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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Tuesday, 12 September 2023:
Ezekiel 13:3, 6, 10 — Thus says the Lord God, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! …They say, ‘Declares the Lord,’ when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word…. Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace….
– John 7:6, 7, 18, 19 — Jesus said to them…. “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil…. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?”
Today’s readings contrast false prophets and teachers with God’s true messengers. The false prophet seeks to validate the wicked deeds of the rebellious, calling them good and acceptable before God, moral, just, and true. Whereas God’s true messenger exposes evil for what it is, calls for repentance, and proclaims grace to those who turn to Jesus. The world praises the false prophet which God condemns, and the world hates God’s true messenger who God commends. Jesus points out that the false prophet or teacher has no real moral authority, seeks his own glory, and appeals to those who also seek their own glory too, while God’s messenger speaks under God’s authority and seeks to glorify God alone. Not only did the world hate Jesus because He exposed the truth of sin, called for repentance, and preached no other way for salvation but through Him, they called Him evil, possessed, crazy, paranoid, and dangerous.
What is your testimony to those around you, and how is it being received? Will you seek to influence others by your own authority and with your own message, or will you serve as Christ’s ambassador and remain faithful to the Gospel, the message of reconciliation through Him alone? Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:10-16) Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.” (Luke 10:3) “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Mark 13:13) “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!” (Luke 6:22) “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
– Luke 14:27-33 — Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
It is an incredible honor and blessing to be used by God as His messenger as He leads someone to Christ. However, Jesus explained that to receive such an honor, you must be prepared to be reviled, persecuted, maligned, hated, excluded, and spurned. Metaphorically, we must be ready to be crucified daily – “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Also, Jesus tells us how we should feel about such mistreatment: “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.” Afterall, this was Jesus’ example when He endured the Cross on your behalf – “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) Consider the Apostle Paul – He was beaten multiple times, stoned, shipwrecked, imprisoned, and finally executed for sake of the Gospel, and through it all, he said he had learned the secret of contentment and joy, desiring nothing greater than more opportunities to share the Gospel with more of his persecutors (read Philippians 1-4). For example, in Acts 21 and 22, we read that when Paul was being beaten by a mob intent on killing him and rescued at the last minute by Roman soldiers (all this after he had already been stoned and left for dead by a different crowd), Paul’s request to the Roman soldiers taking him away for his own safety was, “I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” (Acts 21:39) When people mistreat you because of your Gospel message, showing nothing but contempt for you and your faith, do you respond by seeking even more time to talk with them, even if it means more mistreatment? Pray that God will give you the same heart for sinners He has for them which is willing to selflessly suffer for sake of their salvation – “For the love of Christ controls us….” (2 Corinthians 5:14)
Titus 3:1 – Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work….
God commands us to obey the government.
Titus 3:2 – …to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.
We are not allowed to speak poorly of anyone but must show humility towards ALL, regardless of how much they deserve it.
“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another…. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.” (Titus 3:2-11) Those who are guided by the Spirit see things from a spiritual perspective and view others from that spiritual perspective, rather than the way everyone else sees things. Understanding the realities of the spiritual condition of those who are trapped in sin, particularly from our position of having been freed from sin by grace through Jesus, we can only respond to sinners with “gentle… perfect courtesy.” Those “Christians” who quarrel and who are led by their passions are not guided by the Spirit, and we should avoid them.
We must remember that those sinful people who cause so much pain and destruction are deceived and enslaved. Again, what did Jesus say on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Saved by grace, we must bestow grace to all.
Titus 3:5 – He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy…. so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.
