Prepare your heart for the Sermon by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together hearing God's Word.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.

Carefully Think

• Read Titus 1:5-16
• What is the reason that Paul left Titus in Crete?
• How many elders are to be appointed in each of these churches?
• What does it mean to “set in order what remains?”
• What is signifiant about Crete that Paul would leave Titus there?
• Who was Titus?
• Who are overseers according to these verses?
• What does it mean to be above reproach?
• What does it mean to not be pugnacious?
• What does it mean to not be fond of sordid gain?
• What are the elders supposed to use to exhort?

Prayerfully Meditate

• Write out some reasons why it might be beneficial for Titus to appoint multiple elders who are local to the area instead of simply leading himself or appointing only one.
• Consider the process it would it take to appoint elders with these qualifications. What steps will likely be involved in getting elders ready to be appointed?
• What kinds of things might you expect to be on a list of qualifications for selecting overseers that you do not see here?
• Write out a list of connections between the gospel and each of the elder qualifications found in these verses.
• Why might Paul use the term overseer (vs 7) additionally to elder (vs 5)? Consider why it may be helpful to have multiple terms and how they both impact the understanding of this position.
• What is the practical purpose(s) Paul mentions for choosing men who are holding fast to the faithful word?
• How does Paul describe those who need to be corrected, reproved? Reflect on any tendencies in your own heart, mind, or behavior that may need to be corrected.