1717 BIBLE STUDIES
Titus and Philemon Study
Titus, Philemon
“Your Word Is Truth” (John 17:17)
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Overview
Study: Titus and Philemon
Theme: Choose
The apostle Paul’s letter to Titus, one of his ministry trainees, addresses two important issues for the Christian and the local church: leadership and lifestyle. The local church thrives when led by godly elders. Paul took great pains to explain to Titus the qualifications of elders, focusing on character and responsibility (Titus 1:1-16). He followed that with instructions for modeling and teaching the God-centered life (Titus 2:1-3:15).
Paul’s brief letter to Philemon encourages us to live in a spirit of thanksgiving and prayer (1-7), to forgive and accept those who offend or disappoint us (8-16), and to honor friendships (17-25).
How To Use
- Each week has a lesson aim, lesson text, and supplemental text.
- Tabs indicate the week of each lesson.
- Each week features three sections: Study, Application, and Discovery.
- Use the Discovery questions to study, discuss, and apply the Scripture passages in a group or class.
Introduction
Author and Audience
Titus – The apostle Paul wrote his pastoral epistle to Titus after sending him to work with the church on the island of Crete.
Philemon – Paul wrote his letter to Philemon and had it delivered by a disciple named Tychicus, along with letters to the Ephesians and Colossians. As Paul addressed one letter to the entire Colossian church, he sent another letter to an individual member of that church, a Christian brother named Philemon.
Date
Titus – The letter to Titus was written between AD 65-66 to guide Titus in his ministry.
Philemon – Paul wrote his letter to Philemon while a prisoner in Rome between AD 61-63.
Setting
Titus – As a whole, the people of Crete had a rather poor reputation, being known as, “liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons,” (Titus 1:12). While the Christians on the island had been transformed by Christ, they would still have to deal with their own pasts and the untransformed people around them. Even some with Jewish backgrounds—“the circumcision group” (1:10)—were causing trouble as they combined legalistic Judaism with Greek teaching about enlightenment and special knowledge. This would require wisdom, patience, and Christlikeness on the part of Titus and others in the church.
Philemon – While in Rome, Paul met with a disciple named Epaphras (v. 23), a fellow prisoner who had been a leader in the Colossian church. Epaphras spoke with Paul about the Colossian church, perhaps adding some positive words about one of its members, Philemon. Paul determined to write to the church in Colossae and convey his letter through Tychicus. Around the same time, Paul met a man named Onesimus, one of Philemon’s slaves who had escaped and fled to Rome. Paul apparently led Onesimus to Christ and decided to send him home to make things right with his former master. So he wrote to Philemon and encouraged him to receive Onesimus as a brother in the Lord. Onesimus apparently traveled back to Colossae with Tychicus (see Colossians 4:7-9).
Theme
Titus – The theme of Paul’s letter to Titus may be summed up using words like integrity and authenticity. The church needs leaders who act wisely and are willing to rebuke those who fail to do good. In addition, living in a way that makes the teachings of Christ attractive to nonbelievers, recognizing that we have been saved to do good and honor the Lord, should be priorities for all believers.
Philemon – Paul’s letter to Philemon demonstrates how the gospel transforms both the believer and the believer’s relationships with others. It focuses on reconciliation, forgiveness, and equality in Christ.
Why Study Titus and Philemon?
Titus – Titus found himself ministering among a group of people known for their corruption and self-indulgence. But rather than separate himself from such people and criticize them, Titus was instructed to help raise up godly leaders in the church who would love them and point them to Christ by their own righteous lifestyles. That’s an important lesson for the church today.
Philemon – In a society where distrust, isolation, and hostility are common, the church must show the world that Christ offers an entirely different way of living. Christians seek to reconcile when they find themselves at odds with others. They don’t hold grudges; they forgive. They see and treat others as equals. Paul’s letter to Philemon reminds us to choose the better way.
Week One
LESSON AIM: Consider the importance of godly leadership in the church.
STUDY: Titus and Philemon
THEME: Church Life
LESSON TEXT: Titus 1:5-11
SUPPLEMENTAL: 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:12-16
STUDY
WEEK 1
appoint godly leaders
by Mark Scott
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In churches where votes are cast for church leaders, Christians should understand their votes are simply their perception of the will of God. It is actually the Holy Spirit who confers leadership in the church (Acts 20:28). The task of believers in selecting their leaders is to choose (literally “look out,” Acts 6:3) from among themselves and find the leaders who match the descriptions that the Holy Spirit has given (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9). In that sense, Christians appoint the leaders.
