CLP Sunday School lesson for 7/22/2018
I was able to finish my notes a little early this week so I thought I would toss them up here.
- Where we left off last week
- Crete was corrupt, violent, and self-indulged see Titus 1:12. (Epimenides) This really lays the groundwork for the worldview of the Cretans
- The current leaders needed to be replaced because the existing ones were “unfit for any good work.” Titus 1:16. Apparently they brought their existing worldview into the church and the church had become corrupt, argumentative, and unfruitful.
- New World View or Belief system. There is a connection between your beliefs and actions. Your beliefs (worldview) guides your actions. (2-10) Watch how Paul strikes at these 3 points (liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons) throughout this letter, calling for them to change.
- Older Men: Sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity (love), in patience.
- Older Women: (likewise) holiness, not false accusers (slanders), not drunkards, teachers of good things, teaching younger women…
- Younger women: Love their husbands, love their children, discreet (self-controlled), chaste (pure), obedient to husbands...that the word of God is not blasphemed.
- Younger men: (likewise)...including the above and sober-minded aka self-controlled.
- Titus: Need to be a model of good works, showing the results of a new belief in the risen Jesus Christ.
- Servants: Obedient to masters, not talking back, not embezzling/stealing-->integrity. This adorns the doctrine of God our Saviour.
- What the Favor of God teaches us. (11-14)
- The grace (or favor) of God has brought salvation available for all people
- It teaches us to do the following:
- Deny ungodliness. Literally wickedness and wrong.
- Deny worldly passions/lusts. Corrupt desires
- Live soberly. Self-controlled
- Righteously. Equitably...fair or right. Truthfully.
- Live godly. Piously
- In the present age. Paul is telling them that they can do this right where they are living in their corrupt, violent, and self-indulgent culture.
- Waiting for Jesus to return. While they were learning, they were to live with an expectation that Jesus would be returning.
- Who didn’t just save us from hell:
- Redeemed us from all iniquity (lawlessness) or a bent to do bad things.
- So that HE could purify a special group of people who are zealous for good works. Paul is striking at the lazy gluttons again, calling for some zeal and energy to do good, not evil
- Why? And how?
- Oh a couple more things: 3:1-2
- Be submissive to rulers and authorities
- Obedient
- Ready for good works
- Extend common courtesy to everyone (ALL People).
- Just in case you think that only Cretans are bad...we were too (see verse 3)
- The Poem. Verses 3:4-7 make up a poem or saying.
- God came to us.
- We are saved by God’s mercy not some special feat done by us.
- The Holy Spirit performs the washing and renewing through Jesus Christ.
- To become heirs of eternal life.
- Insist on these things so the believers can devote themselves to good works. (3:8)
Conclusion
What is going on here? The core beliefs and object of the Cretan’s worship glorified lying, cruelty, and lust. Zeus, (their main god) then did whatever he needed to in order to satisfy his lusts. So if you go back to chapter 1 and look at the bad church leaders, they weren’t teaching the truth (deceivers 1:10), getting what they want through shameful gain (1:11), and there was definitely some impurity going on (1:15). The life of one who is a follower of Jesus is going to have his core beliefs and object of worship changed so that he/she is instead following One who is pure, gracious, and loving. Jesus was the full embodiment of all things good and pure. If our object of worship is truly Jesus, then we begin to act like Him. Our lives will be marked with integrity, self-control, and a zeal to do good and correct wrongs.
Our faith in Christ is revealed by our faithfulness (obedience) to Jesus Christ.
