SPEAKER_01: This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
SPEAKER_00: This morning I would like to direct your attention for a few moments to Titus chapter 2.
SPEAKER_00: Titus chapter 2.
SPEAKER_00: We have finished our study together of the New Testament book of 1 Peter.
SPEAKER_00: So for the next few weeks, I would like to sort of reorient ourselves again to our vision statement.
SPEAKER_00: If that is new to you, it's on the front cover of your bulletin.
SPEAKER_00: Here at Faith Evangelical Free Church, we seek first and foremost to declare the Word of God.
SPEAKER_00: As we declare the Word of God, we want to disciple everyone who gathers here together, and our discipleship has a goal so that we all might reach maturity in the faith that we hold.
SPEAKER_00: And that we would then, as we become more and more mature, become devoted followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_00: I'd like to give a picture of what that looks like, the discipleship part this morning from Titus chapter 2.
SPEAKER_00: Now we know that discipleship begins with the communication of the gospel itself.
SPEAKER_00: That's how Christ displays it at the end of the Gospel of Matthew and his great commission.
SPEAKER_00: We declare the gospel.
SPEAKER_00: What is the gospel?
SPEAKER_00: That the Lord Jesus Christ came to offer himself as a sacrifice.
SPEAKER_00: He died on the cross.
SPEAKER_00: He was buried and he rose again to purchase our salvation.
SPEAKER_00: As people believe in what they hear in that message, they become disciples.
SPEAKER_00: So if you are a disciple, you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_00: If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are a disciple.
SPEAKER_00: A Christian is a disciple, a disciple is a Christian.
SPEAKER_00: So the New Testament pattern is that new disciples are to be baptized as an outward demonstration of new life in Christ.
SPEAKER_00: That's coming next week.
SPEAKER_00: We're going to witness some baptisms next Sunday and encourage you to return as we celebrate that together.
SPEAKER_00: As new believers in Christ are baptized and our disciples, they are to be taught what Jesus said and to observe those commands in life.
SPEAKER_00: That's the end of Matthew 28.
SPEAKER_00: That's what discipleship is about.
SPEAKER_00: Discipleship is the process of teaching all of us what the Lord Jesus Christ said and how to live that out.
SPEAKER_00: When we gather together then on Sunday mornings, our gathering is primarily a gathering of disciples.
SPEAKER_00: We gather on a weekly basis to celebrate the risen Christ, to encourage one another, to pray for one another, to support one another, to worship and to learn.
SPEAKER_00: That means that everything that we are and everything that we do is founded on the truth of the gospel.
SPEAKER_00: In terms of discipleship, we gather together to be taught to observe all that Jesus commanded.
SPEAKER_00: And Titus chapter 2 gives us some guidelines for discipleship in the gathering of the local church.
SPEAKER_00: If you have your Bible or your device, I would encourage you to look at that with me.
SPEAKER_00: I'd like to read the entire chapter this morning, and we'll look at it briefly.
SPEAKER_00: So Titus is being instructed here in his leadership by the Apostle Paul.
SPEAKER_00: He is said, he is told, but as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.
SPEAKER_00: Older men are to be sober minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith and love and in steadfastness.
SPEAKER_00: Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine, they are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
SPEAKER_00: Likewise, urge the younger men to be self controlled.
SPEAKER_00: Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.
SPEAKER_00: Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything.
SPEAKER_00: They are to be well pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
SPEAKER_00: Four, here's the reason.
SPEAKER_00: For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.
SPEAKER_00: Don't want you to miss that statement.
SPEAKER_00: That shows us that the entire process of discipleship is grounded, is centered in the gospel.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 12, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness, and to purify for himself a people for his own possession, who are zealous for good works.
SPEAKER_00: Declare these things, exhort and rebuke with all authority, let no one disregard you.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Titus was told, first and foremost, that the first major emphasis of discipleship in the local church is sound teaching.
SPEAKER_00: It's sound teaching.
SPEAKER_00: Effective discipleship is driven by sound teaching.
