Through the Bible - Titus

Heavenly Father, what a privilege it is to be able to study Your word. Just as we saw in 2 Timothy, we are to study to show ourselves approved unto You as workmen and workwomen that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. I love to be able to get together with my brothers and sisters here on Saturday nights where we can do that, where we can rightly divide Your word. We go through it precept upon precept, line upon line. I pray that tonight, as we look at this great letter, You would speak to us. Continue to challenge us, encourage us, exhort us, and transform us. We pray in Jesus' name, and all God's people said, Amen.

All right, the book of Titus. Over the last couple of weeks, we have been going through the pastoral epistles: 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. We are going to finish up these three letters tonight. It is important to note that this was another young man whom Paul had brought into the ministry and had left out in the middle of nowhere, as he did with Timothy, to oversee and pastor a church. He was very likely a young man when Paul did this.

This letter, although short, is packed full of important things in doctrine. Doctrine is a word that I believe is largely lost in the church in America today. You can go to all kinds of churches; you can visit a new church every single day of the week in America. You would be hard-pressed to even visit all the churches in Southern California in a year because there are so many different churches. They are all teaching things and espousing truth. From visiting some churches and talking with a number of people who have come to our church or visited other churches, it is clear that you can go to churches and you'll...

You can find all kinds of interesting teaching, different ideas, and philosophies. However, you will not always find the word of God taught or doctrine being presented. This is one of the things I have been greatly blessed by in Calvary Chapel over the years. Not just Calvary Chapel Escondido, but as you travel around the country, you can visit Calvary Chapels all over the place, even around the world. Every Calvary Chapel I've ever gone to has provided the assurance that you will receive the word of God simply taught.

Sure, it's typically from unlearned and untrained men, but they are often men who have been with Jesus. It is a great blessing to see how the doctrine of God goes forth into open hearts and transforms lives. Those transformed lives, in turn, reach out to others with the gospel of truth, and you see that it spreads quickly. This is God's desire.

As we have looked at many times here on Saturday night, the calling that the Lord has given to me and several other pastors at this church is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. This calling is not just for the pastors at this church but for the church at large. God has given us a commission to go and make disciples, to invest in people, and to train them in the word of God. Jesus said to teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have told you. He promised, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Paul the Apostle, when he left Titus, left him on the island of Crete to do just that: to rightly divide the word of truth, to ordain elders in every city in that area, and to raise up churches in each of the communities there. The elders were the overseers; they were like pastors of those churches. This book, just like 1 and 2 Timothy, lays out the groundwork for appointing elders and for setting things in order.

The two main themes or features of this book are to appoint elders and to set things in order. The people on the island of Crete have been described as a bunch of Cretans, a term that comes from this context. Paul even mentions the Cretans in verse 12 of chapter 1, describing them as liars, evil beasts, and slow bellies. These people were wicked, but they were wicked just like any other person.

Crete was like Escondido, although it was in the middle of the Mediterranean and surrounded by water. Here, we are surrounded by San Marcos, Valley Center, Rancho Bernardo, and a bunch of other Cretans. There are many people who are evil because the heart is desperately wicked.

We are evil by nature. We're not just evil because our society has changed us or because we've been conditioned by our slums and hard lives. That's not the case. Man is wicked because he has a wicked heart. The Cretans were no different from any other person you find in any other place. They needed the Word of God to transform them, and God's Word is able to transform.

How many of you tonight have been transformed by God's Word in a miraculous way? I know a few of you pretty well. I know each of you, but I have had a chance to sit down and hear your testimonies. As you share the things that God has done in your life, it is nothing less than a miracle to see how God has transformed you simply through sound doctrine and His Word. It wasn't some self-help program that you went through; it was God's Word that transformed you through and through and continues to do so today.

Now, we're not perfect. None of us are. We may be miles ahead of where we were five years ago or ten years ago, but we're nowhere near perfect. Paul the Apostle, whom we often look up to, was also one who recognized he was not perfect. In Philippians chapter 3, he says, "I have not attained, nor have I been perfected, but I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of me." Hopefully, we too are enduring in that race tonight, running and striving to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of us.

The Bible tells us that you and I have been created for good works. We're not saved by our good works; it's not our righteousness or the works of righteousness that we have done. It is the work that Jesus did on our behalf. In fact, I think the most succinct gospel verse in the entire Bible is found in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 21, which is one of my favorites: "God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be the righteousness of God in Christ."

What a great and powerful truth that is! There, Jesus, who had never sinned, was on the cross not because of anything He had done—He had lived a perfect life. But God put all of my sin and all of your sin upon Him. He became sin for us, and God judged sin as He judged His Son there on the cross. He treated Jesus on the cross as if Jesus had lived your life and my life, so that tonight, He could treat us as if we lived Jesus' life. That's powerful. That's awesome. And that is a truth that transforms—a truth that people need to hear.