This study covers two small books of the New Testament, Titus and Philemon. Both books are actually letters Paul sent that demand something of their recipients. Philemon was asked to receive back his former slave Onesimus, and Titus was asked to put the churches on the island of Crete in order (it could mean “to correct”) and appoint (to cause to stand and be recognized) godly leaders.
Crete was an island in the Mediterranean Sea (about 160 miles long and up to 35 miles wide) which contained 100 cities. But it was not “Mr. Roger’s neighborhood.” The Cretans had a bad reputation that Paul acknowledged as true (Titus 1:12-13). No wonder Paul directed (a strong military word) Titus to appoint godly leaders.
Godly Leaders Have an Exemplary Family Life
Titus 1:6
There is a line in a Little Rascals comedy, “You can fool some of the people some of the time . . . but you can’t fool Mom.” A leader’s public persona is one thing, but a leader’s family persona can be something else. When the two personas match, it can be called integrity. One of the best critiques of a leader’s life comes from his family. A church leader years ago was asked if a certain man was a Christian. The leader responded, “I don’t know. I would have to ask his wife.”
To be blameless (unimpeachable) at home is a great compliment. This would include being faithful to his wife (not flirtatious or lustful; devoted; cf. Job. 31:1) and having children who are under the lordship of Christ. The kids believe (or at least are faithful) and are not wild (prodigal-like) and disobedient (insubordinate or disorderly). The reason for this is made clear in 1 Timothy 3:5 (i.e., if he can’t lead his family, how can he lead the church?).
Godly Leaders Have a Devoted Personal Life
Titus 1:7-8
Earlier, Paul called these leaders elders (v. 5). Now he refers to them (in various Bible translations) as overseers and stewards (one who manages). Paul used these terms interchangeably. In effect, a leader should be blameless (a key word that occurs a second time in our text); Paul used the word to contrast negative and positive qualities in the leader’s personal life (see vv. 7, 8). The leader is not to be overbearing (surly; the opposite of courteous) and not quick-tempered (prone to anger; cf. James 1:19-20). He is to be disciplined (moderate) in his use of alcohol and not violent (not a striker or fighter). More than one person who is not moderate in the use of alcohol has become violent. Finally, the leader cannot be a materialist (not pursuing dishonest gain). In fact, being a materialist is a characteristic of the false teachers (v. 11).
On the positive side, the elder must love strangers (be hospitable), love goodness at every level, be self-controlled (discerning, sober, and temperate), be just (upright), unpolluted (holy), and disciplined (under control). In 1 Timothy, Paul mentioned 15 traits of godly leaders. Here he mentioned 17. The lists overlap some, but the ones mentioned here must be pertinent for Titus’s ministry context in Crete.
Godly Leaders Are Capable Teachers
Titus 1:9-11
Elders must be “able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2). This means knowledgeable of the gospel and capable of articulating it. Given Titus’s situation, this was fundamental for godly leaders. Elders must know the message (logos) that had been passed down through the apostolic tradition. The purpose of this knowledge is twofold: First, they should be able to encourage (come alongside of or uplift) the church by sound (healthy) doctrine. Elders should be some of the most “up” people in the church.
Second, elders must be able to refute (convict) those who oppose this doctrine. This opposition is identified in the text (vv. 10-11). Those who oppose this doctrine are insubordinate (rebellious), given to meaningless talk and deception. Part of their false doctrine is rooted in being Judaizers (Acts 15; Galatians 2; Philippians 3). They needed to be muzzled (silenced) because they were causing havoc in homes and giving evidence of being money hungry. Elders must “be” the right kind of people so that they can feed, lead, and guard God’s people.
Mark Scott serves as preaching minister with Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin, Mo. For 35 years, until 2021, he served as professor of preaching and New Testament with Ozark Christian College in Joplin.
APPLICATION
WEEK 1
blame the leaders?
by David Faust
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In an episode of the TV comedy The Office, regional manager Michael Scott makes his priorities clear. He tells his boss from the Dunder Mifflin corporate office, “I want the credit without any of the blame.”
Blameless appears twice in Paul’s description of godly elders (Titus 1:6-7). If being blameless requires moral perfection and flawless decision-making, no one qualifies except Jesus. Noah was “blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God,” yet he had some less-than-stellar moments (Genesis 6:9; 9:20-21). In part, “blameless” may refer to the way others inside and outside the church view the leaders. Are there any glaring flaws, character deficiencies, or doctrinal aberrations that disqualify them from leadership?
Aspiring toward blamelessness requires self-awareness. Are potential elders able to recognize their weaknesses? Do they accept responsibility and apologize readily when they make mistakes, or do they habitually shift blame onto others? Blameless leaders aren’t blamers. They’re honest about their limitations. They’re still on the road to spiritual maturity, and they don’t pretend they have arrived at perfection.
