The Living Church

Titus The Living Church - Titus 2:1-15 September 28, 2025 I may have shared this before, but in September of 2020, I finally got a job after a 5-month layoff due to COVID. My director had a good plan to get me trained and ready to go before I was left on my own to manage two sites, at least temporarily. However, in less than a week my hire, and with not a whole lot of training, and little to no login credentials, I was left on my own. Granted, I had some support to include an assistant at one of the locations, a Senior Business Partner in Missouri, and my Director in Idaho, but largely I was left alone to sort of - figure it out. A good plan is always preferred, and that is exactly what Paul was doing with his young protégé, Titus. You see, a couple of weeks ago, we started the short letter of the Apostle Paul to Titus, who was a young church leader in Crete. We learned in the opening verses that Paul was speaking from his authority as an Apostle, which was his calling by Jesus Christ Himself. Paul left Titus in Crete, an island in the Mediterranean, and told him to assign qualified leaders, called elders, to lead the church. One of the purposes of assigning these elders was to install mature Christians to lead and teach, protecting the people from false teachers. This morning, in our passage today, Paul will outline another purpose of an organized and ordered church. This passage will include many of you in this very room. Let's read Titus 2:1-15 this morning: 1 BUT AS FOR YOU, TEACH WHAT ACCORDS WITH SOUND DOCTRINE. 2 OLDER MEN ARE TO BE SOBER-MINDED, DIGNIFIED, SELF-CONTROLLED, SOUND IN FAITH, IN LOVE, AND IN STEADFASTNESS. 3 OLDER WOMEN LIKEWISE ARE TO BE REVERENT IN BEHAVIOR, NOT SLANDERERS OR SLAVES TO MUCH WINE. THEY ARE TO TEACH WHAT IS GOOD, 4 AND SO TRAIN THE YOUNG WOMEN TO LOVE THEIR HUSBANDS AND CHILDREN, 5 TO BE SELF-CONTROLLED, PURE, WORKING AT HOME, KIND, AND SUBMISSIVE TO THEIR OWN HUSBANDS, THAT THE WORD OF GOD MAY NOT BE REVILED. 6 LIKEWISE, URGE THE YOUNGER MEN TO BE SELF-CONTROLLED. 7 SHOW YOURSELF IN ALL RESPECTS TO BE A MODEL OF GOOD WORKS, AND IN YOUR TEACHING SHOW INTEGRITY, DIGNITY, 8 AND SOUND SPEECH THAT CANNOT BE CONDEMNED, SO THAT AN OPPONENT MAY BE PUT TO SHAME, HAVING NOTHING EVIL TO SAY ABOUT US. 9 BONDSERVANTS ARE TO BE SUBMISSIVE TO THEIR OWN MASTERS IN EVERYTHING; THEY ARE TO BE WELL-PLEASING, NOT ARGUMENTATIVE, 10 NOT PILFERING, BUT SHOWING ALL GOOD FAITH, SO THAT IN EVERYTHING THEY MAY ADORN THE DOCTRINE OF GOD OUR SAVIOR. 11 FOR THE GRACE OF GOD HAS APPEARED, BRINGING SALVATION FOR ALL PEOPLE, 12 TRAINING US TO RENOUNCE UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY PASSIONS, AND TO LIVE SELF-CONTROLLED, UPRIGHT, AND GODLY LIVES IN THE PRESENT AGE, 13 WAITING FOR OUR BLESSED HOPE, THE APPEARING OF THE GLORY OF OUR GREAT GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, 14 WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US TO REDEEM US FROM ALL LAWLESSNESS AND TO PURIFY FOR HIMSELF A PEOPLE FOR HIS OWN POSSESSION WHO ARE ZEALOUS FOR GOOD WORKS. 15 DECLARE THESE THINGS; EXHORT AND REBUKE WITH ALL AUTHORITY. LET NO ONE DISREGARD YOU. I think it's important to review the organization of this passage, so that we understand the message behind it. Paul is writing to Titus. So, verse 1, when Paul writes "FOR YOU" - he is speaking directly to Titus. In fact, verses 1-10 are all to Titus. This implies that Titus' role was to disciple and equip. This is consistent with other teachings of Paul. For example, in Ephesians 4:11-12 we read: 11 AND HE GAVE THE APOSTLES, THE PROPHETS, THE EVANGELISTS, THE SHEPHERDS AND TEACHERS, 12 TO EQUIP THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF MINISTRY, FOR BUILDING UP THE BODY OF CHRIST. So, Paul is advising and directing Titus to equip. In this direction, Paul is addressing the roles of the various groups within this community. He begins in verse 2 with the older men. The term "older," apparently, was used in the first century to describe people over the age of 50 years old. The implication here would be that the older men should be mature, wise, and be mentors within their communities. So, in verse 3, when addressing the "older" women, he is also addressing those over 50 years old. The address to the older women implies that these women were to model and teach the younger women (probably those between 22-28 years old) how to conduct