Excelling in Equipping (Titus 2:1–8) | Excel Still More (Part 4)

Transcript

JRS 73
8/24/2025
Excelling in Equipping – Excelling Still More (Part 4)
Titus 2:1-8
Jesse Randolph

Well, welcome to this fourth installment in our Excel Still More series. As you know from the last three weeks of messages, we’re taking a short, end-of-summer break in our normal exposition through the Gospel of Luke. As we take a real hard look, as a church, at some things that we might do better. At some things that we can do better and at some things that we simply need to do better. We’re striving, as we learn from Paul’s words in I Thessalonians 4, to always strive, always seek to excel still more as individual believers, as the body of Christ.

Now, in each of the past three sermons in this series. If you’ve been here for each, you know I’ve done a little bit of sleuthing work pointing us back to some of the history of Indian Hills. As a way to bring the present-day members of this body to nudge them a little bit as we look ahead to the future of our church, and making sure that we are a healthy, thriving body, all to the glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

In the first sermon, the title of that sermon was “Excelling in Exaltation” we did a look back on the exciting and explosive growth of the church in its earliest years. And we considered what we can learn from those earliest generations of Indian Hillers as we go back to the basics of what it means to love Jesus Christ. To focus on Jesus Christ and as it says in II Timothy 2:8, to “remember Jesus Christ.”

Then in the second sermon, that was titled “Excelling in Embracing.” We worked our way through Romans 15:7, as we considered the various ways that Indian Hills, especially was focused on welcoming in its earliest years. And how easy it can be to lose sight of the important aspect of church life. Of welcoming others as we have been welcomed by Christ, to the glory of God. How important it is to not drift in that aspect of being a welcoming church.
And then last week, in the third sermon, that was titled “Excelling in Engagement.” We worked our way through Romans 15:14, as we traced some of the church’s history, our church’s history with personal, one-on-one ministry. And how important it is to not lose sight of the essential “one another” components of life in the body of Christ.

Well, today, the sermon is titled “Excelling in Equipping.” Where we’re going to consider what God’s Word has to say to this obviously multi-generational church. Meaning, it is made up of young people and it’s made up of old people, a multi-generational church. What does God’s Word say about, not only maintaining, but excelling in our inter-generational ministry. Where older men are committed to pointing out, from God’s Word, truth and wisdom, and imparting truth and wisdom to younger men and our older women are committed to doing the very same thing with younger women.

Now, in terms of my approach to handling this sermon this morning. It’s going to be similar in a sense of the last three, where we will interweave Bible exposition and some history of this local church. But I’m actually going reverse the order this week. Where we’re going to get right into the text, right into God’s Word and then we’ll save history for the end.

So, with that. Turn with me in your Bibles, if you would, to Titus 2. We’ll be in Titus 2 this morning. And we’re going to work from verse 1, all the way down to verse 8. Titus 2:1-8, God’s Word reads:
“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may instruct the young women in sensibility: 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 slandered. Likewise urge the younger men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be a model of good works, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in word, which is irreproachable, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.”

Paul, we know, wrote three inspired letters to his two pastoral proteges Timothy and Titus. He wrote I and II Timothy, of course, and then our letter, Titus. Paul likely wrote this letter to Titus sometime around the year 62 A.D. After he had left Titus in the Roman province of Crete to establish churches, to appoint elders, and to himself server faithfully as a minister of the gospel. In fact, if you go back to Titus 1, we see that very theme of this letter picked up. Or that very historical detail picked up. Look at Titus 1:5, where Paul is saying to Titus, “For this reason, I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.” Crete was this, and it is still today, this naturally-beautiful island. But at the time, in historical context, Crete was a total moral cesspool. In fact, look at Titus 1:12, where Paul to Titus there says, “One of themselves, [meaning one of the Cretans] a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” Paul here was quoting Epimenides, who was a Cretan philosopher who lived several hundred years before this letter was written. You can just say what Epimenides wrote of the Cretans was not all that flattering. They were not a morally upright people.

Now, what do we know about Titus? Titus himself? We know from Galatians 2, that Titus would have accompanied Paul and Barnabas to the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. We know that Titus was Paul’s representative during Paul’s third missionary journey to Corinth. II Corinthians 7:6 says, “But God, who comforts the humbled, comforted us by the coming of Titus . . .”
We know that Paul loved Titus dearly. II Corinthians 8:23, Paul says, “As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you . . .”
Or in Titus 1:4, in our book, he says: “To Titus, my genuine child according to our common faith . . .”
We know that Paul not only loved Titus, but Paul trusted Titus greatly. Because he sent him there, into this environment in Crete that was both spiritually dangerous and spiritually perilous.
In fact, turn, staying here in Titus 1 for just a moment we can see some of the various problems and problem people that were plaguing these early churches there in Crete.
Look at Titus 1:10, “For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision.”
Or verse 14, there were “Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn, people, away from the truth.”
Or verse 16, there were people there who “profess to know God, but by their works they deny Him.”
Who did Paul bring to Crete, to turn this all around? Titus.
Look at Titus 2:1, the very first verse we’ll be working through this morning. “But as for you [Paul says under the direction of the Holy Spirit, as for you, that’s a reference to Titus] speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.”
Paul here was charging Titus, to get these churches in line. In line doctrinally and in line practically. In doing so, by getting them into conformity with what God’s Word reveals.

