EXPECTATIONS For GODLY LIVING-II—Titus 2:1-15
Attention:
The Biggest Piece:
A young boy’s Mom & Dad had invited some supper guests from Dad’s office.
The son was eager to help his mother in the kitchen preparing for the guests.
They prepared a great supper that everybody thoroughly enjoyed.
And when the supper-time was over, it was time for dessert.
So the boy went to the kitchen & proudly carried in the fresh apple pie that his mother had made, still warm from the oven, which Mom had cut into eight perfect pieces!
With a pie-server, the boy gingerly lifted out each piece of the pie & placed each one on a plate, giving it to his father, who then passed it on to a guest.
Time-&-time again, the son watched his father pass the pie to a guest.
When the last piece of pie was plated, the boy looked at his Dad & said,...
“Daddy, It's no use, ...The pieces are all the same size!”
The young boy expected his Daddy to have the biggest piece of pie!
Similarly, there are ACTUAL ‘Expectations’ that go with committing yourself to God thru Jesus Christ!
Need:
There is an ultimate ‘fulfillment & satisfaction’ that CAN come to your life...That can BELONG to you...That you can POSSESS...That you can ‘BANK-ON’...That you can TRUST!
BUT such ‘fulfillment & satisfaction’ can ONLY come to you thru YOUR participation in GOD’s Expectations for Godly Living!
EXPECTATIONS For GODLY LIVING-II—Titus 2:1-15
Titus was exhorted by the apostle Paul, to expose God’s people to the expectations for godly living.
All God’s people are answerable to His expectations for godly living.
What are some expectations for godly living by God’s people?
What are some expectations for godly living?
The last time we looked at Tutus 2, we found:
Some expectations for godly living are...
1—APPROPRIATE DIRECTION(:1, 15)God’s direction thru apostolic authority
2—APPROPRIATE MATURITY(:2, :3-4, :4-5, :6-8)—
A.-OLDER Christian MEN(i) & WOMEN(ii)(:2, 3-4)
•OLDER MEN—because they are responsible as Christian ‘heads’ of their families & churches.
•OLDER WOMEN—because they are responsible as Christians, to love their families & to be teachers of God’s intended role for younger women.
*Today we’ll continue to flesh-out the ‘Godly Expectation’ of APPROPRIATE MATURITY(:2-8), particularly as it relates to OLDER Christian WOMEN(ii)(:3-4)
: 2—Some expectations for godly living are...
APPROPRIATE MATURITY(:2-8)—
A(ii).-OLDER Christian WOMEN(:3-4)
Previously(part-1) we looked at 4 aspects of the Appropriate Maturity of godly “older” women:
1)—“The “older” Christian “women” are to be “like”(“likewise”)(:2) godly “older” Christian “men”, in that: “Older” Christian “women” are to have their hearts directed toward God’s desire because they belong to Him. And that they readily, willingly, & continually seek out God & His desire, & then live it out in practical ways, that glorify God.
2)—We also found that “older” Christian “women” are to be:
“Reverent in behavior”(2:3)—Or—‘Conspicuously Sacred’ in their demeanor & deportment(the way they openly ‘carry’ themselves).? The ‘deportment’ of “older/aged” Christian “women” is vital to their Christian witness to God’s design!
“Older/Aged” Christian “women” are to live lives that match their ‘sacred’ calling, to their ‘God-ordained role’ & station in life.
•Doing that can be a challenge, when constantly bombarded by opposing societal & cultural hurdles!
“Reverent/Becometh holiness/Becomes Sacred Ones”(See :2—semnov)—ieroprephv—Adj. Accusative Plural Feminine—Lit -=- ‘to ‘Tower up’ ‘sacredness’ -OR- ‘be ‘Conspicuously sacred’—1) Befitting men, places, actions or sacred things to God; 2) Reverent. Used 1X--Titus 2:3.?From—ierov—Sacred; of uncertain affinity.—& the same as—prepw(See :1) Strong—To tower up(be conspicuous), i.e. by implication--To be suitable or proper(third person singular present indicative, often used impersonally, it is fit or right). Lit = ‘Conspicuously holy’
3)—We also found that “older” Christian “women” to be those who are:
2:3—“Not Slanderers”
It is generally thought that, women use way more words in a given day than do men, depending upon the circumstances.
•Using more words, ‘naturally’ gives a person more opportunity to say something that they wish they hadn’t said, particularly in a Christian context....
•BUT more words is not necessarily the problem!...
*BUT to “slander”, describes a fleshly, evil, & ‘diabolical’ or ‘devilish’, intent of the heart!
Therefore it is unbecoming, ungodly, & un-Christ-like for “older/aged” Christian “women”(or any Christian for that matter), to succumb to, & especially to be characterized by, “slanderous” speech.
