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Foundational Motherhood (Christ the Redeemer)
Christ Church on September 2, 2025
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Titus

Gospel Obedience (The Well-Pleased Father #3) (King’s Cross)

Lindsey Gardner on

Introduction

Too often Christians oppose grace and obedience, gospel and good works. While we certainly are not saved by our good works or obedience, we are saved for obedience (Eph. 2:8-10). The gospel, rightly understood, truly renews people, making them zealous for good works, working in them the love of obedience.

The Text: “… For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world…” (Tit. 2:1-4).

 

Summary of the Text

Paul exhorts Pastor Titus to teach those things which are “fitting” for sound doctrine (Tit. 2:1). What does he mean? He means instructing old and young, men and women, and even servants to be full of virtue and obedience in the details, “that the word of God be not blasphemed,” that they “may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things” (Tit. 2:2-10). Why? Because the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared (Tit. 2:11). But not only has it appeared, but that same gospel teaches sinners to repent of their sins and live soberly, righteously, and godly in this world (Tit. 2:12). How does the gospel teach and instruct? By pointing to our blessed hope: the glorious appearing of Christ, who gave Himself for us that He might deliver us from sin and purify us and make us zealous for good works (Tit. 2:13-14). In other words, disobedience is an ugly, blasphemous lie about the gospel.

 

Living Sacrifices

The Bible teaches that outside of Christ, true obedience to God from the heart is impossible. Outside of Christ, man is a slave to sin, and therefore for him, gospel obedience is a grievous burden and the aroma of death (Rom. 6:16, 2 Cor. 2:16). But in Christ, the good news is not only redemption and forgiveness but also a new heart that wants to obey the doctrine of Christ (Rom. 6:17), zealous for good works (Tit. 2:14), presenting our bodies as living sacrifices of praise for His great grace (Rom. 12:1). This is nothing less than loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbors as ourselves (Mt. 12:33). This obedience is offering all that we are, all the time, right away, all the way, and cheerfully to the Lord, and all of that would still only be our bare duty, as unprofitable servants, for our great salvation (cf. Lk. 17:10).

 

Loving the Standard

Gospel obedience loves the law of God and loves His standard because Christ is the standard in flesh. He is the Law-Word made flesh. We love God’s way because Christ Jesus is God’s way. Gospel obedience is zealous for good works because its eyes are fixed on Jesus “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Tit. 2:14). Gospel obedience is like Peter walking on water: so long as our eyes are fixed on Jesus, it is an overflow of gratitude and faith and love. But if you start looking down at the wind and the waves, at your own abilities, at all the trouble in this world, you will begin to sink.

We are called to perfection (as our Father in Heaven is perfect), and the gospel is God’s solemn promise that He will accomplish that goal in you. Like a kid playing his favorite sport in the backyard, picturing his hero’s excellence, we are to love obedience because it is the obedience of our Hero, our Savior. So our goal in our families is a culture of loving the standard, not a cranky perfectionism but a joyful, persistent faith that constantly aims at His holiness, while quickly repenting of sin. We get to walk on the water with Him. And Your Father is well-pleased with every faltering attempt, and therefore you must be too.

 

Applications

Practicing Walking on Water

The central command given to children is to obey their parents in the Lord, which is based on the first command with a promise, that it may go well with you in the land (Eph. 6:1-3).

This command is given to children, and parents (fathers in particular) are assigned the task of teaching this obedience: “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). So the obedience of parents is teaching and training children, and the obedience of children is heeding that instruction. But everyone must obey, and obedience is right away, all the way, and cheerful.

Slow obedience is disobedience. Incomplete obedience is disobedience. Grumpy, complaining, eye-rolling obedience is disobedience. This applies to both parents and children. And remember: “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1).

The Gospel Grace of Discipline

In Hebrews 12, it says that God disciplines His sons because He loves them and wants them to run the race of obedience even more faithfully, keeping their eyes fixed on Jesus. In other words, God the Father’s discipline of us is part of His gospel grace.

So this is the model for discipline for Christian families. Parents are to discipline and require obedience of their children in gospel grace. Think of Jesus knocking Saul to the ground on the road to Damascus and blinding him: that was a gospel chastening (painful for the present but afterward yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness).

Chastening includes lots of teaching and admonition, but also the rod of correction. “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him” (Prov. 13:24, ESV). “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him” (Prov. 22:15). “Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell” (Prov. 23:14). By faith, discipline is a great gospel grace.

