Sermon Tone Analysis

Titus 2:1-6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2004

Children Need Love

 

Salimbene, a thirteenth-century historian, wrote this about the attempt of King Frederick II to raise children without maternal affection: He wanted to find out what kind of speech children would have when they grew up if they spoke to no one beforehand.

So he bade foster mothers and nurses to suckle the children, to bathe and wash them but in no way to prattle with them, or to speak to them, for he wanted to learn whether they would speak the Hebrew language, which was the oldest, or Greek, or Latin, or Arabic, or perhaps the language of their parents, of whom they had been born.

But he labored in vain, because the children all died.

For they could not live without the petting and joyful faces and loving words of their foster mothers.

*/No one can care for children like their mum./*

Since today is Mother’s Day I thought we might look at on the important role mums play in society.

Motherhood is not given the honor or recognition that it deserves.

The media has warped today’s society regarding the true worth of mothers.

Today we will look at the role of Mothers, or as Titus puts it the role of older women and younger women.

1.

Older Women

 

*Titus 2:1, 3:* /But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: That the older women likewise, be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things/

 

Paul commands Titus to instruct the various age groups in the Church concerning holy living.

The words */sound doctrine/* mean */healthy, whole/*.

Titus was */commanded/* to teach these things in Church.*/

/*Paul picks up on */2 areas/* that the older women must pay attention to; */Their Conduct and Their Conversation.

/*

 

/a.

Their Conduct /

*/ /*

*/Firstly, /*Paul starts with a positive requirement,*/ Reverent Behavior.

/*The word*/ likewise joins /*the virtues mentioned before./

ie sobriety, gravity, temperance, soundness in the faith, charity, and patience./

These virtues recommended to aged men are applicable to both sexes, and to be looked to by aged women as well as men.

Paul adds a couple more qualities to these.

/Firstly,* reverence.*/

The word*/ reverent /**ἱεροπρεπής**, *means, */holy, worthy of reverence,/* */suitable for what is sacred.

/*It describes Christian women who have grown in holiness as they have aged.

Not giddy women whose thoughts are centered on frivolous matters!

*/Older ladies show they are obedient to sound doctrine when they practice reverent behavior./*

*/ /*

*/Secondly, /*Paul gives a warning,*/ Not Given To Much Wine.

/*Sound doctrine includes positive and negative instruction.

The older women must be temperate in their use of wine.

They should not be slaves to drink.

In fact, they should not become enslaved by any food, beverage, or medicine.

One of the fruit of the Spirit is */self control/*.

Titus was told to take the matter of alcohol usage very seriously.

The command to be temperate or sober is repeated often in these few verses.

This requirement is just as relevant today in the Church.

Drunkenness never enhances the Christian faith.

*Ephesians 5:18:* /Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life.

Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.

/NLT

*/ /*

/b.

Their Conversation*  */

 

*/Firstly, /*Paul gives a warning to the older women; they must */not be Slanderers.

/*/Our words have power to build up or to tear down.*

*/The word*/ slanderer, /**διάβολος**,**/ /*means to*/ accuse falsely.

/*On all but 3 occasions it is translated*/ devil /*in the New Testament*/.

/*Here*/ in /*Titus*/ /*it refers to someone doing the devil’s work.

Paul warns ladies against picking up gossip and spreading it around.

It is an apt word because malicious gossip is diabolical in its source and character.

Drunkenness and slander were real possibilities for women whose families were grown and who may have had too much idle time on their hands.

The tongue is a powerful tool for evil or good.

/ /

*/Secondly, /*Paul gives a positive requirement;*/ Teachers Of Good Things, /**καλοδιδάσκαλος**/. /*Rather than slander, (doing the devil’s work), older women were to teach good things to other women (doing the Lord’s work).

*/ /*In verse 3 Paul makes a case for a special ministry in the church; older women teaching and counseling other women.

Women know and understand other women better than men.

Every woman needs another woman to confide in.

Older women can edify other women with their words.

/Could there be better place for this to happen than in the church?

/

/ /

Mothers Make Preachers

 

Campbell Morgan says: My dedication to the preaching of the Word was maternal.

Mother never told it to the baby or the boy, but waited.

When but eight years old I preached to my little sister and to her dolls arrayed in orderly form before me.

My sermons were Bible stories which I had first heard from my mother.

/ /

*/Of course/*/ f*or older women to teach other women they must first be practicing sound doctrine themselves.

*/She should be a maturing, praying, trusting, godly Christian.

Older ladies can share the things that God has taught them over the years.

They can pass on what they have learnt by experience.

Their counsel can help younger ladies to avoid some of the mistakes that they made.

/Where can the older women exercise this teaching ministry?

Ladies Bible Studies, Scripture Classes in School or Church, Mothers Playgroups, Women’s Counseling, Crafts Groups; and many other places I am sure.

But primarily in the home.

/Who can measure the potential of such a ministry!

Application

 

Sisters can I encourage you to teach the younger ladies.

They need your counsel, wisdom and support.

/Will you encourage your daughters and grandchildren?

Will you make yourself available to other young women who are looking for someone to mentor them?/

Young ladies can I encourage you to seek the counsel of godly ladies in the fellowship.

/Their advice is invaluable./

/Will you be teachable?/

/Will you learn from their experiences?/

2. Younger Women

 

The older women teach the younger.

The word */admonish,/* *σωφρονίζω**, *means*/ to cause to be of sound mind,/ /to advise, to encourage, /**/to instruct in prudence or behavior that is becoming and shows good judgment./*

Remember, Paul said /to speak the things which are proper for good doctrine /in verse 1.

The godly older women have the responsibility of teaching the younger women how to be successful wives, mothers, and housekeepers.

This is sound doctrine.

The younger women have the responsibility of listening and obeying.

Paul majors on 3 things that young women must do; */Loving, Discerning, and Working./*

These focus on family life.

*/a.

Loving/*

 

*2:4:* /that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children./

*/Firstly,/* wives must */love,/* *φίλανδρος* their husbands.

This word primarily speaks of affection.

Husbands need to be loved by their wives.

The greatest priority in a home should be love.

If a wife loves her husband and her children, she is well on the way to making the marriage and the home a success.