Matt. 7:1-2—“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; & with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Lk. 6:37-38—“Judge not, & you shall not be judged. Condemn not, & you shall not be condemned. Forgive, & you will be forgiven. “Give, & it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, & running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
“Slanderers/False accusers/Malicious gossips”—diabolov—Adj. Accusative Plural Fem.—= ‘Thru Throwing/casting” OR--Throwing/casting throughout’—1) Prone to slander, slanderous, accusing falsely—1a) A calumniator, false accuser, slanderer; 2) metaphorically--Applied to a man who, by opposing the cause of God, may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him. Strong—A traducer; specially--Satan[compare Njs].?From—dia—Through, With, In, Throughout, During, By, the means of; The ground or reason by which something is or is not done; On account of, Therefore.—&—ballw—1) To throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls.?English = ‘Diabolical.’
4)—And finally, we also found that “older” Christian “women” are to be those who are:
2:3—“Not given to much wine”
Again, that’s not an outright prohibition against the use of alcohol, but rather an urging to maintain self-control by ‘strictly’ limiting it’s use by God’s direction!...Quite unlike secular society & secular culture.
“Older” Christian “women” are not to be ‘enslaved to’(“given”) to “much wine.”
• ‘Enslavement’ to “much wine” would ensure that such an “older” Christian “woman” is ‘uncommitted’ to the Lord Jesus.
Women of God—& any of God’s people for that matter—should NEVER succumb to enslavement to any substance!
Substance abusing, ‘Party-all-the-time’, does NOT characterize a woman of God, much less an “older/aged”, & spiritually mature Christian “woman”, who has grown in her relationship with Jesus!
*Her/Our fleshly desire is to be in a continual & steady state of ‘enslavement’ to & submission to God thru Jesus Christ!
“Given to/Enslaved to/Addicted to”—doulow—Noun Accusative Plural Fem.—1) To make a slave of, reduce to bondage; 2) metaphorically--Give myself wholly to one's needs & service, make myself a bondman to him. Doulow represents the servant in servile relation to a person. Strong—To enslave(literally or figuratively). Used 8X.
*Today we'll find that godly "older" Christian "women" are to be...
2:3—“Teachers of good things—”
Older Christian ladies are to be diligent about instructing(“teaching”) others, & living for the sake of others, so that all those within their ‘sphere-of-influence’, will benefit from those “good things” of God!
Godly “older women” are to be “teachers of” that which is ‘beautiful’(“good”), & ‘valuable’ in God’s eyes.
The Christian adage—‘GOD is good, All the time!’
God is the determiner of what is “good”, versus what is ‘not good.’
•Js. 1:17—“Every good gift & every perfect gift is from above, & comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
•Micah 6:8—“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?”
•Rom. 12:9—“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.”
•Eph. 4:29—“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
2Thes. 3:13—“But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.”
?How do godly “older” Christian “women” “teach”?....
...Thru both their words(what you say), AND their works(what you do)!
All Christian teaching involves both!
*ALSO:
“Older” Christian “women” are to be “teachers of” God’s “good things” WITHIN the CONFINES / PARAMETERS / BOUNDS of God’s design for the role-relationships of men & women in the church...
•1Tim. 2:12-13—“And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve.”
*That probably opens up ‘a-can-of-worms’—lots of questions—for many of you, BUT we don’t have time to address that right now.
“Teachers of good things/Teaching what is good”—kalodidaskalov—Adj. Accusative Plural Fem.—1)Teaching that which is good, a teacher of goodness. Strong—A teacher of the right. Used 1X--Titus 2:3.?From—kalov—properly--Beautiful, but chiefly (figuratively)Good(literally or morally), i.e. Valuable or virtuous(for appearance or use, & thus distinguished from agayov, which is properly intrinsic).—&—didaskw—To teach(in the same broad application); a prolonged(causative) form of a primary verb daw(to learn).
“the older women likewise,”....
2:4—“That they admonish the young women”...
Here, the apostle Paul fleshes-out the responsibilities involved in being “teachers of good things”(2:3). “The older” Christian “women” have major responsibilities for the spiritual well-being of their “young” Christian counterparts....
And in so doing, the “older” Christian “women” are to “admonish” the “young” Christian “women”, toward certain things which are suitable for ‘Christian women’, all of whom live in the world surrounded by spiritual lostness!
*To “admonish” is to—moderate, discipline, curb, or to ‘make of sound mind.’ So ‘teaching’ is assumed in an “admonition.”
There is much that “young women” are tempted toward, that is NOT becoming or suitable to Christianity, or there would be no need to have these things written...
Thus “young” Christian “women” are of necessity, to be “admonished” by those who are experienced in their relationship with God, having been ‘thru the trenches’, & come out still glorifying God!
“Admonish/Teach/Encourage/Train/School”(See :5—“discreet”-adjective-swfrwn)—swfronizw—Present Active Subjunctive 3rd Plural—1) Restore one to his senses; 2) To moderate, control, curb, disciple; 3) To hold one to his duty; 4) To admonish, to exhort earnestly. Strong—To make of sound mind, i.e. figuratively--To discipline or correct. Used 1X--Titus 2:4. •As with :6—“sober-minded”(swfronew)?From—swzw—To save, i.e. Deliver or protect(literally or figuratively); from a primary swv (contraction for obsolete saov , “safe”).—&—frhn—The midrif(as a partition of the body), i.e. figuratively & by implication--Of sympathy, The feelings(or sensitive nature; by extension[also in the plural]--The mind or cognitive faculties); probably from an obsolete fraw(to rein in or curb; compare frassw[to fence, enclose, block up]). English = ‘Frenzy’/‘Frenetic’(wild/uncontrolled).
