Sermon Tone Analysis

*The Essential Ministry of Older Men and Older Women (Titus 2:1-3)*

* */Preached by Pastor Phil Layton at Gold Country Baptist Church on July 20, 2008/

www.goldcountrybaptist.org

I want to begin with a series of questions:

1. Do we believe in the role of women in ministry?

2. Does God call women to be ministers?

3. Does God want women in the church to be teaching?

The answer to each of these 3 questions is /absolutely yes!/ Now that I’ve got your attention, before you cheer or jeery -- stay with me and please turn to Titus 2 where I’ll seek to show you what I mean, and what God’s Word means when it speaks on this important matter.

As you’re turning to Titus 2, let me remind you that the Greek word translated “ministry” (/diakonia/) is not a technical term for “clergy.”

In fact, its first occurrence in the NT speaks of *Martha* in ministry to Jesus, serving him practical things (Luke 10:40).

It’s the same exact word translated “service” in many places and is used of what all the saints do, male~/female, young~/old, including the serving of widows in Acts 6 that we looked at last month.

The noun form sometimes translated “minister” is the same exact word that is translated “servant” (/diakonos/) referring to faithful believers, including women like *Phoebe* in Romans 16:1.

The early church had women “ministers” (/diakonos/) who helped minister mercy to other women and the poor and needy in the body, and who counseled, mentored, and /taught younger women and children./

If you think of “minister” as a clerical-ized, professionalized title and a synonym for pastor and only for pastor - that’s actually a modern invention that is unhelpful and unbiblical

 

We may have some people new to our church, who this is new to, and I would encourage you to go to our church website, click on “Read Sermons” and read the message dated 3~/9~/2008 on how “Glorifying God by Every Member in Ministry.”

But for today, let’s look at the ministry that God lays down in Titus 2 for men and women, young and old, in the body of Christ.

We’re not talking about exercising authority over men or being an elder (which Titus 1 limits to a few godly men).

We’re not talking about pastoral or preaching ministry, but this is a ministry (/diakonia/).

There is an essential practical ministry for older men and older women in the church of Jesus Christ.

Here’s how it looks:

\\ 1 But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.

2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.

3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, *teaching what is good*, 4 *so that they may encourage the young women* to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 /to be /sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, *so that the word of God will not be dishonored.*

6 *Likewise urge the young men* to be sensible; 7 in *all things show yourself to be an example* of good deeds, /with /purity in doctrine, dignified, 8 sound /in /speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

The title of our message today is “The Essential Ministry of Older Men and Older Women in the Church” and if I were to sum up what that essential ministry would be in 2 words, they would be:

*#1 MODELING (v.

2)*

*#2 MENTORING (v.

3)*     

* *

*#1 - Modeling* is summarized in verse 7 where Paul writes “in all things show yourself an example” and through verse 8 he talks about the character traits and lifestyle example of a mature believer.

Vss.

2-3 also speak of godly traits that are to be modeled by the older to the younger, so this whole passage is bracketed like bookends by this idea as its main theme.

It’s not enough for the elders to speak things in accordance with sound doctrine as verse 1 says, and which /chapter/ 1 has a lot to say about.

There is an essential ministry for YOU, young and old, male and female.

This passage begins discussing older believers, but those of you who are younger can’t tune out – the whole point is that this model is for YOU and you must follow!

And keep in mind that younger believers also have a responsibility to model these things as well.

 

1 Timothy 4:12 (NASB95)

12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but /rather /in speech, conduct, love, faith /and /purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.

So all Christians are to be examples and are to model godliness in growing measure in what we say and how we live, our actions and even our attitudes are to be a living sermon.

Verse 15 says we are to take pains with and be absorbed with the things Paul discusses in this chapter “so that your progress will be evident to all.”

Christians of course, are not perfect, but there should be observable /progress/ in our life.

It should be evident to all around us that the Holy Spirit is progressing us, sanctifying us.

Others should be able to discern evidences of grace in us, and evidences of growth in the fruit of the Spirit, and we should seek to encourage others where see such evidence, and praise God for what He is doing in others.

That’s where the Blessed Assurance comes from that we sung of.

I pray you know this assurance because of your faith in Christ.

If not, I pray you will come to Christ today to repent.

Now back in Titus 2:1 Paul begins with a contrast “But as for you” – if you have the NIV, unfortunately it doesn’t at all bring out the contrast which is emphatic and one scholar considers this the hinge of the whole epistle.

Unlike the character of the ungodly church-goers in 1:10-16 who profess knowledge of God but don’t possess it, whose lifestyles prove what they really believe, who need to be rebuked to be sound in the faith (as v. 13 says), Paul writes in 2:1 “But as for *you* *[emphatic in Greek]*, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine” (sound = healthy, wholesome) 

 

There’s plenty of unhealthy thinking patterns and false doctrine and bad theology and bad living out there, BUT YOU need to speak things consistent with sound doctrine (v. 1) /and live a life consistent with sound doctrine/ (v. 2 through rest of chapter).

The word translated “speak” is not the usual word for “teach” or “preach” or “proclaim” that Paul elsewhere commands pastors to do, this is a word for everyday speaking, including informal settings.

