INVESTING FOR PROFIT
Titus 3:8-11
I was introduced to the world of investment back in 1975
—By historical standards, that was a pretty good time to start!
There have been rough times during the past 30 years,
but in general, 1975 was an excellent time to start investing.
By watching investors, I’ve learned some important lessons about investing–and about life!
Some people always seem to invest in the wrong thing.
Uncle Harry’s “sure thing.” Or, what you overhear people talk about at cocktail parties.
Some people always seem to invest in the right thing, at the wrong time.
Knowing when to invest is as important as knowing what to invest in!
Paul builds Titus 3:8-11 around an investment term: PROFITABLE
He reminds us of another lesson I’ve learned by observing investors:
SOME THINGS ARE ALWAYS A GOOD INVESTMENT! Looking for a sure thing?
I’m not going to give you any “hot tips” about where you should invest your money!
Paul does give us a “hot tip” about where to invest our time and our energy!
8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
Want to invest in A SURE THING?
Get your pencil ready! “In just a minute I’m going to give you our toll free 800 number.”
This is a “sure thing” you can count on! It’s trustworthy. Believe it!
Investment that always returns a profit:
Dedicate yourself to doing good!
Disclaimer: You may not always get the return you think you’re going to get!
You may not always get the return you want to get!
But you ALWAYS get a good return on your investment!
[That brings us back to the idea Paul has been developing throughout the book.]
Paul sent Titus to Crete, a church in a pagan society where many professed to know God but lived in a way that made it apparent they never knew Him.
Pagan attitudes had crept into the authentic church.
Titus was sent to straighten out what was bent out of shape.
How could Titus correct the problem?
Designate leaders who by their spiritual maturity and godly character could teach God’s people how to live godly lives.
Chapter 1: prerequisites for spiritual leadership;
–contrasts those qualities with lifestyle of pagan leaders in their community.
Chapter 2: appropriate conduct for each member of God’s family
Live in a way that is consistent with what we believe.
Sound doctrine should be accompanied by a healthy lifestyle.
Correct doctrine goes hand in hand with right living.
Chapter 3: appropriate conduct as citizens in a pagan community
Reason to live that way: God has transformed us.
Because of His mercy, He saved us.
He made us new creatures in Christ.
Paul urges Titus to make that transformation his focus.
God has transformed us. That should motivate God’s people to live like it!
Our teaching should motivate believers to dedicate themselves to profitable lifestyle.3:8
8 This is a trustworthy saying.
And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
God’s Word is trustworthy.
God has spoken. He has spoken truth.
You can entrust your life to it!
Therefore, stress these things.
God has transformed us from our old life, so we might live a new life, . . .
As we emphasize such good news, it should encourage a new attitude among God’s people,
a desire to dedicate ourselves to do what’s good.
If you want to invest in a sure thing, Dedicate yourself to doing good.
That’s always excellent and profitable!
Some think that since we’re “saved by grace,” we never DO anything good.
We’re not under law.
Therefore, we don’t TRY to do good works.
Therefore, we NEVER do anything good!
God’s people should dedicate themselves to doing what’s good.
That’s what He created us for.
Those who trust in God want to dedicate themselves to doing good!
[ In vs 9, Paul continues to use the idea of investments to issue a warning:
He tells us something else I’ve observed by watching investors:]
SOME THINGS ARE ALWAYS A POOR INVESTMENT! 3:9
Paul warns us about four investments we ought to stay away from:
Don’t invest your energy in these! 3:9
“But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.”
In spite of the profitable message we’ve received,
some people prefer to concentrate on foolish controversies that aren’t worth the effort.
Four kinds of meaningless issues people focus on.
He’s dealing with PEOPLE OF PAGAN CULTURE.
It’s clear we’re not to get bogged down discussing such issues with pagans.
We’ll never get anywhere nitpicking their theology–debating with them about that!
Focus on what Christ has done and live a consistent life before them.
That’s how we can penetrate pagan culture!
His point is also applicable WITHIN THE CHURCH.
We have more important things to do than to argue about meaningless issues.
We should focus on our central theme: what God has done for us.
We should dedicate ourselves to living a godly life, to doing what is good.
The list of insignificant issues to discuss isn’t complete.
It’s a representative sampling
–It’s the kinds of things these people choose to focus on.
While Paul considers these issues to be foolish, not worth wasting our energy on,
people who fight over such issues never see them as insignificant.
They are always significant to the people who focus on them!
FOUR KINDS OF ISSUES TO AVOID:
1. Avoid foolish controversies
Sadducees: They present the case of a woman married to seven brothers.
Whose wife would she be in the resurrection?
They were more interested in that kind of issue
than in preparing for eternity in the light of the resurrection!
The old seminary debate (which I’ve never heard discussed!): “how many angels can dance on head of a pin?!!!” Who cares?!!!
However unrealistic these discussions may seem,
there are plenty of similar discussions, of equally “great” importance, in our day.
