Grace-Energized Living Is The Titus Two Model For All Women

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Grace-energized Living: The Titus Two Model
Titus 2:4

 

We have gathered as Christ’s church this morning, but the church that met as Christ’s church nearly 2,000 years ago in New Testament times was a much simpler, informal gathering. There were no “church buildings”, so homes or public places were used. There were no written materials other than God’s Word. No books, no tapes, no videos, no projectors, no parking lots, no auditoriums: just people indwelt by God’s Spirit and His Word.When they met they learned why they were there, what they were to share, and how they were to live. In other words they were given what we could call a Mission, a Message, and a Method.

Our study of Titus 2 over these past weeks has been examining the method God commanded for them to reach their culture. But before we return to that method of Christ’s church for reaching a godless society, back up and look at the mission and message of the New Testament church, because like them…

We Have a Mission
As we open to I Thessalonians 4:1 may I remind you this morning that as Christ’s church we have a mission that Paul summarized as pleasing God (I Thessalonians 4:1). 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Finally then, brethren, we urge (PAI an continuous present action) and exhort (PAI) in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; NKJV

Paul’s teaching involved a continuous urging and exhorting of the believers in Thessalonica to stay on track with their mission in life of pleasing God at every level of
their life. The word translated ‘to please’ God is a fascinating word in Greek (aresko; 19 times in New Testament) that means: “to please; to strive to please; to  accommodate one’s self to the desires and interests of another” 1 Paul continuously reminded them they had a mission every day of life and that was to please God. Think about life today and each new day you start, as launching out on a mission to please God all through the day and night, everywhere you are, and in everything you do. That was the mission that marked the New Testament saints.

Secondly we find that Paul also taught them that their message was simply the gospel of the grace of God. The message was simple and easy to remember and repeat. In a confusing world with many false messages they declared God’s message. So like them…

We Have a Message
As we turn to Acts, this mission is accomplished by the proclamation of a message Paul summarized as the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24).
Acts 20:24 “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. NKJV

Gospel of the grace of God. An apt description, since salvation is solely by God’s grace (Eph. 2:8, 9; Titus 2:11).2
Acts 20:32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those
who are sanctified. NKJV

Word of His grace. The Scriptures, the record of God’s gracious dealings with mankind. build you up. The Bible is the source of spiritual growth (1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 1 Pet. 2:2) for all Christians. And since the church is “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15), its leaders must be familiar with that truth.3
The message of grace—that God did everything possible to be done for salvation and anyone can come to Him merely by faith seems impossible. And as Paul says, it sounds foolish (1st Corinthians 1:18). But the message of the gospel of grace, summarized by the cross of Christ is what we are to share. God assures us that His grace gives us the strength, or ‘energizes’ us, to do all that pleases Him, making this gospel the greatest message of all. But how exactly were the men and women saved out of the world to reach the world? How were they to live on a daily basis that would make their lives redemptive?

But the most amazing part of all that the Lord is doing is His plan to do all this by a method is spelled out in Titus 2:1-14—Paul summarized as energized by God’s grace to live in a way that is otherwise impossible. The grace-energized life of Titus 2 is a roadmap for all who want their life to count. It is God’s pathway of disciplines to choose each day in the power of the Spirit of grace, armed with the message of grace. God says…

We Have a Method…
God’s plan to work in the world is His church. Christ’s church may be described as a group of people, energized by grace, doing the impossible for the glory of God. A key insight into God’s plan to reach the world through Christ’s church is in Titus chapter 2. The verses of this chapter contain a call to First Century men and women energized by grace to live an extraordinary spiritual life in a very unspiritual culture. When grace energizes us we want to deny ungodliness in any form we find it cropping up in our lives. When God’s grace energizes us we want to mortify lust in any form in our lives.

We want to live life day-by-day and step-by-step in way that pleases God. When energized by grace, we are useful to God. When the Gospel of Jesus Christ entered the Roman world of the New Testament the landscape was very bleak. Christ’s church was born into a sin-warped, sin-darkened world of mixed-up marriages, sin-scarred lives, and confused families.

Sin-warped Lives
But men and women who were gloriously saved did not automatically become great wives and mothers, or husbands and fathers. When they came to Christ and were forgiven, God graciously gave them everything they needed to become godly wives, mothers, husbands, and fathers. But, they needed something else. They need worship services that taught them to believe correctly, and then they needed small group discipleship times to learn how to behave correctly. Correct behavior is behavior energized by grace. Titus 2 describes how God works in the life of a believer. When we were saved and the gospel of grace began in our lives, the evidence is seen in the sanctification process. Grace always teaches genuine believers how to say no to sin in any form. When God gets to pick the curriculum for His Church, what does He choose to be taught? He lays down godly character qualities for men and women. And that is the vital ministry which we find captured for us in Titus 2. What were these older women in the faith supposed to do?

Coaches in Godly Living
Just as important as the preaching and teaching of the doctrines of God’s Word was the modeling and nurturing of individual saints through practical hands-on lessons in godly living. We have already learned that the Titus Two woman is an imperfect person, saved by God, and energized by His grace to live an exemplary life as described in Titus 2:3-4. So we could easily say that:
• Women energized by grace—are reverent in their behavior,
• Women energized by grace—are not slanderers,
• Women energized by grace—are not given to much wine,
• Women energized by grace—are teachers of good things, and
• Women energized by grace—are discipling younger women.
Those new believers, fresh out of paganism needed coaching, training, modeling, and encouraging in a one-on-one relationship. Godly behavior is a series of choices; and those men and women had to be nurtured in daily skills that would lead to loving marriages and families. God’s plan has not changed. Two thousand years ago the Lord told men and women just what He wanted to see in their lives, and that is what He still is looking for today! We are in the midst of looking at the way God designed for women to most magnify and glorify Him by their everyday lives.

Twelve Characteristics of Grace-energized Women
This morning we are studying the seventh characteristic. Paul told Titus to raise up grace-energized mothers. This element of the New Testament church is found at the end of verse 4. Follow along with me as we look at the entire scope of God’s entire curriculum for women, and then we’ll examine this seventh characteristic.

Please stand with me as we read Titus 2:3-5.
v. 3 the [grace energized] older women likewise, that they be
1. reverent in behavior,
2. not slanderers,
3. not given to much wine,
4. teachers of good things— v. 4
5. that they admonish
the [grace energized] young women
1. to love their husbands,
2. to love their children, v. 5
3. to be discreet,
4. chaste,
5. homemakers,
6. good,
7. obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
(NKJV)

Grace-energized Living Follows the Titus 2 Model
When Paul gets down to every day life for women he builds on the character of God, revealed in God’s Word. God is love, and the greatest of all Christian virtues is love. So what is the most powerful aspect of a wife and mother’s life on earth obeying God’s calling to her life? Her grace-energized love. And what does God say will last forever from all the endless and mostly unseen hours of work that being a wife and mother entail? All the deeds offered in obedience to the Lord produced by grace-energized-love.

In Titus 2:4 we find the key that produces eternal reward from every day of a graceenergized-wife’s marriage and a grace-energized-mother’s family. Paul explains that the key is love. The first calling of a wife and mother is in God’s Word to be LOVE. [Our] gifts, [and our] ministries… all one day will cease to exist because they will cease to have purpose or meaning… But our showing love [to our husbands and children], practicing [that] love, [and] living [ that] love now–are of utmost importance, more important than having any of the other virtues or gifts, because love is the link God gives us with His eternal Self4. The key to grace-energized lives, marriages, and families is love. Love was rarely seen in every day life and culture in the Roman world; and this gentle, sensitive, grace-energized love was to become a powerful witness in the culture of century one. Jesus had already said that by this shall all know that you are My disciples, by your love. So that is why Paul says… Grace-energized-mothers love their children.

