Titus - The Conclusion...

10/7/2012 – Evening Service - 5pm

Grace Be With You All!

(Titus 3:12-15)

[12] When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. [13] Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing.

The life of grace is a team sport under the direction of a Captain who is the Champion over all. Would we rather do everything alone? That is not the Lord's plan for kingdom victory.

Paul was a towering figure in the New Testament church, yet he knew that he was part of a larger team. Even when our Lord came preaching and teaching the kingdom, He was soon sending forth His inexperienced disciples with the authority to cast out demons.

Paul would send Artemas and Tychicus to continue the work that Titus was doing in Crete, but then he wanted Titus to come spend time with him in Nicopolis. Zenas and Apollos would be going somewhere by way of Crete. Titus was told to speed them on their way and see that they lacked nothing. Funds would come from the churches in Crete in order to see that this other work of Zenas the lawyer and Apollos the Bible scholar and preacher would move forward.

[14] And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.None of this healthy body life can happen in an environment where everyone decides that each person has a right to his own ease. All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. Christ is building up His kingdom. What is He calling you to do?

Gifts and callings will vary, but all of God's children who believe in the King who died on the cross are called to devote themselves to good works. Where are the urgent needs. Let the church decide, and let all of us pitch in so that the kingdom of Christ is built up in our day. This is the way for us to be fruitful.

[15] All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith.There were people with Paul and they sent greetings. They asked for greetings to be extended to the communities of faith and love in Crete. Christ has established a worldwide family of love and service. We are still rooting for each other today and we love each other. Anything less than that is an insult to the King who shed His blood for the whole body of Christ.

Grace be with you all.

Living this way is a triumph of the grace of God. Without that grace we will end up only with selfishness and hypocrisy. With the grace that comes from heaven we get heavenly love.

May that grace be with you all. Love one another. Serve one another. Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus. Do not be conformed to this world. Be the kind of person that fits in better in the heavenly assembly because of the renewal of your mind by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.