Titus 1:1-4

Titus 1:1-4 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness — a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, to Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

(Paul a servant of God--Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ--Paul a teacher of faith to God's elect--Paul gifted by God to preach the word)

In the above passage, we see Paul introducing himself to the church of Crete. Paul first indicates to the Cretes that he is a servant of God: ready always to serve God and to do his will as it is in heaven. Then Paul says that he is an apostle of Jesus Christ, which is his position in the body of Christ. This is his office where he abides every day, somewhat like having a title on the door where you work. Then he tells them his purpose is to teach the word, to bring light to a dark world. Finally, Paul says, he has been gifted by God to carry out God's purpose for his life.

As Paul, each of us needs to understand and to appreciate our special RELATIONSHIP with God, our POSITION in the body of Christ, our MISSION on Earth, and our God given GIFTS. I think we sometimes fail to delineate who we are in the body of Christ. We tend to view our lives more in a worldly way, rather than in a spiritual way. We fail to understand we have a special and a unique role to fulfill in Christ's body, that our lives are to be lived with a definite purpose and focus, not randomly. We should define ourselves first as a child of God, not merely as human. The Bible indicates that once we become a Christian, we are placed in the body of Christ to reveal God's will on Earth. None of us individually can be all things to all people. None of us can clearly reveal all aspects of the Almighty God. But collectively, we can reveal Christ and his personality to a troubled world. For sure, some of us are bold, dynamic, compelling; others of us are shy, quiet, reticent. Some of us speak, sing, perform, witness, testify powerfully; such Christians tend to be the dynamic parts of the body of Christ. Others of us are much more reserved, even introverted. We tend to occupy the back seats of our church congregations. Our work many times goes unseen or seems unappreciated, but what we do is essential to the body of Christ. All of these members together are revealing God to a sick and dying world. Wherever we are, we must know we are his servants, we have a position in the body of Christ, we have a mission to carry out, and we have special gifts. No one in the body of Christ is put on a shelf just to look at. None of us should be inactive; none should lose our spiritual focus or purpose in life. We have been bought with a great price, Jesus Christ's blood. Therefore, we are not OUR OWN. We are not to seek our will first but his will. Our lives must not be lost in the malaise of living. We should seek a purposeful existence, one that brings glory to God.

Now, in my life, at first, I compartmentalized my actions. I did spiritual activities, then I did secular tasks. I could not see where they intermixed. I knew I could not minister Christ in a public school forum, yet I felt called to be a public school teacher. God drew me there. What should I do with that kind of life? A Presbyterian teacher helped me with that dilemma. She said, "Cliff, this is your calling; reveal God through who you are and through your work." Not all of us can be in full-time ministry, but all of us can reveal God through us regardless of where we are. I hear some people bemoan where they are at work. They don't like the worldly situation they are caught in every day; they want to escape. They feel they can no longer face the deprecating spirit of the world. They want to retreat. But I tell them, God has placed you in a dark environment. He has given you this position so that his light can be revealed to the sinners that are in your workplace. If Christians fail to view life in this way, they tend not to be faithful SERVANTS in all that they do. Then sadly, they discount their special POSITION in Christ, which gives them authority to carry out their unique MISSION of revealing God to those around them. Of course, they then waste their talents and GIFTS. Those kind of lives begin to wallow in the pleasures of life, rather than to generate real life in others. We all have a ministry, we all have a purpose, we all are to reflect God to a lost and hurting world. How would you introduce yourself to the Cretes?