He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
- Titus 3:5b-7
This passage builds on Paul’s thoughts to Titus from the previous few verses, beautifully conveying the true heart of the gospel message of salvation. These verses remind us of the Spirit’s transforming work, the generosity of God’s grace, and the eternal hope we share as heirs of His kingdom. We were once foolish and enslaved by passions, but now we are saved, not because of anything we have done, but because of God’s mercy.
The second half of verse 5 picks up the thought and expands it, showing how salvation works and what it means. Paul begins with an image of cleansing: “the washing of rebirth.” The word rebirth refers to being “born again,” a complete new beginning. It echoes Jesus’ teaching to Nicodemus in John 3:3 that “no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” The idea of washing suggests not just forgiveness of sins but also purification and transformation. It is more than a surface cleansing; it is a new life created by God’s Spirit.
Many people today search for a “fresh start,” whether through self-help books, therapy, or “reinventing themselves.” But the gospel offers something far deeper: an entirely new nature. For the church, this means we must continually proclaim that Christianity is not about self-improvement, but about God’s power to make people new.
Paul then speaks of “renewal by the Holy Spirit.” Rebirth marks the beginning, but renewal is ongoing. The Spirit doesn’t just save us and leave us; He continues to shape, sanctify, and empower us daily. Renewal implies growth, change, and transformation into Christ’s likeness. Paul reminds us that genuine Christian life is impossible apart from the Spirit’s continual renewing work. Our preaching, worship, and community life must be Spirit-dependent, not merely human-driven.
Then in verse 6, Paul describes the Spirit as one “whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.” God is not stingy with His Spirit. The phrase “poured out” suggests abundance, not scarcity. Salvation is not a minimal transaction but a lavish gift. This echoes Acts 2, where the Spirit was poured out at Pentecost, empowering the church for mission. Many Christians live as if God’s resources are limited, as though He gives just enough grace to get by. But Paul insists that God’s Spirit is poured out abundantly! This truth should fill us with confidence and hope. Churches should cultivate a culture of expectancy, believing that God will supply everything needed for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
In verse 7, Paul shares that we have “been justified by his grace.” Justification is a legal term, meaning to be declared righteous before God. It’s not about earning righteousness but receiving it as a gift through Christ’s sacrifice. In our modern, performance-driven culture, justification by grace is a radical message. Many people, even in the Church, live as though God’s acceptance depends on their achievements, morality, or religious devotion. Paul shatters this illusion: we are justified solely by grace. Churches must be vigilant against legalism and remind believers that our identity and worth are rooted in God’s declaration, not our performance.
Finally, Paul describes the result of all of this: “we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” Being heirs means we are children of God, entitled to His promises and His eternal Kingdom. Eternal life is not just a future reality but also a present assurance. It gives believers resilience in trials, confidence in uncertainty, and motivation for holiness. It is so easy for us to only focus on the here and now, but our hope should truly be eternal. Churches should cultivate a forward-looking faith that shapes how we live now. The promise of eternal life should give us boldness to serve sacrificially, endure hardship, and invest in what truly matters.
Being a Christian is not just about moral improvement. It is a radical transformation through the power of the Holy Spirit. Churches must clearly present the gospel of rebirth in a world that craves change but resists surrender. Programs, strategies, and efforts are good, but without the Holy Spirit, they are powerless. Churches and individual believers should emphasize prayer, dependence, and openness to the Spirit’s renewing work.
Instead of a mindset of scarcity, we as believers should rejoice in the abundance of God’s Spirit. Our worship should reflect gratitude, and our mission should be fueled by confidence in God’s overflowing grace. Legalism is always a threat, but we must hold firmly to justification by grace and resist cultural tendencies to base our worth on performance or success. Finally, the eternal hope we have in Jesus should shape our daily lives. We should live with heaven in view by investing in people, serving sacrificially, and enduring hardships with joy.
In a time when many feel exhausted, disillusioned, or uncertain, this passage encourages us to refocus on what God has done for us and how we should live that out through the power of the Holy Spirit. God has done a complete work in us, is continually renewing us, and has secured for us a glorious future. That is good news worth holding, celebrating, and proclaiming.
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John 13-17 contains the final teachings of Jesus’ life before His crucifixion. It was a very difficult time for Jesus because from that point on, Jesus’ disciples would effectively be on their own… except they would not be left on their own. For three years, Jesus had trained His disciples to be teachers and preachers of a new message and to lead a new Kingdom, but none of them got it. None of them would understand what Jesus had been saying all along for another fifty days, and this was the hardest message for them. Because Jesus was leaving and they were going to suffer greatly. In this post, I’ll cover His teachings in John 13-15.
After washing His disciples’ feet, Jesus told everyone that He was about to be betrayed. Then Jesus immediately identified Judas by giving him the dipped bread and told him to do what he was about to do. Once Judas left, no one suspected him. Judas had the money box and suspected Jesus was sent to get something. With that, Jesus announced that He was leaving, and where He was going, they could not come. This was a total heartbreak for the disciples. They knew Jesus was their Messiah, their Savior, and they loved Him and knew He had everything they could ever need and had nowhere else to go. Peter said he would go anywhere, including dying for Jesus, and Jesus simply sighed and told Peter he would deny Him three times that very night.
