Do Your Best Equipping the Saints
Titus 3:12-15
Only our best will do for God....and those we minister to.
Published June 6th, 2016
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Phrase
editing
NT
Titus 3:12-15
esv
Paul Invites Titus to Nicopolis
Do Your Best to Come to Me
When I {Paul} send Artemas
Temporal
or Tychicus
to you, {Titus}
Destination
do your best {make every effort, be diligent}
to come
Content
to me
at Nicopolis,
for I have decided
Ground
to spend the winter there.
Missions and Ministry
Do Your Best to Equip Others
Do your best {earnestly equip}
to speed Zenas
the lawyer
Explanation
and Apollos
on their way;
Reference
see
that they lack nothing.
And let our people [church members} learn {to learn by practice or experience, to acquire a custom or habit}
to devote themselves {practice diligently}
to good works,
so as to help cases
Purpose
of urgent need,
Descriptive
and not be unfruitful.
Closing Greetings
Greetings
All {disciples} ... send greetings
who are
with me
Accompaniment
to you.
Greet those
who love us
in the faith.
Context
Grace be
with you all.
phrasing
notes
Meditation
Wisdom : Paul first encourages Titus to send Zenas and Apollos on their way, seeing that they lack nothing. Then he tells Titus that the church members at Crete must learn to devote themselves to good works and to take care of urgent needs. The church members, and indeed believers everywhere, must concern themselves with doing good works in general, and in particular, helping those in need. "Learn" here means to learn by practice or experience, to acquire a custom or habit. So believers have a responsibility to help each other, to be productive and therefore, be fruitful. Otherwise, time can be spent in idle gossip, being busybodies (as Titus elsewhere warns) and in doing things that do not further the gospel. the church should be marked by unity, with each member needing and depending on other members. Works : Technology has made our lives easier in some respects, but how do we use the "extra" time? It is so easy to park in front of the TV for hours; or to get lost in the latest novel; or lose much of the day surfing the Internet. None of this is productive or fruitful, especially because there are so many needs all around me. If I profess to be a believer, I need my life to stand apart and to stand out. I can best do that by looking around me, seeking every day at least one way I can be of service to anyone in need, but most especially to my fellow Christians. Worship : Thank you, Father, for all you have provided for me. I thank You for my daily bread, that you give me neither too little nor too much. Everything I have comes from you, and I want to freely and graciously share it with others. Open my eyes to the needs around me, and equip and guide me to be your hands and feet. In Jesus' name.