You know, Titus had, as we just saw at the end of chapter one, been warned in these concluding verses of chapter 1 to resist false teachers and to resist their false doctrines. But then Paul uses this strong emphatic transitionary phrase in Titus 2:1, “But as for you.” Paul here is drawing a line between these two groups of people. Those who are rebellious. Those who are empty talkers. Those who are deceivers. Those who are detestable. Those who are disobedient. Those who are upsetting whole families. Then he says, “But as for you.” We can already see what that language, that Paul is about to swing the pendulum in the overall flow of this letter. He’s about to swing the pendulum in a totally different direction, as he addressed this beloved pastoral protégé. “But as for you, [reading on] speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.”

“Speak the things which are in accordance with sound doctrine.” “Speak the things which are, as the NASB has it as “fitting for sound doctrine.”
Whether you have it as “proper” or “fitting”, what Paul here is saying is Titus needed to be committed to all the practical outworkings of what “sound doctrine” demands. He was to teach those things “which were proper for [fitting with in accordance with] sound doctrine.” Then, note the very first aspect of that “sound doctrine” that Paul was instructing Titus to teach. As he spoke “the things which are proper for sound doctrine.” Titus was to make sure that those under his care, knew that they were to be living out in practice God’s design for them as men and women.

At the very top of Paul’s list, as he charged Titus with speaking the things which were “fitting” for, “proper” for sound doctrine were the marks of godly manhood and godly womanhood. And how essential it is for older men and older women to be cascading the Biblical truth they’ve been given over the years down to younger men and younger women respectively. But by pouring into them the truth of God’s high calling on them, as men and women for the sake of sound doctrine. Meaning, sound doctrine certainly does have included within it, the importance of getting our trinitarian doctrine right. It certainly does include within it, making sure we are Biblically sound on items like mankind and sin and the virgin birth of Christ and the penal substitutionary atoning death of Jesus Christ and the deity of the Holy Spirit and what we studied all weekend, the inerrancy and the authority of Scripture. “Sound doctrine” certainly does include those items. But sound doctrine includes more than that. No less doctrinal. No less theological. Is how God designed us and instructs us to live as men and women. Those matters are fundamentally doctrinal.

Paul starts, verse 2, with the older men. Look at Titus 2:2, “Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.” Here in verse 2, the older men are given this list of six ways they are to conduct themselves, as they live lives in keeping with fitting for sound doctrine. We’ll take these one by one.

Starting with “temperate.” The godly older man is to be temperate. Older translations have that as “sober.” The godly older man is to be “sober.” The whole idea is he has a general ability to restrain himself from indulging in whatever desires come across his radar. You know, when we think of sobriety or temperance, of course we think of alcohol. We think of AA. We think of sobriety as a life of totally abstaining from the intake of alcohol, strong drink, wine you name it. We think of temperance as moderation. Not crossing that line to a state of sinful drunkenness. In context here though, Paul isn’t limiting this instruction to older men on matters of alcohol. Rather, the command here is broader. Older men, as senior members of the community of faith, are to demonstrate general restraint in every area of their life. They are to be cautious, careful, in any area of temptation where they might be tempted to go to excess. Whether that be in matters of food or drink, or workout routines, screen time or you name it. The older man displays and demonstrates moderation, temperance, sobriety. The older man is a person who is in control of himself through the Spirit’s power, of course. He has a clear-headed stability in each area of his life.

Next, verse 2, he is “dignified.” The older man is to be dignified. The word that Paul uses here for “dignified”, we also find over in 1 Timothy 3:8 with respect to deacons. “Deacons likewise must be dignified.” It’s also a word Paul uses for more general instruction in Philippians 4:8, when he says we are to be thinking of “whatever is true, whatever is dignified, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, consider these things.” Dignified. Now that word for “dignified” here in verse 2 – semnos – can also mean “grave”, “serious”, “solemn”.
But the gravity of the older man’s faith, and his demeanor it shouldn’t be confused with this countenance of being gloomy all the time. That’s not what he’s communicating here. Rather, the term is signifying that he’s the godly older man that’s not engaged in frivolity. He’s not a frivolous man. He demonstrates an appropriate amount of reverence in all of his affairs. This life is not a joke, his future is not a joke, so he doesn’t treat it like a joke. He’s “dignified.”

Next, is “sensible.” The godly older man is to be sensible. Which means he is to be of sound mind. He has a sound and balanced judgment. He isn’t pulled easily in one direction or the other. He isn’t easily swayed. He doesn’t engage in emotional outbursts. He’s able to contain, again with the Spirit’s help, his basest desires and impulses. Paul uses this word not only to describe older men here in Titus 2:2; but he also uses the word to describe the character that’s required of elders, back in Titus 1:7, where it says:
“For the overseer [the elder, the shepherd, the pastor] must be beyond reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of dishonest gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled.”
The godly older man is sound. He is stable. He is self-controlled. At this stage of his life, those rash displays of anger or wrath that might have marked his earlier years have gone by the wayside. They are largely a thing of the past. Even impulsiveness might have marked him in his youth, but so much in his older age. Now, with some miles on the old spiritual odometer and now with a very aching back he’s marked by his sensibility.

