Adorning the Gospel

Sermon Title: Adoring the Gospel: A Church That Lives What It Believes

Scripture: Titus 2:1-10

Occasion: The Lord’s Day | Mother’s Day

Date: May 11, 2025

Opening Prayer

Gracious and holy Father, We come before You this Lord’s Day, needy and expectant. What we know not, teach us. What we are not, make us. What we have not, give us—for the glory of Christ.

Open our eyes to behold wondrous things from Your Word. May Your truth not only instruct our minds but transform our hearts. Shape us into a people who not only believe the gospel but beautify it through our lives. Guard us from empty profession. Fill us with grace-driven obedience.

Fix our eyes now on Jesus, our Savior and our example. May He be exalted in our hearing, our believing, and our living.

In His name we pray, Amen.

INTRODUCTION

In 1805, a group of Native American chiefs and warriors met at a council in Buffalo Creek, New York.

There, a missionary presented the gospel of Jesus Christ.

After hearing him, one of the older chiefs responded:

“If we had seen more of the way your people live according to what they preach, we might be more inclined to believe your message.”

It was a stinging indictment—a reminder that our lives speak as loudly as our lips.

And it raises a haunting question:

What do our lives say about our Savior?

This morning, we continue our study through Paul’s letter to Titus in our series Pillars of Truth.

Having completed 1 and 2 Timothy, we now come to the final of the Pastoral Epistles—and here in chapter 2, Paul shifts from confronting false teachers (Titus 1) to cultivating true Christian character in the local church.

In a world that is skeptical of truth and hostile to authority, the question remains:

How do we, as a church, demonstrate the beauty of the gospel in everyday life?

How do older men, older women, young women, young men, pastors, and even servants "adorn the doctrine of God our Savior" (v. 10)?

That’s the central theme of our passage today.

The sermon title is:

"Adorning the Gospel: A Church That Lives What It Believes."

Paul lays out a clear and practical vision for how the local church can make the gospel visible—not only through sound doctrine, but through sound lives.

His message is simple:

The truth we proclaim must be the truth we embody.

Let’s walk through this powerful and pastoral instruction under four headings:

OUTLINE

Teach What Is Beautifully True (v. 1)

Model Maturity Across Generations (vv. 2–6)

Display Integrity in Leadership (vv. 7–8)

Honor Christ Through Faithful Work (vv. 9–10)

Each of these truths we will find out today is a brushstroke in the portrait of a gospel-shaped church—a church that doesn’t merely profess sound doctrine but adorns it.

Transition

Let’s begin where Paul begins—with the call to teach what is beautifully true.

1. Teach What Is Beautifully True (v. 1)

Titus 2:1 ESV

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.

Paul begins with a decisive contrast: “But as for you…”

This phrase sets Titus apart from the false teachers described in chapter 1—men who were insubordinate, empty talkers, and deceivers (Titus 1:10).

While they polluted the church with corrupt teaching and selfish motives, Titus is to be distinctly different: he must teach what “accords with sound doctrine.”

Exegesis & Explanation:

The phrase “sound doctrine” (Greek: ὑγιαίνουσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ, hugiainousē didaskalia) carries the idea of healthy, wholesome, life-giving instruction.

It's where we get the English word hygiene.

In other words, Paul is saying:

“Teach what produces spiritual health and vitality.”

But he doesn't merely say “teach sound doctrine.”

He says (look closely):

“teach what accords with sound doctrine.”*

In other words, Titus is not just to transmit theological information, but to teach the kind of living that naturally flows from the gospel.

He’s not only to clarify orthodoxy but to cultivate orthopraxy.

The word “accords with” (Greek: πρέπει or κατήκει) implies what is fitting, appropriate, consistent with the gospel.

Paul is connecting doctrine to duty, belief to behavior, and theology to life.

“Doctrine and life go together like root and fruit.” — John Calvin

In this way, Paul’s instruction reflects the whole of biblical Christianity:

Truth is never isolated from transformation.

What we teach must adorn the gospel (Adorn-Make the gospel beautiful and compelling)—not contradict or distract from it.

As Paul writes in 1 Timothy 1:5:

1 Timothy 1:5 ESV

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Doctrine rightly taught always leads to life rightly lived.

Illustration:

Think of sound doctrine like the root system of a tree.

It’s not always visible.

It doesn’t always feel exciting.

But everything above the ground depends on it.

When the roots are healthy and deep, the tree can withstand drought and storm.

But if the roots are shallow or rotten, it may look fine for a while—but when the wind comes, it falls.

In the same way, when a church is deeply rooted in the truth of Scripture—when Christ is preached faithfully, and grace is rightly understood—there will be stability, fruitfulness, and endurance.

