St. Titus, Pastor & Confessor

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[Titus 1:1-9] Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began 3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; 4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith:

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior…

For the Sake of Faith

For the health of your body, you call upon someone to be your doctor. To make your children into safe and capable drivers, you call upon someone to be their driving instructor. To become an accountant or an engineer, you go to college and call upon someone to be professor.

And, for the sake of saving faith in Christ – that you may be children of God, saved by faith alone – God created the preaching office, the office of teaching and preaching God’s Word. So, a congregation calls for itself a pastor.

Today, on the Church’s calendar, is the feast of St. Titus, Pastor and Confessor. In the New Testament scriptures, we get two main examples of young men serving as pastors – Timothy and Titus. Titus, like Timothy, was a pastor of God’s flock, a confessor of the saving Gospel.

The book called “Titus” in the Bible is a letter, not written by Titus, but written by the Apostle Paul to Titus – “To Titus, my true child in a common faith…” Titus was a young man – a gentile, a non-Israelite – who accompanied Paul and was made a pastor, an under-shepherd of the true Shepherd, Jesus, for God’s people in an area called Crete.

In the New Testament, the terms Elder, Shepherd, and Overseer (bishop) are used interchangeably [Titus 1:5,7] to refer to the same people: Men called to care for and oversee a congregation of God’s people by preaching God’s Word. What we call a pastor.

Titus is, for now, responsible for an entire region in Crete. Paul is writing to Titus from prison in Rome (68 AD). This is during Paul’s second imprisonment for the Gospel just before his martyrdom.

When Paul was hauled away, he appointed Titus to finish his work of finding men to be elders/overseers in the various towns in Crete: “…This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.” [Titus 1:5]

The appointing of elders/pastors/overseers has a purpose – the same purpose there is for pastors today. The same purpose the Apostle Paul had in his ministry, which he mentions in the introduction of this letter: Saving faith in Christ. That the Word of God may work saving faith into hearts. “…for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth.”

How can a sinner become right with God? How does an unbeliever become a believer? How can our ungodly nature decrees and godliness increase? By the power of God’s Word preached.

But our natural tendency – the tendency of our fallen nature – is to look to ourselves. The job of the preacher is to constantly proclaim the saving work of Jesus to direct your faith to your Savior.

We know that, on our own, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God…” And that “by works of the law no human being will be justified in His sight” – “since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” [Romans 3:10-11,20]

And we know this: that “the righteousness of God” – in a sinner – is “through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe” – “ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith.” [Romans 3:22-25]

Therefore, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” [Romans 10:13]. But, here’s the question: “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” [Romans 10:14-17]

Faith in Jesus comes through hearing. Faith in Jesus comes through hearing about Jesus – hearing of His death and resurrection for sinners. Faith doesn’t come by our own strength or reason. Faith is the work of the Holy Spirit who comes to our hearts in the message of the cross of Jesus about what He has done for you.

So, if you would be saved by faith in Jesus, be a hearer of His Word. Because faith comes by hearing. And hearing comes when there is someone preaching. This is the purpose of the pastoral ministry. Just as we have doctors for the health of our bodies, the Church has preachers and shepherds for the sake of saving faith in Christ.

The “knowledge of the truth” about God’s love in Christ, and “the faith of God’s elect” in that truth, is also the source – the fountain – of all good works and growing-godliness in us. We don’t naturally know how to live the new life Christ has given us. But “the knowledge of the truth” “accords with godliness.” The preacher preaches the Gospel to give life and then preaches God’s commandments to give us guidance in that new life.

Just as you utilize your doctor – asking questions or bringing up health issues – utilize your pastor. Ask the questions you have. Ask for Bible studies on the issues you’re thinking about. Seek guidance. Ask to be visited. Seek comfort and God’s forgiveness spoken to you. Increase the use of the pastor God has put in your life. (That’s what we want!)

And, consider this: The Apostle Paul writes to the young pastor, Titus, in today’s Scripture reading because pastors are sinners too who fall short of their tasks and as persons. In this letter to Titus, the assurance of the Gospel by faith, not by works, is given [Titus 3:4-7] – and the comfort of baptism – which speaks to both Titus and his flock hearing this letter.

Also, helpful instruction and guidance is given in this letter – including a reminder about the expectations for an elder/overseer: “…the husband of one wife” – “his children are believers” – “above reproach” – “not arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain” – “but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined” – holding “firm to the trustworthy word as taught” – “able to give instruction in sound doctrine” and to “rebuke those who contradict it.” [Titus 1:6-9]

Scripture gives requirements to the preachers: “Pay careful attention… to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God…” [Acts 20:28] — And requirements to the hearers: “Respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and who admonish you… esteem them very highly in love” [1 Thessalonians 5:12-13] – “for they are keeping watch over your souls…” [Hebrews 13:17]

Lastly, because of the work of saving faith that Christ works through the preaching of the Gospel, our Savior Himself urges us to pray that more such laborers would enter His harvest field – “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few… Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” [Luke 10:2]

The Church must pray – and men must consider if perhaps they may be called to enter the harvest in the role of pastors. Every man in the pulpit was once a layperson in the pew. God does call men from His flock into this ministry. Pray and consider and encourage one another.

Lastly last of all, do pray for and encourage your current pastor. Pastors are fellow redeemed sinners – who cannot do this task without the prayers and encouraging attitudes of God’s people – nor can we do this task without the forgiveness and patience of God’s people, and assurance of God’s forgiveness in Christ. [Isaiah 6:5-8]

Let’s give thanks to God for Titus and Timothy and Saint Paul and for all the pastors in our lives through whom each of us has heard the saving Word of Christ. Amen.