And that's why Paul went around on all three of his missionary journeys. As he traveled, he brought this glorious gospel wherever he could go. However, he recognized that he was just one man. So, he brought along other men whom he trained and to whom he shared the word of God that had been revealed to him. He appointed these men to appoint other elders, leaders, and overseers to send forth the word of God.

I find it interesting that in the three pastoral epistles we have been looking at, Paul begins them relatively the same way: "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ." But notice how he begins Titus. He says, "Paul, a servant." Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. What a beautiful picture that is! This idea of servant leadership is something that Paul exemplified to us.

It was also something that Jesus taught. Remember, He told His disciples that if they wanted to be great in the kingdom of heaven, they had to become the least; they had to become the servant of all. This was not something that Paul came up with on his own, nor did he have a monopoly on it. Peter and John taught this as well because they received it from the Lord.

As Paul speaks to Titus, who is living in a very wicked and immoral area on the island of Crete, he says, "Listen, I am a servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ." I love the fact that he identifies as a servant first. If you want to be a leader in the kingdom of God, that has to be the case in your life as well: a servant first.

From my experience with the pastors I have worked under over the years—whether here at Calvary Chapel Escondido, Costa Mesa, Murrieta, or Ziegen—I know that every single pastor I have seen is a servant first. Before they are anything else in the church, they are servants, always willing to do whatever needs to be done. It has always been a great blessing and a challenge to see these men who are servants.

I have no doubt that if we had lived a day with the Apostle Paul, we would have seen that he was a servant above measure. He tells Titus, "Listen, I am a servant." I think that even just in those words, "Paul, a servant of God," it was an exhortation to Titus and to whoever would read this: "Hey, you too ought to be a servant as well." Remember, Paul would tell the Corinthians as well as the Ephesians, "Imitate me as I..."

Imitate Christ. As he told the church at Philippi in chapter 3, note those who live like this, as you have us as an example. He was a servant of God first and an apostle. He was called to be an apostle, ordained an apostle by God, not by man, as he told the church at Galatia. But first and foremost, he was a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledging of the truth, which is after godliness. It's not according to any works that you and I have done. Again, it is according to the faith of God and the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began.

Do you remember that? Do you realize that God has promised you eternal life? This promise was something that He made before the world began. We saw just last week, when we were in 2 Timothy, that now that mystery has been revealed; it has been made manifest. In 2 Timothy chapter 1, it is now made manifest, verse 10, by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. This was a promise that God made before the world began, which is interesting. Before the world began, there was no man and there was no sin. But God knew He was going to create man, and He knew that man would sin. So, before that ever happened, God said, "I am going to make a way for eternal life," to make a provision.

He spoke of that as early as Genesis chapter 3. We read in verse 15 about the one who would come from the seed of a woman, who would bruise the head of Satan, of Lucifer, the serpent, but he would bruise his heel. We know that the promise was given and it was spoken of in Genesis chapter 3, but it was something that God did outside of time. Now, it has been made manifest by the appearing of our Lord and Savior.

What a great blessing it is to have the hope of eternal life! In a world where things can change so quickly, you can be on a high mountain enjoying all the great things of life one second, and the next, you are flat on your face in the valley. In a world where things shift so fast, there is shifting sand. What a great blessing it is to have the hope of eternal life, because we see through any sort of suffering that we may encounter.

Don't get me wrong; we will encounter and be faced with difficulty, trial, tribulation, suffering, whatever it may be. Maybe tonight you are going through suffering, and if you're not, maybe you will be tomorrow.

Maybe this is just preparation for that. Whatever the case, we will all suffer here on earth. However, we have the hope of eternal life that God has promised. Since God is the one who has promised it, it will come to pass. Amen? He will accomplish everything that He has spoken. All the promises of God are in Him, yes, and in Him, amen. Paul told the church at Corinth, to the glory of God, that every promise God has given to us will come to pass.

This is a promise that He made before the world began, and He cannot lie. In due time, He has manifested His word through preaching. There is another interesting thing: God, who is all-powerful and all-knowing, possesses so many omni-attributes that we don't have time to go into tonight. God is magnificent and majestic, and we could not do Him justice by describing Him with words. Yet, this God has chosen to reveal this great promise through preaching.

Paul told the church at Corinth that it was through the foolishness of preaching. When you consider how great, grand, and glorious God is, this method seems rather foolish for bringing forth the word of truth. But it is the method through which God has chosen, and I believe it brings Him the greatest glory because He is using earthen vessels to show forth His magnificent power and great grace. Through preaching, He has manifested this great promise, which is committed unto me, Paul says, according to the commandment of God our Savior.

He then addresses this letter to Titus, my own son after the common faith. He writes, "Grace, mercy,"—there's that word again that he wrote to Timothy twice—"grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior."

Now, for this cause, I left you in Crete. He tells him very clearly why he left him there on the island of Crete, among these wicked people. For this cause, I left you there, that you should set in order the things that are wanting or lacking and ordain elders or appoint elders in every city as I appointed you.

