Begin with two minutes of silence and stillness before God.
Who doesn’t love building something new, especially with LEGOs? A spaceship, a National Monument, even an entire city – the detail and scale of those LEGO designs are amazing, but when I was a kid, I always preferred taking the blocks from the kit and building something completely original. Some people can build masterpieces solely from their imaginations, but that wasn’t the case with my designs. And honestly, I didn't have the patience to follow the instructions in the book. I might assemble something decent, but inevitably, with no plan, no solid foundation, and the wrong kind of blocks, my shaky creation would topple. I wasn’t building something that would last; I was building something for myself that was sure to fall apart.
In one of the last letters Paul wrote, the Book of Titus, he gives instructions on how to build something that would last. Paul wanted to teach believers to live in response to the Gospel. In Chapter 1, we learn that Titus was a missionary sent by Paul to Crete to build a network of house churches and share the hope of the Gospel. Titus’ mission to Crete was not without its challenges. The people of Crete were infamous for corruption, immoral acts, and deception. In fact, the Greek word for a liar, kretizo, means “to be a Cretan.” These were the perfect people to share the Good News of the God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2), but the faith communities around Crete were on shaky ground.
Titus had successfully established a network of house churches throughout the island, but the Gospel was being distorted by lies and myths. Cretans, who took pride in the local lore of mythological gods, combined ideas about Jesus and Greek gods to create a god of their own making. They weren’t satisfied with the Good News offered to them through Jesus, so they created a religious system they thought was superior. They claimed to know God, but their actions told a different story.
Paul knew this couldn’t stand; corruption must be confronted when the Gospel is being manipulated and defiled. In Titus 1:5, Paul gives two directives. First, he told Titus to put leaders in place with proven character - integrity, devotion, self-control, and generosity - and second, Paul told Titus to confront the corruption of the Gospel. Paul wanted the house churches to be built on a strong foundation, to flourish, and for believers to have a full life through Jesus. He knew it wouldn’t happen if they weren’t being led by godly leaders or if lies and corruption were spreading alongside the Gospel in these communities.
This chapter wasn’t just written for Titus, church elders, and the Christians on Crete. It was written to highlight the importance of Christian living for every believer. If there is corruption and lies in our lives and ministries, it will all crumble. Cretans tried to redefine Jesus to make Him comfortable to worship, and they were denying the truth and faithfulness of God in the process. If we are adding to or taking away from the Gospel – if we are living life without any regard to what God’s Word tells us, then we aren’t worshipping the One True Living God. Are we worshiping the Savior, or have we made a god for ourselves?
This chapter isn’t about following one specific plan for church structure; it’s about living according to the gospel and letting our lives impact our communities. Jesus is the plan! When we follow Him and then put ourselves in biblical community with godly leaders of proven character and faith, the Gospel will flourish. HE makes our faith flourish. Build for yourself, and it will always crumble. Build your life on Him and His truth, and it will be a beautiful, eternal, living display of God’s goodness and glory to everyone around you. Build your life on Jesus,
"So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.'" Isaiah 28:16
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.