Titus 10 - Week 2

Gospel

TITUS TEN — WEEK 2

THE GOSPEL

Leader Lesson + Discussion Guide

BIG IDEA: The gospel does not merely save us from the penalty of sin; it frees us from the power of sin and forms us into men who look like Jesus.

Sin enslaves us.  •  God pursues us.  •  Jesus redeems us.  •  Grace restores us.  •  Therefore, we follow Jesus.

Lesson Aim: Help the men see that broken manhood cannot be repaired by greater effort alone. The gospel exposes our sin, centers us on God’s saving work in Christ, and trains us to become increasingly like Jesus.

1. Opening — Every Man Creates Ripples

The chapter opens with the reality that every decision creates ripples. Sin does not remain isolated; it affects marriages, children, friendships, churches, and generations. But the chapter ends with an equally important truth: Christlikeness creates ripples too.

• Think about a man who has had a significant influence on your life—for good or bad. What did that man’s life produce in the people around him?

None of us lives in isolation. The kind of man I become affects my wife, my children, my church, my coworkers, my friends, and probably people I will never know. Sin has ripples. But Christlikeness has ripples too.

• Who is presently experiencing the ripples of the man you are becoming?

2. The Problem — Adam’s Broken Manhood

Josh takes time to point out the problem in Genesis 3. Everything was good in Genesis 1, but everything changed just a few verses later. Let’s read this passage

Genesis 3:1–12 CSB

1 Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. 3 But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’ ” 4 “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 So the Lord God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” 11 Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 12 The man replied, “The woman you gave to be with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.”

Sometimes we read this passage as though Adam was out working in the field or doing manual labor elsewhere whenever this happened… but that’s not what the text says! This is a massive implication - Eve gave the fruit to her husband “who was with her!” He was present during this.

What was the main problem in Genesis 3?

Serpent deceived Eve

Eve listened/ate

Adam was passive

Look at how this changes at the end of this scene. Adam shifted the blame ultimately to Eve and then to God. Why would Adam receive the blame in passages like Romans 5:12-21 and 1 Timothy 2:13-14?

HEADSHIP - not that man is more valuable than woman. That’s not true as men and women are equally made in God’s image. Adam was given responsibility to lead. And in the Garden the serpent led Eve, Eve led Adam, and no one followed God. That always leads to problem!

Broken manhood often expresses itself in two directions: passivity and aggression/control.

· Passivity — refusing to take responsibility, protect, lead, serve, initiate, speak, or act when action is needed.

· Aggression / control — using strength, authority, words, money, sexuality, anger, or influence for self rather than sacrificially for others.

Which direction do you see displayed more frequently today? Which one gets the press?

Adam displays both: he is passive during the temptation and self-protective when confronted.

• Can a man appear passive in one area of life and controlling in another? What might that look like?

• Which direction are you more naturally tempted toward—passivity or aggression/control?

• Where in your life right now are you tempted to stand silently beside something you should be addressing?

3. The Gospel — Four Truths That Remake Men

This transition is crucial. Otherwise the men can leave thinking, “Don’t be passive. Don’t be domineering. Step up. Be a man.” That turns a chapter titled Gospel into moralism.

If all Christianity gives broken men is a new list of things broken men are supposed to do, we have no hope. The solution to broken manhood is not greater determination. It is redemption.

Have you seen this before (3 Circles)?

It is impossible to be the man God wants you to be without following Jesus and embracing His Gospel! Our problem is not merely external behavior. We need internal change because our deepest problem is sin, Titus explains the beauty of the Gospel in several places on pages 44-45.

Titus 3:3–7 CSB

3 For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 5 he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life.

Our hope begins not with us climbing towards God, but with God coming towards us! We have to remember this truth daily. I was asked on Sunday afternoon, “How do you maintain joy in the midst of criticism and complaining and things like that?” I thought about it for a minute and remembered a powerful truth from Jared Wilson a few years ago - you have to preach the Gospel to yourself daily! Remember who you were and remember what Christ has done. Remember the Gospel. This is what we see on the pages that follow. What happens whenever we fail to remember the Gospel?

We forget where we were

We can get prideful

Look at these truths on these pages

Truth 1 — Sin Has Enslaved Us

“For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures…” — Titus 3:3

Paul does not describe sin merely as a collection of occasional mistakes. He describes us as enslaved. The gospel begins with honest recognition that we cannot rescue ourselves.

• What is the difference between viewing sin as something we occasionally do and seeing sin as a power from which we need to be rescued?

• Why is it actually hopeful to admit that our deepest problem is sin?

You do not become a godly man by first convincing yourself that you are basically a good man. The gospel starts with honesty.

Truth 2 — God Pursues Us

“But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy…” — Titus 3:4–5

Pause on the words “But when.” We were foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved, and hateful—but God acted. The gospel centers the initiative in God’s mercy rather than our merit.

• According to Titus 3:4–5, who takes the initiative in salvation?

• What reason does the passage give for why God saved us? Was it something righteous or attractive in us?

The gospel begins with God’s gracious initiative toward sinners who would never rescue themselves.