Today, Paul’s letter to Titus echoes his writings to the church in Ephesus, reminding us of two things: 1) First, we are not saved by our good deeds or our own self-righteousness, but rather we are saved by God’s loving grace through faith in Jesus Christ because God loves us despite our unrighteous and sent His Son to pay for our sins on the Cross so we could have reconciliation with God and eternal life. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:8-10) 2) Second, in light of God’s amazing grace, we should “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which [we] have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace;” (Ephesians 4:1-3)
Believers must “be careful to devote themselves to good works.” We were not saved by our good works; we were saved for good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to fulfill – “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) Good works are not the means of salvation but rather the product and evidence of salvation, and as James says, “faith apart from works is dead.” (James 2:26) Good works done with the right heart (selflessly rather than pridefully) are how we fulfill God’s commandment of love through labors of love — “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)
Good works are the fruit of faith, enabled by the Holy Spirit –
– Galatians 5:16-26 — But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Jesus says —
– John 15:4, 5, 8-12, 16-17 — Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing…. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you…. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
In his letter to Titus, Paul coaches us on the practical application of good works, the fruit of faith in daily living – “Be submissive to rulers and authorities… be obedient… be ready for every good work… speak evil of no one… avoid quarreling… be gentle, and… show perfect courtesy toward all people…. avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless…. Grace be with you all.” (Titus 3:1, 2, 9, 15) Paul encourages the reader not to lose perspective when dealing with offensive people – “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But… he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:3-6) Saved by grace, not by our merit, we should be compelled and are obligated to respond to others only with grace. Abiding in the love of Christ, we can only respond to others in love, and serving as ambassadors of Christ, our message to others can only be His message of reconciliation with God through Him.
Our good works are the natural product of our salvation, the manifestation of love, and the fruit of the Spirit within us. They testify to the truth of the Gospel in our lives, but they also demonstrate God’s common grace to all people as we meet the tangible needs of those around us – “These things are excellent and profitable for people.” (Titus 3:8) Paul concludes his letter to Titus with, “And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.” (Titus 3:14) God calls us to love others through our labors of love, regardless of whether or not they deserve it, because serving unconditionally is the tangible display of God’s grace, the grace upon which your salvation rests. Are you still amazed by grace? Does your behavior demonstrate it? What do you words and deeds reveal to those around you about your God?
Titus 3:9 — But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.
Don’t let foolish debates get in the way of Jesus and His Gospel. While everyone else gets wrapped up in national politics and church politics, proclaim Jesus and the word of God which cuts through all the foolishness. Arguments over non-essential, debatable topics outside of the clear Gospel message aren’t likely to bring people closer to God or to each other. We are on a mission of reconciliation which requires gentle perseverance. Read 1 Corinthians 8 where Paul warns us to let our superior knowledge get in the way of love. Paul was dealing with a church where many still believed there were many gods rather that One God. Paul warned those who knew better not to act in ways that would simply drive the immature away from Jesus and back into sin. Never compromise the truth, but don’t present it in a way that can’t people handled by others. Would you feed an infant a steak, and then punish the infant for not eating it?
Titus 3:10, 11 — As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
Avoid the divisive person who is not a reconciler. Our mission is clear, the mission of reconciliation, not division. (2 Corinthians 5:18, 19) There is no reconciliation among people unless there is first reconciliation with Jesus. Our aim is not the proclamation of “diversity” but rather the proclamation of “university” – the combination of two words: unity and diversity. God created us to be part of a universe – many different people, serving different roles in different ways, united in Jesus to fulfill the purpose of God, glorifying Him that His will be done “on earth as it is in Heaven.” Read John 17, Jesus’ last recorded prayer before the Cross – his prayer is that we would be one with God and, therefore, with each other. Apart from God, there can be no unity, and diversity isn’t a strength but rather a divider. While everyone else is proclaiming diversity, proclaim university – unity in our diversity through unity with Jesus.
Titus 3:14 – And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.
God calls us to work in order to take care of our daily needs and to help others, not to build personal empires. Living in and with excess only robs you of your peace and joy while denying others what they need. Living in excess is a sin; make no mistake about that.
Titus 3:15 — Grace be with you all.
Paul ends his letter with a reminder of the grace we have received. Keeping that in perspective today and everyday will help you live out Titus 3:1-9. Seek to see every moment through the reality of the Cross.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 12 September 2023: Today, devote yourself to good works, labors of genuine love, and meet the urgent needs of others to God’s glory. While you are serving others today, tell them about Jesus. “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16)
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 