3 Things Preacher’s Must Constantly Affirm
Partial outline: FULL PDF HERE
Titus 3:8
Titus is one of the “pastoral epistles”, along with 1 & 2 Timothy. Paul wrote these letters to two of his “preacher boys” regarding the office and work of a pastor.
Our text is one of several faithful sayings of Paul (1 Tim. 1:15; 4:8-9; 2 Tim. 2:11). “A faithful saying” is a statement that is reliable in all situations.
“These things I will that thou AFFIRM CONSTANTLY…” The word “affirm” means “to make firm; to assert strongly; to uphold.” There are some things a pastor must constantly preach about. “Constantly” means continuously; persistently; all the time! [WHY? Because they are important, profitable, and there is a danger of forgetting them.]
“These things are GOOD and PROFITABLE…” What things?
I. A good WAY to live—
“…they which have believed in God…”
You will be known by what you believe. Your actions are the product of your beliefs.
A. Saved by faith (Eph. 2:8-9).
1. Salvation is not of works (Titus 3:5).
2. Salvation is by grace (Titus 3:7).
B. Live by faith after you are saved (“…they which have BELIEVED…”). Some people live by sight! They must have it all figured out.
Colossians 2:6—As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
•Believing in God is better than WORRYING! ILLUS – Acts 27:25 What are you going to do if your friends or family turns against you? Believe in God.
•What are you going to do if you get cancer? Believe in God.
•What are you going to do if there is no God? Believe God anyway!
HAVE FAITH IN GOD!
C. Do you have this testimony? “…they which have believed in God…”— Then live like you believe God!
II. A good WORK to maintain—
“…be careful to maintain good works…”
Salvation is only the beginning. Good works should follow believing in God (Eph. 2:8-10; 1 Tim. 6:18; Heb. 10:24)!
Good works are to be MAINTAINED (see 2:7; 3:1; 3:14).
A. REQUIREMENT of maintenance. Everything in the human realm requires maintenance— Without maintenance, it will fall apart!
The law of entropy and the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics: Every- thing is constantly becoming more random and disorderly.
You can clean up a room, but left to itself, it becomes dusty and musty without doing anything.
Do nothing and everything deteriorates, collapses, breaks down, wears out.
Clocks run down; knives become dull; clothes fall apart; steel rusts (Mt. 6:19); wood stoves go out. “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out” (Prov. 26:20).
Partial outline: FULL PDF HERE