Lightning Rods
Organizations need leaders like buildings need lightning rods. When lightning hits, strategically placed pieces of metal or wire take the strike and divert electrical charges harmlessly into the ground. Likewise, it’s an unpleasant part of the job for leaders to serve as lightning rods, taking hits to protect their followers.
Ironically, elders are supposed to be blameless, but they get blamed for a lot—especially in a cultural environment where respect for leaders has slipped to a low ebb. If you don’t carry leadership responsibilities yourself, it’s easy to find fault. But can you imagine how it feels to be a lightning rod?
Elders need to be well-grounded in Scripture and prayer; they need to seek godly wisdom as they wrestle with complex issues. They must balance grace and truth, blend transparency with appropriate confidentiality, respect the past while embracing the future, and care for the hurting while challenging the complacent. If you think elders have an easy job, I guarantee you haven’t done it.
High Regard
Some spiritual leaders are false prophets, hypocrites, and frauds—wolves in sheep’s clothing. We should never follow them. But shepherds who are humble, hard-working, and faithful deserve honor, and they need encouragement. The Bible mentions practical ways to support them.
- “Acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).
- “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you” (Hebrews 13:17).
If you want to do something countercultural, when you get up in the morning ask yourself, “Today, how can I bring joy to those who lead me?”
Paul wrote, “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure” (Philippians 2:14-15). Notice: “so that you may become blameless and pure.” God calls all of us—not just the elders—to grow in the direction of blamelessness. After all, setting a positive example ourselves is better than looking for someone else to blame.
Personal Challenge:
Instead of blaming your leaders, how could you bless them? This week write notes of appreciation and encouragement to two or three faithful Christian leaders you know.
David Faust serves as senior associate minister with East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis.
DISCOVERY
WEEK 1
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION
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1. Did you find yourself in a situation this past week where God gave you the strength and courage to speak on his behalf to someone? If so, please explain.
Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Titus 1:5-11 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to summarize what this passage is about.
2. If you were mentoring someone on how to be a good leader, what principle from this passage would you share with them?
3. Let’s dig more deeply into this passage.
- What were some of Titus’s responsibilities?
- What were the circumstances in Crete?
- What were the reasons for Titus being commissioned to put things in order and appoint elders in Crete?
- One at a time, examine each leadership qualification listed in these verses. How would you categorize each one? (e.g., relational, moral/ethical [involving character, integrity], reputational, spiritual, personal [knowledge, abilities], doctrinal, others)
4. What do you learn about God from this passage?
5. What do you learn about people?
6. When you look through the list of qualifications of church leaders, what area do you want to grow in or what do you need to obey (whether or not you consider yourself a leader)?
7. As a group, let’s show appreciation for some of our church leaders this week by each of us writing personal notes to them. Which leaders would you like to encourage?
8. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .”
For Next Week: Over the next week, read and reflect on Titus 2. You might also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
Week Two
LESSON AIM: Commit to proper application of biblical teaching to every demographic in the church.
STUDY: Titus and Philemon
THEME: Church Life
LESSON TEXT: Titus 2:1-15
SUPPLEMENTAL TEXT: Psalm 119:105-112; Galatians 5:19-26
STUDY
WEEK 2
teach what is appropriate
by Mark Scott
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Seth Wilson said, “All of our efforts to control people show our failure to convert them.” Jesus is the one who has control in the church. The rest of us have responsibility and influence. And influence is probably best exercised through teaching. At the end of the day, our ability to persuade people through teaching is our best leverage in helping them grow in Christ. That is why teaching is of such huge importance in the church. Teaching is also a major concern in this chapter. A form of the word teach occurs several times throughout this chapter. Words like speak (in Greek), urge, encourage, and rebuke are also used.
A new hurdle for teaching in the church today is that for the first time in history five generations are “going to church” together and being taught. In addition to racism and sexism, we now face ageism (see Haydn Shaw’s book Generational I.Q.). How was a young apostolate delegate like Titus to go about teaching the age and gender categories in the churches of the 100 cities in Crete? For Titus to teach (speak) what is appropriate to sound doctrine (v. 1) to every demographic in the church demanded patience, prayer, and Solomon-like wisdom.
Teach the Old
Titus 2:2-3
Yes, there were older first-generation Christians in the churches in Crete (Acts 2:11). Some of them were men. Titus was to help them to be temperate (sober-minded), worthy of respect (dignified; one who does not repel but attracts), self-controlled (discreet and disciplined), and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Obviously, Titus—a young whippersnapper—needed accelerated maturity to get the older men to accept his instruction (see vv. 7-8).
