Left Behind
Words of Faith 8-23-2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2023
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Titus 1
[5] The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

The wildly popular series "Left Behind" came out on the big screen for what is called a "re-boot" among media people. You may remember the story of the people left behind after the sudden rapture of the church.
What we often fail to realize is that many are "left behind" every day. Let me explain. While it is not near as exciting a prospect, Paul made it clear that this young man named Titus was "left behind" in Crete for a specific purpose. There was something very particular that God had in mind for Titus and this was to be communicated and orchestrated by his spiritual father, the Apostle Paul.
Specifically, Titus had been "left behind" to "straighten out what was left unfinished." Apparently, the planting of churches in the first century was an ongoing thing. Clearly, there were no perfect churches in that day. It seems clear that the process of church development took years. Once planted, there was unfinished business in the churches. While not nearly as exciting for a movie, this was the call of God.
It is not the first time in scripture that we get this message. After the stunning revival at Ephesus in Acts 19 under Paul that saw massive repentance, people burning sorcery books, and people healed by just the handkerchief of Paul, there was the unfinished business of the church. Just ask Timothy who was assigned that task.
But what exactly was the unfinished business of the church in Crete? We don't have a record of this work that Paul and Titus did together initially. The evangelism of the area does not fit with the activities of Paul in Acts 27 so it probably happened after Acts 28, and is not recorded. By what follows in this short letter it appears that the unfinished business included a lack of organization, unchecked false teachers, and the need for instruction in doctrine and conduct. We will get to that.
The truth is that this is the messy and sometimes boring part of "church." But without attention to leadership, teachers, and doctrine, the "church" was sure to get messier! More than every once in a while I talk to someone who will say with a certain tone of indictment that they love Jesus but they don't like the "organized church." Frankly, it is a bit of a cop-out. When asked to be more specific, almost every criticism raised is an example of the "disorganized church" rather than the "organized church."
We are often deeply disappointed by examples of church corruption, extreme abuses, "falls from grace," and institutional rigidity but in truth, all these are the result of poor leadership, poorly screened teachers, and faulty doctrine. Abandoning "organized church" is not the answer. This simply leaves the sheep unprotected, children untaught, and seekers misinformed.
So while it may be messy, organizing the church-- its leadership, teaching, and doctrine-- is the call of God upon those "left behind." And in a sense, that is all of us.
Maybe instead of worrying about the rapture, which the scripture says none of us can predict, we should be more directly concerned to straighten out what is left unfinished. There is a trend these days to abandon the work of the church and instead seek out the newest religious show with the lowest required commitment, best media package, and slickest "sincere" presentation. This is not the directive that Paul gave to Titus or to us. There was work to do.
Of late, I have been increasingly impressed by the truth expressed in Ephesians 2:10. We are familiar with Ephesians 2:8-9 that "it is by grace that we have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works so that no one can boast." But we often miss the next verse-- "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Eph. 2:10).
The truth is we are "left behind" for a purpose. If you are drawing breath today, you have been "left behind" for a reason. God has a plan for you today. And tomorrow. He has a list of things he has intended for you in advance. He has things He wants to get done through you.

Father God, thank You for leaving me behind in this day and time. Thank you for giving me the grace that gives new life. Thank you for setting before me a path that you desire for me to walk in. Show me the things left unfinished that you desire to straighten out through me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2023 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.