Introduction

[1] Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, [2] in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began [3] and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; [4] To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. – Titus 1:1-4 

In the first chapter of the book of Titus, Paul shares six essential keys to Gospel Advance:

• Living as Servants of Christ
• Celebrating God’s Sovereignty
• Grounded in Truth
• Looking with Expectation towards Heaven
• Preaching the Gospel as Priority
• Raising the Next Generation

Living as Servants of Christ

Paul had every right to be a little arrogant about who he was. He had just experienced an astounding miracle when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He was well-educated in the Greek and Hebrew texts of the day, and his intelligence was evident in his writings and teachings. Church planting was exploding as a result of his work. The letters he was writing were being distributed and copied far and wide.

In the opening verses of his letter to Titus, Paul identifies himself as “a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.” Paul knew that none of his capacities and achievements were a result of anything He had done. God had given Him all he had, and in light of the majesty of King Jesus – he knew he was dearly loved, but just a small part of God’s great story of Gospel Advance. This is a significant statement, because it shows that Paul understood his identity and calling. He was not a celebrity, He was simply a servant of Christ. Know where you stand before Jesus.

Celebrating God’s Sovereignty

Paul also reminds Titus of God’s sovereignty, one of the most foundational truths of the Christian faith. This means that God is in control of everything, and He is working out all things according to His will (Ephesians 1:11). This is a truth that we can celebrate, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. He has a plan for the world, and He is working out that plan according to His will. When we trust in God’s sovereignty, we can be confident that He is using us to advance His kingdom.

In Titus 1:2, Paul reminds Titus of God’s sovereignty. He says, “God, who never lies, promised before the ages began”. This is a powerful reminder that God’s plan for the world is sure and certain. It will not be thwarted.

When we celebrate God’s sovereignty, we are acknowledging that He is the supreme ruler of the universe. We are also expressing our trust in His goodness and wisdom. We know that He is working all things together for our good and for the advancement of His kingdom.

Grounded in Truth

Paul also emphasizes the importance of being grounded in truth. In a world where there are many different voices competing for our attention, it is important to know what is true and what is not. The only way to know the truth is to be grounded in the Word of God.

‘..knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness.” We live in a world of relativism. Your truth is not the same as mine and that is ok, unless your truth offends me in which case it is not true. But how did we become the ones who dictate what is right and wrong? 

In John 10:10 Jesus says, “I am the truth”. We must decide whether we agree with that or not. I love C S Lewis’ comment on this.

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

Also, consider the following;

I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. Isa 46:9-10 

“The dependence relationship between us and God is asymmetrical: we the world depend on God for absolutely everything, God depends on the world not one bit” – Bruce Ware

“The doctrine of God’s Sovereignty lies at the foundation of Christian theology. It is the center of gravity in the system of Christian truth: the sun around which all the lesser orbs are grouped. It is the golden milestone to which every highway of knowledge leads and from which they all radiate. It is the cord upon which all other doctrines are strung like so many pearls, holding them in place and giving them unity. It is designed as the sheet- anchor for our souls amid the storms of life. The doctrine of God’s Sovereignty is a Divine cordial to refresh our spirits.” (A. W. Pink: Sovereignty of God)

Looking with Expectation towards Heaven

Paul reminds Titus that we are not citizens of this world. Our citizenship is in heaven. This means that we should not set our hope on the things of this world, but on the things of heaven. When we look forward to heaven, it gives us a new perspective on life and helps us to focus on what is truly important. We are no longer bound by the limitations of this world, but instead we are free to live our lives in a way that is truly pleasing to God, without being constrained by the expectations of others or the allure of material possessions.

We are a mist, a vapor – here one day and gone the next. What do we place our hope in? Are we truly working towards life beyond the grave where God has prepared a place for us? A place where there will be no more tears, no more pain, no more struggle. That’s our heart at Unseen Pursuit – to help each of us live with an eternal perspective!

Preaching the Gospel as Priority

Paul also tells Titus that we should make preaching the gospel our priority. The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and rose from the dead three days later. When we share the gospel with others, we are giving them the opportunity to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. 

This doesn’t mean that we all have to be pastors or evangelists. It simply means that we should all be looking for opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others.

Preaching the word is our priority because it is through the word that God shows us who He is, the truth of the gospel, and the hope of heaven. When we share the word with others, we are inviting them to experience the same transforming power of the gospel that we have experienced.

There is nothing special about a preacher, and there is nothing more effective about a church setting than two people meeting over coffee and sharing their faith. The key is to be intentional about sharing the gospel with others. We need to open our eyes to those who are living outside of Christ’s transforming power and pray for God to change their hearts. We need to build friendships with people and bring the light of the gospel into our conversations. And we need to step out in faith and trust God to use us to fulfill His purpose.

Preaching the word is our priority because it is the greatest commission that we have received from Jesus Christ. It is of greater priority than anything else we do. With God’s help, the great commission needs to be what courses through our veins each and everyday.

Raising the Next Generation

Finally, Paul encourages Titus to focus on raising the next generation. This means mentoring and discipling young people so that they can grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and be equipped to serve Him. Titus wasn’t a family member, he was someone who had helped Paul in the past and was dedicated to following Jesus, but Paul took him under his wing, walked a journey with him, was there for him and released him into all that God was calling him to. Paul wasn’t about holding on to the reigns, or trying to keep control. He released and then he fathered. 

There are young ladies who need mothering. Young men who need fathering. Children who need parenting. Ask God to show you how you can help serve the next generation and trust that they will do more for Jesus than we ever could!

Read: 10 Tips for Parenting Teenagers

Essential Keys to Gospel Advance – Conclusion

These six keys to Gospel Advance are essential for anyone who wants to see the kingdom of God grow. When we live as servants of Christ, celebrate God’s sovereignty, are grounded in truth, look forward to heaven, preach the gospel as priority, and raise the next generation, we are playing a vital role in advancing the kingdom of God.

This introduction to Titus closes off with these beautiful words;

“Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior…” 

Enjoy that and pray for that each day. Receive it yourself. Pray it over your family.