That is the second phrase of Titus 2:4 v. 4c “to love their children”.  This characteristic is one word in the Greek text, philoteknos; and it means to be a lover of children, so grace-energized-mothers love their children. That is what God says through Paul. And this love is phileo love that can be felt. That is a grace-energized mother’s special ministry in Christ’s church! Just the fact that these words were inspired by God to come to His saints means that this was not common, this was not easy, and this was not normal. This type of love just doesn’t “happen” because God wants it, it is a choice, it is a lesson to be learned5, and it is a factor that determines a believer’s eternal reward in Heaven. And that phileo love that is emotional, close, and visible is what the Lord asks from grace-energized mothers towards their children. Do your loved ones in your family feel your love?

Practice Ways toMake your Love Felt6
Grace-energized-mothers make sure their loved ones feel their love. To help them receive and be touched by your love, we can try to use those several key ingredients
that we see in both Christ’s and Paul’s ministry. These small choices always help us to communicate affirmation and encouragement. First, look at what Jesus did in Mark 10:16 when he blessed the children. He gathered them into His arms. Jesus was always touching those He ministered to. He could have healed them with a word, nine times in Mark alone Jesus touches those He served7. So should we! The act of touch is a key to communicating warmth and affirmation. It is even essential to physical health. Be generous with your hugs. Remember these ways we already learned from Christ’s training of His disciples and Paul’s training of Timothy?
1. So, like Jesus: Grace-energized-mothers love their children in a way that can be felt when they use meaningful touches with them. Second, do you remember reading through several verses in the epistles to Timothy, how Paul used tender and encouraging words to help his son in the faith Timothy? He doesn’t belittle him for his weaknesses and tears. We should always remember that hugs aren’t enough, we need like Paul to say as many encouraging and uplifting words as possible. Tell your children how you feel about them! Those who are left to fill in the blanks often feel worthless and insecure. At best, only confusion can come from silence. Far too many of us are really not that encouraging.

It’s not that we have a critical spirit. Rather, we just say nothing. Our loved ones are not mind readers. We can do better than just expecting them to know we are in their corner, loving and admiring them silently. They need to hear it! Grace-energized-mothers make an effort to catch them doing something good, right, thoughtful, considerate, well done, etc. and point it out. Highlight it! “Hey, you really handled that situation very well.” Just like Paul does as he communicates with Timothy.

2. So, like Paul: Grace-energized-mothers love their children in a way that can be felt when they prepare and use special words for them.
Thirdly, remember what we saw in Paul, how he told Timothy he had a “treasure” entrusted him; and that he was “gifted”; and that God was “going to use him”? Graceenergized-mothers tell their children the qualities you admire in them.

3. So, like Paul: Grace-energized-mothers love their children in a way that can be felt when they attach high value to them.
Fourthly, we saw that Paul told Timothy about a “crown” that was awaiting him as he ran the “race” set before him; and that the Lord was going to “reward” him. So we also should express to our children what God can do with them as they follow Him in their life. Grace-energized-mothers explain to their children how they can become the greatest servant of the Lord in what ever field God has gifted them. Explain why you think their gifts and character traits will be useful throughout their lives. Avoid the overuse of negative admonitions; use Biblical affirmations to inspire confident dependence upon God.

4. So, like Paul: Grace-energized-mothers love their children in a way that can be felt when they picture a bright future for them.
Fifthly, reaffirm your plan to stand by your loved one through the months and years ahead to help make your words of affirmation become a reality. Paul expressed this truth as he confessed that one of his greatest labors was remembering Timothy “night and days” (II Timothy 1:3). Express ways you want to be a deeper part of their life (monthly dates, weekly prayer studies, nightly prayer times, on going shared prayer list, etc.) Don’t quit as soon as you miss a scheduled time because of a conflict or your loved one hurts or discourages you, or your child fails in some area. What final words rang in Christ’s disciples ears from the “Great Commission”? For the rest of their life they heard Him say, “I am with YOU always!” I am walking through every day of your life with you in love, in concern, in partnership.

5. So, like Paul and Jesus: Grace-energized-mothers love their children in a way that can be felt when they make a commitment to walk through life with them. Sixthly, Grace-energized-mothers pray for their children, and let them know it. Start a life-long prayer list with specific areas that you have learned from them need prayer, and then PRAY. Ask for updates. Celebrate answers. Pray together. If you are not praying for them each day, who is? Regardless of their age, they need you to lift them up before the Lord in prayer each day. Think about their day. Think about their setting. Think about the people they will be with. Pray about these situations. We need all the help we can get, and much of what happens to us or to our children in this life is beyond our control. John 17 is Christ’s model prayer for us to treasure just as His disciples did back then as they heard Him pray for THEM.

6. So, like Jesus: Grace-energized-mothers love their children in a way that can be felt when they make a commitment to pray through life with them. Finally, Jesus started His ministry with the Twelve by one simple plan in Mark 3:14, “and He ordained 12 that they should be with Him”. Watch them, share their ups and downs; know where they are in their spiritual life, their school life, work life, home life. Find out who they are close to and who they are not close to—and why.
• Take an interest in whatever seems to interest your children. Get into his or her world.
• Be lovingly persistent in communicating with your children. That is, keep trying to set up times when meaningful communication can occur.
• Share activities. Go to the grocery store, try a family time camping together, or even just ask them to do what you are doing with you (cooking, yard work, running errands). It is always loving–to want them, include them, and ask for them to spend time with you.
• Take the initiative in asking your children questions. Have an endless learning time asking about what they think, what they feel, what they like or don’t like—and why. Learn their favorite flavor, favorite food, favorite activity, dreamed of place to go, and so much more. Write it down afterward to see what you remembered, and ask again until you do remember. Then surprise them with something they like!
• Listen to your children with full attention. Let her see your eyes light up when they talk to you.
• Meet their needs with love: a regular schedule of nutritious meals, clean clothes, clean bodies, adequate sleep and rest. Give them a heart that serves.
7. So, like Jesus: Grace-energized-mothers love their children in a way that can be felt when they become a student of their child’s life. And as we share in time with them we can add even more gifts:

 Give them a heart that rejoices and is filled with happiness. Psalm 113:9 describes a “joyful” mother.
 Give them a heart that gives like Christ’s (Mark 10:45): because love gives (John 3:16); because love is generous (II Cor. 9:6); because love expects nothing back (Luke 6:35).
 Give them a heart that plays and is full of fun.
 Give them a heart that celebrates all their special days (Matthew 5:41); and since we have to do all those things in the family, why not make them special!
 Give them a heart that prefers your family first (Titus 2:4 says they are your first priority).
 Give them a heart that is focused (Matthew 6:24).
 Give them a heart that is present and attentive (Psalm 119:10 ‘my whole heart’).
 Give them a heart that trusts in the Lord (Isaiah 26:3 ‘perfect peace…trusts’).8

Dorothy Patterson, one of the authors of Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, puts the issue into focus: “A mother builds something far more magnificent than any cathedral the dwelling place for an immortal soul…No professional pursuit so uniquely combines the most menial tasks with the most meaningful opportunities.”9

Practical Application Guide:
Here are just a few ways to work on to help your children know and feel your love.