Some of the old were, of course, women. Titus was to teach them to be reverent (as in temple-sacred), not to be slanderers (devilish), or addicted (slaves) to much wine. In turn, Titus needed to convince the older women to invest in the younger women. For the sake of propriety, this arrangement always works best.
Teach the Young
Titus 2:4-8
In Western culture, we should not assume younger women automatically know how to be domestic. Learning how to love and be subject to their husbands is not easy. Loving children is a bit easier. The older women could help the younger women be self-controlled and pure. They needed to be taught to be “keepers of the home” (busy at home) and kind. If the older women did not teach the young women these things, then God’s Word could be maligned (blasphemed). Our behavior is a step forward or step backward to someone else’s belief.
Titus was also to encourage the young men to be self-controlled. But the best way to teach peers is by example (model) by doing what is good. If Titus showed integrity (incorruptibility or purity), seriousness (decency and dignity), and soundness of speech the young men would follow, and the opposition’s accusations would come to nothing. Titus 2:1- 8 greatly expanded on 1 Timothy 5:1-2.
Teach the Slaves
Titus 2:9-10
It is difficult for us to speak of slavery without thinking of captivity, deportation, and oppression. Slavery in the ancient world was different (see Scott Bartchy’s First-Century Slavery and the Interpretation of 1 Corinthians 7:21). But in Titus’s climate in Crete, it was best to teach Christian slaves to be subject to their masters, please them, not talk back to them, and not steal from them so they could earn their master’s trust. This would be their best witness so that the gospel would be attractive. In his Galatians & Ephesians commentary, Kenny Boles said, “Paul plants the seeds by which slavery would finally be destroyed.”
Let Grace Teach
Titus 2:11-15
The grace of God, of course, was a better teacher than either Paul or Titus. Grace (God’s love for us that we do not deserve) saves, equips, energizes, and teaches. Paul closed this section of his letter by considering the past, present, and future of grace. God’s grace appeared (theological longhand for “Jesus came”). And Jesus offered salvation for all. But grace also teaches (trains) believers to refuse ungodliness and worldly passions. And grace teaches believers to embrace self-control and live upright and godly lives now. Believers do this while they wait for ultimate grace (the blessed hope) to appear in the return of Christ to the earth.
Paul wrapped this grace in the gospel. Jesus gave himself to redeem us so that we would be his people, eager to do what is good. Titus was to teach and teach and teach that again and again.
Mark Scott serves as preaching minister with Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin, Mo. For 35 years, until 2021, he served as professor of preaching and New Testament with Ozark Christian College in Joplin.
APPLICATION
WEEK 2
how do we treat those student drivers?
by David Faust
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One Sunday afternoon, as my granddaughter Kayla was learning to drive, I tossed her the car keys and sat next to her in the passenger seat while she drove around our church’s empty parking lot. She practiced parallel parking, inching the car between the painted lines. At one point she accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake pedal and we sped toward the curb. As we jerked to a stop she exclaimed, “I’m sorry, Papa!” My immediate impulse was to shout, “What in the world did you think you were doing?” Instead, by God’s grace and because I love my granddaughter so much, I heard myself saying calmly, “That’s why you need to keep practicing.”
Soon we left the empty parking lot and drove back to my house. Kayla steered the car onto a busy fourlane street, carefully staying in her lane and observing the 40 mph speed limit. Other drivers, though, weren’t so patient. Cars whizzed past us, and one driver, frustrated by our slow speed, pulled close to our back bumper and leaned on his horn. I wondered, Would he have been more patient if my car bore a sign that said, “Student Driver”?
Keychain Leadership
In a relay race, runners pass the baton to their teammates who follow after them. They’ll lose the race if they fumble the handoff.
Are we preparing the next generation for leadership? Ready or not, they will take on positions of responsibility in business, government, education, and public safety—and they will lead God’s church. Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, and Brad Griffin, authors of Growing Young: Six Essential Strategies to Help Young People Discover and Love Your Church (Baker Books, 2016), use the illustration of “keychain leadership.” Keys symbolize access, influence, and responsibility. When you are old enough, you get a house key and eventually a key to your own office. The authors explain, “Keys provide access to physical rooms and spaces as well as strategic meetings, significant decisions, and central roles or places of authority. The more power you have, the more keys you tend to possess. . . . If you are willing to entrust your keys to young people, they will trust you with their hearts, their energy, their creativity and even their friends.”
Older adults have a choice to make about the leadership transfer. Will we clutch the keys as long as we can, refusing to let go? Will we sit on the sidelines and pout? Will we allow our frustrations to fester and become impatient tailgaters, honking our horns to express our displeasure while younger leaders find their way? Or will we sit in the passenger seat alongside them, letting them drive but offering our support? Reggie Joiner puts it bluntly: “You have only one of two choices: (1) You can desperately hold on to your job until someone inevitably replaces you. (2) You can prepare someone to do what you do and strategically replace yourself.”
