“Where To Invest” – Each Other – Titus 2

How many of you have NEVER been pulled over by law enforcement?  I’ll have to admit that I cannot raise my hand to that question.  I have been pulled over a couple of times.  Okay, I’ve been pulled over several times.  Alright, alright I have been pulled over quite a few…let’s just say lots of times.  In fact, I have been pulled over by every type of law enforcement in every type of vehicle including one guy who wasn’t even in his vehicle.  I’ve been pulled over by cars, trucks, motorcycles, a bicycle, a guy on rollerblades and even a firetruck.  No kidding.  Anybody else ever been pulled over by a firetruck? 

They were almost always for speeding.  Not always but almost and I have had more than my share of tickets.  I’ve never been to jail but I’ve had lots of speeding tickets.  I have always loved to drive and for most of my life, I have wanted to drive fast.  I still want to but now I don’t.  Do you know why I don’t drive fast anymore?  I finally learned.  It finally sunk in.  Speeding tickets are expensive.  That’s what it took for me to learn.

Thank you, Lord, that I didn’t have to learn by having a wreck or by running over somebody or some other horrible way.  It took me a long time but I finally learned that speeding is dangerous and not worth it.  So, looking back, I am thankful to every officer…or fireman who ever pulled me over because that is what it took for me to learn.

We all need to be taught things as we go through this life and so we all need somebody to teach us.  Once we have learned what we need to learn, we can look back and be grateful for those who taught us even though it might have been painful at times.  Do you know who is better at teaching a lesson than law enforcement?  Almost anybody else!  I appreciate that they do what they do and especially here lately I want to show them my appreciation.  Maybe we, as a church, can do something to show them but we will talk about that later tonight.

For this morning, I want us to see that it is not law enforcement’s responsibility to teach us most things.  We shouldn’t rely on the government to tell us what is right and wrong.  We sure shouldn’t be listening to people outside the church telling us how things should be done in the church.  The Bible is our guide and we should be teaching each other.  In fact, I want us to see today that there are blessings to be had in this life and the next when we as a church invest in each other and teach each other how we should live as individuals and as a church.

We are continuing to look at what the Bible says about investing.  Not investing money in this world to make more money in this world but investing our time, talent and treasure for rewards in eternity.  There is nothing wrong with investing money to make more money up to the point we start to store it and hoard it.  In Matthew 6, Jesus says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

We talked a few weeks ago about investing in the church and the eternal rewards of that.  Today we will narrow the focus a little bit to see how we are to invest in each other as a church and we will see those benefits.  Turn to the little book of Titus, way in the back of your Bible.  It’s with some other books that start with a “t”.  Thessalonians, then Timothy and then Titus.  It’s just before Philemon but if you are looking for Philemon, you’ll never find it.  Philemon is even shorter.

Titus chapter 2 will be our text today.  It’s not real long but it gives specific instructions on how people in the church should live and how they are to be taught those things.  It is not written by Titus but it’s a letter to Titus from his friend Paul who is modeling just what he is telling Titus to do.  Paul is teaching Titus.  Paul, the older, more experienced man is teaching and discipling the younger Titus and he is doing it in a way that is encouraging but specific and also giving him the benefits of doing it.

Let’s read Titus 2:1-15.  You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. ² Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.  ³ Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴ Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.  ⁶ Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. ⁷ In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸ and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.  ⁹ Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, ¹⁰ and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.  ¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. ¹² It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³ while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.  ¹⁵ These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

How many teachers do we have here today?  Well, that depends on what we mean by “teacher”, doesn’t it?  If I mean how many paid school teachers do we have, we might not have many.  But when you think about it, all of us are teachers in some way.  Every one of us, from the youngest to the oldest is at one time or another a teacher.  We all have something to teach somebody else. 

Paul is teaching Titus how things should be in the church; that the older men should teach the younger men and the older women should teach the younger women and so on.  It sounds a whole lot like something we emphasize quite a bit around here and that is discipleship.  Do you remember our definition of a disciple?  A disciple is one who learns from Jesus and then teaches and encourages others with what they have learned.  Just like you don’t have to be a paid school teacher to teach, you don’t have to be a Bible study leader to teach someone about the Bible.  You just have to learn something and then share what you have learned.

I think I’ve told most of you before about going to Nicaragua a few years ago and trying to teach an English class.  I was holding up a white sheet of paper and just saying “white” over and over again.  But one older lady just couldn’t get it.  She kept saying “wi-yet”.  So I got down close to her and repeated it several times until I actually heard myself.  I was the one saying “wi-yet” like the redneck that I am and she was saying it just like I was.  So, in English, I apologized to her and told her to just go to Texas and she would be fine.  I don’t think she got much out of that class.

Have you ever been taught the wrong thing?  Maybe you are the one who was teaching the wrong thing.  No good teacher would ever do that on purpose but it sometimes happens.  How do we know what we are supposed to teach?  How do we know that it is the truth and the right thing to teach?

2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”  I can see that the Bible is true because of what the Old Testament says and the prophecies that have come true.  I know it is truth because of how the New Testament relates to the Old and how it relates to my life.  I know the Bible to be true.

So when this passage says to teach what is in accord with sound doctrine it means to teach God’s Word.  The word doctrine means something that is taught.  Well that could be anything but that word “sound” means uncorrupt or whole.  It means to teach the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  That’s what we have in the Bible.  Sometimes it’s painful or hard or difficult to understand why but we still have to teach it.

