Sermon Tone Analysis

My People

People spend money and time trying to find out where their from, who they are related to.

Who their people are.

Paul shows us in Titus that we find our people through the proclamation of the word and perseverance through sanctification.

My people are Gods people.

This week focusing on unity in Christ. .

The purpose of this letter was to build and unite the church for the purpose of making disciples in Crete and beyond.

Paul referred to the believers there in another nation, of another culture and ethnicity as “our people” in the closing of his letter.

When we are successful in Gods mission our people grow both in depth/intimacy with God and each other as well as numerically, we are intended to reproduce and multiply.

Conflict v 8-11

unity

Jesus taught the gospel, then instructed those who accepted it to abide, through works (), prayed for it (), then did His work to make it possible.

17:20-23

The link between abiding and unity.

8 ho logos pistol - the logos(word) is trustworthy

contrast 1:13 this testimony is true (haute he martyria Westin alethes) - this witness is true

the truth of the gospel, true knowledge as expressed in 3:1-7 results in powerful works, holiness.

Starts with grace, through faith for a purpose.

Good Works - Kalon Ergon

Kalon: In origin καλός is to be grouped with the Sanskrit kalja “sound,” “powerful,” “vigorous,” “excellent.”

A linguistic relation has been indicated to the Old German hoele, which means a “hero” or “strong man.”

This sense is to be found, e.g., in Homer’s καλός τε μέγας τε.

We are thus led to the basic sense of καλός a. “organically healthy,” “fit,” “useful,” “serviceable.”

Grundmann, W., & Bertram, G. (1964–).

καλός.

G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich (Eds.),

Theological dictionary of the New Testament (electronic ed., Vol. 3, p. 536).

Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Ergon: They both denote action or active zeal in contrast to idleness (ἀεργία [ἀργία]), or useful activity in contrast to useless busy-ness

Bertram, G. (1964–).

ἔργον, ἐργάζομαι, ἐργάτης, ἐργασία, ἐνεργής, ἐνἑργεια, ἐνεργέω, ἐνέργημα, εὐεργεσία, εὐεργετἑω, εὐεργέτης.

G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich (Eds.),

Theological dictionary of the New Testament (electronic ed., Vol. 2, p. 635).

Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

heroic actions/zeal

refer back to verse 5, ergon/works do not save us, but are the response of our salvation.

Respond not just with obedient actions but with all of who you are and all of who you are being made to be.

9 starts with works of the flesh, then builds to people who are characterized by them.

These people are inside the church claiming relationship and position of leadership.

Pride at its fullest.

They have rejected God and are attempting to overthrow Him in His own family.

avoid foolish debates - nothing comes from this.

What is profitable?

What is worth arguing for?

“uselessness of controversy relates to its ineffectiveness in changing others.”

10-11 Reject a divisive person after warning, self - condemned.

Consider the heart of Paul (acts 26, facing Jews in Jerusalem as well earlier in acts) Paul desired everyone to come to faith so to reject someone would break his heart, it would feel like a defeat/failure in carrying out the great commission and promise.

That one fell away, remained in the darkness and is fighting for darkness and division.

Doctrine and application matter because people matter.

Truth leads to godliness so the antithesis leads to godlessness.

Not only has this person gone astray which is a loss for the community but they are trying to lead others astray, if this isn’t dealt with we will lose more souls.

But if it is dealt with the way God tells us to the result may be miraculous, more lives may be changed than if we hadn’t had a problem at all.

Great opportunities often require overcoming great obstacles.

Adversity makes you stronger; physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

;

we do this with grief humility self-examination evidence and a broken heart.

We do this with grief humility, self-examination, evidence and a broken heart.

“Every instruction about doctrine, every warning about heresy, and every encouragement to holiness and good works is effective only as it is realized in the lives of real people” - Walter Liefeld

Doctrine and application matter because people matter.

Truth leads to godliness so the antithesis leads to godlessness.

Not only has this person gone astray which is a loss for the community but they are trying to lead others astray, if this isn’t dealt with we will lose more souls.

But if it is dealt with the way God tells us to the result may be miraculous, more lives may be changed than if we hadn’t had a problem at all.

Great opportunities often require overcoming great obstacles.

Adversity makes you stronger; physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

; Ananias & Sapphira; Simon the Magician

Urgency v 12

Expectation of completing this task in timely manner.

Get to work, be ready to move on to the next place and task.

Do not be complacent!

Expectation of completing this task in timely manner.

Get to work, be ready to move on to the next place and task.

Do not be complacent!

Example of Paul throughout Acts.

We need to work at the mission of the gospel with a sense of urgency with the goal of not just reaching our town but the world, not just planting and growing our church but growing the kingdom because our time is limited and souls are at stake.

Generosity v13-14

Be mission minded, not just where I’m sending you but where others are working.

Give support to others.

It’s easy to focus on ourselves.

Individual: I’ll tithe once I have everything I need.

Once I’m sustainable I’ll help others.

Corporate: We’re a church plant we need help.

Paul knows that part of healthy growth is an outward focus.

A healthy church gives to sustain their work of ministry and to the work of other ministries abroad as well.

example my own tithing.

Our people - unity in the Gospel.

They were of another ethnicity, nationality, but our first identity as Christians is being God’s people.

Good works for pressing needs

works bring fruit, fruit cannot be produced without work.

?

Our people produce good works, people need to get saved before you encourage them to do good works, or they will think their works save them.

also even their works bring about unity.

False doctrine and false works create division, where as true doctrine combined with good works bring unity.

Close

Unity is a gift from God, but this gift came/comes at a price.

The Son came to earth and put on human flesh, humbled himself, and suffered in our place.

We must humble ourselves, struggle against the flesh in us and in our church community, and put the mission first.

The result is the peace and fulfillment we can only receive from God, our greatest Joy!

As we enter this advent season let’s be expectant of the blessing and the struggle that comes with being Gods people.

Let’s be active in serving and rescuing our people!