When i was growing up, I loved to sit and do puzzles. All sorts of different puzzles. Dot to dots; and wordsearches; but the one I liked the most was the spot the difference. I’m sure you know how they work. You have two pictures side by side, and you have to spot what’s different between the two pictures.
So, if it’s a scene of a circus, in one there might be three clowns, but in the other one there’s only two. Or maybe the juggler has six balls in the air in one, but only five in the other picture. It depended on how hard the designer had made the pictures - sometimes it took you ages, and you had to look very carefully to notice the changes, but on some, it was really very obvious.
It’s fun to do spot the difference in pictures. But another way of playing spot the difference is when it comes to people. You get out the photo album to see how people have changed - their hairstyle or their clothes or their looks. On Friday I celebrated ten years of ordained ministry, and I had put up on Facebook a photo of the night of my ordination. Someone said, you look really young there. So I don’t know what that says about how I look now! But the changes were evident. Spot the difference.
Our reading tonight from Paul’s letter to Titus is a bit like a spot the difference. It’s not so much a picture of a circus - it’s more like spotting the difference in a person. Tonight we’ll see that when we’re Christians, there should be a spot the difference - people should be able to notice the change that has taken place (and continues to take place) in our lives.
In verses 1-2, we see what Titus is to teach the church on Crete. Now, we’ve already seen in our letter how Titus was to select church leaders - those who were holding to the trustworthy word and living it out in their lives. Then in chapter 2 we saw how Titus was to teach and train different groups in the church - older and younger men and women, so that at each age and stage, they live out the grace of God in their lives.
If that chapter was about how we relate to one another in the church, we move now to living in wider society. How should we live in relation to the community and the state? Should we isolate ourselves from the wider community,just live in our little Christian bubble? Or should we engage with society? Let’s see what Paul says as we turn to verse 1:
‘Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no-one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility towards all men.’
So these are things that Titus is to remind the Christians about. They’re things that they’ve heard before - none of this will be new to them - but it’s good to get a wee reminder time and again. This is what Paul would have taught before he left Crete, and before he left Titus to get on with the work.
It’s almost like a checklist of how to engage with our community and wider society. Or, perhaps to put it a better way, a list of guidelines to keep reflecting on - each day thinking are my actions in accord with this list, in accord with my sound doctrine?
So in relation to the state, to rulers and authorities, we are ‘to be subject to’ them. We’re to recognise their right to rule, to bring in legislation, even to impose taxes. Being subject to them is what God desires and intends. Elsewhere Paul tells us that the government is ordained by God to punish evildoers - they are God’s agents to uphold the law.
That means that, on the whole, we are to be obedient. now, of course, there may be times when we need to disobey, when something is manifestly not good. But remember that these words are addressed to Christians living under the Roman Empire. They didn’t have a chance to vote or change the government. They were facing sometimes intense persecution. And they’re told to obey. but beside that, they’re told to be ready to do whatever is good. (Not what is bad!).
Further, we’re to slander no-one, so we’re not to talk badly about people; speaking ill of them. Rather, we’re to be peaceable and considerate in our attitude to others. Peaceful towards them, considering how they feel. It’s all summed up in the last one - showing true humility towards all men.
And those verses are the ‘now’ picture. Beside that, Paul gives us the ‘then’ picture. We see it in verse 3. I wonder can you spot the difference?
‘At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.’
Can you spot the difference? Now, in one sense, this is a spot the difference between the way Christians used to be, and how we are now - the difference between v1-2 and v3. ‘At one time we too were...’ We used to be this way, but now we’re not.
But I think what Paul is doing here is also showing us what people who aren’t Christians are still like. And what’s he’s saying is that we need to live out verses 1 and 2 because this is what the rest of the community is like. So why do we need to be peaceable and considerate, showing true humility towards all men?
Because people are foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all sorts of passions and pleasures. Malice and envy are the default position of people - and it ends up in the last words - being hated and hating one another.
When you see the two pictures side by side, you can spot the differences quite quickly. It’s easy to see the differences. But what brought about the change? With me, it was ten years of life and ministry that changed me from looking young to looking like this! What’s the change in the Cretans’ life? We see it in verses 4-7.
‘But’. Let’s pause there. Have you ever noticed how many times that word appears in the Bible, and how often it’s in relation to a change brought about by God. (e.g. Eph 2:4) And so also here, It’s But...
‘But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.’
The change in their lives was brought about when God’s kindness and love appeared in the person of Jesus. Love took to the stage, to bring about salvation. And why were we saved? Was it anything we had done? No. Nothing we could do. We are saved because of his mercy - mercy that doesn’t give us what we do deserve. Mercy that brings about our change.
And did you notice that it’s not just a wee change, just a slight improvement that God does, just a bit of renovation? No, God brings about the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. We are made new; given a fresh start; born again - and given the Holy Spirit so that we can live for God.
Even more than that, we are justified by his grace - that is, we are declared innocent (not guilty) and made in the right with God. And having been justified, we are heirs - waiting for our inheritance, waiting for what we will receive - and what is it we are looking forward to? The hope of eternal life. Life with God, which goes on, well for eternity, but also life with God of a different order and quality to this life.
Do you see what makes the difference between a Christian and someone who isn’t a Christian? It isn’t really anything in the person - it’s not about intellect or morality or performance or respectability. It’s about receiving God’s mercy and becoming an heir of hope. We can’t boast about it. But nor can we look down on others, who don’t yet have it.
So, as we seek to apply this passage tonight, let me ask this simple question. Can you do a spot the difference in your life? Have you been changed by the mercy of God? Can you look back to see how you’ve been made new, to see how things used to be, and how they’re different now?
If you can’t - if you haven’t experienced God’s mercy, then focus in on verses 4-7. Ask God to have mercy on you. To do this work in your heart and your life. Look to the cross, where we see the kindness and love of God our Saviour appearing in sharpest focus. Jesus did it all for you. Believe in him, and receive him as your own Saviour.
Now, if you can spot the difference, if you have received God’s mercy, then verses 1-2 are directed at you. You’ve received God’s mercy; you’ve been changed; so live out the good news to those around you who don’t know God and haven;t experienced his love. Do it peaceably, do it considerately, show true humility - because you were in exactly the same boat, until God saved you.
You know this, I’m sure you know it. But it’s good to get a reminder every now and again. And maybe, just maybe, someone will do a spot the difference, and ask you, how come you’re different to me? What’s the reason for the hope that you have? Or maybe if they’ve known you a lifetime, they’ll be able to say - you’ve changed! How come? It’s only by God’s mercy, and you can experience it too. Let me tell you how...
This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday evening 17th June 2018.
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