Episode 7: Life Overflowing from the Good News (Chapter 3)
Can knowing the gospel truly impact the world for good? We’re considering this question and others as we consider the final chapter of Titus together.
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How do v3-8 grow our view of God’s character and our need for the gospel?
What happens if we don’t stress the gospel as Titus is being commanded to do so?
What does it look like for you to do good, in your everyday life, this week?
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This season is sponsored New Growth Press.
New Growth Press is an award-winning, trusted resource for Christian books, Bible stories, and Bible-based resources. It’s the leading Christian Book Publishers issuing life-changing books, small group Bible study resources, and NGP minibooks that are theologically robust, grounded in scriptural truth and the gospel of grace, and have a biblical-counseling approach to tough issues in relationships, marriage, and parenting.
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The following is an uncorrected transcript generated by a transcription service. Before quoting in print, please check the corresponding audio for accuracy.
Felicity: So thankful to New Growth Press Publishers for sponsoring this season. And I have so enjoyed reading this book with my five year old. It is called Finding Jesus on Upside Down Days by Jill Miller, and it's a bit different to any other devotion that I've read, really, with kids. It's a story or a series of stories that Jill has written about essentially her farmyard. And you have all the animals and all their different characters. And through the stories of her life in that farm, she points us to Jesus and she's kind of teaching lessons through really well written, beautifully illustrated story. And I loved it. And my five year old really enjoyed it. Grab a copy at 10ofthose.com.
Sarah: Welcome to two sisters in the cup of tea My name is Sarah, I live in the UK. This is my sister Felicity. She lives in the States. And today we can't quite believe it, but we've got to the end of the letter. We are in chapter three of Tis. We're already at the final remarks and the last chapter, so here we go. Before we get there, Felicity, any biscuits or tea to join us?
Felicity: I've just had a slightly disappointing experience, to be honest. I mean, my husband went to the UK and he came back with a selection of biscuits. You know, when you're going down the biscuit, you probably don't know this, it's a novelty thing when you live over here and he's in the biscuit isle and he FaceTimes me from the biscuit aisle when he's over there and we pick out a few that we might like. And this one, I actually don't know why I allowed it through the vetting process.
Sarah: A Rhubarb and custard cream.
Felicity: I know.
Sarah: Oh, like a variation on the custard cream.
Felicity: Yeah, rhubarb and custard from oh, I guess he was in Tesco's.
Sarah: I don't know, but Tesco brand, is it?
Felicity: Oh, I haven't got the packet in front of me. Yeah, it's probably a branded one. I don't think custard cream would kind.
Sarah: Of I wouldn't I don't think they'd.
Felicity: Go there, to be honest. I mean, the label does say it all. It does have Rhubarb in it and I don't like Rhubarb, so I was.
Sarah: Going to say, I've grown up with you knowing that you don't like rhubarb, so why would you even go near a biscuit of that flavor?
Felicity: And as I took a bite, I thought, yes. And so if you do like Rhubarb, I would recommend it because it definitely tastes like Rhubarb. I think I thought it might taste a bit more like those sweeties. You know, they're like hard boiled kind of rhubarb, probably. You know what I'm talking about.
Sarah: Not a sweet, though, is it? All right, moving on. Moving on from rebirth.
Felicity: So, moving on from such biscuit travesties. We've been asking each other questions throughout this season as to how you might get the Bible open with someone else. And today we're onto the witch. So what we're thinking about is, which book of the Bible might you start with if you were going to try and get it open with someone else, sarah, what would you say?
Sarah: In one sense, I'd say it doesn't really matter. Just get any book of the Bible open and have a go. If it's a challenge, brilliant. You can do it together. You can ask all your questions together and just see where it takes you. Equally, I might say start with the gospel, because straight away you're just looking and gazing at Jesus, and there's nothing better than being upfront with Jesus himself and a gospel is there, in that sense. So I think that's always a really helpful place to start. Or if you're going to read the Bible with a new Christian gospel or maybe one thessalonians is a good place to start. It's written to a very new church full of new Christians. But I think, really, I don't think it matters that much. As long as you're willing to give it a go and you pray that God will give you insight and guide you as you go along. I think that it's thrilling, whichever way you go, really. What about you?
Felicity: I know, I think that's right, but I think also, I would just want to give myself the best chance of, especially if you've never done it before, start with something a little bit familiar to you. Might just be helpful. Like, if you've never read Zachariah, probably don't start there. If you're just thinking, I don't even know where to begin. Just something that you have recently enjoyed, like maybe you've read it in your quiet times or you've had a sermon series on it or something that would just help you to get a bit of a springboard into it and something that you're excited about reading yourself. That always helps.
