Discipling in the Local Church Titus 2:1-8

Titus 2:1–8 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. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

Introduction:

Good morning once again. Over the last few weeks we have taken a step away from our typical preaching diet of exposition through a book of the Bible to a series on the Biblical foundations for our mission as a church which I'm calling: Pathway of Hope.

SHOW GRAPHIC - Gather Together, Grow Deeper, Go Wider

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A couple of weeks ago I talked about why we gather together. It's for worship. We talked about the importance of being worshippers of Christ first and foremost. Last week we started to look at growing deeper which begins with understanding what the indicators of a true discipleship are. Today we are going to look at discipleship and discipling in particular in the life of the local church.

I have seen or heard this truth communicated:

The local church is God's plan for reaching the world. There is no plan B. That's it. It's our mission. That's His plan for reaching the world and making disciples.

The Great Commission - our mission

How we apply it here in Dixon:

The mission of Hope Bible Fellowship is to make disciples of Jesus Christ by gathering together, growing deep, and going wide with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The pathway of hope is a process or pathway by which we can see a pictorial representation of how we will make disciples.

Discipleship - inward, our own discipleship

Discipling - outward, what we do to others to help them love Jesus more. Dever says it’s doing good to someone so they grow closer to Jesus.

We see this making of disciples and discipling people played out in the Apostle Paul's words to Titus in the letter bearing the younger pastor's name.

In the remainder of our time my plan is to break down what discipling in the local church is supposed to look like based on what we see in Titus 2, give you some basic truths of discipling in the context of the local church, and then challenge you to become either deeper involved or for the first time involved in discipling.

Let’s pray and ask God to help us.

PRAY

I. Discipling in the local church starts with proper teaching of the Word of God. (v. 1)

Accords with sound teaching - is fitting, seemly, is suitable… The way of living and serving one another that Paul is laying out for Titus is in keeping with sound teaching. He’s teaching them to live Godly lives and to raise up others to do the same.

II. Paul addresses groups of people with specifics.

Not a generic “follow the Law.”

Specific to their age and calling in life.

1. Older Men

- what do these words mean?

Sober minded - restrained in his conduct, level headed, making careful judgements and wise decisions, knows what matters most, man of moderation, lives life to please and glorify God

dignified - worthy of respect because he goes after that which is noble. Not a prude but not delighting in questionable things.

self-controlled - Prudent, thoughtful, being in control of oneself… Not acting impulsively. Teach them to control their passions. He’s self disciplined. MacArthur writes that these men “have the discernment, discretion, and judgement that comes from walking with God for many years. They control their physical passions and they reject worldly standards and resist worldly attractions” These are not the type of guys who skip church to go fishing. These are the men who teach the young men how to order their life after God and lead their families to follow God because they themselves are controlled in these areas.

sound in faith - Sound, meaning free from error and faith meaning reliability, fidelity, commitment, the state of believing on the basis of the reliability of the one trusted, confidence

They live with a confidence in God based on sound doctrine.

Rooted in a daily worship of the Lord. Being regularly in the Word and in prayer… when no one is looking.

He is confident in the love of the Lord, trusting Him even when he doesn’t understand what God is doing or why.

He knows what he believes. He knows why he believes, and he knows whom he believes.

e. sound in love - Warm regard for and interest in another, esteem, affection, regard

Rightly ordered love. God first, other believers next, and then the lost.

f. sound in steadfastness - Capacity to hold out or bear up in the face of difficulty

Expectation, patiently waiting for someone for something

He’s a patient man. Perseverance.

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

2. Older Women

- Just as with everyone they are to pursue godliness in their lives and in their discipling of the younger women. Elizabeth Elliot once wrote an article and called these women WOTTs. The Women Of Titus Two. She was asking where these type of women were in our churches.

reverent in behavior - this would be understood as behavior that is “temple fitting.”

not slanderers - They are not to be making false or unfounded accusations. The Greek word here is diabolos… It’s the word where we get our English word “devil”.

34 times in the NT, it is used to refer to the Enemy of God. These older women are to teach the younger women not to be “devilish” in their speech. She’s not to be a gossip, spreading things around like she’s running a fertilizer spreader. She has control over her tongue.

c. not slaves to much wine - Controls her tongue and her appetites. She doesn’t deal with life by seeking answers at the bottom of the bottle.

d. teach what is good - the older men and women are to teach the younger generations…

When Paul says to teach what is good, we should ask what good teaching he has in mind. Verses four and five gives us those answers.