Now, note here as we keep moving on, that when Paul here says that older men are to be “temperate,” “dignified,” and “sensible.” He’s not merely encouraging older men in the church to sort of just clean up their act on the outside without any change happening in them progressively on the inside. Instead, he adds this very distinctly Christian flavor to the instruction he gives as he marches on. As he continues to say to them, they must not only be “temperate” and “dignified,” and “sensible.” But look at the next three. They are to also be “sound in faith, in love, [and] in perseverance.” In other words, the marks of maturity that we’ve just looked at. To be “temperate,” “dignified,” and sensible.” Should be complemented by these true marks of godliness. That he is to be a faithful person, one who is loving, and one who perseveres. Now, this isn’t the only time in the New Testament that Paul uses those three terms in the same sentence or even back-to-back to back. In I Timothy 6:11 Paul says to Timothy, “But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.” And then in II Timothy 3:10 he says, “Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance . . .”
We’ll work through each of these, one-by-one. Still in Titus 2:2 as we round out Paul’s list of traits here that the older man, the godly older man is to embody.

First, the godly older man is to be sound in faith. Now that phrase, or those three words there “sound in faith” does not, in this context, mean the absolute 100% correctness of every doctrinal position that he’s ever held. That is not what is being said here. You might have that over in Jude, when Jude says in Jude 3, you must “contend earnestly for the faith.” It does mean that over in that context, as he’s fighting false teachers. But here, what Paul is alluding to with those words “sound in faith”, means that he is sound in his trust in and devotion to God. He’s sound in his commitment to proclaiming the gospel of God. He’s sound in his commitment to the truth and the authority of God’s Word. So, Paul here is speaking to that subjective attitude of older men who are confident and resolute in the faith that they have. They’re confident and they are resolute in the salvation that’s been purchased for them through Jesus Christ. They are confident, and they are resolute in their future hope, that eternal destiny that awaits them in glory. Men like that live with total reliance upon and dependence upon and confidence in God. They live a life of faith.

Next, we see that the Godly older man is sound in love. He’s not only sound in faith, but he’s also sound in love. He recognizes that he is an unworthy recipient of the love of God which has been show to him, ultimately through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in His death on the cross.
Romans 5:8, right? “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

He demonstrated His love toward us in that ultimate way. The godly older man recognizes that the love that he has been shown is completely undeserved. That’s the definition of mercy. It had nothing to do with him. Nothing to do with his inherent worth, his merit, his value. Instead, it had everything to do with the unparalleled love of God. So, his reasonable response to that great love having been shown to him is to demonstrate godly love toward others. The godly older man recognizes that love does not seek its own. He recognizes that love, true Biblical love is others focused. He recognizes that true Biblical love is sacrificial. So, he affirms, not just with his words and his lips, but with his life what Jesus said in:
John 15:12, when he said, our Lord said, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

Last, Titus 2:2, the godly older man is a model of perseverance. He’s “sound in faith”, “sound in love”, “sound in perseverance.” In other words, he’d a model of endurance. He’s a model of steadfastness. I mean, we know anecdotally that age can make a man sinical and age can make a man very calloused. You know, age brings about various infirmities and disabilities and weaknesses. With the wrong heart, it can frustrate a man. It can really grind his gears that he can’t do the things that he once did. He can’t say the things that he used to be able to say. He can’t run the mile that he used to be able to run. But the godly older man knows all that is happening. But he endures. He’s vigorous in his perseverance. He bears up graciously under his trials. He does so with strength and with fortitude.
He models these words from James 5:7, “Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the soil, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” In other words, the godly older man waits patiently for the fulfillment of every Christian’s ultimate hope. Which is to be with the Lord one day, when He comes for us and takes us to be with Him.

So, those are the traits which Paul lays out here for the godly older men. A godly older man again, verse 2, will be “temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, [and] in perseverance.” So, “older men” here this morning, as these words sort of work their way, not only through your minds, but seep into your hearts, and the Spirit works on your heart, having heard these words . . . the question has to be asked; Does Titus 2:2 describe you? Do you fit the profile? Do you pass the test? Would you, as you look at Titus 2:2, be willing to evaluate and self-critically evaluate: Am I temperate? Am I dignified? Am I sensible? Am I sound in faith? Am I sound in love? Am I sound in perseverance? Do these definitions mark me?

What about the younger men this morning? As you look at these traits. You have so many things coming your way as a younger man in terms of what it means to be “man” these days? Right? I mean, what channels and feeds can you get into these days? Social media or YouTube, or you name it, to compete with the Biblical definition of godly manhood? So, is this what you aspire to be, a Titus 2:2 type of man? Do you aspire to one day be this godly older man? Or do you have some sort of Joe Roganisque idea of what it means to be a godly man?

Speaking of younger men, look at Titus 2:6, where Paul says, “Likewise urge the young men to be sensible.” It’s just one command. It’s a single command. But this single command is just sitting there, hanging out there with this sharp and urgent tone that is oh-so-needed for a generation of younger men, not just on Crete, 2,000 years ago. But in Lincoln, in the year 2025. That word “likewise” that Paul begins with ties back to the section on older women-to-younger women relationships. We’ll get to that in a minute.

