Devoted to the Mission, Not Molehills
Titus 3:8-11; 14
(Show a picture of the largest mountain in the world, the largest mountain in North America, the largest mountain the South, and a molehill). Too often the church of Jesus Christ gets bogged down into controversies, divisions, and an inward focus. This drives us into maintenance mode and we lose sight of the mountainous majesty and glory of God! We lose focus on the mission of the church! We become devoted to conquering molehills instead of being commissioned to missions. We know that the church exist for the worship of Christ, and the equipping of His saints for the Great Commission and Great Commandment. We are to grow as Christ followers for this task! We must be on mission for Christ because the whole world does not currently worship Christ! I believe this is an amazing way to end a biblical book. Paul is telling Titus, do what really matters and avoid what doesn’t! We settle for the good when God ask us to do the great!
Dedicated to the Mission of the Church (Titus 3:8) Our mission of Oak Hill is to Know Christ, Grow in Christ, and to Go for Christ! That is our mission. It’s the Great Commission and Great Commandment rolled up and packaged in a mission statement!
Determined to Avoid Meaningless Controversies that Hinder the Church (Titus 3:9) Unrighteous church leaders in Crete had confused the church. Paul is sent there specifically to correct these leaders. If we go back to Titus 1:10-11 we see “For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.”
Disciplined for the Majesty of Christ (Titus 3:10-11) The purpose of discipline is restoration. The prayer of Jesus Christ recorded in John 17 before the cross, was for unity among His people. What many scholars believe is that the church at Crete was teaching a false gospel that opposed a transformed life. As believers, we are to look more like Jesus than we are to look like the culture. Today’s Progressive Christianity is a false gospel. It justifies sin that is clearly condemned in Scripture. While, we love all people and the sinner, we believe God is big enough, powerful enough, to transform and deliver people from sin. The Holy Spirit transforms people for the glory of God!
- They are dangerous to the mission of the church.
- They are destructive to the meaning of the church.
How should discipline take place? In Matthew 18:15-17 Jesus gives us instructions.
Discipled for the Motivation of the Church (Titus 3:14)
The greatest motivation for God’s mission is an awe of God! Those who see God the most, do the most for Him!
- Equipped for the mission. “and let our people learn to devote…” Pastor Dalton and I have been discussing the possibility to equipping conferences/seminars to equip you possibly bi-annually. We’ve done somethings in the past for equipping. As you recall my Doctor of Ministry work was to equip you for the mission of the church, but that was 2016-17 time frame and we’ve got a lot of new people sense then.
- Efficient for the mission. “so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.”
The main thought is that we shouldn’t get bogged down in the controversies, they’ll happen. We are a growing church and we will have growing pains. Let’s make our focus our mission and our mission our focus. To know Christ, to grow in Christ, and to go for Christ! Let’s make disciples for our good and God’s glory!