This sermon was preached at WPC Belconnen’s Sunday evening service on December 5, 2021.
Paul wrote this letter to his ministry apprentice, Titus, in the early 60s AD. Paul and Peter were both executed in Rome for the crime of preaching the Gospel sometime between 64 and 67 AD. Titus was a young ministry co-worker – who apprenticed under Paul and became a young pastor whom Paul sent to various churches to build them up and equip them. Paul writes this letter to Titus to encourage him in his work of building up the churches on the island of Crete. Titus is to appoint qualified elders to lead the church or churches there – most likely small house churches. Paul is keen that Titus ensures that the Christians there were living out the Gospel. Titus is charged to appoint leaders, rebuke and refute false teachers, exercise church discipline when needed – and then leave to join Paul when other help arrived.