SPEAKER_00: He says in verse 1, but as for you, teach what accords with sound teaching.
SPEAKER_00: I can't see who's behind the computer this morning, but guys, can you advance that next slide for me?
SPEAKER_00: It's not working down here.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you very much.
SPEAKER_00: Titus was commanded to teach.
SPEAKER_00: That was the command.
SPEAKER_00: He was to speak on the scriptures with all authority, even with strength at the end of the chapter, exhort and rebuke with all authority.
SPEAKER_00: He was to do so in a way that was accurate, that was trustworthy, that's appropriate.
SPEAKER_00: But there's a substantial amount of background to that command.
SPEAKER_00: Look back at chapter 1 and verse 5.
SPEAKER_00: This is where the Apostle Paul lays out for Titus sort of the groundwork for these commands.
SPEAKER_00: Chapter 1, verse 5, Paul said, This is why I left you in Crete.
SPEAKER_00: In case you don't know where that is, it's an island in the Mediterranean Sea.
SPEAKER_00: He says, I left you there on that island, so that, here's the purpose of his ministry, so that you might put what remained into order and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.
SPEAKER_00: At the time that the Apostle Paul wrote this letter, the churches on that island were still infants.
SPEAKER_00: They had not developed in their growth and their maturity as local churches.
SPEAKER_00: They needed support, direction, leadership, encouragement.
SPEAKER_00: And Titus was to supply all of that through his teaching, through his leadership, but also by raising up leaders from within those local churches.
SPEAKER_00: Following that, he's given some qualifications necessary for who those elders are to be, what character qualities they are to have.
SPEAKER_00: But that's where the idea of teaching begins to gain steam in this letter.
SPEAKER_00: An elder, we are told in verse 9, is to hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught.
SPEAKER_00: Why?
SPEAKER_00: So that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine.
SPEAKER_00: There are those words again.
SPEAKER_00: And also to rebuke those who contradict it.
SPEAKER_00: An elder, then, is someone who has been a disciple himself, who has grown in the maturation process, someone who has grown to the point where he doesn't deviate from the word of God.
SPEAKER_00: He's able to teach others, to communicate what he's learned so that other disciples can learn as well.
SPEAKER_00: With that ability is also the strength to correct, to firmly rebuke those who are in error.
SPEAKER_00: Now that was important for Titus, especially important, because the local congregations there were bombarded with well, look at what he says in verse 10 insubordinate people, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party, that's Jews who were Christians who believed that the Jewish law still applied.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 16.
SPEAKER_00: We read that they profess to know God, they deny him by their works, they are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good works.
SPEAKER_00: In fact, if you go back to verse 12, one of their own people, one of the Cretan national people, said of themselves, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons.
SPEAKER_00: How would you like that set of you?
SPEAKER_00: Encouraging, right?
SPEAKER_00: No.
SPEAKER_00: That's what the people were like.
SPEAKER_00: So you can understand then why Titus was given these instructions.
SPEAKER_00: There was a lot of work that had to be done in bringing these people to a place of maturity so that they could lead the church properly.
SPEAKER_00: But, in contrast to all of that, but as for you, Titus, teach what accords with sound doctrine.
SPEAKER_00: Sound refers to what's good, what is healthy, what's appropriate, as opposed to what's diseased and sick.
SPEAKER_00: Teachers who only upset people, who seek to profit from others, are not godly leaders.
SPEAKER_00: That wasn't sound, healthy teaching.
SPEAKER_00: The kind of teaching, Titus says, or Paul says to Titus, that is to take place in the local church is the opposite of all of that.
SPEAKER_00: It's teaching that's solid in content, not mushy entertainment style that's worse than baby food, but the kind of food that is fit for nourishment and growth of the soul and for healing.
SPEAKER_00: The church's teaching must be faithful to Scripture.
SPEAKER_00: It must be solid in content, it must be nourishing to the soul and convicting to all of life.
SPEAKER_00: Teaching that follows that kind of pattern is foundational to discipleship within the local church.
SPEAKER_00: That's how this starts.
