Good morning.
We're going to be in Titus chapter 2.
I'd like to say Happy Mother's Day to all the moms that are here.
! If I haven't told you in person, Happy Mother's Day.
As I studied and thought about this week and this morning,
what I was going to say,
I watched my wife, Jamie, mother, our four kids.
Moms, you do a whole lot.
You do an amazing amount of stuff and you guys are amazing.
Thank you for everything that you guys do.
Honestly, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you guys in so many levels.
This morning, we want to honor moms.
We want to celebrate our moms and the moms that are represented.
So Titus 2 is where we're going to be.
Verses 3 through 5.
We're going to look at what a godly woman looks like.
So what characteristics does she display?
And why does she live that way?
As we look at a godly woman, my hope is that you'll be encouraged to think of your mom or think of yourself.
Be encouraged to love on them this morning.
If as I'm talking, something I say reminds you of your mom, celebrate that.
If as I'm talking, you aren't reminded of your mom at all.
Maybe she's not a Christian yet.
Thank God for her.
Pray for her.
Pray for opportunities to share the gospel with her.
Don't get angry because your mom isn't godly yet.
Don't beat her up in your head.
Celebrate the gift of your mom and love her.
If you're a mom, I want to encourage you this morning and not discourage you.
I want to challenge you, not handcuff you.
And if you're going to be a mom someday, about 60% of you in this room, maybe 50% of you in this room,
listen and file this away.
Revisit it and pray for when that time comes when you will be a mom.
Guys, I know that you're thinking this has nothing to do with me.
Well, not so fast.
The subject may be moms, but the principles apply to you and I as well.
So we all can be challenged this morning.
Let's read our text.
Titus chapter 2, verse 3 through 5.
Older women, likewise, are to be reverent in behavior,
not slanderers or slaves to much wine.
They are to teach what is good,
and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,
to be self-controlled, pure, working at home,
kind and submissive to their own husbands,
that the word of God may not be reviled.
Pray with me.
Father, I thank you for this time.
I thank you that you have called us here to gather together.
Father, I thank you that you have united us through your Son, Jesus,
through the Holy Spirit that you sent.
God, I ask God that the Spirit would work,
that we can hear, not just with ears,
but with our entire being, with our lives,
God, that we would leave here ready for action,
leave here to live differently because of your word.
And God, not because of what I say or my opinions,
but God, that I would speak your words this morning
and that what is spoken will be from you to us.
There is power in your word.
There is conviction in your word.
There is counsel in your word.
God, we ask you to work,
and your will would be done this morning.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
So let's just jump in.
Verse 3 starts with older women.
Now here's a little bit of encouragement to you older women in here
on our standards.
In Paul's standards here, writing to Titus,
older women is 60 to 65.
So if you're under 60 or 65, you're young.
You're a young woman, not an older woman.
Women who have, Paul is addressing or addressing Titus,
is talking about women who no longer have kids in their home,
who are no longer raising kids,
and encouraging them to love the younger women.
So what I want to do is look at what a godly woman looks like.
As Paul is addressing to Titus some needs here,
Titus is a pastor in Crete.
He's left in here very similar to Timothy in Ephesus.
He's left Titus to be the pastor or elder on the island of Crete.
And he's given him some instruction,
and Titus and the two Timothys are very similar in that way.
If you've read 1 or 2 Timothy, you can kind of see that.
So here he gives him instruction on older women,
how they are to live.
And I've changed it a little bit for us to look at what a godly woman looks like,
so that it can apply to the young women in here,
the young women described in our text,
and even us guys,
of what does a godly woman look like.
So the first point this morning,
a godly woman is in pursuit of holiness.
A godly woman is in pursuit of holiness.
Now of course, no one is perfect.
No one is holy.
Your mom may be wonderful, but she is not perfect.
She can, though, as a Christian, pursue holiness,
pursue perfection, strive to be sinless,
strive to be godly.
A godly woman strives to honor God in all circumstances,
in all situations.
So let's look at some of this language in these three verses.
In verse 3 it says,
Older women, likewise, are to be reverent in behavior.
Godly examples of holiness.
Flip back two books to 1 Timothy.
To the left, two books.
1 Timothy chapter 2.
Start reading in verse 9.