Paul is now moving from the essential public ministry of elders to the essential practical ministry of all the others.

Elder leadership does not at all contradict congregational involvement and ministry – both are essential or a church is weak and withering

 

Don’t think for a moment that because we are an elder-led church (most regular monthly affairs and decisions of the church are handled by elders and whatever they delegate to the deacons), that there’s not a place for you to serve.

Titus 2 won’t let you get away!

In verse 2, the first group of people Paul addresses is “older men.”

This is a term of respect in the Bible, not derogatory or negative.

Both the Old and New Testaments teach that older men and women, whether believers or not, are to be treated with special respect and consideration by those who are younger.

Many cultures outside America to this day /do still honor the older generation/, and we as believers need to do all we can to honor the older among us.

God’s Law commands: “You shall rise up before the gray-headed, and honor the aged” (Lev.

19:32; cf.

Prov.

16:31).

And here, God’s Word in Titus 2 calls on the older ones to live in /an honorable way/

 

*The natural question that comes up is: who are the older men?*

This Greek word /presb*u*tes /can be translated as elderly or senior, and its root word is related to the word for elder in chapter 1 which had connotations of maturity rather than a magic number (the word for “elder” – /presbuteros /– was used by some religious Jews in this era for leaders age 30 or older, so it didn’t necessarily mean someone at the end of life).

Philo, a Jewish writer who lived close to NT times, used this Greek word translated “older man” in Titus 2:2 to refer to men aged 49 to 56, and he quotes Hippocrates the famous physician from the classical Greek era who used the word for a similar age range, which some translated as “middle age.”[1]

Irenaeus the church father said one was young until the age of 40,[2] but since scripture doesn’t give us a number, I think it’s better to just stick with the words “older” and “younger,” bearing in mind that Paul may also have /spiritual maturity /in view, rather than just chronological years or a precise age range.

Few of you like to admit that you’re “older,” but most all of you are “older” than others (physically and~/or spiritually) and all of you in this room have people who are older than you or more mature in the Lord, and this term “older” can be used relatively.

So perhaps some of you could be an “older man” to someone in this church who you can help disciple, and at the same time you have someone older than you in the faith who can help disciple you.

You are not so spiritually mature that you can’t have a mature believer disciple you, and if you’re /unwilling/ to humble yourself to seek and do that, you /especially/ need someone to disciple and challenge you!

Physical age and spiritual maturity should go together as Titus 2:2 spells out, but Paul had to write this verse because it doesn’t always.

It /should be/ that all older men are also automatically mature, but unfortunately that’s not always the case.

We have a world filling with people who have never truly grown up and TV sitcoms may make it look funny, but it’s actually sad.

And spiritually we also have people that have been around the church many years but are very spiritually immature.

Paul had to rebuke the Corinthians for being like that – may he not rebuke us!

Others go /downhill/ as they age - “grumpy old men” or “grumpier old men” (or women for that matter).

You’re to be /godly old men/ and women and all can be /godlier old men/ and women.

 

2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.

3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine,

 

One writer has said well that our advancing “years ought to bring, not an increasing *in*tolerance, but an increasing tolerance and sympathy for the views and with the mistakes of others.”[3]

The wise and godly man Job said it this way: “Wisdom is with aged men, [and] with long life is understanding” (Job 12:12).

But as another writer has pointed out, other factors can kick in:

‘Increased age typically brings decreased energy, diminished vision and hearing, more aches and pains, and often more depression, hopelessness, and cynicism.

In the last chapter of Ecclesiastes [a wise old man said this], “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, ‘I have no delight in them’; before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men stoop” ...

As [you] grow older, change can become harder to accept.

Life can become less fulfilling, less satisfying, and more disillusioning.

It is easy to become a creature of habit, and the longer a habit is practiced, the more deeply entrenched and formidable it becomes.

Besetting sins can become such an integral part of daily living that they cease to be recognized as sins at all.

For a Christian, however, old age should bring greater love for God, for the people of God, and for the sacred things of God.

Those who have walked with Christ for many years should rejoice in that privilege and in the prospect of one day seeing Him face to face.

A church should value and honor those who have spent many years in fellowship with the Lord, in the study of His Word, and in service to and through His church.[4]

As a side note, I personally have a strong antipathy against the trend in many churches for having a “young people” worship service and an “older person” service with radically different styles when it separates the older generation from the younger.

My concern is not primarily over which worship-style preference is better, my concern and my conviction is precisely for this non-negotiable truth in Titus 2 that calls for integration between young and old, not separation or segregation.

We don’t want to segregate churches by race, why would we do it by age?

Let’s never elevate our preferences above preaching or this principle!

While both generations need to be flexible, my generation needs to honor and learn from the older /more/.

My dream and prayer is having /one service/ someday in our new sanctuary and that the Lord will provide the hundreds of thousands of $$ needed somehow to make that possible in the years ahead.

The more interaction between younger and older, the better, according to God in Titus 2.

 

One pastor articulated it this way:

 

‘The older have wisdom and experience to impart to the younger.

The younger have idealism, energy, and enthusiasm that can encourage

the older.

Yes, having the older and younger together, whether in the