Month: December 2015

He was as rugged as the land he travelled. While not what they would call a spring chicken, he was as tough as any fighting cock out there.  Fear had left a long time ago and no weather from the sky, beast from the woods, or robber on the road could produce it in him any more.  He’d faced it all before and the Lord saw him through every time.  His strength wasn’t like the strength of his youth.  It was more like that strength gained from a weathered, hardened life of survival.

He had a past, and, he wondered about his future. There were many nights under the starry sky he would spend reflecting over the many years of his career.  Sometimes he wondered what might have been, if he hadn’t left that other life to start this one.  But it didn’t bother him.  Some pleasures and luxuries aren’t worth the sacrifice, especially when the sacrifice is your own soul.  So even after 40 years of parading a herd around the countryside he still wouldn’t trade the smell of his sheep for all the perfume in Egypt.  Of course, there probably wasn’t enough soap in Egypt to get 40 years of sheep smell out his skin anyway.

And then there was retirement. He knew that at some point he had to start thinking about what every other aged shepherd thought about:  life after sheep.  As the dry rocky ground crunched under his sandal and the sheep were noisily bleating behind him, he was jolted out of his thoughts when he saw it.  He froze and just stared.  He couldn’t take his eyes off of it.  In his career out here he’d seen everything– everything from the wild and dangerous to the delicate and beautiful.  But, this was bizarre in a not from this world kind of way.  It wasn’t so much the fact that it was on fire – although how it was the only one on fire was strange.  And how the fire started he was at a loss to answer.  But that wasn’t the strangest part.  The fire was fierce, and it burned all around it, but, it wasn’t burning up!  Just then a powerful voice from within the large bush said to him, “Moses!”

Introduction:

This is the scene of Exodus 3 where Moses encounters God at the famous burning bush scene. It’s the pivotal moment in Israel’s history when God calls Moses to lead Israel out of slavery in Egypt.  What I tried to do is pull out for us the reality that at 80 years old Moses was more likely thinking about retirement, not leading the rescue mission of a nation.  At the point where Moses had the finish line on his mind is when in reality God had him at a starting gate.  Yes, it was in the years of arthritis, catarax, hip replacements and pill boxes that God planned for him to trade in his herd of sheep in exchange for a nation of people.

If you think you’re too old to make much of a difference anymore you’re wrong. If you think your best years of serving the Lord are in your yesterdays, you are wrong.  Many of God’s greatest works in history were accomplished through those who had seen many years but whose eyes probably weren’t seeing much anymore.  Abraham, Moses, Caleb, Daniel, and more were very old when God used them in tremendous ways to shape the course of Biblical history.

Do You think your age is a disadvantage? Maybe in the job market that works against you but not in the Church of Jesus Christ.  Where you are weak God’s power is made perfect.  And the mantra that God can use anybody isn’t only for young, inexperienced Christians.  It means older people, who are still being sanctified, still being formed into Christ’s image, still being pruned, still unfinished (though much nearer completion), are useful and effective in the Lord’s hand.  And I may even make a strong argument today that they are more useful than younger believers.

Many think the future of a church is in the youth and that we need more young people. I say the future of the Church is in those who have lived out most of their future.  They have the treasures of a long-distance, long-term walk with the Lord.  They know what it is to trust the Lord through the ups and downs and dark alleys of life.

I wanted to start this way because today we are studying Titus to learn what makes a good church. Moving into chapter 2 we see Paul focus on the membership in a good local church.  How does a membership make a local church good?  It starts with its older generations.  Verses 2-6 provide details of these honorable saints tested by years of experience serving the Lord.

#1: Reverence for the Aged

It’s not explicitly stated in this passage, but, it is very much in the feel of it, that the aged are treated with reverence and respect. How do I ‘feel’ that?  1) They are spoken of first on the list which makes them eminent.  2) The context sets them on a pedestal where they are examples to other believers.  3) Furthermore, reverence for the elderly is a theme of human ethic set forth in Scripture.  Just for Men would disagree with Proverbs 20:29 when it says, “The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.”  Of course, why is gray hair the splendor of the aged?  Proverbs 16:31 declares, “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.”  It is the symbol of a long-lived life of righteousness.  So yeah, the young guys have biceps, but, the old have something better:  righteousness.  And for that they are to be deeply respected, and treated with great dignity.

