YOUR ROLE

Intro:

With seasons of life come certain roles that we must play. In my life I’ve seen some of this play out.

Right now my mom is in McCamey. She’s at her mom’s house helping take care of her. When my mother was young her role was to be a child. It was to learn. To be loved. To be taken care of. It was to grown into someone who would be able to add to society.

As she got older it became that of a wife. Later it became that of a mother and wife. She took care of our home. She cooked, and cleaned. She worked a job. She loved us. She took care of us. She taught many things. Of course she did all of this alongside my dad. Her role had changed though. After we were all out of the house things changed again.

While still our mother, she was no longer taking care of us. She was giving us advice and guidance. She’s helped us to fulfill a role that she filled very skillfully. That of a parent of a young family.

Now, she’s helping take care of her own mom. My abuelita is 92. She’s still in decent health for someone her age, but is starting to get weaker. She has a harder time caring for herself. So her children help her now. Roles have changed. Each of life has different roles.

Within the church, we have our own roles as well. I am a pastor here. We have people who are Sunday school teachers, awana leaders, deacons, disciplers, people who clean, tend to our campus, and many other things. Those are very specific roles.

Paul wrote to Titus in regards to this. Titus was a young preacher left in charge of a church full of Cretans. Literally. He was in Crete. He faced many of the common battles found at that time, and even still today. There was immorality, idolatry, false teaching. There needed to be more unity within the church.

Paul was writing to give this young pastor some advice. He’s helping Titus and the believers answer the question of,

“What are our rolls at church. What duties do we have as a believer in church.”

Lets look at Titus chapter 2 and see 4 groups here.

The role of older saints is to train younger saints. The duty of older believers is to show younger believers how to live. (2:1-5)

Exposition

Older Men

Titus told to speak things- Or could be said, teach things which are sound Biblically. Concepts which can be backed up in the Bible. He was to tell believers how their lives should look according to scripture.

They were to be sober- not drunk, but also clear headed. Not acting rashly without thinking, Reverent- worthy of respect, temperate-Self-controlled or sensible, sound in faith, be loving and patient.

The women were called to do the same. We know that because of the word likewise! They must be reverent or worthy of respect, No slanderers- gossipers, not drunkards, teachers of good things- things like sound doctrine.

Older men and women were to be living examples of Christianity. Paul said, “TITUS, make sure your older members, your leaders, make sure they’re leading by example. Make sure they know that they must live out our faith!”

Women were given some additional steps as well. They were told to admonish, or train, the young women to love their husbands and children. To us this might seem like a “why bother mentioning that ? It’s a given!” type of statement.

We have to remember though, many marriages were arranged at this time. Many marriages weren’t founded on love. So they had to be told, love your husbands and family. Choose to serve them by taking care of the home. Be pure in mind and body, and morally good. Be obedient to their own husbands.

We have to remember though, many marriages were arranged at this time. Many marriages weren’t founded on love. So they had to be told, love your husbands and family. Choose to serve them by taking care of the home. Be pure in mind and body, and morally good. Be obedient to their own husbands.

On a side not, this is not saying men are superior to women. Notice it said “their own” husband. Not someone else’s husband. Simply their own. This was how God intended the family to work. He also told the husbands to love their wives sacrificially just as Jesus loved the church. A good husband is good to his wife and listen’s, respects, and works with her, not over her.

Paul says if they don’t do this, they’ll dishonor or discredit God’s word.

ILLUSTRATION- Paul says, an older, more experienced Christian is to show the younger ones how do things. This model works well. My grandfather use to run an auto mechanic shop in Crane. He was a good mechanic.I’m sure if you get him in front of an older car he could still work circles around guys third his age. Consequently my dad is also a pretty skilled mechanic. He spent a lot of his teen years going over to the shop and working on cars alongside my grandpa. My learned to tune carborators, change breaks, rebuild engines, and whole list of other things because his dad let him watch him do those things, and then showed him how to do it as well.

APPLICATION

I know Paul is telling Titus to teach his people to do these things, we can see it’s what we’re to do as well. You more mature believers are to show younger ones how to live.

As an older person you’ve lived things in life that younger believers have not. You’ve had life experiences they’ll encounter one day. You can show them how to face those. You can guide them through those rough waters.

Teach younger believers how to live faithfully in a job that isn’t full of other believers. Show young believers how to be a person of integrity in a work place full of cheating, stealing, and infighting.

I truly believe we have a priceless resource in our older believers. You may retire from your job, but you never retire from service. I know there are times where society may see you as less valuable, but that is not the case. You are a treasure in our churches. You can contribute.

My “older ladies” you can show a young woman how she should treat her husband. You can help encourage her when you see the fatigue and strain all over that young mother’s face. You can help guide those young girls that are not yet a woman into being a woman that will be pleasing to God.

Men and women you do that in two ways.

You live it out. Let the younger ones see you live faithfully.