But Jesus then began to comfort the disciples by telling them what He was going to do while away: prepare a place for them and then come back for them, and they would know where and how to meet Him. Thomas and Philip tried to get clarification on this and never understood that Jesus was not merely the Messiah, but was one with God; by knowing Jesus, they knew the Father. But then Jesus said He would not leave them alone but would give them something far better than His physical presence: the Holy Spirit. And it would be the Holy Spirit who would do more than just comfort them.
The Holy Spirit is called “the Helper,” the “parakletos,” and is so much more than the “helper” that Eve was to Adam. The Holy Spirit is the very engine that makes the car called mankind operate as intended. It is the Holy Spirit who teaches us how to love one another. It is the Holy Spirit who teaches how to obey the Lord. It is the Holy Spirit who overcomes the world and enables us to rise above our culture and live the supernatural life.
I want to dwell on this for a moment because we have a severe problem in our time today. We have a massive movement of making a huge emphasis on the Holy Spirit that attributes practically anything and everything to Him, no matter how ridiculous it is. And we have a reaction to that movement that practically denies anything to do with Him. The Charismatics very well acknowledge the action of the supernatural, but they rarely check what they say or think against Scripture to know what is actually Him or not. But the Reformed cessationists, while doing an excellent job at checking this movement, all but practically deny the actual nature of the supernatural in the process. Many truly think that the nature of spiritual warfare is ONLY regarding teachings, and they miss the mark on that one. What they end up with if they are not careful is a very well-constructed theology, but one that is dead. Both sides have a severe problem: no real power.
The world does not give them the time of day. The world has always had to respect the true Church when she has had power, often to the point of taking it very seriously to try to shut it down. But with only a few exceptions, the government has been very subtle in its opposition to the church. They go after Creationists because that is where a severe threat to worldly ideals lies, but they aren’t going after the church as a whole. Not openly. Just gradually setting things up so that the Church will not raise her head above an accepted level. And I am asking: Why has the church allowed this? And I have to ask myself, why have I been part of “keeping the status quo”? We are to live supernatural lives, and we are satisfied with pure academic lives. That’s not what Jesus intended. Jesus intended for us to be a force that no one could stop, and the source of that force is the Holy Spirit.
After that, Jesus emphasizes making sure our source is Him. We must be attached to the vine and get our source of life from the vine; otherwise, we are merely dead branches, and dead wood is only good for the fire. And worse are branches that don’t produce fruit and are just wasting the vine’s energy. So those will be pruned. It’s a severe warning that those who are supposed to be Christians can’t just get a free ride. But those who engage in the Father’s mission will have a joy beyond anything that we can describe. The mission we are sent to do cannot be done without our power source: the Holy Spirit.
Jesus repeatedly emphasizes to the disciples to love one another. He says this many times in this final teaching. Jesus calls them “friends,” and for God to call you a friend is something special. Never forget, He is still the King, and we are still His servants. We see throughout Acts and the Epistles that the Apostles never lost sight of this. They never forget that Jesus was King and they were but His servants, yet Jesus called them His friends. And that is a severe problem with the world, because the world hates Jesus.
The world has been in rebellion against God from the very start. The world does not want God to rule, and the ultimate reason is that Jesus points out that they are sinners who deserve judgment. The world hates us because we are no longer of them, of their same likeness. We are representatives of God, and they hate God. So why would we want to curry their favor? Now, understand this. They don’t hate God because of ignorance of Him. They hate God because they DO know Him. They DO know that God exists, and they hate Him; they hate God without a cause. But when we have the Holy Spirit, we need to not fear them or their silly arguments or their attempts to weaponize the law against us. Let them try. We go preach Jesus because that is what a Holy Spirit-filled person will do.
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At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
- Titus 3:3-5a
Few passages in Scripture capture the “before and after” of Christian salvation as powerfully as this one. In just a couple of verses, Paul moves from the dark reality of our life without Christ to the glorious light of God’s saving mercy. He reminds Titus and us that the gospel is not about what we’ve done for God but about what God has done for us in Christ.
Just before this, Paul called for believers to live peaceably and gently in society. Christians should live this way because we know firsthand what it means to be lost in sin and found by grace. Remembering who we once were keeps us humble, compassionate, and thankful. Remembering how we were saved keeps us centered on mercy rather than pride.
Paul begins in verse 3 with a sobering description of human life apart from Christ: foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved. The word “foolish” here does not mean lacking intelligence but lacking spiritual discernment. Apart from Christ, we lived without the wisdom of God, following our own ways. “Disobedient” underscores our rebellion against God’s commands. This is the universal human condition; we resist God’s authority and seek independence.
Not only are we rebellious, but we are also deceived. Sin blinds us to truth. We think we are free, but in reality, we are enslaved. We chase satisfaction in places that cannot satisfy, believing lies about what will make us happy. The language of being enslaved is strong but necessary. Our desires, instead of being good gifts under God’s direction, dominate and control us. Whether it’s lust, greed, gluttony, or selfish ambition, sinful desires trap us. The modern world often celebrates “following your desires” or “following your heart,” but Paul reveals the tragic reality: apart from Christ, desires enslave us.