Now, that's important because sometimes we may think, "How am I supposed to do this?" I remember one time Josh and I were at camp with a whole bunch of youth, and we were having a baptism. We had about six kids who wanted to be baptized. They all came to us and said, "Josh, Miles, will you baptize us?" We looked at each other as we were walking out to the lake where they were doing the baptism and asked, "Do you know how to baptize people?" "No." "You?" "No."

How do we do this? Well, I guess we just do it how we did it. We were baptized. Okay, well, let's do that. Paul emphasizes the importance of reflecting on how we were discipled, baptized, or ordained. He was simply doing the same things that Paul had done and that he had observed in Paul.

It is crucial to take careful note of how the Lord leads you and how He trains you. I truly believe that, although we have a school of discipleship here at this church and are committed to presenting the Word of God in a systematic way so that people can grasp it, understand it, and know what they believe, discipleship is more caught than taught. It is through spending time with people and interacting with them that true discipleship occurs.

Paul mentioned that he left Titus on the island of Crete to set in order the things that are lacking and to appoint or ordain elders. He encouraged Titus to raise up disciples just as he had been discipled. I want you to think of this verse, verse 5, not as if Paul was writing it to you or to Titus, but as if God was writing it to you and me here on earth. He has left us here to set in order the things that are lacking and to appoint elders in every city, just as we were raised up and just as we were discipled.

Sometimes we wonder, "God, why don't You just take us out of here?" As we look around the world and see things shifting and changing, we may wonder what will happen next. I was talking with someone just the other day about a family member going through turmoil, a young child experiencing significant distress. A big part of this turmoil is the uncertainty of what will happen.

When we observe the events occurring around us, whether in our nation or globally, we see a lot of stressful situations. Our nation, more than any other, is filled with anxiety. We know this because of the high rates of anti-anxiety medication being prescribed. Much of this anxiety stems from the media we consume and the constant bombardment of information about what is happening in the world and in our own nation.

Several years ago, a book titled "Future Shock" was written, highlighting the overwhelming pace of change in society. Sometimes, we look at the world spinning out of control and wonder what will happen next. People can become despondent, in despair, and filled with concern and worry.

As they look at these things, we have the hope of eternal life, which God gave to us. Sometimes, when we reflect on these matters, we say, "Jesus, why don't you come back now and just take us out of here? Get us out of here now." Yet the Lord says, "I left you there that you would set in order those things that are lacking and that you would disciple others." That's why you're there. That's why the Lord has not come yet. Because the work is not finished, as He sees it, obviously. If the work were done, He would call us home. Amen?

Our continued presence on earth indicates to me that the work is not finished yet. Therefore, we have a lot of work to be done. When it's done, He will call us home. He is faithful. But until then, I left you there on earth to set in order the things that are lacking and to disciple others.

Then He gives us some information about who these elders or overseers ought to be. He said similar things to Timothy. If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless as a steward of God, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, not a striker, not given to filthy lucre or greed for money, but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, and temperate.

He must hold fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince those who are in opposition or gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, particularly the Jews, Paul says, whose mouths must be stopped. They subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not for greed's sake or filthy lucre's sake.

One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, "The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and slow bellies." This witness is true, Paul says. Wherefore, rebuke them sharply. Why? That they may be sound in faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men that turn from the truth.

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess, note this, that they know God, but by their works, they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate or disqualified.

Now, when Paul gives forth the requirements for a leader, for a bishop, for an elder, or an overseer, we read these things about being blameless and a steward of God, or a servant of God. They should not be self-willed, not soon angry, and not given to wine. Looking around Crete, I think Titus could have said, "There's nobody like that. Nobody fits the description." In reality, if you just look around mankind here on earth, there's nobody just like that by nature. These are not our natural tendencies, are they? This is an indication of God doing a work in an individual. These are the fruits of the Spirit, and we need to keep our eyes wide open for individuals that are filled with the Spirit.

Now, remember what the early church went through when they were having a problem with a lack of ministry. We will be looking at this on Sunday mornings in just a few weeks. In Acts chapter 6, there was a group of people that were not being ministered to in a proper way. The leaders of the church, the apostles, didn't have the time to get to that ministry. That's why it had kind of fallen by the wayside or through the cracks. They said, "We want you to look around and find seven guys that are filled with what? The Spirit."

Now, how do you know if someone is filled with the Spirit? Do they come with a name tag or some sort of little thing on their forehead? How can you identify someone who is filled with the Spirit? Maybe we should make t-shirts that say, "Filled with the Spirit." They probably already have them. Go to C28; I'm sure you can find one. They might even make jeans that say "Filled with the Spirit." I don't know.

But the fact is, the only way to tell if someone is filled with the Spirit is by the fruit of the Spirit. Here are some indications. This is an individual that is filled with the Spirit. When you read verse 7 about someone being blameless, a good steward of God, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, not a striker, and not greedy, none of these things are natural characteristics. This is supernatural.

