WHAT IS YOUR CAUSE?

WHAT IS YOUR CAUSE?

Titus 1:1-5 (KJV)

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

This is the sixth in the series  through the book of Titus, and we finally get to the purpose of the book.

Our text says as much, “For this cause…”

Everything of value has a cause:

·   Every program

·   Every organization

·   Every function

Years ago, back in 1987 or 1988, I attended a meal with a group of preachers.

There were probably 10 of us all together.

The others all knew each other well. I had not met any of them before that evening.

They were an interesting bunch.

Independent Baptist pastors who associated with the General Association of Regular Baptists.

I had been invited to this “fellowship” because of an acquaintance in Astoria, and I was curious about these guys. The GARBC has a history closely connected to our own history as Independent Baptists.

Their spiritual fathers left the American Baptist Convention about the same time my spiritual fathers left the Southern Baptist Convention.

I think of the names:

·   J Frank Norris and

·   GB Vick

They think of:

·   Robert Ketchum and

·   TT Shields

Here’s the thing; in those days I attended a monthly meeting of pastors who called their meeting Baptist Bible Fellowship.

The Oregon BBF meetings had 30-50 pastors who attended every month.

·   We had a state president, vice president and treasurer

·   We held business meetings and

·   We were adamant that we were IN “DI” PENDENT[1]Baptist preachers 

The Oregon GARB guys also had a president and a treasurer.[2]To my amazement their state president said that night of the GARBC preachers that they were IN “DI” PENDENT.

But they only met a few times a year, at a restaurant for a meal and had just 5-10 pastors who ever attended.[3]

One of them asked me later why I thought so many more pastors attended the ORBBF then attended theirs.

I’ve had time to think about it over the years, and I am convinced the answer was – purpose.

The preachers of the ORBBF gathered every month in those days because they had a compelling reason to do so.

We always ate a meal when we got together – since we met for two days it was usually more than one.

But we didn’t drive across the state just to get together, eat a meal and visit. Whenever we met:

·   There was the preaching of the Word of God

·   There was business around our camps and colleges and

·   There was the work of helping church planters

Everything of value has a cause.

I would suggest further that,

Everyone happy in life has a cause.

We don’t all have to have the same cause for us all to be happy.

I don’t have to be happy with your cause for you to be happy.

·   There are people whose lives are driven for the cause of politics

·   There are people whose lives are driven for the cause of the environment

·   There are people whose lives are driven for the cause of scientific advancements

·   There are people whose lives are driven in spiritual pursuit

·   There are people whose lives are driven for the care of their families and

·   There are some people whose lives are driven for a combination of one or more of the above

In my mind, some causes have greater value than others, and some causes are misplaced.

At this point, I mean only to say that a cause is better than no cause.

·   No cause is the person whose life is wasted in drugs and alcohol

·   No cause is the person who lives homeless and jobless

·   No cause is the person who sleeps on a park bench covered only in someone else’s old newspapers

This book of the Bible clearly gives us its cause; the reason it was written.

Notice that it was written by a person, Paul and to a person, Titus.

Paul, the writer, has an intense interest in three things:

·   In Titus, and helping him in his work

·   In the people the Titus pastors and their spiritual growth and

·   In the God Titus serves and that his ministry pleases God 

So he says to Titus, “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:”

Everyone here tonight understands that this is the Word of God, correct?

Everyone understands that what we have read and will read in this book throughout our study is from God to us, correct?

Then notice that God used a man to give to another man, his cause.

The Apostle Paul, who wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God said to Titus,

“I left you in Crete to do two things:

·   To set in order those things that are not in order and

·   To ordain elders in ever [church] as I had appointed thee”

God used Paul to give Titus his cause.

And then Paul gave him specific parameters in which to work, “as I appointed thee.”

In other words, he didn’t just tell him to do the work, he told him how he wanted the job done

I want to ask you, “What is your cause?”

I don’t mean, 

·   What is the line of work you do? or

·   What is the thing that matters most to you outside of your relationship to this church and me?

What is your cause, your purpose, when it comes to the things of God?

Have you ever allowed your preacher to guide you in that?

I want to share with you some areas of purpose, your pastor is well suited to give you guidance in:

I. IN THE MINISTRY YOUR HAVE AT CHURCH

Ephesians 4:11-13 (KJV)

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

From this passage then I can reasonably suggest that it is the job of the pastor to both equip and engage the membership of the church in doing the work of the ministry.

The ministry of a local church has a ton of different facets:

·   Teaching

·   Singing

·   Greeting

·   Cleaning

·   Supervising

·   Helping

·   Visiting

·   Protecting

Romans 12:5-11 (KJV) describes a functioning church,

So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

Within a church there is the necessity for each of these gifts to be at work:

·   Prophecy - preaching

·   Ministry - serving

·   Teaching – in Sunday school and other classes

·   Exhortation – encouraging, outreach, soul winning, etc

·   Giving – really? Do I need to explain this one?