Before we get there I want to address something: One scholar, in commenting on this subject says this,

“ Cultural pressure and expectations have robbed many women of the blessings and joys of homemaking and motherhood. The Feminist Movement made promises on which it could not deliver. The fallout has been mammoth and disastrous, and we are still in the midst of the whirlwind. It is obvious from this text that a feminist agenda and the resulting confusion and rejection of God-ordained roles is not restricted to the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. The first century suffered from this malady as well, and so Paul confronted it head on.

Now - what I am not saying is that it is wrong for you ladies to work outside the home. I am NOT saying that. I am NOT saying you should always be barefoot and pregnant or that you are sinning by having a career. That would be taking this too far I think. My own wife works so I would be a giant hypocrite if I made you abide by some rule I don’t abide by.

However, the primary role of the woman is in regard to the home. When our kids were very young we tried to have Bethany as available as possible to them. She stayed home for a good portion of their younger years. Again, that doesn’t mean you have to but I really do believe that it is best by design. So with that in mind we need to see what Paul has to say about this.

e. train the younger women

to love their husbands

to love their children

to be self-controlled

Pure - She is above reproach in her moral life. She doesn’t have a “work-husband.” She is a one-man woman. Her husband can have trust and confidence in her faithfulness. God sees his own character in her.

working at home

kind

submissive to their own husbands - Submission: yielding your will to the leadership and direction of another. I’ve read it explained as more attitude than action. No inferiority implied in submission. The wife submits to her own husband and not to every man. She follows her husband’s leadership unless he leads her to do something unbiblical. She honors God and the Bible in this. She even honors her husband in this.

Jesus models this. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all equally God. Jesus, because of the purpose of his redeeming mission, submitted himself to the mission or assignment of the Father. Because He did this, we can be saved.

There is no second class in this.

I don’t think it would be out of bounds to think that they were to be examples of what they were to teach these younger women.

What was the outcome of this teaching and living in this way?

So that the Word of God will not be reviled. (v. 5)

This living of a godly life upholds the reputation of God among people in the world.

The Word of God to the people of God is shown to be true and worthy. When a godly woman lives this out, the Word sees what following Jesus in the family looks like.

3. Urge the younger men…

In verse 6 Paul instructs Titus to URGE the younger men to be self-controlled. Are you noticing a theme here? Self-control continues to appear.

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

The things that Paul wants Titus to be encouraging in the people are hard things for them at each life stage. Young men often struggle with self-control. We again see that God is specific with individual needs of individual people.

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III. Titus is to lead this. (v. 7-8)

How is he to lead this?

Be a model of good works.

In his teaching show

integrity

dignity

sound speech that cannot be condemned

So that:

An opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

When we live out the faith it gives credibility to the profession we have made with our mouths before them. They thing, “oh, you really believe this stuff!”

IV. Basic truths about discipling in the local church context.

Discipling challenges for us.

Discipling is doing good to someone so they grow closer to Jesus. It’s helping someone love Jesus more. Helping them grow in their love for Jesus.

Discipling by Mark Dever rec.

So what are some truths we see about discipling in the Bible that can help inform how we disciple one another in our church and those who will hopefully join us.

Intentional or deliberate.

Relational

Loving

1 John 3:16 ESV

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

4. Involves training in the Word of God.

5. Discipling is a pipeline.

Multi generational

(illustration)

1 Corinthians 4:7 ESV

For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

2 Timothy 2:1–2 ESV

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

6. Discipling is a process, not a program. You might say, it’s a pathway. :). A pathway of Hope.

V. Why should I disciple?

Why should you be involved in this process?

Out of love for and obedience to God’s command for the church.

For joy. Philippians 2:1-2

Philippians 2:1–2 ESV

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

3. For the glory of God among the people.

4. Because Jesus laid down His life for us and calls us to do the same for other people.

This is our only appropriate response to Jesus’ death on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins, in our place. He is the risen Lord, King of all and we desire for others to know and serve our King.

5. Jesus revealed God to us.

He entrusted us with the mission of making disciples. The local church, you and me, are the plan for reaching the world and there is not PLAN B.

Immediate challenges to your involvement with discipling: PRACTICALITIES

Join a Life Group.

Gather 1 on 1 with someone else from church and talk about the Lord and life.

Make use of the embarrassment of riches that we currently have in resources.

Use something like Open the Bible. (Colin Smith) - the hike, the drive, the flight

Promises Made/Promises Kept

Basic Christianity

New Believers’ Material

etc.

What are you going to do today to begin or continue to disciple someone?