You have to have your eyes open for individuals that are showing forth God's grace and God's work in their life. They are hospitable, they have taken forth the Word of God, and they have held fast to the Word of God. They know how to use the Word of God in a proper way. Paul says that when you identify people like this, this is your bishop, your overseer, your deacon, your servant. Whatever it may be, this is the kind of person that you need to look for within the body of Christ. There are unruly people, vain deceivers, and individuals who come into the church that are deceptive, unruly, and filled with vanity.

And they're in the church every single Sunday. They need people who know the Word of God, who can challenge them and exhort them. As iron sharpens iron, they can be stirred unto good works. However, sometimes their mouths may need to be stopped because they can distract and dissuade people from the truth. They subvert whole households, teaching things that are wrong. There are people like this in the world, just as there were on the island of Crete. We need to be circumspect, walking with our eyes open and our ears attentive, identifying those who appear to be filled with the Holy Spirit and walking in the Spirit.

It's interesting that when we get down to verse 16, it says there are those who profess that they know God. Many people in the world, especially in our nation, profess to know God, but their works deny Him. The way they live shows that they don't really know God. Every single day, you'll encounter people who name the name of Jesus, but that doesn't mean they are Christians. If you watch their lives, you'll see that their works deny Him.

This is one of my concerns. I don't say this to criticize larger churches, but larger churches can be dangerous in the sense that people can come in and hide. They can appear to be believers and may even get involved in service, working at the church. Yet, as they work at the church, it becomes apparent that they are not really walking in the Spirit. This is why it's so important to have smaller group fellowships and why we want to have more home fellowships at our church. In that environment, many times these issues become apparent.

In a larger church, where there are 1,000, 2,000, or even 10,000 members—some churches in our nation now have 20,000 strong—it's very easy to hide. No one ever gets to know you, and you can come and go without anyone really seeing the way you live. You can have a profession of faith and an appearance of godliness, but deny the power thereof. It's in watching the way that person lives and interacts, not just at church, that we can discern their true character.

Every one of us knows that it's very easy to put on a mask when we come to church. I remember growing up, before we came to Calvary Chapel, we attended an Episcopal church. I recall being about seven or eight years old and going to church, and my mom would not have a problem with me telling this story. We would be getting yelled at the whole way to church, and it was just a fight.

In the vehicle the whole way, my parents were yelling at us. Then, the second we pulled into the church parking lot, they said, "Now you kids be good." We opened the door, and everybody was happy. It’s very easy sometimes to put on that appearance.

So, it’s not just about watching someone while they’re at church; it’s about observing them when they’re at work. Are they a man or a woman of integrity, honesty, and self-control in their work environment, at home, or wherever they play? That’s what’s so great about the community of the church. We don’t just want to have the appearance of community; we really want to have a community within the church where we are a part of one another’s lives. If one part suffers, the whole part suffers.

Now, it’s hard to have this because it takes more work, but it’s so important. Paul says that there are those who profess to know God, but their works deny Him. They are abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work, they are disqualified. They are reprobate. There are those who are disqualified from the work because of their actions, because of the things they’ve done. They may have a good profession, and on the outside, you might think, "That’s the kind of guy we want in our Sunday school," or "That’s the kind of person we want leading our home fellowships." But in reality, because of the way they live, they are disqualified.

However, Paul says to Titus in chapter 2, verse 1, to speak those things which become sound doctrine. He emphasizes the need to teach, encourage, and build up those things that become sound doctrine—truths to live by, things to stand upon. He then gives a number of things we are to stand upon and speaks to several different groups of people. In verse 2, he addresses the older men, saying they are to be sober, grave, and temperate, sound in faith, charity, and patience.

First, he identifies or singles out the older men in the church. This could be very subjective, but to the older men, he says they are to be sober. Of course, when we think of sober, we immediately think of abstaining from alcohol in our society. The reason our minds think like that is because we come from a prohibitionist nation, a nation that lived for a time under prohibition. We look at things like alcohol as being extremely taboo, especially within the church. So, when we read of someone being sober, our minds go to the idea that they need to be one who is abstaining from alcohol. However, in reality, this word means much more.

To be abstaining from any controlling influence means avoiding anything that could control you. Paul said to the church at Corinth, "I don't want to be brought subject or under anything." There are many different things that can control us or influence us. It could be alcohol, drugs, pornography, gambling, gluttonous eating, and so on. There are so many different things that could fall under this category.

What is the dominating passion of your life? Is it God, or is it something else that controls and influences you? If there is something else that is controlling or influencing you, Paul says this is sound doctrine. He instructs those who are older, particularly men within the church, to be sober and to abstain from any controlling influence—anything that is trying to latch onto you.

The author of Hebrews, in Hebrews chapter 12, says, "Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that does so easily ensnare us." There are many different sins that could easily ensnare us, and every single person in this room probably has a different one tonight—those things that trip you up. He encourages us to lay aside all those things that easily ensnare us so that we can run the race with endurance.

