A Generation Connected

A Generation Connected: The Strength of Community in Christ

Good morning church family. Today we are continuing our study through the book of Titus. Last week we laid the foundation of the leadership of the church and how as leaders have a calling to uphold and model a Christ like attitude in His wisdom and truth in all areas of life.

The leadership here at New Life should lead with the utmost of integrity and keep everything you do focused on Jesus.

As a reminder the purpose of this letter to Titus from Paul was:

Titus 1:1 NLT

1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.

Pauls instructions to Titus were to help him teach the church leaders first how to live godly lives in order to teach the church how to live godly lives.

The churches in Crete were struggling in their faith. They were acting more like the world around them than followers of Christ.

False teachings

Moral compass was off

Lack of strong leadership

Many were influenced by Jewish legalists and others who promoted ungodly behavior.

We are living in a time just as Titus. There was a clip I shared this past week where someone who was in leadership of a church - I don’t know if they were the pastor or not - but they were allowed behind the pulpit and they were not only using vulgar language, but they were denying that Christ was king.

If Paul were writing to a modern church behaving like the one we are reading in Titus, his letter would likely still address issues of false teaching, moral compromise, poor leadership, and lack of sound doctrine.

When the church gets its focus off of Christ, the morality of that church will begin to fail. False teachings will begin to rise. The leadership will begin to compromise and the people will follow.

It is imperative church that we make the main thing the main thing. That Jesus shapes all of our ideologies when it comes to the church, our families, and how we navigate our lives. We serve a god who is still holy and we serve a god who still holds His children to the standard of holy living!

1 Peter 1:16 NASB95

16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Where did the church miss making Jesus the main thing? I believe we missed it by not teaching the next generation. When the church doesn’t reach to teach the next generation, the world will.

This is how we end up with Tik-Tok Theology. Where influencers now sit behind virtual pulpits and teach false doctrine leading the next generation further from Christ.

It is time that the church becomes the teaching institution it was designed to be.

Over and over we are told in Scripture to teach the next generation:

Psalm 78:5–7 NLT

5 For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, 6 so the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born— and they in turn will teach their own children. 7 So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.

Proverbs 22:6 NASB95

6 Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Ephesians 6:4 NASB95

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Yes it is the primary responsibility of the parent to train their child, but the church has a responsibility in their spiritual teaching as well. We are called to reach the next generation.

In the second chapter of Titus we see how we are to do this. Paul’s core teaching revolves around the idea that a healthy church thrives when all generations invest in one another. Paul’s instructions demonstrate that each member has a vital role to play in discipleship and encouragement, leading to collective spiritual maturity and growth.

Collective Spiritual Maturity

Titus 2:1–2 NLT

1 As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. 2 Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.

In chapter 2 Paul turns his attention from the leadership to the older men and women in the church. Older not as in age necessarily, but to the mature Christians. Mature believers are expected to set an example of godly living for the younger generations to learn form.

You are called to exemplify behavior that reflects sound doctrine. Your wisdom gained from life experiences and following God can provide a foundation for mentoring the next generation.

When the mature believers mentor the younger, it fosters a community where older believers are respected and valued for their insights. Christ calls the mature to lead by example, inspiring and guiding the younger generation in love and righteousness.

Paul instructs that older men should be:

Self Control = Sober-minded – Exercising self-control and clear thinking.

Dignified – Living respectably, worthy of honor.

Live Wisely – Disciplined in their actions and desires.

Sound in faith, love, and endurance – Having a strong, unwavering faith, demonstrating love, and persevering through hardships.

Men, we have a responsibility to the next generation. Our lives should reflect spiritual maturity as we grow in our walk with Christ.

When I was a youth pastor our entire church went to a water park. As we were walking to a water slide one of my youth asked me, “How do you not look?”. That was my opportunity to share my wisdom as a man of God. I told him to have eyes that bounce.

