Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need.
Titus 3:13
It’s never been in my nature to go slow. Even from my earliest memories riding a bike. I always peddled as fast as I could. No matter if I was riding to the store to pick up some bread or to the community swimming pool, I always went as fast as I could.
Even though I wasn’t exactly a straight-A student who deeply wanted to be in school, I always peddled as fast as I could. In the mornings, I pedaled my brains out as I’d go up our street before illegally crossing Joppa Road because it was a great shortcut. And after a long day of hard work at school, the ride home seemed easier and faster even though it was the exact same route.
It didn’t matter if I was on flat ground or going up a hill. I pushed myself and peddled as fast as my legs would go. And when it came to going down a hill, there was no such thing as coasting in my life. I’d still pedal fast and furious as I flew down the hill.
When we went fishing, my dad would sometimes let me drive the boat. And you’ll never guess what I did with the fuel setting. You’re right – full throttle. I’d open up that baby so we’d go as fast as that engine could take us. I’d even try forcing the throttle just so we could go even faster.
Paul’s telling Titus to do everything he can to help Zenas and Apollos. He’s to do his absolute best for Zenas and Apollos. He’s to do anything and everything to show his support. To give them what they deed to live and serve Jesus. But we have to ask ourselves what does this kind of help look like?
He’s to live a full throttled kind of life. Titus is to open himself and his life for them. There’s nothing too good to hold back from them. He’s to give them as much time, energy, and money as they need. He’s not only to work fast for them, but he’s to make every effort to meet all their needs.
And what’s the goal of all this help? What’s so important that Titus is to do absolutely anything to assist them? It’s not to set them up to live next door and become great neighbors. It wasn’t to build and establish a great big church right where they were.
Just the opposite. It was to send them on their way. Titus was to go out of his way so that Zenas and Apollos could be a blessing to others. He’s to live a full throttled kind of life not for the good of himself, but for the benefit of people that he doesn’t even know.
Think about this for a minute. Titus is to open up all his resources for two guys. And then what happens? The three of them become great friends. They play golf every weekend together. They watch football together on their 85” screen?
No. Just the opposite. Titus is to live a full throttled life for Zenas and Apollos so they can leave. So that can live apart. Titus is go give so they can go. And once gone, they won’t be able to get together whenever they want. And there’s probably lousy cell coverage where they’re going.
It’s one thing to live a full throttled life for yourself and your family. We can even understand living a full throttled life for your church and community. And some people are full throttled for their work or hobbies.
But to live a full throttled life just so people can pick up and leave the comforts of home. To live a full throttled life just so someone can move and be a blessing to people you don’t even know. Now, that’s something different. Something wildly unusual. But it’s also something very God like. It’s just like Jesus. Who he is and what he did for us.
(Jesus) who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father
Galatians 1:4
Jesus, who’d been God from eternity past. Who knew nothing but a deeply loving and transparent relationship with his Father and the Holy Spirit. They’d been glorifying one another. Letting the other one have their way. And what does Jesus do? He leaves that perfect place for a smelly, crummy, awful, world that’s filled with people who’ve turned their backs on him to the point that they are now his enemies.
When Jesus arrives, he gives himself for our sins. Will we hear that? He didn’t pay for his own sins, but for ours. He personally didn’t know sin, but he died for our sin[1]. If there’s a greater way to live a full throttled life than what Jesus did, I certainly can’t think of it.
Since Jesus lived a full throttled life for us, we need to live a full throttled life for him. Our response is to live totally and completely for him. To leave no stone unturned when it comes to living and giving. He was totally consumed with his relationship with the Father and the people he died for. That’s the model for how we are to live our full throttled life for him. To do anything less is to hold back what he wants. What he deserves. What he came to do for us. What we were made to do.
Noodling Questions
When it comes to living, are you a full-throttle kind of person? Explain.
How has God shown his full-throttled love for us? How’s that changed life?
List three ways that we can live full-throttled for others.
[1] 2 Corinthians 5:21
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