But where truth is neglected, the church becomes vulnerable to every wind of false teaching (Eph. 4:14).

“The difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is not that one has sins and the other does not. The difference is that one covers his sins with repentance and faith, and the other with excuses and self-justification. Sound doctrine teaches the former.” — Charles Spurgeon

Application:

So let me ask you:

What does your life say about the doctrine you believe?

Are you feeding on teaching that is rich in Christ, rooted in Scripture, and consistent with the gospel?

Or are you content with shallow platitudes (remarks, statements, or social sounds bites/reels) that might sound spiritual but produce no holiness?

The truth is:

You cannot separate what you believe from how you live.

**Every choice, every value, every attitude flows from what your heart treasures as true.

And for those of us called to teach—whether publicly or privately—Paul reminds us:

Our teaching must be both true and beautiful.

It must display the goodness of God and the glory of Christ—not just in content, but in tone, clarity, and life-application.

“A teacher of truth must also be a lover of truth, or he will only speak words without weight.” — Unknown

Transition

So what does “beautifully true” doctrine look like when it takes root in real life?

Paul doesn’t leave us guessing.

He now turns from the pulpit to the pew, from the preacher to the people—and paints a portrait of a church where every generation adorns the gospel in everyday life.

This brings us to point two:

2. Model Maturity Across Generations (vv. 2–6)

After calling Titus to teach what is “fitting” with the gospel, Paul now turns to the congregation and outlines what that gospel-shaped life looks like across generational lines.

Here we see the intergenerational beauty of a church family—where every age and stage is meant to display the gospel.

The church is not a business, a social club, or a platform for self-expression.

It is a multi-generational household of faith (cf. 1 Tim. 3:15), where spiritual fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters help one another mature into Christlikeness.

a. Older Men (v. 2)

Titus 2:2 ESV

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

Paul begins with older men—because when spiritual fathers are absent or immature, the whole household suffers.

These men are to be:

Sober-minded – not given to rash decisions or emotional instability. They are level-headed and spiritually alert (cf. 1 Thess. 5:6).

Dignified – worthy of respect, noble, not silly or coarse in speech. Their maturity should evoke admiration, not mockery.

Self-controlled – a repeated theme in this passage. Self-mastery is a fruit of the Spirit and a hallmark of maturity.

Sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness – strong in theology (faith), rich in affection (love), and unwavering in trial (steadfastness).

These are the anchors of gospel manhood.

“Gray hairs are not honorable unless they are found in the way of righteousness.” — John Calvin

Older men should be the oak trees of the church—rooted, unmoved, shade-giving, and full of wisdom.

Their presence should stabilize the body, their words should nourish the young, and their example should point to Christ.

Application:

Older brothers, are you more serious about golf than godliness?

Do younger men in the church know your story of God’s faithfulness and see your example of endurance?

b. Older Women (v. 3)

Titus 2:3 ESV

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good…

Paul now turns to the spiritual mothers of the church. Older women are called to a life of priestly reverence—a life that reflects the dignity and holiness of someone who walks closely with God.

The Greek word for reverent carries the sense of sacredness, like one who conducts herself as though living in the presence of God—because she is.

Older women in the Church are not to be:

Slanderers (diabolos) – literally the same word used for the Devil. Gossip, critical speech, and backbiting are tools of hell.

Slaves to much wine – a common escape in ancient Crete, and in modern times, from boredom, grief, or discontent.

Instead, they are to teach what is good—not necessarily from a platform, but through mentoring, encouraging, listening, correcting, and walking with younger women in the ordinary rhythms of life.

The church doesn’t need celebrities.

It needs Titus 2 women—whose wisdom is not loud but deep, whose counsel is not trendy but true, and whose beauty is not in appearance but in reverence.

And this is not marginalization.

This is not sidelining women.

This is strategic discipleship.

Paul doesn’t silence women—he appoints them to raise the next generation of godly women.

c. Younger Women (vv. 4–5)

Titus 2:4–5 ESV

…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.

Paul now emphasizes training—the Greek verb sōphronizō meaning to bring to one's senses, to teach wise and balanced living.

The content of this training is often misunderstood or dismissed today, so we must teach it with clarity and care.

So what are young women to be trained in?

Love their husbands and children – not mere emotional affection, but covenantal loyalty and gospel-rooted sacrificial care for their families (husbands and children).

Example:

It’s the mom who rocks a sick baby all night and still makes breakfast in the morning with a gentle word.

It’s the wife who prays for her husband when he’s discouraged and supports him even when no one sees it.