Practice Blessing Your Children
So, tonight I want you to focus for a few minutes on giving an encouraging blessing to each member of your family.
Use this definition of the Greek word for “blessing” that we have been learning about. Plug in some genuine loving expressions of what you see that you can praise in their life. 2127 eulogeo is a verb used 44 times in the New Testament that means: “to praise [your loved one], to celebrate [them] with praises [that] invoke [God’s]
blessings and consecrate [your loved one] with solemn prayers [that] ask God’s blessing on [your loved one] to cause [them] to prosper, to make [them] happy,
to bestow blessings [that they be] favored by God.”10 Often we forget that strengths and weaknesses are just the two opposite ends of a characteristic we exhibit. For examples someone who is anxious and worries has just misdirected their meditation onto problems instead of blessings. There are so many character flaws that we can encourage the positive side in a person. Just as Peter was encouraged by Christ’s loving ministry so can we encourage prayerfully those we love. Here are a few of the two-ends of the same trait:

Positive Character	Negative Character
Alert and sociable	Overly curious, nosy
Sensitive	Touchy
Resourceful and creative	Manipulative
Thrify and stewardship minded	Stingy
Expressive and dramatic	Overly talkative
Enthusiastic, vivacious	Flighty
Sincere, earnest, with strong convictions	Too serious
Strong convictions and uncompromising	Bold and inflexible
Strong disciplines and convictions	Rigid
Confident and assured	overbearing
Creative and imaginative	Dreamer and distracted
Organized and efficient	Too fussy

Grace-Energized-Mothers Cultivate Spiritual Assets
A servant of God has their heart set on spiritual treasures and measures life by the acquisition of spiritual assets rather than merely physical assets. Do you keep track of your Spiritual Assets? Often we know our house value, our retirement investment value, the worth of our collections and treasures—but do you keep an inventory of spiritual assets? What are some of our spiritual assets?
These are things like:
 Knowing where your kid’s are reading in God’s Word so they remember when they grow up and leave home that you always cared how they were doing spiritually.
 Asking your husband or wife each week what they are finding in God’s Word that is helping them to make it through the day. And, actually remembering what they said the last time because you care. This is a spiritual treasure because it forges a strong bond in your hearts of a shared spiritual walk.
 Finding and learning scripture memory verses that you share in common with your loved ones are a spiritual treasure. Not hundreds or even dozens, but a handful that you all have learned and share in common. What a treasure to quote them around the living room when the power goes out, or an ice storm cancels church, or when you are traveling, to have this body of Scripture that you together as a couple and a family learned is a true spiritual treasure. Some of the more valuable passages are Psalm 23, the love chapter–I Corinthians 13, the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, and key verses on the tongue and faith in James.
 Collecting testimonies of salvation is a record of each person’s greatest treasure, isn’t it? The only thing that lasts forever from this world will be people and whatever we send up to Heaven before we leave. So, who are you taking to Heaven with you? Have you heard, understood, and savored the testimonies of your family? Can you tell your husband’s or wife’s testimony? How about your children? What an incredible treasure is our salvation. Take a spiritual inventory of
the status of each soul around you in those you love.
 Recording and remembering those spiritual milestones, have you started on this spiritual asset yet? Do you record your loved ones salvation date, baptism date, when they started the habit of personal devotional quiet times, what they are doing in that QT? Have you started yet to celebrate each other’s spiritual birthdays? Do you keep a record of, share and celebrate any souls led to Christ by you or by loved ones, and then uphold them by prayer? Who can your family say that you as a family are “taking to Heaven”?
 Finally, one of the great spiritual treasures is a lifelong prayer journal. Even if you’ve never started, it is never too late to start watching God at work through prayer. Any type of list will do, just date it, hold onto it, and be specific enough in your requests—and there you have it—an actual record of the God of Heaven moving in and through your life by prayer. A list of family needs, specific challenges, hurdles, obstacles, great goals, and so on are all prayed over. As well the verses for Christ’s formation in the lives of those you love are always such a tool. Just a sheet of paper, dated, written out and prayed over faithfully until it wears out and then a new one started will harvest great spiritual gains and treasures.

Grace-Energized-Mothers Cultivate Habits that Demonstrate their Love11
1. Mothers Energized by Grace love their children anyway. Yes I know you love them. Most of us parents adore our children — most of the time. Yet, some parents have a way of regularly communicating to their children that they do not measure up. I’m thinking now about the young girl who grew up in a family where she was seen as the dunce. Now as a young woman, she continues to experience the same from her family. Children need parents who will believe in them and no matter what will love them anyway.
2. Mothers Energized by Grace prepare their children for the battleground, not the playground. Some parents constantly buy their children toys, gadgets, candy,
McDonalds, etc. The kids then get into their high school years and the pampering continues. Only now, the toys are much more expensive. What does that  communicate to these children? Meanwhile, other parents prepare their children for life on the battleground where a spiritual battle is taking place. These parents realize that children need more than toys. They need to be equipped for life so that they will survive the difficulties and trials they will face.
3. Mothers Energized by Grace deal with their own issues. There are no perfect human beings. Yet, if you don’t deal with your own issues (your sins, your insecurities, your feelings of inadequacy, etc.), these can impact your children. They may end up having to deal with some of the very issues you would never grapple with.
4. Mothers Energized by Grace take every opportunity to remind them of who they are in Christ. They will, most likely, receive many false messages about their identity. They will be told that their worth is based upon their academic record, their physical attractiveness, their charm, their ability to make money, etc. You bless your children when you help them grow up with a sense of their real identity.
5. Mothers Energized by Grace bless your children by giving them you. Jesus called the 12 to spend time with Him (Mark 3:14) and that was the great expression of His love. So should we commit to spend time with those we love. There is no substitute for your presence in their lives. Your regular, consistent, emotional and physical presence means so much. I have known a few parents who seem to see their child as one more activity on the list of things to be done for the day. Yet one senses there is no real connection between parent and child. Being attentive and giving one-on-one time are priceless gifts to children.
6. Mothers Energized by Grace say only what communicates value, respect, and love. Choose to never say or do anything that will humiliate. Sometimes, families will tell embarrassing, humiliating, stories about their children. The child is embarrassed at this but then the parent says, “I’m just kidding.” (In other words, “Since I think this is funny, you shouldn’t let this bother you.”) Listen, we all do things in our families that are silly, stupid, mindless, careless, etc. I have found that it is much better for me to tell about something silly or stupid that I did — not my children. Children need to know that homes are safe places where one’s mistakes are not announced to the world.
7. Mothers Energized by Grace want to be their child’s greatest encourager. Far too many parents are really not that encouraging. It’s not that they have a critical spirit. Rather, they just say nothing. Children are not mind readers. We can do better than just expecting them to know we are in their corner. They need to hear it! Make an effort to catch them doing something good, right, thoughtful, considerate, well done, etc. and point it out. Highlight it! “Hey, you really handled that situation very well.”
8. Mothers Energized by Grace Give them what they need not what they want. Many of us are very busy people. We have a lot going on. So often, parents will feel guilty about how busy they are and so decide to give them a new “toy.” Yet, we do our children no favors when we give them most everything they want. The point is this: Too many children grow up getting all the things they want while little attention is given to what they really need. Think about what your children really need if they are going to make it in this difficult world as obedient children of a loving God.
9. Mothers Energized by Grace Give their children something to look forward to when they come home. Give them a beautiful home to look forward to. That’s home — not house. Anyone with enough money can build a beautiful house. Our children need beautiful homes. Homes that are filled with warmth, laughter, and love. Beautiful homes are places where children can catch a glimpse of the loving God in the love of their parents. These homes remind kids that no matter how bad the day is at school or with friends, they can always come home. For a Christian mother, another core responsibility is to care for her children. Children are to be a priority in her life. In many developed countries of the world today, an antibirth, anti-child mentality permeates society. Bible-believing Christians, however, must
affirm the paramount value of children and motherhood12. For a Christian mother, another core responsibility is to care for her children. Children are to be a priority in her life. In many developed countries of the world today, an anti- birth, anti-child mentality permeates society. Bible-believing Christians, however, must
affirm the paramount value of children and motherhood13. Always remember as you try to build these habits of love that quote from Dorothy Patterson, one of the authors of Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, who again puts this issue into focus: “A mother builds something far more magnificent than any cathedral the dwelling place for an immortal soul…No professional pursuit so uniquely combines the most menial tasks with the most meaningful opportunities.”14

 

1 Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1995.

