Titus 2:6-10

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Father may our hearts burn within as the Holy Spirit opens the sacred Scriptures to us and You speak to us, in Jesus might name I pray, Amen

Introduction

In our focal text today in Titus, we find exhortations for different groups of people within the church. Today, we will focus on the exhortations for young men, ministers, and employees/servants. Each group is called to live a godly life and fulfill their roles with integrity and devotion to God. Let us unload and unpack these exhortations and see how they apply to us today.

Transitional Sentence

These three groups are last mentioned, but that does not mean that they are last in importance. Let see how important they are to the health and effectiveness in the local church.

Main Points

Let us stand and read the focal passage.

Titus 2:6–10 “6 Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; 7 in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, 8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us. 9 Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”

Title: Living a Godly Life: Exhortations for Young Men, Ministers, and Employees/servants

Young Men - Be Sober-minded, sensible. Do that one thing. The specific exhortation to young men is to be sober-minded (sophroneo): temperate, controlled, disciplined, restrained; curbing emotions, passions, and desires. It means to have a mind that is sound, sensible, and focused upon pure and clean thoughts and meaningful things. It means to control one’s mind and life and to keep them focused upon the purpose, meaning, and significance of life. It means to control everything in life. This is critical for young Christian men. That means surrender and submission. James 4:7 “7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”   2 Corinthians 10:3–5 “3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,”

These young men are God’s elect, chosen (Titus 1:1 “1 Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,” ) To the unsaved, lost, non-believers, pagans being sensible is pure foolishness. (1 Corinthians 1:18 “18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”) (1 Corinthians 2:14 “14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.” )

Point 2: Ministers and Teachers – We are called and expected to  examples and patterns of good works living out what they preach and teaching with integrity and sincerity. We must preach and teach with pure motives, gravity, and sound doctrine, avoiding the temptation to seek approval and applause from people or use their positions for personal gain. Our approval and applause are to come from heaven. As we live out the Gospel and be examples of good works, ministers and teachers we can effectively lead others to Christ and uphold the truth of God’s Word.

1. The people that we have the opportunity and privilege of preaching to and teaching ought to and should expect preachers and teachers to live what we preach and teach. It is a horrible witness when we fail to live what we profess. We must be devoted to prayer—really praying—and really study the Scriptures devotionally, and consistently witness and share Christ with the lost. The great cry and call of God is for ministers and teachers who will live like we should and who will be a pattern, a dynamic example of good works. This is the one of the ways that  believers  will become the witnesses for Christ that they should and need to be. We constantly hear about the preachers and teachers who have fallen, but not much about the ones who have been faithful to the calling.

We can conclude at least two results of living for Christ and of preaching and teaching for Christ.

         1. The preacher and teacher cannot be condemned. They may be accused but the accusation will prove to be false, and God will know the truth.

        2. Those who oppose the preacher or teacher will surely be put to shame by their gossip and accusations. If the preacher or teacher suffers, they will suffer because of the evil doing of others, not because they have done evil. One commentator  has an excellent conclusion to these verses:

      Titus was to preach a Gospel that is the power of God unto salvation—not weak or anemic, not unsound; but pure in every detail—a Gospel with which no one could find fault. He was to speak pure words, serious words.… The enemy will be ashamed that he opposed such a message, because the Word of God will not return void; it will accomplish that whereunto it is sent. Any minister who defends the faith and preaches the pure Gospel of the marvelous grace of God will never be forced to apologize for the message he has delivered, because it will always bring forth fruit. Paul wanted Titus to be a fruitful minister; he wanted those to whom Titus preached to be healthy, strong believers. 1 Thessalonians 2:2–6 “2 but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. 3 For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. 5 For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness— 6 nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.”

Gene A Getz quote:

One of the specific functions, then, for elders/overseers as they “manage” and “shepherd” the church was not only to be proactive by teaching and modeling the Word of God but also to maintain sound doctrine.

Point 3: Servants and Employees - Demonstrating Obedience and Fidelity - Instructions are given to slaves, servants and employees on how to conduct themselves in the workplace, emphasizing obedience, diligence, respect for authority, honesty, and trustworthiness. - Christian workers and servants are called to go beyond the call of duty, please their employers in all things, and adorn the teachings of God in their actions. - By maintaining a strong work ethic, displaying loyalty and faithfulness, and exemplifying the principles of God in all aspects of their work, Christian employees can have a positive impact on their workplaces and honor God in their daily lives. Be grateful and thankful for you employer and supervisor, pray for your company and your supervisor. If you have a harsh company or supervisor, ask God what He is teaching you through it, how can you be a light and witness. In all things give thanks. They maybe your supervisor, but they are not super over the Lord your God.