Paul came alongside a younger leader and told Titus, “Teach what is appropriate. . . . Encourage the young men to be self-controlled. . . . Set them an example by doing what is good. . . . In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech” (Titus 2:1-8). That’s good advice, because someday all of us will hand over the keys.
Personal Challenge:
Take a couple of younger leaders out to lunch. Don’t just talk and teach; listen and learn. Ask how you can help them, encourage them, and pray for them.
David Faust serves as senior associate minister with East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis.
DISCOVERY
WEEK 2
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION
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1. Share one way you were able to be hospitable to someone this past week.
Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Titus 2 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to summarize the passage in 60 seconds or less.
2. What would you add to what our summarizer said?
3. Let’s dig more deeply into this passage.
- What is the overall context for teaching different people in the church how to live godly lives?
- Based on this passage, what situations in the church was Titus confronting?
- How would you differentiate the approaches for teaching various people groups?
- In what ways does God’s grace teach Christ followers?
4. What do you learn about God from this passage?
5. What do you learn about the needs of God’s people?
6. Pick one teaching group with whom you most identify (teacher, older men, older women, younger women, younger men, employees). Once you’ve identified your group, what do you most need to learn and obey?
7. Consider an environment in which you are regularly with non-Christians (e.g., a workplace, neighborhood, social grouping, family, etc.). What specifically can you do in that environment to “make the teaching about God our Savior attractive”?
8. Based on our study and discussion, complete the sentence: “I will . . .”
For Next Week: Over the next week, read and reflect on Titus 3. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
Week Three
LESSON AIM: Understand that we are saved to do good for others, not merely for personal benefit.
STUDY: Titus and Philemon
THEME: Church Life
LESSON TEXT: Titus 3:1-11
SUPPLEMENTAL TEXT: Ephesians 2:8-10
STUDY
WEEK 3
be devoted to doing good
by Mark Scott
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We all admire good people, people whose lives are characterized by the good things they do. Doing good is a strong emphasis in the Pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy 2:10; 4:6; 5:10, 25; 6:18; 2 Timothy 2:21; 3:17; Titus 1:8; 2:7, 14; 3:1, 8, 14).
Ancient and modern philosophers debated what constituted goodness. In a world without absolutes, how can it be defined? Is it knowable? Is it relegated only to aesthetics? In Scripture, goodness is rooted in the person of God (Mark 10:18). God can declare what is good (Genesis 1:10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31; 1 Timothy 2:3). Paul had to remind Titus that goodness had moral and ethical connotations since on Crete those connections had all but been jettisoned (Titus 1:12).
The Call to Goodness
Titus 3:1-2
Lots of learning is relearning. There are reasons the Epistles are filled with “reminders.” The best things in life are worth coming back to again and again. Paul told Titus to remind the people of the call to goodness. These two verses contain seven imperatives. The section near the middle is key: remind them to be ready to do whatever is good. People committed to goodness will leverage that for the best witness in their communities.
This call to goodness will show up in submission to governmental and civic leaders. Even the phrase to be obedient means “to obey a person in authority.” This call to goodness will cause one to put away slander (blasphemy), to be peaceable (not disposed to fight) and considerate (fitting, appropriate, or suitable), and gentle (meek).
The Redemption Behind Goodness
Titus 3:3-8
The goodness we are called to is not just do-goodism. It is certainly not goodness for goodness’ sake. It is rooted in God’s redemption of us in Christ and made possible through the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul set up one of the greatest salvific passages in the New Testament by reminding Titus of their prior state of depravity (v. 3). There were eight marks of this fallenness. We were foolish (literally “not knowing”), disobedient (unwilling to be persuaded), deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures (hedonistic). We lived in malice (strife) and envy (malignity at the sight of excellence), being hated and hating one another.
But in contrast to the ugliness of verse 3 is the beauty of verses 4-7. God’s kindness (usefulness or profitableness) showed up when Jesus came (the love of God our Savior appeared). Paul had in mind the historical event of the incarnation. [Notice that God and Jesus are both referred to as Savior in these verses.] When Jesus showed up, people were saved, but it wasn’t because of anything they had done to deserve saving. God worked his mercy (tender kindness) in them, and they participated by saying yes to his washing of rebirth (regeneration or restoration, which is typically an eschatological term; cf. Matthew 19:28; Acts 3:21) and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:2; John 3:5). This is new creation language (2 Corinthians 5:17).