But now, having just come out of the section of older to younger women relationships, Paul turns to young men. As he addresses Titus, he says, “Likewise urge the younger men to be sensible.” Paul’s tone here, becomes palpably sharper as he says this, “Urge them”, Paul says to Titus. It’s an imperative in fact; it’s the first imperative in this section of Paul’s letter to Titus. “Urge the younger men.” Urge those who are younger than you – older men. Look at what he urges these younger men in Crete, to be, “To be sensible.” That is to be self-controlled. To be sober-minded. To be in control of their bodies and their passions and their thoughts.

This is a very appropriate word from Paul and it’s, of course, a timely word for all generations of young men for all time. Because this is a virtue in which younger men, sadly, are woefully deficient. A younger man’s early years, of course, are full of zeal. He’s brimming with zeal. He’s full of restless energy. He’s got all these burning drives and passions. What a younger man needs to learn in each and every area of his life is sensibility. The young man is like a wild mustang who needs to be tamed with the disciplines of self-control and sobriety of spirit. You know, for older men, they’ve got this list of six things to do, or six disciplines or traits to pursue in verse 2, six areas of necessary growth and discipline. But for the younger men, it’s a single exhortation, “. . . urge the younger men to be sensible.”

Though, our LSB, or your NASB translations link the words in verse 7 – “in all things”, they hang them down there in verse 7. I actually think those words “in all things” could be linked with verse 6 exegetically or grammatically. Meaning, what Paul is saying to Titus, is that the younger men need to be sensible “in all things” in everything. They are to be self-controlled with their tempers. They are to be self-controlled with their tongues. They are to be sensible with their appetites and sensible with their ambitions. They are to be controlled, self-controlled with various bodily desires and urges. They are to be self-controlled “in all things.” “In everything.” “In all respects.’

Now, it’s true, this is not just a principle for Titus, or for young men, specifically. This is a virtue, a command even in some cases, that’s given to every Christian. Romans 12:3, Paul says, “I say to each one among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound thinking.” Peter says in I Peter 4:7, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound thinking and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.” In other words, all Christians are expected to be self-controlled and sober in spirit. It’s not only a command that’s limited to younger men. But at the same time, there’s no doubt that younger men are especially susceptible to departures from God’s standards in this area of self-control and sensibility. Which is why Paul places such emphasis here on this trait.

Then note what Paul is saying to Titus here in verse 6, about young men generally. It does carry over into verses 7-8. So, in verse 6, Paul is urging young men under Titus’s care to be sensible to be self-controlled. But as he does so, Titus, as a pastor, as an elder, as a shepherd he’s to be a certain type of man himself. Look at verses 7-8, “In all things show yourself to be a model of good works, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in word, which is irreproachable, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.” See, though a pastor, Titus would have been in this category of “younger men.” Which is why Paul can shift so seamlessly from verse 6 to verses 7-8, in describing “younger men” more generally in verse 6, now to giving instruction to a specific younger man – Titus – in verses 7-8.

Also in verses 7-8, the main theme here is that Titus himself is to present himself as a leader in the church as exemplary in his own self-controlled, sound, godly behavior. He was to be a pattern of godliness as he exhorted his flock, and even the young men in his flock to be self-controlled in their conduct. He was to be a model. Paul was a model, and he identified himself as such:
Philippians 3:17, “Brothers, join in following my example . . .”
I Corinthians 11:1, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”
Paul called on his other protégé, Timothy, to be a model.
I Timothy 4:12, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness but show yourself as a model to those who believe in word, conduct, love, faith, and purity.”
And here, Paul is calling Titus, in verses 7-8 to such a model. To model godliness in his personal demeanor and character and lifestyle. He’s to be, verse 7, “a model of good works” and “dignified.” He’s also, verse 8, to model doctrinal fidelity theological accuracy. He’s to model purity of doctrine. To be “sound in word which is irreproachable.”

Alright, we have covered what Titus 2 says about older men to younger men relationships. Sandwiched between them, are these three verses pertaining to older women to younger women relationships. So, ladies, you are not off the hook. Let’s back up to Titus 2:3 and it begins this way “Older women likewise .” We can stop right there. “Older women likewise . . .” “Likewise” is a linking term again. Specifically linking what Paul is about to say to the “older women”, to what he has already said to the “older men” back in verse 2. Older men, we just saw are to be “temperate, dignified, sensible . . .” and the like. “Likewise older women”, you see it there in verse 3, “. . . are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good.” We see four traits right away here in verse 3. Two are stated positively, two are stated negatively. All four of which godly older women are to model to the “young women” that God has placed under their care for teaching and training and tutelage.

First, we see that godly older women, verse 3, are to be “reverent in their behavior.” That word “reverent in their behavior” is combining two unique Greek words that are found no where else in the New Testament but here. When we see these two words in other secular Greek writings, they carry the meaning of something like a priestess, or being “temple proper.” In the context here or scripture, though, it’s referring to the idea of this godly older woman having a holy character. She has a dignified demeanor. She carries herself in a way that’s dignified. This has to do with how she presents herself, carries herself. She carries herself with the right kind of self-awareness. She’s regularly bringing to her own remembrance that her citizenship is not of this world. But rather, her chief identity is in Christ. Then that internal state of mind will in turn bring about an outward manner, an outward demeanor, which naturally matches up with her internal character. So, she presents as dignified. She demonstrates externally a dignified manner, which lines up with her internal conviction of character that she is in Christ.