Men…have eyes that bounce. Living in California where the prices are high and the clothing is scarce…you have to have eyes that bounce. Do not linger. Men, if you are single, do not cat call…especially when you have the next generation is with you.

I never told anyone, but my dad did that a lot. He lived in Texas and prices were low and so were the clothing. He didn’t teach me to look upon a woman as though they were God’s creation. Therefore I grew up with a disrespect to women and viewed them as objects and not God’s creation.

To the spiritually mature men, you have a responsibility to use your experiences in life and you walk with God to teach the young men in the church by living lives that reflect Christ in all you say and do. Show them what it means to be a man of God. Show them what it means to be a godly husband. Show them values and virtues that align with Christ’s teachings. Show them what it means to put Christ above everything else!

Paul then addresses the women.

Titus 2:3 NLT

3 Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good.

Paul says older women should:

Be reverent in behavior – Living in a way that honors God.

Not be slanderers – Avoiding gossip and destructive talk.

Not be addicted to much wine – Practicing self-control.

Teach what is good – Instructing and mentoring younger women in godly living (Titus 2:4-5).

To the spiritually mature women, you have a responsibility to use your experiences in life and you walk with God to teach the young ladies in the church by living lives that reflect Christ in all you say and do. Show them what it means to be a woman of God. Show them what it means to be a godly wife. Show them values and virtues that align with Christ’s teachings. Show them what it means to put Christ above everything else!

To the men and women of New Life that have been walking with the Lord for awhile, you are needed. Your wisdom is needed. Take it from someone who didn’t have that godly example of a man in the home. I looked to the spiritually mature men and women of the church on how to live a godly life!

Instructions for Young Women

Now that Paul has addressed the leadership and the spiritually mature men and women, he then turns to those who are young in Christ.

The older women were to teach the younger women these things:

Titus 2:4–5 NLT

4 These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, 5 to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.

Context is key here. There are some who teach that women should stay home, take care of the kids, and just submit. Many will even use this passage of Scripture to teach that it is the woman’s responsibility to teach kids. That is why you mainly see women teaching kids church and nursery. This is far from the truth. While the majority of our kid min teachers are women, we do not believe it should only be women. Men, I encourage you step up. You play a vital role in this area of ministry.

In the context of this Scripture, we must remember the time and culture this was written. However it still applies today.

In Greco Roman society a woman’s primary role was within the household. There primary responsibility was to manage the home, raise the kids, and support their husband. Cretan culture was known for its immorality as we read in chapter 1. This no doubt has influenced some of the younger women to neglect their families or pursue a more independent, self-indulging lifestyle.

Women were often exposed to pagan influences, including temple prostitution and idol worship, which promoted loose morals.

Paul wanted Christian women to stand out from the worldly culture and reflect God’s design for marriage and family. If young Christian wives neglected their godly responsibilities, it would damage the church’s testimony.

So the question is, how does this apply today?

1. “Love Their Husbands and Children”

Then: Women often had arranged marriages and needed to learn how to love their husbands practically.

Now: Love in marriage is still a choice, requiring patience, sacrifice, and commitment. Christian wives should nurture their marriages and family relationships intentionally.

2. “Be Self-Controlled and Pure”

Then: Sexual purity and moral integrity were essential in contrast to Cretan immorality.

Now: Purity is still crucial, especially in a world filled with temptations (pornography, emotional affairs, social media distractions). Women should live with integrity in their relationships and personal conduct.

3. “To Be Busy at Home”

Then: Managing the home was a full-time responsibility for most women. A neglected household was seen as dishonorable.

Now: While many women work outside the home, the principle remains—Christian wives and mothers should prioritize their families, ensuring their homes reflect godly values. This applies whether a woman is a homemaker or has a career.

4. “To Be Kind”

Then: Harshness, gossip, and selfishness could harm relationships.

Now: Kindness is needed in marriage, parenting, workplaces, and friendships. A gentle, loving attitude strengthens homes and churches.