2 John F. MacArthur, Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible, (Dallas: Word Publishing) 1997.

3 John F. MacArthur, Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible, (Dallas: Word Publishing) 1997.

4 MacArthur, John F., The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: I Corinthians 13:13, (Chicago: Moody Press) 1983.

5 From time to time it becomes so very hard to take care of children that a mom of any century in history no longer “feels” positive feelings towards her children. So how did God instruct Paul to prepare Christ’s church for these great social challenges and family pressures? Again, Titus 2 has the solution. God says that the way that tired, burned out, and depressed mothers get relief is from the faithful army of Titus 2 grace-energized role models.

6 These ideas are adapted from The Blessing (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1986, Nashville) and The Blessing Workbook (Thomas
Nelson Publishers, 1993, Nashville) by Gary Smalley and John Trent, Ph.D.

7 Mark 1:31; 1:41; 5:41; 6:5; 7:33; 8:23; 9:27; 9:36, and 10:16.

8 Adapted from Elizabeth George, A Woman after God’s Own Heart, Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1997, chapters 7, 10, and 11.

9 Dorothy Patterson, “The High Calling of Wife and Mother in Biblical Perspective,” in Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, 367.

10Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1995.

11 Posted by Jim Martin at January 16th, 2007 online at http://www.godhungry.org/?p=592

12 Alexander Strauch, Men and Women Equal Yet Different. Littleton, Colorado: Lewis and Roth Publishers, 1999, pp. 66-68.

13 Alexander Strauch, Men and Women Equal Yet Different. Littleton, Colorado: Lewis and Roth Publishers, 1999, pp. 66-68.

14 Dorothy Patterson, “The High Calling of Wife and Mother in Biblical Perspective,” in Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood,367.

Transcript

We’ve gathered this morning as Christ’s Church, much like His Church has gathered for 20 centuries. But if you think back, the Church of the first century was a much simpler, much more informal gathering.

If you think back, it was a group of people. They didn’t have church buildings. They weren’t allowed to possess, the Roman Empire wouldn’t allow them to purchase church buildings. So, they met either in a public place or they would meet in homes. Primarily they met in homes across the ancient world. And when they met without the distractions of all of the parking lots and auditoriums and where to park and how to get and making sure that they were there all of them at the same time. And all the things that we have nowadays with tapes and videos and classes and materials, and it just seems almost overwhelming to keep up sometimes. They just had a much simpler view. They came and dwelled by God’s Spirit, to learn from God’s Word, and basically, they all were being taught that they had a mission in life, and they just went through life living out that mission.

One of the first epistles written in the New Testament, and I want you to turn there for just a second, is 1 Thessalonians chapter four. And what we see here is the Apostle Paul in a busy seaport town, still the second largest city in the country of Greece. Then it was also a huge commercial hub called Thessalonica, today’s Solanki. In the first century, the Gospel penetrated this town, and the Apostle Paul was ministering there. And he gives us a little clue as to how he trained the church in 1 Thessalonians, the fourth chapter, the first verse. And I want to point out to you that when they met, they learned why they were there. Whenever they met for these early church meetings, they were, as Paul tells us in the tenses of this verse the way that the Holy Spirit had it captured for us on paper, this was his continuous, ongoing, ever-present desire. He was teaching them something and urging and exhorting them. They learned why they were there. Then they were taught what they were to share as Christ’s servants and then how they were to live. In other words, they were given, what we could say, a mission in life. And in that mission, they were given a message what they were supposed to say, and then they were taught a method that they were to live in the world that would accomplish that mission and enhance that message.

And so, it was a very simple thing. They could go away. They knew exactly what they were to do, not only right then at church, but all the way through the week when they went to work, as they lived in whatever part of town they lived in, or as they sailed off as a fisherman or as they sat working in some marketplace, they knew exactly not just what they were supposed to do for that little hour on Sunday morning or two, or however long they gathered, but what they were to do in between, they saw that what Christ was doing in their life encompassed their whole life. It was their mission, not just for an hour out of 168. But for all 168 hours of the week.

Now, our study of Titus two over these past few weeks has been examining that last one, the method that they were to live in. And I want you to see that in context. I want you to understand that the second chapter of Titus was all about the method that they were to penetrate the culture, not just the gifted evangelists, not just the apostolic band, not just those powerful missionaries that were going crisscrossing the world, but the everyday people.

What almost is getting lost in the church these days is that we have such high-powered organizations, such big mechanisms that I get emails all the time about how to reach a billion. Most people in the church don’t know how to reach one. And we’ve gotten so huge that the individual isn’t quite sure where they fit. And that method is so clear. We’re going get to that in a little while in Titus chapter two, the method that Christ commanded for them to reach their culture.

But before we get to that method, I want to show you that just like the first Century Church in 1 Thessalonians 4:1, we also have a mission. 1 Thessalonians 4:1. I want you to follow along as I read this and see what Christ’s mission is. Okay? First verse, finally then brethren, he’s gone on and on for three chapters, finally, brethren, we urge. Tense present active indicative, means a continuous, ongoing action. It wasn’t a one-time thing. He didn’t say, hey, think about this. He said, think about this. Think about this. I’m urging you. I’m urging. Did you catch on? I really want you to do this. That’s the idea. This continuous urging. We are continuously, presently urging you, and continuing in verse one, exhort. And it’s the same tense, the word parakaleó. He’s calling them to come alongside of them. He’s exhorting them not once, not just in the past continuously, he says, I am urging and exhorting you in the Lord Jesus, so this is only for believers, that you individuals should abound more and more just as you received from us how you ought, and here it is, to walk and to please God.

What can we get from that verse? Their mission in life. Paul went to the seaport village and Paul; his teaching involved a continuous urging and exhorting of the believers and Thessalonica to stay on track with their mission in life. What was that? To please God at every level of their life. He says, I am exhorting you. I am urging you. I’m not going to stop. I’m going continuously tell you God’s desire for you is not to come and do your little thing for an hour a week, but for all of your week, all of your life, wherever you are in Thessalonica, whatever business you’re involved in, whatever home that you are lodged in, whatever school you are attending, whatever your life consists of, I urge you, he said, I exhort you. This is your mission. The last few words, look down at verse one. You ought to walk and to please God at every level of your life.

Now it’s real interesting. This the word please, that word translate in English please, is a fascinating word in Greek areskó used 19 times in the New Testament. This is what it means. It means to please or to strive to please or, I love this level of the definition of this word, to accommodate oneself to the desires and interests of another. He says, you ought to be accommodating your whole life, not just Sunday morning, not just your Bible study, and not just your QT quiet time. You should be accommodating all of your life to the desires of God. You and I are supposed to be trying to please Him at every level of our life to be accommodating His desires for our life, in our marriage, in our home, in our parenting, in our work ethics, in our morals, if we are single, how our lives and our morals, if we’re married, our morals period, our purity, every part of life we are to be accommodating ourselves to the desires and interests of God.

Paul was continuously reminding them that they had a mission every day of their life, and that was to please God. So, if you haven’t ever done this you ought to put a little line around verse one and draw a little line up to where there’s some white on your margin and put “my mission pleasing God at every level”. Your mission in life. You should go away from here today. When you get in your car or on your motorcycle or you walk home, however you got here, and you go back, you should know you have a mission. And it transcends this building. This building is just a gathering spot. We’re glad we have it. When the government, if it ever takes it away from us, fine. We can still do our mission without this building, without this little property. We have a personal mission that corporately we encourage one another in, and that is that we are to be pleasing God at every level of life. Those people just knew what they were on Earth for, and they didn’t have any confusion, and so as they went through each day, they would think about their life today and each new day that we start, we should look at as launching out on a mission to please God. All through the day, all through the night, everywhere we are, in everything we do. That was the mission that mark the New Testament saints.

