Introduction:

On January 1915, the ship Endurance was entombed and crushed in the ice off the coast of Antarctica. The expedition was led by Ernest Shackleton with a group of 27 polar explorers. The British expedition ship had become immobilized for 10 months so they had been preparing for this moment. They survived and managed to reach Elephant Island in three small lifeboats. Maroon on this desolate island, far from normal shipping lanes, they had one hope. Their Captain, Ernest Shackleton of the Ship Endurance and five comrades set out in a tiny lifeboat for South Georgia. In April of 1915 all 22 remaining men watched as they launched for an island 800 miles away. The odds seemed impossible, and if they failed, they would all certainly die. One month past, two months, three and then four when a boat appeared on the horizon with Shackleton on its bow hollering, “Are you all well?” And the call came back, “All safe! All well!” What held those men together and kept them alive over those months? Faith and hope placed in one man. They believed that Shackleton would find a way to save them. May we have hope through the certainty of our faith in the One Man—Jesus, our God and Savior. Paul expounds on this hope in his epistle that God promises and doesn’t lie!

I. The Background:
1. Paul is the accepted author of Titus as well as the other two Pastoral Epistles we have covered. The date and setting of the epistle is near the end of Paul’s life, most likely after he penned I Timothy about 65 AD. Some scholars claim Paul wrote this letter in A.D. 63, perhaps from Corinth. It was sent to the Mediterranean island of Crete. The Island is 156 miles long and 30 miles wide, and its first-century inhabitants were notorious for untruthfulness and immorality (1:12–13). “To act the Cretan” became a phrase, meaning “to play the liar.” The apostle spread the gospel in the cities of Crete after his release from Roman imprisonment and left Titus there to finish organizing the churches (4. 1:5). We next note his objective…

2. Paul wrote to teach them to know the truth and shows them how to live godly lives. He gives two choices—choosing sin, which leads to death, or choosing Jesus’ gift, which leads to eternal life. He explains how to obtain eternal life. Because of the problem of immorality among the Cretans, it was important for Titus to stress the need for righteousness in Christian living. The first chapter focuses on the leaders. The second chapter focuses on the members. And the third chapter focuses on those outside the church and how the church is to behave itself before them. This instruction is very important, not only for Titus and for the churches in the island of Crete, but for all churches.

3. Besides the general themes that Titus shares in common with the other two Pastoral Epistles, Titus gives a concise summary of how a believer should embellish the doctrine of grace with godliness and good works. Many today who seem pleased with the doctrine of grace apparently have little interest in practicing it in good works and godliness. Paul sums up the theme perfectly: “This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works” (3:8a).
It stresses sound doctrine and warns against those who distort the truth, but it also is a conduct manual that emphasizes good deeds and the proper conduct of various groups within the churches. This epistle falls into two major sections: the appointment of elders (1); setting things in order (2–3).

II The Salutation: Vv.1, 2

1. The general way to begin a letter in Paul’s day was with an identification of the author by name and title. Paul did not vary from this format. He was both a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. The first pictures him as a (doo’los) slave of the Supreme Master, the second as an emissary of our Sovereign Lord. The first speaks of submission, the second of authority. He became a bondservant by personal commitment, an apostle by divine appointment. He is not just a worker but one who gives himself wholly to another’s will. This was Paul’s view of himself in relationship to God. He was chosen by God to be an apostle yet kept a humble in this high position he held at the same time.

2. In verse two we have that awesome statement that this “hope” is assure because it was promised by God. Nothing is as sure as the word of God, who cannot lie, who cannot be deceived, and who would not deceive. There is no risk in believing what He says. In fact nothing is more reasonable than for the creature to believe his Creator. We living in an upside down world where people believe lies over truth and exalts the creation over the creator.

3. The phrase “that cannot lie,” literally means “free from falsehood,” and is used only here in the New Testament. I think Paul used this phrase to make a comparison of the character of God, who cannot lie, with that of the Cretans, who lie continually. It says in Romans 3:4, “…let God be true, but every man a liar…” God will be true to Himself. If He is holy and He is righteous–that is His nature, and there are certain things He cannot do because of His nature. It is not because it is impossible for Him to do it; but because God is true to His nature, He cannot do it. He is righteous, He is just, and He never deceives. So when folks ask trick questions like, “Can God created a rock so big not even He can lift? Know that it is foolish.

4. God promised eternal life before time began. This may be understood in two ways. First, God determined in eternity past to give eternal life to all who would repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and what He determined was the same as a promise. Understand that we the human beings are caught up in an immense and eternal covenant that two members of the Trinity made between each other to demonstrate the immensity of their love? “It is this plan,” Paul says, “it is this covenant which was promised before time began by God

III. The Commission Vv.3-5

1. In Titus 1:3; we read “in due time” God has a schedule and is always on time. God’s plan is revealed in his word and His Word is made known through preaching. “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching (the message of the Cross) to save them that believe” (1 Cor. 1:21). So are you saved?
Paul’s entire ministry was done with a “view” to eternal life. It was promised in eternity past by God, who cannot default on His Word. So that in due time God has manifested His word through preaching, which Paul states, “was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;

2. The “word” is the gospel which was to be proclaimed as an immediate result of Christ’s redemptive work on the Cross, the resurrection and ascension of Christ and the descending of the Holy Spirit. When God was dealing with mankind during all the preceding ages, he was preparing them for the coming of Christ and the cross. The preaching of the gospel is the message for today, and everyone needs to hear it for Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, by the word preached.

3. Paul stated that he was appointed by God to perform his ministry. The ministry is a trust and an honor, and all those who are appointed or called to preach, must preach the word 1 Co. 9:16). Preaching is a work appointed by God the Savior.

4. The letter is addressed to Titus, a true son in the faith: But who is this Titus? We have to piece together his biographic references from sparse scriptures of him in three of Paul’s Letters. A Greek by birth (Gal. 2:3), he was born again by faith in the Lord Jesus, possibly through Paul’s ministry. Second, a battle was ensuing over what was the true gospel. Titus became a test case in the controversy. Paul and Barnabas took him to Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1) for a conference with the apostles and elders. The decision of the council was that a Gentile like Titus did not have to submit to Jewish laws and ceremonies in order to be saved (Acts 15:11). Gentiles did not have to become Jews. Titus became one of Paul’s most valuable assistants, serving as a “trouble-shooter” in Corinth and Crete. He was the right man for a tough assignment.

We notice Titus is described as a genuine brother to the Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 2:13). Also as “my partner and fellow worker concerning you”(2 Cor. 8:23). Titus walked in the same steps as Paul, in the same manner of life (2 Corinthians 12:18). Paul extends the typical greeting for believers in the ancient world.

5. Last, in verse #5 Paul declared his reasoning for posting him on the Island of Crete. Paul left Titus behind to build enduring churches with mature, qualified pastors. This was especially needed in Crete, because the people of Crete were a wild bunch, well known as liars and lazy people. Titus had to find and train capable leaders for the Christians of the island of Crete.

Conclusion:

Set in order the things that are lacking: This was the job Titus was given. The church needed order and leadership. Titus was commanded to set in order the churches, and to do it by appointing godly leaders. “That phrase is a medical term; it was applied to the setting of a crooked limb.” (Wiersbe) There were crooked things that had to be set straight among the congregations of Crete. What about in your life or in our Church today. God help us!