Titus Chapter 2 Verse 4

 There are a couple of just surface level practical bits of instruction Paul

is giving to Titus here that should be noted. First, Paul is telling Titus

that he shouldn’t be teaching the young women to love their husbands

and their families, but that this is the job of the older women of the

church.

 For several reasons of practical wisdom, the men should primarily

minister to the men, and the women should primarily minister to the

women. Disagree with me all you want, you’re wrong. You’re literally

denying nature. My concern for the well being of a female should be

concentrated and consolidated into one woman, my wife. Same for

every other married man on earth.

 Same goes for you ladies. Your concern for the well being of a male

should be concentrated and consolidated into one man, your husband.

Doesn’t mean you can’t care about others but that care is uncommitted.

No commitment of heart, no investment of devotion, it is the care that a

good person would give to another simply because they are a person.

 Anything more than that and you are taking away from what is rightfully

owed to your spouse. It’s like the temple. The acquaintances were only

allowed in the court of the gentles. An outside portion of the temple. The

priests, the ministry workers, the family let’s say, would be permitted

within the inner sanctuary. But only one person, the high priest, had

access to the meeting place.

 Violate this and the sanctimonious side of love begins to fade. The

sanctuary, the sacredness, the special…, it doesn’t exist anymore and

this is when spouses change from “my bride” to “the old ball and

chain.” Song of Solomon 2:14-16, “O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,

in the secret places of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your

voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. Catch us the little

foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender

grapes. My beloved is mine, and I am his. He feeds his flock among the

lilies.” It’s the little things, the little foxes that spoil the garden…

 This is worth protecting. And Paul gives Titus specific instruction that

he is not to teach the young women to love their husbands. Let the older

women do that. Because if he did, they’d say of Titus, “Oh, how loving

he is. How wonderful he is…,” and one thought of that heard in the ear

of their husbands would actually accomplish the opposite of what they

should be taught.

 So, the older women of the church are to take the ministry of teaching

the younger women of the church and the primary biblical godly

message is to love their husbands and love their children. Now, you

might say, duh. Well, maybe I can understand needing to teach them

how to love their husbands, but their children?

 Yes… It’s the word. It’s not agape. It’s phileo. Love is built into mom,

built into wife… Just like respect is built into dad and husband. But

phileo… Different action all together. The idea is that mom needs to be

a good friend to dad. Let her be a good friend to her husband.

 Good friends are a special treasure on this earth. They watch your back,

they look out for you, they are on your side, in your corner, wouldn’t do

anything that would hurt you but rather would protect you from anything

that would hurt you. Older women have learned through the years of

their own marriages; this is the love language of a man. To be his

friend. All men want to be best friends with their wives in this way…

 And to be good helpers, not just loves, helps…, to their kids. Sometimes

kids need restriction, correction, to be taught what will really help them

in their lives rather than just coddled and nurtured because momma

bear… This is what the older women have learned as well through much

living. To love your kiddos is just gonna happen but to love them in such

a way to prepare them for what God has planned for them is an entirely

different thing. Older women, teach the younger women to love their

kiddos… and their husbands… And it looks like this…

Titus Chapter 2 Verse 5

 If the Bible is clear on what good is in the home, what good looks like

in terms of a husband, what good looks like in terms of a wife, and yet

it’s not what mom and dad strive to do, (not perfect but working

together towards the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus), if what the

Bible says is good is not what is shown to the children in their parents,

how confusing it will be for them and how difficult it will be for them

to understand the things of God as they mature themselves?

 The whole stigma of the PK (pastor’s kid) is real because mom and dad

are Mr. and Mrs. Perfect at church, but on the way to church they

weren’t. After church, they weren’t. So church isn’t real. What do you

expect!? Better to be a man and a woman of worship from the vantage

point of broken vessels! Real and raw and open and transparent which

reenforces the message of the cross, forgiveness, grace and

unconditional love!