5. “Be Subject to Their Husbands”

Then: Biblical submission was about honoring God’s design for marriage, where the husband led with love and the wife supported him.

Now: Submission is often misunderstood, but it remains a biblical principle of respect, partnership, and mutual love (Ephesians 5:22-33). It does not mean blind obedience but rather a willingness to follow a godly husband’s leadership while working together as a team.

Instructions for Young Men

Paul turns and gives instructions for the young men.

Titus 2:6–8 NLT

6 In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. 7 And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. 8 Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.

The men in Crete were known for their wild, dishonest, and self-indulgent lifestyle as well

Titus 1:12 NASB95

12 One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

They were involved in reckless living influenced by the culture around them in the ideas of pleasure seeking, drunkeness, and even violence. Bravery, dominance, along with ambition was a way for them to prove themselves as men. But Paul is calling them to a different kind of strength…spiritual self control.

In 2025 the struggles of young men are still the same as they were in Crete.

1. “Be Sober-Minded” (Self-Controlled)

Then: Young men were reckless, indulging in pleasure, violence, and deception.

Now: Young men face similar challenges—pornography, substance abuse, anger, laziness, and lack of focus.

Application: Self-control means avoiding distractions, pursuing discipline, and making wise choices in relationships, finances, career, just life in general.

2. “Be a Pattern of Good Works”

Then: Young men often sought status, but Paul urged them to lead by example instead.

Now: Society promotes selfish ambition and rebellion, but Christian young men should model hard work, integrity, and service.

Application: Young men should take responsibility—whether in their jobs, families, churches, or communities—and lead through action, not just words.

3. “Show Integrity in Doctrine”

Then: False teachers in Crete were corrupting the gospel (Titus 1:10-11). Young men needed to stand firm in sound teaching.

Now: Many young men today are swayed by false ideologies, internet influencers, and secular worldviews.

Application: Young men should know God’s Word, defend their faith, and live according to biblical truth.

4. “Reverence and Incorruptibility” (Serious-Minded and Pure)

Then: Young men in Crete were known for immorality, corruption, and dishonor.

Now: Many young men today lack direction, purpose, and moral standards.

Application: Christian young men should pursue holiness, avoid compromising situations, and take their faith seriously.

5. “Sound Speech That Cannot Be Condemned”

Then: Cretans were known for deception and slander. Paul tells young men to be truthful and respectful.

Now: In today’s digital age, young men often struggle with harsh words, online arguments, and gossip.

Application: A Christian man’s speech should be uplifting, wise, and beyond reproach—whether in conversations, social media, or debates.

Ladies, if you are single and serving God, look for a man who has these qualities. Men, if you are single and serving God, look for a woman who has these spiritual qualities.

If you are married and your husband or wife do not have these qualities, start praying for them to come to Jesus if they need to, and if they know Jesus pray that God continues to work on them! Maybe they just need a mentor to follow!

Conclusion

As we close today, here is my heart for New Life. My prayer for you is that New Life continues to be a Titus 2 church.

A church that follows Titus 2 principles that Paul lays out. A church that:

✅ Holds firmly to sound doctrine

✅ Fosters respect, love, and unity across generations

✅ Equips men and women to fulfill their God-given roles

✅ Stands as a beacon of truth in a fallen world

✅ Passes on a legacy of faith for generations

I know that if we continue to keep Jesus at the center of it all, we will continue to be the church that He died for.

I want to challenge you today that if you have been walking with Jesus and you consider yourself a spiritually mature follower of Christ, find someone to mentor and disciple. I also encourage the men of the church to get involved in kids ministry. I am teaching kids church one Sunday next month and looking forward to it. Kids are like sponges.

We are not just teaching little boys and girls about Jesus, but we are teaching great men and women of God with integrity and heart!

If you are new in your faith journey, I encourage you to find someone to follow as they follow Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT

1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.