Titus overview week 4 “Micro-Macro” Unfortunately, for those of you following online, these first few weeks have been very personally interactive and foundational for the two bible studies who gather weekly... It has been very difficult to reproduce that for you here on FB. However, we will be be more structured going forward. This is a big picture recap of where we have come o far... Paying for you all! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Word definition… We need to understand what the words that have been given for our instruction actually mean! Text Content within Context… Who is speaking? To whom are they speaking? What is the background or situation? What is being said about God’s Character or command? Aligning my own heart… Do I believe this Scripture is absolutely authoritative over my life? Have I received this as Truth? Am I obeying this? (Not perfectly, but ever increasingly) Am I joyfully submitted and trusting God? Am I obeying grudgingly? The Gospel in action… Do I believe that I will be earning God’s favor if I am obedient? OR…Do I believe by Faith that Jesus has obeyed perfectly and attributed to me His righteousness, THEREFORE, I can obey in confidence that God ALREADY accepts me in His Grace? Be honest with God… be honest with yourself. My Part…God’s Part… Some Scripture is “prescriptive,” meaning it is a principle, command, or process God intends for His People to submit to and obey. But not all Scripture is prescriptive. Some Scripture is “descriptive,” meaning it is True that this happened, but it is not what God intends for us to obey, but rather learn from. Sometimes I have a “responsibility” within the context, and sometimes I have a “role,” but no authority within the context. How do I sort between “role” and “responsibility?” What part is intended for “me” to obey, and what parts do I learn from? “Who” are we “likened” to within the context? “How” do we define “our place” within the Scripture context? “What” is our “responsibility to the text? “Where” does this word need to be obeyed in context? “Why” is this important according to the context? If I am not primarily responsible for “obeying” this text, what then, is my “role?” Relevance—Credibility—Effectiveness… “Relevance” gives us a connection between the situation in the Scripture and what is going on present day. “Credibility” gives us authority to make the claim of that connection. “Effectiveness” is the witness of the Holy Spirit’s confirmation that empowers the “work” with evidence. (This is not necessarily an “outcome” based witness) Seeing God’s “Word” as “His Will and His Way”… Not looking to Scripture for “rules to obey…” God’s People… in God’s Place… Under God’s Rule…. Enjoying God’s Blessing! We belong to what we worship… We will obey what actual desires are buried deepest in our hearts. Faith in God must be the actual source of Christ like obedience. We must Trust God to bring about the “outcome” He has seen fit as “best.” We do not obey to “get” from God, but because He has already given… Faith comes by “hearing” the Word, “believing” the concept of that truth, and “obeying” out of that trust in God’s Sovereign Goodness as Lord. What does “obedience” look like? Prayer first… (I want to partner with God…not my own agenda) Always pray that the Scriptures be “fulfilled.” Ask the Lord for Direction…Discernment…and Discretion… Action… Do I give a “word?” (Words build up…and they tear down. They are life or death) Do I “wait?” (Waiting is active participation in Gods work…not inactive.) Do I “Walk?” (When, How, etc…) Trust God with the outcome… (Small picture “part” while expecting Big picture “promise…”) Practice… Do I have a role or am I personally responsible to obey this principle in my present context? We can walk through practical applications first; i:e If I am not a man or an appointed Apostle, I can rule out being likened to Paul! But I will have a role in being submissive to his authority! As we read through the text, we often put ourselves in responsibilities that do NOT belong to us, while leaving out the role that DOES belong to us! As women, we will have valuable influence that is not necessarily authoritative... Lets be careful to see our instruction through the perspective of our designed roles that God has already assigned to us... Walk through Titus 1:1-3 as Gods instruction THROUGH His anointed Authority.. TO His appointed Pastor...WITH His delegated Elders...For His Chosen congregation... In all these responsibilities there is a role to be taken seriously! Looking at the primary positional authorities and functions... Paul? Am I in in this role? (Responsibility?) Bondslave? Am I in this role? (Responsibility?) Apostle? Am I in this Role? (Responsibility?) Elect? Am I in this role? (Responsibility?) Titus? Am I in this role? (Responsibility?) Church? Am I in this role? (Responsibility?) Men? Am I in this role? (Responsibility?) Woman? Am I in this role? (Responsibility?) Husbands? Am I in this role? (Responsibility?) Wives? Am I in this role? (Responsibility?) Children? Am I in this role? (Responsibility?) Next week we will be looking at Verse 4 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you- For those trying to keep up on line, we will have much more structure as we continue in the text! Persevere! Walking Alongside...
Posted on: Sat, 19 Oct 2013 19:57:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015