Serving With Integrity And Passion Series

“Come, follow me.” The words resound with authority that could emanate only from the heart of God. My heart is tenderly touched each time I view a video clip that depicts the early disciple walking away from their known life to live according to a calling God places upon their lives.

As the disciples fell in behind Jesus there was a new song in their hearts. It would have sounded like this:

I have decided to follow Jesus; (3) No Turning Back (2)

The world behind me, the cross before me, (3) No Turning Back (2)

The book of Titus challenges us to ask this question: Am I a disciple who serves with integrity and passion?

I. THE DISCIPLE’S CALL (1:5)

In this series, I am making a big assumption: In the N.T. church all who claim the name of Jesus are a part of the royal priesthood to which the Bible refers and are to strive for the same excellency of discipleship. Unlike Titus, a letter written to a personal friend, Peter’s Epistle was written to the church.

I Peter 2:4As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-- 5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Though we may have different roles, functions, we share in the call to aspire for godliness. With that said let me draw your attention to another passage.

I Samuel 2:35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his house, and he will minister before my anointed one always.

It is my prayer that this verse will be used by Holy Spirit to challenge us to think about the heart of God. This is what Paul meant when he siad he was a "slave of God." Paul's single focus in life was to know and do what was in the heart of God and to passionatly serve him. That is a Christian primary motivation for life.

Titus' relationship with Jesus is assumed in this letter. Yet, we must remind ourselves that godliness begins with a personal relationship with God. This must occur before our heart can become attuned to the heart of God.

The call to discipleship is not accidental. We must understand the intentionality of God. Those who desire to ascend to godliness will be amazed by the process God uses. The phrase, "I was at the right place, at the right time, for the right reason," will take on new meaning.

All through the Bible we see the process God uses to accomplish His redemptive purpose.

In the I Samuel passage God is making reference to Eli's situation--Eli and his family were disobedient and God would no longer use them. However, he was preparing someone else. In I Samuel 3 we read an incrdible story of God calling out Samuel and using him to bring a word to all of Israel.

Samuel was a very young boy; however, he was in the right place, at the right time, for the right purpose. Though Samuel was accesible we should not assume it was all providence and no freedom of choice.

This pattern is repeated over and over again in Scripture. At just the right time God has made His will known.

Titus found himself at the right place, at the right time, for the right reason. He was ready to be used of God because he longed for the heart of God. He realized that his whole identity was wrapped up in hearing and responding to God.

A. The Right Person

Paul realized it would take the right person to serve the churches on Crete. First, he trusted Titus and considered him a valuable partner. Titus had gone to Jerusalem on-hehalf of Paul. Paul viewed him as

1) A true child (his mentee)

2) A brother in Christ

3) One who walked with the same Spirit

4.) A responsible person who could be entrusted with a great task

Titus had the gift of practical administration--in the business world he would have been called a troubleshooter.

Someone said there are two kinds of people:

1. Those who make a bad situation worse

2. Those who bring order out of chaos

Titus was the latter. Titus had the ability to apply his theology toreal-life human problems. He didn't live with his head stuck in pretentious piety.

B. At the Right Place

For some, Crete may have not sounded like the right place. Crete, the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean, was a difficult place to live, not to mention attempting to establish churches.

Crete was described, by a Cretans poet, as an island of liars, brutes and gluttons. The Greek coined the phrase, "to Cretize," as a special verb for lying. Five fiercely independent ethnic groups made up the population. Pirates and coarse sailors frequenting the island reinforced it notoriety. Add the straight-laced Jews to this mix as the church was being birthed and you understand why the church was born of conflict.