But sin is not just against God; it is also against others. A life without Christ is marked by the breakdown of relationships: malice (ill-will toward others), envy (resenting others’ blessings), and cycles of hatred. This description may sound extreme, but look at the anger, division, and hostility in our world today. It is the natural fruit of a heart estranged from God.
After painting this bleak picture, in verse 4, Paul shifts to one of the most beautiful contrasts in Scripture. Human sin is not the end of the story! God stepped in. Salvation is not the result of humanity climbing its way up to God, but of God coming down to us. God’s kindness and love appeared and were made visible in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
Notice what motivated salvation: kindness and love. God is not distant or indifferent. His heart toward sinners is compassion. Even while we were foolish, deceived, and enslaved, His love moved Him to act. This is crucial for us to grasp. Many imagine God as perpetually angry, waiting for us to earn His approval. But the gospel reveals the opposite: God moved first, out of love. His kindness and mercy are the fountain of salvation.
At the start of verse 5, Paul makes it absolutely clear that we were not saved by anything that we had done. No amount of moral effort, religious rituals, or good deeds could save us (see Ephesians 2:8-9). Even our best attempts at righteousness are tainted by sin and fall short of God’s perfect standard (see Isaiah 64:6 and Romans 3:23-24). Salvation is not a reward for human effort.
Mercy means God withholds the judgment we deserve and gives us grace instead. Salvation is a gift, not a wage. It is rooted in God’s compassion, not our merit. This truth is the heartbeat of the gospel and the foundation of Christian assurance. If salvation were based on our works, we could never be certain. But because it is based on God’s mercy, we can rest secure that we are saved through God’s grace and our faith in Christ Jesus.
Paul didn’t write these verses as abstract theology. He wrote them to shape how Christians live in the real world. If God’s kindness and love moved Him to save us, then kindness and love should be foundational in our lives. The truth that we were saved not by works but by mercy should shape how we relate to others. We must not demand that people earn our love or forgiveness. Just as God extended mercy freely, so should we.
But the most important part of this to apply to our lives is that salvation is God’s work, not ours. This gives us confidence and security. It also directs all glory to Him. We should not be glorified for anything that we do, but rather, we should direct all glory to God, who truly deserves it. That should be our greatest witness and testimony: what God did for us and how He gave us salvation through His great love and mercy.
For followers of Jesus Christ today, this truth should shape everything about our lives. May we never forget where we came from, and may we always live in the light of God’s mercy.
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During the Last Supper, Jesus carried out His most humiliating and final act of servitude in His human life: the washing of the disciples’ feet. After this night, Jesus would go face-to-face with His enemies and surrender His life to them. Then, upon His resurrection, Jesus was no longer the “passive servant” that some had made Him out to be, but the royal King making His final rounds before ascending. Yes, He would serve a couple of meals, but after the Resurrection, Jesus was no longer the lamb. He was now the lion. Here at the Last Supper, Jesus gave the final example of what true leadership looks like: taking the lowest spot and doing the things that were often reserved for the lowest menial labor. It is this moment, along with Philippians 2:5-11, that gives rise to the phrase, the Servant King. That title is nowhere found in Scripture directly, but there is truth to it. Jesus was and is the King, and He is a king who did serve. But understand that Jesus looked down on no one, and while He served and supported, He absolutely did not bow to anyone’s command.
Multiple ministers and missionaries I have encountered knew precisely what to do with anyone who wanted to come serve with them. When they asked if they could preach or evangelize, they would hand over the toilet brush. Because if they were not willing to do the work behind the spotlight, they were undeserving of the spotlight. Too many people think ministry in the Kingdom is a glorious spotlight of fame and TV/YouTube spots. But it’s not. It’s often a dirty job. The pastoral position is like being the father of a family. It gets messy when you deal with people day in and day out. The people who don’t want to do that only see the speaking part, the celebrity part, and the “get taken out for lunch” part, and then they can leave and leave the dirty work for someone else. Jesus never promoted any such notion.
Jesus’ final act of service was to wash His disciples’ feet, including those of Judas, whom Jesus knew would betray Him within a few hours. Peter realized what Jesus was doing, and good old foot-in-the-mouth Peter insisted that Jesus should not bring Himself down to such a position. He would rather do it himself. Then, when Jesus corrected him, Peter asked for a whole-body washing. Oh, how many of us sound just like Peter, if not more bone-headed?
One thing Jesus made clear was that His kingdom was not of this world. It works completely backwards from how mankind would plot it or plan it. All the Jews and even the disciples thought Jesus was going to rescue them from Rome and be who they thought David would be. But David was just a picture of defeating physical enemies, and Jesus would defeat far more powerful enemies. The Jews wanted to rule with force, but Jesus would rule with love and authority. The kingdom of God would spread by preaching and loving each other. When Pilate questioned Jesus, he was afraid of a Jewish revolt – not that it would succeed, but that it would be a headache for him to deal with. But Jesus said His kingdom was not of this world, and Jesus’ final act of service was just that – an action that is not of this world.