SPEAKER_00: But as we go on, we begin to see a pattern of referring to groups of people.
SPEAKER_00: And in those groups of people, we see that effective discipleship is generational, or we might say cross-generational.
SPEAKER_00: First, we need to notice that there are five distinct groups in this text.
SPEAKER_00: There are five distinct groups.
SPEAKER_00: Four of them, these are the ones I'd like to focus on this morning, four of them are marked generationally.
SPEAKER_00: Older men, older women, younger women, and younger men.
SPEAKER_00: Now there are various suggestions as to what age ranges were included in those groups, but the fact of the matter is we don't really know for sure.
SPEAKER_00: We do know that according to ancient literature, the Greek culture considered somewhere around age 50 to be older.
SPEAKER_00: I'm sorry for those of you that are at 50 and older.
SPEAKER_00: It's not me, it's Greek culture, okay?
SPEAKER_00: Don't blame me.
SPEAKER_00: Now it might be best to say that it depends on your culture.
SPEAKER_00: So if you're if if in your culture you are generally put in the older category, then that's what Paul would say.
SPEAKER_00: If you're generally put in the younger category, then you would be in the younger category.
SPEAKER_00: Now, we do know that the term older men is only used two other times in the New Testament.
SPEAKER_00: Once Paul uses it for himself when he was somewhere in his 60s.
SPEAKER_00: The other time it's used of Zecharias, the father of John the Baptist, when he replied to the angel's announcement that he and his wife would have a son, he said, I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.
SPEAKER_00: But the point is not the age.
SPEAKER_00: The point in all of these categories is not what age you are, the point is what level of maturity you are at.
SPEAKER_00: Some within the Lord's church have more experience in life.
SPEAKER_00: And theoretically, they have learned more than the younger generations and should be, theoretically, much wiser, right?
SPEAKER_00: Put into the context of the church, these are older believers who have followed Christ for a longer time, who have gone further in the discipleship process and the maturation process than others.
SPEAKER_00: They have learned from the scriptures how to live in a way that pleases the master, and they are then able to communicate that to others who are still learning.
SPEAKER_00: So Timothy is given a list of characteristics that each generation ought to have as they grow in discipleship.
SPEAKER_00: And as we will see, it's couched in terms of instruction within the context of the gospel.
SPEAKER_00: Let's look quickly at these older men.
SPEAKER_00: Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.
SPEAKER_00: Sober-minded has the idea of being sober as it pertains to the use of alcohol, and probably in our culture we could use drugs as well.
SPEAKER_00: But it goes further than that in the biblical context to include the idea of being clear-headed, of being sensible.
SPEAKER_00: An older man's mind is to be clear so that he can give careful thought and consideration to Scripture and be discerning of Scripture and of our world and its application to life, so they're not given to the wanderings of younger men.
SPEAKER_00: Which leads to the second term, dignified.
SPEAKER_00: That means to be worthy of honor and respect.
SPEAKER_00: Now I want to clarify that.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes the older we get, we can have the perspective that we deserve.
SPEAKER_00: Respect.
SPEAKER_00: That's not what this word means.
SPEAKER_00: It means you've earned it in terms of your character.
SPEAKER_00: It means the older man should have the kind of character that earns respect.
SPEAKER_00: Not that he's demanding it, not that he's exercising authority to get it, but that he he has shown he is worthy of it.
SPEAKER_00: They've learned well what it means to act well, to discern well and to live well.
SPEAKER_00: It's also to be then self-controlled.
SPEAKER_00: If there is any particular nuance to this word, it would be that the older men are to be thoughtful and prudent.
SPEAKER_00: That is, as men mature in their faith, they should be less and less hasty.
SPEAKER_00: More and more thoughtful before rushing into something.
SPEAKER_00: They're not inclined then to rush into decisions or action without first thinking it through.
SPEAKER_00: Because we all know young men have a tendency to do that.
SPEAKER_00: I'll just stop there.
SPEAKER_00: Sound in faith, love, and steadfastness.