Likewise, also that women should adorn themselves
in respectable apparel with modesty and self-control.
Not with beaded hair and gold or pearls or costly attire,
but with what is proper for women who profess godliness
with good works.
Reverent in behavior.
A couple words there in 1 Timothy.
Profess godliness, modesty, self-control.
An example of what a godly person looks like.
An example of holiness.
Reverent in behavior.
In 1 Peter chapter 3.
1 Peter writes,
Do not let your adorning be external.
The braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry
or the clothing you wear.
But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart.
With the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,
which in God's sight is very precious.
A woman who is pursuing holiness is more concerned
with the inner being.
What's happening on the inside.
What's happening in the heart.
Not the outside apparel.
Not the braided hair or the jewelry or the gold or whatever.
All that stuff is secondary.
She is reverent in behavior.
And her behavior reflects what's happening on the inside of her.
What God is doing in her.
Through her.
She is reverent in behavior.
Verse 3 also says,
Not slanderers.
She's not a false accuser.
She's not a malicious gossip.
See, men are inclined to abuse physically.
We'll throw a punch pretty quick.
Women are inclined to abuse verbally.
Of course, we're both guilty of gossip
and the sin of entertaining gossip.
But here, Paul is addressing this malicious gossip.
A godly woman is not a slanderer.
A slave to much wine, later in verse 3.
Does not mean she doesn't drink wine.
It means she is not controlled by wine or anything else.
Food.
TV.
Shopping.
Couponing.
It's a big deal right now, right?
See, we are so sinful as creatures
that we turn good things into God things
that makes them bad things.
We turn couponing into bad things.
We make it a God.
We make it something we have to do.
And what happens as a result is we make it a bad thing.
We make it an idol.
We worship it.
We become enslaved to it.
And that's the picture here,
what Paul is trying to get across.
Slave to much wine.
It's not the fact that she drinks.
So that she doesn't drink.
That's secondary here.
She is controlled.
She is enslaved to it.
Definition of slave is to be held and controlled
against one's will.
It's more of a prison than a means of escape.
I have a co-worker.
I'll call him a co-worker
because I've worked with him a couple days.
who,
beginning of last week,
ran out of beer at home
and decided to go to the convenience store
on a lawnmower,
got pulled over
and got a DUI
for driving a lawnmower
to the convenience store
to get more beer.
It's a funny story.
I know.
It should be a country song or something.
It's,
I don't have a tune yet,
but it's working.
Four days later,
he's at home
and he runs out of beer
and gets in his truck
and goes and gets more beer
at the convenience store
and gets another DUI.
Poor guy needs Jesus, yes.
but the control of that sin
in his life,
he is enslaved
to that desire
to fulfill that need.
He is controlled
by that need.
And that's that picture here,
slave to much wine.
Now,
as I've said,
I gave you a list,
food,
shopping,
TV,
couponing,
it could be anything.
But what controls you?
What are you enslaved to?
Later on in verse 5,
here's some more traits
that fall under pursuit of holiness.
Self-controlled.
Are you sensible?
Is your mom sensible?
Common sense and good judgment.
Can you go to your mom
or can your children come to you
and you give them good judgment
and sound advice?
Another characteristic
in verse 5
is pure.
Is there moral purity?
Is there faithfulness
within the marriage?
Thoughts and actions.
Ladies,
is there a pursuit
for holiness in your life?
Do you see these traits
in your mom?
Celebrate that.
Rejoice.
Thank God for that.
If you don't,
pray for your mom
and challenge her.
Second point,
not only is a godly woman
pursuing holiness,
but a godly woman
is also building
a legacy of disciples.
Building a legacy
of disciples
and not a legacy
in financial
or worldly idea here,
but a legacy of disciples.
You want to know
what a woman is all about?
You want to know
what she loves,
what she holds close to her,
what her convictions are?
Look at her disciples.
Look at her children.
Look at who she's taught,
who she's led.
And my sister-in-law
is a Mary Kay saleswoman,
I guess.
I don't know.
She's a pink Cadillac lady.
She's successful.
Super successful.
Almost freaky successful.
And if you go to
the most successful
of her disciples,
the most successful
of her followers,
and you talk to them,
you know exactly
what Meg holds important
and what she holds dear to her
and what she's trying to give
and have the women follow.
