One of my favorite country songs is a song written by Toby Keith. It was featured in the movie “The Mule.” The title is: “Don’t Let the Old Man In.” (Any of you ever heard the song?)
The song was inspired by a conversation that Toby had with Clint Eastwood. Toby met Clint at a celebrity golf tournament and was struck by Eastwood’s energy despite being in his late 80’s. In response he asked Clint: “How do you keep doing what you are doing? What gives you endless productivity at your advanced age?”
Eastwood responded saying: “I get up every morning and go out and I don’t let the old man in.”
Keith loved that line, and that phrase inspired him to write the song about a man who stays active and productive even as he ages and doesn’t let the idea of old age make him inactive and take over.”
Speaking of old age one on of my favorite lyrics in the song goes like this: “When he rides up on his horse and you feel the cold bitter wind, look out your window and smile, don’t let the old man in.”
The song become one of the final songs Toby wrote as he died from stomach cancer and Clint is still not letting the old man in today at the ripe old age of 94.
Transition:
When it comes to your life and physical body, I agree with Toby and Clint, “Don’t let the old man in.” But when it comes to your spiritual life, and the church; the body of Christ, Paul tells us to do the opposite: “Let the old man in.” He tells us to not neglect the value of the godly old man and the godly old lady who God has put in your life.
In the New Testament epistles, the Apostle Paul often speaks to particular groups of people. Sometimes he speaks to women, sometimes to women, sometimes to husbands, wives, even to children.
In doing so, He places high value on every person of every age to connect His people like body parts to provide a vehicle for our souls live life.
In this pas sage he speaks of the value of “older men” and “older ladies.” To Timothy Paul said: “Don’t let anyone despise your youth.” Yet, in this passage he speaks to older men and woman and seems to say: “Don’t let anyone despise your old age.”
The idea is that older men and women who have walked with Jesus for a long time have and rich and valuable role of influence in our lives. As a matter of fact, he almost advocates that they are one of the riches resources in the church because they’ve had some time to build a stealthy strong faith and trust in God.
In this passage, let’s ask ourselves a question: “How can godly older people help my faith grow strong?”
I. They Spotlight the Value Of Consistently Trusting God
vs. 1-3- “But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Old women likewise are to be reverent in this behavior, not malicious gossips, not enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good.”
Explanation:
As Paul begins speaking about the influence of older men and women he begins where we should begin when it comes the building a foundation for the way we think. He begins with God and what God has to say about life.
In verse 1 we read: “But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.” Don’t miss the fact that this verse is in present imperative which basically means: “Keep on speaking..., sound doctrine.” Here we see the theme of consistency begins.
Therefore, this passage tells us to identify the godly men and women who do not waver when it comes to the Bible and what God says. We need consistent people who not only say but show us how consistently trusting in God impacts our lives.
The term “sound doctrine” is an interesting word. We get our word “hygiene” (hugaino) from this word. In our world, people are consistently caring for their physical health. How many of you took a shower this morning? (We all thank you. ?)
If you don’t practice good hygiene things that are hanging out in the world creep into your body and make you sick, right? Germs, diseases, and other things that make you experience a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.”
A growing faith crowds out fear in our life.
In verse 2 we see that men who have grown in their faith have several characteristics that reveal the value of trusting God for a long time. They are:
a) Strong in faith- The descriptive word “temperate” word means: “unmixed with wine”- The idea is that over the years their faith has been tried and proved. Therefore, their faith is very powerful and potent. It’s unmixed with fear and fret.
b) Strong in love- The word “dignified” means: No superficial or shallow. There is depth in their trust in God that impacts their actions and reactions. Their love for God is rock solid and it has stood the tests of time.
c) Strong in perseverance- The word “sensible” means: “A sound mind.” They don’t give up on God when challenges come. Their mind is made up. They will trust in God.
Yet, people who have leaned on God’s Word for a long time have a life story to share of God’s faithfulness.