This newness was begun by the Holy Spirit, who was poured out on us generously. God did the providing, and believers do the partaking. This new birth demonstrates God’s justice (having been justified by his grace) and makes believers heirs having the hope of eternal life.
The trustworthy saying could refer back to the salvific text just discussed or it could lean forward and refer to the call to goodness displayed by redeemed people. Regardless, goodness does not come about for the Christian by simply trying to be and do better. It results from the new birth and shows up in things that are excellent (beautiful) and profitable.
The Derailing of Goodness
Titus 3:9-11
Sometimes it doesn’t take much to derail what is perfectly good (Genesis 3:1-13). Christians can undo goodness by word games, majoring in the minors, battles, and divisiveness. Controversies result when there is an exchange of words rather than a search for truth. Genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law show a strong Jewish tendency to some of the word battles. These are unprofitable (serve no purpose) and useless.
Divisive people derail goodness. These people are to be warned twice (Matthew 18:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 3:14- 15) and then “shunned.” They show themselves to be warped (to turn something out of its place or to pervert), sinful, and self-condemned.
In his mercy, our good, redemptive God transforms us from what we were into a people who genuinely do good for others.
Mark Scott serves as preaching minister with Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin, Mo. For 35 years, until 2021, he served as professor of preaching and New Testament with Ozark Christian College in Joplin.
APPLICATION
WEEK 3
good for you
by David Faust
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Three times in Titus 3, Paul emphasizes that believers ought to “do whatever is good” (vv. 1, 8, 14). What does goodness look like on a practical level?
Goodness often has a hard edge. Something can be good even when it doesn’t feel good. A mother tells her children, “Eat your vegetables. They’re good for you.” A football coach makes his players run laps around the field when they’re already tired from a long practice session. “The extra conditioning will be good for you,” he says. Joseph was badly mistreated by his brothers, but in retrospect he told them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20). The psalmist said to God, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees” (Psalm 119:71). Even in suffering, “God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28). “God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness” (Hebrews 12:10).
Goodness doesn’t seek recognition. To illustrate the kingdom of God, Jesus mentioned things that make a difference quietly without grabbing attention. “You are the light of the world,” and light shines without making a sound. “You are the salt of the earth,” and salt flavors food without a lot of fuss. God’s kingdom is like a mustard seed—tiny but full of growth potential. It’s like yeast that quietly permeates a lump of dough and causes it to expand. The goal of our good deeds is to glorify the Father in heaven, not to call attention to ourselves (Matthew 5:16). The point isn’t, “What’s in it for me?” Love for God moves us to ask, “What’s good for you?”
Good deeds aren’t limited to a religious context. Jesus didn’t cower in the corner of a cathedral reading the Bible and singing praise songs. He “went around doing good” (Acts 10:38), bringing grace and truth into all kinds of situations. Goodness isn’t confined to the church building; it’s comfortable in the public square. It seeks justice for the oppressed and comfort for the hurting. It shows kindness to neighbors and generosity to the poor. Goodness doesn’t just scream at the darkness; it shines the light of Christ, bringing grace and truth to the classroom, the boardroom, the courtroom, the locker room, and the hospital room. We demonstrate goodness by respecting and obeying those in authority, by refraining from slander, and by treating others with peace, consideration, and gentleness (Titus 3:1-2).
God’s goodness, not our own, opens heaven’s door to us. Good deeds are the result, not the means, of our salvation. We aren’t good enough to deserve God’s blessings, but the sinless Messiah serves as our advocate. “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had 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” (vv. 5-6).
Good deeds are a surprisingly powerful force. Maybe you have heard this quote from Mother Teresa: “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” Even better is this exhortation from the apostle Paul: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
Personal Challenge:
Do something this week that demonstrates God’s power to overcome evil with good. On your laptop or on a piece of paper, write down three specific problems or evils you see in your community or in the world. Ask the Lord to show you specific steps you can take to counteract them.
David Faust serves as senior associate minister with East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis.
DISCOVERY
WEEK 3
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION
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1. As you interacted with people in your spheres of influence last week, how did you make the gospel “attractive”?
Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Titus 3:1-11 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to summarize the passage.
2. Let’s dig more deeply into this passage.
- In your own words, how would you characterize who we were before God saved us?
- Look again at the reminders (vv. 1-2) and what we are to avoid (vv. 9-10). What kind of people, in general, should we be striving to become?
- How does this transformation take place in our lives? Who and what are involved in it?
- Look at the four imperative verbs in this passage: remind (v. 1), stress (v. 8), avoid (v. 9), and warn (v. 10). What do those commands tell you about how Christ followers are to conduct themselves?
