INTRODUCTION
What do you love about M&M’s?
They don’t melt under heat.
What do the Following people have in common?
John Edwards
David Duchouvy
Fast Eddie Johnson
Winona Ryder
Jeremiah Gunner Scott
Karen Raborn
Heather Johnston
Amy Wilkins
The all experienced some type of Integrity Meltdown.
John Edwards -- Had and affair and fathered a child with Rielle Hunter, a campaign worker reportedly paid $114,000 to make web commercials touting his virtues.
David Duchouvy -- "I have voluntarily entered a facility for the treatment of sex addiction," ... "I ask for respect and privacy for my wife and children as we deal with this situation as a family"
Fast Eddie Johnson -- The two-time NBA All-Star is charged with child molestation,
Winona Ryder -- Winona Ryder, the actress whose six-day shoplifting trial drew national attention and stirred tabloid frenzy, was found guilty today of grand theft and vandalism for walking off with more than $5,500 worth of designer goods from a Beverly Hills department store.
Jeremiah Gunner Scott -- youth pastor for Warrenton First Baptist Church former teacher at the North Coast Christian School in Hammond has been accused of having sex with a 15-year-old student.
Karen Raborn -- Charged with organized fraud and grand theft, she stole close to $1 million from her church during the 10-year period she worked for them as a bookkeeper.
Heather Johnston, -- 19, is one of the so-called Barbie Bandits, two giggling, blonde women who stole approximately $11K from a Georgia bank earlier this year and went on a shopping spree -- though it should be noted they also gave some money to the homeless. (Authorities also say the bank clerk was in on it, too.)
Amy Wilkins -- A 26-year-old mother of two small children is charged with abandoning and endangering her infant and toddler after she allegedly left them with a mentally challenged teen so she could do drugs and have sex,
There are other appalling stories of Meltdowns.
An eight-year-old British girl has been taken into care by Portuguese authorities after her mother reportedly left her to go out drinking while on vacation in Portugal..
In Spain. A father booted his two 11-year-old twin sons out of the car in which they were travelling in the very early hours of the morning and left them on the roadside, in the Algarve, nearly 300 kilometres away from their home.
The question exists, how do we, who seem to live in a world where integrity meltdowns occur all the time, safeguard our lives against similar meltdowns. In the simple letter Paul to a close friend and colleague in ministry we can discover answers.
The Pastoral Epistles
The Apostle Paul writes three short epistles, letters, referred to as the Pastoral Epistles. Letters written to Timothy and Titus. They are generally discussed as a group and are given the title pastoral not because they are uniquely caring or addressing personal needs, but because they are distinctive in being addressed to an individual person rather than a whole church or group of churches.
The Book of Acts Chronicles three Missionary Journeys, intention trips, Paul took to preach the Gospel in various metropolitan centers throughout Asia Minor. The scope of ministry and travels Paul refers to in the Pastoral Epistles is the strongest indication that he is released form Prison in Rome at the end of the Book of Acts and embarks on at least one other Missionary Journey.
Titus the Setting
Paul has visited Crete and left Titus there to complete the task of establishing strong followers.
Titus 1:5 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.
Crete
An island in the Mediterranean Sea is about 258 kilometers (160 miles) long and varies between 11 and 49 kilometers (7 and 30 miles) wide.
In the Old Testament It is probably to be identified with CAPHTOR (Deut 2:23; Amos 9:7), the place from which the Philistines (Caphtorim) originated.
A number of ancient myths and legends are associated with Crete, particularly those involving King Minos and the Minotaur (the half-bull, halfman monster).
The island was captured by the Romans in 68-66 B.C. and made a Roman province.
A ship on which the apostle Paul was sailing was struck by a storm. During his voyage to Rome. Paul’s ship touched at Fair Havens, a harbor on the south coast of Crete (Acts 27:8). Not heeding Paul’s advice about the weather, the Roman soldier who held Paul in custody agreed with the captain and set sail for Crete’s large harbor at Phoenix. The result was a shipwreck at Malta (Acts 27:9-28:1).
Cre’tans
The Book of Acts records that Cretans were among those present in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:11) .
Cretan lifestyle was known for its excesses. In writing to Titus, Paul quoted from the Greek poetry that "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons"
Paul’s Instructions to Titus are going to be all about how to help this group to live lives of integrity as Followers of the forgiver.
TITUS THE MAN
A Greek Christian, one of Paul’s intimate friends, his companion in some of his apostolic journeys, and one of his assistants in Christian work.
His name does not occur in the Acts; and, elsewhere in the New Testament, it is found only in 2 Corinthians; Galatians; 2 Timothy and Titus.
The first notice of Titus is in Acts 15:2, where we read that after the conclusion of Paul’s 1st missionary journey, when he had returned to Antioch, a discussion arose in the church there, in regard to the question whether it was necessary that gentile Christians should be circumcised and should keep the Jewish Law.
Acts 15:2
2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. NIV
It was decided that Paul and Barnabas, "and certain other of them," should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question. The "certain other of them" includes Titus,.
Gal 2:1-5
2:1 Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4[This matter arose] because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you. NIV
The matter of circumcision was a devise issue and much debate took place. (Acts 15). After hearing all sides and testimony of what God was doing through Paul and his young protégée’s, James the Brother of Jesus steps up and speaks on behalf of the Apostles in Jerusalem.
Acts 15:19-29
19 "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."
22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers. 23 With them they sent the following letter:
The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul- 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell. NIV
THE CENTRAL MESSAGE
Mentor, Mentor, Mentor. Appoint leaders who will pour themselves into others who will pour themselves into others
Key Commands:
Teach 5x
Encourage 3x
Remind 1x
Rebuke 2x
Refute 1x
Oppose 2x
Why study Titus?
NEGATIVE CHRISTIAN STEREOTYPES.
Say the name "evangelical Christian" to your coworker, and you might get a cringe in response. For many, the name carries strong negative stereotypes: Right-wing extremist fundamentalists, homophobes, constrainers of women, doubters of reason.
RESPOND TO OTHERS PRECONCEPTIONS ABOUT CHRISTIANITY
Ridiculous claims. I am intellectually honest. This means I apply the same set of logical rules to every set of claims I hear. I don’t make ridiculous special pleadings for any set of claims. For example, Elvis coming back from the dead is just as ridiculous as Jesus coming back from the dead.
Intellectual ignorant. I am too well versed in science to be Christian.
Believe in Fantasies -- Prayer doesn’t work.
Lack Relevence -- Church is a pointless and boring waste of money. I can volunteer and help my community without believing in nonsense.
OTHERS HAVE NO REAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CHRISTIANITY AND KNOWING CHRIST IS ALL ABOUT.
The only real contact I’ve had with Christianity is from The Simpsons—and their neighbor Ned Flanders. -- Comments from the street.
I’d visit a Christian church, no problem. But I wouldn’t consider becoming a Christian. The religion I’m studying right now applies to me today. But I’m not sure how studying Jesus, who lived 2,000 years ago, would help me.
SUMMARY
Titus was charged with producing Cre’tan disciples of Christ who would refute the stereotypical image of how they were perceived in their own Culture.
Living the Call Together charges us with the same task. How do we produce genuine authentic disciples in a culture where meltdowns are expected?
Together we will learn the secret of developing lives that don’t melt.