He also tells the older men that they should be grave or reverent. The word "reverent" means honorable or worthy of respect. I believe one could say, like the Apostle Paul, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ." That is a longing of mine—to be able to say to people, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ." I believe there are certain areas in my life where I could confidently say that. However, there are other areas in my life, just like in yours, where I couldn't say, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ," because I need to imitate Christ more in those areas.

To be reverent is to be one who, like Paul, could make that statement. Not only should they be reverent, but he also says they should be temperate. Being temperate means having a good temperament, sound mind, and judgment. It involves being self-controlled and able to curb one's desires and impulses. We all have desires and impulses in our flesh, which still remain after salvation. Paul speaks about this very clearly in the book of Romans. Every single one of us is in this battle of the flesh.

I believe the more we walk with and in the Spirit, the less we are dominated by the works of the flesh. The Bible is clear in the book of Galatians about that. One who is walking in the Spirit is temperate; they are able to curb those desires and impulses and set their mind on things above. Not only that, he says they are to be sound in three things: sound in faith, sound in love.

The older men should be sound in faith. That means they should have a healthy and well-exercised faith. A well-exercised faith is an interesting concept to consider, isn't it? We know what it is to exercise. We live in a society that is dominated by exercise gyms and all kinds of equipment. People buy workout gear to exercise their muscles so that they don't age quite as badly or whatever it may be. The goal is to stay strong and healthy.

But do we have a healthy faith? Not just in our belief in God, but in the way that we live. Have we exercised our faith? Do we truly trust God? The word "faith" has kind of been watered down in our day. There are a lot of people who have, quote, "faith." They have faith in faith, faith in angels, and faith in all kinds of different things. However, the word "trust" would probably be a better term. Do you trust God with everything?

This is an exhortation that Paul gives to the older men and tells Titus to convey to them as well. They need to have a sound faith, a well-exercised faith. But not only that, they should be sound in love. Is your love healthy and well-exercised? This includes brotherly love and self-sacrificing love. The word "agape" is used here, and it speaks of that self-sacrificing, charitable love, willing to give whatever is needed.

Additionally, we must consider patience. Patience is a word that I don't think any of us in America really like. If we're honest, patience is a difficult concept for us. You always hear Christians say, "Don't pray for patience." Why? Because they've read James chapter 1 and taken it out of context. The testing of our faith produces patience, and people say that if you pray for patience, you're going to get trials. However, you're going to face trials anyway, whether or not you pray for patience.

Hopefully, when you are tried, it has its perfect work and produces patience. Some people go through trials and difficulties, and it doesn't result in patience; it results in bitterness, frustration, and anger. It all has to do with the heart. Is your heart set on the Lord? When you face various trials and the testing of your faith, do you recognize that this is the hand of God working in you to produce patience, or do you just get angry? I'll be honest.

There are times when I just get angry, and we all do. However, those who are elder men within the body of Christ, having been Christians for a long period of time, need to press on to maturity. Some of those things involve being sound and patient, ensuring that we have a healthy, well-exercised patience.

Now, he speaks to the aged women, the older women within the body of Christ. In verse 3, he says, "Likewise, that they be in behavior as becomes holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things." When we read that they are to have behavior that becomes holiness, looking at this in the original language reveals that it speaks of being reverent. Just as he spoke to the elder men, the women are to be reverent as well. They are to be honorable in the way they behave. The way they live should be honorable, so that people can look at them and say, "That is a pattern I want to follow."

The older men and older women are to be patterns for the younger men and younger women. This is essentially what Paul is telling Titus to teach to the church on the island of Crete. We also read that they are not to be false accusers. I believe that Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, speaks directly to these individuals because these are the issues they deal with. The fact is, men tend to be impatient, so he tells the older men to be patient. Now, he speaks to the women and instructs them not to be false accusers. This refers to not being slanderers or gossips.

The word in Greek is "diablos," from which we get the word "devil." The devil is the accuser of the brethren, the one who brings accusations against the body of Christ before God. He is a gossip to God about all the things you do and say, and all the wicked things you commit. Did you ever realize that? The devil is a gossip, and I believe that gossip is devilish.

Here, Paul tells the church, instructing Titus to teach the church in Crete that the older women are not to be gossips. This is something that older women tend to struggle with, if we are honest and confront the truth as the Word of God does. Notice that Paul never pulls any punches; he is very clear about these things. Why? Because God wants us to live and walk in righteousness. Amen? He desires for us to live in the right way and to have a good relationship with Him.

He says that they are not to be given to wine or much wine. He doesn't say that they cannot drink wine, but they should not be given to much wine. It's very much the same thing that Paul told the church at Ephesus: they are not to come under the influence of wine and are to be sober. This is a similar teaching to the women as it was to the men. Not only are they to avoid much wine, but they are also to be teachers of good things.