themselves, how to care for their husbands, their children, and their homes (see verses 3-5). For some reason or another, Paul tacks on the younger men in verse 6, still speaking directly to Titus. The word "likewise" indicates that they are to learn to demonstrate the same characteristics as the older men in verse 2. In verses 7-8, Paul returns to his direct encouragement to Titus in his own conduct, likely mirroring those same characteristics in verses 2 and 6, in addition to the qualifications we saw back in chapter 1, verses 6-9. In other words, Titus was being tasked with modeling godly behavior and equipping the men and women of the church. Finally, Paul, in classic Paul form, shifts from instruction to doctrine when he arrives in verse 11, through verse 15. Here, he gives Titus the "why" the church was to conduct themselves in a particular way. The reason? Jesus. The Gospel. And the result of being saved by the blood of Jesus. The result? Good works. Thus, here's the main idea of our text today: Because of Jesus, the church produces good works. What do I mean by "the church?" You. Me. Us. We are the body of Christ, the church. As such, as seen clearly in this passage, we are called to be active within the church, so we can produce good works in our lives. What do I mean by "good works?" Good works comes from the lives that Christ followers live out because of their salvation through Christ Jesus. I'll use the phrase "living church" to describe this. That's really what Paul is doing here in this section of his letter to Titus. We see this primarily in two ways. First, let's address ... HOW TO BE A LIVING CHURCH To answer this, I want to expand on the overview that we saw earlier, beginning with ... * The conduct of the men. o As we saw earlier, there are two categories listed of the men in the church. First, * The older men should be mature in Christ (v.2): * Older men, guess what? The younger men are watching. * So, you should exhibit the behaviors that others should want to follow. * That is the expectation for the older men in the church. * Let's run through this list quickly. o To be sober-minded means to have a leveled head. To be a clear thinker. To be sensible. o To be dignified means to be worthy of respect. o To be self-controlled - which seems to be a running theme throughout this letter - means that they are disciplined and has his passions under control. o To be sound in faith means that he is confident in his beliefs, which also indicates that he knows what he believes. o To be sound in love means that he has an attitude of love for others, especially in his Savior. o And finally, to be steadfast means that you are patient, and have endurance, even through the difficulties that life brings us. * Next, Paul addresses ... * The conduct of the women (vv.3-5) o This section is a bit longer than the verse we saw for the men. When you see the context here, however, what Paul is illustrating is clear. o Women have a significant role in the church and in the home. o To qualify this list as well, the end of verse 5 adds context. The women were to act in way that honored the witness of the Word of God. o I'll try to quickly run through this list as well, beginning with the command to ... * Be reverent in their behavior. * Illustrating this with two examples: * First, they were ... * Not slanderers o These were the gossips of the church. Spreading rumors and lies, speaking negatively about others. o Also, they were ... * Not to be addicted to wine o Wine here just refers to any "strong drink" o We talked about this last week, too much of this affects your judgement. o Which really affects everything else that follows. o Namely, their example to the younger women, as seen beginning in verse 3 with ... * Teaching what is good * See, the older women have the responsibility within the church to teach and train the young women how to live godly lives. * It's a great responsibility * Which includes * Training the young women to love their husbands and children * Let's start with the husbands. o In Titus' day and culture, they didn't exactly have the opportunity to date and be picky on who they married, so in many ways they had to learn to love their husbands. * The word used here for love describes a personal connection, and a personal intimacy that comes with time and experience. * In verse 5, Paul sort of gives the women some ways to love