Church Members responsibility to a faith confession

We'll get even if you have your Bibles with you, please open them to the Book of Titus. Titus. We'll be focusing on Titus chapter two, but will survey the entire letter this evening. My assignment is to address the issue of a church member's responsibility to the covenant or to the confession, sorry to the confession. We understand that churches have confessions of faith. Churches identify themselves by their confession of faith, that the elders and leaders of churches are are held to teaching in accordance with that confession, that leadership positions are given to those who are exemplary in both holding to and instructing in that confession. But what about what about members of the church in general? Is there anything more required of us than just agree to be part of the church it holds to such a confession, And I believe that there is. Confessions are incredibly useful for a number of reasons, not the least of which is they help us to get a handle on things. I remember coming to faith and hearing Seth's testimony earlier. I was incredibly encouraged by it. More kind of as almost a proud father of one of our ACU students. But I was also encouraged by it because in this journey that Seth went through, there was a wonderful foundation that had been laid before he got to that place. He had grown up hearing things and not necessarily putting those things together, and that can be and well was a traumatic experience. But for me, for those of you who know me, that was not my experience. I didn't grow up in church. I didn't grow up around Christians or Christianity. I never heard the Gospel until I got to university. I had no idea. My mother was a practicing Buddhist, so that was the religion that I knew. And I remember coming to faith in university, and after coming to faith, recognizing that I was supposed to read the Bible, But I know, where do you start? It's not chronological? How is it put together? I think somehow I had figured out that there was the left side of the book, on the right side of the book right the Old Testament and the New Testament. That I didn't know much more than that, and so you know, what do you do? So I had the bright idea that I would just find out how everything turns out. So the first book that I read in its entirety was Revelation. I don't recommend that. It didn't take me long to figure out that that probably wasn't where I should have started, But you know, I was, I was, I was in So I continued, and the things got worse before they got better. And I remember talking to friends and Christian friends and just sort of asking, what what do I do with this? I mean, the Bible is, it's big, There's a lot here. What do I do? Where do I Where do I start? How do I even know? Because I'm reading things here that are referencing things elsewhere, right, and I don't even know where the things are that they're referencing. And so get the Bible with across references, and then I'm reading here and I'm reading over there, and I'm trying to read these cross references, and that wasn't working for It was very difficult until somebody sort of sat down and helped me to get a basic theological framework, change everything to just get a basic historical framework and a basic theological framework. Now all of a sudden, because again, even if you just start at the beginning, right, I made the mistake of starting at the end and that that was not good. Others of you have made a mistake or just starting at the beginning thinking you would just plow through and that was great. Right, you get the Genesis and there's you know, creation, and then there's the Fall, and then you know the flood, and then you got Joseph and his brothers and you know, and all this good stuff, and then you come to Exodus. It's like, wow, Exodus, and we got the bat kidding the Pharaoh and the Red Sea and all this good stuff, and then all of a sudden Tabernac and that's so exciting anymore. And then you if you plow your way through Exodus like a good soldier, you are rewarded with Leviticus. And most of us just quit or go join some legalistic cult, right, because we have no idea what to do with that. So again, it's helpful to have some sort of historical and some sort of theological framework, and a confession of faith serves as that framework for us, so that as we're reading in the scriptures, we have some ideas to hang our hat on, to hang our thoughts on, if you will. And I don't say this just out of my experience, I think that's what we find clearly when we read the Biblical texts, and even here in Titus, you have people who say, well, you know, no creed but Christ, no confession but the Bible we talked about earlier, that earlier this morning, right, And that sounds good, It sounds super spiritual, right, you people with your creeds and confessions, these things are man made. No for me, no creed but Christ. No confession but the Bible. Well, the Bible, like I said, is really big. But not only that. If you say, no confession but the Bible. And then I come and I say, okay, well over in Maccabees or think no, no, no, no, no, no no no, that's not that's not part of the sixty six books of the Bible. Well wait a minute, wait a minute. You said you have no confession but the Bible. And then when I start talking about what I think to be Bible. Let's say, if I'm a Roman Catholic, you now say that's not Bible. Doesn't that mean that you do have a confession because you must first make a confessional statement about what actually constitutes the Bible. Huh, Well, okay, maybe just that right, No confession, but the Bible and my confession about what constitutes the Bible. Okay, fine, let's go to your other one. No Creed but Christ. Right. So now you have a Muslim, a Mormon, and that Jehovah's Witness who want to come and join your fellowship. All of them believe in Jesus Christ. Yes, but what we believe about Jesus is different than what they believe about Jesus. I don't look now, but you're making a confession again, a summarized statement about what you mean when you say Jesus Christ. Summarized statement about what you mean when you