SPEAKING GOOD THINGS
TITUS 2:15
As some of you know hunting season began last Sunday, that is turkey season. You may have notice a little more shotgun blasts in the woods this past week. This morning I want to share a little hunting story with you.
These two guys Joe and Frank decide to do a little turkey hunting. Now they have been noticing these turkeys always seem to be on this one farmer's land. Well be good hunters they go to the farmer to ask permission. As they get to the gate Joe tells Frank to wait there as he goes up and knocks on the door, this way they don’t get the Farmer to nervous.
So Joe goes up and knows on the door, and the farmer answers. Joe explains that they would like to go hunting on the farm. The old farmer replies that “it’s fine for you to hunt on our land, but I have one request. See that old gray mare over there. Well she been really sick, and she dying. I hate to see her suffer. Could you shot her for me. She had been so good to me that I just cannot bring myself to do it. IF you shoot my horse you can hunt on my land.”
Well Joe tell that farmer that it will be hard for him as well but that he would do it. Now as Joe is walking back he figures he will play a little joke on Frank.
As he get to Frank, Frank ask, “Well what did he say.”
That no-good lousy farmer, He said no. Well I teach him a lesson. See that mare over there?” POW POW Joe shoots the mare. Just as he is bring his gun down he hears two shots behind him. He turns as see Frank lowering his gun.
“Good job Joe!” Franks says, “I just got two of his cows lets get out of here!”
Now while that joke as a lot to do with hunting, it actually has little do to with my sermon, but I do have your attention.
Today we are getting back to our study on the book of Titus. So I am going to ask you to turn there. Titus chapter 2.
Now before we go into our discussion on humility and being a servant, over that past two weeks, we had been talking about the things that grace as brought to us as found in Titus 2:11-15. In verse 11-4 we see some of the wonderful things that Grace as brought to us. Through grace of course we have salvation through the precious blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
We also saw that grace teaches us to deny ungodliness, and to live righteous lives in the power of that grace. We saw a future blessing of grace with the return of our King Jesus Christ as he well come again for his saints and to judge the world.
Today I want our focus to be on verse 15, let me read that to you, “Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.”
In the verse we see once again how grace works in us. It is by the grace of God that we are to “Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority.”
Now as we look at this passage we must realize that Paul is writing to Titus. And in the narrow context this passage is speaking to those who are pastors, or elders of the church. But in a broad sense this passage is speaking to each one of us. Because as we look at this passage we will see that in other places in the Word of God these things are commanded to all of us.
Three commands we see here.
The first is that we “Speak these things”. Now the first question that should come to our minds is “what things?”
To answer that we need to look all the way back to 2:1. Where Paul states, “But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.” The “these things” Paul refers to is sound doctrine. We are to speak the truth of God. In all things.
In regards to Pastor they are commanded to preach sound doctrine, they are commanded to preach Biblical truth. And if they move away from the Word of God, then they become unqualified to be a preacher, unqualified to be a teacher of the Word of God. The sad thing is we see this a lot in our society. We see a lot of church that claim to be Christian yet they distort the word of God, the do not preach sound doctrine, but a doctrine that is politically correct, a doctrine that is based on the current trends of society or perhaps a doctrine that is based on traditions and not the word of God.
For the most part sound doctrine is not all that popular in today’s society. Where are society is one of victimhood, and placing the blame on everyone else. The sound doctrine of the Bible is one of sin, and personal responsibility, and the need to be forgiven of that sin through, and ONLY through the blood of Jesus Christ. Those things are not popular themes in our culture.
But I know that a pastor who is faithful to preach sound doctrine will be blessed as will the church where it is preached.
But this is not only a call to preachers but to each one of you. You need to be speaking the truth of God in all things. I am surprise by many Christian who are so strong in some things of the word of God, yet ignore those parts they do not like. I have spoken with people and in the conversation they come up with something that runs contrary to God’s word. Most of the time they have come up with it on there own. WE must be careful not to mix God’s word, with our reasoning. All that we believe must be checked against the Word of God if we are to obey God’s command here as “speak these things” speak sound doctrine.