Jesus’ model for ministry was to genuinely help people and to lift them up, at first with ONE round of physical needs, and then with spiritual needs. He was the antithesis of the “social justice” movement that has usurped His name. The social justice movement has never been about actually helping people, but a Marxist ideology to remove individual wealth and distribute it “among the poor.” The pretense is to help the poor, but the actual agenda is to keep the poor poor and make the middle class subject to the state, so the state controls the resources. It’s Communism pretending to be generous to the poor. That’s not what Jesus was about. Jesus was about the individuals helping the poor as they saw need and as they had ability. If Jesus saw a wagon that was broken down, He’d get under it and fix it. He didn’t just say “go the extra mile” to carry a Roman soldier’s gear, but would actually do it. Jesus was about going above and beyond helping true needs, but Jesus also had limits. Jesus fed the 5000, but when they came to get seconds and treat Jesus as a welfare system, Jesus didn’t give them another bite. Jesus was a servant, the servant king, the King who served, but He was going to be nobody’s call boy.
Jesus is not a genie. He does not serve upon command. He serves by choice, and He will draw a line at what He does. He never demanded that anyone follow Him with any threats or even bribes, but He certainly warned and called out those who deliberately refused to even consider Him. He wept at those who loved their sin too much to let it go, but He held nothing back at those who would hold back His sheep from the truth and from Him. Yet Jesus treats His sheep with tender love and care, and sometimes that means taking them through some brutal areas so that they can graze and eat their fill and rest by very good waters. This model is how we are to handle others. We are not to be doormats, but we are to serve those whom we can, and sometimes that includes our enemies. We are not to lord anything over others. This is part of why I don’t like apologists who have to boast their credentials as though they mean much. I especially have no respect for those who think their credentials make them deserve some kind of respect or attention. That’s what the Pharisees did. We don’t need to show our credentials; that’s worldly thinking. Our credentials are our love for each other and our love for others as we deal with their actual needs, physical and spiritual.
Let us take Jesus’ example and serve one another, even doing the menial tasks without complaint, even if it means taking a step back in our professional career, and build up those who are around us. Yes, even those pagan administrators and managers who don’t know a thing about the real world or what we actually have to do. Because if God told Israel to support Babylon because they would be blessed if they blessed Babylon, so will we. If we make our bosses, our managers, and our leaders proper, so shall we. We serve a higher authority, and if we serve Him, He will honor us.
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Read Isaiah 40:27-31.
Today, I would like to share with you about the importance of having a loving Christian supportive father in one's life. As many of you know, my father passed away in April of 2025. I've always known that my father, Frank DeZurik, loved me, but it hasn't been until recently that I've really begun to understand and embrace what this really means and looks like for my life and for his. My father has written so many journals almost every day for years that I don't know if I will ever get through them all. Here's something he wrote back in July of 2003. You'll see that we were on vacation and deciding whether to take a new youth ministry position or not.
Today, Jason is preaching at Becky's church in Minnesota. Neither Becky or Jason and Jaya know I am here. Judy [Frank's wife and my mother] tried to get off work but…
I know we both are praying that the empowerment of the Holy Spirit is upon Jason to preach God's word because someone needs to hear God's message through him. We pray renewed strength upon Jason because we know how exhausting vacation can be, and with Jaya and Jason needing renewed strength and guidance upon their lives, as husband and wife and mother and father in making decisions about whether to take a position in Minnesota or not.
Fathers, if you don't think you matter, you do. Your prayers matter. God not only made you, but He made the children that He's given to you. He has given you an incredible responsibility. Don't just waste your time with the children He's given to you.
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Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.
- Titus 3:1-2
The Christian life is not lived in a vacuum. We live in neighborhoods, communities, cities, and nations. We deal with employers, teachers, police officers, elected officials, and people of every sort – some kind, some harsh, some supportive, and others hostile to our faith. The gospel calls us not just to believe in Christ but to embody His grace in how we relate to the world around us.
In this passage, the apostle Paul addresses how believers should live in society, especially within a culture that is often opposed to their faith. His words to Titus remind us that the gospel is not only about personal salvation but also about public witness. The church must live in such a way that Christ’s beauty and truth shine through.
Paul begins by telling Titus to remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities (verse 1). This would not have been an easy command for the believers in Crete. They were under Roman rule, and Roman authorities were often unjust, corrupt, or indifferent to the Christian faith. Yet Paul insists that submission, not rebellion, should mark believers’ posture toward governing powers. This echoes Romans 13:1-7, where Paul writes that every authority has been established by God. Submission does not mean blind obedience to evil, but it does mean respecting the role of government in maintaining order and justice.
In today’s polarized climate, Christians often struggle with how to relate to political leaders. Some are tempted to idolize their preferred leaders, while others fall into constant criticism and hostility. But Paul’s words to Titus call us to a posture of respect and prayer, even when we disagree. We must remember that government is not ultimate; Christ is. But God has appointed authorities for the common good, and our submission reflects our trust in Him.
Paul then expands this idea of submission by commanding obedience (verse 1). Obedience includes respecting laws, paying taxes, following regulations, and honoring societal order, unless such commands directly contradict God’s Word. For followers of Christ, obedience reflects integrity. Christians should not be known for cutting corners, cheating systems, or disregarding rules. By obeying, we demonstrate that we are trustworthy citizens who contribute to the common good. Disobedience for selfish reasons damages our witness.
Submission and obedience could be seen as passive, but Paul adds an active call: be ready to do good (verse 1). Believers are not just rule-followers; they are to be proactive agents of blessing. We should always be looking for opportunities to serve, help, and build up others. Whether that is volunteering at a church or community organization that serves the less fortunate, tutoring children, or caring for an elderly friend, there are many opportunities to live out this command to do good.