Self-controlled and Pure– living wisely and guarding their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Example:

It’s the woman who chooses not to gossip when others do.

Who fills her mind with truth instead of comparison on social media.

Who walks in grace, even when her flesh wants to react.

Working at home – not a blanket prohibition against working outside the home, but a call to prioritize the home as a vital sphere of kingdom influence (cf. Prov. 31:10–31).

Example:

This is the mom who wakes up exhausted, reheats the same cup of coffee three times, scrubs crayon off the wall, and wonders if any of it matters.

It’s the mom folding laundry with a toddler on her hip, reading Bible stories at bedtime when no one seems to listen, and whispering prayers in the kitchen while the chaos swirls.

This is kingdom work.

It may feel unseen—but it is not unseen by God.

Dear mom, if you feel like you're failing—if you're behind on chores, short on patience, or filled with guilt—lift your eyes to Jesus.

Your worth is not in how clean your home is, but in the blood of Christ that covers you.

You are not justified by your homemaking, but by His mercy.

So press on—not in perfection, but in faith.

Every dish washed, every diaper changed, every tear wiped in Jesus’ name is a quiet act of worship.

Your home is not just a place where you live—it’s a place where the gospel lives.

Kind and Submissive to their own husbands – not as doormats, but as co-heirs of grace, joyfully reflecting the gospel pattern of Christ and the church.

Example:

It’s the woman who disagrees respectfully.

Who encourages instead of criticizes.

Who honors her husband not because he’s perfect, but because Christ is worthy.

And why? (Drum roll please!)

“That the word of God may not be reviled.”

In other words—this matters eternally.

When women live with gospel-centered love, integrity, and grace in the home, they silence slander against the gospel and showcase the wisdom of God in real life.

**“When the Christian home is ordered according to the Word, the world sees the wisdom and beauty of the gospel made visible.”

Historical Clarification:

This passage has often been twisted—either to minimize women’s worth or to disregard the household as an outdated structure.

But Paul’s vision is not a reduction of womanhood—it is a redemption of it in Christ.

This is not about returning to 1950s America.

It’s about returning to God’s creational design and displaying the gospel pattern of Christ and the church through marriage, family, and everyday life.

A Word to the Mothers and Women in the Room:

To the mother who wonders if her work matters—it does.

To every mother here who wonders if the diapers, the dishes, the carpool runs, the school lunches, and the sleepless nights matter:

They do.

And let me say this with tenderness:

If today is hard for you—if you’ve lost your mom, lost a child, long to be a mother, or carry wounds in your story—you are not forgotten.

God is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18), and your value in His kingdom is not based on motherhood, but on Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Your worth is not in motherhood, but in Christ.

He sees you.

He is with you.

He delights in you.

And your quiet, faithful life is not invisible in the kingdom of God.

The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that shapes eternity.

And the heart that clings to Christ adorns the gospel for all to see.

Application:

In a world that mocks biblical womanhood and dismisses motherhood as insignificant, Paul calls us to reclaim the home as a place of gospel beauty.

This passage doesn’t call women to perfection—it calls them to faithfulness.

Faithfulness in small things.

Faithfulness in quiet things.

Faithfulness that adorns the gospel of our Savior.

And when they live that way—joyfully, reverently, honestly—they tell the truth about Jesus.

And the world can’t help but notice.

d. Younger Men (v. 6)

Titus 2:6 ESV

Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.

It’s striking, isn’t it?

One command.

One virtue.

One word to summarize the calling of young men: self-control.

Why just this?

Because self-control is the battlefield of youth.

You’re in a season of life when your desires are loud, your passions are strong, and the world is constantly saying, “Do what feels right.”

But Scripture says, “Do what is right—especially when it doesn’t feel easy.”

To the young men in this room—middle school, high school, college—you’re not being called to sit on the sidelines.

You're not being overlooked or underestimated.

You’re being called up!

The world tells you to indulge your impulses:

Click on whatever you want, say whatever you want, spend time however you want.

But God calls you to master yourself.

Why?

Because the man who can say “no” to sin and “yes” to Christ is stronger than the man who can bench 300 or Hit a home run in the championship game.

“He who conquers himself is greater than he who conquers a city.” — Ancient Proverb (cf. Proverbs 16:32)

You’re not too young to be holy.

You're not too young to be an example.

You're not too young to take your sin seriously and your Savior joyfully.

Self-control looks like:

Saying no to peer pressure, even if it costs popularity.

Putting your phone down and opening your Bible.

Speaking with honor, even when it would be easier to joke crudely.

Pursuing purity, even when the world makes a mockery of it.

Respecting authority, even when it feels unfair.

Doing hard things when no one is watching, because you live for the God who sees.

