MANAGING the MOUTHY—Titus 1:10-16
Attention:
The churches of Crete were saved but were lacking the finesse necessary to accomplishing their mission. They were not yet organized for ministry.
A pastor by the name of Titus, was charged with the fortunate task, of straightening out those aspects of a local— & possibly island-wide— church body which would bring it up to speed, thus making them viable & able to powerfully carry the message of Christ to a lost world.
With apostolic authority, Paul instructs Titus specifically, to “appoint” qualified men to pastoral positions in every city on the island of Crete. That is his first priority. This is because without headship, their can be no sustained & organized effort to win their world for Christ.
Thus Paul informs Titus of the basic qualifications for pastoral eligibility(:5-9), in order to Manage those who would undermine the church(:10-16).
Need:
How can our church accomplish her mission in Christ?
We must:
A. Install Eligible Elders(1:5-9)
B. Manage the Mouthy OR Subdue/Subordinate the Insubordinate(1:10-16)
Paul warned Titus of his need to subdue the threat of insubordinate teachers.
The church must subdue the threat of insubordinate teaching.
How /Where is the threat of insubordinate teaching subdued?
1—Managing the Mouthy demands...
INSUBORDINATION Management(:10)
Explanation:(:10)
:10—“For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers & deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,”
“For there are many insubordinate, “
“Insubordinate/Unruly/Rebellious”—anupotaktov—1) Not made subject, unsubjected; 2) That cannot be subjected to control, disobedient, unruly, refractory. Used 4X.
—From the negation of—upotassw—To arrange under, subject to or subordinate. A military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader"
Acts 20:28-32—““Therefore take heed to yourselves & to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. “Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. “Therefore watch, & remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night & day with tears. “So now, brethren, I commend you to God & to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up & give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
“Both idle talkers & deceivers,”
“Idle/Vain/Empty/Mere Talkers”—mataiologov—An idle talker, one who utters empty senseless things. From—mataiov—1) Devoid of force, truth, success, result; 2) Useless, of no purpose. & —legw—To say, speak.
These believe themselves to speak words to be heeded, but their message is actually devoid of power.
If the words & actions do not lead you in every aspect of the cause of Christ, Then they are devoid of usefulness.
Our talk should help others.
2Pet. 2:18—“For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.”
“Deceivers”—frenapathv—1) A mind deceiver, a seducer. Used 2X.
From emptiness to outright purposeful Deception.
“Especially those of the circumcision,”
“Especially”—malista—Especially, chiefly, most of all, above all.
These are Jews who would have been won over/enamored by tradition rather than Christ.
Same with any sectarian groups—7th Day Adventists for example—Try to live by Jewish OT Law(condemn people for disobedience) yet call themselves Christian.
Christians don’t do things for tradition’s sake(hmmmm...) nor uselessly.
Acts 15:1, 24—“And certain men came down from Judea & taught the brethren[@ Antioch], “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.””....—In Jerusalem—“Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised & keep the law”--to whom we gave no such commandment--”
Gal. 5:1-6—“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, & do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.”
There are “many” who falsely present themselves in the capacity of elders over the church.
These false elders(engender some degree of respect) are unwilling to align themselves with God’s will.
These are men who attempt to seduce the minds of others into thinking as they themselves do, thus denying the Triune God we experience thru Christ alone.
Argumentation:
Mal 2:5-9—““My covenant was with him[Levi], one of life & peace, And I gave them to him that he might fear Me; So he feared Me And was reverent before My name. The law of truth was in his mouth, And injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace & equity, And turned many away from iniquity. “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But you have departed from the way; You have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” Says the LORD of hosts. “Therefore I also have made you contemptible & base Before all the people, Because you have not kept My ways But have shown partiality in the law.””
—For those of us in Christ...We are NOT here for some social endeavor. We are NOT a family chapel...Instead, we must declare God’s truth by every means available to us!
Rom. 16:17-18—“Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions & offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, & avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, & by smooth words & flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.”
—There are “simple” people which will be part of the church. We are to provide a nurturing environment for them rather than allow them to be exploited.