I think that's pretty self-explanatory, but who are they to teach? Notice what he says in verse 4: that they may teach the younger women to be sober. This is the third time that the word "sober" is used. One of the characteristics that should be present in the life of a believer is that they are sober. They are individuals who know how to abstain from any controlling influence, with God being the only controlling influence over their lives.

It's important to note that the younger women are to be discipled by the older women to live this way. It's not a natural thing; it requires instruction. This instruction comes not just through teaching words but by living as an example. As I mentioned earlier, discipleship is often more caught than taught. Therefore, they are to teach the younger women to be sober.

The word "sober" used here for the younger women is a little different than the word used for the older men. It means that they are to be moderate and self-controlled. They are to teach the younger women to be moderate, self-controlled, and to love their husbands. The word "love" here is the word "phileo," which speaks of a kind, tender-hearted love and tender affection.

Now, how many of you came to our series about two years ago when we went through the Love and Respect series here at the church? Not many. We may need to do that series again. One of the things that Emerson Eggerich said in that series is that if you ask any guy, "Does your wife love you?" probably every single one of the guys—99%—will say, "Yeah, my wife loves me." But then you ask them, "Does your wife like you?" and the response might be, "Well, not this week."

Sometimes there is that struggle. I don't think any of the guys here who are married question whether their wives love them. I know my wife loves me, but there are certain times when I wonder, "Does she like me today?" I find myself asking, "Did I do something wrong?" This whole dynamic emphasizes that the older women are to teach the younger women to love their husbands, and it's not the word "agape."

I don't think any man struggles with wondering, "Does my wife agape me?" The word is phileo. Does she have a tenderhearted like for me? Does she like me? Does she enjoy spending time with me? To love their husbands is one thing; they ought to be loving, kind, and friendly to their husbands. This is what the older women are to instruct the younger women in.

I believe that God chooses these words for a very specific reason. He is saying that these are the things you are to teach. These are sound doctrines. When I say sound doctrine, a lot of times our minds go to the inerrancy of Scripture or atonement by the blood of Jesus Christ. When we think of doctrine, we think of key, essential theology. However, here, Paul is giving us very practical things that God wants us to do in our lives.

We are to be sober, temperate, reverent, and sound in faith, love, and patience. We should not be given to wine or greed, but rather be able to teach good things. The women are to love their husbands and, notice, to love their children, as he says. The younger women are to be taught by the older women to love their children. Again, the same word phileo is used, but with a different attachment; it's a different compound word. They are to love their children as well, being loving, kind, and friendly to them.

Not only that, he says that the older women are to teach the younger women in verse 5 that they be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, and obedient to their husbands, so that the word of God be not blasphemed. The younger women are to be taught by the older women to be discreet. The word discreet in the original language means of sound mind, in one's senses, and self-controlled. They are to be self-controlled and able to curb their desires and impulses.

The older women are to teach the younger women to be self-controlled. Additionally, they are to be chaste. This is a teaching that is lost in the church today, from the older women to the younger women in a significant way. The younger women should be chaste, pure, modest, and clean. Modesty is greatly lost in our society.

Now, modesty does not mean wearing Victorian-era clothing all the way up the neck and all the way down. That is not what is being spoken of here. As we have seen before, or will see when we get into Peter's letters, it is the inward adorning of the heart that is emphasized.

That's important. Modesty and purity are essential, as well as being keepers at home. This is something that the women's liberation movement in America absolutely hates and detests. However, it is something that God instructs for younger women with families: they should learn from older women to be keepers at home and know how to rule their households.

I read somewhere a number of years ago that the statistics are overwhelming. Over 70% of girls getting married do not know how to cook a meal, which was once a very standard skill in America. But why is that? Is it because they didn't have a chance to go through home economics in school? No, I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that the body of Christ has not instructed them in a proper way.

Now, this does not mean that keeping the home is all they should ever do, but they should know how to manage the home, as Paul says. He also tells them that they are to be good. This could mean a lot of things, but it specifically refers to being good-natured, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, and happy. Being joyful while keeping the home would be very difficult without Christ. When we recognize that we are doing this as unto the Lord and not unto man, it completely changes things, doesn't it?

This principle applies to men as well. Many of you have worked, or may even work right now, under a boss that you don't like and who doesn't treat you very well. Yet, when you recognize that you are not working for them but for God, and that your work is as unto the Lord, it completely changes the dynamic, doesn't it?

This is the same for women, and I think it is important for older women to teach younger women to be good. The word literally means to be pleasant, agreeable, joyful, and happy. Unfortunately, many women today, especially in the younger generation and among younger married couples, struggle to find happiness or joy in being keepers of the home. This has everything to do with the wrong focus. If they were doing it as unto the Lord, it wouldn't matter.

I was reading through a book just last week by Kay Smith, Pastor Chuck's wife, called "Pleasing God." She primarily wrote this book as a Bible study for the ladies at Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa, and her Joyful Life Bible Study. One of the things I found very interesting...

