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Testimonies Lead To Evangelism Series
Contributed by Paul Clemente on Jun 9, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: Our lives should lead to evangelism; responding to people's inquiry of our faith.
Please open your Bibles to Titus chapter 2…..
Take a quick look at v15 of Titus 2……
And so, God teaches and we are to learn. As we learn from God, we can encourage and rebuke with all authority. And as we noted last week, God’s desire is for every person to know the truth. We are to share the truth in love; and so our rebuking of false teachings, when done in love, is actually for encouraging.
Let us then learn from Titus 2, v7-15. We will focus on the first half of the passage today and finish the rest next week; read along with me Titus 2:7-15…..
Verse 7-8 speaks to church leaders; Verses 9-10 speaks to employees; and verses 11-12 speaks to all Christians!
The end of v10 is our Scripture of the Week to memorize and is a main them in the passage. God is telling us that our lives should be Testimonies which lead to evangelism! Our lives should lead to evangelism! How attractive are our lives to those who do not know Jesus Christ? Or will people say of our lives, “If that is what a Christian is like, I don’t want to be one!” this is the challenge for all of us; Is my walk (my daily actions) lining up with my Christian talk? Let us note what God says in Titus 2:7-12.
From v7-8, Christian leaders are to:
a. Set an example by doing what is good
b. Teach with:
- Integrity (i.e. uncorrupted = God’s Word)
- Seriousness (not laughable)
- Soundness of speech (i.e. wholesome talk)
From v9-10, Christian employees (workers) are to:
a. Submit to bosses
b. Please bosses (i.e. make them look good)
c. Not talk back to bosses (i.e. contradict)
d. Show to be trustworthy
And what can we note from v11-12? Look again at v11; What brings salvation??
Christians are only saved because of God’s grace! Grace is undeserved love!
Knowing that Christians are graciously loved by God:
- Say no to sin!
- Be self controlled (i.e. sober, not intoxicated)
- Be upright (i.e. just)
- Be godly (i.e. Christlike)
Now, what Biblical principles can we apply to our lives today?
Let’s ask this question to ourselves personally:
Are there any people who want to learn from us?
There may be someone younger than you who look up to you! Parents, your children are watching you and will copy what you do! There are likely people who like what they see in you! Each one of us is uniquely gifted by God which we are to share to others! And if you and I have relatives or friends who do not have a personal relationship with their Creator God through Jesus Christ, we are the ones to lead them!
You see, every Christian is a leader! And so,
1. Every Christian is called to lead and so Titus 2:7-8 applies to every Christian!
Do we accept jokes about Jesus Christ, who is our Savior and God?
Do we ourselves make jokes about Jesus Christ?
Do we swear using the Name of Jesus Christ?
There are people observing us, how are we leading them?
And since our God’s desire is for every person to learn the truth about Him and Jesus Christ, this should be our motive for everything we do. Our motive in life should be what God desires and God desires everyone to know and accept the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How does this apply to our bosses? How does this apply to those who God set as authority over us? You may not like your boss or those in authority over you and you want to rebuke them; Is our rebuking of those in authority over us done in love so that they will hear the truth about God?
2. We are to be a good testimony for Jesus Christ to whoever has authority over us in this world.
Yes we are to ask WWJD? But more importantly we need to say, “Lord Jesus, what would you want me to do? I will do it!” WWJWMTD and Do it! And what would Jesus want us to do in our workplaces? Jesus says do what Titus 2:9-10 states!
And again, God calls every Christian to testify to the world about Jesus Christ in both our speech and actions!
Let us close by thinking and praying about the following based on Titus 2:11-12
3. Will people actually believe I truly follow Jesus Christ and listen to what I have to say about God if I:
- continue to sin publicly?
- be intoxicated with something besides the Holy Spirit?
- not be just?
- not pursue to be more Christlike?