The gospel is the good news that God has crucified us with Christ, so that by dying in Him, we might rise to newness of life, zealous for obedience (Rom. 6:3-11ff).

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The Personality of the Holy Spirit (Troy)

Grace Sensing on

SERMON TEXT

Titus 3:4-7

INTRODUCTION

When I was young, listening to music was a big part of our family dynamic. I have very vivid memories of seeing my parents’ CD collection neatly lined up on the shelf. Mom and Dad liked to listen to a lot of things, but smooth jazz was a staple genre in the house. So Dad would push the button on the Sony, the tray would extend, and the five-cd-carousel would spin as it jutted out, revealing which discs were currently in rotation. He would take a disc out, replace it with something, push the button again to retract the tray, push play, and the dulcet tones of Geoge Benson would fill the family room over the hi-fi speakers. If they wanted to discover music they would listen to 94.7 The Wave, and I would sit there on the couch and listen to Kenny G, Lee Ritenour, Candy Dulfer, Earl Klugh, and Larry Carlton. And so my love for music began at a very young age. When I was in college I played bass for the gospel choir, and I fell in love with the genre. So now that’s in rotation at our home. One of my favorite albums is called The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin, a live gospel album recorded in the year 2000.

OUR TRIUNE GOD

There are three pillars to trinitarian theology. First, there is monotheism. We worship one God. We do not worship three Gods; we worship one God. Two, God is three persons. God exists in three persons. And lastly, each person is fully God. How do we skate the accusation that we are not monotheists and that we actually worship three gods? To properly represent the trinity, we must understand the distinction between being and person.

A human retains both being and personhood. This time, a bidirectional confirmation of existence occurs when you shake a person’s hand. A very unique experience transpires when you look another human in the eye, so much so that it is bound up in the fabric of our socialization. Too much eye contact is creepy, too little eye contact communicates a lack of care or concern. Our senses serve to confirm the existence of the other person and we can interact with one another. A human, therefore, is one being and one person.

THE PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Bible also describes for us various appearances of the Holy Spirit. When the Lord was baptized by John, the Spirit of God descended like a dove coming to rest on him. When the great flood covered the earth and the wrath of God submerged the great mountains and every man, woman, and child suffered a watery grave, the ark floated atop the surface and weathered the storm. The tides beat against the bow of the ark, the current pulled the lumbering ship whichever direction it willed, the rains buffeted the upper decks, and yet those who were in the ark were protected from God’s anger. And so the symbol of Christ emerges, pictured through a wooden barge. As people of faith, we see ourselves in the family of Noah, hunkered down inside the hull, while the ark of Christ takes the full brunt of the waves and is battered by the wind and the tempest. When the wrath of God subsides and Noah peers out the window, feeling the sun on his face for the first time in 40 days he sees nothing but water. 150 days later the gopher wood beast comes to rest on the mountain of Ararat and Noah releases a black raven out of the window. An unclean bird that feeds on carrion. Similar to the vulture, the scavenger doesn’t have to search long before it finds a food source floating on the surface. And so the black bird, a symbol of death, does not return to Noah because it had all the sustenance it could ever want. Noah releases a 2nd bird, this time a white dove, who has a diet of seeds and grains. And the bird returns. He tries it again and this time the bird returns with a promising result, an olive leaf sticking out of its beak. He tries a third time. and this time the bird does not return. The waters had receded and the bird no longer had to rely on Noah for sustenance. And so the dove symbolizes a new beginning. God, out of his regret for ever having made humans wiped the face of the earth from its wicked inhabitants. The flood waters, which dominated the planet for over a year, finally relented. Like a bear coming out of hibernation, Noah and his family step out of the ark onto dry ground.

THE HOLY SPIRIT’S ROLE IN REDEMPTION

In 597 BC, the son of Buzi who was born in Judah was transported to Babylon along with the rest of the Jews. A judgment of exile had come upon the Israelites. The prophet Ezekiel, whose name means “God will strengthen” was God’s messenger to the Jews while they were in captivity. The prophecy communicates a message of hope for the jews that were in captivity 2500 years ago. In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a decree is made and the Babylonian exile is finally over. The Israelites can return home. And the Holy Spirit worked in the heart of the jews to return to God, to forsake their idols, and to walk in His statutes. And so we learn that the Holy Spirit is a catalyst for change, the type of change that can only be described as a miracle.