Illustration:
A child at Yellowstone National Park/Fountain Paint Pots—Boiling mud/An INSUBORDINATE child would lead others to follow them into the deadly mud/Parents must employ INSUBORDINATION Management....
....Different directives for different personalities.
Same with the church!
Application:
?Is INSUBORDINATION Management established in Your church?
?Are the Mouthy Managing you OR are you Managing the Mouthy?
2—Managing the Mouthy demands...
DAMAGE Management(:11)
Explanation:(:11) Destruction
:11—“whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.”
“Whose mouths must be stopped,”
“Stopped/Silenced”—epistomizw—1) To bridle or stop up the mouth; 2) metaph. To stop the mouth, reduce to silence. Used 1X.
“Who subvert whole households,”
“Subvert/Upsetting/Ruining”—anatrepw—1) To overthrow, overturn, destroy; 2) To subvert. Used 2X.
“Teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.”
1Tim. 6:9—“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation & a snare, & into many foolish & harmful lusts which drown men in destruction & perdition.”
“Dishonest/Filthy/Sordid”—aiscrov—Filthy, baseness, dishonor. Used 9X.
“Gain/Lucre”—kerdov—Gain, advantage. Used 3X.
Healthy relationship between Pastors/Elders & Deacons help to minimize DAMAGE. It must be undercut before it escalates.
Argumentation:
Mat. 23:13-14—““But woe to you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. “Woe to you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, & for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.”
Jer. 13:6-11—“Now it came to pass after many days that the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, & take from there the sash which I commanded you to hide there.” Then I went to the Euphrates & dug, & I took the sash from the place where I had hidden it; & there was the sash, ruined. It was profitable for nothing. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Thus says the LORD: ‘In this manner I will ruin the pride of Judah & the great pride of Jerusalem. ‘This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, & walk after other gods to serve them & worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing. ‘For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel & the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,’ says the LORD, ‘that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, & for glory; but they would not hear.’”
Prov. 26:28—“A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin.”
Isa. 3:11-15—“Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, For the reward of his hands shall be given him. As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths.” The LORD stands up to plead, And stands to judge the people. The LORD will enter into judgment With the elders of His people And His princes: “For you have eaten up the vineyard; The plunder of the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the faces of the poor?” Says the Lord GOD of hosts.”
Illustration:
House @ ‘T’ intersection of Jake Alexander Blvd with Stokes Ferry Rd. in Salisbury/Car runs into the living room—Tries to back out & leave/Claimed traffic light was green—There is no traffic light there! but a stop sign!/Covered area with tarp—Contacted contractor to undo damage/DAMAGE Management
Application:
?Is DAMAGE Management established in Your church?
?Are the Mouthy Managing you OR are you Managing the Mouthy?
3—Managing the Mouthy demands...
PREJUDICE Management(:12)
Explanation:(:12)
:12—““One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.””
If any so-called ‘Christian’ preacher or teacher submits a group to condemnation based on nationality &/or cultural constraints, a humanly unavoidable or unpreventable state, then he/she is out of line with the Gospel of Life in Christ.
“One of them, a prophet of their own”
Quote originated with the 6th Century BC Cretan poet Epimenides. Considered ‘one of the 7 great wise men of Greece.’—MacArthur
For Greeks, to ‘Cretanize’ something means to lie about it. So this is a well instilled thought. Perhaps lying was considered a part of their cultural heritage, pridefully propagated by Cretans but prejudicially elsewhere.
“Always.....”
Assume & insist that there is never an instance of non-conformance.
Argumentation:
1Tim. 5:19-22—“Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear. I charge you before God & the Lord Jesus Christ & the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality. Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure.”
Ex. 23:3-6—““You shall not show partiality to a poor man in his dispute. “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. “If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, & you would refrain from helping it, you shall surely help him with it. “You shall not pervert the judgment of your poor in his dispute.”
Lev. 19:15—“‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.”
Deut. 10:17—““For the LORD your God is God of gods & Lord of lords, the great God, mighty & awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.”
Job 13:10—“He will surely rebuke you If you secretly show partiality.”
Prov. 28:21—“To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.”
Rom. 2:11—“For there is no partiality with God.”
