Titus and Purpose. Stay til the end. Titus 1.1-4

Nobody mourned its impending death . . . no one talked about how much it would be missed.  No billboards or television commercials warned of the void it would leave . . . yet, just like that, it has almost vanished as a viable means of communication, and a way for two hearts to connect.  It is the irreplaceable hand-written letter.

I love good quality writing paper and a pen that writes smoothly upon that paper; I guess I am a tactile person, driven by touch.  While I do not profess to do too many things well, in case you are wondering - I have pretty penmanship, and I am a great speller. Also, it is kind of random, but I am a good skater.  Folks have seen me skating my heart out (usually singing, sometimes praying) on the Pacific Coast Highway, on my way from San Clemente to Dana Point and back again. And … I used to be able to write a great letter; I am not sure anymore. 

Paul wrote a great letter, conforming to the Greco-Roman letter writing conventions, beginning always by identifying himself in the greeting, oft-times stating his purpose in the first few sentences.  Then, he added a greeting to start his letter, most often extending grace and peace.  Take a look at his opening words to Titus:

“This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. 2 This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began. 3 And now at just the right time he has revealed this message, which we announce to everyone. It is by the command of God our Savior that I have been entrusted with this work for him.

4 I am writing to Titus, my true son in the faith that we share.  May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace.”

After his radical conversion on the Damascus Road, Paul knew his purpose – to share Jesus Christ with virtually everyone God put in his path, from Roman guards who were linked to him while in prison, to the jailers themselves to Jewish and Roman officials before whom he was being tried.  He knew his message was one of life and death, and the importance of that truth rocked him to his sandals. It was his purpose for living, and shaped his priorities. He harnessed all of his God-given intellect, Hebrew training, indomitable personality and let God shape it for his purposes.   

In verse three, Paul stated that God entrusted this purpose of sharing Christ with others to him.  Purpose and destiny are hot topics today, and so they should be!  Here we see Paul’s purpose crystallized.  Just wondering, what is your purpose?  Hmmm . . . May I humbly submit to you that if you are a follower of Jesus, your purpose surely must include pointing others to him. Some of Jesus’ last words were, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”^{Acts 1.8}

True enough, the gospel was entrusted to Paul to spread, after the person and work of Jesus had radically transformed his life, once he had been filled with the Spirit of God.  The gospel was also entrusted to you and me.  Has your life been changed, flooded with the love of God?  Then, Man, you cannot keep that to yourself!  You gotta tell somebody.  Jesus said, ‘be my witnesses’ … a witness simply tells what he has experienced.  Do you have the assurance of Heaven?  Do you have peace within your heart and mind?  The world is crying out for what you have.  Tell somebody about Jesus; go on, tell somebody . . .