3. Put this passage, especially the reminders, into today’s cultural context. What does this passage teach Christians to do and avoid doing in our workplaces, on social media, and in other environments when it comes to politics, race issues, health concerns, and other current events?
4. What is one specific thing from this passage you need to obey?
5. This passage presents a beautiful picture of the way God transforms us into people who not only become good but are ready to do what is good for others. What good will you devote yourself to doing, especially to show someone else that God is good?
6. Based on our study and discussion, complete the sentence: “I will . . .”
7. As you devote yourself to doing good this week at work, with family, or in other circumstances, what challenges do you anticipate?
For Next Week: Over the next week, read and reflect on Philemon. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
Week Four
LESSON AIM: Allow the gospel of Jesus Christ to break down the barriers that divide believers of different social status.
STUDY: Titus and Philemon
THEME: Church Life
LESSON TEXT: Philemon 8-21
SUPPLEMENTAL TEXT: Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 6:5-9
STUDY
WEEK 4
seek reconciliation
by Mark Scott
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Can you remember the first time you heard or read about the coronavirus pandemic? The year 2020 will be remembered for virus and volatility. The virus created a pandemic. The volatility created pandemonium. That season underscored our need for God’s universal efforts at reconciliation. The first coming of Jesus with his incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection can heal any alienation between people and God and between people and other people (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 1:15-20). The second coming of Jesus can heal any leftover viruses from the old creation (Romans 8:18-25; Revelation 22:5).
The biblical word reconciliation was a term from the realm of marriage, and it continues to be used in that arena. (Bob and Mary had split up, but they reconciled.) The term means that alienation has been removed—that people who had been at odds with one another are friends again. The Cotton-Patch Gospel translates it this way, “God was in Christ hugging the world to himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19). The little New Testament Epistle of Philemon is a marvelous example of reconciliation.
Appeal for Reconciliation
Philemon 8-11
Philemon was a member of the church at Colossae and a personal friend of Paul. Philemon had a slave named Onesimus. Evidently Onesimus had run away (and maybe even stolen some things) from Philemon. But Onesimus fled to Rome, where he connected with Paul, who was responsible for his conversion. Paul gave his normal greeting and salutation, and then made his appeal for Philemon to receive his former slave back.
Paul could have leaned into his authority as an apostle, but he chose to base his appeal for reconciliation in the love of Christ. Paul was bold enough and had the clout to order (command) Philemon what to do, but as an old man who had been around the block and as “a prisoner of Christ Jesus” (Philemon 1), he appealed kindly for Onesimus. Paul considered Onesimus his son in the faith (a title he otherwise reserved for Timothy and Titus). There is an intentional play on words in this appeal. Onesimus’s name meant “useful.” “Formerly he was useless to you, but now. . . .”
Providence in Reconciliation
Philemon 12-16
Paul’s affection for Onesimus is obvious. Paul referred to sending Onesimus back to Philemon as sending his very heart (this is not the normal word for heart; it is a visceral word meaning “deep-seated compassion”). More than once in this brief letter Paul used what might be called “reverse psychology.” Paul would have liked to have kept Onesimus to aid him—in Philemon’s place—during his imprisonment (something he mentioned twice in the text). But again, Paul did not want to be overly presumptuous. Paul wanted any favor (goodness) that Philemon would give in receiving Onesimus back to be voluntary (done willingly).
Paul looked at almost everything providentially (Romans 8:28). He postured that perhaps the reason Onesimus was separated (split or divorced) from Philemon was so that when reconciliation could be made, it would be permanent. The relationship formerly was that of master-slave. As a result of Onesimus’s conversion, the relationship changed to that of brother-brother. We do not know what the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus was previous to the slave’s departure. It may have been good. But good is not the same as dear. When parties know Jesus, it removes distance and alienation from one another. Embracing Jesus as Savior levels the playing field and makes all people one (Galatians 3:28).
Confidence in Reconciliation
Philemon 17-21
Paul was confident (persuaded by actions and motives) that Philemon would satisfy the appeal for Onesimus. Paul could do this because he counted Philemon as a partner (one in common mind). He desired that Philemon would welcome (receive) Onesimus as if the slave were Paul himself (Romans 15:7). If Onesimus had wronged Philemon or owed him anything (indication of stealing?), Paul agreed to pay it.
If Paul was using an amanuensis (secretary), the apostle took the quill in his own hand to write a personal closing (Galatians 6:11). Then, in a psychological sweep that was hard to miss, Paul reminded his old friend that Philemon owed him his very life. That is one way to stack the deck. Paul desired some benefit (profit) from Philemon. Paul desired that Philemon refresh (to cease or give rest—cf. Philemon 7) him in Christ by being compliant with Paul’s request. Paul was confident (persuaded) of Philemon’s obedience (the obedience of a slave to a master) and assured that Philemon would even go beyond the request. If God can help the leopard and goat to lie down together (Isaiah 11:6), he can surely help people seek reconciliation.
