Good Works

#earlwoodanglican #MalcolmRichards #Titus3 Titus 3 Sermon Info Titus 3 speaks about being good witnesses in the world (v. 1-3). It is also a great explanation of the gospel (v. 4-7), and a call to avoid foolish controversies (v. 9-11). Good Behaviour Titus 2 is one of the most foundational passages in the Bible for telling us (i) what godly behaviour looks like, and (ii) how to achieve it. To begin with, Paul lays out stipulations for 6 different categories, as follows: 1. Older men: Be a role model for younger men 2. Older women: Take your sacred role seriously in mentoring younger women 3. Younger women: Do not neglect the home, but love your husband and children 4. Younger men: You have one job – be self-controlled 5. Titus (Ministers): Ensure your talk and your walk are above reproach 6. Slaves (or Employees): Be respectful, diligent and trustworthy workers So how do we achieve such a high bar? Is it by simply knuckling down and working hard? In a word, ‘no’. V. 11-14 tells us it is not by hard work, but by ‘the grace of God’, coupled with ‘the glory to come’, as follows: • Our glorious future shows sinful pleasures of this world are not worth dying for • When the extent to which Jesus went for us sinks in, it makes us love him more dearly. As he slowly becomes our ultimate treasure, the sinful pleasures of this The world becomes less appealing • The heroic feat Jesus accomplished on the cross inspires us to be heroic; i.e. to sacrifice the pleasures of sin to do the right thing • Given that Jesus gave his all to rescue us, it is only right and fitting for us to respond by living the way he calls us to. So may we turn our eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of this The world will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. Brendan McLaughlin