While I was reading through this book, I found it interesting that it was written for ladies. However, I am reading it as well. It's a good book. One of the things the author mentioned, while speaking to the ladies during a Bible study, was this: if you prepared a meal for your husband, working for two hours on that meal, and had the house cleaned, only for him to walk through the door, eat the meal, and then go upstairs to bed without thanking you or saying anything, would you be angry? I think many people would say yes, they would be very angry.

Then she presented it in another way. Let's say you are cooking that meal as unto the Lord for him. If your husband comes in and doesn't say anything, just goes upstairs and goes to bed, it doesn't matter because you have done it as unto the Lord, and God is pleased. This perspective completely changes the situation, doesn't it? This applies to anyone. I reflected on this for myself, considering all the different things we encounter in life. If we are doing things as unto the Lord to please Him, it doesn't matter what others think, does it? We will often find ourselves being much more agreeable, pleasant, joyful, and happy through whatever we go through.

In verse 5, it says that the older women are to teach the younger women to be good and obedient to their husbands. This speaks of submission to their husbands, just as we have seen in the book of Ephesians before. Again, this teaching is something that the women's liberation movement in America absolutely hates and detests. However, there is a reason for this: so that the word of God may not be blasphemed. This is a good witness, and the world needs to see this.

Then he turns to the young men in verse 6 and says that young men likewise are to be exhorted to be sober-minded. This is the fourth time the word "sober" appears in this discourse, indicating that it is a common denominator among all within the body of Christ. They should be sober, with sound mind and judgment. This word is also interesting; it means to put a moderate estimate upon oneself and not to think of oneself more than one ought. This is something that young men need to hear, isn't it? Paul told the church at Galatia the very same thing: do not think of yourself more than you ought to. Think soberly of oneself. Therefore, the young men are to be sober-minded.

The older men are to teach them this: that they are able to curb their passions and their impulses. Just as Paul told Timothy to flee youthful lusts, he also tells the young men that they, in all things, are to show themselves a pattern of good works. They should be able, as Paul instructed Timothy in 1 Timothy chapter 4, to be an example to the believer in word, in faith, in baptism, in purity, and in all those different things that he gives in love and spirit, as stated in 1 Timothy chapter 4, verse 12.

Thus, they should be a pattern of good works. They should live in such a way that they are an example. Not only that, he says they are to have good or sound doctrine, showing uncorruptness at the end of verse 7. They should have good doctrine and stand upon that good doctrine. Furthermore, he says they should have gravity, which means to be dignified, respectful, honorable, and pure. The young men should embody these qualities.

Additionally, the young men should be sincere and incorrupt. They should have sound speech, as mentioned in verse 8, that cannot be condemned. This is important for maintaining a good witness. Sound speech that cannot be condemned ensures that those who are contrary may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about you. When someone comes against you, they should have nothing to say because you are above reproach.

This principle is illustrated in the book of Acts, as we saw last Sunday morning. When the Sanhedrin, the ruling council, brought Peter and John before them and forbade them to speak in the name of Jesus, they had to let them go because they could find nothing else to charge them with. They could not find anything that these men had done wrong because they were men who could not be condemned. Even when they were brought before the judge, no one could say anything against them; there was nothing evil that could be spoken of them.

Then, he speaks not just to the old men, the young men, the older women, and the younger women, but also to the servants. While we do not live in a society today that has slavery—praise God for that—we do live in a society with employees and employers. Therefore, instead of "servant," we can say to exhort the employees to be obedient to their own masters, to their own employers, and to their own managers. They should please them well in all things, not answering back, not purloining, but showing in all good fidelity that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior, in all things.

To the servants and employees, serve your employer well so that you would be a good witness. Paul told the church at Ephesus in Ephesians chapter 6 that servants should not do their service with eye service as men pleasers. Eye service means that you don't always have to be watched by your manager; they can trust you. If they ask you to do something, they know that you're going to get it done without them having to constantly watch you.

We all know what it means to be a men pleaser. We have all experienced the goody two shoes in school or the brown noser who always asks, "Is there any extra credit that I can do? Is there anything else I can do?" God says we are not to be like that. We should not do our service with eye service or as men pleasers, but we are to do it as pleasing the Lord, recognizing that when we work, whatever we do, it is as unto the Lord.

Now, he speaks to the employees and servants. For the grace of God, as stated in verse 11, brings salvation and has appeared to all men. This does not mean that every single person throughout the world has heard the gospel or seen the gospel, but the grace of God has been made open to all men. It is available to everybody. Just as we saw last week in 1 Timothy or 2 Timothy, it has been manifested by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The grace of God has appeared unto all men. Notice what the grace of God does: it brings salvation, number one, as stated in verse 11. Secondly, the grace of God not only brings salvation, but it teaches us, as mentioned in verse 12. It teaches us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present world.