say the Bible. That's what our confessions are. And the world that's called Truman notes is not divided. The Christian world is not divided between those who have confessions and those who do not. It's divided between those whose confessions are public and open to scrutiny, and those who are liars or self deceivers who say they don't have a confession, when in fact they do. They just don't make it public until you get sideways with them and then they spring it on you. But they do have a confession, and it's biblical to have a confession. Let's just look at Titus, who just kind of survey Titus a little bit here Titus Chapter one, verse one. Again, we're going to concentrate on chapter two for our message tonight as we talk about this applying this to church members. But first I have to make this point from a broad strokes you of the book of Titus, we read Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth which accords with Godliness. The faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth with truth which accords with Godness. We've talked about this before that it's important to note that Paul here is not talking about their faith in the whole Bible and the whole of Revelation. But Paul here is being very specific about a body of doctrine. He makes it clear. Look at verse two in Hope of eternal Life, which God who never lies, promised before the ages began, and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the com Man of God, our Savior. By the way Paul's preaching was doctrinal preaching. Paul didn't just stand up open at the Book of Genesis and start reading until he ran out of time and then pick up the next week reading wherever he was. No His preaching was doctrinal in nature. In other words, he took the whole of scripture and he was boiling it down to the essence of the gospel and central themes. He talks about it in two Timothy. This pattern of sound words that you've heard from me, that pattern of sound words is not the whole of the Bible. It is a succinct summary of the essential doctrines that we find in the Bible. Not only do we see this here, but when you look throughout the Book of Titus, you see that it's all about this teaching. This faith in the truth that accords with godliness. That's the faith in the truth that accords with godliness, not just faith in all the information that we find, but specifically faith in the truth that accords with godliness. Or another way that he puts it is sound doctrine. Faith in the truth that accords with godliness or sound doctrine. Now, the next thing that he does, and the next paragraph is talk about elders. He says, Titus has to appoint elders. And what does he do when he talks about appointing elders. First, in verses five through eight, he talks about their godliness. They have to have godliness well. Then in verse nine he talks about their faith in the truth, which is what produces that godliness. Look at verse nine. He must hold firm to the He must hold firm to the trust worthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and be able to refute those who contradict it. So he starts off with his calling from God, which results in what teaching. Now he talks about the calling of these elders, which results in what at teaching, and this teaching, which accords with sound doctrine. In the very next paragraph, he makes a contrast between the elder whose life is marked by godliness because of the sound doctrine to which he holds and teaches, and now he looks at a group of people who are the opposite of that. Look in verse ten, for there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. The circumcision party. These are the judaizers, specifically those who are arguing that you had to become a Jew first before you became a Christian, and they were wandering off into legalism. They weren't holding the sound doctrine. Look at verse eleven. They must be silenced since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain that which they ought not to teach. In other words, their doctrine is wrong. But not only is their doctrine wrong, look at verse thirteen. Testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in faith, remember, faith in the truth that leads to godliness. He starts here with rebuking them because they're not sound in faith. Well, then look in verse fourteen, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. Well, we've seen faith, we've seen truth. The next thing we ought to see is godliness. Right, Well, first, they lack proper faith because they lack proper truth. So what we should be about to read is them lacking in godliness, not because they're not trying hard enough, but because their faith and their truth is wrong. You can't have right godliness if you don't have right faith and truth. And remember sound talking about our confessional statements here. So the next verse, look at verse sixteen for example, they profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for good works, which is another way to talk about godliness. Their faith is wrong, their truth is wrong, so their godliness is wrong. And then in chapter two, what does he do again? He goes back to teaching. So he starts with his teaching as the apostle, rooted and grounded in his faith in the truth that leads to godliness and calls him to a ministry of teaching. Then he says a point, elders first find men of godliness and then look at their faith and the truth that they teach to see if they're qualified. Then there's the contrast with those who contradict this doctrine and have to be rebuked because they have wrong faith, wrong truth would leads to a lack of godliness and then being unfit for good works. Now we get to our chapter chapter two. First, I want you to see again that there's teaching beginning middle and end of chapter two refer to teaching this sound doctrine chapter two, verse one. But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine verse seven. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works. And in your teaching, show integrity, dignity, sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame having nothing to say about us. Notice what he does there, Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good words. That's what godliness. Godliness results from what faith in the right truth doctrine sound doctrine. So right after being a model of good words, he says, in your teaching, show integrity, dignity, there's the sound doctrine. Now go to the end of chapter two, and what do you find in chapter two, verse fifteen. Declare these things exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you. Declare what things the sound doctrine. That is the pattern of the entire letter. Paul says, I'm writing this to you in my authority and capacity as an apostle, and because of my commitment to faith in the truth that leads to godliness. And therefore I teach I want you to appoint elders who are godly, and out of their godliness they teach. In chapter two, I want you to teach and then be a model of the godliness that you are teaching. And then at the end of the chapter, Oh, by the way, don't stop teaching. Teaching what sound doctrine, not just everything that there is sound doctrine. Now, I give you that survey in order to make the point that the entire letter is about this idea of sound doctrine, this body of doctrine. And this is not the only place where Paul does this. In two Timothy, for example, he talks about this pattern of sound words and even gives in tewod Timothy chapter two and verse eight this sort of many doctrinal statement, and then after that a canonical hymn. You find doctrinal statements and hymns. They're obviously written in meter, they're meant to be hymns, and one of them here in verse eight. Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead, the offspring, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel. That is a quick summary. If you want to broader summary, go to First Corinthians, chapter fifteen, one Corinthians, chapter fifteen, and this is an important summary. Ver Corinthians, chapter fifteen, and he writes, now I would remind you, brothers of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and which you stand by, which you are being saved. If you hold fast the word I preach to you, unless you believed in vain word everything, every word that you ever said. No, he's going to give a summary. Look at verse three, for I delivered to you as of first importance. That phrase as of first importance. There are things of first importance. Amen, it's all good, it's all important, But there are some things that are considered things of first importance. And then he gives us a summary. I delivered to you as a first importance. What I also received, that Christ died for our sins and accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day accordance with the scriptures, And that he appeared to Cephis or Peter, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me again. This is a summary statement, a summary of the Gospel. And you find statements like this, summary statements and canonical hymns throughout the New Testament, giving us pattern of sound words, giving us the idea that it's important to summarize doctrine. And that's all a confession is. A confession is a summary of doctrine. Because the Bible is really big, Amen, and there's a lot in the Bible, and sometimes you can read this thing over here that seems to completely contradict this thing over here. Unless you understand the history continuity of the Bible, and unless you understand the theological continuity of the Bible, then you get this. You understand that there are two covenants in the Bible, right, that there's the Old Covenant and then there's the New Covenant. Right. You understand that there's the Old Testament and there's the New Testament. You understand that there is this prefiguring of Christ, this telling of Christ who is to come and what he is to do, and then Christ's coming and doing what he said he was going to do, and then Christ's departing to the right hand of the Father, and us waiting until he comes again at the end of the age. We put all these things together, and it helps us to understand how we read the flow of the Bible from its beginning to its end. But we have to have this doctrinal summary in order to do that. So now to our question, what does this mean for Joe Christian? What does this mean for person? And I think it means several things. Back in Titus chapter two, Paul says, but as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine in verse one. Then he says, in verse seven, show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works in your teaching. Show integrity, dignity, soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing to say about us. And then in verse fifteen, declare these things exhort, rebuke with all authority, let no one disregard you. I think the first thing that we do to this is this, we commit ourselves listening to hearing, learning and growing in the sound doctrine under which we sit. Commit ourselves to listening to learning and growing in the sound doctrine under which we sit. And that may sound like a simple enough thing. I mean, that's a no brainer, right. No, it's very easy to be a passive observer in church. It's very easy to come because of the social constraints around you. It's very easy to become to come to church because that's the expectation that you grew up with and it's the expectation of people around you. It's very easy to do that because that's what you know to do. And when you do that, you are not pressing in to the sound doctrine that you're hearing, and you're not being shaped by it because you're just feeling an obligation. That's one way that we can miss this. A second way that we can miss this is that we can use church instead of participating in the worship of God's people. We can use the church instead of participating in the worship of God's people. And so we come to church and we fold our arms and we say, okay, are you gonna sing the songs I like this week? Ah? There he goes, fine, Okay, maybe the sermon will be about something. How really you're preaching that nobody wants to hear about that. That's not what I came for it, that's not what I knew. I had a hard week. I was really hoping to get something more out of