Gospel in Community

Titus 2:1–5 ESV

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 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.

The Jordan river has great significance for the children of Israel: They crossed the river on dry ground (Joshua 3:1–14) where the Lord made the river stopped flowing and piled up in a heap, Elisha healed Naaman of his leprosy when the latter dipped seven times in the river, and John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ in the same river.

Do you know the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea are joined by the same (Jordan) river?

Interestingly, the Sea of Galilee is where hundreds of millions of birds migrate across Israel: Thousands of common cranes and pelicans flock to the area, as well as more than 25 species of raptors like the imperial eagles and spotted eagles. The sea of Galilee is where Jesus’ disciples made their living as fishermen and where most of Jesus’ ministry occurred.

But just 63 miles to the south, the Dead Sea has no place for animals or plants. Surrounded by a sulfer-filled wasteland, the dead sea is…well, dead.

The Sea of Galilee is fresh water and full of life, the Dead Sea is full of salt and no living thing lives in it. The is one big  difference between these two seas. The Sea of Galilee has water coming into it and out of it. Whereas the Dead Sea has water coming in to it but no water flows out of it, the only water that leaves it is by evaporation.  We need to be in partnership with God through scripture, but also with other believers. We need to be like the Sea of Galilee. We need to give to others and receive from God.

Paul gives to Titus a list of disciplines he must practice: Prayer, the study of God’s Word and worship, but he includes another: The teaching of others who will in turn teach others the Gospel. That’s the call of the pastor: To prepare the Gospel to taught in community.

The problem is that we have almost programmed this communal part of teaching out of our churches. Our churches are filled with classes of older men and women with other older saints, and younger men and women sitting down with others in their same place in the faith.

The problem with this is Paul clearly is teaching Titus the importance of the gospel community doing life together.

It think we have so segregated ourselves from others at different points in the faith that we have robbed ourselves both of the teaching of more mature saints, not in age but in faith, and the opportunities God gives us to pour into the lives of others.

For Older Men

Titus 2:2 ESV

Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

Paul first tells Titus to teach the natural leaders of the community, the older men (v. 2), “what is in accord with sound doctrine” (v. 1). The Greek term for “older men”is from the same root as that used for the office of elder (presbyter), but the context—and the contrast with older women—indicates Paul is likely referring more generally to men mature in years (cf. Luke 1:18; Philemon 9). Paul says that Titus should teach such men “to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled” (v. 2).

These put another way, older men are to be “dignified” and “mature”. As such, the older men in our church are called to pour into the lives of the younger men in our church.

Men, I talk often with young fathers who are struggling. God has blessed us with a growing group of young men. Men who love Jesus and are willing to serve. WHAT A BLESSING!

But these men struggle with some of the same things you struggled with: How do I raise my kids to love the Lord? How do I juggle work and it’s demands and my family?

They deal with sins like tempermentalism, pornography, pride.

They wonder how they are to love their wives well, how they are to deal with the struggles and disappointments of marriage.

In our youth, many of these young men are dealing with fatherlessness, or absence by their fathers who are checked out.

What they need is you. You have walked the path they are walking. Your successes and sometimes even more importantly your failures can be vital to helping these men navigate life.

So how can you do this? First you can talk to the men in our church. Build relationships with them. Don’t wait for them to come to you. You invite them over to sit down and talk. Ask them about their families. Ask them about their jobs. Ask them about their struggles.

You may not have all the answers, but you can point them to the one who does.

Second you can be involved. We have a wonderful group of men who meet on Tuesdays for our Samson Society group. It’s a recovery group with men struggling with addiction, and others who have had sobriety for years. The addictions range from alcohol, to pornography, to infidelity, to drugs, to anger, but they need men who have struggled with these things and other things who they can look to and see there is hope in Christ. Simply being there to encourage them, hear their stories, share you own, and care can be incredibly encouraging.

We’re also working on reforming our men’s ministry. Commit to serve alongside these men and encourage them. You may not be able to build a wheelchair ramp, but you can hold a board. You may not be able to throw an axe at the axe throwing center, but you can sit at a table and talk. These are all ways our men can connect, and it doesn’t matter your age. These men need you.

Finally you can teach and/or go to Bible study. I now that each of you love your community, but maybe for a season you could go to another class. Sure, theyll talk about kids, and jobs and things you may not be dealing with, but you have, and your nuggets of wisdom may be exactly what a young man needs to hear.

For Older Women

Likewise ladies.

Titus 2:3–5 ESV

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.

Ladies you too are called to pour into the lives of younger women.

1 and 2 Timothy and Titus—To Guard the Deposit For Older Women (v. 3)

The word reverent refers generally to honoring God, but its source in Greek culture characterized the conduct of priestesses. The Greek Christians would have understood Paul to be saying that a mature Christian woman should demonstrate the holiness of a heart that is near to God

Titus was encouraged by Paul to teach the ladies in the church to be in control of their lives, and to teach the next generation how to be godly mothers and wives.

Like the men, the women in our church need the treasure of godly women to pour into their lives. One of my greatest joys is to see how so many of you precious women loved well your families, particularly your husbands, by serving them in their last days. Your dignity and grace is something I will cherish.

The young women in our church need to learn the joy of being godly wives and mothers. Paul is calling us to be in community. Ladies, we are not to hoard our knowledge but rather pass it on to younger women who need advice from those with greater experience.

As R. Kent Huges notes, “the apostle’s normal pattern for the church is to have older women advise younger women in daily matters of family and Christian lifestyle.”

R. Kent Hughes and Bryan Chapell, 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus: To Guard the Deposit, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2000), 329.

To teach them to control their speech. Paul notes that godly women aren’t to be malicious gossips: or a lack of control of the tongue. Ladies one of the greatest gifts you can teach the mothers of to speak well of others and to build up their husbands and their churches. We live in a world where tearing others down is the norm, but it should not be so among God’s people.

Second to not be “slaves of much wine” and thus have a lack of control in their appetites. This is a call to be self-controlled, to live lives of humility and grace.

Ladies the advice we gave the men applies to you: Pour into the lives of the young women, both mothers and youth in our church. We need women to livingly teach other women “to love their husbands and children”.

You can do this through bible study. Our women’s ministry team is about to start planning events and opportunities for ministry for the women in our church. Saturday, Ms. Betty K. has put together a craft for our women. You can love the women well by getting to know them, and listening to their stories, and interjecting your wisdom and scripture as appropriate.

You can give them your number and offer to pray for them and to hear their struggles. You may not change diapers anymore, but you remember those lonely nights of feedings and diaper changes, and your advice and listening ear as a wife pours out her heart can be a salve and a help for a struggling mother.

Your encouragement to value themselves may be what challenges a young youth lady to seek a godly husband. Your prayers and concern may be what sustains an unequally yoked wife through praying for a grieving spouse.

God has given each of you the gift of experience that is a blessing to the church.

Job 12:12 ESV

Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days.

Job 32:7 ESV

I said, ‘Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom.’

As Benjamin Franklin noted:

“Those who love deeply never grow old; they may die of old age, but they die young.” – Benjamin Franklin.