Hebrews 2:17-18

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

Encouraging Words

This passage does a lot to sum up why Jesus became man and went to the cross. It was never possible for a High Priest to represent and intercede for the people of God unless He was one of them. He needed to be one of their brethren to know and understand the issues, challenges, and needs of their lives. Jesus had to do the same thing, be one of us, in order to represent and intercede for us. By doing this, He could show us both His great mercy and God’s great mercy to us. By being the intermediary between us and God He could make propitiation for our sins. As a human, He Himself, has suffered, been tempted, lived a sinless life, and is able to aid us as we are tempted. This is our High Priest. Glory be to God!

Hebrews 2:14-15

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Encouraging Words

One of the most wonderful and encouraging teachings in the Eastern Orthodox church is not that Jesus died on the cross to be our substitutionary atonement to protect us from the ire of an angry, judgmental, capricious God, but that He became fully man while retaining His full nature of being God, so that by living a perfect, sinless life and dying on the cross an innocent and sinless human being, He could put death to death. He undid the curse of death that Adam brought upon us when he committed the first sin. He destroyed all power that Satan had on us and set us all free from the bondage of death. We are no longer slaves to death. Glory be to God!

Titus 3:9-11

But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

Personal Challenge

Division in the church is not a new thing. Even Paul had to write to Titus about it and how to deal with it. As then, we see similar developments in our Church of the day. Jesus spoke out against the institution of His day that had made the interpretations of the laws of God and the practices and traditions of the leaders in the church higher than God Himself. Jesus fulfilled the law and instituted a new covenant based on love. His new covenant spread throughout the known world adapting its delivery and the traditions to each culture. Paul continued this practice by becoming what was necessary in each culture that he went into in order to preach the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Today we see people trying to grab onto traditions and practices that they believe define the true church and abandon the true essence of the gospel…loving God and loving one another. We must be willing to avoid and reject these things in order to fully embrace our Lord and share His love. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Titus 3:4-8

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

Encouraging Words

God is full of kindness and love for us, His creation. So much so, that His only begotten Son became man so that He could redeem us from our sin and save us from the ravages of death. To ensure that we stay close to Him and follow Him, He abundantly poured out the Holy Spirit to dwell within us making us joint heirs with our Lord in the Kingdom to come. We are not alone. We are blessed. We are justified by His grace. Glory be to God!

Titus 3:1-2

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.

Personal Challenge

As followers of Christ, we are called to be subject to those who God has put into positions of authority over us, whether we agree with them or not. We are to obey them. We do this because we are not citizens of this world, but citizens of heaven and therefore ambassadors here representing our Father. We are also to be ready to do good works for our Lord, to speak no evil of anyone, to be peaceable, gentle, and humble. This is not always easy, but a worthy goal for us to strive for. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Titus 2:11-14

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Encouraging Words

We are not expected to live godly, Christian lives on our own accord. It is by the grace of God, bestowed upon all of us, that we are able to experience His salvation and live lives that glorify Him. Through that grace He teaches us how to deny ungodliness and worldly lives He teaches us to live soberly, righteously, and godly even in the midst of a fallen and corrupt world. He gives us the ability to continually look for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, seeking and desiring His redemption. Glory be to God!

Titus 2:9-10

Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

Personal Challenge

We do not have bondservants and masters in most of our lives, so these verses may be a little difficult to understand. We do, however, have situations in our lives where we must be subservient to others. Employees and their employers. Children and parents. Students and teachers. And many more when you really think about it. We can apply this instruction in all of these cases. As Christians striving to be like Christ, we must be obedient to those in authority over us. Be well pleasing in our relationship with them. Do not talk back. Do not pilfer from them. Do all that we do in good fidelity. And why do we do this? So that we can add to the beauty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Glory be to God!.

Titus 1:1

Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,

Personal Challenge

As modern Americans, steeped in the ideologies of personal freedom and liberties, are we ready to proclaim ourselves as bondservants to God? Are we willing to relinquish that freedom and our liberties in order to serve our heavenly king? This is what we must be willing to do if we truly want tribe followers of Christ, walking in His footsteps, and doing His work. We must choose to let go of the things of this earth in order to grasp the things of God. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me the sinner and help me to let go of this world in order to hold on to You!