The letter continues with the simple identifying title: “Older men…” Now I know you are wondering: “How old is “older?” When does God deem me an old man or an old woman.
For some of you this will not be good news but here we go:
The Greek word Paul used is the word presbutes which Paul used for himself in Philemon 9. It has been estimated that Paul was in his early 60’s and the only other time it is used in the New Testament was when Zacharius said: “I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
(Luke 1:18)
So, if you are 60, join me in the Biblical Old man’s club. Ladie’s I am not getting in trouble with you.
When Paul wrote the book of Titus it is believed that Titus was in his early 30’s and Paul was in his late 60’s and Paul called Titus his “true child in a common faith.” Vs. 2 -Greek literature in the first century defined “older men” as men who had reached the age of 50.
Yet, age and your birthdate alone does not build their faith. It is their consistency that has built it.
Illustration: Don’t give up
In the late 1800’s there was a young man who was known for his consistence and persistence.
He wanted to start a business printing lithographs. At that the most famous man living was Abraham Lincoln, so he invested his lifesavings in lithographs of Abraham Lincoln. After printing them Lincoln grew a beard, and no one wanted to buy a “beardless Lincoln” lithograph.
Yet, instead of giving up and become discouraged, he found enough money to print a gameboard of red and black boxes and it sold 45,000 copies. The game is now known as “Checkers” and the inventor was a man named Milton Bradley.
Application:
Today, almost everyone owns the game and has one in their home. If not, they’ve probably played the game at Cracker Barrel and all that came from one man who was not willing to give up.
Did you know that statistics prove that 92% of people easily give up on their dreams in life and only 8% persevere.
Paul takes note that older men who have trusted God through the tough times, the trials, and struggles in life and walked with Jesus through many seasons of highs and lows and his faith has endured. They came out of each season praising God and pointing us to Him.
Do you know anyone like this? If not, look around. Paul wants us to find these kinds of people in the church and mimic their model. Their life story impacts ours and the perseverance we need is sparked by their example of faith and trust.
Transition: How can godly older people help my faith grow strong?
II. They Spotlight the Value of Lifelong Living for Jesus
vs. 3-5- “Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good so they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.”
Explanation:
I don’t think any of us like getting older. Yet, God loves it and celebrates it. He looks at it like we look at a mature fruit tree; it bears a lot of fruit and feeds a lot of people.
Unfortunately, in the church world, there are churches that have devalued the blessing of having older members. When I first started Pastoring and started a church I was asked: “Who is in your target group?” Basically, he was saying: “ˆWhat ages are the people are you targeting?” I told them: “If they are breathing, I’m targeting them.”
A few years ago, I was driving down the road and passed a local church that had a huge sign out front that said: “This ain’t your grandma’s church!”
Yet, in Titus 2:3 we read that God wants you to go to grandma’s church; He gives instruction of how grandma will benefit your spiritual life. God values multigenerational churches and Titus 2 proves it.
Think about it: The first time Jesus went to worship in Jerusalem, He was a baby and there a woman named Anna was the first to recognize that Jesus was the Messiah. Furthermore, there were several older women who were mothers at the foot of the cross. Mary, Jesus’ mom was there, also Mary the wife of Clopas, and potentially the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Jesus not only valued and cared for women, but He also invited them into His life and circle. He even told John to care for His mother when hanging on the cross.
In this passage, he tells us that grandma matters in His church saying: “Older women likewise be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, not enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good.
In verse 3 again, the focus in on godly women and how their behavior is a teaching tool for Jesus.
They teach us with a lifelong example of the choices that they make. Notice the detail given here of their impact. They impact through:
a) Their sweet talk- (Not malicious gossips) Most people think of guys being the sweet talkers, but in God’s economy God sees women as a potential source of spiritual growth by modeling the choices they make in how they talk about others.