We see the idea in I Timothy 2:9 which says that women are to, “. . . adorn themselves with proper clothing, with modesty and self-restraint, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly clothing, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women professing godliness.” There’s that link there between what is demonstrated on the outside, but who she is, ultimately, on the inside in Christ. Another one, of course, is I Peter 3:3, where Peter says, “Your adornment must not be merely external, braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on garments; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible quality of a lowly and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” Praise the Lord that we have many such women here in our church godly older women, mature women who know and embrace God’s call on their life to live and carry themselves, and conduct themselves in this reverent, dignified manner.

Next, we have in verse 3, that the godly older woman is not to be a “malicious gossip.” They are not “malicious gossips.” A malicious gossip is a false accuser. One who is known for adding facts to the story. The one who embellishes. The one who is marked by dishonesty. The one who relishes the opportunity to pass along that juicy morsel, even though the Proverbs warn, clearly, about doing that very thing. That’s the “malicious gossip.”

Ladies, resist the urge. Fight, battle the temptation to be that malicious gossip. Not only is it sinful. Not only is it called out right here on the pages of God’s very Word. It’s diabolical. It’s devilish. If fact, the very word that Paul uses here for “malicious gossips” comes from the Greek noun diabolos. That word, you guessed it, appears 34 times in the New Testament, 33 of those 34 times, guess who it’s referring to? The devil. Satan. The father of lies. The accuser. It appears one other time in the New Testament, guess where that is? Right here, in Titus 2:3. The one other time the word diabolos is used in scripture to identify someone other than Satan, is here, as Paul is describing gossiping, slandering, loose-lipped older women. “Did you hear about so-and-so?” “Don’t tell them I said this, but . . .” “I don’t have all the facts right now, but be praying for . . .”
Careful. Paul could not have used a stronger word to grab the attention of older women not only in Crete, but here today, than that word diabolos. He’s saying, “don’t be devilish with your tongue.”

The godly older woman cannot be both reverent, temple proper, priestess like in her behavior, dignified at the same time be like the devil with her tongue. She is self-controlled. Self-controlled in her speech. She refuses to do the devil’s bidding, in being a malicious gossip.

Next, third. Older godly women are not to be “enslaved to much wine” it says, verse 3. Apparently, this was a problem for the women in Crete. They had a tendency to go to excess, to be “enslaved to much wine” total debauchery and being given over to drunkenness. It means what it means here. The godly older woman is not a drunkard. She’s not in bondage to this specific sin. It’s a strong term. In saying it, Paul is identifying in context here that it is a terrible thing to have an older woman who is supposed to be dignified. She is supposed to be referent in her behavior and sensible in her behavior. It’s totally awful for her to be a drunkard. To be lacking fully in self-control in this area. The major lesson here, for you older women, who committed to growing in godliness is to always be mindful of the truth of who’s watching you, as you model godliness to those who God had put into your sphere. Who’s out there watching you and seeking to model whatever behavior you’re engaging in. This is all an aspect of being reverent and dignified in one’s conduct, and self-controlled, holy.

Next, verse 3, it says, the godly older women are responsible for “teaching what is good.” The godly older woman is one who is committed to “teaching what is upright” “teaching what is proper” “teaching what is fitting.” Through lives dedicated to the study of scripture godly older women know the importance of teaching younger women that which is good, and lofty, and excellent, and noble. They have navigated that tension, the older women have between what the world is saying, where women should find their identity and their joy and what the scriptures teach about those matters. Not only that, but the godly older woman has also navigated those waters of Biblical womanhood, and all its parameters and definitions and such, long before the younger woman has. The godly older woman knows what submission to a husband looks like, Biblically. And she knows what navigating conflict looks like, Biblically. She knows what dealing with grief and heartbreak looks like, Biblically. She knows what child-raising looks like, Biblically. She knows what it means to cultivate true godly friendship in the church looks like, Biblically. She’s been through it all.

So, this godly older woman has this level of depth and spiritual fortitude and practical experience based on the years that she’s lived. The mistakes she’s made and the sins that she’s committed and the sins she’s been forgiven for and the lessons she’s learned. What all of this does, is it gives her the ability, the godly older woman, the ability to now turn around and teach and train and equip the younger women in the church. So, she’s now called to take all of this experience, collectively that she’s accumulated and teach it. Teach it to the younger women.

Then, note, this teaching that she’s to do, is not aimless or purposeless, or directionless. The teaching and the training that she is to do has a very specific focus. Look at verse 4, “so that they [speaking of the older women here still] may instruct the young women” “So that’ is a purpose statement. Older women are called to model a mature example, like we see in verse 3 “so that” they can “instruct the young women.” Instruct them to live in the various ways mentioned in verses 4 and 5. Now, that word “instruct”, Sophronizo in Greek and it literally means to “bring someone to their senses.” I could almost picture somebody grabbing somebody by the collar. I know a godly older woman wouldn’t do that. Splashing cold water in the face, just to wake her up. Again, I know a godly older woman would not do that. But that’s the idea; wising them up and bringing them to their senses. Training them up, related to their responsibilities as women of God. Specifically in the sphere of being a godly wife and a godly mother. As we’re going to see in the remaining verses here.