Next, Paul warns believers not to slander (verse 2). This means not to speak evil of others, not to spread lies, and not to attack people’s character unfairly. This was especially relevant in Crete, where harsh speech and quarrelsome behavior were common. But this command also directly applies in our digital age. Social media has made slander more widespread than ever. Christians can easily fall into mocking political opponents, spreading unverified claims, or attacking others online in the name of truth. But Paul says, “Do not slander anyone.” No exceptions. This doesn’t mean we avoid speaking truth, especially against injustice. But it does mean truth must be spoken with grace and fairness. Christ is honored when Christians show restraint and speak truth with humility.
Paul then calls believers to be peaceable (not quarrelsome) and considerate (verse 2). This means not looking for fights, not stirring division, and showing empathy toward others. This challenges the Church’s tendency toward division and factions. Many Christians today are quick to divide over secondary issues, to argue harshly, or to treat others with contempt. Instead, Paul calls us to seek peace, practice empathy, and model unity. Imagine the witness of a Church marked not by division but by gentleness and consideration toward others, even toward those outside the faith.
Finally, Paul instructs believers to show gentleness toward everyone (verse 2). Gentleness is not weakness but strength under control, modeled perfectly by Jesus. Notice that Paul says “everyone,” not just fellow believers, not just those who are kind to us, but even toward opponents. Followers of Christ should be known for gentleness in all our relationships, especially with opponents, with those who are vulnerable, and with one another. Gentleness is desperately needed in today’s harsh, confrontational culture. When Christians show gentleness, they stand out as lights in the darkness.
This passage is not simply a list of moral commands; it is a strategy for gospel witness. How we live toward society and those around us reflects the gospel we believe. Submission shows that we trust God’s sovereignty. Obedience shows integrity. Doing good shows Christ’s compassion. Avoiding slander shows Christ’s truthfulness. Peace, consideration, and gentleness show Christ’s character. If we as the Church live this way, then we not only glorify God, but the world gets to see a glimpse of God’s Kingdom.
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The final 24 hours of Jesus’ life on earth before His crucifixion had arrived, and it was so critical to John that he dedicated chapters 13 through 19 (about 1/3 of his book) to this night alone. The other Gospel authors give a lengthy chapter on these events, but none go into detail like John does. The only part John skimps on is the Passover Meal itself because John instead focuses on the teaching that took place during the meal. So I will focus on Matthew’s take on this meal. But this meal was crucial; only one meal ever served compared in significance: the original Passover Meal on the night before Israel left Egypt.
Jesus longed to eat this meal because this would trigger the final sequence of events that His earthly life was designed for. The Jews had been celebrating this meal for 1500 years as the marker for their God being their God of salvation. To the Jew, every time they thought of their salvation and deliverance, they all looked back to this one moment of history when they ate the meal in which the death of the firstborn would pass them over, and then God brought them out of Egypt. In the morning after that meal, every one of them would be packing up and staging to leave Egypt for good. This Passover meal was to be a perpetual reminder that the judgment that was due to all and to be placed on all would be passed over by the blood of the lamb, and in that passing by, the deliverance and freedom from slavery would take place. Israel would never serve as slaves again as a nation. This was the marker moment, and throughout the Bible, God would identify Himself as, “I am the Lord, your God, who brought you out of Egypt.” This Passover meal was the moment in which Israel ceased being a family and became a nation. This was the moment that Israel became Israel.
But all of it was for a much greater purpose. The Passover and the Exodus were a physical picture of the ultimate reality that would come this very night as Jesus sat down with His disciples. It was a private setting in an upper room in Jerusalem where Jesus would give His final teachings and carry out His final act of service before locking in and facing the greatest trial any man could ever face. This was the meal of meals that we honor and celebrate today.
I am not going to go into the details of the ritual, but the meal was marked by several dishes that each had their own symbolic meaning, including remembering the times of slavery, and several cups that had their own meaning, too. But it was during this meal that Jesus changed it up. No longer would people be remembering the exodus from Egypt and slavery, which was only a memorial for Jews. Instead, Jesus made this a memorial for the exodus from sin itself, and it would be something that people from all over the world would be able to experience.
Jesus identified two things: the bread and the cup. The bread would be the body, broken for us, and the cup would be the blood shed for us. As I am writing this, my pastor has been preaching quite a bit on the Lord’s Supper, and there is good reason to believe, like with Israel in Jesus’ time, that we’ve lost sight of what this meal really is. Too many of us take it way too lightly, and I have been guilty of that myself. Jesus said we must eat His flesh and drink His blood, and most understood precisely what He was saying. Jesus is to be our sustenance – our source, our food, the very thing that we rely on for our life.
Now, some will say that the bread and the wine become the literal body and blood of Christ, and others will say that they are just symbols of the body and blood. I believe both are wrong. Christ is not still on the cross, but at the same time, to merely treat the bread and wine as symbols takes away the sacredness of this meal. It is worth noting that the demonic, the witches, etc., will take the bread and cups from Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, but not from most Reformed churches. Why not? Because the spiritual side of darkness knows that the power in the Lord’s Supper is hardly present in most Reformed circles. And no, I am not supporting those churches here, but I’m addressing a concern in doctrinally sound churches.