We are called to be witnesses, called to speak the truth in all things.
The second command we see in verse 15 is the command to “exhort”. Now the word “exhort” comes from the Greek word, “PARA – KALEO”. This word is also translated at times as “comfort”.
It comes from to Greek words “PARA” which means “to the side” and KALEO which means “to call”. The word literally means to call one to your side. It denotes comforting that person or encouraging that person.
What Paul is telling Titus is that he needs to call the people to his side, to comfort them, to encourage them. To built them up. To urge them, in their walk with Christ. To comfort them, or exhort them through and by the Word of God.
Specifically this call goes out to the pastor of elder of the church. They are called to encourage the congregation. They are called to comfort them, that are called to call them along side, to walk with them. That Pastor must be one who bring encouragement through the Word of God to the People. A pastor is not to one who beats on the people all the time. But must be an encourager.
As I stated before which the immediate context is to pastors and elders, it can also be applied to all Christians.
Heb 3:13 tells all of us; “but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
We are called to encourage one another. We are called to comfort one another, to come along side each other. Letting other know that you are not in this alone, I am by your side. There to help. We need to all be encouragers. Every one of us.
We need to understand that God needs to be at the center of our act of encouragement. We are talking of Godly things here. Not the things of the world.
In looking at Biblical encouragement we can see certain things. First where does this encouragement come from. Who give this comfort, the encouragement?
Look at 2 Cor. 1:3. (We are going to be looking at that again so why don’t you just turn there real quick).
What does Paul write there; “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,”
Where does this comfort come from, God the Father.
Now stay right there While I read to you a couple other verses, 2 Thess 2:16-17; “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,
comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.”
Who is going to comfort our hearts the Lord Jesus Christ.
One more, John 14:16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another comforter, that He may abide with you forever;” That was the KJV, some translation use “helper” or “councilor”. But that word comes from the same Greek word as “exhort” in our passage. And in my opinion “comforter” is much closer to the original meaning.
So who is the “another comforter” that we have” The Holy Spirit.
So what is see is that true encouragement, true comfort comes for the triune God, The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. He is the God of all comfort, He is the God of all encouragement. God grants His people comfort and encouragement, that they in turn my encourage others.
You see as children of God we must reflect the image of our God. That means we are to encourage and comfort, and exhort one another. As 1 Thess 5:11 states; “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.”
Now you should still be on 2 Cor. chapter 1. Notice in verse 3-7 the Holy Spirit mentions the word comfort nine times. Some translation use the word “consolation” but that is the same word that is translated comfort just a different tense. But what that passage tells us is that God comfort is not only for our benefit, but it is so that we can comfort others, so that we can encourage others with the encouragement we get from God.
Listen to that passage.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.”
May the comfort and encouragement that we receive from the Lord just overflow from our lives and into the lives of the others.
We should also understand that the Word of God links this encouragement with worship attendance, with being at church.
Listen to Heb. 10:25; “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Look around this morning. Do you see somebody who is not here this morning? Of course not. But anyway, if you notice someone who is not here it is our duty to encourage them. Give them call, let them know that we missed them.
You see this place, this church ought to be a place of encouragement, a place of comfort, a place of lifting one another up.
Now you may ask who needs encouragement. If we are honest with ourselves we should realize that at times we all need to encouragement. There are times when we all need to come along side someone and be comforted.
While this is true that Bible identifies 4 specific groups that need encouragement.
1. Those in distress. Sickness, death, etc. We should all be ready to encourage those in distress.
2. Those involved in ministry of the church. That means elders, deacons, SS teachers, pianist, organist, that pastor. Those involved in ministry we are told need to be encouraged.
