Trans-Generational Value

Trans-Generational Values

Mother’s Day Sermon 2014

May 11, 2014

Titus 2:3-5

Titus 2:3-5 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

OPEN:

QUOTE: I know that what many want me to do is to gather us all around the juke box, grab a beer, put on a tear-jerker song and have a good cry about mama. I don’t find that anywhere in the Bible. Instead, the Bible tells us how to be a mama and how to treat a mama. lkw

"I want a church of young people!" a pastor once said to me, forgetting that one day he would be old himself. A church needs both the old and the young, and they should minister to one another. The grace of God enables us to bridge the generation gap in the church. One way to do this is for all members, young and old, to live up the standards that God has set for our lives. Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) - New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament, Volume 2.

• There are many roles within the office of pastor (and other church leaders).

• One of the roles is that of striking a balance between the needs of the older members of the church and the young members.

• Tilt the balance too far and the church will die.

• Tilt to the young too far and it will die quickly as you empty the church before it can grow.

• Tilt to the elderly too far and it will die slowly as no young people fill the spot in the pew left by the dying older member.

• We at Calvary are seeking the balance, and it will take some adjustment on the part of both groups.

• In our sermon today, Paul has upon his heart the transmission from one generation to the next the values that are important.

• Some things change, and they should.

• Some things must never change!

INTRODUCTION:

• The book of Titus belongs to a little family of three letters that we call the Pastoral Epistles.

• There is one writer, the Apostle Paul, and there are two recipients, the young pastors – Timothy and Titus.

• In those days God spoke to the Apostles like Paul, they communicated the truth to others through their preaching and, most importantly, through their writing.

• In the Pastoral Epistles, we have God communicating something to Paul, he communicates it to Timothy and Titus, and he then tells them to communicate it to others.

• Those others include pastors, deacons, older men, older women, younger men, younger women, widows, etc.

• Some truth was to be communicated directly.

• Other truth was to be communicated through others (older men, you tell the younger men, and, older women, you tell the younger women).

• In our text we have God telling Paul to tell Titus to tell the older women to teach the younger women a set of truths related to their faith, their family and the women who would follow them.

I. The Trust (2:3)

(The respect, reverence, influence, veneration, influence, platform as a result of her age and testimony)

Titus 2:3 The aged women likewise,

QUOTE: One of the strongest forces for spiritual ministry in the local church lies with the older believers. Those who are retired have time for service. It is good to see that many local churches have organized and mobilized these important people. In my own ministry, I have been greatly helped by senior saints who knew how to pray, teach the Word, visit, troubleshoot, and help build the church. Bible Exposition Commentary

• One of the benefits of living a life of wisdom is the platform that it gives you to have a voice in the lives of others.

• There is a respect afforded to one who has done it well.

• Paul has in mind just such a lady.

• Before any young lady is going to hear you say “you ought to be like this,” they have a right to determine whether or not they want to be like you!

• Ultimately, we follow the Lord.

• But the Lord has instructed us to follow our teachers.

• When there is no inconsistency of life and lips, then one can say with Paul, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”

• We want others to look at us and say, “I would like to be like that!”