THE INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

At one time, God’s presence filled the tabernacle through the form of a cloud. But in these latter days, our body being the temple of the Lord, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our hearts. What beautiful furnishings and renovations have been undertaken to make the abode of the Holy Spirit fitting and proper. He cannot dwell in filth. He sweeps our hearts, shines light in the dark corners and clears the cobwebs so that He can set His mind to work. Speaking first, He is the comforter. Jesus says, “But when the comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.”

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Take Over the World (Pentecost 2023)

Christ Church on

INTRODUCTION

Paul’s vision for the church of Crete was not narrow in scope. He was’t just trying to get them to have more polite manners at the dinner table. This letter is an instruction manual for a culture war. Titus is tasked with laying the groundwork for conquering the globe with the Gospel. Crete may be a mess, but if the wind of God blows, the dry bones will live and move once more.

THE TEXT

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost […] Titus 3:1ff

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Paul’s movement of thought has gone from elders & their households specifically (1:6-9), to Christian households in general (2:1-10). He now broadens the circle a third time to encompass all Christians’ duties as citizens (3:1-3). Crete was the home of many mercenaries, as well as many busy harbors, which brought in all manner of riff-raff; the population of Crete was notorious for villainy. Christians were to live in stark contrast. They should live in mindful submission to the magistrate, eager in good works (v1), refusing to join the course banter & brawling of the unbelieving, and instead should be marked by gentleness coupled with harnessed strength (v2).

The dissolute life they (and Paul) once lived (v3), has been washed away by the kindness of God appearing (v4, Cf. 2:11-14). This salvation is “not by works” but by mercy, the two-fold mercy of regenerative washing & the renewing work of the Holy Ghost (v5). This mercy comes to us, in abundance, through Jesus Christ our Savior (v6). All the exhortations to good works throughout this epistle should be couched in this high-octane Gospel: justified by His grace (v7a). But this justification makes us heirs of God the Father & the eternal life which is found in His Son Jesus Christ (v7b, Cf. 1 Jn. 5:12, Heb. 7:16). The glory of the Gospel should cause those who believe it to maintain good works (vv8, 14); this point is clearly important because Paul repeats it once more in verse 14: “maintain good works, do not be unfruitful.” Believing in God, and being careful to maintain good works, is good and profitable unto mankind. This is how the church will subvert the ungodly world (v8b).

Paul then gives instructions as to what to do about the false teachers and division specialists who were bothering the church. Were he writing to us, he might says something like: “Don’t spend much, if any, time arguing in YouTube comment threads.” All these squabbles ––about Zeus’ birthplace (and if perhaps you were descended from him), or what specific angels did, or how thin you could slice the plain law of Moses––are all unprofitable (v9). Verse 10-11 gives us the only reference in the NT to a “heretick” and what to do about him: rebuke him a time or two, and then let him fall headlong into his self-deception (vv10-11).

Paul closes his letters with some final practical details, and final blessings of true Christian love and prayers for grace (vv12-15). One detail in this closing we shouldn’t overlook is that Paul expects Titus to get all this in place in enough time to be able to join him in Nicopolis by winter. Other men will take over what Titus’ began. An encouraging thought is found here, a true reformation doesn’t need a long time to get started, even while it will take generational faithfulness to sustain it.

ZEUS’ BIRTHPLACE

Some Greek mythology is actually at play in the background of this epistle. As the legend went, a cave on Crete was believed to be the place where Zeus’ mother hid him from his father, Cronus. Cronus had devoured all his previous children. But Zeus had been hid away on Crete, to be raised in secret. Once Zeus was strong enough, he overthrew his father, delivered his siblings from his father’s stomach, and then, by casting lots, the rule of Mt. Olympus was given over to Zeus.

Many on Crete believed that they were possible descendants of this Titan. Thus, the fables of lineage captured the social imagination. But along comes a rival story, a rival myth, and one that just so happened to be true. God the Father sent His Son. The Christ died in our stead, washed us with covenantal waters, and renews us by His indwelling Spirit. All of this means that those who trusted in Christ were made true heirs of the eternal life of God.

The divine life is yours; not by fables, but by faith. This Gospel is a potent story which upends dominant cultural narrative of their day. This divine life is yours because you have received a new paternity. In regeneration, God becomes Your Father. This takes place when you are washed in Christ & renewed by His Spirit. None of this is by your doing. It isn’t obtained your striving to get it from your Father. Rather, it comes to you by His grace & favor alone. Your Father is not a devourer like Cronus. Your Father gives you Himself, by giving you His Son (Cf. 2:14).