God's grace not only saves us, but it is also instructive. His grace teaches us to deny worldly lusts and ungodliness. We should turn away from those things that our flesh is attracted to and instead turn to God. We should live soberly. This is the fifth time that the word "soberly" is used, or the idea of living soberly is presented. It is a common denominator for Christians.

We should deny the things of this world and live soberly and righteously, meaning we should live in a right way before God and godly in this present world. We should continue looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. We should live.

In this world, we are called to deny worldly lusts and the fleshly desires, living for God here and now while expecting and looking forward to the Lord's coming. We should be looking expectantly for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us. Why? That He might redeem us from all iniquity. He wants to redeem us from all sin and iniquity completely.

Redemption does not only involve not going to hell; it also involves God transforming us and sanctifying us. He desires to redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people—us—zealous for good works. These are special people who are desirous of good works.

Titus is instructed to speak, exhort, and rebuke with all authority, letting no man despise him. He is told to preach these things and not let anyone look down on him. He should do it with all authority because it is not the word of man; it is the word of God. Even though there are people who disagree with these teachings, and even though some women in our society claim that they need to be loosed from the bondage of Titus chapter 2, God says, "No, this is My word," and He commands that it be spoken with all authority.

There are also employees who may hate their employers and do not want to serve them joyfully or in the right way, wanting instead to steal from them. Still, God says, "Listen, this is the word of God." Rebuke those with all authority because it is God's word, and do not allow anyone to despise you.

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities. This is particularly relevant for us in our nation today. We are to be subject to those principalities and powers, obeying magistrates and being ready for every good work. We are called to be submissive to all authorities and leadership, whether they are mayors, governors, legislators, senators, congressmen, or presidents.

You may wonder how Paul could say this, considering that we live under a government that some deem unjust. However, I want you to consider the government that Paul was living under when he wrote this. Who was in power over Paul? Nero, one of the worst leaders that Rome ever saw—cruel and wicked beyond measure.

You just read the history books about Nero, and you will find that guy was pretty gnarly. We have not seen a Nero, nor do we right now. Paul says to put them in mind to be subject to principalities and obey magistrates. Be ready for every good work. Speak evil of no man. Do not be a gossip. Speak evil of no one, and do not be a brawler, but be gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.

Why? For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish and disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. We need to remember where we came from. Just as Paul told the church at Corinth, "And such were some of you." But after the kindness and love of God our Savior toward men appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us.

By the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, and being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that you affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is a heretic, after the first or second admonition, reject, knowing that he is such is subverted and sins, being condemned of himself.

Paul ends his letter by saluting various people that were with Titus and also sending salutations from various people along the way. Notice what he says here: Yes, there are people that are difficult to serve. There are managers or employers that are hard to work for. There is leadership in nations that we might want to rise up against, maybe. Maybe not here in America, but there are other places where that is the case.

But Paul tells Titus to remind the people where they came from, that they were once wicked. They were once cruel taskmasters, maybe. Once upon a time, they were the mean and rotten leaders or employers. But now God has transformed them, and they are no longer.

Rotten, mean, arrogant, and obnoxious—God transformed them, and He can transform others as well. We have the gospel of God to bring into this world because we've been saved by the kindness of God our Savior. He has appeared unto us, and it's not by anything that you and I have done; it's by the work that He did on our behalf.

Yes, there are people in this world who are wicked, mean, and obnoxious, but such were some of us. All they need is the great and glorious grace of our God. Living according to the pattern given here, embracing these sound doctrinal and practical teachings that Paul provides, gives us a great opportunity to share the grace of God. The things you read in the book of Titus, which are called sound doctrine, are the antithesis of the world. This is not how the world looks.

When my life and your life reflect these teachings, we are preaching the gospel without words and opening a door of opportunity to share the grace of God, who has transformed us. This transformation is not something we manufacture. Old men, young men, old women, and young women do not make themselves sober, pure, or holy. They do not achieve these qualities by their own efforts. No, it is not by works that you and I have done, nor by our works of righteousness, but according to His mercy that He is working these things out through us.

We should press on. We should lay aside every weight and sin that so easily ensnares us and continue to press on, looking for and hoping for the appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Until then, He hasn't come yet, so obviously, the work is not done. Let us press on.

Let's stand and pray. Heavenly Father, thank You for Your word. I do ask, Lord, that You would plant these things in our hearts. By Your Spirit, continue to transform me and my brothers and sisters here. Father, help us to look more and more like the image of Your Son—not just in our outward appearance, but in the way that we live. And Lord, I pray that You would give opportunity for...

Us to share the truth of Your grace that's transformed us, Your grace that has saved us, Lord, but also Your grace that has taught us to deny earthly lusts and all these wicked things of this world.

Lord, Your grace not only saves us from hell, but it sanctifies us for life here on earth and prepares us for heaven. God, we thank You for Your grace. Help us to be good examples of that grace wherever we go, for we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

Thank you.