Wall Street Journal: "It's pathetic to watch theologians waste their time worrying that a left-handed, blind, black woman might somehow think the Bible excludes her, when the text teaches exactly the opposite. Apparently the contemporary equivalent of pondering how many angels can fit on the head of a pin is to calculate the number of [politically incorrect] words in the Bible."
We shouldn’t waste our time fighting over issues that don’t really matter.
He doesn’t say not to fight over it as long as people agree with you.
He says avoid discussions over meaningless issues. It’s not worth the energy!
2. Avoid genealogies
Salt Lake City for 7 years => “Avoid the genealogical library!”
That’s NOT the issue he’s concerned about!
Some get wrapped up in issue of who descended from whom.
Is the issue under discussion significant? Is it legitimate?
Such discussions demonstrate Jesus’ right to rule Israel.
This isn’t an insignificant issue.
Matthew and Luke think we need to know this.
However, it’s not worth investing a lot of energy quibbling over the details.
Such discussions determine who is qualified to be priest or high priest.
That was legitimate.
God established prerequisites for a priest: you had to be born into a certain family.
Genealogies to determine superiority.
“Were you born into right family?”
“My family’s better than your family!”
Discussions of family heritage, racial superiority, are worthless.
Conversation at high-society party: "My ancestry goes back to Alexander the Great."
She turns to a second person, "And who does your family go back to?"
"I don't know. All our records were lost in the Flood."
Let’s not waste time discussing who is better than whom! It’s a waste of energy!
3. Avoid arguments
Some people argue to build up their own importance.
Corinthians loved such arguments!
1 Cor. 2--they argued over who they wanted to teach their class.
Some liked Paul; some liked Peter or Apollos.
1 Cor. 7--stupid arguments over whether singles should get married
—the tribulation might start, the Lord might come!
1 Cor. 8–stupid arguments over whether to eat bargain-priced meat left over after pagan sacrifices
1 Cor. 11--stupid arguments over whether women should be able to get rid of their head coverings, since we’re equal
Later in chapter 11, stupid arguments about hoarding food at potlucks!
1 Cor. 12-14--stupid arguments about worship style.
Paul says over and over again: “Stop the stupid arguments!”
LOVE for one another is more important than any of these issues.
4. Avoid legalistic debates
“Quarrels about the law” = legalistic issues the Pharisees, and their stepchildren, the Judaizers, were campaigning for.
Kept imposing rules to enhance standing before God—”live by their rules!“
What should we do about the Sabbath (Col. 2:16)?
Pharisees spent hours discussing what’s acceptable to do on the Sabbath.
What about eating pork? Or drinking wine? (Rom. 14-15)
Such discussions about rules and regulations are a waste of time!
Making rules just makes us “rule breakers!”
Living Christian life isn’t about keeping a bunch of rules.
These debates are useless too.
Don’t waste your time engaging in foolish debates that produce nothing.
Such investments are “unprofitable and useless!”
Such efforts aren’t profitable; they’re unproductive—empty, meaningless.
Old English word: “vain.
Ecclesiastes tells us a man-centered life is vanity: “Vanity of vanities, everything is vanity!”
Life is meaningless.
In contrast, Isaiah tells us God’s Word NEVER returns empty.
It always accomplishes what God intends it to.
His word is never meaningless and useless.
We waste energy on things that never turn a profit—empty and meaningless.
They don’t build people up; they don’t accomplish anything significant for God.
Stop wasting your time on meaningless stuff that never produces anything of value!
Warning: Don’t use this argument to put down people who disagree with you!
We’re quick to use this argument as the ultimate “put down,” to dismiss somebody else’s concern!
As long as church takes my perspective, no one should discuss such a stupid issue.
But let the church decide against me, and suddenly it’s important.
Consider how important the issue is from God’s perspective.
Magazine editorial: contained a paraphrase of Titus 3, though the editor was just sharing his heart:
“We are missionaries to a pagan culture. . . . The times require cross-cultural skills as . . . churches . . . seek to communicate the faith to a culture that appears to be standing on its head.
These days require a cooperative effort, putting away of “stupid prejudice.”
“Stupid” is not a pleasant word, but an apt one for many of the skirmishes that go on in the body.
We seem especially good at prejudice when it comes to our response to others’ successes.
If we can’t fault their doctrine, we chop their practice.”
We live in a pagan culture.
Let’s stress what’s really important:
the good news of what Jesus has done in our lives; and living a godly life in a pagan culture.
Let’s not fight over issues that aren’t worth wasting our energy on!
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH AN INVESTMENT COUNSELOR WHO ALWAYS GIVES BAD ADVICE? 3:10-11 How do you deal with a “con-artist”?
THREE KINDS OF “CON-ARTISTS:” –people who lead others astray:
1. TV has produced one kind of con-artist: Out to get your money! (Financial con-artists)
2. Galatian con-artist: Out to present another gospel. (Spiritual con-artist)
–Out to take our liberty! (Added one!)
Sounds good. But they’re phony! They can’t produce life.
You can work at it ‘til you’re blue in the face; you can clench your fists ‘til you draw blood, but you’ll never earn enough credit to buy eternal life.
All our efforts do is enslave us–they make it clear that we’re in bondage!
