Sermon - Advent Midweek 2 - 2021 - Titus 2

Luther Making Music in the Circle of His Family, Gustav Spangenberg, 1875

Last week we discussed how the problems of our time, just like the problems on Crete, are resolved through the Word of God. It’s typical for us to focus solely on solving problems through political action and giving away a lot of money, but that rarely ever solves anything. Instead, the problems around us are spiritual problems, and they must be addressed as such.

Why do we have the problems we have today? St. Paul answered that question when he concluded the first chapter, saying: “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” When the Word of God is contradicted through our works, when we don’t live according to God’s Word, our world becomes filled with problems.

So what solution does St. Paul give? “As for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.” But how in the world is that going to solve our multitude of problems? “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.” In short: The grace of God trains us to renounce worldly passions, and to live godly lives in the present age.

The Gospel changes lives now. We like to focus on the fact that Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins so that we will go to heaven when we die. It’s good to focus on that because that’s the main point! The forgiveness of our sins is huge! Going to heaven is the goal! Nevertheless, that’s not the only thing that the Gospel does. The Gospel changes lives now.

The grace of God has appeared in Jesus Christ, from the virgin birth to the cross and resurrection, this brings salvation for all people. The grace of God not only brings eternal salvation, but it also trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions. It trains us to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age. The reason our lives are changed now is because He has given Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness. Jesus died so that we would no longer live in our sin. His death upon the cross was the ransom price paid to buy us back from our slavery to sin.

No longer do we belong to Satan and our worldly passions. Instead, when Jesus bought us, He cleansed us with His blood. He purified “for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works.” We don’t belong to Satan and our worldly passions, but we belong to Jesus so that we live self-controlled, righteous, and pious lives right now. The fact that we Christians are saved means that our lives are transformed already while here on earth.

All of that transformation of our lives is delivered to us through the Word of God. The forgiveness won for us through Jesus causes us to live differently. This is how God’s Word actually changes the world and our lives right now. Like I mentioned last week, this change starts with us in our hearts and our households. Instead of thinking about D.C., Des Moines, or even our little town, we’re applying the Word of God primarily to the home. 

This is precisely what St. Paul does in this chapter: he applies the Gospel to the household. He instructs older men, older women, young women, young men, and slaves to live pious lives right where they are. What we read here in the scriptures applies to us Christians still today, so let’s examine how we can apply these things to our lives.

“Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.” Sober meaning both not getting drunk, but especially meaning having a clear mind. Dignified, meaning worthy of respect,not acting like a foolish child. Self-controlled, meaning sensible, not making hasty and irrational decisions. Sound in faith, love, and endurance; meaning older men are to be spiritually healthy by trusting in God, loving God and their neighbor, and patiently enduring suffering for the sake of others without panicking and inducing others to panic. Through these virtues, the old men ought to be the balance-wheel of every congregation and community. Men are to be the heads, but if they’re drunk, childish, irrational, and have no faith, love, and endurance, the whole body flounders.

“Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good.” Reverent in behavior, meaning conducting yourself in a way that is fitting for holy women and believers. Not a slanderer, meaning avoiding idle gossip and spreading rumors about others, rather building up and encouraging one another. Like the older men are to be sober-mind, so the older women aren’t to be addicted to much wine. The reason is that older women have a vital role to play in teaching what is good to the young women, and teaching requires a sober mind. 

“Train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” Here it’s interesting that the Greek language actually has words specifically for a wife loving her husband and a mother loving her kids. These kinds of love are so significant and notable that there are words for a wife loving her husband and a mother loving her kids.

 Working at home, or in other words a homemaker, one who keeps the home in working order. Remember, the changes necessary in our world to fix our problems start in the home, which means that the work of a young woman to be a wife and a mother in the home are of incredible value and essential to solving our problems. A society that places higher value on the paycheck a wife brings to the family, than on what she does for her family at home, will experience the countless problems we have in our society. The proverbs 31 woman is a description of a wife of noble character, and while she may work outside the home, it stresses her greater importance as a homemaker.

Submissive to her husband, not to demean her, rather because this is the work given her by God. And in so doing, she is herself a visible symbol and reminder of the church’s submission to Christ and reception of God’s grace through Jesus. 

“Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.” It’s fascinating that just one virtue is urged upon young men. Perhaps it has to do with the extreme impulsiveness and excitability characteristic of young men, that the most necessary thing for a young man is to focus on one thing and slow down. He is to be sensible and use reasoned judgements, so that in time he can mature to full-manhood.

“Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.” Now we may not have slaves, so to speak of, in our nation. But we do have many people who are functionally slaves, people who live in debt and labor for very little pay. Or simply people who are employees, they work for another and depend on them for their wages. Here we learn such workers are to be submissive to their boss, a pleasant worker and not always anklebitting, faithfully working without stealing or taking advantage of the boss.

Whether we’re old men, old women, young women, young men, or employees, God has called us to be self-controlled, righteous, and pious in all that we do. We are to be zealous for good works in the home, and in so doing the world around us will be changed just as we are. Others will see our good works and so learn to glorify God who has brought to us salvation and redeemed us from worldly passions. So have hope and don’t be discouraged. God may still change this world, and to do so He will work through you and your everyday ordinary good works to bring about His good will.