·   Ruling - organization

·   Mercy – care, visitation of the sick, etc.

Notice that things ministries ought to be carried out with: 

·   Love

·   Sincerity

·   Holiness

·   Kindness

·   Humility and

·   Fervency

We won’t all have the same ministry, but we must all have the same quality in our ministry.

The pastor may direct you

II. IN YOUR FAITHFULNESS TO ATTEND CHURCH

Hebrews 10:21-27 (KJV)

And having an high priest over the house of God;

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

This high priest over the house of God is Jesus.

It is because of Christ that everything else we see in this passage is to be obeyed.

·   We are to draw near to the Lord

·   We are to hold fast to our profession of faith

·   We are to think of one another and provoke each other to the right

·   We are not to forsake assembling together and

·   When one is away from church we are to urge them to be faithful

Your pastor has a Bible right to expect you to be faithful to church.

Further, your pastor can direct you

III. IN YOUR DEVOTION TO GOD

Hebrews 10:22-23 (KJV)

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Are you maintaining regular devotional times with the Lord?

·   You ought to be drawing near to God

·   You ought to be growing in your faith

·   You ought to be faithfully reading your Bible

·   You ought to be spending quality time in prayer

And I have Bible authority to expect you to do it.

And then I am to direct you to,

IV. BRING UP YOUR CHILDREN FOR GOD

Ephesians 6:4 (KJV)

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

I’m not asking you to let me into the finer details of your parenting.

But I remind you that most of us only know one way to parent – the way we were parented.

Unless your parents were particular and purposeful, they almost certainly did not parent you in a Biblical manner.

The default passage for every Christian in every area of life ought to be,

Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV)

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Unless you have purposefully learned how to raise your children in a Biblical manner

And unless you are practicing that manner.

You ought to figure you are “doing it wrong.” 

And that you need some direction – from your pastor.

By the way, Ephesians 6:5-9 (KJV) suggests your pastor should direct you with your purpose at work.[4]Urging you to honesty, diligence and ethics in business. 

We’ve got too many lazy Christians on the job, and Christian businessmen who conduct the businesses like the world.

Since we are already in Ephesians, the Pastor is also to direct those in his church,

V. IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR SPOUSE

Ephesians 5:22 (KJV)

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Ephesians 5:25 (KJV)

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

I want you to notice that these are not suggestions but commands.

·   Wife, you are to submit to your own husband

·   Husband, you are to love your wife and give yourself for her

And I have all of the authority of God’s Word to command you to do it.

No excuses

No “If, and or buts.”

I have had occasions where my days were short, and my duties were long and someone showed up at the church door with trouble in their marriage.

In one case I simply looked at the two of them and said, 

“Can’t you understand that there is no time for me to hear your complaints? Just get right with each other. Please, just stop this fighting.”

What I am saying to you is I have the authority to say that, and they have a Bible obligation to do what I told them to do.

We’re still in Ephesians so your pastor also has authority to direct,

VI. IN YOUR OBEDIENCE TO YOUR PARENTS

Ephesians 6:1-3 (KJV)

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)

That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Consider, this is not a parent telling his children to obey and honor.

It is a preacher telling that to the children.

Some parents beat this passage of Scripture over their kid's heads like some husbands beat Ephesians 5:21 over their wife’s.

Mom and Dad don’t forget Ephesians 6:4.

Finally, your pastor has authority to direct you

VII. IN YOUR WITNESS TO THE SOULS OF OTHERS

Matthew 28:18-20 (KJV)

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

I remind you that this is a local church passage.

It’s the Great Commission, but not of individual Christians, but of a local church and the members of it.

So, when we organize a day for visitation,

·   Such as we do on Saturday mornings and

·   As we do on what we call “Super Saturdays”

You ought to consider it your cause, your purpose, God’s will for you to be here.

I know we all have things that come up to prevent us once in a while.

But most of us, plan things instead of coming out to make visits and do outreach work for Jesus.

Conclusion

I notice that Paul never apologized or explained himself to Titus.

He simply said:

·   “I left you in Crete”

·   “I left you there for a purpose” and

·   “I want you to do what I left you to do this way”

And God used that to give Titus the will of God. 

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[1]It was TJ Smith, then pastoring in Prosser, who said it THAT way.

[2]I don’t remember whether they had a VP.

[3]There was roughly the same number of GARBC churches in Oregon at the time as BBFI churches.

[4]Ephesians 6:5-9 (KJV)

Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.