One thing I am learning is that the Lord’s Supper is so much more than a mere remembrance of what Jesus did. When we partake in it, it is also a declaration of war against Satan and his minions and against sin. Yet so many of us will sin all week long, all day long, then go to church and take the Lord’s Supper and act like sin never happened. There have been times I have wondered if I should partake due to what had been going on in my head that morning, and it’s a battle that I keep losing. The taking of the Lord’s Supper is to remind us of the victory over sin, that we are not to live that way anymore, and not be a cover for our sins. People have been sick and literally died because they were taking the Lord’s Supper unworthily and put a curse upon themselves.
The Lord’s Supper is for believers who have professed the faith and begun to live according to those principles. It is not for anyone who lives an open life of sin. John Calvin denied a group of immoral men from partaking because they were living lives of sexual fornication. They came in one service, demanding to be served, and Calvin barred the way. They drew swords, and Calvin did not budge. They left, and Calvin protected the sanctity of this precious ordinance of the church.
There is power in the Lord’s Supper that we simply don’t recognize in our Protestant, Reformed circles anymore. And it’s time we get a grip that we are to live supernatural lives, battling against supernatural foes, and living for the supernatural God. And yes, there is rationality behind it, but not according to human wisdom. Jesus established the Lord’s Supper as one of the two ordinances that mark and identify the Christian as being separated from the world, as being delivered from sin, as being the people of God and not of this world, and on the journey toward holiness in the process of sanctification. Let us return to what this meal is truly about and not lose its true meaning.
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As most of you know, my father, Frank DeZurik, went to be with our Heavenly Father in April of this year. In June of this year we had his Celebration of Life service with family and friends. It was a service of great honor and joy and of great remembrance, and for that, I am so thankful.
This has been an incredible time of pain, suffering, and much mourning, not only for me, but for our entire family. Though it has been hard, it has also been a blessing and a time of refocusing, revitalization, and new life for our entire family. It's almost as if, in my father's death, his entire family line has been reborn! It's almost as if we're getting to know him even more, now that he's gone, than when he was with us. It has been a time of pausing, contemplating, and seeking the Lord in all that we're doing.
This has not only been one of the most difficult times of my life, but it has also been one of the most rewarding times of the life that God has given to me. I am in serious awe and thankful to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I am beginning to understand why I am the way I am and why I think the way I do, more and more every single day. It is because of the great earthly father that Almighty God has given to me. It's almost as if in my father's death on the earth, he has become even more alive. I cannot really explain it, but hopefully this will help.
Here's just part of an unedited excerpt out of this very notebook:
"Awake the Dawn"
How often I have missed spending time with my Lord in the morning as he wants and desires that I call upon him in the dawning of each day. He blesses me with each new morning, an opportunity to tell someone through my actions or words or both about His saving grace. But I walk in fear of my own strength. All too often I try to express and show others His love and spend little time seeking Him in His Word, seeking him in conversation in prayer... If I don't stay in his word and in prayer daily, it's way too easy to say, "I don't know Him" and yet, How true that statement is because I don't spend the time getting to know Him. You can't say you know someone if you don't spend time with them. He wants us to get to know and understand Him better."
There's much more to this, but my father wrote this back in 2003 on May 2nd. He literally wrote this after reading Psalm 57:4-11. WOW!
I hope you have been blessed reading this.
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These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.
- Titus 2:15
Paul’s pastoral letter to Titus is filled with practical instruction for leading and nurturing the church in Crete. Having spent the first two chapters laying out sound doctrine and godly conduct for various groups within the church, Paul closes chapter 2 with a powerful exhortation to Titus himself: teach these things, encourage and rebuke with authority, and don’t let anyone disregard you. While Paul’s words were directed to a young church leader in the first century, they remain deeply relevant for the Church today.
To fully grasp verse 15, we must remember what precedes it. Paul had just finished a sweeping passage (Titus 2:11-14) describing the grace of God that brings salvation, trains believers to renounce ungodliness, and prepares us as Christ’s purified people, eager to do good. Read more about that here.
Titus was to proclaim this vision of transformed living to the believers in Crete, who were surrounded by cultural corruption. Sound doctrine wasn’t just intellectual; it needed to be practical, shaping each believer’s life and witness. Thus, when Paul says “These, then, are the things you should teach,” he is referring not just to abstract theology but to the gospel and its ethical implications. Titus was to ensure that believers lived in a way that adorned the gospel. His teaching was not optional; it was essential for the health and witness of the church.
Paul gives Titus a threefold charge: teach these things, encourage the believers, and rebuke with authority.
Paul first emphasizes that Titus must teach in accordance with sound doctrine. The gospel must be taught clearly, consistently, and faithfully. Without instruction, believers will be vulnerable to false teachers and compromising with the culture. Clarity means making sure God’s truth is presented in a way that it can be easily understood. Consistently means continually reminding believers of God’s truth. Faithfulness means standing firm on the true message and not watering it down.
For today’s Church, we need pastors and leaders who are not merely motivational speakers or organizational managers, but teachers of the Word. Biblical literacy is declining in many churches today, leaving believers vulnerable to shallow theology and cultural ideologies. This verse reminds us that teaching God’s truth is non-negotiable.