Now turn back to the book of Acts with me, chapter 20. Because on this mission they had in life, they also had a message that they were supposed to proclaim. They weren’t supposed to be silent. As soon as they knew what their mission was, as soon as they knew why they were on Earth, and as soon as they started doing that, pleasing God at every level, that would give them a platform for people to listen to them. I don’t know if you understand that what we do speaks so much louder than what we say and what we live in everyday life causes people either to say, boy, I sure don’t want to be around them or causes people to curiously wonder what makes us so different, what makes us how they would like to be. Maybe peaceful, maybe without guilt in our life, they see that, or maybe they see that we don’t need all the endless pursuit of bigger and bigger pleasures that we have a contentment, whatever it is. Maybe they see that we know we’re forgiven, but they, when they see us that way, want to hear our message. If that mission you, the best life there is. One that pleases God. Since God designed us, He designed our body to function best pleasing Him. And so, when we have problems and we’re grieved and stricken and guilty and anxious. We’re not pleasing God.

So, remember I always like what Swindoll says, anything that’s out of control in your life is not under God’s control. So, so any diet that’s out of control or any emotion that’s out of control or any anger or tongue or anything, any part of our body out of control isn’t under God’s control, we’re not trying to please Him with that part of our life.

So, once we get that mission down of pleasing God. Secondly, we find Paul also taught them that their message was simply the Gospel. Look at verse 24 of Acts 20, the Gospel of the grace of God. That message was simple. It was easy to remember. It was easy to repeat their mission. Pleasing God all the time, every part of life, not just on Sunday, not just on Wednesday at Awana, not just at the Bible study, not just when Christians are around pleasing God, get the mission down, then start engaging people with the message. The message is verse 24 of Acts 20, and this is how Paul summarized his message, he summarized it as the Gospel of grace. He’s speaking in verse 20, he says, but none of these things move me. Talking about everything that his life was facing. Paul was always in a difficult time, but he said, none of this trial and infliction, adversity, none of these things move me, nor do I count my life as dear to myself. I’m not here to please me. You see, he’s echoing this mission thing.

He said, my whole purpose in life is not to preserve my life. My whole purpose in life is not to clothe my body, that my life is contained in. He says, my whole purpose in life is not to get as much stuff to drag around through life, to carry through life, to protect, to worry about, and to show off. He said, that’s not my purpose. I don’t count my life dear to myself. He said, it’s not about me. My mission is to please God.

But look at this, so that I may finish, I’m right in the middle of verse 24, so that I may finish my race with joy. There’s a good way to know how much we’re supposed to have in life. You’re supposed to have as much stuff as you need in a race. That’s why people don’t run the race very well. They’ve got a trailer behind them. Can you imagine the Olympics whenever it comes around again, what is it, ’08 or something? To see them on the starting blocks with one of those little trailers, like behind a motorcycle attached to them. They take off and they’re pulling along the trailer. We’re going through a race. Paul says everything in life is conditioned by the fact that I’m in a race. Now, he says, we should have food, you should take care, and you should have a home. You should prepare for the future, but it’s all part of the race. And if it hinders and encumbers, then it’s a weight that should be cast off.

He had a very simple view of the Christian life. I want to finish my race with joy and the ministry which I receive from the Lord Jesus. See, this whole pleasing God thing was just big for him. And then he talks about his message, and this is his ministry, and this is the race to testify. It’s interesting to bear witness to stand as a beacon declaring the validity of. And then he gives the message. The Gospel of the grace of God. He summarized the whole thing. The people simply knew what their message was. It was a Gospel that embodied and described and portrayed and communicated the grace of God.

He continues, if you drop down to the 32nd verse. He says, so now brethren, I commend you to God and to the Word of His grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among those who are sanctified. He even describes the Bible as the Word of grace; that’s actually a description of the Word of God. The Gospel is in verse 24. It’s the Gospel of grace. It’s a description that is so true. Salvation is solely by God’s grace. Remember, Ephesians 2:8-9, for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It’s a gift of God. That is the message that we proclaim.

The message of the Gospel. Gospel means Good News about God’s grace, and it’s the Word of His grace. Verse 32. That’s our message. It’s the Scripture. It’s the record of God’s gracious dealings with mankind. It’s how we grow. It’s what we are supposed to be. Understanding this Book, it’s very simple. You kind of cut other things out of your life. Until you understand this, the Gospel, the Word of grace, and allow it to be ministering to your life and then allow it to flow out of you into the lives of others. Did you know people you have never met in your whole life can observe you? And God has put enough of His knowledge in this world and in their conscience that they can look at you and they can see that you have something they don’t have that’s from God, and they will. Often come seeking you out and asking you what is it about you?

I remember back when we were waiting for one of our children to be born, I thought I would spoil Bonnie. This is great man. You really want to spoil your expectant wife who was seven months along expectant? Take her on a backpack trip. That’s what I did with Bonnie. I said, honey, I just want to spoil you. Grandma and grandpa will take care of the kids. Let’s go backpacking. She said, where are we going? I said, oh, 14 countries in Europe. Come on. I said, we’ll sleep on the trains and just see the world. She said, okay, honey. Great response from her.

We wore one set of clothes. The other set was in our backpack. And that’s all we had, and our Bible, and we just crisscrossed, we went all over Europe. We would rent cars and ride the trains and sleep on the trains and everything. Needless to say, you didn’t hit a lot of laundromats. And so, after a while I looked a little weathered, she never did. She always looked like a fresh cut rose that was seven months along dragged around Europe. And I remember that we saved up our money, slept enough nights on the train, that we had enough money to stay in a real hotel and had a seven-foot-long bathtub, which she needed. She was so big at that time.

And I remember that we got all dressed up in our other set of clothes in the backpack and we went down to the restaurant and the restaurant I don’t think anything was on that menu that wasn’t less than $50. So, we thought we’d split something because it was a really nice hotel. And so, this was quite a few years ago. So, we sat all alone in that restaurant looking at the Alps, eating for two hours and talking and reading the Bible and rejoicing. And after two hours unknown to us, there had been someone else in the restaurant. This was in the winter off season, save money, and we were wanting to look at the Alps and someone else had been around the corner we hadn’t seen in this restaurant that we thought was empty, and they walked up to our table and those people we’d never seen before in our whole life, they were from a completely different socioeconomic class than we were. And they walked up to our table and stood, and we were having such a big talk that they had to go and we looked up. I looked up and went, whoa, are we in your table or what is this? Your hotel?

And they said, could we sit with you? Sure. So, they pulled out the chairs and sat with us and ask us to explain to them why we could sit, and they could watch us for two hours and we didn’t know they were watching. And they said, there’s one word that characterizes what we saw, and we would like you to explain to us why you are so tranquil, tranquil, quiet, peaceful. But the word they used was tranquility. And so, we had a blast sharing the Gospel. We had the Bible right there, and we shared the Gospel with a Persian princess.

Her name was Manisa Reza Shah Pahlavi. That’s a Sha of Iran’s daughter. That’s who that was. And her husband was the head of the common market central bank. They had more money; they had more stuff on them. She had a necklace that was ruby, emerald, diamond, and they were big as marbles all the way around. She clinked when she walked, he had gold on everything. He had gold on the edges of his shirt. He had gold on the edges of his cuffs. He had gold everywhere. If the poor guy got near water, he would’ve sunk. It just was they were crusty wealthy. And they were like that at this place. And we were in our backpack clothes with our Bible, and they saw one thing, not a church, not a denomination, not a sermon, they saw tranquility. You know what the blessing is? Shah’s sister lived in Santa Barbara. When I got done sharing this whole thing, they said, do you know anybody in Los Angeles that believes what you just told us? I said, yeah, the Grace Community Church of the Valley. They said, where’s that? We’re going to Santa Barbara. And I told them, right? 13248 Roscoe Boulevard, Sun Valley. And they wrote me a note on this, boy, that paper was something too, and they wrote me a note, and they said, we are going to hear more about this.