The idea here
is that Meg invests
in the girls
so that they will succeed
like she has succeeded.
And here,
a godly woman
builds a legacy
not of Mary Kay saleswomen,
but of God-fearing,
godly disciples.
Verse 3 and 4
tells them
to teach what is good.
Verse 3 and verse 4,
so train the young women.
Women.
It almost gives us
a picture of this
classroom-like teaching.
Now sit down,
I have things
I want to tell you,
things I want to teach you.
Even like a gathering
like this.
But that's not the case.
This picture here
is more of a modeling.
More of a life-on-life
teaching and instructing.
You instruct what is good,
what is noble,
what is excellent
by living it out
in front of them
and with them.
Which means,
women and men,
husbands and wives,
that you invite people
into your life.
That your home
has an open door
where people come in
and see how you live.
That the home
isn't necessarily
your fortress
where you go
and you hide.
It's a fort
where people come
and find safety
and find comfort.
Teach what is good,
so train the young women
by living it out
with them.
So,
older women,
we need you.
Older men,
we need you as well.
We need you to help us.
To disciple us.
A godly woman
builds a legacy
of disciples
who love Jesus,
who love His Word,
who are pursuing holiness.
And that's the type
of legacy
that's going to
change the world.
That's the type
of legacy
that's going to
move mountains
and see
Christians
created
to the ends
of the earth
and made.
Look at what
they're to teach.
Verse 3,
it says,
teach what is good,
noble,
excellent,
what is right
and true.
Verse 4 and 5,
it says,
love their husbands
and children
to be self-controlled
and pure.
Already talked about
self-controlled
and pure.
It says,
working at home.
A little lightning rod
statement right there.
Working at home.
It does not
necessarily mean
that a woman
cannot work
outside the home,
but it does
mean
that her home
needs to be
her highest
priority.
Women of all
ages
have fallen
victim to the
feminist agenda
telling women
that their worth
and value
is not in
family,
it's not in
home,
it's not in
their husband,
it's not in
any of that,
it's not in
children,
it's in the
workplace
and in how much
money they can
make and how
much schooling
they can have.
Well,
that's not the
case.
And I don't do
this very often,
but I would
encourage you,
if you have
time to listen
to a sermon,
go to
gracetoyou.com
and listen to
John MacArthur's
Titus 2 sermon.
He breaks down
and the whole
sermon is basically
about the
feminist movement
and takes it
all the way
back to
Gnosticism,
which was in
Jesus' time
and before
Jesus' time.
it's
enlightening
and it will
help you to
see what is
happening around
us.
Nonetheless,
so when
women stay
at home,
when they get
to stay at
home,
they feel
less valued.
The world
tells them
they're not
as valued.
They feel
a loss of
identity because
they're not
at work and
being successful,
they're not
making money,
they're not
doing what the
world tells them
to do.
Now,
of course,
there are
reasons to
work.
There are
reasons to
go to
work.
But women,
you must be
sensible,
as we've
already touched
on,
as commanded
in making
the decision.
So questions
like,
are your kids
old enough?
Can you be
home when they
get home?
Can you still
do what you're
called to do
as a mother
and as a wife?
not only do
women have
an impact
with people
around them,
making disciples,
inviting people
into their
home,
but they also
have an impact
at home
with their
children.
The home is
where women
have a global
impact.
This is where
they can train
their children
to be disciples,
to invest in
their kids,
to nurture
their kids,
to teach them
the treasures
of Jesus
and His
commands,
that they
will go
to the
ends of
the earth.
You can
shoot them
out like
arrows
to build
the kingdom
of God.
The home
is also
where a woman
can find
authentic
and satisfying
fulfillment
as a Christian.
A godly
woman builds
a legacy
with younger
women outside
the home
and from
within the
home with
their children.
Do you
see that
legacy from
your mom
or wife?
Celebrate
it.
Celebrate
her.
But not
only does
a godly
woman pursue
holiness,
not only
is she
building
a legacy
of disciples,
she also
has a
selfless
sacrificial
love.
A
selfless
sacrificial
love.
An example
of that
is verse
five
that we
just touched
on.
Working
at home.
