Titus 1:1-4: Doctrine and Devotion Series week 15

I don’t know if you have ever read the book “Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage”, but it is a remarkable story. Written in 1959 by Alfred Lansing, the story covers the attempt of renowned explorer Ernest Shackleton as he endeavors to navigate a trans-arctic expedition in 1914. . . Shackleton is known for his newspaper advertisement seeking crew for the journey. The ad read: ‌‌Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in event of success.‌‌Such a high risk endeavor, yet Shackleton found enough men to step up and accompany him on his dangerous voyage. I can only imagine the difficulty of finding men who were willing to take such risk—men who were willing to lay it all on the line to accomplish their mission and fulfill their destiny. But this call, given by Shackleton, to embrace a difficult calling reminds me of something. It reminds me of God’s design for men. God’s call on the life of men is to embrace the ups and downs of manhood and fulfill their calling as leaders and providers in our world today. But there’s a problem—just like Ernest Shackleton, there is a shortage of such men. A good and godly man is difficult to find. Men today are too busy doing other things, pursuing other things, to give themselves fully and completely to the calling God has for them. And we are forced to ask the question: “where are all the men? Where are the men who are willing to embrace their calling, despite the difficulty, and lay it all on the line to be a follower of Jesus?” In a world where men are being told they don’t have to accept the responsibility, or even told they don’t have to be men at all, how shall we find such men? And how do we even know what they look like? ‌‌I think some of those questions can be answered through the life of the Apostle Paul. Paul serves as an example of what the type of man God wants looks like. And from the example of Paul shown in the first few verses of Titus 1, we can learn what a godly man looks like, and what standard for which all men should strive. Our big idea today is simple: ‌‌ Big Idea: God has a high calling for men today!