There’s no place like home.
The most powerful communication tools we have at our disposal are often not our words. Experts in communication consistently tell us that much of our communication is presented in a non-verbal way.
- The teenager who says, ”Yes, Sir,” yet rolls her eyes.
- The teacher who says he values interaction but lectures in a monotone voice without ever pausing for questions.
- The job candidate who claims confidence in her ability to do the job but fidgets in her seat with the only break being nervous laughter.
These people are all saying something, but what they are communicating is quite different from what they are saying.
What are we communicating to those who come to our church or Bible study group for the very first time? What are we really saying? We might be verbalizing words of welcome, but we might also be presenting a message that says just the opposite.
In this study, we will examine what we are really saying. We will look deeply into the posture and attitude that exemplifies the right kind of invitation. We will look at what we need to do so that, when we encounter those who are just beginning to come around to the truth of God and His church, they don’t just hear, but also feel the same welcome God has given us in Christ.
“You are welcome. We’re glad you are here.”
Welcome Home:
Connecting and Engaging People in Your Church
1. Reality Check - Titus 3:3-11
2. Open Arms - James 2:1-10
3. Gracious Hospitality - 1 Peter 4:7-11
4. Intentional Love - Luke 10:25-37
5. Authentic Joy - 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
6. Going Out - Acts 16:6-15
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
If you’re like me, you could practically get home with your eyes closed. You’ve made the trip so many times you know it by heart: the bumps in the road, the places to turn, and even the way the sun shines through the trees.
So imagine one day you take this same road. You come to your house but when you get inside everything is different. The pictures on the wall have been replaced. The furniture is arranged the wrong way. Even the smell is different. The address is right, the house is correct, yet everything is off.
Many people feel the same way when they enter the church building. They’ve heard Jesus is a friend of sinners and God loves the world. They’ve been led to believe the people in church are friendly, and yet when they enter the building, they find something entirely inconsistent with those things they’ve heard.
We might think we’re welcoming, but the reality can be entirely different. To ensure we’re a welcoming church, let’s go back to the beginning. We welcome others because of the gospel.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Titus 3:3-8a
3 For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 5 he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life. 8a This saying is trustworthy.
Titus was on his own. He had traveled with Paul, seen the power of the gospel to change people’s lives, and even carried a letter from Paul to the church at Corinth. He had been a trusted companion of the greatest missionary the world has ever known, but now he was by himself.
Paul had left Titus on the island of Crete to organize and carry out the beginning of the church there. Surely with an assignment like that—in a place that was foreign to both the gospel and Judaism—Titus would have had many questions about his role: What does it mean to be a pastor? How do I set up the work of ministry? What should I do first?
Paul addressed practical questions like these in his letter to Titus, but along with answers to practical ministry questions, Paul also reminded Titus of something that was already very familiar to him: the gospel. So, with all the pressing questions of how to do the work of the church in Crete, why would Paul pause to remind Titus of something he already knew? We see three reasons in this passage:
1. The gospel keeps us from looking down on others (v. 3). Paul reminded Titus that he—and all believers—was once just like the people Titus was seeking to welcome into the faith. We all were once lost, hopeless, and living for nothing else than to fulfill our next desire. When we remember that we are no better than those we are seeking to welcome, then we will look on others with compassion rather than judgment.
2. The gospel reminds us what is possible (vv. 4-5). Paul reminded Titus that all of us, if we are Christians, have a moment of awakening to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are born again, with a new heart, tastes, and desires.
3. The gospel points us to the future (vv. 6-7). Thanks to the gospel, we all have a sure hope in the future. We are destined for eternal life with Jesus. We might not be as welcoming as we should be because we have a very temporal view of life. Welcoming others may require us to be uncomfortable or inconvenienced. We might need to step outside our shell. But when eternity is in the balance, these things are shown to be what they truly are: shortsighted objections.
If Titus wanted to create a sustained and empowered work for God on this island, he needed to remember the why before he started doing the what. The same is true for us. If any ministry we seek to do for God is not grounded in the why of the gospel, it will eventually run out of steam. So, if we want to welcome others into the church, we must remember that at one point we ourselves were on the outside looking in. And if God had not rolled out the welcome mat with the life of His own Son, that’s where we would have stayed.
Titus 3:8b
8b I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone.
True, faithful, joy-filled, and sustained ministry to others flows out of the gospel of Jesus. That’s because what God has done in us through Jesus always works itself out in good works. This was exactly Paul’s point to Titus. Because of the gospel of Jesus, Titus should respond with ministry to others: “These are good and profitable for everyone.”
Sometimes we have trouble understanding this because we think of the gospel as the way we begin a relationship with God in Christ. This is certainly true, but it’s not all the truth.