Mark Scott serves as preaching minister with Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin, Mo. For 35 years, until 2021, he served as professor of preaching and New Testament with Ozark Christian College in Joplin.
APPLICATION
WEEK 4
i missed you
by David Faust
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Lesson writer Mark Scott referred to the coronavirus pandemic in this week’s study. During that time, I often found myself saying the words, “I missed you.” When the pandemic began to ease that summer, one by one, friends emerged from quarantine. Worshipers inched back to the church building for in-person services. Restaurants reopened.
During weeks of lockdown in the spring, I stayed in touch with my granddaughters by phone, text, and Zoom, but I longed to see them face-to-face. I missed the servers at the local deli. I missed visiting patients in the hospital. I missed little kids darting around the church lobby, young adults chattering in the halls on Sunday mornings, and senior adults gathering for monthly luncheons.
Hard-Wired for Relationships
That difficult year taught us many lessons, including the importance of personal relationships. We learned not to take for granted everyday blessings like eating in a restaurant, shopping in a store, or going to work, church, and school. We gained new appreciation for doctors, nurses, farmers, and truck drivers. Teachers missed seeing their students. Aging parents sequestered in nursing homes missed seeing their loved ones.
We all have gotten a taste of the isolation many consider commonplace. Sadly, for too many men, women, boys, and girls, loneliness is an everyday experience—a cruel quarantine of the soul. It doesn’t take a pandemic to make a widow miss her husband or an orphan miss his mom and dad.
No one thrives in solitary confinement. Some of us are introverts and some are extroverts, but we all need connection with others. Something feels off when relationships are disrupted.
Welcome Back
Just as our bodies require food and water, our souls long for reconciliation with each other and with God. Remember Jesus’ story about the prodigal son? The rebellious runaway woke up hungry in a pig pen and had a spiritual awakening. Ironically, he found himself missing the very place he had scornfully left behind. Humbled and repentant, he headed home, unsure what kind of welcome he would receive. Meanwhile, the whole time he was gone, his father was missing him, too. The lost son gladly received his dad’s embrace, while the one who missed out on the party was the resentful older brother.
Let’s remember the welcoming arms of the prodigal’s father. It shouldn’t be hard to empathize with the lonely and lost, for all of us have been prodigal sons and daughters ourselves.
And what about broken relationships where relatives or church members have been at odds with each other? The biblical theme of reconciliation flows from deep in the heart of God. Speaking of the runaway Onesimus, Paul told Philemon, “If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me” (v. 18)—not unlike what Jesus did for us at the cross. Grace triumphs when estranged friends tell one another, “I missed you,” and find peace again in Christ.
Something in every human heart cries out to the Father, “I miss you.” Read Jesus’ parables in Luke 15 about the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son, and you’ll discover a profound truth: God misses us, too.
Personal Challenge:
Think of someone who has been estranged from you, or someone with whom you have an unresolved conflict. Pray for God’s guidance and, if necessary, seek godly counsel, and then write a note or an email letting them know you miss them and want to be reconciled.
David Faust serves as senior associate minister with East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis.
DISCOVERY
WEEK 4
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION
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1. What good did you do this past week, especially to show someone else that God is good?
Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Philemon 8-21 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to take about one minute to summarize the passage.
2. Let’s dig more deeply into this passage.
- How would you characterize the tone or mood of Paul’s appeal to Philemon?
- Basically, what is Paul asking Philemon to do?
- How does Paul describe himself to his friend?
- How does Paul describe his relationship with Onesimus?
- How does he describe Onesimus’s relationship—and potentially renewed relationship—with Philemon?
- What social or other barriers was Paul asking his friend Philemon to tear down?
3. What do you learn about God from this passage?
4. What do you learn about people?
5. Is there anyone with whom you need to seek reconciliation and welcome back into your life? If so, what is a first step you can take?
6. The greatest reconciliation, of course, is between God and people who have moved away from him. “And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation . . . as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20). Whom will you implore on Christ’s behalf to “be reconciled to God”?
7. Based on our study and discussion, complete the sentence: “I will . . .”
8. As you seek reconciliation and/or implore others to be reconciled with God this week, what challenges might you face?
For Next Week: This week’s lesson brings this unit of study to a conclusion. Look for additional “1717: Your Word Is Truth” studies, for use with your Sunday school classes, small groups, or personal studies, at ChristianStandard.com.