GRACE IN THE HARBORS

We might ask, why did Paul single out this island of scoundrels and scallawags as worth devoting some his best resources? The harbors of Crete were one of the main crossroads of the Mediterranean. Paul identified correctly that if these “lymph nodes” of commerce were conquered, it would have a disproportionate impact on the Gospel effort to take over the world.

But like the hymn puts it: not with swords loud clashing, or roll of stirring drums, but with deeds of love and mercy, the heavenly kingdom comes. This overthrow will come by the Christian church being vibrantly alive. The gracious gift of the Gospel is followed by the good works of the Spirit. As A.A. Hodge put it, “Grace in the heart cannot exist without good works
as their consequent.” We should also lay stress upon the fact that Paul’s vision is not an escapist mentality. He insists that these good works are to be done publicly, in the civil sphere, with an aim to bring about the total reformation of the culture of Crete.

God’s favor has been described & depicted in some wonderful terms throughout this letter: the kindness & love of God (3:4), the blessed hope (2:13), the hope of eternal life manifested in the preaching of Christ (1:2-3). Once this grace takes root in the harbors, it will overthrow empires. Paul’s strategy works at every level, from the individual to the empire. Where is the mess? That’s where God’s grace will appear, not to leave the mess as it is. Through Christ, abundance of grace is shed upon you. The Holy Spirit brings renewal. To use one example, the dead frost of winter gives way to the fresh life of spring.

WASHED & RENEWED

Dead men have dead works. The wicked men were subverting others’ households (1:11) because they themselves were subverted (3:11). Sin is self-delusion. Paul includes himself, “For we ourselves were once” this way. Every time you sin, you, in effect are the fool saying in his heart, “There is no God.” Jesus told the Pharisees that by rejecting him as Messiah (the anointed Prince), they were showing that their father was the devil. Sin is unfruitful. Sin is dead works. Sin is the result of being a descendant of Adam, and his capitulation to Satan. The Spirit comes, and brings life. He brings a second generation. A new paternity. Pentecost wasn’t followed by the idleness of corpses, but with the activity of New Birth.

Your baptism tells you two things. First, you once were dead in Adam; and so none of your righteousness will suffice. Secondly, it tells you that God is your Father. You are an heir. Regeneration is not a matter of subjective feelings, but of the objective work of the Spirit, which renews you. Christ washes you, the Spirit renews you, and the Father calls you child. You are washed in wave after wave of the free grace of God through Christ, and then the Spirit renews you day by day, week by week, to bear the fruit of God’s life in you. Baptized in Christ you can know that God is your Father. Renewed by the Spirit, you are told to get to work taking over the world with Christ’s abundant life.

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Gospel & Good Works (CCD)

Christ Church on

INTRODUCTION

We don’t often think of strict rules as comfortable. But the sound doctrine of the Gospel, rigid & inflexible with its truth that salvation is in Christ alone, and the summons to obedience to our respective duties is anything but confining. It is, in fact, a comfort. This is what we were made for, to glorify God & enjoy Him forever.

THE TEXT

But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded… (Titus 2).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Throughout this short letter, Paul repeatedly exhorts believers to good works, as well as avoiding foolish questions & ungodly indulgence. He’s affirmed their own prophet’s assessment when he called the Cretans lazy, lying slugs. The point is, some people get sucked into “foolish questions” out of laziness, not because they’re striving after good works.

In contrast to these unruly babblers who were besetting the Cretan church, Titus is to instruct the saints how to live in accordance with sound doctrine (v1). Paul will outline the substance of sound doctrine in the second half of this chapter, but he now spells out the behavior which should be expected from teaching this sound doctrine (vv2-11). The false teachers were subverting households through their tall tales. They were serving up a diet of deep fried theology. So Paul’s remedy for this ailment is healthy doctrine.

Old men are not only to be dignified, but full of the sort of faith, charity, and patience which is alive & healthy (v2). Older women are to cultivate a holy bearing, avoid loose tongues, refuse to numb themselves to life’s trials through wine or other similar “dulling” treatments, and teach good things (v3). Older women are given young women as their pupils, and virtuous home-keeping is their curriculum. Of all the duties given in this passage, the instructions to young women are the most extensive. It consists of seven things: sobriety, husband-loving, children-loving, the twin virtues of discretion & chastity, home-keeping, goodness, obedience to their own husbands; these duties are accompanied with the rationale. This manner of life is one of the potent ways to stop the blasphemous mouths of the false teachers (vv4-5; Cf. 1:11). Young men are told, very briefly to be sober-minded (v6); that encompasses a whole world.