Js. 2:1-9—“My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, & there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, & you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes & say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” & say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, & become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith & heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you & drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, & are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
Js. 3:17—“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy & good fruits, without partiality & without hypocrisy.”
Illustration:
My student pastorate/Rural NC/Deacon chairman/Really believed Black people were descended from apes!/If a man of different shade of skin walked into the service, his actions would not have been Christ honoring/PREJUDICE Management
Bro. Jolly in FL panhandle?/Booted out of his church during the 50s/Why?/Allowing blacks to worship with whites!/He employed PREJUDICE Management
Application:
?Is PREJUDICE Management established in Your church?
?Are the Mouthy Managing you OR are you Managing the Mouthy?
4—Managing the Mouthy demands...
RESPONSIBILITY Management(:13-14)
Explanation:(:13-14)
:13—“This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,”
Rebuke/Reprove”—elegcw—1) To convict, refute, confute; 2) To find fault with, correct. Means to rebuke with sufficient cause, & also effectually, so as to bring the one rebuked to a confession or at least a conviction of sin. In other words, it means to convince.
“Sharply/Severely”—apotomwv—1) Abruptly, peremptorily, precipitously; 2) Sharply, severely, curtly, brusquely.
“Sound”—ugiainw—1) To be sound, to be well, to be in good health; 2) metaph.—2a) Of Christians whose opinions are free from any mixture of error, 2b) Of one who keeps the graces & is strong.
2Cor. 13:10—“Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification & not for destruction.”
:14—“not giving heed to Jewish fables & commandments of men who turn from the truth.”
Parallel:
1Tim. 1:4—“nor give heed to fables & endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.”
“Fables/Myths”—muyov—1) A speech, word, saying; 2) A narrative, story—2a) A true narrative, 2b) A fiction, a fable, 2b1) An invention, a falsehood. Strong— A tale, i.e. fiction ("myth"):-- fable.
Talmud/Mishnah—collections of commentary & opinions(many very fanciful) regarding Scripture & its application.
Outside of Jewish circles, these would include Popular wisdom, Pop-psychology, Internet blogs & the like. Anything that offers a sense of spiritual security with no real security.
“Commandments/Commands”—entolh—1) An order, command, charge, precept, injunction—1a) That which is prescribed to one by reason of his office; 2) A commandment—2a) A prescribed rule in accordance with which a thing is done—2a1) A precept relating to lineage, of the Mosaic precept concerning the priesthood, 2a2) Ethically used of the commandments in the Mosaic law or Jewish tradition.
Wearing suits, ties, dresses, hats & jewelry to worship. Anything less is snobbishly dismissed as an insult.
Anything done regularly & rigidly should be scrutinized...
—Celebrating the Lord’s Supper (When & Where & How)—Baptisms(When & Where & How)
—Order of services(Worship/ Bible Study/Discipleship Training, Visitation, etc.)
—Colors, Flowers, Time schedules, Seating spots, etc.
Things that would make a church complain &/or split rather than begin a mission!
Argumentation:
2Tim. 4:2-4—“Preach the word! Be ready in season & out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering & teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; & they will turn their ears away from the truth, & be turned aside to fables.”
The RESPONSIBILITY for Timothy, Elders, Overseers is to preach/teach the Word of God!
Illustration:
Filling the pulpit of our church demands diligence with the Word.
Sunday School(Bible Study) is a social event(outreach & inreach) but it is also & more appropriately a training event.
There are many styles of both but one message....
—Christ in you the hope of glory!(Col. 1:27)
Application:
?Is RESPONSIBILITY Management established in Your church?
?Are the Mouthy Managing you OR are you Managing the Mouthy?
5—Managing the Mouthy demands...
HYPOCRISY Management(:15-16)
Explanation:(:15-16) Disqualification
:15—“To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled & unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind & conscience are defiled.”
There are those who are considered “pure,” in God’s eyes, NOT their own. To these “pure” people, “all things are pure.”
That is, they view their world from God’s perspective, & thus see & approach “all things” rightly. God’s people are “pure.”