Application:
?Are YOU exhibiting the Christian MATURITY APPROPRIATE for an OLDER Christian WOMAN(-OR- MAN)?
?Are YOU an example of godly living?
2b—ANOTHER expectation for godly living is...
APPROPRIATE MATURITY—
...as it concerns...
B(i).-YOUNG Christian WOMEN(:4-5)
2b.—An expectation for godly living is...
APPROPRIATE MATURITY—
B(i).-YOUNG Christian WOMEN(:4-5)
Explanation:(:4-5)
2:4—“that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,”
2:5—“to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”
*“admonish the young women”....
2:4—“To love their Husbands,...”
** ‘Christian Marriage’ is accepted & approached as the norm or the standard for all of God’s people!
•That is, ‘Christian marriage’ is a ‘monogamous’ marriage shared between a man & a woman, thruout their lifetime!....
•NOT two women or two men, or three or more of the same or different genders!
•There is NO room for ‘open marriage’ in Christianity!
•NOR does ‘Christian marriage’ involve anyone who considers themselves to be ‘gender-fluid’! Such a setting is NOT considered legitimate in God’s eyes!
** When “young women” are “admonished” “to love their husbands”,....
*It does NOT mean that all “young women” MUST marry!
*NOR does it mean that every “young” married “woman” MUST bear or have children!
*BUT when “young women” are “admonished” “to love their husbands”, it DOES mean that ‘marriage’ dramatically changes your ‘role’ in life, & so, your life’s ‘attentions’ likewise change!....
•A resulting “admonition” then is that: ‘Christian marriage’ must be approached with all the due respect, that God intended for it!
Marriage calls for a focus on more than yourself. Marriage ushers in a focus on family—togetherness—us/we/our—wife/husband/child/children.
•It involves a MUTUAL spousal focus,...a focus on being ‘the complement’ to your spouse, seeking ‘their betterment’, so that each of you can ONLY find personal, individual fulfillment, TOGETHER as a couple.
“Young” Christian “women” must learn that being a ‘wife’ requires vastly more than a one-time ceremony with it’s legally binding documents.
“Young women” must be instructed, thru a godly demeanor of ‘RESTORATIVE INSISTENCE’, that they “love their husbands.”
Marriage CAN bring, but doesn’t have to bring, a devastating change for a “young woman”, who has been brought up thinking marriage is all about her being a ‘princess’, who is to be lavished with everything her (fleshy)heart desires.
*“Loving” one’s “husband” can be a challenge, because all Christian “husbands”—like all Christian “wives”—are SAVED SINNERS!
•Besides that, individuals change to some degree over time. Ask any divorced person how people can change! The key is to ‘change together’ as ‘one flesh’ as the Bible puts it!
*So ladies, “loving your husband” necessarily involves ‘super-natural’ action.
Godly “older women” will live-out & model what it means to have a Christ-honoring “love” for “their husbands.”
If such Christian “love” is NOT modeled, by seasoned Christian women, then HOW can you expect “young” Christian “women”—wives in particular—to apply the principles of that “love”?
The ‘WHY’ behind this “admonition” to “love”, is detailed in Eph. 5:22-27ff.
•Eph. 5:22-27—“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; & He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church & gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify & cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy & without blemish.”
?!?Why do Americans expend so much effort & income, on the one-time event of a marriage ceremony, when young couples would be much better served, by making their future together as God’s witnesses, more secure?!?
“Love their husbands”—filandrov—Adj. Accusative Plural Fem.—Loving her husband. Strong—Fond of man, i.e. Affectionate as a wife. Used 1X--Titus 2:4.?From—filov—Dear, i.e. A friend; actively, fond, i.e. Friendly(still as a noun, an associate, neighbor, etc.).—&—anhr—A man (properly as an individual male)
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Just like the young son EXPECTED his Daddy to take the biggest piece of pie!...
...So, God has ACTUAL ‘Expectations’ for those who commit themselves to Him thru Jesus Christ!
Action:
Some expectations for godly living are...
2—APPROPRIATE MATURITY(:2-8)—
A(ii).-OLDER WOMEN(:3-4)
B(i).-YOUNG WOMEN(:4-5)
1—APPROPRIATE DIRECTION(:1, 15)
2—APPROPRIATE MATURITY(:2-8)—
A.-OLDER MEN(i) & WOMEN(ii)(:2, 3)
Installment #2—Pt# 2A-B presented 02/19/2023am—1st sermon as Salem’s new pastor— to:
Salem Baptist Church
1618 Salem Rd.
Bennettsville, SC 29512