With this in mind, consider the dignity owed to the elderly commanded in Leviticus 19:32: “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD.”  Rise.  Respect.  Revere.  The reverence of God commanded here is not a separate command from how we treat the aged.  We show reverence for God when we show respect to the elderly.  Wherever God is revered the elderly will be respected.

Can I suggest a reason for this command? There is a theological point that underpins this respect for elderly.  God is eternal.  He comes before everything.  Everything comes after Him.  And He who comes before all things is to be revered.  So by respecting those who come before us, we acknowledge a pattern of authority, order, and respect tied ultimately to the Pre-existence of God.

But age is to be respected also for the accumulated wisdom that accompanies many years. Job 12:12 says, “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?”  It does, and so that is why the most profitable years serving the Lord are not in youth, but in old age.  Psalm 92:14 speaks of the righteous when it says, “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.”

Rather than putting you on a shelf in your later years God still will still use you. Think of the great Old Timers of Old:  Moses (80 years), Caleb (80 years), Zechariah the father of John the Baptist (Luke 1:18), Simeon the Prophet (Luke 2:25),  Paul (Phil. 9).  Ric Escobar thought he was going to retire and get a puppy, but, the Lord has opened another ministry up for him to do.  The Lord is not finishing with you when you get old, but, very easily can be just getting started with you!

The respect for older people is seen even in how they are treated when they need correction. First Timothy 5:1 says, “Do not rebuke an older man sharply, but appeal to him as a father.”  An older man is not to be rebuked the same way a younger man is.  Respect for his many years must be maintained even when something in his life needs attention.

The Younger Need the Older

A second point that comes out much more clearly in this passage is the fact that the younger need the older believers.  Notice verse 3-4a, “Teach the older women to be…but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to….”  Then notice verse 6-7, “encourage younger men to be self-controlled. In everything set them [younger men] an example by doing what is good…”

The younger believers need the older believers for two reasons. First as role models and second as instructors. As role models, younger believers learn the ways of godliness by seeing it done in you – the experienced and mature believers.  Paul said, “Imitate me because I imitate Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1).  In Philippians 3:17 he says “join with others in following my example…”  Put your life on display for younger generations to see.  They need to see it because it proves that living for Christ isn’t theoretical and academic but a real everyday life.

Younger Christians, look for your role models in this church. They are here.  Be intentional about watching our older Christians and learn from them. Illustration: Lysippus was a Greek sculptor who would put a coin away in a box everytime he finished a piece.  He sculpted until his strength ran out.  He never retired.  And after his death his box was opened up and over 1500 coins were found inside!  These great older saints among us have been sculpted by the Lord for many years.  In them we will find a treasure-trove of wisdom, experience help when it comes to living for Jesus Christ.

Secondly, young believers need training. This goes beyond just observing, but, having an interactive, interpersonal relationship with older believers.  They need someone to ask questions to about life, to talk to about their walk with the Lord; they need those who are willing to impart wisdom and even challenge them and hold them to some accountability.

Older believers I want you to pray this prayer from now until I do your funeral: “Lord, use me in someone’s life who is younger than me. You have proven yourself to me all these years and do not let me die until I have told them all about my walk with you.”  You’re kidding, right, Pastor?  No.  That is what David prayed in Psalm 78:1-4.  Turn there and read it with me.

There is no greater reward than the reward of seeing someone else’s desire for the Lord increase because of their relationship with you. When stones were used to build buildings they needed to be smoothed and shaped to fit just right.  Each of us are living stones, being built into a holy temple.  Older believers, leave some stones more fit for the temple after you’re gone.  If you are going to leave a legacy behind leave the legacy of Christians more faithful to Jesus Christ.

