Titus 2, 1-10
Titus 3, 1-10
Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Saviour attractive.
Thanks. Thanks, Kim.
So, Titus chapter 2
And pure church
Let's pray
And ask for God's help as we look at this together.
Our Father God, we thank you so much for your word. We thank you for this letter written many, many years ago.
But yet it is still your words written to us today to speak to us not as individuals, but to speak to us as a church corporately.
And so we gather together under your word asking that your spirit would give us understanding and application to our own hearts and lives.
That what we hear and what we listen to and what we talk about afterwards would change us and affect us in how we live.
So we pray that you would help us now in our time together in Jesus' name. Amen.
Well, the big theme of this short letter, Titus, is all about being and becoming a pure church.
And a key verse for this we see in chapter 2, verse 14.
That 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.
So God's desire is that we, his people, would become pure.
That we would become like Christ.
And that in turn, as we become like Christ, that we would reflect his purity and his beauty to the world and the community around us.
And today we're looking at what it is to have pure relationships.
And the purpose is exactly the same.
So look at chapter 2, the end of verse 10.
As we think about pure relationships, their purpose, the end of verse 10,
so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Saviour attractive.
Our relationships with one another have the potential to reflect the beauty of God our Saviour.
But our relationships also have the potential to make Christ look ugly.
So we're going to look at three things this morning.
First, getting our broken relationships in order.
Second, living in pure relationship with each other.
And third, reflecting a Christ relationship to the world.
So we've got to get our relationships in order.
We're going to see how living that pure relationship, what it looks like,
and then how that in turn reflects the beauty of Christ to the world.
So first of all, getting our broken relationships in order.
You can flick that up on the screen there.
Getting our broken relationships in order.
In pure doctrine, false teaching has had a direct effect on the relationships within the church.
So chapter 1, verse 11.
They must be silenced.
These are the false teachers.
They must be silenced because they are ruining whole households
by teaching things they ought not to teach.
These households are small house churches.
And because of the false teaching, they've begun to break up.
Their impure teaching has led to all kinds of impure living within the family of the church.
So look at chapter 2.
The older men, verse 2, have become grumpy old men.
They've lost people's respect.
They've become uncontrolled in what they say and what they do.
The older women, verse 3, have become gossipy old bags.
Slandering others as they open up another bottle of wine.
The younger women, verse 5, have become celebrity wannabes.
They're too busy looking after themselves and wanting to run off and play
and have neglected their responsibility to their children and husbands.
The younger men, verse 6, have become obsessed with a playboy status.
They have their heads stuck in men's bags rather than in God's word.
The employed, verse 9, have become lazy and arrogant.
Out to make as much as possible by doing as little as possible.
So you see, this impure teaching is ruining these small churches.
It's leading to all kinds of impure living.
And the relationships within the church family are beginning to break up
and they're not the way they should be.
So how can we begin to heal and restore these broken relationships?
Well, look at chapter 2, verse 1.
You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.
Verse 2, teach the older men.
Verse 3, likewise teach the older women.
Verse 6, similarly encourage the young men.
And verse 9, teach the slaves or those who are employed.
You see, if impure teaching breaks relationships,
the solution is pure teaching.
The sound doctrine, the good news of God's grace,
taught to the church family and worked out into people's lives
are going to restore those relationships.
It's true, what we take into our lives is what we become.
So if we eat all the wrong things, we become very unhealthy.
But if we eat our fruit and veg, well, we become healthy.
Similarly, he's saying here, if we are feeding on pure doctrine,
if we are drinking it down with the pure grace of God,
then he will renew us and he will restore us.
God's grace purifies us.
He washes us so that we can live in pure relationship with each other.
So the means to get these broken relationships in order,
the antidote, the solution,
is a healthy diet of God's word,
his grace being worked out in our lives.
So second, getting our broken relationships in order,
how do these relationships look like
when they're being lived out amongst each other?
Flick that up on the screen.
As we look at the various relationships
within the church family here in chapter two,
it's probably hard for us to try and work out,
and I've been joking with people through the week,
kind of what category are you going to put yourself in?
Are you an older man or are you a younger man?
Or are you an old woman or a young woman?
Well, I don't want to get myself into trouble
and I'm not going to say, right, all the old women sit here
and all the old men sit there or anything else like that.
I don't want to cause offence.
I'm just going to offend everybody
and just say that, well, sometimes we're younger
and sometimes we're older.
There's always people who are older
and there are always people that are younger.
So I think it applies to us all
in different contexts, depending who we're with.
So don't be just kind of thinking,
well, I'm not an older woman or I'm not an older man,
so this doesn't apply to me.
I think in some ways it applies to us all.
And what we're going to do this morning
is just look at the older, younger relationships,
primarily this morning,
just for the sake of time and just to focus in on that.