SPEAKER_00: That's likely a modified version of the New Testament trio of faith, hope, and love.
SPEAKER_00: You know those from 1 Corinthians 13.
SPEAKER_00: It says sound in faith, hope, or faith, love, and steadfastness.
SPEAKER_00: Sound is the same word as verse 1 where it talks about sound doctrine.
SPEAKER_00: It carries the idea of being healthy.
SPEAKER_00: You ought to have, as older men, the kind of faith, love, and steadfastness in your Christian life that a healthy Christian ought to have.
SPEAKER_00: That means you should have a healthy trust in God, a genuine love for other people, and a hopeful, steadfast trust in the character of God that enables you to keep on going in life.
SPEAKER_00: Now, the idea behind this is that all men are to be growing in these areas, no matter where we are in life.
SPEAKER_00: If we're not growing in these areas, then we need to ask ourselves why?
SPEAKER_00: Why are we not moving in the direction of maturity?
SPEAKER_00: But in the context here of Titus 2, having older men in our fellowship who model these characteristics is key to discipleship.
SPEAKER_00: Because they can help instruct others from their own experience how to walk with Christ.
SPEAKER_00: In the same way, older women.
SPEAKER_00: Notice the word likewise.
SPEAKER_00: He's talking about in the same way, in the same kind of pattern, older women are to be reverent in behavior.
SPEAKER_00: Interestingly, literally translated, this would be befitting a holy person.
SPEAKER_00: And that's a kind of a technical term because it's used throughout Scripture of priests.
SPEAKER_00: Of priests.
SPEAKER_00: It's used in the context of the duties and the actions of a priest at the temple, indicating to us that the character, the attitude of reverence carried by a priest is the character and attitude to be found in older women.
SPEAKER_00: It's not simply the way that they are in church when we gather together on Sunday morning, but it's the character that they display in life throughout the rest of the week.
SPEAKER_00: This is their character because they belong to Christ.
SPEAKER_00: And as they've walked with Jesus, those godly characteristics have been developed within them through lifelong devotion to the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: That's seen then in not being slanderers.
SPEAKER_00: If they are reverent or godly in their behavior, then that will extend to their treatment of other people.
SPEAKER_00: Now, this particularly refers to speech.
SPEAKER_00: It means essentially they don't gossip.
SPEAKER_00: They don't talk about others in a slanderous or demeaning way.
SPEAKER_00: But they only speak of others in ways that build them up.
SPEAKER_00: Now, generally, this begins well, this slandering, it begins well and ends badly.
SPEAKER_00: Slander or gossip often begins with genuine care or concern for another person.
SPEAKER_00: You know, I really do care about you.
SPEAKER_00: But now I'm going to turn around and tell everybody I know.
SPEAKER_00: So it begins well with a proper desire to serve others, but then it degenerates into spreading information that shouldn't be spread.
SPEAKER_00: But older women are to be focused on building others up so that the spread of slander can be halted.
SPEAKER_00: They generally don't give in to listening to that kind of talk or spreading it or initiating it.
SPEAKER_00: That means our older women are to be wise in their speech, wise with their words, seeking to build up others rather than tear them down.
SPEAKER_00: Interestingly, this term slanderers translates the Greek word diabolos, from which we get devil.
SPEAKER_00: So whenever we slander, whenever we spread gossip, we are participating in the works of Satan.
SPEAKER_00: We are displaying the characteristic of Satan.
SPEAKER_00: Older women in the body of Christ should have matured beyond that.
SPEAKER_00: Then they are not slaves to much wine.
SPEAKER_00: How easily one can turn to addictive substances as a stimulant or to ease their pains or frustrations or to pacify loneliness.
SPEAKER_00: And those sorts of things can become prisons, which is why the word enslaved is used.
SPEAKER_00: Any believer who is addicted to such things brings dishonor to the Lord's name, including older women.
SPEAKER_00: Now we might think, you know what, that that's you don't need to have that warning.
SPEAKER_00: That's that's kind of unnecessary.
SPEAKER_00: Why did you go that far, Paul?
