This week we are taking a break from our sermon series through Isaiah and looking at Paul’s letter to Titus, specifically our conduct toward governing authorities and humanity in general. In this sermon, Pastor Matt calls the church to commend Christ our King to the world as we adorn the gospel of grace which we […]

The Bible is a story all about God, and every prophet, priest, king, and biblical hero in Scripture ultimately points us to Jesus Christ. However, in one sense, the Bible is also about us; the characters we meet do show us how we should live before God. Abraham’s faith, David’s repentance, and even Christ’s patient […]

The Bible uses the imagery of fruit and fruitfulness often, and God’s word is clear that the fruit we bear in this life either leads to death or to eternal life. Yet, in one sense, to bear fruit leading to death is ultimately to be unfruitful. In other words, there is only one kind of fruitfulness […]

One of the main themes of Titus is that sound doctrine leads to wholehearted devotion. The false teachers on Crete were trying to produce godliness through their doctrine—by conformity to a set of rules and external regulations. However, their legalism only resulted in detestable, disobedient sinners with defiled hearts, “unfit for any good work” (Titus […]

In contrast to the false doctrine of the legalists, which was only leading to ungodliness and worldly passions, Paul commands Titus to “teach what accords with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). Only healthy, gospel teaching will produce true godliness in the lives of its hearers. Then Paul describes for Titus what a  godly life of good […]

Having stated the goals of gospel ministry and the qualifications of elders, Paul explains how the goals of faith and godliness are achieved in the local church: “He [an elder] must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke […]

What should leadership in the local church look like? For many, this question is answered with modern business principles and leadership strategies; God’s word is deemed irrelevant and outdated. But how are God’s people to grow in their knowledge of the truth and godliness? How is the church protected from the dangers of false teaching […]

The church on Crete was new. Elders had not yet been appointed, the believers were fragile, and false teaching had already begun to creep into their midst. In fact, the problems they faced are no different from what we see today: issues regarding leadership, legalism, liberalism, discipleship, obedience, and overall gospel-forgetfulness. The apostle Paul had […]

Having urged us to walk worthy of our calling, to put off the old man and put on the new, Paul now commands us to walk as children of light. For those who were once darkness but were now light and partakers of all the promises of Christ through the gospel, what fellowship can light have darkness? But not only has the […]