Young men—what you practice now will shape who you become later.

You can’t wait until you’re older to get serious about Jesus.

The habits you're forming now are either building a foundation for godly manhood—or setting traps for future regret.

So Titus is told to urge the young men.

Not entertain them.

Not excuse them.

Urge them—call them to more.

Brothers, you are not the church of tomorrow.

You are the church of today!

And God is calling you to live with Christlike strength, Christlike restraint, and Christlike courage.

Application:

Church, do you see the beauty of this design in verses 2-6?

Older men model godliness.

Older women train the next generation.

Younger women shaping the home with gospel virtue.

Younger men walking in self-mastery.

This is how the church becomes a living apologetic for the power of the gospel.

A healthy church is not built on programming, but on people—ordinary saints living out extraordinary grace in everyday life.

Transition:

Paul now turns his attention to Titus himself.

As the shepherd of the flock, his teaching must be matched by his tone, character, and conduct.

In a world saturated with suspicion toward leadership, integrity in the pulpit is not optional—it is essential.

This brings us to our third point:

3. Display Integrity in Leadership (vv. 7–8)

Titus 2:7–8 ESV

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.

After urging Titus to exhort the younger men toward self-control, Paul now turns directly to Titus himself—likely a young leader—and gives him a pastoral charge: Be the example!

In other words, don’t just teach truth—embody it!

Paul’s language is emphatic: “in all respects.”

In every area of life—public or private, in the pulpit or at the dinner table—Titus must be a model (tupos), a pattern of gospel-shaped living.

His conduct must reflect "good works"—a life of visible, practical holiness.

His teaching must accord with his life and must reflect:

Integrity – uncorrupted by pride, self-interest, or manipulation.

Dignity – reverent, serious-minded, not flippant or shallow.

Sound speech – healthy, whole, and consistent with the truth of Scripture.

Why such high standards?

Because the credibility of the gospel is always under examination:

Titus 2:8 ESV

… so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

In Crete—just like today—Christians were being watched.

Opponents of the truth were looking for any inconsistency to discredit the message.

Paul says: Don’t give them ammunition!

Charles Spurgeon once said,

“A holy life is the best pulpit.”

The sermon your life preaches will echo long after your voice has faded.

People are watching you beloved, more than they are listening to you.

But the more compelling your life is the more willing they will be to listen to the message you have in the gospel!

J.C. Ryle captured it well:

“A Christian is a walking sermon. We preach far more than a minister does, for we preach all week long.”

That’s true for every one of us—not just in the pulpit, but in the parking lot… the living room… the break room. The question is not if you’re preaching—but what you're preaching.

Historical Note:

In contrast to the false teachers in Titus 1—who professed to know God but denied Him by their works—Titus, and we as well, are to let our works confirm our doctrine.

Application:

While this applies directly to pastors, it extends to anyone with influence:

Parents, your children are listening.

Leaders in the Church, your life is the curriculum.

Christians in the workplace, your coworkers are watching.

The call is not perfection but integrity—a wholeness of life where belief and behavior match.

In a fractured and cynical world, nothing is more powerful than a life that reflects the beauty of the gospel.

Let the Word be in your mouth and the fruit of the Word be in your life.

Then your testimony will silence critics and glorify Christ.

In the words of Paul to Timothy is 1 Timothy 4:16

1 Timothy 4:16 ESV

Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

We must keep a close watch on our lives and doctrine.

Not only for the sake of our souls, but also for the sake of the souls around us.

Transition to Point 4: But Paul doesn’t stop at the pulpit—he now moves “all in” into the workplace.

If the gospel is to shape the whole of life, then it must also reshape how we work, submit, and serve—even in the most difficult contexts.

4. Honor Christ Through Faithful Work (vv. 9–10)

Titus 2:9–10 ESV

Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

Now Paul turns to the most surprising group of all: bondservants.

In the Roman Empire, bondservants (or household slaves) were the lowest rung of society.

They had no legal rights, often endured mistreatment, and were viewed as property—not people.

And yet Paul addresses them directly and dignifies them with gospel responsibility.

He does not condone slavery, but he does call believers—regardless of station—to live out the gospel in their everyday relationships and responsibilities.

In our context today, we might think of the employee/employer relationship.

But don’t miss the principle: No one is exempt from displaying Christ.

The gospel doesn't just belong in pulpits and prayer meetings—it belongs in kitchens, job sites, break rooms, classrooms, and carpool lines.

Look again at what Paul says they are to do:

Be submissive – respectful and cooperative, not rebellious.

Well-pleasing – dependable, diligent, and joyful in their labor.

