First Comes Love - Day 09
Day 08 - Thursday, April 18
Read Titus 2:1-14
Highlight
For a helpful overview of the book of Titus watch this video: https://youtu.be/PUEYCVXJM3k.
Titus is a Greek follower of Jesus that became a student and co-worker of Paul’s on his missionary travels. In this letter, Paul is writing to Titus who he has sent to work with a network of house churches in Crete, an island off the coast of Greece. Crete is home to a large port which Paul chooses strategically because there are so many people from around the known world who pass through and can be impacted by the Gospel and hopefully take it back to their places of origin. However, Crete’s unique, diverse and transient society also makes for some challenges in the church.
The city is violent, the leadership is corrupt, and Cretan believers have started mixing their understanding of the God of love from the Torah (our Old Testament and the Jewish Bible) and Greek gods who were thought to be untrustworthy, mischievous and punitive. To make matters more complicated, Cretan Jews have started teaching falsely that Greek followers of Jesus have to follow all of the Jewish laws in order to really be part of God’s family. This confused theology and corrupt leadership has led to hypocrisy - believers who claim to follow Jesus, but live in such a way that disparages the Gospel and does not reflect the love of Christ for their unbelieving neighbors. Paul’s antidote is right relationships, rooted in Christlike love. In other words, when people look at the way you live and your relationships, do they see the love of Christ? Paul is pointing out that our relationships are essential to our evangelism.
Reflection & Prayer
For this reading plan we will be using a tool to guide our study of Scripture that’s called the S.O.A.P. Method. It stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. We recommend you use a journal with this method and write out your thoughts on each of these areas for each day of reading. It doesn’t have to be long-winded and you don’t need a fancy journal. But for anyone that has not journaled before, the benefit is that it often helps us focus and avoid distractions during prayer and Bible study.
S.O.A.P. Method
Scripture - Pick a verse or two that stood out to you and write it in your journal. Be looking for a “Holy Spirit Highlight.” What did you read and think “I needed to hear that” or felt like it was written just for you?
Observation - Now write some observations about the verse(s) or passage. What is this passage or verse saying? About God? About people? How is Jesus revealed in these verses?
Application - Now write a few sentences on how this passage applies to your life. Is there truth about God that you are to believe? A promise to receive? Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of something you need to do or stop doing in light of God’s truth?
Prayer - Now write out a prayer to God in response to this Scripture. This is a way to turn God’s Word to you back to Him. Be honest and express your heart to Him. God always listens and He delights in your prayers. (Psalm 34:15; Proverbs 15:8)
Read Titus 2:1-14
Highlight
For a helpful overview of the book of Titus watch this video: https://youtu.be/PUEYCVXJM3k.
Titus is a Greek follower of Jesus that became a student and co-worker of Paul’s on his missionary travels. In this letter, Paul is writing to Titus who he has sent to work with a network of house churches in Crete, an island off the coast of Greece. Crete is home to a large port which Paul chooses strategically because there are so many people from around the known world who pass through and can be impacted by the Gospel and hopefully take it back to their places of origin. However, Crete’s unique, diverse and transient society also makes for some challenges in the church.
The city is violent, the leadership is corrupt, and Cretan believers have started mixing their understanding of the God of love from the Torah (our Old Testament and the Jewish Bible) and Greek gods who were thought to be untrustworthy, mischievous and punitive. To make matters more complicated, Cretan Jews have started teaching falsely that Greek followers of Jesus have to follow all of the Jewish laws in order to really be part of God’s family. This confused theology and corrupt leadership has led to hypocrisy - believers who claim to follow Jesus, but live in such a way that disparages the Gospel and does not reflect the love of Christ for their unbelieving neighbors. Paul’s antidote is right relationships, rooted in Christlike love. In other words, when people look at the way you live and your relationships, do they see the love of Christ? Paul is pointing out that our relationships are essential to our evangelism.
Reflection & Prayer
For this reading plan we will be using a tool to guide our study of Scripture that’s called the S.O.A.P. Method. It stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. We recommend you use a journal with this method and write out your thoughts on each of these areas for each day of reading. It doesn’t have to be long-winded and you don’t need a fancy journal. But for anyone that has not journaled before, the benefit is that it often helps us focus and avoid distractions during prayer and Bible study.
S.O.A.P. Method
Scripture - Pick a verse or two that stood out to you and write it in your journal. Be looking for a “Holy Spirit Highlight.” What did you read and think “I needed to hear that” or felt like it was written just for you?
Observation - Now write some observations about the verse(s) or passage. What is this passage or verse saying? About God? About people? How is Jesus revealed in these verses?
Application - Now write a few sentences on how this passage applies to your life. Is there truth about God that you are to believe? A promise to receive? Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of something you need to do or stop doing in light of God’s truth?
Prayer - Now write out a prayer to God in response to this Scripture. This is a way to turn God’s Word to you back to Him. Be honest and express your heart to Him. God always listens and He delights in your prayers. (Psalm 34:15; Proverbs 15:8)
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