Putting
the needs
of the
family
above the
wants
of herself
or above
what the
world or
sinful nature
or whatever
is telling
her to do.
Putting the
needs of the
family above
the wants
of herself.
But verse
four says
to love
their husbands
and children.
To love
their husbands.
This is not
a romantic
love.
This is not
an emotionally
volatile
love.
It's a
committed
love.
A willing,
determined
love, not
based on the
husband's
worthiness,
but on
God's
command.
So when
your husband
is unlovable,
you love
him.
You sacrifice
not for him
necessarily, but
because you are
commanded to
do so.
It is a sin
if you don't.
When those
moments come,
you love
him, you
serve him
sacrificially.
John
MacArthur
says,
when you
sacrificially
serve someone,
it becomes
almost impossible
not to
love them.
Where there
is genuine
practical
love,
genuine
emotional
love is
sure to
follow.
And I
think he's
right.
If we
practice
love,
emotional
love is
going to
grow out
of that
or alongside
that.
A good
example of
sacrificial
love here
on earth,
apart from
Jesus,
apart from
his life,
death,
and resurrection,
is motherhood.
It says to
love her
husband and
children.
Love her
children with
a sacrificial
love.
Again, not
an emotional,
oh, isn't
he adorable?
I just love
that kid.
Not that
kind of
love.
And I
think that
might be
some of
the parenting
problems out
there today.
They love
the idea of
being a
parent.
They love
the little
guys dressed
up really
nice, but
they might
not necessarily
love being
a parent.
Might not
necessarily
love when
the little
dressed up
guy who
looks so
cute is
hitting his
sister and
throwing stuff
all over the
place and
making messes
for you
to clean
up.
A
sacrificial
love, though,
grows out
of what
God is
doing and
has done.
Philippians
chapter 2.
Turn to
Philippians
chapter 2.
Now this,
of course,
is not
talking about
motherhood.
This is not
talking about
being a
mother or
the love
that a
mother has,
but this
illustrates,
in Paul's
words here
to the
church of
Philippi,
I think
a perfect
picture of
motherhood.
Philippians
chapter 2,
verse 2.
Complete my
joy by
being of
the same
mind,
having the
same love,
being in
full of
court of
one mind.
Do
nothing from
rivalry or
conceit,
but in
humility count
others more
significant than
yourself.
a godly
woman,
a godly
mother counts
others more
important.
Counts others
more important.
During Christmas
time, during the
Christmas season
from Thanksgiving
to Christmas,
the movie A
Christmas Story
is on about
150 times.
It's over and
over and
over.
And if you
know the
movie, the
little kid,
I can't remember
his name,
he's narrating
the story,
kind of telling
the story,
and there's
this scene
where,
where he's
talking about
his mom,
and he
says,
you know,
my mom,
she's,
paraphrase,
okay,
my mom hasn't
had a hot
meal in 15
years.
And the
picture is
her in the
kitchen and
the family
sitting down
and she
tries to
sit down
and eat
and then
something else,
she's got to
get something
else in the
kitchen,
or she
tries to
sit down
again and
he needs
something to
drink,
or she
tries to
sit down
and the
husband
needs a
knife,
and she
tries to
sit down
over and
over.
That's
sacrificial
love.
It's a
movie,
but that is
sacrificial
love,
and I see
that all
the time
in my
wife.
My wife
will sometimes
not even
eat lunch
because the
kids have
needed something
over and
over,
and that's
what kids
do.
I've seen
her put her
lunch in
the microwave,
and when a
microwave beeps,
I don't know if
it's something in
me, but I've
got to go get
it.
It's
ready to
eat.
It's
time to
eat.
I've
seen her
have things
sit in
there for
30 minutes
because she's
helping and
trying to do
other things
that need to
get done.
That's that
sacrificial
love, and I
see it in my
mother-in-law.
Julie is the
last person to
sit down at
the dinner
table.
That is a
sacrificial
love.
So when
Nathan calls
Julie a
godly
mother, he
is right.
when I
say that I
see this in
Jamie, yes,
she is
sacrificing
herself to
be a
mother to
her children
and our
children.
This
sacrificial
love is
from God.
It is a
result of
Jesus'
life, death,
and resurrection.
Because of
sin, it is
impossible to
continue this
love laid
out.