You teach them. You pass on your knowledge and wisdom. Make sure when you do, it’s done in gentleness, humility, and love. Maybe invite someone over for dinner or take them out on a Sunday after church. Ask them over to show them how to work with wood. Or maybe they have car issues and you can help them fix their own vehicle. The options are limitless. Or you can have someone over and help them learn to cook something while all eating together.

That opens opportunities then to share your faith, your wisdom, and experience with younger believers.

If you don’t have someone you do that with…find someone. Someone who needs it. Someone who may not have many around them helping them.Help build each other up!

The role of younger saints is to live out the faith. The duty of a younger believer is to display faith in their actions and words.

Exposition

Titus was to urge the young men to be Sober minded. Or sensible and self-controlled. This was not somethings that happened on a regular basis. They lived in a Roman city. The debauchery found in other places was found there too. To live for your own desires and pleasure was the norm. Not self control. Sensible living was not always the norm.

Then the target changes back to Titus. Titus was to have a pattern of good works. Do good things for others people. He was to show integrity. This was not the norm. In the Cretans were described as “always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” A person of moral integrity would stick out.

Titus was have sound speech that couldn’t be condemned by anyone. Two schools of thought on this. 1) It was talking about personal speech and he should speak in truth to the gospel. There should be no slander or any immoral kind of speech. or 2) His public speaking should be presented well and with truth to the Gospel.

Either way, his speech was to be God honoring and full of truth. It was to be to the degree that if someone tried to say something about his speech, they would be shamed. Everyone would know they are lying, because that is no the kind of person Titus is. He speaks truth.

ILLUSTRATION-

Have you ever met someone who is truthful to a fault? Someone whom you know is going to tell the truth? To the point that when someone questions them, you say, “Are you crazy! I know him/her, they don’t lie. If they said it happened, I guarantee it happened.” That should be you. Living in a way that you control your actions and your speech to the point you’re above reproach.

APPLICATION

Paul says to do that. Young men are told the to live a life of self- control just like the older ones. Even today that’s not the norm. You hear things like, “You’ve got to let them sew their wild oats.” or “They’re just young and crazy.” Society doesn’t expect self-control out of young people.

God does! Just like the young men living a life of self- control. Those young men living responsibly. Treating each other kindly. Spending money wisely. Speaking respectfully. Those guys stuck out as something different. You will today too! People should see and here Christ in you whether you’re young or old.

Titus was told to have speech above condemnation. You should too! Your speech should be filled with truth. Paul already said there shouldn’t be gossip. He said they should be filled with Integrity.

The role of believers who were slaves were to submit. Bondservants were to do as they were told.

Exposition

There were believers who were slaves in the early church. They are mentioned more than once in the Bible. Paul doesn’t speak against slavery here. That’s not to say he supported it. The gospel slowly eroded slavery by changing peoples lives and attitudes.

They were to submit. Not only that, they were to have a good attitude and do submit without talking back. This would happen. Slaves would talk back to their masters. They would also steal. They were in positions where they were put alone with valuable things. Or they were putting in charge of valuable stuff. It wasn’t uncommon for them to take for themselves. They were to live in honestly and integrity.

They were to adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. They were to live in a way that would make the gospel look good.

ILLUSTRATION

When I was in college our concert band use to go on tour to various schools. We would work up difficult music, then go around playing it. Our job was to play well and represent our school well. We were suppose to make people want to come to Angelo State. So after we’d play we’d often talk to students as well. WE didn’t always like our music, the places we went, our director, each other. That’s didn’t matte though. We had a task. Make the ASU music program attractive to others.

We’re not slaves. This doesn't really translate well over to us. I think an employer employee relationship takes away some from the power seen in this.

Slaves freely submitting to and working in an environment like that was nothing short of God. A person who could live a life of integrity, joy, and faith in the midst of being a slave was surely a bright light.

We should strive to live in a way that will shine like that. They were to adorn the doctrine of God, or make it attractive. We should live in a way that makes the teaching of God our Saviour attractive. Lives of submission. Live’s of character at work. Not stealing time by playing on Facebook, or Amazon, or Instagram, or YouTube, or Pintrest or whatever else grabs you. We should not be taking supplies like staples, paperclips, pens, or any of those other things. No pilfering. Lives of integrity and joy should be on display.

All believers play the role of being an example. We are all to be a model of what Christianity should be.

Exposition

God’s Grace appeared to show salvation for everyone. The purpose for all of the believers were to deny ungodliness and wordly lust. Live lives of soberness, self control. They were to live righteously looking toward the second coming of Christ.

Looking forward to seeing the savior who gave himself to redeem us from our sin. That was what everyone was to live and show.

Application

That’s what were all to do. Live lives that point to Jesus. A life that declares Jesus is savior and lord. A life that supports Jesus teaching and speaks against things that aren’t truth.

CLOSING

As a believer your role is to be and example and teach people about Jesus. Older believers, teach younger believers. Younger believers live it out. All of us should strive to make the gospel attractive to those watching us. We’re an example of the change, the contentment, and the joy Christ brings. That’s the role you play.