So we're going to take a look at these relationships
and see what they ought to look like in practice.
First, older men, listen up.
Verse 2.
Teach older men to be temperate,
worthy of respect,
self-controlled,
and sound in faith,
sound in love,
and sound in endurance.
You know, there's a sad fact
that as men get older,
they become more grumpy.
Have you experienced that
if you live with an older man?
I don't mean complaints
about not being able to use the latest technology
and how the mobile phone works
and all that sort of stuff.
I mean they can sometimes become
impatient with people.
Younger people just seem to become
an irritable nuisance.
They are not, look at verse 2,
temperate or self-controlled
in what they say and do.
In fact, as they age,
they begin to sadly lose all respect.
Older men,
we ought to be the kind of people
that younger people
want to be around
and look up to.
Okay, they might want to hang out with you.
They might call you your best buddy
and go to the cinema with you.
But older men,
we ought to have this kind of character
about us
that makes us approachable
and that makes us attractive
in the sense that people
actually want to talk with us.
wise and mature people,
verse 2,
who are sound in faith,
have a good grasp
of what God's word is about.
Sound in love,
who are solid
in their love
and in their endurance.
They keep going in the faith.
So young people
shouldn't think of themselves
as being an irritable nuisance,
rather they should see you
as one they can come to
for encouragement
when they're struggling
in the faith.
That they would come to you
for comfort
when life brings
all the disappointments
that it does.
That you are a rock,
someone who brings stability
in times of uncertainty.
for older men.
We have a responsibility
not just to our own family,
but we have a real role
to the whole church family.
Younger men should be like
your own son.
The younger women
should be like your own daughter.
You should have that shoulder
they can cry on.
You should have that gentle
word of correction
when you see them
going a path
that is not going to be helpful.
You gently get alongside
and instruct.
And you are the support
that gets around them
and encourages them on
in their faith.
So older men,
let the sound doctrine,
let the grace of God
instruct your mind.
Let it grab a hold
of your heart
and begin to shape
your heart
to be the older man
that God has called you to be
within the family
of the church.
Second,
the older women.
Verse 3.
Likewise,
teach the older women
to be reverent
in the way they live,
not to be slanderers
or addicted to too much wine,
but to teach what is good.
You know,
it's also a sad fact
that as women get older,
they can become
gossipy old bags.
They become busybodies,
poking their noses
into people's business
and then relaying it
to their friends
over a few bottles
of Chardonnay.
They're out to enjoy
their retirement.
They've raised their kids.
Now it's time to kick back
and enjoy life.
Don't have kids anymore.
Don't need to worry about them.
Let me do the things
I want to do.
You know,
there's something
very unattractive
about that kind of woman.
Not very pleasant
to be around.
Instead,
look at verse 3.
They are to be
reverent
in the way
that they live.
Instead of smelling
of stale wine,
they should smell
with the beauty of Christ
as they walk
into the room
and as they engage
and talk with people,
there should be
an aroma of Christ.
And instead of thinking
retirement,
which the Bible
actually knows
nothing about,
they should be
investing
in the younger mothers
who are struggling.
Look at verse 4.
Then they can train
the younger women
to love their husbands
and children.
That's what older women
are to do,
to train the younger women
to love their husbands
and children.
And you train
the younger women
by the things
that you say
as you get alongside them
and the way
that you live
your life.
The very fact
that you're older
means that you have
a wealth of experience.
It's not that
you're perfect.
It's not that
you've done
nothing wrong.
It means you've
made lots of mistakes
but you've learned
from your mistakes.
You've been there,
done that,
you've got the t-shirt.
Sweat,
blood and tears
are your experience
and you can pass
that on
to those
who are younger.
So I'm going to
push the boat out
this morning.
I've already called
the older men
grumpy old men
and women
old bags
so let's push
the boat right out.
Those who go
to polo,
I think it's primarily
younger women,
why don't you
invite
some of the
older women,
I'll let you
decide who they are,
to come and share
God's word
with you,
to let them
sit
to encourage you
and to support
you as young
mothers.
That's the role
of older women.
And those of you
who go to
the ladies'
study,
on the
Thursday,
think about
how you can
practically
help those
with young
children.
What can we do
to support
the many
young families
and those
with younger
kids
in the life
of the church?
Now we might
kind of struggle
with that
and think,
hmm,
not so sure
about it,
but this is
what the family
relationship
looks like.
responsibility
to one
another.
So,
let the
sound doctrine,
let the
grace of God,
older women,
instruct your
minds,
grab your
heart,
and shape
your heart
to be the
older women
that God
has called
you to be.
third,
the younger
women,
verse 5.
they are to
be self-controlled
and pure,
to be
busy at
home,
to be
kind,
to be
subject to
their husbands
so that
no one
will malign
the word
of God.
you know,
it's also
true that
many younger
women live
life regretting
that they
ever got
married,
regretting
that they've
ever had
children.