Did you know that we have a message? That if we realize our mission in life and stop dragging around the trailer of everything that’s going hinder us, and we start living a life that shows without. What did St. Francis say? Preach the Gospel everywhere you go, and when needed, open your mouth. Think about that. We should be living in such a way that people take note of us that we belong to Jesus Christ. And then when we get the platform, that we get them to listen, we share the Gospel of His grace. That’s the second thing.

We have a message, and we have a wonderful mission in life, but the message of grace, that God did everything possible to be done for salvation and that anyone can come to Him merely by faith seems impossible. As Paul said, it sounds foolish. 1 Corinthians 1:18. Remember, he says the foolishness of the Gospel we preach, but the message of the Gospel of grace summarized by the Cross of Christ is what we share. And God assures us that by His grace, He gives us the strength or He energizes us to do all that pleases Him making the Gospel the greatest message of all. But how exactly were all these people that were coming to Christ in Thessalonica and Crete and everything else? How were they supposed to learn to live? In a way that embodied the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

That takes us to Titus chapter two. So now turn there. You don’t have to turn anywhere else, and we’re going read it in just a minute. Because men and women saved out of the world, how were they to reach back into the world? They were saved out of? How were they to live on a daily basis that would make their lives redemptive? If we’re supposed to redeem the time, if we’re supposed to have a redemptive life, if we’re supposed to live in such a way that, that it pleases God and if He gives us His grace and energizes us to live that mission in life of pleasing Him and to share that message of His grace, what method did God choose to accomplish, not just Paul being able to do this?

See the question of the New Testament, Paul was doing it. Okay? You got it? He got it. Jesus met with him personally. Paul personally met with Titus. So, Titus really got it. But I don’t think any of us here have met personally with Jesus or Paul or Titus lately. We get the Holy Spirit communicating to us through His Word. And so, what they set up was a method to train the people coming to Christ in the Church to have maximum impact wherever they were? You don’t have to be up here in this wonderful teaching desk that one of the gifted men in our church built for me because I needed more room. You don’t have to be up here to minister. You can do it at TCC or at TU at OU or when Union starts back up or at home, or up at American or at some Citco building or you can do it downtown or you can do it working wherever you work. What’s the method? That’s what Titus two is all about.

The most amazing part of all this is what the Lord is doing is accomplishing His plan by a method spelled out In Titus two. Paul summarized that method as believers energized by God’s grace to live in a way that would, by all other means, be impossible. And that’s what makes it so powerful. Only energized by God’s grace can you live this way. And the grace energized life of Titus two is a roadmap for anyone who wants their life to count. It’s God’s pathway of disciplines to choose every day in the power of the Spirit of grace armed with the message of grace. God says, this is My method.

That’s not what we would think. It’s not memorizing some high-powered evangelistic presentation. Do you know what His method was for everybody? For the rank and file? His method was that they live an extraordinary life. That they live like their life is not out of control. That they live like their lives are not just in this ready to explode at any moment mode, but they live a life that displays his grace, laying hold of their lives. And that roadmap, that method, God’s plan to work in the world by His Church, is described in Titus two.

In fact, Christ Church may be described as a group of people energized by grace, doing the impossible for the glory of God. And the verses of this chapter were a call to 1st century men and women, and they were a method that was to be passed on from generation to generation, from believer to believer throughout the ages of the Church, whether the church was simple meeting in homes, or whether it’s more formal and complex meeting here.

The same method is super cultural. It transcends time and space and geography. And it was a simple training in how to live in a way that would catch the attention of a world that’s falling apart. And the world is still falling apart. It was falling apart. It’s falling apart today. And when grace energizes us, we want to deny ungodliness. The world doesn’t know how to deny ungodliness. They know how to overcome a chemical dependence with another chemical, but they don’t know how to deny the root cause of it in their heart. They don’t know how to overcome anger and wrath and malice and bitterness and evil speaking. They don’t know how to overcome lust that they’ve built all their life and are so big that they consume them. They don’t understand, but we do.

And energized by grace, we learn as Titus 2:11-14 says, to deny ungodliness. And when God’s grace engages us and teaches us to deny ungodliness, we begin to mortify lust in any form. And we want to live our life day by day and step by step in a way that pleases God. That’s our mission. You can’t really give out the message of Christ when your life is speaking louder than your words, when your life is out of control, why would they be interested in coming under Christ’s control if you’re under Christ’s control?

One of the famous skeptics of Christianity said, it’s not Christ that bothers me, it’s all of His agents, Christians. He said, they bother me. He said, I wish I could see Christ. Titus two is how people can see Christ in us in our daily lives. When the Gospel of Jesus Christ entered the Roman world of the New Testament, the landscape was so bleak. Christ Church was born into a sin- warped society. Men and women warped by sin were gloriously saved, but that salvation did not automatically make them wonderful. Wives and mothers, husbands and fathers, or children, but God, when they came to Christ and were forgiven, graciously gave them everything they needed to become Godly mothers, wives, husbands, fathers. But they needed to be trained in how to express that in daily life. They had the knowledge, they had the power, they just didn’t know how to do it. And that’s what the Titus 2 model is, that those who know the Lord come alongside those who are just coming to know the Lord or have known the Lord and aren’t yet following Him and actually walk through a bit of life together with them mentoring. Or you might call it discipling, or you might call it modeling, or you might just call it informally encouraging someone in one part of their life following Christ.

Titus Two describes how God works in the life of a believer. When we were saved in the Gospel of grace began in our lives. The evidence is seen in the sanctification process. Grace always teaches genuine believers how to say no to sin, but when God gets to pick a curriculum for those who are saying no to sin, what does He choose to teach them? He teaches them what it says in Titus two. And what we’re going read is the 12 characteristics of a grace energized woman. It’s in Titus two and it’s in verses three, four, and five. And we’re at the seventh one, which is the last line of verse four. But I’d like to read all of them with you, and I would like you to see how God’s plan has not changed. 2,000 years ago, the Lord told men and women just what he wanted to see in their lives, and that’s what He’s still looking for. Today we are in the midst of looking at the way God designed for women to most magnify and glorify Him in their everyday lives. Let’s listen to His voice through His Word.

We’re going to read Titus 2:3-5 and then look at how we should obey and respond. Titus 2:3, the older women, and by the way, I can’t even read that without thinking in the power of God’s grace because it’s impossible for older women to behave this way. So, I always think in the context of this chapter, grace energized older women, likewise, verse three, that they be number one, reverend in behavior. We saw that a few weeks ago. Act like you’re a priestess of God. Not slanders, secondly, never surrendering your tongue to give evil reports and slander and be devilish. Not given to much wine, having nothing that you’re in bondage to, whether it be wine or money, or shopping or what you look like. Number four, focusing your life on teachers of good things. That’s the end of verse 3. A grace, energized woman wants to teach good things, and that’s a consuming desire for heart.

Verse four, the fifth one, that they admonish the young women. So as teachers, they have a target. They want to come alongside the younger women. And then here’s what they’re supposed to teach. The younger women, number one, to love their husbands. And if you’re a younger woman and you’ve never had a godly woman who is happily married and walking in the Spirit, sit down alongside of you and teach you how to love your husband better, then you ought to be looking for one. You ought to be pulling, if you have little children, if they want something, what do they do? They pull. They tug. They tug. I can always feel this, and I look around and I see this little face down there and they go, yes, what would you like? And they tell me. You ought to be going around tugging on some older women. And if they don’t have time to do this, then you need to ask them to read verse three and say, I thought you were called to do this. And then tug on them and say, could you teach me how to love my husband?

