CYCLES 4 SISTERS
“ONE IN A MILLION”
HER MATURATION
Text: Titus 2:1-5
Introduction: Try This On
Would you agree with me that Satan has pointed all of the artillery of hell at the home? Think about it: Immorality/adultery/fornication/homosexuality/abortion/ militant feminism/juvenile delinquency/sexually transmitted diseases. These are all sins hatched in hell, and they all have 2 things in common: #1. On the rise & #2. Aimed at destroying the family. There’s good news today…God has a plan! “When all else fails, read the directions” (men aren’t the best at this…putting together toys, navigating).
The word “become” in vs.1 literally means “beautifies”. Ladies: have you ever told someone their outfit was very “becoming?” vs.10 “adorn”…this word in the gk is the word from which we get “cosmetics” in English. If you really want to be beautiful, not just outwardly, but also inwardly…more than you need Mary Kay, or Merle Norman, you need to put on God’s way, according to God’s plan. Put on the lipstick of a kind tongue, the blush of purity and innocence, the foundation of Godliness, the eyeliner of compassion & the mascara of sincerity. God designed you to give life to millions, you’re a “Million Dollar Baby”!!
I. Her mandate vs.4 “…that they may teach the young women…”
The values the young women at New Hope are supposed to learn about Christian Womanhood, they are not supposed to be learned primarily from this pulpit or this preacher…but rather from the elder women right here. Our older women have a God-given responsibility to teach the younger women how to be good wives/mothers/ homemakers. The younger women also have a responsibility, according to this passage, and that is to listen to the older women, and to avail themselves to their wisdom.
Who is teaching the younger Christian women of today? Who is shaping their family values? I’m afraid that in many cases it’s someone like Queen Latifa, Oprah Winfrey, or Dr. Ruth. The world is sending all kinds of negative messages to our younger women: “If you’re not happy/satisfied with the old goat…just leave him! After all, you have a right to be happy”. We need some older women who have been married for years to step up and say, you have the right to keep your commitment, your vow before God…and…it’s not your love that sustains your commitment, it’s your commitment that sustains your love! When Paul mentions the word “aged” he’s not speaking of old. He’s speaking in terms of someone with children who’ve already left home or are about to. It’s from this perspective that you can teach. You have a mandate to prepare others for the road you’ve traveled!!
II. Her Motive (last clause) v. 5 “…that the Word of God be not blasphemed”
The best thing any woman can do to improve their influence within the lives of those placed under their care is to practice what you preach. It can be devastating to wear a mask in the midst of friends, peers, co-workers & church members only to go home & reveal this total stranger who doesn’t resemble the representative they portrayed earlier (elab…Choir/Club; Prayer/Swear; Anointed/Asss-stronomical Problem; etc.). This behavior not only hurts your influence, but it taints your testimony & causes babes in Christ to fall. We preach & teach that Jesus is the answer to the world’s problems & that Jesus is the solid Rock on which to build a marriage and home…but for the most part, the world doesn’t listen to what we say…but oooooooh how they watch what we do!
Paul is saying that when we allow homes in our church to disintegrate, the Word of God is blasphemed or made of no effect. It makes it appear to the world that the word doesn’t work. There are some who have married others in whom they thought were seeking Gods will for their lives, only to find out that God was used as a smoke screen to cover their true motives. A real WO-MAN of God’s motives are ultimately to please the Father. She does that by obeying wholeheartedly the unadulterated WORD OF GOD. She understands that her worth, her value, her substance, her very being exists within the WORD of God!! Don’t defend the word, But please…don’t offend it.
III. Her Manner vs.3 “they be in behavior”
The word “behavior”=fragrance…As God’s anointed giver of life you should have the fragrance of holiness eminating from you. In the OT, the priest went into the holy place to burn incense to the Lord, and even when he departs the tabernacle and rejoins the others, the fragrance is still on his garments. And anyone who gets around him knows, he’s been in the holy place…he’s been with the Lord! There’s an aura, a glow about a Godly woman, as the beauty of Christ radiates from their life!
“not false accusers”-literally: not a gossip (form of insanity: “you know me, I don’t gossip, but…” and then they proceed to gossip. Anytime you do something and don’t even know what you’re doing…that’s got to be a form of insanity!)
“much wine”-immediately, the social drinker says, there it is, it’s ok to drink, as long as in moderation…I drink, but not much! Well, before you get too carried away, remember that in Bible days wine was used medically. In a broad sense, Paul is saying, don’t be a slave to an addiction, don’t let anything or anyone take away your ability to perceive or make discerning decisions.
Mandate—older teach younger, younger look to the older
Motive—word of God be not blasphemed
Manner of life—live a holy, wholesome, healthy life
**CONCLUSION**
“MILLION DOLLAR BABY”
GOD NEVER INTENDED FOR WOMEN TO BECOME ANYBODY’S DOOR-MAT OR ANYONES MAID. WO-MAN WAS DESIGNED TO ASSIST, TO ACCOMPANY & TO COMPLETE WHAT GOD HAD PURPOSED IN MAN. ANYTHING YOU GIVE TO WO-MAN, SHE RECEIVES IT, TAKES IT WITHIN & GIVES IT BACK MAGNIFIED. THERE IS A MOVIE BASED ON A WOMAN WHO WAS TRAPPED IN POVERTY, WORKING AS A WAITRESS FOR MINIMUM WAGE & TIPS. DEEP DOWN INSIDE SHE HAD ASPIRATIONS OF BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL BOXER. WHEN SHE APPEARED AT THE GYM TO INQUIRE ABOUT A TRAINER, SHE WAS REJECTED. BUT SHE DIDN’T GIVE UP. SHE BEGAN TO WORK OUT ON HER OWN. EVEN THOUGH SHE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT SHE WAS DOING, BUT SHE KNEW THAT WHAT SHE WAS DOING, SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. IT WAS WITHIN HER DESTINY TO DO WHAT SHE NEEDED TO BE DEVELOPED TO DO!!
SHE DEVELOPED FAST
SHE KNOCKED OPPONENTS OUT FAST
SHE MADE A LOT OF MONEY FAST
BUT HER CAREER ENDED FAST
SHE TOOK TOO MANY HARD BLOWS TO THE HEAD. SUFFERED A BROKEN NECK & WAS PARALIZED. IT WAS A SAD ENDING TO A GREAT WOMANS LIFE. BUT ALL WAS NOT LOST. REMEMBER, WHATEVER YOU GIVE A WOMAN, SHE RECEIVES IT, TAKES IT WITHIN, DEVELOPS IT & GIVES IT BACK MAGNIFIED.
THEY DEVELOPED HER, BUT SHE ALSO DEVELOPED THEM.
THEY GAVE HER TRAINING…SHE GAVE THEM NOTARIETY.
THEY GAVE HER OPPORTUNITY…SHE GAVE THEM RESPECTABILITY.
WHATEVER ANY WOMAN HAS RECEIVED FROM YOU, IT SHALL BE RETURNED TO YOU IN MUCH GREATER ABUNDANCE THAN YOU GAVE. SO MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN THE ONE THAT’S ONE IN A MILLION!
