Sermon Tone Analysis

*Titus 1:5-9*

 

Paul launches straight into practical matters regarding the setting up of the church in Crete which was the task he had left Titus’.

Paul outlines this task, which is to set things in order, and then goes on to deal with the qualifications of elders which Titus is to appoint as part of this process.

Paul had preached the Gospel in Crete (probably after his first Roman imprisonment) and some had believed, he moved on but he left Titus behind for the specific reason to set-up these believers into an orderly church.

The church must have order, be organized, set in place with an authority structure - men appointed as elders to "oversee" the fellowship’s running, progress and development - to teach it and guard against error contaminating it (cf.

Tit 1:9).

Paul started this work but did not complete it - there were things remaining to be done - so he left Titus behind to take care of them.

*[OHP1]*

*ORDER *Things must be set in order - arranged, orderly.

The emphasis is on /order/ ("set in order"; "appoint" "directed" all have the connotation of setting in order).

God of order (*Genesis 1:2 */The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.)

/- at creation God set about putting in order – separating one from another, arranging and making – getting rid of randomness and bringing order.

If God lets go things return to disorder, falls apart – upholds  (*Hebrews 1:3 */He  upholds all things by the word of His power./).

See order in creation but not uniformity – no two individuals the same, yet don't mix kinds – order yet liberty.

With man there tends to be either disorder (casting off all restraints) or rigid legalism (requiring all to be identical, conformity, no freedom).

Talking of church order in services, Paul says: (*1 Corinthians 14:26-33* /What is the outcome then, brethren?

When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation.

Let all things be done for edification.

If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God.

Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment.

But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent.

For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints./)

- these were rules, an authority structure, an orderly way in which things should be conducted.

There was liberty in worship, not one man controlling everything but required order (*1 Corinthians 14:40 */But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner./).

Not uniformity but there must be order.

To keep order requires leaders to control the situation, to stop things degrading into a free for all where everyone does as he wishes.

This calls for real wisdom – to allow liberty, room for individual expression but to know when to step in to stop things getting out of control.

As human we are rebels and do not like control  or authority.

In Crete did not like restraint or some one telling them what to do.

Neither do we today our society is democratic – underpinned by a philosophy that says that everyone has the right to his say, opinion,  to do as he wants.

When everyone does what is right in his own eyes you have chaos – as in the days of the Judges (*Judges 21:25* /In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes./).

Why did they all do their individual thing, no unity, no cohesion, weak against a united foe? - because there was no king – no authority.

We need leadership to keep us in check – pulling together, keep us going off on a tangent.

*APPOINT *This is why Titus did not travel on with Paul.

- the situation in Crete needed to be set in order, and to do this leadership had to be appointed.

Note – not democratic, elected but /appointed/ – those given authority by those who had authority.

God -> Jesus -> apostles -> elders.

Christ is the Head of the Church and He appoints those He chooses to lead it – the church does not decide.

The church is not a democracy but a Theocracy.

There were several cities in Crete and each was to have its set of elders to oversee the church there - one fellowship per locality.

Paul had obviously given Titus directions to appoint these elders before he left - now he reminds him to fulfill the commission he had been given - perhaps Titus had been slow to appoint elders because of the poor character of the Cretans.

Paul now outlines the character that must be present in those Titus is to appoint.

Elders were appointed, not elected.

*CHURCH LEADERS *Leadership structure in church not precisely laid down as we do in the constitutions of denominations – order but liberty.

Very simple structure.

We have many confusing names today: vicars, pastors, ministers, bishops, presbyters, elders, pope, deacons.

*[OHP2] - God - /pope/ - *meaning “father” (cf.

Matt 23:9) call a man pope he is taking on the title of God! -*Christ*  - /vicar/ - vicarious, a substitute one standing in the place of another.

Jesus is the only vicar - His vicarious sacrifice, He died in the place of you and me.

- /priest /- similar idea, one coming between God and man.

We are all priests but only one High Priest, only one through  Whom we approach God, no human go between (John try distributing communion in Anglican church) “Oh come to the Father through Jesus the Son...” Early church knew two types of leader: apostles, who oversaw the various congregations; and elders, that they appointed in each city.

So didn't have one leader over whole church or even over an individual congregation.

Leadership in each location was autonomous but guided by the apostles; but there were elders in each city, who led the church in that location.

Only one church, one set of elders in each location, though there could be several congregations, but not many denominations (Paul had words to say when Corinth started to divide into parties and factions).

In a local church there is only one leadership position, that of elder.

Two terms used: "elders" and "overseers".

Here Paul uses the term "overseer" as synonymous with "elder" (Tit 1:5).

From elder we get the term presbyter, and from "overseer" we get the term bishop [called "overseer" in Timothy, both terms used in Titus.

- *Leader* - only position of leadership in the local  church, called / overseer/ or “elder”- *episkopov*, being compounded of *epi*, over, and *skeptomai*, to look or inspect, signifies one who inspects or has oversight, a superintendent - it involves the care and oversight of a Christian church.

Responsibility and care are combined, leadership and service.

[traditionally rendered "bishop"] Bishop (Biblically) is not one leader over several congregations but one in a group of overseers.

Always in plural, several bishops over one fellowship (call Robin “bishop”) - not one man over a whole collection of churches - Always there is a group of  - the church went astray when power was concentrated in the hands of lone leader.

Today the word is misused, changed its meaning - the other term is/ elder /(presbuteros) hence Presbyterian church/ - /same system Jews used, society governed by a group of elders.

Elder – suggests maturity; overseer - suggests supervision, administration and care.

*[OHP1]*

*QUALITIES: *Paul tells Titus to appoint elders and tells him what qualities a man has to have to be assigned to this task.

He gave similar instructions to Timothy in Ephesus.

Paul deals with many matters similar to those in his letters to Timothy since they were doing similar tasks of setting up churches in virgin territory - of course the situation in Crete had some differences to that in Ephesus, requiring specific directions.

These lists both given to men for appointing leaders – not to churches for them to assess and criticize their leaders!

These are matters to consider when selecting leaders.

Before we look at the list of qualities you might like to think of the attributes you would list: (how different the Bible would be if man wrote it!)

filled with the Spirit; knows and loves God’s Word, man of prayer; gifts of the Spirit - but they are not spiritual qualities.

Leader; good communicator; charisma; good up front man, caring people’s person etc. - but they are not natural talents, nor spiritual qualities, but *character.

Read 1 Tim 3:1-7*.

*[OHP3] *- 18 qualifications in Timothy - 7 unique to Timothy. - 20 qualification in Titus - 9 unique to Titus - 11 qualifications in common - 5 of which are identical.

Both here and in Timothy the qualities are not primarily spiritual but those of character: Division is artificial, because qualities of character are seen in daily living (e.g.

Not quick tempered) – but does show that more qualities of character which are expressed in every day living than on spiritual qualifications which are mentioned last.

*[OHP4]*

| Character | Daily living | Spiritual qualifications |

Above reproach

Not accused of dissipation

Not rebellious

Good steward

Not self willed

Not quick tempered

Not pugnacious

Loving good

Sensible

Just

Self controlled

*Home life:*

One wife

Children who believe

Hospitable

Not addicted to wine

Not fond of sordid gain

Devout

Holding fast the Word

Exhort in sound doctrine

Refute those who contradict