3. New believers. Those who recently accepted Christ need to be encourage to grow.
4. Nominal Christians. Those who are not involved, pew warmers. They need to be encouraged to serve, to grow in the Lord. TO seek how God would have them serve.
Each group needs encouragement. How do you encourage you ask. By actions, send a card, give them a call, write them a note. Encourage by speaking encouraging words. Not patronizing words, but sincere words of encouragement, and comfort. Words that lift up, exhort, words that edify.
The third command we see in verse 15 is “rebuke”. Now rebuke sounds bad. It sound like your getting scolded. But the meaning is “to convict”, or “refute”.
Now it is not so much a scolding but more of a turning away from error. Now it is certainly a more forceful word then exhort, and it does denote more of a disciple king of idea.
It’s purpose is to help others to see the error of their ways. Not again it must be based in the Word of God, in sound doctrine.
Any rebuke that is given to another Christian MUST come from the truth found in the Word of God, not what we say is write or wrong, but what God states is right or wrong.
A rebuke is to help the individual see the truth and turn from error and embrace that truth.
Before a pastor or elder, or anybody for that matter take it upon themselves to rebuke another brother or sister in Christ. That individual must seek God’s wisdom in prayer. We must seek Godly wisdom, and be sure that we are standing solidly on the Word of God and not some notion that we have in our own heads.
Many churches have been torn apart by pastors and elder who rebuke there fellow Christians not from the Word of God, but on what they believe is right and wrong. And we must guard against that.
So we see those three commands there, Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke. Now we do them in a godly way through the grace of God, and His Grace alone.
What they do is to link the point of sound doctrine with our view of others. They link sound doctrine with how we are to deal with others.
You see some Christians learn easily. You just need to speak to them.
Others need to more of an exhortation. They need admonishment, someone to come along side to help them along.
Others still need something stronger, they need to be rebuked, they need conviction to turn from their error. And is some cases discipline must be applied.
Now notice the next part of that verse, it states, “with all authority.”
We may ask with what authority? By what authority do speak these things, by what authority do I exhort others, by what authority do I rebuke others? What right do we have to say what is right or what is wrong?
As Christians we have the God given authority. We have the authority of the Creator of all things. And our authority comes from this Book, from the Word of God.
You see whatever men believe to be true they believe by some authority. They look to something and say I believe this to be true by this authority. Some look to themselves, they say I am the ultimate authority, it is true because I believe it to be true. Some have other men as authority, it is true because David said it was true. He is my authority. Some have traditions as their authority. That is the way we have always done it. People of all kinds of authority for why they believe what they believe.
But for me, and I hope for you, there is but one authority, and that is the Bible, the Word of God. If it is in here I believe it. If God said it then it is true. I do care what men may say. This is my authority. This is the rock upon which I will stand. Everything I believe I will base upon this Holy Book. That may sound silly to some, but I don’t care. Because I know in my heart that this book is the Word of my Creator, of my God, of my King, my Lord and my Saviour. It is my authority.
So in closing we see the importance of God’s grace. Grace that works in us to speak, exhort, and rebuke. Grace that gives us the strength to stand on the only authority that really matters.
Today I speak to you the gospel of Jesus Christ. That He died for your sins. That He shed His blood that you may have forgiveness. And while He died, He also rose again three days later, to show that He has victory over death. That He is able to give eternal life.
Today I exhort you to accept the gift of God’s grace, the salvation that is available through the blood of Christ. Trust in Him today. Accept the forgiveness of sin that He offers to you. Believe in Him for eternal life. Admit you are a sinner in need of salvation.
Today I warn you about the rebuke that will come from the throne of God if you reject His Son. You will not want to be under that rebuke, under the wrath God. Trust in Christ, escape God’s wrath, escape His rebuke.
By whose authority do I speak these things, by the authority of the very one who has given you life, the almighty God, and the Word which He has given us. Accept Christ today, and may God receive the glory!!
LET US PRAY