 In a world where the definition of what is good is blurred at best, it is

easier for a Christian kid to be confused and harmed than a non-

Christian. Because the Bible is clear on what is good. And we all pray

before our meals, and pray before bedtime and hang Jesus pictures on

our walls and wear Christian shirts and rock Christian tattoos, and then

what the Bible says is good we show is not for us… It should not be this

way!

 Here is what is good according to the Bible for a wife to be for her

husband, her children and her home. To be discreet. Not a word often

used anymore. This word means to be careful with your words and

actions. It’s actually just another word for respect. How you talk to

them will set the conditions for how they feel and how they see

themselves. Talk to them like a champion, they will bring forward the

champion in them.

 Chaste. Again, another word not used too often anymore. This word

means to hold on to what is pure. To protect it. Whatever is sacred is

kept sacred. This is one of the most important roles of a wife to her

husband and a mother to her children!

 Homemakers. This does not say “stay at home mom.” This simply is

the word to describe someone who is in charge of taking care of the

affairs of the home. A mom or a wife can be an out of the house

professional and should be! However, when it comes to the career or the

home, the home wins. Same for the dad, by the way!

 Good. It’s the word beneficial in the Greek. Agreeable, joyful, happy,

pleasant. This is to make things great for yourself and for others by

being a pleasant person!

 Obedient to their own husbands. I am SO glad I brought my Captain

America shield! HA! Look, it’s submitting to their husband. You want

him to lead well? Bring forth the leader in him! This is the power you

have over him. Notice it does not say submitting to men or anyone

else’s husband!

 That the word of God may not be blasphemed! We cannot confuse and

convolute the cross by saying we are Christians and then living in such

a way to show we are not. Simple as that!

Titus Chapter 2 Verses 6 – 8

 Titus, be an example. Teach and live. And live what you teach and show

that even though there is a lot of energy, silliness and fun in young men,

there should also be a seriousness about the things that are important.

There should be a sure sense of priority and integrity in the young men.

Sound speech means speech backed up by heart that even though

everyone of us has flaws, those flaws can’t even be called evil because

they are used for the glory of God!

Titus Chapter 2 Verses 9 – 10

 Being an outstanding employee is one of the most palpable and

obvious ways to prove the power of the gospel. Because work is work.

Obligatory surrendering of your life because you haven’t figured out

how to be independently wealthy and neither did yo momma! HA!

 Bad way to say “work,” but accurate nonetheless. And once you get

paid for something there is at least 1% of you that resents it! So, this is

discipline, grit, faith in action. Working and operating against emotion to

the good of yourself, others and unto the glory of God.

 So, for where you work and who you work for, be obedient. Same word

in the Greek used the wife unto her husband. Bring out the leader in

them. Manage and develop up just as much as you manage and develop

down in your organization. Submit yourselves to your boss. Listen, if

you agree, that isn’t submission. You can only submit when you don’t

agree! And submission means you do it like it was your idea from the

beginning!

 Be WELL pleasing in all things. Not just pleasing but WELL pleasing!

This isn’t negotiable. You want to adorn the doctrine of God our Savior

in all things? You do if you’re a Christian! Then be WELL pleasing!

Super acceptable to them! Like it’s your super power with your boss!!

 Not answering back! Definitely contributing ideas and working for

amazing solutions but know the line. In the Greek this is answering

again. You raised your question, concern, whatever and the boss still

wants to move out… Don’t raise it again. You already did. Look, the

wise know this! Check that, the SANE know this because the definition

of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a

different outcome!

 No pilfering. What does that word mean! Sounds like a cousin from

Alabama! This my cousin Pilfer! HA! Pilfering means to bring

something to yourself for yourself. To steal and hold back. Listen, even

when you don’t get your way, stay committed! A huge part of

submission!

 But show all good faith! Fidelity. A person of grit. A soldier in any

storm. A trusted partner… And all of this, these verses 1 through 10, all

of this shows forth the gospel of hope and strength on display! Why?

Because it all points to the cross! That One would give Himself for the

salvation of another… This is the point of ministry because that alone is

the definition of ministry!