It is
impossible to
love somebody
in this way
for a long
period of
time.
Now, of
course, of
course, there's
this motherly
desire.
There are
good mothers
who don't
know Jesus
yet.
There are
good mothers
who are not
Christians, and
I understand
that.
And they
love their
kids, and
they're, but
try sacrificially
loving a
husband who
is a sinner
without the
grace of God
to do so.
Jesus'
love enables
us to
love
sacrificially.
That's
why it
saddens me
when Christians
say they
don't love
each other
anymore, and
they get a
divorce.
Of course,
question whether
they are
Christians at
all.
Do you see
this love in
your mom or
in your
wife?
Celebrate
her.
Praise Jesus
for her.
And if not,
challenge your
mom.
Pray for
your mom.
Love your
mom today.
Finally, a
godly woman,
her life draws
people to the
gospel.
Her life draws
people.
There's an
attraction to
the gospel, not
because she's
beautiful or the
way she's
dressed or how
charismatic she
is, but there's
just something
about her life
that draws
people in.
The opposite
of this is to
repel people.
And that's
what we see
in the end of
verse 5 back
in Titus
chapter 2.
To be
self-controlled,
pure, working
at home, kind
and submissive to
their own
husbands, that
the word of
God may not
be reviled.
That the word
of God may not
be dishonored,
defamed, or
blasphemed.
The idea
here isn't
just how you
live or how
you preach or
how you
communicate to
people, but
it's also how
you don't
live, what
you don't
say.
The bad
things we do
and the good
things we fail
to do or
say are equally
important.
And people
all around are
watching to see
how you as
mothers, you
as godly
women, us
as men and
husbands, how
we live.
See, the
bottom line is
people don't
care about
your theology.
People don't
care whether
you're a
Calvinist or
a Minion or
whether you're
post-millennial or
pre-millennial,
they don't care
about that.
What they care
about is how
you live.
What communicates
to them is not
what your
feeling is on
how Paul wrote,
if Paul wrote
Hebrews or not.
that doesn't
matter.
What matters is
how you live
it out.
That's the
point that
James has with
faith without
works.
He's dead.
People care
about your
faith lived
out.
They care
about how
you mother
your child.
They care
about how
you live.
They care
about how
we men
treat our
wives,
father our
kids.
kids,
how you
treat your
moms,
not just
on Mother's
Day,
hallmark made
up day,
not just
on today,
as special
as it is.
And if
they care
about how
your faith
is lived
out,
then you're
either attracting
people to the
gospel and the
truth of God
and the power
of the gospel
or you are
repelling people
or you've
got bug spray
on and you're
repelling people
from the
truth of
God's word.
The purpose
for women to
be godly is to
proclaim the
gospel and to
bring glory to
God.
That's why God
does everything.
That's why he's
planned and ordained
everything here in
scripture is to
bring much glory
to him.
So today,
let us celebrate
our mothers.
Let us rejoice
in the gospel
and bring honor
and glory to
God.
And there's a
response for all
of us this
morning.
Moms,
are you living
out and
attracting people?
Are you pursuing
holiness?
Are you making
a legacy of
disciples?
Are you building
disciples that
will form and
shape generations
to come?
Are you
sacrificially,
selflessly loving
your children?
Ladies,
not moms yet?
Do you want
to be this?
Do you pursue
holiness in your
life now?
Are you building
a legacy of
disciples?
And are you
attracting people
to the gospel
or repelling?
And guys,
same thing.
Are you pursuing
holiness?
Are you striving
to be holy and
to love your
wife as Christ
loved the
church?
That is a
command.
It's not an
option.
It's not
multiple choice.
Guys,
are you
building a
legacy of
disciples?
Are you
training younger
guys to come
up and to be
godly husbands
and godly
fathers?
Are you
drawing people
to the gospel?
There is a
response.
Question,
examine
yourself
this morning.
not because
it's
mother's
day,
not because
it's
Sunday,
but because
of the
gospel and
the power
of Jesus
Christ that
has made
you who
are dead
alive.
And as
Nathan said
earlier this
morning,
we celebrate
moms,
but we
rejoice.
We are
excited and
we are here
to worship
not our
moms,
but Jesus
Christ,
the Savior.
let's pray.
Let's pray.