One of the greatest blessings this week, I got a little card in the mail from someone, a real quiet, diminutive, smiling, little person out there that just sits out there, and smiles and they wrote, and they said, do you know what I have written in my Bible? They said, you said, and I don’t remember when, but you said, this is how you’re supposed to love your husband, and when I get married, I’m going do these five things. And they rattled off the outline from some Sunday in the last few weeks. Maybe it was Mother’s Day, I don’t know. And they said, I heard that. And when I get married, I’m going do that now. See, that’s the joy you could have as an older woman in the faith if you mark that in your Bible and pull the younger woman alongside you and said that if you want to be a godly woman, you should make your schedule around your husband and your home ought to be a priority. And you ought to look at how you can spoil him because he is out there facing a lot, and you can have the greatest impact on your witness in this world by loving your husband.

Number two, loving their children. Verse five. That’s by the way, that’s the seventh one. We’re on that this morning. If we ever get to it, verse five, to be discreet. These younger women are to be discreet. They are to be chaste. Now, most of them want to be C-H-A-S-E-D not C-H-A-S-T-E. There’s a big difference. Go to the theaters in the mall and you see a bunch of girls that want boys to in a sexual way, C-H-A-S-E, them. And let me tell you, that is exactly opposite of what God wants. And so, the younger women. Who the whole world is telling them that their whole thing in life is to look as salivating, desirous to as many men as possible and get as many men focused on their body as they can tell ’em, Hey, that’s not right. God wants you to be C-H-A-S-T-E and let me show you from the Bible what that means.

Next homemakers, younger women are to know how to be a homemaker. Number six, good, and finally, obedient to their own husband. Actually, the word is andrás, their own man. The man that they focus on obedient to him. Why? Why? That sounds so barbaric and so Stone Age, and so you know, awful. Why? The end of verse five. One simple reason that the Word of God, God says, I’m saying this to you. And if you are a Christian, you hear My voice this is what I want and if you don’t do this and if it’s not what you want, then My Word will be blasphemed. And no godly believer wants their life, their action, their behavior to blaspheme God. So, God says, these are the 12 characteristics of a grace, energized woman.

Let’s bow before Him in prayer and then spend the last few minutes applying this. Father in Heaven, I thank you that the Church was so simple at the beginning. Paul continuously begged, urged, exhorted constantly the people in their mission in life so simple. It was to please God, to want to please You, to defer to Your priorities and desires for our lives. Simple mission in life. Get up every day and say, what can I most do and say, and live like today that will please God. Don’t need a lot of notebooks, don’t need a lot of tapes and videos to get it. It’s just Your Spirit bringing Your Word before my heart and in step-by-step showing me how to please You and when I don’t how to confess and forsake and enjoy your cleansing. Oh, what a simple mission and what a beautiful message. The Gospel of Your grace, the Gospel that gives us a new beginning every time we come in simple confession of our sins, before You turning from our sins, You give us a fresh start. Every moment, every day, clean and pure, the Gospel of Your grace.

You’ve done everything that ever needs to be done, and all we have to do is respond and obey and love You. And then the method that we are to see these godly characteristics and we’re to make sure they’re in our lives and that we are headed that direction, then grab someone and pull them along with us, and to spend our lives seeing how many people we can influence for godliness. Oh, I pray that Your Church would re-look at what they’re living for and to look at life as a mission of pleasing You. And the message is the Gospel of grace and that the method is to bring people along with us in the Church and walking together pleasing You and especially learning to love husbands and children because we love You. Teach us, I pray, move in our hearts, use us for Your glory. In the name of Jesus, we pray.

Grace energized lives follow the Titus 2 model. When Paul got down to everyday life, look at the end of verse four, he said, at the end of verse four, if you’re energized by grace, you will love your children. Now, I’ve spent two or three weeks describing this. In fact, someone described it to me. They said, you’re in neutral. I said, really neutral. Boy, I like that. That’s a good description. And I said I’m like Peter. Then Peter says, I want to stir you up by way of reminder. And so, I’d like to remind you, what does God say will last forever from all the endless and mostly unseen work that a wife and mother does every day. The deeds that are offered in obedience of the Lord produced by grace energized love.

If you’re a godly woman and if you’re married and if you have children, then the bulk of your life, the vast majority of your life is not going to be in consumed in commentaries and Greek word studies. The way you serve God is not in having the thickest Bible study notebook and know the most Bible facts and doctrine. It’s living out the doctrine, loving your husband and your children, and when God has you stand before Him, when He looks at that segment of your life, your marriage, and your time that you had children, He’s going to judge you not on the size of your Bible study notebook, but on the amount of the love that you and obedience expressed to your husband and to your children. That’s basically the bottom line of this. Our gifts, our ministries all one day will cease to exist because they will cease to have purpose or meaning, but our showing of love in the context of Titus two to our husbands and children and practicing that love and living that love now are of utmost importance. More important than having any of the other virtues or gifts. Because love is the link God gives us with his eternal self.

You know who said that? I just read it. I read it right out of a page of a friend of mine who was commenting on this verse, and that friend of mine who was my pastor for five years, who trained me. I agree with him that all the other stuff is going to someday cease, but showing love and in the context here to your husband and your children is most important. I hope you realize that the key to grace energize lives, marriages, and families is love.

And so, it says in verse four, love your children, grace energized mothers. Make sure that their loved ones feel their love. You can’t just show it. You have to make sure that it’s communicated. Remember, communication is creating understanding in someone. You just don’t talk. You make sure they understand. You don’t just say, I love you. Make sure that they feel that love.

How do people feel love? Turn to Mark chapter 10. Let me just give you a quick review because in Mark 10, in verse 16, look what Jesus did when Jesus interacted with children. What’s His model? Now, Jesus, what He did so much that the whole world couldn’t contain it John said. But what is important is written down. So instead of wondering what isn’t in the Bible, we should focus on what is. And it is very clear whenever you see Jesus involved with children, you see a common element. And the common element is in Mark 10:16, when Jesus blessed the children. He gathered them into his arms. Jesus was always touching those He ministered to. He could have healed them with a word, but nine times in Mark’s Gospel alone, Jesus touches those He served. So should we.

The act of touch is a key to communicating warmth and affection. It’s even essential to physical health. Nowadays the hospitals are hiring and some of the rehab centers are hiring people just to be around, just to be near others. There seems to be something needed by a human being to have others around expressing love, as it says in Proverbs that merry spirit gives health to our bones. And sometimes when people aren’t feeling that they can see at least that love communicated through other people. Jesus communicated that love. Be generous with your hugs. Remember the ways we already learned from Christ’s training of his disciples and Paul’s training of Timothy. So like Jesus, grace energized mothers, love their children in a way that can be felt when they use meaningful touches with them. That’s the conclusion we learned.

Secondly, do you remember reading through all the verses? Remember we went on a little journey through Paul’s epistle, his two epistles to Timothy? In those epistles, those letters, Paul uses tender and encouraging words to help his son in the faith. You can’t find any harsh criticism of Timothy in those two epistles. You find Paul very gently, very tenderly, very encouragingly speaking to his son. He doesn’t belittle him for his weaknesses and tears. We should always remember that hugs aren’t enough. We need, like Paul, to say as many encouraging and uplifting words as possible, tell your children how you feel about them. Those who are left to fill in the blanks often feel worthless and insecure because their love is never expressed in words they hear.

Maybe all night long you’re washing their clothes, and, in the morning, you say, I’m tired because I’ve washed your clothes because I love you. Boy, that they would rather be a native and not wear clothes after that comment than to be told as Paul did tenderly. At best, only confusion can come from silence. Far too many of us are really not that encouraging. It’s not that we have a critical spirit. It’s rather we don’t say anything. Our loved ones are not mind readers. We can do a better job than expecting them to know that we’re in their corner, loving and admiring them silently.