The next charge is for Titus to encourage others. The Greek word here carries the sense of urging, comforting, and building up. Teaching must not only inform the mind but also encourage the heart. Paul is clear: pastors and teachers are not to wield the Word as a hammer that crushes, but as a tool that builds up. Encouragement helps weary believers persevere, strengthens the fainthearted, and reminds the church of God’s grace.
This form of encouragement looks like pointing believers to the hope of Christ’s return, reassuring them that God’s grace is sufficient in their weakness, celebrating faithfulness and growth (however small), and inspiring believers to pursue holiness not out of fear but gratitude. Encouragement is often undervalued today, even though we face constant discouragement from the world, temptations, and trials. Pastors, teachers, and fellow believers must continually encourage one another in the gospel.
But at the same time that Paul tells Titus to encourage, he also tells him to rebuke. Rebuking is the flip side of encouragement; it is correction when necessary. Love does not mean turning a blind eye to sin or error, but correcting one another with God’s grace. If believers are straying into false teaching, destructive habits, or ungodly living, rebuke is essential.
Rebuke in Scripture is always aimed at restoration, not humiliation. The goal is not to shame but to bring repentance and renewed obedience. This might mean correcting a doctrinal error that undermines the gospel, calling out sinful behavior that damages the message of Christ, or warning believers when they are being deceived by worldly values. In a culture that idolizes tolerance and avoids confrontation, rebuke is difficult. But if leaders fail to rebuke when necessary, they are not protecting their fellow believers. Titus was not to shrink back from confrontation, and neither should we.
At the end of this command, Paul adds “with all authority.” This authority did not come from Titus’ personality, experience, or position. It came from God’s Word and Paul’s apostolic commission. Titus was to speak with confidence, knowing that he was conveying God’s truth, not his own opinion. Today, pastoral authority must remain grounded in Scripture. A preacher has no authority in himself, but only insofar as he faithfully teaches God’s Word. When pastors proclaim Scripture, they speak with divine authority.
Finally, Paul tells Titus, “Do not let anyone despise you.” Paul knew Titus would face opposition, but Titus must not allow himself to be disregarded or intimidated. He could do this by living and teaching in such a way that respect was earned. Integrity, consistency, and courage would silence critics. The same applies today. Pastors and leaders must not allow fear of criticism or cultural pressure to silence them. They must teach faithfully, encourage lovingly, rebuke courageously, and carry themselves with integrity. While some will still despise them, the weight of God’s truth will stand.
We as believers all need sound teaching. We must embrace both encouragement and rebuke. We should respect Godly authority and live in a way that commends the gospel message of Jesus Christ, never compromising Biblical truth.
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Jesus concludes His teaching about the end times with three parables in Matthew 25 that warn about what will take place in the final days: the separation of the genuine from the counterfeit. For all of church history, the two are going to be mixed, and the Parable of the Sower gives a clear indication of this. Now, this may baffle people, but there is no place in Scripture that says we cannot know who is saved and who is not. It actually says the opposite; we can know. Every person gives indications of where they truly stand and where they don’t. Some will be obvious, and some will be harder to tell. And I am not suggesting we go hunting to mark everyone. But in Jesus’ parables, we get clues of character and behavior that mark a born-again believer and those who are not. The three parables in Matthew 25 give some of these indicators.
First, we have the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. Again, both groups are professing believers. In the context of a Jewish wedding, five of these took their job seriously and came ready for the long haul, with extra oil in the event of a delay. The other five were rather nonchalant about it and came expecting the arrival to be instant. Since the bridegroom was delayed, everyone fell asleep while waiting. Then, when he arrived, the wise ones were prepared and could get in position immediately. The foolish ones could not, rushed to get oil for their lamps, and missed the event. There are way too many of us who take church too casually and treat God as a mere concept instead of an actual person.
Then we have the Parable of the Talents. Three servants are trained and equipped to do what they need to do, and each is given the resources in accordance with their abilities. Two servants did what they were supposed to do, but the third did nothing with his. The believer is supposed to engage in the work he is called to do, but many only use these gifts for self or not at all. In America, we have this total consumer mindset where a church is only about me and what it can provide for us. Because churches are built around that mindset, offering a service for consumption instead of a message to give, the talents God has given many are going to waste and rot. But the faithful servants who still have the Kingdom mindset are going to use those talents to bring in more income, fruit, and spiritual goods to God’s “storeroom.”
Then we have the Parable of the Separation of Sheep from Goats. Throughout the whole church age, the true believers and false believers are going to be intermixed. Now, take notice that in no parable or teaching I can think of does Scripture actually say that we never can know who is going and who isn’t going to heaven. What these parables actually showcase are the traits of those who are going and those who are not going. The Parable of the Wheat and Tares is very much like this one because both are identified early but not actually separated until the end. The sheep and goats look alike, but it doesn’t take long being with both to start noticing the difference. Jesus points out that the sheep are those who looked after His people, and the goats are those who only looked after themselves and were only concerned about serving those they thought were royalty. They never understood that Jesus’ heart was for the lowly, the downtrodden, and the outcast. While He also cared for the rich, big names, and societal leaders, if they thought they were just fine on their own, Jesus left them alone, except to berate them for oppressing His people.
