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 3:1-7.
• To whom is Paul addressing the "Remind" command? Who is "them"?
• Read Titus 1-2. In that context, how do these reminders relate to the entire letter?
• Titus 3:3 explains the reason for the reminder. How does this help understand why Paul needed Titus to remind the church at Crete of these things?
• Verse 4 has a contrasting conjunction, "but," connecting it to the prior verses. What is the contrast between verses 1-3 and 4?
• What is the main action in verse 4? What is the result of that action in verse 5?
• Paul's explanation in verse 5 of salvation also contains another contrast. How is Paul contrasting our salvation in light of man and God?
• In verses 5 and 6, can you identify the triune God at work in each member of the Trinity?
• Verse 7 starts with "so that," giving the result of justification. How does this "result" tie in with 2:11-15 last week, specifically with verse 13?

Prayerfully Meditate

• Compare the "remind" commands to the character qualities already listed in Titus 1-2. How are these the same or different? What does that call us to do today with these reminders?
• What is foolish referring to in verse 3? How were we foolish? Dwell on your pre-salvation state. How does Paul indicate that thinking on this impacts how we are to be with others?
• What does the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit look like? Do you see this work in your life? Should you look for this work in others in the church? Why or why not?
• What should your heart feel and your mind think when you see that this renewing and regeneration is poured out richly through Christ? List out several specific answers.
• How does verse go even further to show us we will be "heirs" according to the hope of eternal life? The heir of what? How does that compare to the richly poured-out work of Christ?