They would
much prefer
to be out
gallivanting
with their
friends,
not having
to be at
home,
changing
nappies.
They have
neglected
their
responsibility
to their
children and
husbands,
and are
still running
about living
as if they
are single.
Instead,
verse 5,
they are
to be
self-controlled,
pure,
busy at
home.
Or better
translated,
I think,
that busy
at home
is working
at home,
loving
their
home.
Because
there's a
big lie
out there
today that
says,
caring for
children
and looking
after the
family home
is actually
a downgrade.
If that's
what you
do,
it's
demeaning
and it
ruins your
chances of
a real
career.
Well,
I want to
address and
I want to
encourage every
mother of
children represented
here,
especially
those who
are younger
mothers.
far from
being a
low
position,
this is
a high
position,
far from
a second
rate career
and as if
you're kind
of taking
a step
down,
this is
a step
up.
This is a
great career,
this is a
God-given
blessed
career.
Of course,
it doesn't
mean that
mothers can't
pursue an
outside
profession.
Of course
they can.
But it
will never
be to the
neglect of
their own
children and
husbands.
Young
women,
if you
are married
and if
you have
children,
your primary
responsibility,
as God's
word is
saying here
in verse
five, is
to love
them well,
is to
care for
them well.
That's your
first responsibility.
And to
love your
husband,
verse five,
is to
be subject
to your
husband.
Of course,
that doesn't
mean that
the wife
is this
obedient
one around
the house
who obeys
the husband's
every beck and
call as if
she were
kind of
subhuman.
And below
everybody else,
that is not
the right
interpretation.
That's wrong.
We know from
the rest of
scripture that
a husband's
responsibility
is to
serve his
wife with
sacrificial
love and
care.
Sacrificially.
So to be
subject to
your husband
is to
live under
his loving
and protective
care and
not to be
out gallivanting
or running
around looking
for that
love and
care from
someone else
or something
else.
This is
God's
beautiful
design for
home and
for family
relationships.
So,
younger women,
let the
sound
doctrine,
let the
grace of
God instruct
your mind.
Let it
grab a hold
of your
heart and
shape your
heart to
be the
younger woman
that God
has called
you to
be.
The
fourth in
this list of
relationships that
we're looking
at is
younger men.
Verse
six,
similarly
encourage the
young men to
be self-controlled.
It's
true that
young men
today have
one aim
in life.
That's to
meet lots
of young
women and
to have
sex with
them.
That's the
average young
man's outlook
on life.
Go to
college,
interview
them,
that's what
they're about.
And
sadly,
it's becoming
the practice
within church
life.
Now,
from what I
know of
the young
single men
within the
family of
this church,
and I
do try to
keep tabs
on you
all,
have my
spies out
there,
I don't
think that
is necessarily
the case.
However,
what I want
to say to
the younger
men is
that you
must be
very,
very careful
how you
treat
younger
women.
You are
to learn,
verse five,
to be
self-controlled.
Self-control
covers every
area of
our life.
It covers
our words
and our
actions,
how we
speak,
how we
behave,
but in
particular,
and I
want to
focus on
this,
self-control
over your
sexual life.
Instead of
watching
internet
porn,
delight
yourself
in God's
word.
here is
how you
must treat
younger
women.
Go back
a couple
of pages
to 1
Timothy
chapter
five.
There are
a lot of
parallels
between
Titus and
Timothy.
1
Timothy
chapter
five,
verse
one.
Here is
how younger
women should
behave.
Sorry,
younger men
should behave.
Paul is
writing to
Timothy,
who is a
young man,
and so he
says to the
young man,
and I think
here is the
principle for
us,
young men
do not
rebuke an
older man
harshly,
but exhort
him as if
he were
your father.
Treat
younger men
as brothers.
Treat
older women
as your
mother.
And here is
the point.
Treat
younger women
as sisters
with
absolute
purity.
I hope
you got
that.
And I
want to
say to
you young
lads,
enjoy your
relationships
with the
young women,
by that I
mean your
friendships.
hang out
with each
other in
the safety
of a
crowd.
Enjoy
those young
years together,
have fun
together,
but young
men,
treat them
as your
sister with
absolute
purity.
Be a
big brother
to them,
not a
creepy
leecher.
love
so young
men,
let the
sound
doctrine,
let the
grace of
God
instruct
your
mind,
let it
grab a
hold of
your
heart
and shape
your
heart
to be
the
godly
younger
man
that God
has called
you to
be.
so older
men
and older
women,
younger
men and
younger
women,
that's all
of us who
are here.
Our
relationships
within the
church
family
are to be
pure
and we
need to
pray that
God by
his
Holy
Spirit
will
purify
us
so that
we are
eager to
do
what
is
good.
