Deut. 7:12-16
Titus 2:1-15
John 1:35-42
Titus 2:1-15
1But as for you, teach what is consistent with sound doctrine. 2Tell the older men to be temperate, serious, prudent, and sound in faith, in love, and in endurance. 3Likewise, tell the older women to be reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good, 4so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5to be self-controlled, chaste, good managers of the household, kind, being submissive to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited. 6Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, 8and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us. 9Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to talk back, 10not to pilfer, but to show complete and perfect fidelity, so that in everything they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior. 11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, 12training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, 13while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. 15Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one look down on you.
In this second chapter of the letter to Titus, Paul finishes up a list of admonitions on behavior with a powerful summary. Early in our Lenten journey we are reminded of the sacrifice of the Cross, but more importantly the reason for that sacrifice—to “redeem us from all iniquity and purify...a people of his own.”
That we need redemption Francis Thompson, in his poem The Hound of Heaven, reminds us:
How little worthy of any love thou art !
Whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee,
Save Me, save only Me?
God, in Christ, does love us--even to the cross--and even if you or I was the only one on earth. Our only response is to be a “people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.” What does it mean to be zealous for God? Definitions for zealous include “enthusiastic, ardently active, and devoted or diligent.” Some synonyms are fervent, afire, and dedicated. Certainly these are all attributes that we should strive for in our faith walk.
I can remember times in my life when I felt on fire for God. Nothing seemed impossible and the problems of the day to day round were not onerous. I wanted to tell everyone about the Love that I had found (or Who had found me). The first disciples felt that enthusiasm. The reading from John for today says that as soon as Andrew met Jesus, he immediately “found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah!’”
Anyone 'in love' is enthusiastic about their beloved. God is in love with you and me adn that love never fails, even when ours flags. The feelings of that ‘first love’ are not easy to maintain, however. How, during this Lent, can we actively stir up our enthusiasm for God? Who can you find and tell “I have found the Messiah!”?
For your journal: Think of a time when you have been enthusiastic about something—a new book, recently released movie, friendship, baby, etc. How did you share the news with others?
Write about a time when you felt zealous for the Lord. How did you act, what did you do, did the world feel different?List some ways you can share your enthusiasm for God’s love and action in your life with your friends.