The older woman is giving that younger woman a crash course on a number of different topics, seven of them, to be exact, here in verses 4 and 5, so that they may instruct the young women in sensibility we’ve already covered that one “to love their husbands”, let’s start there.

“Love your husbands.” There’s no caveats or conditions to that instruction. When it says, “love their husbands”, note that it doesn’t say they are to love their husbands, when their husbands are nice to them. It doesn’t say they are to love their husbands when they feel loved by their husbands. It doesn’t say the women are to love their husbands when their husbands give them that pitter-pat sort of feeling on the inside.
It says, “Love your husbands.” Period.

Not only that, that word that Paul uses for “love” there is a unique one. It’s philandros, it literally means “husband-lover.” The word Paul uses, it comes from the Greek verb, phileo, which means “brotherly love.” It typically is used in context when somebody views someone else fondly. When they have an affection for them. You could even translate it, they “like” them. Not only love their husbands, but like their husbands. The godly older woman is to train the godly younger woman how to not only love their husbands, but to like them. I truly hope our church is made up of marriages where spouses actually like each other. That’d be a bummer if we were made up of marriages where people are just sort of waiting this thing out, until the old ball and chain dies. Or the Lord comes for us. That’d be really sad.

Second, older women are to train the younger women, verse 4 still, to “love their children.” Because the older woman remembers those sleepless nights when shushing wasn’t going to work with her babies. She remembers what it was like to witness the terrible twos. She remembers what it was like to have a teenage son who was bullied. She remembers what it was like to have a teenage daughter who is going out wearing – that? To go see that boy? She remembers all that stuff. Because of that, she’s able to give much needed perspective to the godly younger woman, who as she is raising her own children and might be struggling to remember that children indeed, Psalm 127, are a “gift of the Lord.”

The godly older woman remembers or reminds the young woman of the importance it is to steer clear of exasperating her children. She walks with the younger woman through the important Biblical instruction about what it means to discipline your children. She reminds the younger woman of what a divine blessing and stewardship children truly are.

And last, the godly older woman reminds the younger woman that she doesn’t need to have a corner office to make an impact for Christ in this world. The younger woman’s light is burning brightly, for Christ in her home. With every lunch that she packs and every tear that she wipes and every bad joke she listens to and every prayer she prays on behalf of those precious children.

Next, third, verse 5, the godly older woman is to train the younger woman to be “sensible.” To be “sensible” means to have a sound mind, again. To be self-controlled. To be disciplined. The “sensible” woman applies God’s wisdom through right thinking and right living. She submits her thoughts, her feelings, and emotions to the Word of God. She curbs the passions she’s experiencing, whether verbal, or dietary, or physical, or financial, to what God has revealed. She’s not a slave to her own desires. She doesn’t allow the emotions which can occasionally flood her mind, to overtake her, or to rule over her, or to justify otherwise sinful behavior.

Going back to verse 3, if you would, you see here how important it is that the godly older woman be “reverent in [her own] behavior.” As she instructs the younger women to be “sensible” in hers. The godly older woman can credibly train the younger women to be “sensible”, because as she has grown to be a woman who’s “reverent in behavior”, she knows uniquely the temptation that younger women face to engage in conduct that many not be “sensible.”

Fourth, still in verse 5, the godly older woman is to train younger women on how to be “pure.” That’s next after “sensible”. The word “pure” here carries with it the idea of morality, goodness, obedience. In this context, it’s actually conveying sexual purity chastity. In the case of married women, that would be, of course, marital fidelity. It’s a proven fact that at on the Island of Crete during this time Titus was ministering younger Christian women were becoming increasingly more vulnerable to the immorality of the blowing winds of the culture that had taken over that place. They were becoming increasingly tempted to adapt to the immoral practices happening there. And of course, who would be uniquely suited to train a young woman up in this context? Well, the older woman. The one who had walked that road before, in this same culture. Who had heard these same arguments for immorality. She’s now commending to the woman, the importance of being “pure.” She herself has grown in her walk in the Lord in this area and now, she’s passing it along to the younger woman.

Fifth, the godly older woman trains the younger women to be “workers at home”, still in verse 5. The older woman is training the younger women to view their work at home, as their top priority. To see their home as their maximum sphere of influence. To see their home as their greatest area of responsibility, as young Christian women.

The godly older woman helps the younger woman see, that no matter how many degrees or letters she might have at the end of her name. Or no matter how many prestigious titles or positions she might hold or no matter how big the bonus could otherwise be at the end of the year. That none of those come anywhere close to the central immensely important role that she plays and the influence she has in her home, in her role in her home.

And note that the term here is not a “sitter at home” or a “stayer at home.” No. It’s a “worker at home.” This means that the godly older woman is working with the younger woman to ensure that her home is being invested in. That it’s under control. That it is not neglected. That it is not a place of chaos and disorder. It’s instead, being diligently attended to we think of Proverbs 31 woman. It’s a safe shelter and haven for her husband and children. The godly older woman helps her maintain the priority of the home.