Third,
reflecting a
Christ
relationship
to the
world.
You see,
the purpose
of getting
our broken
relationships
in order,
the reason
for living
in pure
relationship
with each
other,
is
beautifully
described
at the
end of
verse 10.
Yes,
it's talking
there primarily
about employees
and employers,
but I think
it applies to
all relationships.
Look at the
end of
verse 10.
Here's the
purpose,
here's the
reason,
so that
in every
way,
they will
make the
teaching
about God
our
Saviour
attractive.
So,
class,
listen up,
question time.
What will
make someone
want to
listen to
the grace
of Jesus
Christ?
What will
make someone
want to
listen to
the grace
of Jesus
Christ,
to the
teaching?
Answer,
they see
lives within
the church
family that
have been
transformed
by the
grace of
Jesus
Christ.
Our
relationships
are to
make the
teaching
about God
our Saviour
attractive to
the world
and to
the community.
Church
family
relationships
between the
older and
the younger,
between men
and women
in all their
various forms
are to be
lived under
the grace
of God
and when
they are
lived under
the grace
of God
they are
incredibly
beautiful to
look at.
The church
of God
is the
most wonderful
thing to
see.
And when
we see
our pure
relationships
in action
they are
deeply
attractive.
There is
nothing more
beautiful to
see older
men and
older women
and younger
men and
younger women
living their
lives under
God's grace.
That is
beautiful.
You don't
see that
anywhere else
in the
world.
That's what
the church
is about.
So as
people watch
us,
as people
admire,
they are
drawn into
the teaching
about God
our
Saviour.
And pure
relationships
are worth
putting the
effort into.
They are
worth working
hard for.
Look at the
end of
verse 5,
the very
last sentence,
so that
no one
will malign
the word
of God.
That we
actually begin
to look like
the Christ
that we
talk about
and that
we say
we follow.
Our pure
relationships
are what we
work towards.
look at the
end of
verse 8,
so that
those who
oppose you
may be
ashamed
because they
have nothing
bad to
say about
us.
In other
words,
that we
behave in
such a
way that
it proves
the Christ
we believe
in is
true.
If our
pure
relationships
have the
ability to
attract
people to
Christ,
then the
opposite is
also true.
Impure,
broken,
damaged
relationships
make Jesus
Christ look
ugly to
the world
and to the
community
around us.
So what
kind of
Christ
do people
see when
they look at
our relationships
one to
another?
what kind
of Christ
do we
display to
the world?
A small
diamond
stone,
just a
tiny little
stone,
has value,
has worth,
and it has a
certain beauty.
But when the
jeweller takes
that diamond
stone and
then he
places it
into a
little gold
band to
make a
ring,
and then
he lifts
the diamond
up on
the ring
so that
the light
catches it
and it
begins to
sparkle and
to shine,
then and
only then
do we see
the diamond's
true value,
its ultimate
worth and
its excellent
beauty.
And in the
same way
God has
placed the
diamond of
God's grace,
the grace of
Christ,
into our
lives.
love and
it's
embedded into
our lives
when we've
trusted him
and when we
begin to
live out our
relationships with
each other
as he
intends,
then and
only then
can the
world see
the true
value,
the ultimate
worth and
the excellent
beauty of
God,
our
Saviour,
Jesus Christ.
It's only
as we
begin to
live out
our faith
that the
gospel begins
to shine
brightly and
people are
attracted,
they are
drawn in
to the
teaching of
God,
our Saviour.
That is
something
wonderful
that the
church has.
So let
me say
this in
closing to
us all.
Let the
sound
doctrine,
let the
grace of
God our
Saviour
instruct our
minds,
let it
grab a
hold of
our hearts,
let it
pummel it
and shape
it and
transform our
hearts so
that we
become pure
in our
relationships
one to
another.
and reflect
the beauty
of Christ
to the
community
and to
the world
around us.
Let's
pray.
Amen.
older men,
older women,
younger men
and younger
women,
may the
grace of
God work
deeply in
our lives
so that
we become
the people
you call
us to
be.
That you
would
continually
purify
us and
shape
us.
And in
your mercy
and in
your goodness
that we
would let
the gospel
shine
brightly.
that as
we walk
into this
world and
into this
community
that people
will be
attracted
to the
gospel of
Jesus
Christ.
We thank
you so much
for this
church family.
Thank you
so much for
every single
person and
every family
represented
here.
thank you
for bringing
us together
from all
different kinds
of backgrounds.
Thank you
for your
work within
our lives.
Thank you
that we are
here by
your design,
by your
pleasure.
And please
will you go
on working
in us.
We pray
this for
your honour
and for
your glory
alone.
In Jesus'
name we
all pray.
Amen.