Restoring Biblical Ministry - An Exposition of Titus

This was the study from this last Sunday (October 8th)

When we sit on our rumps & eat junk food we become content and plump. As Christians if we sent on our rumps and don't go as commanded we become complacent and lose focus.

God hardened Pharoah's heart, but through it Rahab & others heard about God.

I. The Mandate of Ministry

1. Titus 1:1 - because he's a servant
2. Eph. 1 - Take hope & heart seeing all God has given you & go forward reaching out to others.
3. Why Paul did what he did - "for the faith of God's elect"
4. Where are the true men of ministry? - Proclaim with confidence Jesus Christ - not in themselves but in God

A. Grace of God by faith

• Paul...for the sake of God's elect (1:1) - Eph. 2:8

1. The Content - true & complete gospel being proclaimed - not the insurance plan

2. The Reason - for others to believe the facts

• man does not believe full & complete gospel
• man's view is distorted & skewed
• If they know full & complete gospel, they do not believe it in their hearts

3. The Heart - the life transformed - without Him we are helpless & hopeless

• It wasn't whippings, nails or anything other than His will that killed Christ.

II. The Gospel of God is thru Love

• Paul...for the sake of God's elect (1:1)

1. The provision of God (Christ) - gospel in our lives
2. The people of God (God's elect) - new covenant work of God - God's electing purposes

A. Explained - picking & choosing for oneself

B. Defined - sovereign act to chose us from the ruins to be made alive

C. Observed - Election is more emphasized than birth & death of Christ

• Election is criticized, why?

1. Inconsistant with man's free will

2. Inconsistant with whosoever wills

3. Unrighteous acts of God

4. Inconsistant with the general call

If we had free will, we would all be better ball players than Michael Jordan - sin limits us

3. Election systematized

• The author is God the Father
• The subjects are individual men
• The object is salvation of men
• The time is now (I might be wrong with this note...I was trying to keep up)

III. Greatness of God is our Hope

1. Character of God (Supreme)
2. Command of God (Sovereign)
3. Confidence in God (Salvation)

Anything apart from God is rebellion and sin.

The true men of ministry proclaim with confidence the gospel of Jesus Christ.

***This was the point that said WOW to me***

When we feel rejected in sharing & lose our confidence, it has become about us and not about Christ. If we know it is about Christ wholeheartedly, we won't lose confidence because it isn't about us.