Godly Virtues in Age

First of all, be self-controlled. This is the chief virtue in this entire book.  It is required of pastors in 1:8.  It is required of old men in 2:2, of older women in 2:3, and they are to teach younger women to be self-controlled as 2:5 says, and finally the young men are to be self-controlled in 2:6.  Later in 2:12 we learn that self-control is something that we learn from God’s grace.  Galatians 5:22 says self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Self-control means someone who wisely controls themselves and maintains a mature dignity. They are someone who is not overtaken by emotions, by instincts or by passions.   Proverbs.They don’t let their tongue get out of control (“slanderers” v3).  They don’t get out of control with alcohol (v3).

A picture of self control is seen in…

Secondly be sound. Sound literally means healthy.  This past week a giant tree in our neighborhood fell over and tore up a bunch of sidewalk.  It was such a large tree, an old and mature tree.  How could it fall over?  Because it was not healthy.  It was rotting inside and so it was weak.

According to Paul, the most spiritually healthy in the church are to be the ones who may not be the most physically healthy – the older saints. Their years are to have brought about the virtues of a Christian that should be the aspiration of every believer.  Paul says to be sound, to be healthy “In faith, love, and endurance (v2).  But also in marriage (v 4-5).  Sound judgment (“temperate”), making healthy decisions in life.

Thirdly, be serious.  Old men be worthy of respect (v2), meaning venerable, reverent, dignified.  Older women be reverent (v3).  There is a time for fun and joking, but, when it comes to the things of God we’re serious.  We don’t let holy things become entertainment, we don’t jest about what is sacred.  We are serious about the Lord and the work He has assigned us.

Conclusion

Do you think you are approaching the finish line in your life? Maybe the Lord is bringing you to a starting gate.  Consider that now more than ever, with all your accumulated experience, wisdom, and years of walking by faith, that you are more useful to the Lord than ever before.  Perhaps it is a starting Gate the Lord is bringing you to, not a finish line.

The other day I saw a billboard saying that a Christian modeling agency was searching for Christian models.  Do you know what models are for?  They are presented as the ideal for attractiveness.  They are the people that everyone else wants to look like – where the same clothes, same hair styles, same make-up, the same figures and so on.

 

For us as Christians, the real models aren’t on billboards or in magazines.  They are in our local church.  The people we should look up to, learn from, become like and admire are the people we fellowship with at 17737 W Spring Lake Road.  Rather than idealize sports or music figures, we ought to lead our younger generations to see godly people in the church as heroes and role models.  There is no way a person on ESPN or a CD cover can influence someone as much as a mature believer in the next pew who is engaged in a younger person’s life.  That’s what Paul taught and that’s what we see here in Titus 2.

 

If you are older than 25 how does it make you feel to think of someone else in this church taking special notice of your walk with Christ?  How would you feel, men, to realize that younger men and boys are taking their cues from how you live your life?

 

Let’s look at this from another angle:  If you knew you were going to die today, would you be confident you lived for Christ?  Or would you regret decisions you made, directions you took, priorities that shouldn’t have been priorities?  People talk today about how they want to leave their mark on the world.  For Chrsitians the question is similar but with a different focus:  What mark will you leave on the Church after you’re gone?

 

Paul Transitions from a local church’s leadership in chapter 1 to its membership in chapter 2.  Just like chapter one focused on character you will see that chapter 2 focuses here as well.  The leaders must be of high Christian character and so too must the membership.  Paul breaks up the membership into 5 groups:  older men, older women, younger women, younger men and slaves.  I am going to read chapter 2 verses 1-8 and I want you to watch for which category is speaking to you.  [Read].

 

We will take a detailed look at these groups next week, but, this week I want to focus on verse 1 and its relationship to the whole chapter.

 

Pastors are to Teach.

First, notice pastors are to teach.  Paul says, “You”.  Whose the “you”?  Who is Paul addressing?  Titus – Titus was tasked with teaching.  Notice too the next word, “must”.  You must teach.  It is not an option, a choice, an elective.  It is a requirement of Titus.

