Keep it Between the Lines
Notes
Transcript
Welcome
Welcome
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Introduction:
Introduction:
Today we will be starting a 2 week mini-series entitles “Guardrails” as we walk through the book of Titus.
Over the next 2 weeks, I would also encourage you to be praying for Pastor Irvin as he is away on vacation, resting and getting charged up for the fall!
Over the next couple of weeks, we will look at he guardrails of faith, doctrine and devotion, according to Paul as he pens out this epistle to his son in the faith, Titus.
We are going to be jumping in directly to chapter 2 so here is a quick snapshot at chapter 1:
Paul writes to Timothy to set up the organizational structure of the church as his first order of business. He encourages Titus to find men that are worth of leadership, the same message he writes Timothy in 1 Timothy 3.
Paul begins to pen out the task that was laying before Titus. He had a couple of things that he was to accomplish:
Establish elders and overseers (Titus 1:1-9)
Rebuke false teachers (Titus 1:10-16)
Teach sound doctrine (Titus 2)
Prepare the people for the work of ministry (Titus 3)
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Read
Read
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.
Teach
Teach
Most of the time when we think of the word “doctrine” we tend to think of boring theological debates between one guy with a monocle and another with a cigar sitting around drinking brandy.
But, doctrine for the modern day Christian is the edge to our sword. It is the single most important weapon in our fight against satan and the darkness of this world.
Let’s get one misconception about God’s Word out of the way right now. So many people tend to think that living according to God’s Word is more of a list of do’s and don’ts more than anything else. Wrong. Doctrine isn’t to keep you from living the good life, it’s to enable to you live your best life.
This passage teaches us 3 things about Christian Doctrine:
1. Purpose
1. Purpose
So how does doctrine practically impact the day to day aspect of our faith?
Those who teach by their doctrine must teach by their life, or else they pull down with one hand what they build up with the other.
- Matthew Henry
Just as Paul writes Titus, christian doctrine and christian living go hand in hand. For those who claim the name of Jesus Christ, we have been called to a higher standard of living, thus fulfilling our purpose.
Have you ever met somebody that was a little confused as to what their purpose is? As in they in the middle of something that they have no business being in?
I remember when I first started college with no idea what I wanted to study. So instead of taking all of my core classes before I decided on a major like an intelligent person might do, I jumped in to the first one I was even semi interested in, Early Childhood Education. TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE IDEA. I knew something what up when I walked in to my first class and I was the only guy. But later that week, I had a practicum class where I had to be a helper at a childcare facility. So that is the story of how I was an Early Childhood Education major for one week.
IT WASN’T MY PURPOSE.
Along the same lines, Paul writes Titus to encourage him to come alongside the new believers and help educate them on their purpose as Christ-followers. Paul addresses the people groups in a way that was common for the time, everyone fit in to one of these 5 categories:
Old Men
Old Women
Young Men
Young Women
Bond-servants
Then he begins to define what their purpose was according to the season that they were in.
How many of us would recognize that our purpose has changed over the course of a season or two?
I remember being single (selfish), married (serving), then becoming a parent (surviving). But God has been constant through it all.
Even though I have gone through the seasons in my life have changed, my purpose of serving God never has.
16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
2. Protection
2. Protection
Paul also writes with the undertone that doctrine and sound teaching protect us from a life of sin and hopelessness.
Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians:
3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.
In the passage we see a list of what those who love Christ are to put on:
Sober-minded
dignified
loving
steadfast
pure
But he also lists what the characteristics of are of those who practice sound doctrine:
Slanderers
Disobeying
Stealing
Alcohol (Slaves to much wine)
Argumentative
Prideful
What does all this lead to? A broken and bitter life:
I remember when I was in youth group. You had the kids that were really there to grow in their relationship with God. They read their bibles, prayed at school, and made good decisions.
Then there was me...
I loved going to church, because my girlfriend went. But when it came down to it, I didn’t love God and He definitely wasn’t the king of my life. I ran around like I was the king of the world. I was popular, but it came with a cost. I had to keep up with all the drama, I partied all the time, I was the greatest guy that I knew.
But at the end of the day, I was lonely, hurting, and broken because I was pursuing the wrong purpose.
I didn’t have the right guardrails in my life to keep me between the lines.
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.
When we wonder away from the bible and it’s road map for our life, then we are missing out on the fullest potential, purpose, and protection for our lives.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
The Word of God is our biggest weapon against the enemy.
3. Passion
3. Passion
Verse 11 changes the tone of the passage by shifting focus from ourselves to the hope that is to come.
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.
He encourages Titus to spur the believers on to continue (waiting in verse 13) living for God while waiting for Jesus Christ to return. That same challenge extends to us as we await the coming of Jesus Christ.
When the Holy Spirit lives within us, it acts as our life source, the single most thing that sustains us even in our weakest moments. Paul writes in verse 15 the challenge to it all: DECLARE THESE THINGS.
It’s hard to fight for something that you don’t care about very much.
Respond
Respond
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
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