Next, sixth, the godly older woman trains the younger woman to be “kind.” That’s next after “workers at home.”
So, having been around people who are unkind, not nice, inconsiderate, harsh, whatever. Having herself battled the temptation, especially in the home, with her own husband, with her own children, to act in an unkind matter. The godly older woman trains the younger woman in her life to be “kind.” She reminds the younger woman that “kindness” is one of the aspects of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. She reminds the younger woman of the immense kindness that she has been shown, as a child of God through Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 4:32, “be kind to one another, tender-hearted, graciously forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has graciously forgiven you.”
She reminds the younger woman that, that “kindness” that she is to demonstrate, is most powerfully and radically demonstrated when it’s extended to those who least deserve it. You know, toward that other lady in the church that didn’t make eye contact with her in the hallway one Sunday. Toward the husband who forgot their anniversary, inexplicably one year. Toward the little toddler who’s got a black Sharpie and is about to color and decorate the white couch. The godly older woman herself has faced many temptations to be unkind. Undoubtedly, she’s fallen prey to those temptations over the years. And so, she’s especially positioned to help the younger woman to be “kind”, as a follower of Christ.

Then, seventh, and this won’t stir up any controversy, I’m sure. The godly older woman teaches younger women to be “subject to their own husbands.” Now, that word “subject to” can also be translated “submissive.” The godly older woman trains the younger women to be submissive to their husbands. Christian wives, the Bible teaches plainly, are to line themselves up under the authority of their husbands. The husband is under the authority of Christ. The wife is under the authority of her husband, as he lines up under the authority of Christ. Over the years, the older woman has had to wrestle through the same questions that are still being asked today. She has had to wrestle through the same temptations that women face, about what the Bible teaches about being submissive to one’s husband.
The godly older woman, with years of experience, and practice, and even some difficulty and most importantly, with an open Bible, helps the younger woman see what true Biblical “submission” is. Namely, the wife fulfilling her God given design to be her husband’s helper. The wife being willing to act as her husband’s perfect complement as he shoulders the weight of headship and leadership in the home. The wife being committed to having her marriage put Christ on display for the watching world to see.

So, godly older men, training godly younger men. Godly older women training up godly younger women. That’s what we’ve just looked through at warp speed. That’s God’s design for us, as members of one another in the church. Now, I mentioned at the beginning, that I was going to save some of the history of Indian Hills for the end of this message and I have. I’ve saved it for the end. I’ll get to it in just a second.

But before I do so. I do want us to see one more thing from this text and provide one more word of exhortation. I want to step on a few more toes. Look at what we didn’t cover at the end of verse 5. After going through that list of the areas of training and teaching that godly older women to provide to godly younger women. There’s this lengthy list that we’ve just gone through. We’re given this purpose clause at the end of verse 5, “so that the word of God will not be slandered.”

All the godly older women are to pour into the godly younger women, is to be carried out and poured into and she’s to train her in that way, so that the Word of God will not be slandered. That word “slandered” is the Greek word blasphemeo. You can hear the word in it, right? You know what it means. It means to profane, to dishonor, to revile, to defame, to blaspheme the Word of God.

Hopefully, ladies, you’re picking up on the weight of those words. Hopefully, you’re feeling the weight of those words. Because what we’re learning here is that to live contrary to the way that God has designed the women to live as godly women older to younger, is to profane, to revile, to defame, to blaspheme, to slander the Word of God.

When a woman chooses to live contrary to God’s perfect design for her, as laid out here in Titus 2 she slanders the Word of God. When somebody slanders the Word of God, they’re slandering God himself. That’s how high the stakes are here. Keep that in mind. You know, when a woman says she loves the Lord. How that’s ultimately going to be proven is through an obedient heart, which desires to obey these words. Contrary to that, the opposite is true. That no mater how much a woman says she loves the Lord when she refuses to line up with what God has given her, in His Word, well, it’s saying a lot.

Here’s another thing I want to say. I’ll get more into equal opportunity application and toe stepping. This gets into the realm of application to our church. We do have a long and a rich history here at Indian Hills, as we’ve seen over the last few Sundays, especially of meaty exposition of God’s Word. We’re not lacking around here for heads and hearts being filled week over week with God’s truth, wisdom from above. We love theology. We had a whole theological conference this past weekend. We love sound doctrine and that’s great.

But don’t lose sight of this truth. That is not “more theological” to be studied upon on the hypostatic union and then “less theological” to be aware of how God wants you to live, as a man of God, or as a woman of God. You know, it’s not “more theological” to be able to recite all of the Judges in order from the book of Judges and somehow “less theological” to leave work early one day to get home to pour truth into your children. You understand? They are both theological. They are both doctrinal.

God back to verse 1, in Titus 2:1. How does Paul begin this section, again? “But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.”
And then, after that, of course, he says what? “Trinitarian Dogmatics.” “Dispensational Hermeneutics.” “The doctrine of inseparable operations.” Is that what your Bible says? No. What comes right after is: “Older men.” “Older women.” “Younger women.” “Younger men.”

One of the ways that a church like ours can “Excel Still More.” To “Excel in Equipping” as in, the older generation being intentional about equipping and training the younger generation in these areas that Titus 2 here covers. One of the ways that we can “Excel Still More”, is to be mindful of the temptation that we might have in this long-standing well-taught doctrinally deep Bible church. To hold to the wrong idea that it is somehow a-theological, or less than theological to pour into, to invest in, to equip, to train from older men to younger men, to older women to younger women the foundational truths of Biblical manhood and Biblical womanhood.