We often think of the message of the gospel—Jesus lived a perfect life, died a substitutionary death, and rose victoriously from the grave—as the means that enables us to enter the Christian life. That certainly is true, but it doesn’t go far enough. The gospel of Jesus Christ doesn’t just get us started, we are meant to be driven in daily life by the cross and the resurrection.
We don’t move past the gospel; we continually dwell and live in the gospel so that it permeates everything we do, including the way we welcome others. At times, we can feel secure and safe in our own friendships and don’t want to reach out to others. It may also feel uncomfortable relating to people who look, act, and believe differently than we do. It’s in those times we have to remind ourselves of the truth of the gospel. We have to reconnect with the truth that God welcomed us. At some point, we too were strangers and also needed the welcome mat rolled out. By remembering this, we will find new energy to welcome others joyfully into the church.
Titus 3:9-11
9 But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, because they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning. 11 For you know that such a person has gone astray and is sinning; he is self-condemned.
Having spent time in Crete, Paul knew the issues that might distract Titus from his mission. The issues Paul mentioned were of personal preference and self-centeredness, but they were not limited to Crete. We are all tempted to lose our focus and fixate on issues of personal preference.
When we allow personal preference and self-centeredness to creep into ministry, it is destructive to our mission. Still, the temptation is strong to wave the banner of preference in our churches, but by focusing on our self-centeredness, we reveal certain misunderstandings we have about the church:
- Our role in the church. Churches can engage in all types of arguments that are ultimately trivial. When we argue about carpet colors and worship styles—all matters of personal preference—we show that we really believe the church exists to meet our needs and expectations rather than being the body of Christ for others.
- The composition of the church. God’s desire is to redeem people of every tribe, tongue, and nation to worship Him for all eternity. One of the most convincing things about Christianity during the days of the early church was how the church was made up of different types of people. The fact these individuals were able to worship together despite their personal preferences shows the unifying power of the gospel.
- The nature of the church. The church is much more than a building for people to worship in. When we gather together, it’s as if God places the gathering of His people on display before all the powers in heaven as a showplace of His wisdom. This grand purpose magnifies just how trivial arguments of personal preference are.
LIVE IT OUT
Our lives should be a welcome mat into the church. We can assume that posture when we focus on the gospel. Conduct a reality check by choosing one or more of the follow applications.
- Remind yourself. Identify a practical way you can remind yourself of the gospel this week.
- List. Create a list of things that, in your opinion, would be the ideal way to “do” church. Identify which of those items are integral to the mission and ministry of the church and which ones are based on your personal preferences.
- Befriend. Make an intentional effort to befriend someone who is different than you. Consider what you can do to make that person feel welcome in your church.
Our church may not be able to meet every person’s expectations, but if we are transformed by the gospel, we can be a welcome mat rather than a stumbling block to others.
Hope to see you on Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
Teacher's Notes:
Teacher's Notes:
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When you become a Christian, you become a part of the MINISTRY of the church:
1. Evangelism – inviting others into the family of Christ and
2. Discipleship – leading those people to grow in their walk with Christ.
This is what the Church is all about. Now most all of us would agree with these two truths, but we are not always at our best in being a welcoming presence that encourages growth.
And most of the time, it’s not necessarily something we said to someone but it’s how we made them feel. “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou
Are we welcoming others to our church the same way Jesus welcomed us?
Our first lesson is called Reality Check for good reason. We might think we’re welcoming, but the reality can be entirely different. Almost all churches start out well – they lead people to Christ, serve them, and help them grow in Christ. But sometimes churches like people drift from being Christ-centered to becoming inwardly focused. The doctrine may not have changed, but how the members of the church live out the gospel may change.
We welcome others because of the gospel.
Titus 3:3-11
For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. He poured out His Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior so that, having been justified by His grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life. This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone. But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, because they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning. For you know that such a person has gone astray and is sinning; he is self-condemned.
I. Life before Christ Titus 3:3-6
3 For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 5 he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior
The word once calls attention to life before Christ. Paul along with other believers lived a corrupt life. Their lives before coming to Christ are no different than our lives today.
How Christ Saves Us. (vv. 4-6) The slippery slope of degradation turned on the word but. The word but is often the pivot point in a story. The famous hymn, “Amazing Grace” was penned by a slave merchant who became a Christian and ultimately a gospel preacher. John Newton wrote: “I once was lost, but now am found/ I once was blind but now I see.” Paul had a similar conversion story. He was a persecutor of the church, possibly even a murderer, but his life was changed. He wrote about the source of that change in these verses. The catalyst for life change is Jesus.
How did Jesus accomplish salvation’s plan?
- God's love prompted Him.