SPEAKER_00: Well, it was needed, and it's probably needed today because all you have to do is read 1 Corinthians chapter 11.
SPEAKER_00: Where believers in the local church were coming together to celebrate the Lord's table and they were coming to church drunk.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe we need the warning.
SPEAKER_00: Older women then are to teach what is good.
SPEAKER_00: So there again is the repetition of teaching.
SPEAKER_00: This time.
SPEAKER_00: From older women to younger women.
SPEAKER_00: Titus is told this is essential for discipleship within the body.
SPEAKER_00: Generally speaking, those who are older have greater life experience through which to teach those who are younger.
SPEAKER_00: Older women in the body are to be known as those who help the younger generation know what is good.
SPEAKER_00: That is what's noble, what's excellent, what's worthy of pursuing.
SPEAKER_00: They are to pass on the reverent behavior to the next generation and teach them how to communicate care and concern for others without becoming slanderous, gossipy.
SPEAKER_00: The assumption is that you older ladies have experienced life in ways that others haven't.
SPEAKER_00: You've experienced life with Christ.
SPEAKER_00: And you have an ability then to communicate that godly wisdom to those who haven't yet learned it.
SPEAKER_00: The older women in a local church are to have these character qualities and actively working to pass them on to the next generation.
SPEAKER_00: That's how God designed discipleship in the local church.
SPEAKER_00: Those who have learned pass on what is learned to those who are learning.
SPEAKER_00: Let me throw out a caveat here.
SPEAKER_00: That happens sometimes.
SPEAKER_00: It may be, in some cases, that the younger ones have learned lessons more quickly.
SPEAKER_00: And so the learning needs to be reversed in some cases.
SPEAKER_00: But generally speaking, the pattern is older teach younger.
SPEAKER_00: Now the purpose is mentioned here in verse 4.
SPEAKER_00: Why would God say this?
SPEAKER_00: And so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, submissive to their husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
SPEAKER_00: The word train here doesn't necessarily mean we're going to sit down at desks like in a classroom, and I'm going to teach you and you're going to learn what I have to say.
SPEAKER_00: That's not necessarily what it means.
SPEAKER_00: It means to encourage or to urge to say, this is really important for you.
SPEAKER_00: This is really good.
SPEAKER_00: So that a goal will then be achieved.
SPEAKER_00: What is at heart here is love.
SPEAKER_00: A love that is not conditional, but unconditional based on God's command.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes, if we're honest with ourselves, sometimes we do need to be encouraged and urged to do the work of loving, don't we?
SPEAKER_00: All of us.
SPEAKER_00: Men, women, older, younger.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes we all need to have that encouragement to do the work of loving.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes loving is effortless.
SPEAKER_00: Other times it takes work.
SPEAKER_00: Older women, then, he says, are to help the younger women understand and know how to follow God's commands as it pertains to their families.
SPEAKER_00: Especially in a world where the prevalent action is falling out of love and then ditching your family.
SPEAKER_00: Now, a comment here before we move on to the younger ones.
SPEAKER_00: It is not unusual to hear from older folks in the church something like this.
SPEAKER_00: I've put in my time.
SPEAKER_00: It's time for the younger people to step up and fill the gap.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you've felt that.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you've said that.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you've heard that.
SPEAKER_00: Let me give you some thoughts about that.
SPEAKER_00: First of all, it's not biblical.
SPEAKER_00: In fact, it's self-centered rather than others-centered.
SPEAKER_00: It is me focused rather than Christ-focused.
SPEAKER_00: Now it's true.
SPEAKER_00: It is absolutely, positively true that younger people need to be encouraged to step up and serve the Lord in the local church.
SPEAKER_00: But as we can see here, God designed discipleship to work by the younger seeing you, the older, doing that work.
SPEAKER_00: By seeing you continue to serve and walk with Christ.
SPEAKER_00: So God's way to continue to work in the local church and through the local church may be through you, the older generations, showing them how to serve Christ.
SPEAKER_00: Even when you don't feel like it.