Not argumentative – not always pushing back, complaining, or stirring up strife.

Not pilfering – not stealing time, resources, or trust.

Showing all good faith – trustworthy, honest, and full of integrity.

Why?

Titus 2:10 ESV

…so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

…so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. (NIV)

That’s the key that unlocks the entire passage.

This is the apex—the crescendo—the purpose behind all the godly living Paul has been describing in Titus 2.

The word adorn in Greek is kosmeō—from which we get the word “cosmetics” or “to decorate.”

It means to beautify, enhance, or make attractive.

Here’s the idea:

When you live in a way that reflects the goodness, grace, and glory of God, your life makes the gospel look as beautiful as it truly is.

You don’t add beauty to the gospel—the gospel is already infinitely beautiful—but you adorn it, like a frame adorns a painting, like a clean window reveals the light behind it.

When a Christian works with honesty, speaks with kindness, resists gossip, shows up on time, stays late to help, and treats their boss or team with respect—they adorn the gospel.

Illustration:

You can think of it this way—your life is like a store window.

If the glass is smudged, cracked, or cluttered, people won’t see the beauty of what’s inside.

But when it’s clean, well-lit, and thoughtfully arranged, it invites people to stop and look closer.

Your everyday life is the window through which people see Christ.

They may never pick up a Bible… but they’re watching how you parent your kids, how you speak to your spouse, how you handle pressure, how you work when no one’s watching.

People may not open a Bible, but they are reading you.

As someone once said, “You may be the only Bible your coworkers will ever read.”

And when your life is marked by grace, honesty, humility, and love—it makes the gospel look as beautiful as it truly is.

So the question is: What are people seeing through your window?

Martin Luther once said:

“The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays—not because she sings a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors.”

In other words, your everyday faithfulness matters.

There is no “ordinary” work when you do it unto the Lord

The way you speak to your coworkers.

The way you handle money.

The way you respond to hard assignments or difficult people.

All of it—all of it—is an opportunity to honor Christ.

Your job—no matter how visible or invisible it is—becomes holy ground when you do it in faith, for Christ, and holding fast to the gospel of grace.

Application:

Whether you're a student studying for finals this morning, a mom folding laundry, a mechanic fixing engines, a nurse changing sheets, or a manager leading meetings—your work is sacred when done in faith and obedience to Christ.

Colossians 3:23 reminds us,

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”

So this is the exhortation to you!:

Work in a way that points to your true Master.

Let your faithfulness at work be a window to the Savior.

So whether you're an older man or a young woman, whether you lead in the church or labor quietly in the workplace—your life is preaching.

And the question is: What is it saying about Jesus?

This brings us to the heart of the passage—and to the call before us.

Transition:

Will we be a people who merely profess the gospel?

Or will we be a people who make the gospel attractive?

That’s where Paul by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit has been taking us all along.

Not just to right beliefs, but to beautiful lives.

Not just to correct doctrine, but to gospel display.

Let’s draw it together in our conclusion.

Conclusion

If you forget everything else from this morning, remember this:

Your life is telling a story about the gospel.

The question is—is it true? Is it beautiful? Is it believable?

This passage calls us not just to profess Christ with our lips, but to adorn Him with our lives—in the home, in the church, at school, at work, in every ordinary moment.

And this isn't about earning salvation.

It’s about displaying the Savior—"the doctrine of God our Savior"—so that the world sees His grace through us.

But here’s the sobering truth:

You don’t have forever to figure this out.

Eternity is not a distant idea—it’s your next breath if God should call you home.

What you do with Jesus now, how you respond to His gospel today, will echo for eternity (Forever).

So, beloved, I plead with you: If you are not in Christ—come.

Lay down your excuses.

Believe.

Be saved.

Find freedom and joy today in Jesus.

And if you are in Christ—live like it.

Let your life make the gospel look as glorious as it truly is.

Charles Spurgeon once said,

“Time is short. Eternity is long. It is only reasonable that this short life be lived in light of eternity.”

Let us live now—so that in everything, we may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

Closing Prayer

Lord of all grace, You have spoken through Your Word, and we have seen the beauty of Your gospel.

Let us not walk away unchanged.

Make us a people who adorn the doctrine of God our Savior— in our homes, in our work, in our relationships, and in the secret places of the heart.

Let the gospel shine through our integrity, our self-control, our love, and our faithfulness.

Let it be unmistakable to the watching world that we belong to Christ.

For those far from You—draw them near. For those growing weary—strengthen their hands. And for all of us—press eternity on our hearts.

Let our lives tell the truth about our Redeemer. And may we live now in light of forever.

In the name of Jesus, our Savior and King, Amen.