The Bible says that they are not malicious gossips. She refuses to be a grape on the
Grapevine. She’s not a devil talker. Do you know how the devil talks? He is an
“Accuser of the brethren” and “runs down believers before God” according to
Revelation 12:10
Illustration: The parking plot
I heard about a woman who was the “church gossip.” One day she saw the Pastor’s car over at the home of a woman who she thought had a shady past. Soon she started implying that she thought the Pastor might be carrying on an affair with the woman. (All because she saw the car there one time with him visiting her),
This sparked a violent rumor in the church and caused a lot of concern and mistrust of the Pastor. Yet, the Pastor said nothing.
But what he did do was go take his car and park it in front of the “church gossips” home and leave it there overnight.
Watch out. Don’t mess with us Pastors. ?
b) Their sober life- Paul continues by saying: “not enslaved to much wine.” The idea is that she’s careful about what controls her. The island of Crete where Titus was planting churches was known by historians as a place of wine production. Moderation led often to the addiction of many. Therefore, Paul encourages the older women to not let alcohol control them; instead to be controlled by Christ.
c) Their successful servanthood- One of the greatest blessings in life according to God is
to have a godly wife.
Proverbs 31:10 says: “An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.” He is basically saying to the guys: “You can have all the money in the world, but a godly wife is the most valuable blessing in life. A godly wife is rare and hard to find.”
Older women are often empty nesters. They’ve raised their kids and experienced marriage for a long time and are able to train or coach younger women in the family life and their marriage.
The Bible gets specific saying that older women are to coach the younger women “so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.” vs. 5
The idea of “subject” or “subjection” provides a picture of someone holding up a wall. Without her the house would fall in is the most literal picture of subjection.
She holds up her husband spiritually and often physically.
The older women were to help teach the younger to “love their husbands.” Does that sound odd?
In America we have a children’s rhyme that my grandkids sang to my daughter and her fiancée (now her husband) over and over. It went like this: “Luke and Avery sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage.”
Yet, in Titus’s day, most marriages were arranged. Then, marriage came first then the love.
Application:
Therefore, older women coached the girls and helped them sometimes help the girls learn what real love is. It’s more than a feeling. It is commitment and Christ that are the true sustainers of genuine love.
After all, who better to point these girls to than Christ. That’s where love originated because I John 1:8 says: “God is love.”
These older women had spent a lifetime loving God. Loving their husbands. Also, loving their children and not only did they have a testimony of a full and joyful life; they were able to teach the younger wives of how to experience the same.
Conclusion: What are you handing down?
Have any of you ever had anything passed down to you? Both my grandfather’s handed down things for me to enjoy. Both of those things came out of their pockets. One gave me a pocketknife and the other gave me a pocket watch.
One day my grandpa gave me one of his old pocketknives. He went back to his bedroom, pulled out the knife from the drawer and handed it to me.
It was old with a broken blade but meant a lot to me. But someone where along the years when I was moving, I lost the pocketknife.
My other grandfather was a conductor on the Missouri Pacific Railroad. When he died, He left me is railroad pocket watch. I have it. I treasure it but it does not work any longer. It’s broken and it just sits. Hangs in a case I bought to display it.
I think these two things remind me that everything physical in this world ultimately becomes broken or lost.
Yet, they also left me two other things. They both left me their Bibles. Yet not just the physical Bibles but as old men, they left this earth with a legacy of living for Christ. I often thumb through their Bibles and read the things they marked and wrote in the pages of their study, and it inspires me to share the same legacy with others that they left me. A legacy of real life that is found in the person of Jesus Christ.
Invitation:
Paul is teaching us here that we are all handing down something to someone in our sphere of influence. What are you handing down? Whether young or old; you are important to God and His church. Will you come, join, and serve with us?
No one is older than God. There’s not greater Father and do you know what He handed down to you? His own Son. His best He delivered to a cross to pay the price for our sins, then, He raised Him up so that you could be raised up as well and be given eternal life.
Today, do you know Him? Have you received the greatest gift handed down from above? Have you received Jesus?