 

Not only was Titus supposed to teach, but so were the elders appointed by Titus, as seen in 1:9.  Furthermore, teaching is the responsibility of all pastors everywhere since then.  We must all “teach what is in accord with sound doctrine”.  When Paul says in 1 Timothy 3:2 that pastors must “be able to teach” it is because teaching is their number one responsibility.  When the Apostles were confronted in Acts 6 with the problem of food distribution to the Church they delegated the responsibility to others and their reason is found in verse 2, “it would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God to wait on tables.”  Jesus Christ gives some to be pastors and teachers as gifts to the Church to build up the Church.  Only when he teaches the word of God is his value as a gift realized.  Teaching the word of God is a priority that comes first; and a faithful pastor will know how to say “No” to good things so he can stay focused on his God-given priority.

 

Teach!

Again, what is a pastor to do?  Teach!  “teach”  Not entertain, not sell, but teach.  Teach is a Greek word here that refers to ordinary conversation, not so much classroom or pulpit teaching.  It’s the idea of talking together.

 

What is the pastor to teach?  Nothing less than the word of God.  We can see 3 points about how God’s word is to be taught in the local church:

 

#1:  The pastor teaches sound doctrine.  That is obvious in this verse.  Sound doctrine would be the teachings of truth, the statement of faith and so on.  But Paul is not talking about sound doctrine in this verse or the ones after.  He is talking about “WHAT” conforms to sound doctrine.  Notice what he says, “you must teach WHAT is according to sound doctrine.  In other words, Titus, and the elders he appointed were to teach something other than sound doctrine but, which was in harmony with it.  What is Paul talking about?  This brings us to number 2.

 

#2:  The pastor teaches character that is in line with sound doctrine.  Character is the focus of the membership.  And you know how you can know this?  Because the previous verses described the bad character of false teachers, and the next verses explain the kind of Christian character that is in harmony with Christian truths.

 

Verse 9 says, “…”  Our character and conduct as Christians is supposed to make our teachings attractive.  Our Savior has transformed us from something old to something new (2 Cor. 5:17).  We no longer are dead in trespasses and sins, no longer slaves to sin, but we are alive to God in Christ Jesus, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, having the knowledge of God and His power at work in us.  Therefore these truths are to distinguish us in the way we live – which is contrary to the ways of the dark and ignorant world around us.

 

Nothing makes our teachings more unattractive than when our lifestyles are in contradiction to what we preach.  Nothing says “Knowing Jesus Christ has made no difference to me” more than professing His name but living against Him.  Paul said in Philippians 3, “Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.  Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, their glory is in their shame

 

#3:  The pastor teaches older believers to teach younger believers proper Christian living.  Notice here the burden for mentoring the younger membership is shared by the older Christians with the Pastor.  Psalm 71:18 says, “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.”

I have a rule where there is no Christmas music allowed before Thanksgiving.  It is probably the only instance in our marriage where I have had to “pull rank”.  False teachings are like Christmas music before Thanksgiving.  The music gives a false impression – that it is the Christmas season, when it is Thanksgiving season.  That’s what false teachings do, they give you a false reality, making you believe or feel something is true when it is not.

 

False teachers are Satan’s gifts to the Church.  Ephesians 4 says that Jesus gives certain people to the Church as gifts:  apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers.  Satan gives his own gifts, and they are the counterfeits of each one Jesus gives.  And while Jesus gives these men to build the Church up, Satan gives his men to tear the Church down.

 

Their Description:  Many. Rebellious.  Empty talkers.  Disobedient.  Jewish legalists.