SPEAKER_00: Even when you feel like it's time to be done, by inviting them to join you, by taking part in their lives to encourage them.
SPEAKER_00: So if you are in the older group in our culture, ask yourself this question.
SPEAKER_00: How am I fulfilling the Lord's expectation to disciple others?
SPEAKER_00: Ask yourself that question.
SPEAKER_00: And remember that he designed it not so that we could get to a certain point and then say, okay, I'm done.
SPEAKER_00: But because the older need to teach the younger.
SPEAKER_00: See, there's something devastating here in local churches.
SPEAKER_00: If the older people begin to back away, we have failed.
SPEAKER_00: We have failed.
SPEAKER_00: We've failed to follow Scripture.
SPEAKER_00: We've failed to be obedient to the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: And we've failed our younger generations.
SPEAKER_00: Now the idea of teaching is continued here in younger people.
SPEAKER_00: First younger women and then younger men.
SPEAKER_00: Younger women are to be self-controlled, the same as older men.
SPEAKER_00: The younger women are to be thoughtful and prudent.
SPEAKER_00: They are to learn to be women who give careful consideration to action rather than being hasty.
SPEAKER_00: They are to be pure, he says.
SPEAKER_00: That's in a moral sense, to have sexual purity, to have marital faithfulness.
SPEAKER_00: This is just as much of a problem for women in our culture as it is for men.
SPEAKER_00: It says they are to be homemakers.
SPEAKER_00: The home and the family is to be the priority.
SPEAKER_00: Now that doesn't necessarily rule out working or even working outside the home.
SPEAKER_00: I think we can see that demonstrated very clearly from Proverbs chapter 31.
SPEAKER_00: But the priority is to be the home and the family, or to make sure that that is first.
SPEAKER_00: Be kind, he says.
SPEAKER_00: That is, be gentle, be considerate, sympathetic, following the pattern of God Himself.
SPEAKER_00: Says in Luke chapter 6, verse 35, that God is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
SPEAKER_00: You know, sometimes it's really hard to be kind to the ungrateful, isn't it?
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes your kindness has a limit.
SPEAKER_00: But it says God doesn't have that.
SPEAKER_00: Be submissive to your own husbands that follow the pattern of Ephesians 5, the pattern that God established.
SPEAKER_00: Why?
SPEAKER_00: Why would he say that?
SPEAKER_00: The end of verse 5.
SPEAKER_00: So that the word of God may not be blasphemed is what it says literally.
SPEAKER_00: Those of us who are not in the older category, the world can see how we act in our relationships and in our marriages.
SPEAKER_00: They witness it, they see it, they hear it, they see how we respond to one another.
SPEAKER_00: They see how we live.
SPEAKER_00: And so we ought not to give the world a cause, a reason to slander Christ, to blaspheme Christ, to revile God's word.
SPEAKER_00: Younger men, note again, likewise.
SPEAKER_00: In the same pattern, he's giving character qualities, continuing the idea of things that ought to be seen, evident, and then teaching and instructing where they're not, young men are to be self-controlled, just like we've talked about already, thoughtful and not prudent, not rash and hasty.
SPEAKER_00: The younger you are, the more difficult that is.
SPEAKER_00: But the emphasis here is again the need for the older generation to help guide the younger generation in not being hasty and rash.
SPEAKER_00: Young men and also the entire church are to follow Titus.
SPEAKER_00: He says in verse 7 to Titus, show yourself in all ways to be an example.
SPEAKER_00: An example to who?
SPEAKER_00: Well, first and foremost, younger men.
SPEAKER_00: And then to the whole church.
SPEAKER_00: Follow Titus.
SPEAKER_00: And so be.
SPEAKER_00: So be dignified.
SPEAKER_00: Show integrity.
SPEAKER_00: Have sound speech that cannot be condemned.
SPEAKER_00: Be a model of good works.
SPEAKER_00: Again, there's a reason so that an opponent may be put to shame.
SPEAKER_00: Now I want you to kind of step back from all of that and notice the sort of cross-generational work taking place.
