August 14, 2005
"The Right Man for the Job"
A Call to Faithfulness—Part 9
Titus 1:1-16
1. A trusted son
To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
—Titus 1:4
Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.
—Galatians 2:3
"How important is accountability to you?"
2. A troubleshooter
The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
—Titus 1:5
"He's a finish-the-job type of guy."
3. A task-oriented specialist
So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part.
—2 Corinthians 8:6
I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not act in the same spirit and follow the same course?
—2 Corinthians 12:18
"What's your ministry orientation? Do you want to try new things or stay only in your comfort zone?"
4. A teachable servant
I thank God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. For Titus...welcomed our appeal...
—2 Corinthians 8:16
"The mark of a true leader is a heart of humility."
5. A joyful spirit
By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.
—2 Corinthians 7:13
...he (Titus) is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative.
—2 Corinthians 8:17
"Titus found enthusiasm by ministering to others and allowing others to minister to him."
Lifework
Where do you need to grow? What is God calling you to do?
A Call to Faithfulness—Week 9
Personal and Group Study
Getting Started
- If a friend was introducing you to his/her boss, which of your credentials might he/she mention?
- If your local newspaper wanted to interview a Christian for a feature article, who would you recommend? Why?
Digging Deeper: Read Titus 1:1-16
- What do you learn here about Paul's ministry goals? What do you learn about the relationship between Paul and Titus?
- What is significant about the list of leadership qualities Paul gives to Titus? How is this list similar to the list given to Timothy (1 Timothy 3:1-7)? How is the list given to Titus different from the one given to Paul?
- There is a strong emphasis on leadership being able to teach sound doctrine and refute the opposition. Why does Paul put such a strong emphasis on this qualification? What is going on in Crete that demands this?
- What should disqualify someone from church leadership? Why?
- What do you make of Paul's generalization about Cretans?
- James makes the statement, "Faith without works is dead." What statement does Paul make that affirms the same truth?
Applying It To My Life
- Of the qualities in verses 8 and 9 which do you desire most to develop in yourself?
- If Paul were to make a general statement about people living in the Sacramento area, what kind of statement might he make?
- How do you deal with people who claim to know God, but their actions deny Him?