Text – Titus 3:1-7:
Maintain Good Deeds
3 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another.
4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water[a] of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Meditation:
This text comes from a letter written to the church on the Isle of Crete. This was an island, in the Mediterranean, southeast from the tip of Greece. Titus was pastor of the church in Crete, and Paul was writing this young pastor to teach him how to preach and teach to this island community. Many of the men on Crete were engaged in piratery and so were in need of good instruction about how to live as godly people.
This text is a list of general principles regarding the life of a disciple of Jesus and included the following instructions.
• Be obedient citizens of Cretan leaders.
• Be attuned to opportunities to do good work.
• Maintain good relationships with others: no quarreling or criticizing others. Courtesy.
Paul reminds Titus and the Cretan church of what changes had occurred to them when they obeyed Christ. But the goodness and loving kindness of God transformed them when they were baptized and through the renewal of the Spirit.
The loving goodness of God is a recurring theme in the Bible. Advent is a reminder of what we have in store when Christ takes his throne on a recreated, redeemed earth in a kingdom where there is no ill will, mistreatment of the weak, violation of the earth, nor greed. In God’s world, love prevails.
What a hope!
Poetry:
In Heavenly Love Abiding
by Anna Waring, 1850
In heav’nly love abiding,
No change my heart shall fear;
And safe is such confiding,
For nothing changes here.
The storm may roar without me,
My heart may low be laid,
But God is round about me,
And can I be dismayed?
Wherever He may guide me,
No want shall turn me back;
My Shepherd is beside me,
And nothing can I lack.
His wisdom ever waketh,
His sight is never dim;
He knows the way He taketh,
And I will walk with Him.
Green pastures are before me,
Which yet I have not seen;
Bright skies will soon be o’er me,
Where darkest clouds have been.
My hope I cannot measure,
My path to life is free;
My Savior has my treasure,
And He will walk with me.
Prayer:
Lord Christ, you have ever taught us to love one another by your own demonstration of love for us. You gave up your place in heaven to become human and to suffer life in the flesh in a corrupt world. Ultimately giving up your life for us and by us. We wait now with hope, expecting you to come to us and to restore us to our first place with you and the Father. Help us to be vigilant and ready for that coming, living in love as you loved us. In your name, dear Jesus, I pray this. Amen.
Activity:
Write a prayer to God in which you tell God what you are specifically doing to wait for him. Make a list of three to five of the most important things you are doing.