SPEAKER_00: Older men and older women have life and spiritual experience that, Lord willing, has molded them into wise, godly people.
SPEAKER_00: As such, they are to be examples and teachers to other generations.
SPEAKER_00: That means that they are to be active in their lives so that those who are younger are to look up to them for leadership and instruction.
SPEAKER_00: That means, of course, that we are seeking constantly to take on these characteristics in our lives.
SPEAKER_00: And as we do, we learn from those who have gone before us, those who are more knowledgeable, who are more mature.
SPEAKER_00: And by doing that, we fulfill the Great Commission, teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.
SPEAKER_00: There ought to be purposeful action taking place between those who are older and those who are younger.
SPEAKER_00: Talking together, praying together, reading scripture together, maybe even in an instructive way, living life together.
SPEAKER_00: Now, there's no real mention here of how that's done, of what that looks like.
SPEAKER_00: And that leaves us open then to accomplish that in a variety of ways.
SPEAKER_00: Now you may have noticed here that what we've seen is not simply generational discipleship, but that it is purposeful.
SPEAKER_00: Effective discipleship teaches others to obey.
SPEAKER_00: All throughout this passage is instruction.
SPEAKER_00: Teaching on how to live in a way that pleases God.
SPEAKER_00: That's discipleship in the local church.
SPEAKER_00: We ought to be teaching, encouraging, urging others to obey.
SPEAKER_00: That means we need to take action.
SPEAKER_00: If there is a generation that is younger than you, and you have learned things in your life with Christ that they seem to be missing, go and wrap your arms around them and say, Hey, I want to get to know you.
SPEAKER_00: I want to help you.
SPEAKER_00: I want to walk with you.
SPEAKER_00: Help them know what it takes to follow Christ.
SPEAKER_00: If there is a generation that is older than you, seek them out.
SPEAKER_00: Learn from them.
SPEAKER_00: Know them.
SPEAKER_00: They're fascinating people.
SPEAKER_00: See them.
SPEAKER_00: If there is a generation older than you, and by the way, there's very few of us in which there's not a generation older than us.
SPEAKER_00: If there's a generation older than you, see them as people who have walked with Christ and have endured life and learned lessons that will enable you to walk through life.
SPEAKER_00: We need to be purposeful in this as we are sharing the good news of the gospel with others and with each other.
SPEAKER_00: So here are some questions to get your mind rolling.
SPEAKER_00: Are you in a Bible study group that is intergenerational?
SPEAKER_00: Are you in a life group that is intergenerational?
SPEAKER_00: Are you in a Sunday school class or will you be in a Sunday school class that is intergenerational to some extent?
SPEAKER_00: Are you reaching outside of the comforts of your group, of your age group, to include others who are older or younger?
SPEAKER_00: If not, why not?
SPEAKER_00: How are you seeking to be a part of effective discipleship, either as a learner or as a teacher, or both?
SPEAKER_00: Now, I understand that our natural tendencies are to gravitate towards those who are like us.
SPEAKER_00: That's very normal, it's very natural.
SPEAKER_00: And there's nothing inherently wrong with gathering together, as for example, a group of college students, to meet together.
SPEAKER_00: There's nothing wrong with that.
SPEAKER_00: But if we're following what Scripture says, there needs to be some sense of intergenerational discipleship.
SPEAKER_00: And as we are doing this with each other, we're continually pointing each other towards holiness.
SPEAKER_00: Effective discipleship leads to holiness.
SPEAKER_00: For the grace of God, he says in verse 11, has appeared.
SPEAKER_00: Bringing salvation to all people, training us to renounce, to do away with ungodliness, worldly passions, to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.
SPEAKER_00: That's holiness.
SPEAKER_00: That's what we've seen in 1 Peter.
SPEAKER_00: Be holy as I am holy.
SPEAKER_00: Without teachers, we simply wander around until we stumble across something that feels good to us.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes poison feels good.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes the edge of a cliff feels good.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes walking on the train tracks feels good.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes we need wise people to tell us that may feel good, but it's not good.