Conversely there are others who are impure. These are the sorts of people who are “defiled” & “unbelieving” in their thinking. That is, they view their world from a perspective opposed to God, & thus see & approach all things wrongly. They see NONE of God’s work as pure. Impure motives, Question everything.
“Pure”—kayarov—Clean, clear, pure. That which is pure as being clean, free from soil or stain. Denotes freedom from defilements, of the flesh & the world.
“Defiled/Corrupted”2X—miainw—1) To dye with another color, to stain; 2) To defile, pollute, sully, contaminate, soil—2a) to defile with sins.
“Unbelieving”—apistov—1) Unfaithful, faithless, (not to be trusted, perfidious); 2) Incredible—2a) Of things; 3) Unbelieving, incredulous—3a) Without trust (in God).
“Mind”—nouv—1) The mind, comprising alike the faculties of perceiving & understanding & those of feeling, judging, determining; 2) A particular mode of thinking & judging, i.e thoughts, feelings, purposes, desires. Distinctly the reflective consciousness, “the organ of moral thinking & knowing, the intellectual organ of moral sentiment.” Strong—The intellect, i.e. mind (divine or human; in thought, feeling, or will); by implication meaning:-- Mind, understanding.
“Conscience”—suneidhsiv—Strong— Co-perception, i.e. moral consciousness:-- conscience. From a prolonged form of suneidw—To see completely; used (like its primary) only in two past tenses, respectively meaning to understand or become aware, & to be conscious or (clandestinely) informed of:-- consider, know, be privy, be ware of.
:16—“They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, & disqualified for every good work.”
“Profess/Claim”—omologew—1) To say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with, assent; 2) To concede; 3) To profess; 4) To praise, celebrate. Strong—To assent, i.e. covenant, acknowledge:-- con- (pro-)fess, confession is made, give thanks, promise.
“Deny”—arneomai—Strong—To contradict, i.e. Disavow, reject, abnegate:-- Deny, refuse.
“Abominable/Detestable”—bdeluktov—Abominable, detestable. From—bdelussw— from a (presumed) derivative of bdew (to stink); To be disgusted, i.e. (by implication) Detest (especially of idolatry):-- abhor, abominable. Used 1X.
“Disobedient”—apeiyhv—Impersuasible, not compliant, disobedient, contumacious.
“Disqualified/Reprobate/Worthless/Unfit”—adokimov—1) Not standing the test, not approved—1a) Properly used of metals & coins; 2) That which does not prove itself such as it ought—2a) Unfit for, unproved, spurious, reprobate. Strong—Unapproved, i.e. rejected; by implication, worthless (literally or morally):-- Castaway, rejected, reprobate.
Argumentation:
Mat. 6:16 -18—““Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. “But you, when you fast, anoint your head & wash your face, “so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; & your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
Mat. 23:13-14—““But woe to you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. “Woe to you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, & for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.”
Mat. 23:23-31—““Woe to you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint & anise & cummin, & have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice & mercy & faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. “Blind guides, who strain out a gnat & swallow a camel! “Woe to you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup & dish, but inside they are full of extortion & self-indulgence. “Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup & dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. “Woe to you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones & all uncleanness. “Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy & lawlessness. “Woe to you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets & adorn the monuments of the righteous, “& say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’ “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.”
1Tim. 4:1-3—“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits & doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, & commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe & know the truth.”
Illustration:
Illegal Pet suppliers/Foreign soil/Animals captured—Fish, birds, snakes exotic animals/Guise of caring for the animals/Arrested—HYPOCRISY Management
Covert operations/Lead into a trap/Capture the target/HYPOCRISY Management
Leg trap on Mr. Fisher’s property/Traps set/Go where the animal lives & operates/Place trap/Place food to entice the animal/Animal captured/HYPOCRISY Management
Application:
?Is HYPOCRISY Management established in Your church?
?Are the Mouthy Managing you OR are you Managing the Mouthy?
CONCLUSION:
Action:
Managing the Mouthy demands...
1. INSUBORDINATION Management(:10)
2. DAMAGE Management(:11)
3. PREJUDICE Management(:12)
4. RESPONSIBILITY Management(:13-14)
5. HYPOCRISY Management(:15-16)
Presented 04/18/2010am to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