- God's “kindness,” compassion, benevolence, and love moved Jesus to take the necessary steps to save us. Jesus saw the need and responded in love. He instigated the action. The Word became flesh (John 1:14). Jesus was God personified as a human being. He “appeared,” a familiar New Testament word, describing Jesus' incarnation. When Jesus appeared, it was a historical event. God took on human flesh. It wasn't enough to love us from a distance; He had to come among us— divinity taking on humanity—to address our sin problem.
- Mercy propelled him. “Mercy” is not getting what we deserve; grace is getting what we don’t deserve. Due to the sin and degradation mentioned in verse three, humanity deserves punishment, death, and justice. Jesus, rich in mercy, offers us salvation.
- He “poured out His Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the agent of salvation. Like at the day of Pentecost when God’s Spirit was poured out on those in the early church, believers throughout all generations have received the washing and regeneration that comes when we believe.
- Our salvation is never based on what we do or what we have done, but rather on what Jesus has done for us. Our salvation is secured by God's work not by our efforts, no matter how righteous our actions may be. Human endeavor will never attain salvation. God is the source and sustainer of our salvation.
Point: Our Ministry is Grounded in the Gospel of Christ.
Apart from Christ we are sinners; each and every one of us. We are transformed ONLY by what God made possible in Christ through the kindness, love, mercy, and grace manifested in His coming. We are made NEW by the cleansing act of Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In Christ, we are heirs of the promise of hope for eternal life.
II. Life with Christ Titus 3:7-11
7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life. 8a This saying is trustworthy. 8b I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone. 9 But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, because they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning. 11 For you know that such a person has gone astray and is sinning; he is self-condemned.
The slippery slope of degradation stops at the point of conversion. The new believer, due to the washing away of the old sin, the promise of a new life, and hope of life to come, begins to walk with Christ daily.
Their lives have been changed. Salvation results in several new arenas.
- The Past Arena: The new believer has been “justified.” A Christian has been made righteous and declared righteous. A new relationship with God has been established. They are now sons and daughters of God.
- The Future Arena: The new believer will be glorified. They are “heirs” to the promise and hope of eternal life. Not only has the new believer come into a new relationship with God and all the riches that new life brings, but they will also have an eternal home with God.
- The Present Arena: The new believer is being sanctified. Their lives are in the change process while on this earth. They are in the process whereby they become more and more like Jesus. This transformation will not be complete until the believer enters their heavenly home.
This change is evidenced by the “good works” that are “good and profitable for everyone.” Having received salvation, the believer validates the gospel by living right and doing good works. What God has done for us compels us to live distinguished and different. While our works do not save us, they do give evidence to the faith that we possess and the seed that abides in us. Paul connected correct theological understanding with proper Christian behavior described as good works. In other words, their character now infused with God’s character will take on the nature, disposition, and actions of God. They will move from a position of ungodliness to one of godliness. Their conduct will be right. It will be a radical change of lifestyle that will distinguish them from nonbelievers.
Titus 3:8b
I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone.
Point: Our Ministry is a Response to the Gospel of Christ
Our good works are a witness to the effectiveness of the gospel in our lives. As believers in God, we are expected to act in ways that demonstrate moral excellence. The things we do as believers in Christ are to benefit all people.
Paul urges Titus to remind the Cretans that they had a responsibility to live differently before others.
How would you describe the connection between “good works” and salvation?
Titus 3:9-11
But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, because they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning. For you know that such a person has gone astray and is sinning; he is self-condemned.
Point: Our Ministry has NO room for Personal Preference or Self-Centeredness
We should avoid arguments that promote division in our fellowship of believers, especially those that have little or no long-term value. Stay away from petulant, divisive individuals who are resistant to warnings and appeals of the truth. Our own sinful attitudes and actions are self-condemning and reveal who we truly are.
How can “foolish debates” distract us from the gospel?
LIVE IT OUT
What draws people to attend a church?
- Appearance of the building?
- Style of worship?
- The kind of music?
- An entertaining preacher?
- Topical or expository sermons?
Even if we agree on each item on the list, we may not agree on their order of importance.
Without denying the significance of any of those things or a dozen others, perhaps we might agree that at least one major factor that influences whether people initially attend and are retained is the people who make up the church. People are inclined to be a part of a church where people demonstrate their love for them, where the fellowship is sweet, and where the opportunities to demonstrate love and care for others are plentiful.
Hence, the point of this lesson: Our lives should serve as a welcome mat into the church. The church is to be Christ-centered not self-centered.
The believer’s life, therefore, is different, enticing people to hear the gospel message. Christ followers live in a way that sets them apart from the rest of society. They are distinct and different in their citizenship, lifestyle, and demeanor. New life in Christ provides an attractive quality and a pleasing aroma, arousing awareness of a changed life.
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