3. Paul mentions a 3rd kind: “Cretan con-artist”
Keep leading people off on to their “hobby horses!”3:10-11
10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. 11 You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
What specifically characterizes those surrounding Titus? Always out to prove they’re right!
Old King James version uses “heretic”
Root: “divisive;” —same as 3rd unprofitable investment in v. 9: “arguments”
“I’m right and everybody who disagrees with me is wrong.”
Insists that people see things the same way they do.
In the process, they divide the body of Christ.
Out to prove they’re right!
Wiersbe: “self-willed person who thinks he is right, and who goes from person to person in the church, forcing people to make a choice.” Whose side are you on? Are you on MY side, or the other side?
How do you deal with such “con-artists”?
Same way you do other con-artists: STAY AWAY FROM HIM!!!
20th century version of the con-artist: “scamming” and “phishing”–stay away! RUN!
THREE STEPS for dealing with argumentative people:
1. Warn them about what they’re doing.
2. Go back and warn them again!—so you’re sure they got the message.
3. If they still don’t respond, have nothing to do with them! —put some distance between you!
Similar to the procedure outlined in Matthew 18:15-17.
Get their attention on a personal level and try to turn them back.
Try more than once, in case they haven’t understood the seriousness of the issue.
Only when sure they’re not willing to address issue, take severe measures.
When person refuses to listen, deal with them as Jews with Gentiles–have nothing to do with them
Argumentative people judge themselves.
They are “warped” and “sinful!” They’re “off track,” “derailed,” “detoured.”
They are self-condemned!
If we’re not willing to turn from divisive habits for the sake of unity, our attitude speaks for itself.
We’re self-condemned.
Paul gives similar counsel to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:23-25:
23 Stay away from foolish and stupid arguments, since you know they produce quarrels. 24 The Lord’s servant shouldn’t quarrel; instead, he should be kind to everyone, teachable, not resentful. 25 instructing those who oppose him, gently, so that God might bring them to repentance, which leads to understanding the truth, [That’s our purpose!]
WHERE SHOULD WE INVEST OUR ENERGY?
Don’t waste your energy on things that aren’t profitable, that are meaningless.
Some people are “accident-prone” when it comes to investments
—they always seem to take the wrong advice!
Some Christians always seem to follow the wrong counselors too!
They always seem to swallow bad advice.
We can get excited about the stupidest things!
Things that aren’t worth the time and energy.
Some people always seem to focus on such things!
Too often WE get excited about the wrong things.
Invest in something useful—something profitable!
Something you can trust—an investment you can count on.
Paul says: “Here’s a trustworthy statement!” It’s a sure thing!
Paul says, “If you’re going to get excited about something, . . .
if you’re going to invest your energy in something, TRY THIS!
What is this valuable investment? What should we stress?
It goes back to the central thesis we saw last week => 3:3-7
It’s not about all these foolish things people want to fight over!
It’s about how God has changed our lives!
PROFITABLE INVESTMENT => SOUND DOCTRINE + GODLY LIVING
What I was: foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved
living in evil and jealousy, hated and hating everybody else!
What God has done in my life: He saved me
He gave me new life and a fresh start
What God wants me to be: He wants me to live a different kind of life, dedicated to doing what’s good.
God has transformed our life, now he wants us to live like it!
Sound doctrine produces a healthy lifestyle!
God has taken an unworthy sinner and transformed him into a new creature, giving up His own rights as God to die for me.
Therefore, we lay aside our petty issues, and concentrate on how to do good for one another, encourage each other, build up one another.
Let’s invest our lives in something profitable
Not in tearing down, but in building up
` Dedicating ourselves to doing what’s good, both in church and outside
Dedicating ourselves to encouraging one another
. . . So that together we might become all God wants us to be.
Our role presented in “At the Winter Feeder,” John Leax:
His feather flame doused dull by icy cold,
the cardinal hunched into the rough, green feeder
but ate no seed.
Through binoculars I saw
festered and useless
his beak, broken at the root.
Then two: one blazing, one gray,
rode the swirling weather into my vision
and lighted at his side.
Unhurried, as if possessing the patience of God,
they cracked sunflowers and fed him
beak to wounded beak
choice meats.
Each morning and afternoon the winter long,
that odd triumvirate,
that trinity of need,
returned and ate their sacrament of broken seed.
Sir Bartel Fere served as governor of Bombay, India, in the 1860s. He was known by family and acquaintances as "the helpful man." Once when he was returning from a long trip, his wife sent a newly hired servant to meet him. "How shall I know Sir Bartel?" asked the servant. The governor's wife responded, "Look for a tall gentleman helping somebody."
In the midst of a pagan culture,
We’re NOT here to fight over meaningless issues, “stupid prejudices.”
We’re here to proclaim good news and to do good.
HOW ARE WE INVESTING OUR TIME AND ENERGY?
Let’s invest our energy in a good investment that will produce a profitable return!
“Stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God, may be careful to dedicate themselves to doing what is good, . . . [what is] excellent, . . . [what is] profitable for everyone.”