Sarah: And that's a really valid point about the sermon series, actually, though, because I think it's tempting to think on a Sunday right, that's being preached, so I must do something different in my own Bible times or when I read the Bible with someone else. Whereas actually, why wouldn't that be our first experience? And then take it two, three times more that week to really dwell on what's been said in that passage. And that's a really valuable way, isn't it, to go deeper into what the Lord is saying.
Felicity: Yeah. And I think it's just easily accessible in the sense of you've both heard the same thing, so then you're both kind of in a similar starting point and maybe it removes any kind of leveling.
Sarah: Yeah.
Felicity: I think it can go either which way, as you say, the word is powerful, so it'll be fine.
Sarah: Yeah.
Felicity: Shall I get us into Titus? Three.
Sarah: Absolutely.
Felicity: All right. We're going to read really, just the whole chapter. Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate and always to be gentle towards everyone. At one time, we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we'd done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ, our Savior, so that having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs, having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to stress these things so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone, but avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once and then warn them a second time after that have nothing to do with them. You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful. They are self condemned. As soon as I send Artemis or Titicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nycopolis because I have decided to winter there. Do everything you can to help Zenast, the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need. Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives. Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.
Sarah: Fantastic. Thank you, Christy. It's really striking what's repeated in this last chapter, isn't it, as he signs off this letter? The repetition of do whatever is good, what is good, devote themselves to doing what is good. It's there. You can't miss it, can you? Yeah, that's just what he strikes me as we get into this. Yeah.
Felicity: And I think it's kind of surprising because you might expect it more to be just something a bit more sort of doctrinal and theological, but actually do what is good. So the impact of the gospel, that's been the theme throughout the letter, hasn't it? The gospel is such that it leads to Godliness. And I love he's so specific, isn't he? Like, this is what it looks like. But what I really love is that we have the gospel sandwich going on here, where we've had it in eleven through to 14 in chapter two, and then we get it again, verse four through to verse seven. Really? In my kind of Englishy kind of brain. It feels like two little poems, gospel poems.
Sarah: It is amazing, isn't it, to have so much within such a short space of writing? It is literally overflowing from his tongue, isn't it? He cannot help but spill over with this good news. And I love again we had last time the kind of the emphasis on it's for all people. And he really drives that home this time, doesn't he? In verse three at one time, we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and every being hated and hating one another. There's no one exempt. It's such a level playing field here. This is what we all wear, this is who the Gospel comes to. Everyone needs it. And it's kind of met with this. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us and just that the extraordinary and abundant overflowing kindness of God, not because of anything we've done, but because of his mercy. Just love it.
Felicity: Yeah, I love that, the interceding, but and just seeing that so good to have that clear in our heads, isn't it? With so much emphasis on good and what you're doing and kind of the outward working of it to remember that we come from the point of mercy. Through his mercy we therefore are able to do good in any way at all.
Sarah: And it's a language, isn't it, as well, like the kind of the kindness, the love, the mercy, but it's the poured out, the generously, just grace. I've not got any words to describe it because I just think these are the beautiful words, aren't they? And this is the starting point, as we said right from the beginning, the knowledge of this truth is the thing that leads to Godliness and Godliness essentially is doing good to others, isn't it? And being eager to do good for the sake of others, nurturing others, loving others, seeking to show them more of Jesus. And this is the fuel that makes that happen. Yeah.
Felicity: And I think that's really evident just in going back to the start of the chapter. That verse two there verse one and two be ready to do whatever is good, slander no one, to be peaceful, to consider it and always be gentle towards everyone. There's a real sense of peaceability, isn't there? Like the way in which we conduct ourselves towards others. And I love that when he comes to verse nine, but avoid these things. He's really against divisiveness and all for considerate love for one another. And so that kind of is where the Gospel is pushing it's towards peace rather than conflict and pushing out again, isn't it?
Sarah: So we saw last time that it's so that no one can malign the word of God. But I think in the way it feels like it's got a kind of missional impact here, doesn't it? With be always gentle towards everyone, be subject to rulers and authorities. It is outside of the church family that actually your influence and your scope for Gospel impact really is felt, isn't it? And I think again, that is striking, isn't it? Because I think we just so often disbelieve that growing an ally of this gospel will truly impact those around us on a wider scale. But this says it will. This word says this is what will happen. This is what will naturally spill over as you're delighting in this grace. Yeah.
Felicity: And I think in again those verses nine through to eleven he's being instructed to really forcefully fight against Division, isn't he? And so the impact of division on the gospel witness is detrimental. It seems like it's worth talking to this person once, twice, and then actually having nothing to do with them because division and conflict and bringing about disrepute in that way is just really damaging to that witness that we're talking about.