In all three of these parables, Jesus gives characteristics of the believer ready for Jesus’ return. They are ready for Jesus’ imminent return, prepared for that “any moment” arrival. They are found to be actively using their skills and talents in doing the work of the King. They are looking after those who are in down times. I don’t remember who this is attributed to, but one preacher from many years past was asked if Jesus were to return that day, what would he do differently. His answer was, “I would keep doing what I am doing.” Jesus is not going to give us time to suddenly get ready. We have to be ready already, and while we are waiting for the call, we are to work in such a way that Jesus could come and see us doing our duty and say, “Well done!” If we look at all the saints of the past, those who died often terrible deaths awaiting the promises, they went out still believing.
The sad reality, though, is that the extreme majority of those who profess to be Christians today are not ready. They don’t want Jesus to come back yet because they still have sin they want to enjoy before “getting their life back in order.” I have never understood why anyone who professed to be a Christian would even think that. Even in my days when I took my faith too casually and just rode my parents’ faith, I never thought like that. And now, as I am writing this, I am in the process of starting a new chapter in my life; that includes getting my overall health and routines back into a better shape and better order, and getting even more Kingdom-focused than I have been before. I want Jesus to be able to say I am doing what I am supposed to be doing when He returns, and I want to move away from my academic focus on the faith and make it more real and practical than it has been. The “temple” of the American church is about to get cleansed, and I want to do my part to clean up before that fully happens. That requires being a “wise virgin,” a user of the talents given to me, and to care for those whom God has His heart upon. It’s easy to talk about the theory, but we need to be practitioners of this, too.
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For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
- Titus 2:11-14
Paul’s words to Titus here are a great summary of the gospel. God’s grace is not only about forgiveness but also about transformation. Grace appeared in the person of Jesus Christ. Grace teaches us how to live. Grace shapes us into a people eager for good works. In today’s society, it is easy to reduce grace to a ticket to heaven or to sentimental comfort. Yet Paul insists that grace is power. It redeems, purifies, and trains.
Paul begins in verse 11 with a declaration: “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” Grace is not an abstract idea but a historical event. The “appearing” points to the incarnation of Jesus Christ. When Christ was born, lived, died, and rose again, grace became visible. The invisible mercy of God took on flesh and blood. Our faith is not built on concepts or feelings but on God’s decisive action in history. Grace is embodied in Jesus.
Grace brings salvation “to all people.” This does not mean everyone will automatically be saved, but that the offer of salvation is extended to all. Jews and Gentiles, men and women, slaves and free—all have access. Grace demolishes dividing walls and invites all to participate.
Then Paul goes further by saying that grace “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (verse 12). Grace is not just for the forgiveness of our sins, but it also instructs. The word “teaches” carries the sense of discipline and training. Grace is like a coach shaping us into maturity. We are not saved by our own effort, nor does this mean we can live however we want.
Grace enables us to reject ungodliness and worldly passions. Ungodliness means living as though God does not exist. Worldly passions include greed, lust, envy, and the relentless pursuit of pleasure and status – all things that go against God. Through following God, we get trained to resist these temptations.
Not only are we trained against the negative things through grace, but also toward the positive things. We learn self-control, upright behavior, and how to walk with God in our daily lives. Our whole person should be shaped by the grace that we have received from God.
Paul continues in verse 13: “while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Christian living is forward-looking. We live in “this present age,” but our eyes are on the next. We are focused on our present situations, but we need to maintain an eternal perspective as well. The “blessed hope” is not wishful thinking but a confident expectation that Christ will return in glory. Paul calls Jesus “our great God and Savior,” which is one of the clearest affirmations of Christ’s divinity in the New Testament. The One who appeared and brought us grace will appear again in glory.
Our modern church often loses sight of eternity. We tend to focus on the short-term of building programs, social influence, or personal success. Yet Paul reminds us that the ultimate hope is not in cultural relevance or political victories but in Christ’s ultimate return. Churches must cultivate an eternal perspective. Preaching should remind believers that this world is temporary. Worship should point forward to the second coming of Christ and His eternal victory. Pastoral care should anchor people’s hope not in circumstances but in Christ’s promised coming.
Finally, Paul explains why Christ came: “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (verse 14). The cross of Christ is not only about forgiveness of guilt but deliverance from slavery. Christ gave himself to free us from the power of sin. This means the church cannot settle for superficial Christianity. Salvation is not just a ticket to heaven but liberation from our captivity to sin.
Grace should not produce passive Christians but zealous ones. The natural response to redemption should be eagerness to glorify the God who redeemed us. For believers today, this means discipleship must overflow into mission. A grace-shaped community cannot be apathetic. We must be eager to serve God and embody what He calls us to do in every sphere of life.
Churches must avoid reducing grace to mere comfort or forgiveness. Grace is past (Christ appeared), present (training us), and future (Christ’s return). Grace trains us, but training requires intentionality. Churches must build structures for spiritual growth: mentoring, Bible study, accountability groups, and spiritual disciplines. We need communities where believers are equipped to resist worldly passions.
Holiness matters. In an age of compromise, the church must be marked by purity, love, and humility. This is not about moral superiority but about belonging to Christ. Good works are not optional extras. They are the fruit of redemption. Whether through acts of compassion, integrity in business, or sacrificial service, followers of Christ must be known for doing good as a result of God’s grace.
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