Let me give you an example of what I mean. Here’s the piece of Indian Hills church history that I’ve been hanging on to for the very end. One guy who got this. This distinction that I’m drawing was a man that many of you know around here. He passed away a year ago. His name was Rick Duval. Rick Duval passed when he was 85 years old last fall and some of you are related to him. Some of you worked with him. You know where I’m going to go with this. I only had the opportunity to get to know Rick for maybe two years during his last couple of years here on earth. But he had a profound impact on me in that short time of us knowing each other. One of the ways that he had that profound impact on me, is he is a man who got the very things we’re talking about here. The importance of not just knowing Titus 2:1-8 but living Titus 2:1-8.

See, Rick and his wife, Colleen raised seven children of their own. Though they had these seven children of their own, they also had spiritual children all over this church, and all over this community. That’s because what they would do, for years, years is they would invite young couples into their home. They would invite young couples into their home in groups to do Bible study. To study texts like these, and passages like these. And there would be a component, not only of studying the Word, they did that but also applying the word now, as married couples. I loved Rick, truly loved Rick. Having gone to his house though, I have to say, I don’t remember seeing a lined wall of commentaries or theology books in his basement or his garage. I don’t recall that he was ever in formal leadership here in the church.

But where Rick excelled and where we can receive some challenge and some exhortation. Where Rick excelled was in doing what I just described; in taking young families under his wing. Hosting them in his home. Reading scripture with them. Challenging them to memorize scripture. Praying with them. Praying for them. Praying for their families. Exhorting them and challenging them, through the Word, to be godly examples for their children. As they trained their children and raised them up in the fear and admonishment of the Lord. I’ve spoken, since, to many of those families who were under Rick’s tutelage, and Colleen’s tutelage. Down the line, each one of those young families has been transformed as Rick and Colleen, again, though they had their own seven children, and many more grandchildren took in families left and right, to minister the truth of Titus 2:1-8 to them.

Rick was that man who was “temperate, verse 2, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in perseverance.” Colleen, to her part in “instructing” verse 4, the young women in sensibility: 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 slandered.” And note, that what Rick and Colleen did, it wasn’t about being programmatic, or formulaic, they did so, rather, I Timothy 1:5, out of “love from a pure heart and a good conscience and an unhypocritical faith.”

See, we must be very careful. In a church like ours, we have wonderful programs for all sorts of ministries, all around the church, every day of the week. We have a perennial parade of programs that will start soon, after Fall Kickoff. But a question I want to ask you is, what if those programs all went away? What if Titus Tuesday, for whatever reason stopped? Ladies just stopped meeting, or the leaders quit, or whatever.
Or what if these Men’s Equipping Groups never got off the ground? What if Men’s Fellowship events never took place anymore? What would Titus 2 life look like in this church? Would we still be willing, not withstanding the absence of programs, to live out these commands that are given to us on the pages of God’s holy Word. Don’t get me wrong, Titus Tuesday is wonderful. But it’s a means to an end. It’s to get you to ultimate goal of actually living out what Titus 2 says. Men’s Equipping Groups are fantastic; they’re going to be great. I signed up for one. But they’re not just to get you out of the house. Or get you out of your wife’s hair for a morning. No, they’re to train you up in these Titus 2 ways.

I said it last week; I’ll say it again. I stand behind the words. That we need to beware and mindful of being a church that is standing behind our books behind our theology behind our programs behind our Bibles, even. As a way, as a smokescreen, to avoid the messy work of actually getting into each other’s lives. To avoid the messy work, sometimes, of truly ministering to people.

Last week, we looked at more broadly what it means to engage with one another. To have actual abiding, Bible focused relationships with one another. This week, as we’ve been looking at “Excelling in Equipping”, the whole focus, I hope you take this away, is how central and essential it is to be committed to “Excelling in Equipping” the next generation. We have an intragenerational church. We have a wealth of wisdom out there. I see the gray. But that generation must be committed before they go to meet their Lord. To pour into this next generation, even outside the programs, to pouring into them. Even if you have five kids of your own, three kids of your own, seven kids of your own, like the Duvals. To pour into the next generation, who is going to be the foundation of this church in the future.

Let’s pray.
Father, we thank You for this time together. We thank You for the study of Titus 2. We thank You that the wisdom that has come from this pulpit today, ultimately is those eight verses, that’s what we want to hang on to. It’s what You have given us in Your Word. I’m here to proclaim. I’m here to exhort. I’m here to challenge and encourage. But I pray, at minimum, we would come away with the truths of Titus 2:1-8 and be spurred on and challenged to live those truths out in our lives. Help us to be a church with older people who are committed to using these years to pour into and invest, and to excel still more. How they equip the younger generation. May the younger generation be humble enough to seek out those older saints, to be poured into. To be trained. To be equipped. God, we want this church to thrive. Not even numerically, we want this church to thrive in depth for many years, until You call us home. We want to be that church that knows the Word, and is steeped in the Word, but is equally committed to living out the Word, in truth. We love You. We praise You. May You be glorified in Your church, the remainder of this day. In Christ’s name. Amen