Titus is told to set the example of bold teaching coupled with a holy example of good works, so that those contrary to him would be unable to say anything bad about you (vv7-8). Household servants are exhorted to live in such a way that will overthrow the wickedness innate to their servitude. Treat their master’s property (themselves included) with shocking respect. Obey their commands, don’t take what belongs to them, and be trustworthy. In so doing, a servant puts the Gospel on display, as if it was a precious jewel in a glorious display case (vv9-10)

Paul then sums up the sound doctrine which obligates us to these various duties. The Good Works commanded come out of the Good News proclaimed. God’s favor, which brought salvation, has appeared to all men (v11). This good news teaches us, and what it teaches is that we must turn from our sin and turn to godliness (v12). God’s grace has appeared to save us, but it is looking forward to the blessed hope of Christ’s second appearing which enables godly living. He gave Himself for our redemption, that we might be a priestly people, zealous for good works (vv13-14, Cf. Ps. 130:7-8, Ez. 37:23). Titus is to impart all of this with all authority; this firm insistence on sound doctrine & sound living might ruffle some feathers, so Titus should live as to give no room for being despised (v15).

HOME-WRECKERS & HOME-KEEPERS

It is striking that one of the features of the false teachers was that they were subverting whole households. Given the indulgence of Cretan culture, it would seem that Paul’s more extensive remarks to older and younger women were of particular concern. We learn more in the next chapter what exactly was so fascinating in the false teacher’s doctrines, but one thing is plain, women were particularly vulnerable to these serpents.

Elsewhere, Paul has warned of false teachers who creep into houses to lead silly women laden with sin and enticed with diverse lusts (2 Tim. 3:6). He’s also warned of the temptation for women to give way to being a busy-body which flits from house to house (1 Tim. 5:13). Here, Titus is to instruct older women not to give in to “wine-mom” culture. Rather, that ought to be sober-minded in order to pass on to young women the wisdom of how to love their husbands and children, by being home-ward. The enticement for young women is to nurture the whole world, while neglecting to make their own nest a place of warm and lawful indulgence.

Feminism teaches young women to spend all their time in the house of the corporate world, scrolling (often with envy) the homes of all the Instagram influencers, eating up all the latest celebrity Gossip, adopting all the fashionable opinions. Paul, however, wants Titus to teach these young women to make their home a garden for this Gospel life to flourish and be passed along. False teachers from the Jews of Crete, down to modern CRT Marxists, all aim to subvert the home. Godly women will see to it that they don’t listen to the serpent. A young women, living this out, is a blockade to God’s Word being blasphemed.

ORDER & ARDOR

The Apostle’s instruction here should make one thing abundantly clear. Good works are the expected outcome of the Gospel. Paul’s instruction for the various classes of Christians is summed up in his euphoric description of the Gospel. We’re told how we should live: abundant in the various good works described. But we’re also told why we should do so: because Christ appeared, and will appear again.

Some want the Gospel to liberate us into an antinomian lawlessness. But Paul insists that we’ve been redeemed from such lawlessness. Your salvation is from your lawless works to lawful ones. Order & ardor are not at odds. The Gospel frees us from our sin. These are indeed, glad tidings of great joy. But that joy is not feral joy. It isn’t tumorous joy. This is joy which lives in the wide borders of God’s will.

Sound doctrine brings the joy of life lived to God’s glory by God’s power, while false doctrine brings the misery of living to according to your own laws of self-indulgence. This Gospel of Grace brings us out of the barren wasteland and into fertile fields. You are free from your sin, in order to be free to be godly, by the new life He’s revealed in Christ.

THE GLORIOUS APPEARING

It’s providential that there’s no need to shoe-horn Christ’s Ascension into this message. It arises quite naturally, and nicely. Christ’s appearing is assured because of His ascension. He is reigning, and must reign until all enemies are subdued. He has tasked us with living in His Kingdom, and under His Lordship, in a certain manner.

Our obedience is an adornment on the Gospel. Of course, our obedience is not what procures our justification, but it is what should confirm to the world the potency of the Gospel. You believe that God raised that good teacher from Nazareth, what proof do you give? The Christian’s life ought to be a large part of the answer. Our sober-minded, joyful faithfulness in our God-assigned duties is the apologetic which Paul says will leave our opponents red-faced with embarrassment.

Salvation has appeared. You were dead, but now you are alive, and you are raised up with Christ. You are seated in Christ. And He shall appear again. All that should spark zeal for good works. This blessed hope, of the great God & Savior Jesus appearing again, is how you fight sin and live righteously. This is your only comfort, in life & in death.

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