Sarah: Yeah. And it's the opposite of stressing a gospel of unity. Isn't it actually stress, this gospel because it's the leveler amongst you. It's the thing that will nurture and nourish you and grow ye, I guess. Yeah. Is it worth thinking about what's the implication if you don't stress the gospel? Well, actually, naturally you will fall into these controversies, won't you? Naturally those will start to dictate your priorities because you're not centered on Jesus anymore and the grace that has appeared.
Felicity: To all and I think that's it, isn't it? You're not centered on Jesus and the eyes through which you're seeing the world are not the same eyes as Jesus who came for everyone, like who sees everyone, who the grace that is available to everyone and so you then begin to create camps rather than having.
Sarah: Yeah. And your eyes are focused inwards, aren't they? Rather than this gospel at each point, the three kind of big points where he talks about the gospel in chapter one, two and three it's always with an eye to heaven, it's always with the hope to come and that's really striking, isn't it? That actually the gospel life the good news that impacts the good life here is always with an eye to the future.
Felicity: Yeah, I hadn't noticed that. That's a good point. And so then as we look to the future, then we're not so focused on how it's all going right here, right now but that's not to say this is otherworldly, is it? Because what is the nature of the doing good? What does it actually look like to do good? It's really quite earthly as in not earthly, but kind of it's in the nitty gritty of life, isn't it? Be subject to your rulers and authorities, be obedient, be ready to do whatever is good and we've heard other things throughout the letter that are just very normal life kind of Godliness, really yeah, big time.
Sarah: It's very down to earth seek how you can bless others, isn't it? I think it really strikes me how much the end of this letter but the letter as a whole feels like that love God and love others. Love god and love your neighbor. That feels to summarize that feels like it summarizes where we've got to. And that's not a surprise, is it?
Felicity: But I think to be convinced that that is how it works, as in, when I hear the word do good, I can feel a bit weary at the thought of it sometimes. And I think it's so helpful to have these Gospel kind of flowers in the midst of it that then catch my eye and my heart and drive me to want to do good, which I don't want to do off my own back like it is entirely through Jesus. And I think as we read Titus, that is, I feel that happening in my heart. I'm more inclined to do good because I've had a good dose, a good dose of the Gospel. And so love God. Yes, as the starting point, because we are loved and then love others and do good.
Sarah: But I think also we're kind of wary of this language, aren't we, in our culture, because of the association of I'm saved by works. But we're wary to talk about or challenge or kind of urge each other to do. Good. Because we kind of think oh, well, I don't want to be urging you to kind of work for your salvation in any way. And actually the opposite is the case here. The center of this chapter is not because of righteous things we've done, but because of his mercy and out of that be devoted to doing what is good, because God is good and he is good to his people. I think it's a challenge on my language in how I seek to encourage one another. And what does that look like in our church families? To be bold and say, how are we going to do good this week? What is it going to look like to pray intentionally into that command, to be eager to do what is good this week?
Felicity: Yeah, so true. So true. And really helpful, because we don't want to be not doing good and we don't want to be just in our own little church bubble. This is very much out in the world, isn't it? The Gospel does have the power to allow us to do good, even in the society in which we live. And such a helpful thing to say. Let's pray for it. And so, Sarah, why don't we pray? You pray for us in that note.
Sarah: Of tea now, heavenly Father, we just praise you. We praise you for Your kindness and love that you saved us, not because of righteous things we've done, but because of Your mercy. We thank you that the overflow of Your heart is mercy towards us. And we thank you that as we are gripped by you, gripped by that grace, Lord, we thank you that that is the thing that then will flow out of our hearts to others. And we pray to that end we pray. Lord, would you cause us to be eager to do whatever is good this week because we are gripped by this grace that you continue to show us. Lord, please do that work in our hearts. We know that we cannot do it without you. And we ask for your wonderful Holy Spirit to be at work, enabling us to do whatever is good so that others may look on and want to glorify their Father in heaven. We pray in Jesus's name. Amen.
Felicity: Amen. Thank you, Sarah. And so we have been talking all this season, really about how and why and what in terms of getting the Bible open with someone. So let us encourage you to give it a go. Let's be praying that we would have opportunity to ask someone, ask God to give you wisdom as to who to ask and just give it a go. We cannot recommend it highly enough, and we're praying that you, as our listeners, would be eager to do that as well. And we will see you next time, next week for a review of this short but brilliant letter.
Sarah: It's so short. I can't believe we've finished it. I know, but we haven't. One more week. We're going back into it for one more week, so I'm looking forward to that. Look forward to seeing you then. See you. Bye bye. Bye.
Felicity: We're thankful to New Growth Press for sponsoring this season.
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