SPEAKER_00: The Lord has given us another way, folks.
SPEAKER_00: We gather together as a body of believers, not left to be wandering around in life, but to be guided on the right road, the road to obedience and holiness for which we've been redeemed.
SPEAKER_00: God has given us one another.
SPEAKER_00: God has given us teachers within the local body to instruct in sound, healthy doctrine.
SPEAKER_00: He's given us people who have grown wise in the Lord to urge us to remain on the right path.
SPEAKER_00: We need that in this ungodly world that has so many different kinds of unrighteous paths.
SPEAKER_00: I'm out of time this morning, but we cannot neglect the big picture here.
SPEAKER_00: Discipleship in the body of Christ must take place because it magnifies the glorious gospel to a watching world.
SPEAKER_00: That is why it must happen.
SPEAKER_00: It is one of God's means to declare what it means to be with Christ.
SPEAKER_00: Why should we make the effort to disciple one another?
SPEAKER_00: Because the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation.
SPEAKER_00: The world is watching, it sees how we live, it sees how we interact with our roommates, with our spouses, with our children, with our friends, with our coworkers.
SPEAKER_00: It sees how we live, it sees how we welcome others within the church.
SPEAKER_00: It hears how we speak of others, it sees how we work, it sees how we live.
SPEAKER_00: What are they seeing of the gospel?
SPEAKER_00: The gospel is a glorious thing, and we are living evidence of it.
SPEAKER_00: We are lights in a dark world giving evidence of the blessed hope of eternity.
SPEAKER_00: We live in expectation of Jesus returning full of glory to finally and completely redeem us, but in the meantime, we're to be growing, maturing in obedience and holiness, and any time we fail, we cast a shadow upon the glory of the gospel in the eyes of the world.
SPEAKER_00: If we continually fight with our roommates, if we continually fight with our siblings, if we continually fight with our spouses, and word of that gets out, why would anyone want what we have if it can't change our relationships?
SPEAKER_00: If the gospel isn't powerful enough to keep us from gossiping about others, then why would the young college student or the high school student or the widow down the street want to trust in Christ?
SPEAKER_00: If the church is divided between older and younger, with the older complaining about those kids and their music, and younger generations groaning about those grouchy, straight-laced old people, then why would anybody want to worship the God we worship?
SPEAKER_00: If the gospel divides us in our discipleship, then why would anyone want it?
SPEAKER_00: More importantly, why would Jesus want to call us his own?
SPEAKER_00: But when discipleship begins to take place and we reach out to one another as sinners in need of grace, as unworthy recipients of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we realize that in each other we have been given aids to learn and follow Jesus, then when we begin to live that out, we will be lifting up the gospel in all of its glory as something worth having.
SPEAKER_00: Let's pray together.
SPEAKER_00: Our Lord Jesus, we ask for your help in this.
SPEAKER_00: Everything in our world wants to keep us from this, wants to divide us, wants to split us up, wants to keep us from fulfilling this part of the Great Commission.
SPEAKER_00: Lord, we're not perfect people, so we ask for your the grace of your forgiveness.
SPEAKER_00: And we don't necessarily do things perfectly here at faith.
SPEAKER_00: But we ask that you would help us to grow.
SPEAKER_00: To grow in our discipleship, to grow in our maturity, and make us through our discipleship a beacon to a watching world.
SPEAKER_00: That light on a hill displaying the glorious gospel.
SPEAKER_00: And may it be seen.
SPEAKER_00: Seen as worthwhile, as that treasure worth obtaining.
SPEAKER_00: Help us, Lord, as we grow.
SPEAKER_00: Help us as we grow to display that gospel as something that is within us that cannot be held back.
SPEAKER_00: Grow us in your grace, keep us in your power, and we ask this in Christ's name.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: That concludes this sermon from Faith Evangelical Free Church.
SPEAKER_01: Our mission is to declare the Word of God and disciple believers into mature, devoted followers of Jesus.
SPEAKER_01: You can learn more by visiting our website at faithfree.com.