earth. Are you a gracious giver, because people that get grace get giving.  One of the ways that we can do good is to give to God and be productive with our possessions.  

  1. Greet people with Grace – 15 

Paul closes this letter, as he does all his letters, with the gift of grace. Are you greeting people with God’s grace? Not just telling people about grace but touching them with God’s grace. This week Angel and I had the privilege to go and see a couple that are battling leukemia in the hospital in Denver. Sure we could have used technology and prayed with them over the phone, but there are times when technology falls short because what people need is touch. There is something powerful about praying with people in person. We need to be careful that we don’t substitute the power of touch for the convenience of technology. What was amazing was gathering all the family together and praying after one of the doctors came and said thank you. What was even more amazing was to hear that couple share about God’s daily gift of grace to them. In the midst of difficult and discouraging times they didn’t miss God’s grace. What about you are you a grace giver not a grace grumbler?