this. Right again, you're using the Lord's Day, You're using the church instead of pressing in. You're you. I'll never forget when I took my first preaching class in seminary, and I never get the instruction that we gave. Our preaching professor said, this class is going to make it hard for you to listen to preaching. Let's just leave now. Why don't want to take a class. It's gonna make it hard for us to listen to preaching. And he said, it's gonna make it hard for you. You're gonna learn the ins and outs of preaching, and you're gonna be analyzed sermons instead of pressing in and listening to them, you're gonna be looking for all the parts of the sermon. Did he do this? Ah, that's his point. But did he explain it? Did he argue it? Did he illustrate it? Did he? I don't know if that really goes to that. Really is that the point he got from the text. I don't think that's really the point he should have got to be okay. You become a critic and it's hard to receive preaching. But then he said this, But that's okay because that will pass. And eventually what will happen is you will actually be more able to receive preaching than you were before you started this class that we didn't understand even, but it did. It happened, It happened. And I remember early on in preaching class, I'm sitting there and I'm analyzing, right, I'm giving this guy grade and whatever, and I wonder if he's gonna night and catch that he got Damn, that was okay. That was church is over seas. And then all of a sudden something happens. You're not just a critic anymore, and now you can really appreciate the nuance and be blessed. It's sort of like and again, you know, it's sort of like a person who becomes an expert in anything. When you become an expert and begin to master something, you can now enjoy it when you watch other people who are doing it because of your level of understanding of Listen, you don't have to take a preaching class for this to happen to you. You just have to commit yourself to pressing in and doing more than just being there and using that time and passing that time and asking are you gonna bless me? And recognize that anytime you're sitting under the preaching of God's word, the blessing is there. Amen, you press into it. You believe and trust in the providence of God, that regardless of whether or not is what you wanted to hear, God knows better than you do, and whatever it is that you're hearing, this is exactly what you need. So press into it. Is there an inexperienced preacher who's preaching that day, or maybe some American with a funny accent that it's hard for you to hear, you know who you are press in, Recognize that in the providence of God, this is where He has you, and this is what He has you listening to, not as a critic, but as a worshiper, as a worshiper and sayings, please, please, please, please, please, please, please please. Don't make this mistake. Don't think that when we come to church, we have worship and then the preaching. Worship doesn't stop when the preaching starts. Amen belongs right there. Saints. This is worship. We have not stopped worshiping. This is worship. We are worshiping God through the preaching of his world. What is worship? I love Bruce Leafbladd's definition of worship. True worship happens when we set our mind's attention and heart's affection on the Lord, praising him for who he is and what he has done. What is preaching. Preaching is unfolding for us who he is and what he has done. If you understand that we are still in the midst of worship, then as I unfold for you who the Lord is and what the Lord has done, you press into that and you praise him for everything that he reveals, and you continue to be in worship even though we're not singing a song right now. Press in, Press in, but don't just press in right here right now when you're listening. Become a student of the world and the student of your confession, so that you are better able to understand the broader theological significance of what it is that you're participating in. Do your homework. You remember that tell this to my students all the time. Is over and over and over and over and over again. And unfortunately for most of them it's not until like the end of the term when they go, Oh, when we do our reading beforehand, our discussions are much more profitable. If you remember I told you that on the first day, when we press in, we press confessionally, when we understand that this confession is the foundation of our fellowship and our agreement together with one another, and that this is the foundation of the doctrine that you are going to be taught. And when we are pressing into that on a more regular basis, we put ourselves in a position where we are better able to profit from what is being preached. Prepare yourself beforehand. Recognize preaching is worship, Press into it, learn from it, grow from it. Engage in the process. Don't just be a passive listener. Actively involve yourself in this process. That's the first thing. That's the second thing that we see here. This is what we usually look at in Titus chapter two, lead verse two. Older men are to be sober, minded, dignified, self control, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women, likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves too much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so to train the young women, by the way, teach what is good. What are we referring to here sound doctrine, and so 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. Now I want to connect something for you. That phrase is that the word of God may not be reviled. That's connected to what happens in verse number eight. Look at the second half of verse eight, So that an opponent may be put to shame having nothing to say about us. That's the same idea. So Paul is saying to Titus, I want you to be mindful of the fact that there are people watching you, and you need to make sure that they don't have a reason to contradict you, to disbelieve you. But notice what he says. Look at verse seven. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works and your teaching, show integrity, dignity, sound a s a speech that cannot be condemned. Then, so that an opponent maybe put your shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Now go back and look again, older women, likewise, are to be revenue behavior. There's godliness, not slanders of slaves, too much wine. There to teach what is good. There's the truth, right, godliness, truth, faith. And so to train the younger women to love their husbands, love their children, to be self controled, pure, working at home, submission to their own husbands. By the way, that's what is that. That's godliness, godliness in the home. And in the same phrase, that the word of God may not be reviled by whom, by the same people who are watching Titus and his life and doctrine. So not only are we called to press in and to listen here, but we are also called to press in and follow the example. Follow the example. It's interesting, and I've made this point before that looking for six. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self control. I mean, the young women get a whole list, right right, look at it again. So train the young women to love their husbands or their children, to be self controlled, to be pure, working at home, kind, to message to the husband. Boom boom boom, boom, boom boom boom, all of this stuff. Likewise, there's a young man to be something fault I mean, young men are like, where's my list? They get a list, We don't get a list. Where's my list? The list for the young men is actually in chapter one. It's actually in chapter one, and it begins in verse five. Oh no, no, no, no, wait, wait faster you I think. I mean again, I know you're all theology, doctor, whatever or person, but anybody can make a mistake. Because you know, even me, I know that that's a list for elders, not a list for young men. I knew you thought it. I knew you thought it. Right, I know exactly what I'm saying. That is the list the young man. How can you say that's the list for the young men? Well, I'll give you three reasons. Talked about this before. I give you three reasons. Number one, there's no list in chapter two. I didn't say that was my best reason. I just said it was a reason. Right, that was my only reason you should chase me out of here. Right, it's not my only reason. One of my three reasons. Number one, there is no list in chapter two. Number two, here's my second reason that I'm arguing that this is a list for young men. Here's the second reason. Look at verse seven, show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works. Can I ask you a question, what good would it be for the elder to be a model of something that was not expected of the one who's watching him model? What sense would that man? You, young man, watch me as I do what you will never be called to do. It's very important that you pay attention. You're never going to need this. That makes no sense. What is a model of I'm arguing he's a model of what we see in chapter one, beginning in verse five. And then here's my third reason. Notice how they get stronger as we go. So you laughed at my first reason. Second one that's alive. Here's my third one. If you read this list in verses five through nine, there's not one person in this room who's raising a son who would say, ah, that one's not so important. Not one every one of us who's raising young man. You read this list, and you will say, yes, that's what I want for myself, elder, No, elder, that's what I want for myself. Look at the list verse six. If anyone is above, reproach the husband of one wife. Anybody looking to raise a polygamist? Oh okay, children are believers, not open to the charge of debauchery and its subordination. That really, that's better translated, has faithful children. It's faithful children, because he explains it, not open to debauchery or it'subordination. Anybody, anybody who wants your son to raise, your grandchildren to be helliens, anybody, anybody who doesn't care how your grandchildren are. No, anybody, Okay, all right, fine, we're still together Verse seven. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant, quick tempered, a drunkard, violent, or greedy for game. Anybody who want to raise a sun who's any of those things? No, we're still together. Okay, now the positive side, but hospitable, a lover of good, self controlled, upright, holy and discipline. Is there anyone who has a son that you're raising who would say, no, none of that's important. No Ah, but I hear you, ah, Pastor here's where we're gonna get you. We're gonna get you in verse nine, because that's the stuff that the elders do right there. Okay. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught. Anybody want your son to be a heretic who doesn't hold a sound doctrine, no, okay, so that he may be able to give instruction sound doctrine. Anyone who want to raise a son who cannot obey Ephesian sixty four, and bring up your grandchildren in the discipline and instruction of the Lord m okay. And finally refute those who contradict anybody who want to raise a son who cannot do what Jude says all of us must do, which is contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. I say again the list in chapter one is the list for young men, which is why I say the second thing that we do as members, not only do we press into the preaching and the teaching and the doctrine and make sure that we're actively pursuing that, but we also press in to modeling, to following those who are exemplifying for us faith in the truth that leads to godliness, faith in the truth that leads to god. This is what's wrong with so much of modern Christianity. So much of modern Christianity views the preacher as no more than an entertainer and in so many circles, people just don't even care about the preacher's life and doctrine. It doesn't matter how he lives. How often do we hear about these huge, popular word of faith teachers with ginormous churches with tens of thousands of people, and you hear about their moral failure, and then they're right back. They're right back, either at that church or a few towns over. They're right back. Why because they're entertainers, and there are people who will ignore your lifestyle if you are a gifted enough preacher. Why because they're just there to use the service on Sunday Anyway, I just want somebody to make me feel good. Good. This guy makes me feel good. Yes he walks in godliness, yes, and ungodliness. Yes he's a womanizer. Yes he's this, Yes he's that. But poor boy, you preach no a thousand times no, because we have an obligation not to just press into the teaching. But there is a model for us to follow. Look with me, if you will, at one Peter one Peter chapter five. First Peter, Chapter five, beginning of verse one, So the elders among you, as a fellow elder, and the witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker of the glory that is going to be revealed. Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercise oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you, not for shameful gain, but eagerly, not domineering over those in your charge, but being an example to the flock. And they listen to this, and when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you with humility toward one another. For God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. So there we have a picture of the elder being reminded of his calling to be an example, and of those under their leadership called their reminder follow the example, to press in to the example. Now that this does not mean, this does not mean that we have unrealistic expectations of our elders, and far too often that's precisely what happens. We have these unrealistic expectations of our elders, that our elders should always walk around like why because whenever they're not greeting us to pray, it's how we guess back to prayer. Right are you I'm in Zesco. Yes, I'd like to buy some units please, and back to prayer as buying my groceries, to buy my grocery spree at shop right where? Other world though? Right? And so yes we did there, and then we yes, back to prayer. We have these completely unrealistic ideas and views about our elders. That's not what you find in Tyler Chentter. Notice that is chapter one. He's talking about character in general, godliness in general, not our own personal preferences are ideals about what elders ought to be or their wives. If I can just throw that in there, your elder's wife does not work for you. Your elder's wife's job is to be your elder's wife first and foremost, and to be what he needs for her to be, so that he can be what God needs him to be. For you. You don't get to establish a standard in your mind and then impose that standard on that woman just because you believe that that's what an elder's wife ought to be. Shame on you, Shame on you. Yes, a godly woman in her own right who's serving as a help meet to her husband and doing and being what she needs to be for him during whatever season of life they happen to be in. This is incredibly important, incredibly important. And not all elders are the same. Not all elders have the same gifting. You have some elders who are incredibly gifted teachers, and others who are incredibly gifted administrators, and others who are incredibly gifted counselors. And here's what we like to do. We like to say, here are all the different gifts that one could have, and unless you are a ten at all of them, you failed. Shame on us, Shame on us. So when I talk about pressing in to their example, that's not what I'm talking about. You see, the elder as an example is not a perfect man. A perfect man can't be an example to you. Amen. An elder doesn't have a perfect marriage, and elder with a perfect marriage can't be an example to you. Pastor, you know, we're having some struggles in our marriage, really struggles in your marriage. Please tell me what must that bean like? Yeah, man, we're having difficulty with one of our children. Real difficult with a child, but really, can you can I meet this child. I would just like to see what it looks like to see a child who gives their parents difficulties. Because you know, our perfect marriage has only produced children who never give us trouble. You can't be an example like that. You're not an example because you don't fall, and you don't fail, and you don't struggle. You're an example because you press into the Gospel in the midst of those things and overcome them by the power of God through the application of sound doctrine and your faith in the truth, which leads to godliness. As you walk this journey of life. That's what we're following. That's what we're pressing into. There's a third one here, and again this one is the most obvious one there that we find in Titus chapter two. Not only do we see us pressing in in terms of the teaching and pressing in in terms of following that example, but also pressing into our in terms of becoming examples. Older men are to be sober minded, dignified, self controlled, sound and faith and love and in steadfastness. This is what happens over time as we press into the TEMs. Our confession is a guide for us. Our confession is a guide for those who lead us. They're leading us and teaching us in accordance with this sort of framework. We're pressing into this framework so that we can hear what it is that they're teaching us and be prepared for it. We're also pressing into this framework because this framework sort of outlines for us what it means and what it looks like to walk in Godliness. And now, as we press into this framework and we become more mature, you meet young votes along the way and they say, I'm kind of messed up because I just became a Christian and I just read Revelation and I'm scared. And then you can go, ah, it's okay, I got you. Let me walk with you. No, God, you see that man over there, there's a pastor over there. Amazing, Amazing how in church you have people who've been walking with God twenty thirty, forty fifty years and still act like their babes in Christ. This doesn't happen when we press in. When we press in and are committed to sound doctor, preparing ourselves beforehand, digging from that deep well so that we might come and gain more from it when we hear, when we're pressing in and when we're watching the example, looking at it through the lens of that sound doctrine, our