There were millions and millions of slaves in the Roman Empire during the days of Paul. William Barclay says that there were over sixty million. The gospel was bound to reach many of these, and the churches all over the Empire were bound to be filled with slaves. For this reason the New Testament has much to say to slaves (1 Co. 7:21–22; Col. 3:22; 4:1; 1 Ti. 6:1–2; Tit. 2:9–10; 1 Pe. 2:18–25)

For the time that we live in now this will apply to Christian servants and workers. Let us look five things or areas that Christian servants workers to can do to live this out.

1. The Christian workman is to be obedient. We are to follow the instruction of the person over us. Note: We are to obey “in all things.” In the workplace there is to be no instruction that is not to be obeyed. This, of course, does not mean we are to obey orders that are contrary to the teaching of the Lord and damaging to His people and creation.

2. The Christian workman is to go beyond the call of duty: he is to actually please his master in all things. This includes such things as

attitude: have an attitude of appreciation for the job and for the livelihood it provides him

 spirit: show commitment and loyalty, eagerness and diligence in his work

    thoughts: think about your work, how to improve it and to be more efficient

   talk and words: build up the company and the work it does

  relationships: seek to build good relations with all fellow employees and management

  work and labor: be time and gives a full day of labor plus some. Actually seeks to increase your own productivity and that of the whole workplace. Help the company when extra effort or hours are needed and goes well beyond what is required.

3. The Christian employee does not answer back, talk back, or contradict his manager (supervisor). You need to recognize the need for orderliness and for levels of supervision in order to get the job done. Therefore, you follow the instructions of those above him in order to get the job done. Again unless it is a health or safety or contradicts the teaching of the Bible which is our final authority.

4. The Christian workman does not steal. The Greek word actually stresses the stealing of small, petty items.

5. The Christian employee is to show all fidelity, that is, trustworthiness, loyalty, and faithfulness. We are to be totally trustworthy, completely loyal, utterly faithful. Again, unless it is a health or safety issue or contradicts the word of God.

What this is teaching is that the Christian employee is to adorn the doctrine of God in all things. This is a beautiful, descriptive way to state this truth! The Christian employee is to dress ourselves with the teachings of God so that wherever we walk or move, the teachings of God are clearly seen, observed, and lived out. The Christian employee  will wear and adorn ourselves with the teachings of God; we live and move and has our being in them. Therefore, everyone in the workplace who looks at us will see that we are adorned and dressed in the teachings of God. (Ephesians 6:5–8 “5 Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; 6 not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. 7 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.” ) 1 Peter 2:18 “18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.”

Quote:

The way to apply this verse today, very simply, is that every boss deserves a full-day’s work from every Christian employee.

Philip Graham Ryken

Conclusion/Application

In Titus 2:6-9, the apostle Paul emphasizes the importance of setting a positive example for others, particularly for younger believers. He instructs younger men to be self-controlled, to exhibit integrity in their actions, speech, and behavior, and to show respect for authority. Paul also urges slaves to be obedient to their masters, not only when their masters are kind and just, but also when they are harsh. The overall message of these verses is the call to live a life of honor and integrity, regardless of one's circumstances or station in life. This passage challenges believers to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects the character of Christ, exhibiting self-control, integrity, and a respectful attitude towards others. As a practical application, we can learn from Titus 2:6-9 the importance of being intentional about our actions, words, and attitudes, knowing that others are always watching. We should strive to be role models for those around us, especially for younger believers who may look up to us. Additionally, these verses teach us the value of obedience and respect, even in challenging situations. By following Paul's instructions in Titus 2:6-9, we can demonstrate our commitment to living out our faith in a way that glorifies God and impacts those around us positively.

Response 

“LORD WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME TO DO?LORD SPEAK AND I WILL TRUST AND OBEY”

Firm in the Faith and in God- Matthew 5:16 “16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Finding Faith in God- 1 Peter 2:2 “2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,”

Fallen from the Faith and in God- Galatians 4:9 “9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?”

Far from the Faith and God- Romans 5:6–8 “6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Prayer

Youth and Young Adults

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