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11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

The Christian should have nothing to do with the ungodliness of the world, people who follow their own passions. Our lives should be marked by the discipline of self-control. God’s mission is work, and we should be about it. It’s our job do declare to the world what is good, pure, and right. We need to encourage fellow Christians to have nothing to do with ungodliness and to rebuke those who brush it off as not a big deal. That’s our calling…

To Titus, my true child in a common faith:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you

Ministry is not simply the commitment of time and energy to a task, even if it is not stated, part of your task is to recruit others to join you. You shouldn’t do anything altogether alone in the Church. Inevitably there will come a time when your task is done, something might come up, you may move, or you might even graduate to your heavenly reward… but what about that task? Who will continue YOUR work “well, that’s the church’s problem…” is true only in the sense that YOU are the church too. You should have someone to fill-in for you every time you are away (for whatever reason), don’t think that’s someone else’s job to find YOUR replacement… own your job, it’s a good work given to you by God! Paul did the same, when he was gone, there were many to take up his ministry… start recruiting your replacements today!

[Jesus], though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus is by nature divine, He is God. But that kind of status wasn’t something He was willing to hold on to at any cost, not at the cost of not spending eternity with a people He could call His own. Jesus laid aside this right of majesty by becoming a servant in stead of the Sovereign. Though He’s always existed, He was born just like any other man. And even at that, He did not take His rightful place as though the greatest of men, but He was obedient even to death. This death wasn’t simply the academic choice to have His life ended, it was the worst kind of death imaginable, torture on a cross. Because of what Jesus did, Jesus as not left in His humble estate, but He was lifted back to His rightful place. Death could not hold the King. One day, every person will bow their knee to Jesus. You can do it now and live with Him forever, or you can do it later and be excluded from his presence for all eternity. The choice is yours, follow Jesus’ example.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Nobody is perfect… yet. Paul is telling the church who supported his ministry that he is grateful for their willingness to help pay his way. He describes it as a “partnership” in his mission, the mission of the gospel. This work was started among them and it will not finish until Jesus comes back, and He is coming back! Praise the Lord! Don’t ever quit, don’t stop, the gospel still needs to go out to all the nations. This will always be our mission until the end, which is really only the beginning of forever!

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. …Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

Prayer is central to the Christian life, and when we ask, the Lord will protect us. It’s a good practice to think through and ask for God’s protection every day when you wake up.

The truth holds everything together, you can trust the Lord

Living rightly and trusting on Jesus’ perfection gives us life

The gospel is what gives us traction to offer hope to the world

Our trust, not in ourselves, but in God is what preserves our lives

Salvation is our everything

And we are meant to spend time in training with God’s Word to actually use it

All of this begins and ends with prayer. Ask for God’s protection, He will give it. As for purpose, you have it, it’s the great commission. Let’s go!