their husbands in action, when he says to be kind, and to be submissive. o I know. We don't like that second word. o Please understand, submission does not mean inferior. o In fact, these verses all belong together, describing the same general purpose of Christ focused conduct and living. o So, this would include what we saw earlier and what follows these commands. To include being self-controlled, pure, and the care of their homes. * Notice I used the phrase "care of their homes" rather than "working at home" as it's read in the ESV. * This is to emphasize the context here. * The idea is not that women cannot work outside the home, rather it is that the home (to include the husband and children) should be primary in their service. * J. Vernon McGee said it very well when he said: "the biggest and most important business in the world is the making of a home." * Paul then addresses the third group of people, discussing ... * The conduct of the bondservant (vv.9-10) o Of course, we don't have bondservants today, so these principles can easily be applied to those of us who work. o There are three primary behaviors that are being warned against here. A warning of ... * Disobedience * Positively, the ESV reads "well-pleasing," then a warning against ... * Talking back (being argumentative, the ESV reads), and ... * Stealing o In short, Christian workers should not look like those who are not. o I'm sure we've all met people who seem to get more fulfillment out of causing issues within the workplace than they do in performing the basic and required functions of what they were hired for. o I've had people not even make it out of training because they just couldn't submit to the company policies or procedures. So, this is how we are to live as the Church. Notice how everyone has a part in this. But now, I want to draw your attention back to the "why." Back in verse 1, Paul emphasizes "SOUND DOCTRINE." He does this again in verses 5, 8 and 10. So, I want to answer one more question ... WHAT IS SOUND DOCTRINE? I suppose we can summarize using verses 11-14. Starting with ... * God's grace brings salvation (v.11) o It's hard to miss that Paul focuses on God's grace in this section. o Arguably, verses 11-14, is one of the clearest pictures of the Gospel message. o Anchored by God's grace. o Ephesians 2:8-10 reminds us: 8 FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH. AND THIS IS NOT YOUR OWN DOING; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, 9 NOT A RESULT OF WORKS, SO THAT NO ONE MAY BOAST. 10 FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM. o This leads us to ... * Salvation brings good works (v.12,14) o Remember what I said in our main idea earlier? o Because of Jesus, the church produces good works. o It's because of Jesus' finished work that you can do good works. o That you can live the life that we talked about earlier. o You can be salt and light for others, because of Jesus. o Salvation in Christ brings us to the process of working out our salvation through our conduct, and through being the living church. o Finally, * Salvation brings us hope (v.13) o This is that future hope that we - as Christians - look forward to. o This is what should get us through the day to day, and all the difficulties that come with it. o Why do we have hope? Look at verse 14 where Paul says: [Jesus] WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US TO REDEEM US FROM ALL LAWLESSNESS AND TO PURIFY FOR HIMSELF A PEOPLE FOR HIS OWN POSSESSION WHO ARE ZEALOUS FOR GOOD WORKS. o Why? Because Jesus paid the price. o Because Jesus' payment empowers us for good works. o Because Jesus' payment is available for all (see verse 11). Friends, that is the Gospel. Jesus came (verse 11) to provide a way of salvation to a broken world. When we confess Jesus as Lord, we are saved and sanctified - being trained by His Word for righteousness and good works. As we live for Him here, we are awaiting His return, discipling others, making more disciples, and praising Him for the work that He has done. Do you believe that Jesus is Lord? Have you been set apart as His child? If not, please know that tomorrow is not promised, so we must act today. So, as we close this morning, I want to encourage you with the words that Paul closed with in verse 15, when he told Titus: DECLARE THESE THINGS; EXHORT AND REBUKE WITH ALL AUTHORITY. LET NO ONE DISREGARD YOU. Let's pray. 2