Truth 3 — Jesus Redeems Us

Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness…” — Titus 2:14

Jesus did not merely give us advice or an example from a distance. He gave Himself. To redeem is to release a captive through the payment of a price. Christ is both the Redeemer and the ransom-giver.

• What did our redemption cost Jesus?

• Why do men so naturally gravitate toward self-help rather than redemption?

Possible direction: self-help lets me stay in control, assume I am fundamentally capable, and take some credit. The gospel says I could not rescue myself.

Truth 4 — Salvation Restores and Trains Us

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way…” — Titus 2:11–12

This may be the most important point in the lesson: grace not only saves; grace trains. The same grace that pardons us also begins changing us.

Gospel order matters: Grace → Salvation → Transformation → Good Works

• What is doing the “training” in Titus 2:12?

• What is the difference between obeying God in order to earn His acceptance and obeying God because you have already received His grace?

• If grace never produces any desire for godliness in someone’s life, what might that reveal about his understanding of grace?

We have been saved from sin’s penalty. We are being saved from sin’s power. We will be saved from sin’s presence!

We are not trying to become godly men so that Jesus will save us. Because Jesus has saved us, His grace is teaching us how to become godly men.

5. Jesus Shows Us True Manhood

Return to the Adam theme. Adam is a picture of fallen manhood. Jesus is the faithful Man—the Second Adam—who perfectly displays sacrificial love, humility, courage, service, purity, truth, and obedience to the Father. Just as sin changes things, so does Jesus. And Jesus is better at saving than we are at sinning!

Jesus did not come merely to show us what a better man looks like. He came to save failed men. But the One who saves us is also the One into whose image the Spirit is conforming us.

Romans 8:28–29 CSB

28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Connect: Romans 8:29 — God’s purpose is to conform His people to the image of His Son.

• When you look at Jesus, what qualities of true manhood most confront the way our culture defines a strong man?

• What would become different in your home if you became increasingly like Jesus?

6. Crowd or Disciple?

Read / reference: Matthew 7:24–27

Matthew 7:24–27 CSB

24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”

Both the crowd and the disciples heard Jesus. The difference was not exposure to Jesus but response to Jesus. The wise man hears Christ’s words and acts on them. It is possible to be around Christianity, appreciate Christianity, and even participate in Christianity without actually surrendering to Christ.

• What are some ways a man can be very involved in Christianity without actually surrendering his life to Christ?

• What is the difference between being interested in Jesus and actually following Jesus?

• Are you confident that you are a disciple rather than simply a member of the crowd?

Allow silence after the final question. Do not rush to rescue the room from it.

7. Bringing It Home — Repent, Receive, Respond

Rather than ending with a vague challenge to “be more godly,” ask every man to identify one concrete response in each category.

1. REPENT — Where is sin presently producing destructive ripples in my life?

Name one area, not twenty.

2. RECEIVE — What truth about the gospel do I most need to believe right now?

· I am not going to fix myself.

· God’s mercy is not earned.

· Christ really has redeemed me.

· Grace is able to change me.

· My failures do not have to define the man I become.

3. RESPOND — What is one act of Christlike obedience I need to take this week?

· Call your son or another family member.

· Apologize to your wife.

· Confess a hidden sin.

· Turn off something that is feeding lust.

· Initiate family worship or prayer.

· Call another man for accountability.

· Have the conversation you have been avoiding.

· Serve when you would rather be served.

· Stop blaming someone else and own your responsibility.

Based on my words, dollars, and time, would my friends and family say I’m following Jesus?

Discussion Question Bank

1. Who has shown you, for good or bad, how one man’s life can create ripples for generations?

2. Who is presently experiencing the ripples of the man you are becoming?

3. Why do you think passivity is such a common temptation for men?

4. Which is more natural for you: passivity or aggression/control?

5. Where are you tempted to stand silently beside something you should be addressing?

6. Why is admitting that our fundamental problem is sin actually hopeful?

7. What does Titus 3:3–7 teach us about who takes the initiative in salvation?

8. Why are men often more comfortable with self-improvement than admitting they need redemption?

9. What does it mean that Jesus “gave himself for us”?

10. According to Titus 2:11–14, what does grace do after it saves us?

11. What is the difference between obedience produced by grace and obedience aimed at earning God’s favor?

12. How can a man be around Jesus without actually following Jesus?

13. What quality of Jesus most challenges your current understanding or practice of manhood?

14. What would change in your home if you became increasingly like Christ?

15. What is one area where Christ’s grace needs to train you this week?

Three Questions I Would Make Sure We Ask

1. Where are you tempted to stand silently beside something you should be addressing?

2. What would change in your home if you became increasingly like Jesus?

3. What is one area where the grace of God needs to train you this week?

These move the men from Adam → Christ → me. If the group is large, consider closing by putting the men in groups of 3–4 for the final question, then gathering everyone back together for prayer.

Closing Prayer Direction

Pray that God would expose passive and self-centered patterns without producing mere shame; deepen confidence in Christ’s finished work; and use His grace to train the men to become increasingly like Jesus in their homes, church, workplaces, friendships, and private lives.

Prepared from Chapter 2, “Gospel,” in J. Josh Smith, The Titus Ten: Foundations for Godly Manhood, with supplemental leader questions and application.