"Manifested His word through preaching..."
Text: Titus 1:3
THE WORD OF GOD
Arguable the most significant thing Paul felt deeply committed to was the ministry of the word of God. He preached, taught, and defended the Word of God through his ministry! His was a very “word-centred ministry”.
“But has in due time manifested His word through preaching,
which was committed to me according to the commandment of
God our Saviour.”
Titus 1:3
1. “But has in due time”
a) The phrase “due time” may also be translated as God’s “own time”.
b) God had in time past manifested His word through the prophets (Hebrews 1:1).
c) But according to His own time schedule He has spoken to mankind through His Son (Hebrews 1:2).
2. “Manifested His word through preaching”
a) The Greek terminology for “word” is “logos”.
b) Jesus was called “the logos” (John 1:1).
c) Manifestation of the word
i) The authority of Jesus was obvious to all who heard Him teach the word of God (Mark 1:22).
ii) People marvelled at the graciousness of the words He spoke (Luke 4:22).
d) “Through preaching”
i) The preaching of the cross manifests the saving-power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18).
ii) The preaching of the cross manifests the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:21).
3. “Which was committed to me”
a) The ministry of the preaching of the Word was held close to Paul’s word.
b) He saw this ministry as something God had personally committed to him.
c) He spoke of this in his epistle to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:11).
4. “According to the commandment of God our Saviour”
a) Paul knew that he was totally unworthy of being put into the ministry because of his sins.
b) How then did he become a servant of God and an apostle?
i) By the grace of God (1 Timothy 1:13-14).
ii) By the express commandment of God who saved him from his sins.