 

#2:  The Damage caused by these False Teachers (v11a)

Now that we have had them described to us, let us turn to what sort of Damage they were causing on the island of Crete.  Verse 11 says, “They must be silenced because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach…”  Some translations say “they are upsetting whole families…”  The word for ruining/upsetting means to destroy, or to overturn, which is what “rebellious” people try to do.  These people were overturning the faith of believers with their teachings.  They made confusion of the truth rather than clarification.  They did this not in the public church services, but, notice it says in households, or families.  They snuck around spreading their ideas one house at a time, undermining the whole church one family at a time.  Second Timothy 3:6-9

 

Sometimes a false teacher needs to be called out by name publicly so the congregation knows who to be aware of.  Paul named Alexander the Metalworker, Hymanaeus, and Philetus.  John the Apostle named Diotrephes.  In Revelation, Jesus named a group called the Nicolatians as well as “that woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess” in the city of Thyatira.  People like these were ruining individual households and the household of God, the Church, wherever it met.

 

Paul warned Timothy of the damage false teachers cause if they went unchecked in 2 Timothy 2:16-17, “Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.  Their teaching will spread like gangrene.”  Gangrene is when tissue in the body dies due to blood not being able to reach that tissue.  If it is “wet” gangrene, it means there is an infection, and that infection can very quickly spread throughout the body and become life-threatening.  This is what Paul described false teachings like.  Just like gangrene causes tissue death, false teaching causes spiritual death.  And just like the infection of gangrene can spread quickly, so too can false teaching spread throughout the Body of Christ, and cause decay and death.

 

No danger to the health and vitality of Christians exists than that of false teaching.  It causes decay in the person who pays attention to such things. They become spiritually sick, unhealthy.

 

#3:  What Drives these False Teachers (v11b)

What causes these guys to want to wreak such havoc on people’s lives and spout such erroneous things?  The 3^rd point is their Drive.  Notice verse 11 again, “and that for the sake of dishonest gain.”  They were driven by money.  Second Peter 2:3 says, “In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.”  In verse 14 Peter says “they are experts in greed”.  Referencing an OT event, Jude 11 says they rush for profit into Balaam’s error, meaning they will say whatever someone wants to hear as long as the pay is right.  Jude 12 speaks more of their selfish ways when he says they are shepherds who feed only themselves.  They teach for their own gain, not the gain of those who hear them.

 

They get fat while the flock of Christ starves.  They are spiritual pirates, robbing the people they taught.  They do it in two ways, mind you.  First, they robbed people financially by taking money from them (in exchange for false teaching).  Greedily they solicited funds and took payment while giving nothing of any value in return.  Secondly, they not only robbed people’s finances but they did it by robbing their faith.  False doctrines deny people the truth of God’s word which is the only thing that can strengthen people in the faith.  Like their father, the devil, these worthless windbags come to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).  That’s because there’s great profit in plundering the body of Christ.

 

Jesus said some very sobering words – for anybody – but especially for false teachers.  “A man can’t serve two Gods.  Either he will serve God or he will serve Money”.  False teachers love money, not God; and are driven not by service to God, but, by motivation for wealth.  Paul actually declined payment from the Corinthian Church so his motives couldn’t be questioned (2 Corinthians .  First Timothy 6:1-5 says, “…”  Then notice verses 6-10, “…”

 

#4:  Their Discipline (v13-14)

Now notice their discipline in verses 13 and 14, “…”  Paul said in verse 12, “They must be silenced….”  Which literally means they must be muzzled, or, put a stop to their mouths.  American values include freedom of speech and the ability to say whatever you want, but, not in the Church of Jesus Christ.  As Paul says in verse 11, there are things that are not supposed to be said and taught.  The Church is not a place for the melting pot of ideas or doctrine by consensus.  The truth is a trust from God where we are responsible for giving it out as it came to us, not altering it to fit our liking or our ideas.  And when people come in and teach things contrary to God’s Word they must be dealt with according to the Bible’s instruction.

 

Unlike Geneva under John Calvin this doesn’t mean we imprison, flog, drown or burn at the stake people who teach falsehoods.  Such punishment is reserved for God, and you can be sure no one will be judged more severely than false teachers.

 

It means to bring conviction on them by our words, by verbally confronting their error, by calling it error, and through teaching true doctrine show the reasoning for error.  Sometimes this means names must be named publicly so the church knows who to avoid.  Paul named guys like Hymenaeus, Philetus and Alexander.  John the Apostle named Diotrephes.  We don’t unleash a flamethrower and burn everyone down, but, for some false teachers there comes a point where it is irresponsible to not publicly point them out by name.