Unless you are a Catholic, evidently.  I say that because the Pope came out with a document earlier this year that says that church doctrine cannot be the final word in answering tricky moral questions and that Catholics must be guided by their own informed consciences.  He said, and I quote, “We have been called to form consciences, not to replace them.”  Star Telegram April 9, 2016

So, in other words, what the Pope is saying is that when scripture gets hard to follow, then just do what you think is right.  Just do what your conscience tells you to do because that is what we have been called to do.  Really?  Where does he get that because that is not truth?  Yes, God has given us a conscience.  Paul refers to his conscience being good or clear because it lined up with sound doctrine from the scripture.  It never replaces scripture but it can and should be in accord with it.

2 Timothy 2 says, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound doctrine, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”  Romans 16 says, “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the doctrine you have learned. Keep away from them. ¹⁸ For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.”

We have a responsibility to teach and we teach what we know and we teach what we know is truth.  Nothing more, nothing less.  When we do that I want us to see the benefits.  I’m not going to spend any time on what Paul tells each group to teach the other.  It’s obvious what it means and it is basic scriptural knowledge so I want to move on for the sake of time and for our emphasis on the eternal rewards of investing in each other as we teach each other the truths that we know.

To sum up so far, we know that we are all supposed to teach.  That doesn’t mean we all teach a Sunday School class but it could mean that for you.  It does mean that we all teach somebody.  We are all at different levels of understanding of the Gospel so we can all find something to teach and encourage others with.  It most definitely means that we are to mentor and be mentored.  A good mentor knows when to speak and what to speak about but also knows when to listen.  Be that person for somebody but also let somebody be that person for you.

I’m not going to lecture you on how to be a good mentor but I do know three things about it that should be obvious but are often overlooked.  First, you have to speak truth, as we have been talking about.  Secondly, it requires deep listening to know where the other person is coming from.  Lastly, you have to show up.

Those may sound obvious but if you want to be biblical; if you want to do what Titus 2 tells you to do and be who you are supposed to be for the rest of the church then you have to make those connections and you make those connections by being here.  I hate to tell you but it is going to require that you be here more than just Sunday mornings too.  You can’t invest from a distance.  You don’t get interest on money that is not in your account.

But when you do make that investment, or really, those investments, then you will see benefits.  You will see those investments grow and gain interest and bless you in this life and in the next.  Look at verses 11-12.  Look at them close.  For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. ¹² It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…”  Stop right there for a minute.

Paul has told Titus what to teach and who should teach who and then he starts to give the motivation.  Do you see it?  God’s grace.  He says it teaches us.  God actually invests in us with His grace.  He invests His grace in us and that grace actually teaches us.  The book of Galatians refers to the Old Testament Law as a teacher or a schoolmaster, leading us ultimately to Jesus.  But all it could do is teach.  It couldn’t save.  No one can keep all the Law so no one can be saved by the Law.

But do you see the good news (Good News) that Paul talks about here?  He says that grace offers salvation AND it teaches us.  Dwight L. Moody loved to study the Bible topically, and it occurred to him one day that he had never studied the subject of grace. Setting aside a day, Moody gave himself to the study of God’s grace. But a second day was required. Even on the third day Moody had not finished his task.

By the late afternoon of the third day, however, Moody was so filled with his subject that he had to go out on the street and talk to somebody about it. Stopping a complete stranger, Moody said, “My friend, do you know anything about grace?”  Surprised at the question, the man replied, “Grace who?” “Why,” Moody responded, “the grace of God that brings salvation.”

John Newton was the man who wrote, “Amazing Grace.”  He said, “When I was young I was sure of many things; there are only two things of which I am sure now: one is, that I am a miserable sinner; and the other, that Jesus Christ is an all-sufficient Savior.”  (Both illustrations from Steve Shepherd sermon) 

So, we are blessed in this life when God invests His grace in us as we invest our lives in others by teaching them what we know to be true.  Every one of us is showered by God’s grace every day.  Every breath we take and every revolution of our car’s tires and every day we wake up, that is God’s grace but I don’t know about you but I need more.  I want more of God’s grace.  I sure don’t want His justice.  I want grace!

I want His grace in my work, my home, my friends and family.  I’m not smart enough or wise enough to do anything on my own.  I need His grace and He wants to invest His grace in us when we do what Paul told Titus to do so many years ago.  Be a mentor.  Be a disciple.  Teach truth to someone and look what it says in verse 13.  Do all these things as we wait for the blessed hope.

His grace brings us hope and do you see what kind of hope?  “Blessed” hope.  Remember last week when we talked about what that word means from Psalm 1?  Here it is again.  Same word.  It means not just a little bit happy but really happy, really joyful, really blessed with three exclamation points and a smiley face and remember the song you are supposed to sing when you see that word?  “We Are The Champions!”  Yes!

We are the champions because of God’s amazing grace that He invests in us when we teach and mentor others with what we know to be true.  Verse 15: “These then are the things you should teach.”  Teach the truth and God will invest in you for eternity.  But that starts with a relationship with Him.  Admit today that you are a sinner and take hold of God’s grace and ask for forgiveness of that sin as you repent - turn away - from that sin, never to do it again.  Do it today.