Buffalo City Church

Caleb Drahosh \\ Jesus is led to be crucified and at the end of this passage he declares, "It is finished." All that Jesus set out to accomplish as a once-for-all sacrifice is brought to completion at the cross. There is nothing remaining for Jesus to do; He fulfilled the Scriptures and secured the way to the Father for those the Father gave to Him.

Caleb Drahosh \\ Jesus is now brought before Pilate, who questions Jesus. Abandoned by His disciples and condemned by the corrupt religious leadership, Jesus now stands before the pinnacle of secular power. Whatever the line of questioning, Jesus does not waver in truth. And although the scene is bleak — things have gone from bad to worse — an inescapable reality is highlighted: Jesus is King.

Caleb Drahosh \\ After Jesus' High Priestly prayer, events begin unfolding in fulfillment of what Jesus has told His disciples will come to pass. In this passage we meet a traitorous friend, a corrupt priest, and a fallen disciple. Through it, Jesus does not waver; with a face like a flint He plods toward the joy set before Him.

Caleb Drahosh \\ Jesus, after praying for Himself and for His disciples, now prays for all who would believe. Jesus prays that all believers will be united so that the world would believe that He is sent from the Father and that the love of the Father, overflowing for the Son, would be set on them. Jesus desires all who are joined to Him by faith to ultimately see His glory on full display.

Caleb Drahosh \\ After praying for Himself, Jesus prays for His disciples. Jesus prays that the Father would keep them in His name so that they may be unified. He prays that they would be kept from the evil one. And He prays that they would be sanctified in truth. Jesus knows what the disciples are about to face: difficulty, persecution, suffering. Jesus doesn't pray that these things won't come;...

Blaze Culliton \\ The Lord commands us not to not love the world or things in the world, a command which relates to the second and tenth commandments from the Old Testament. The commandments remind us that we are sinners in need of a Savior provided in Christ Jesus, who redefines the identities of those who believe in Him as those whose sins are forgiven, who know the Father and Him who was from t...

Caleb Drahosh \\ As the hour of Jesus' death draws near, He prays to the Father, with whom Jesus has perfect unity and fellowship. He begins praying for Himself, that the Father would glorify Him now that His work is accomplished. Jesus has been given authority over all things, and gives eternal life to those the Father has given to Him. We are to pray that Christ would be glorified in us as our l...

John Baumgartner \\ The Law of God—the Ten Commandments—is for us. God gave His Law to teach His people how to live according to righteousness, never seeking to earn our place before God, but always trusting in Him alone for our righteousness. And nevertheless seeking to live according to these commandments by working hard to hear them, learn them, and do them.

Caleb Drahosh \\ God called Abraham from his father's house to a land that He would show Abraham. An adventurer, Abraham left his homeland at great cost to gain what could not be gained by staying. Similarly, Jesus left His Father's house to come to earth to gain what could not be gained by staying. The adventure of Abraham and the advent of Christ paints the picture of Jesus' words, "whoever woul...

Caleb Drahosh \\ After telling His disciples that He has overcome the world and encouraging them to pray to the Father in His name, Jesus Himself prays. He prays with confident assurance as one who is in perfect fellowship and unity with the Father.

Caleb Drahosh \\ Jesus, after commanding His disciples to love one another, tells them that they will be hated by the world. And although things will seem bleak, as a woman who is in labor perceives things to be, great joy is on the horizon. Peace is given because Jesus has overcome the world.

Caleb Drahosh \\ Jesus is clear that His followers will be hated by the world. Those who belong to Christ no longer belong to the world and will be treated just like Jesus was treated: persecuted, cast out, and killed. But Jesus does not leave His own alone. He sends the Holy Spirit to help the Christian bear witness to exactly what Jesus came to do.

Caleb Drahosh \\ The love that Jesus has for His own is a covenantal love. He chooses us and sends us out to bear fruit that lasts. Love that is merely infatuation or affection based knows nothing of sacrifice. But Jesus commands that His followers have sacrificial, committed, humble love for one another.

John Baumgartner \\ In this section, Peter concludes his discussion of the theme of submission to authority and ties it together with the theme of suffering for righteousness sake. He ties these two themes together by showing us that Jesus Christ perfectly lived according to both. Jesus Christ can empower us to live in the same way, if we live acknowledging that He is the Lord of all authorities w...

Caleb Drahosh \\ What does the life of one who is joined to Christ look like? It looks like a fruit-bearing branch attached to the life-giving vine, Jesus Christ. The Father removes branches that are fruitless and prunes those that bear fruit. In order to abide in Christ and be fruitful the believer must live according to the commands of Christ.

Caleb Drahosh \\ Paul's letter to Titus is intended to deepen and strengthen our love for Jesus Christ. The letter shows us exactly what the gospel enables in us, showing us how Jesus builds His church: in unlikely places, with unlikely people, in unlikely timing. Our aim in reading and studying God's Word — including a letter like Titus — is Christ rightly known, Christ truly believed, and Christ...

Caleb Drahosh \\ A local church not fortified by the gospel and the application of it among its members, will become susceptible to false teaching and cultural conformity. The result is division among its members. It is the truth of God's Word that unites a church and when there are those within the midst of the local church who value opinion or preference above truth, they are to be warned and —...

Caleb Drahosh \\ Christians can carefully devote themselves to good works by submitting to the preaching of God's Word and the teaching of what is consistent with sound doctrine. Those who are in Christ recognize that they were once conformed to the world, but know that in Christ they have been set apart for more excellent and profitable things –– mainly, putting Christ on display in both their sp...

Caleb Drahosh \\ Cultural conformity and false teaching are threats to any local church. As a preventative measure, God gives older, more mature believers to invest in younger believers. This investment builds resilience against these two threats. Additionally, how believers conduct themselves in their work and as citizens will give evidence of their foundation in sound doctrine.

Caleb Drahosh \\ In order to fight against cultural conformity and false teaching, Paul tells Titus to teach living that is consistent with sound doctrine. Paul emphasizes that it is imperative that older, mature believers are active examples of godly living in the church. Through these means, God brings about fruit in the life of the local church.

Caleb Drahosh \\ Paul tells Titus to bring order to the churches in Crete and to appoint elders because false teaching and cultural conformity are great threats to the church. Sound doctrine, when it takes root, bears fruit. And as men and women are strengthened in faith and grow in maturity, they are to pass what they have learned on to the next generation by setting an example of Christian livin...

Caleb Drahosh \\ After instructing Titus to bring order to and appoint elders in the churches and Crete, Paul reminds Titus what he's up against: false teaching and a culture that doesn't reflect — or even care about — godly character. And then he tells Titus to teach what accords with sound doctrine. How does the sound doctrine impact living, even when seasons in life vary?

Caleb Drahosh \\ Paul leaves Titus in Crete so that Titus might put things into order and appoint elders. Titus is to fight confusion and bring clarity through correcting that which is out of step with sound doctrine within the church. Paul knew that it would take men qualified for the office of pastor/elder to see faith established and matured among the believers in Crete. Sound doctrine is the f...

Caleb Drahosh \\ At the beginning of his letter to Titus, Paul introduces himself and his purpose; he is confident in his calling because it is built on the hope of eternal life promised by God who never lies. The letter is addressed to Titus who — although a Greek — is Paul's spiritual child in the same faith. It is the gospel that brings the most unlikely people to Christ and to each other to ac...

John Baumgartner \\ This part of Peter’s letter is clear instruction for how wives and husbands are to live within the authority structure of marriage that God has put in place. Wives are to be subject to their own husband with respectful and pure conduct and the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, not out of fear but because God is pleased with them. Husbands are to remember that th...