You Need An Attitude Adjustment Series

Introduction to the Book of Titus

Overview of the Epistle

Who is God? He is the God of salvation

How is He revealed in this text? He took the initiative to break into our world with the light of salvation that changes us uses us to attract others to its light

I. Introduction

A. Opener

Felt need: I want to make a difference in my world

Deep need: We need to be made different

B. Background

These epistles were written after the book of Acts, so we have no historical framework to place them in

Paul visited Crete and spent some time there; then he left Titus to organize the churches on the Island

Titus was a Gentile convert from Paul’s early Antioch days; he was with Paul throughout his ministry

The situation on Crete was serious when Paul wrote Titus: the churches were disorganized, and its members lived carelessly

C. Outline

1. The Appearing of a Saviour

2. The Attitude of the Saved

3. The Attractiveness of Salvation

D. Scripture

Read 2:11-13

II. “You Need an Attitude Adjustment”

Grace is like bread: the staff of our spiritual life (give us this day our daily bread and our daily mercies)

I like the Subway Club with lettuce, tomato, onions, hot peppers and olives, topped with sweet onion sauce

In Titus are all the spiritual food groups sandwiched above and below by grace

We’re looking at three word-pictures today

A. The Appearing of a Saviour

1. The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men

In our darkest hour, at our greatest point of need, help arrived

This is the plot of many movies and books

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men (Titus 2:11, NKJV)

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:4-5, NKJV)

a. Jesus Christ was the embodiment of God’s grace, kind-ness and love

“Epiphane” was used in ancient times in stories of the gods who appeared in the nick of time to help in battle

Our modern equivalent would be comic book heroes

Epephane: to suddenly become visible; to break out like the dawn; to become apparent in a way not seen before

Man could not imagine the saving grace of God

Jesus brought God’s saving purpose out of the shadows into the full light

b. We were in darkness

c. Jesus Christ has appeared as our Saviour

2. God caused His Word to appear to us through preach-ing

"...but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior" (Titus 1:3, NKJV)

Aren’t you grateful for those who shared the truth with you

3. The glorious second appearing of our God and Saviour is our motivation and hope

"looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13, NKJV)

a. This obligates us to reflect the light in our manner of liv-ing

b. We do this while we wait for His appearing

Timeless Truth #1: Our change of attitude is based on the appearing of Jesus with the grace and hope we needed

B. The Attitude of the Saved

Our attitude affects how we act

Attitude is the topic of a lot of pop philosophy

The Little Engine That Could

“Don’t Worry; Be Happy”

“You’re as young as you think you are”

The word Paul uses is difficult to translate

Sound-mind

First part: “to make safe, sound,” “to deliver from a direct threat,” “to bring safe and sound out of a difficult situation

Second part: “mind,” “thinking”

"When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind" (Mark 5:15, NIV)

Two aspects: the saving event and the resulting soberness, sensibility, soundness of mind that follows

So “saved-minded”

The importance of the mind:

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2, NKJV)

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus " (Philippians 2:5, NKJV)

1. Leaders in the church must have it

"(He must be) hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled" (Titus 1:8, NKJV)

2. Every age group must have it

a. Older men

"that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience" (Titus 2:2, NKJV)

b. Older and younger women

"that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet" (Titus 2:4-5a, NKJV)