 

They must be disciplined, they must be confronted about their false teachings that caused damage.  Why do this? To be combative and get a thrill out of conflict?  Of course not.  First, to protect the Church from damaging teachings, and second, so that the person spreading false teachings repents and promotes sound doctrine.  Disciplining false teachers is done from hope, not hatred.  Hope for their repentance.  Second Timothy 2:24-25 says, “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.  Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth.”  Correction of an erring brother is done from love and hope, not hatred or pride.  There is hope, and that comes through in Paul’s statement to Titus.  Notice verse 13 again carefully, “Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith.”  The key word is “so that”, it’s a cause and effect phrase.  The rebuke is what causes them to become sound in the faith, no longer meaning in order for these guys to be sound in the faith they need to be rebuked.  It’s not fun for anyone, but, once it’s done, and they get straightened out, everyone is much better off.

 

Titus was to lead the way in Church discipline of these people to bring about their repentance so they would be sound in the faith, or, he would have to eject them from fellowship.  Church discipline is not just for cases of gross immorality, as in 1 Corinthians 5.  It is also for cases of gross doctrinal rebellion.  Paul says that both doctrinal error and sexual sin are like yeast that will spread throughout the whole batch of dough if it is not removed.  Remove it.  Before you do that you try to bring repentance by convicting the false teachers of their sinful ways.  You pray for them and desire their repentance, use the word of God to show them their error – but, if they don’t then they must be removed.  Their teachings will spread like gangrene and infect the whole body and result in a decayed church worth nothing.

 

#5:  Their Defilement (v15)

Next we learn of how they are defiled in verse 15, “…”  The teachings these men held to contaminated them, and, the people who listened to them.  Warning:  Do not take this verse to mean that all conduct is pure if you think it is pure.  In other words, don’t think that adultery is pure because you feel good about it.  Don’t think that your bitterness, or pornography, or any other sin is now something “pure” because “to you it’s pure”.

 

This phrase is in a context and the context is Jewish legalism.  Jewish legalism related to what foods were clean and what foods were not.  Clean simply meant God permitted them to eat it.  Unclean meant He prohibited Jews from eating that food.  The early Church underwent a lot of conflict over this issue.  Brand new Jewish Christians who grew up with this paradigm of clean foods and unclean foods had a difficult time understanding that all foods were clean and in Christ no food was off limits.  Jewish Christians had a hard time fellowshipping with Gentile Christians around a meal where “unclean” foods were served.  Peter struggled with this in Acts 10.  Jesus said in Mark 7 that all foods were clean.  Paul said in Romans 14, addressing this very issue, said, “I am convinced that no food is unclean…”

 

Jewish legalists were pressing other Jewish Christians to maintain the clean/unclean food customs as a means to please God.  Paul called them false teachers who confused and defiled believers with these teachings, as in 1 Timothy 4:1-5.

 

So when Paul says to the pure all things are pure he means a Christian who understands that no food is unclean in and of itself – he is “pure”, that is, he has a clear conscience.  As someone who is pure, he understands that all things – that is foods – are pure.  But to the person whose conscience is corrupt and defiled, nothing – that is no food – is pure.

 

Application:  Our conscience is important in how we live.  God judges us to some degree based on how we lived by our conscience. Our conscience can be reshaped according to how it is informed by God’s Word.  We want our conscience to be sensitive to the things Scripture calls sin, and, we don’t want our conscience condemning us for things Scripture doesn’t.  That means we need to be giving attengion to God’s Word.

#6:  Their Deficiency (v16)

Being defiled, they are lastly, deficient.  Notice verse 16, “…”  They are useless to God because of their abject spiritual condition.  They often believe they are being used by God, but they are not.  Usefulness to God depends strictly on humble submission to His will.  Obedience.  Holiness.  Turn to 2 Timothy 2 with me…  Do you want to be useful?  These men were not.  Look again how Paul describes them:  “