They need to hear from us that love and grace energize mothers make an effort to catch their children doing something good, right, thoughtful or considerate, well done, and point it out and highlight it and say, hey, you really handled that situation well. Just like Paul does. He pointed out what Timothy did well. He says, hey, wow, you did, oh, you did great, and we need to work on this, but boy, you did great on that, and we need to.

Secondly, like Paul Grace, energized mothers love their children in a way that can be felt when they prepare and used special words for them. Paul sat down and from his heart, guided by the Spirit of God, wrote these very special and encouraging words to Timothy. He prepared them and sent them and on a human level, they were sent to encourage his son in the faith.

Thirdly, remember what we saw in Paul, how he told Timothy that he had a treasure. Remember, we went through this, spent about 50 minutes. He was gifted, that God was going use him. Grace energized mothers tell their children the qualities they admire in them. In fact, like Paul, a grace energized mother will love her children in a way that can be felt when they attach high value to them. When they say, I see you’re really great at that. Did you know it’s good to be really great at something other than preaching and memorizing verses? It’s good to be great at other things too, and God has gifted people. Aren’t you glad that there are people that know how to fix things and people that know how to make things and people that know how to grow things and people that know how to ship things and people that know how to build things, and you can admire. The wonderful grace of God that he has surrounded us with a world that’s so marvelous and people that are so intricate and differently gifted.

I was sitting at lunch with someone, in fact, I was 10 minutes late to lunch with someone last week and I said, I’m sorry I’m late. And they went, oh, I didn’t even notice. They said, I was analyzing how poorly this restaurant is laid out. I said what? They said, oh, it’s just not, flowing in the right pattern. I thought, what a mind? I just eat. I don’t analyze it. The water is on the wrong side and the people have to walk by the water, go back and get the glass, and then bump everybody and go back and get the water. But that’s how they’re wired. I’m so glad for that. Did you know they help a lot of people see things they could never see. Your children might have different wiring than you. You ought to find out how they’re wired and you ought to encourage them and say, I see that you are great at destroying things. You ought to start a wrecking company or something like that. Just point out something good about them.

Fourthly, we see that Paul told Timothy about a crown that was awaiting him as he ran the race set before him. The Lord was going reward him. So, we should express to our children what God can do with their life if they’ll follow Him. Not only did Paul admire Timothy’s work, he talked about his reward, potential reward. And so grace, energized mothers explain to their children how they can become the greatest servant of the Lord in whatever field God gives them, explain what you think their gifts and character traits that will be useful throughout their life are, avoid the overuse of negative admonitions, use biblical affirmations, inspire them to confidently follow the Lord. So like Paul grace energized mothers love their children in a way that can be felt as they picture a bright future for them. You tell ’em all their life, you’re going be a failure and they probably will, right?

In fact, yesterday I was talking to Bonnie, she says oh, I always remember my something grade teacher because she really taught me grammar. I says, yeah, that eighth grade. I don’t remember the grammar, but what I remember is my teacher said, you know what? You’ll really, and she just, one of the most encouraging things, I have never forgotten that. I mean that, remember when they used to have those buns? They pulled back so far, their eyes were wide, and their hair was like this, and those funny little glasses. And she just was like that. She always had a perpetual pulled back smile. And she says, you are really, and she said something really kind. I always have remembered that the rest of my life. Do you imagine what your children will remember if you give them in the love of Christ? A great picture, a great future.

Finally, and look at 2 Timothy 1:3, and this is where we’re going have to end.  2 Timothy 1:3 is another element of how Paul, and by the way, you might ask yourself,  2 Timothy 1:3, you might say, how can Paul model how grace energized mothers are to be? Ah, have you ever read his letter to the Thessalonians? He said, I was to you as a nursing mother. How do you like that? And also, he said, I was like a father. But Paul said, I am embodied the best elements of both fathers and mothers in my treatment of you. So, Paul would be a great example of what a grace energized mother’s like.

But this last element. Fifthly, and if you’re taking notes, this is number five. Reaffirm your plan to stand by your loved one throughout the months and years ahead to help make your words of affirmation become a reality. Paul expressed this truth as he confessed that one of his greatest labors was remembering Timothy.

Look at 2 Timothy 1:3, he says, I remember you day and night. Now he specifically remembered him in prayer, but you can’t pray for someone you don’t even remember. Right? You know what he was saying to him? He said, I want you to know that I’m going to be a deep part of your life. You’re not going, even though I’m out of sight, you are not out of mind, and I hope I’m not out of mind for you. He said, I want to be a part of your life. Even though I’m off here in jail, at the end of my life, I, night and day, think about you. A little lesson about that grace energized mother’s express ways. They want to be a deeper part of the life of their children. They can express that by setting a monthly date with them, having a weekly prayer time with them, having a nightly prayer time with them, having an ongoing shared prayer list with them and not quitting as soon as you miss one of your scheduled times because of a conflict schedule, or because your child hurts or discourages you or fails you in some way.

What final words do you think the disciples always remembered of Christ in his great commission? Yeah. I’ll go into all the world and preach the Gospel. They knew that. What was the last thing Jesus said, and, lo, what? I am with you always. That’s how He ended this deal. He says, you know what I told you’re going do great things and I’m going give you strength and you’re going do even greater things than I did. But you know what? I’m committed to walk with you all the way through your life. That’s the last element. Like Paul and Jesus, grace energized mothers love their children in a way that can be felt when they make a commitment to walk through life with them. Say, you know what? We’ll have a different relationship. I’m your mother. Now when you get saved, I’ll be your sister in Christ. But you know what we’re going be for your whole lifetime friends and I’m going pray for you. I’m going to seek to know as much as I can about you. I’m going to track your life. I’m going to share encouraging words. I’m going see God do the great things I always saw Him at work doing in your life.

That’s a way a mother’s love can be felt. Now it starts by backing up and making a choice to prepare special words for them to use meaningful touches with them, to attach high value to them, to picture a bright future for them, but then commit to walk through life with them. Paul said, hey, I’m going to be thinking of you night and day till he chopped my head off. Wow. You think Timothy treasured that letter from Paul and remembered the love of that father? And that nursing mother that Paul was to him. That’s how we’re supposed to teach the younger women to love their children.

Let’s bow for word of prayer. Father in Heaven, I thank You for the wonder that Your Gospel penetrated that pagan, secular godless society of the first century. It did it because the people knew that they had a simple mission in life, please You. They had a very simple message that they repeated and repeated, and that was the Gospel, the grace of God. And then they had a method to live a life that was impossible. It was grace energized mentoring of the character that You, God, want to see in us.

And I pray that. That simple list, those 12-character qualities in Titus 2, 3, 4, and 5, would become the marching orders for every born-again woman of any age in this Church. And that they would understand those verses and want to know them and more than knowledge they would want to experience them and that some of the younger women would go tugging on the lives of the older women and some of the older women would chase after some of the younger women. And that we would see the women of every age of your Church living grace energized lives for the glory of God.

And I pray that husbands and children would feel that impossible love that is shed abroad in mothers and wives hearts by your Holy Spirit, and Lord, for anybody that’s here in this gathering of believers that doesn’t have Your grace, they don’t know the Gospel that You once and for all paid the price to forgive and cleanse and start them in a brand new life, that they would say yes to You, today. They would reach out to You and cry out for Your forgiveness and salvation and that they would receive the gift of eternal life. For by grace we can be saved through faith and that not of ourselves receiving the gift of God. Which is eternal life in Jesus Christ. May Your Word not be soon forgotten, but lived out in our lives and we’ll, thank You. In the precious name of Jesus, we pray.

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