confession being our guide. Then we get to a place where we can be older men we're sober mind to dignify self control, sound and faith and love and steadfastness, and then older women likewise, who are reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves so much wine, and who teach what is good. We don't just watch the example so that we can take notes, point the finger every time somebody lets us down. We follow the example because we're pressing toward that mark. And we have our confession. We have this sort of this guide for us that lays out this body of doctrine, this body of sound doctrine, faith in the truth, which leads to godliness. What is how do we get to this godliness? We get to this godliness by getting to this body of sound doctrine that teaches us what to believe and then what to do with this belief. And then we grow in maturity and turn around and become examples ourselves. And there's a final piece. And that final piece is that we take it home and do the same. We take it home and do the same. I want you to see something here in this letter. It's amazing. Paul tells Timothy to appoint elders. He starts by examining their godliness. Where does he examine their godliness above reproach husband or wife, children or believers or faithful children not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination? What's that his home? That's godliness manifested in his home. Then we go to the negative example and watch what he does in verse eleven, or look at verses ten and eleven. He says that in verse nine he must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give sound instruction in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it. Now we're going to see an example of why four. This follows directly on. After he's holding the sound doctrine, teaching sound doctrine, and refuting those who contradict sound doctor four, why is it important for him to do that? Well? At least for this first reason. There are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers, deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, since they're upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain that which they ought not to teach. They're upsetting whole families. Find godly elders, where do we look? Look at the waymen and conducting themselves in their families. They have to hold the sound doctrine and refute those contradict sound doctrine. Why because there are people whose unsound doctrine is upsetting whole families and men. In chapter two, look at verse three. Older women likewise are to be revenue behavior, not slanderous slaves much wine. They're to teach what is good, so to train the young women to do what love their husbands and children, to be self controlled, pure, working at home, kind, submissed to their own husbands. You notice anything about that entire list, All of it is about godliness in the home. It's about godliness in the home. Why why would that be so significant? By the way, even in verse nine, bond servants are to be subnificent to their own masters and 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, bond servants. What would be the clearest correlation between that word and our setting workers in your home, people who you employ in your home, be saying they are to exercise godliness within the context of the home as workers in the home. Notice that all of these things point to godliness in at home. Why, because that's the place where you are who you are. Listen. You can come to church and fool me for a month work of Sundays. You can wake up on Sunday morning calling your husband or your wife names, cursing each other out, screaming, yelling, throwing things around. Get in the car where laked to church? We're mad because we're on the way to church, right, mad because of the way people are driving, because we're late to church. Don't they know we're late to church. Flushing at one another because we're on the way to church and you made me late to church. And then we get to church, we stop the church, and all of a sudden we get out of church and liars, hypocrites. But here's the thing. You can do that at church. You can even do that at work. But at home, the mask come off and that's where you are who you are, and that's where you need this body of sound doctrine to shape your understanding so that it shapes your life. Because we remember our placing faith in the truth that leads to to godliness. And when do we really know that it's working itself down in there, when we can play a role at church or at work. No, when in that place where you are who you are, in that place where you take through a mask off, where godliness is beginning to be manifested there, that's where you're getting a hold of these truths and they're getting a hold of you. And again, if you say, that's great, we just want to take the whole Bible and do this so big? How do I find practical godliness in the whole Bible? It's so big? Take a deep breath. Here's a pattern of sound words. Here's a summary of sound doctor. This gives you a framework so that when you read the Bible, you understand what it is that you're looking at. It gives your framework so that when you come to church and you're pressing in and worship, you understand what it is that you're participating in, what it is that you're listening to and you can actually get more out of it. It gives your framework so that you understand the godliness that's being modeled for you, and you understand what it actually looks like for the Gospel to impact and affect a life because you see this body of sound doctrine in the way that it changes these people who lead you and who teach you. And then you continue to press into it, and it begins to shape your own godliness, and you become an example and a model, and ultimately, even in that place where you do not wear your mask, you are transformed as a husband, a wife, a mother, a father, a son, a daughter. And even those who know you best say, this one, this one has faith and the truth that leads the godliness, not just random information gathered from random places in the Bible. But this pattern of sound words, this body of sound duct it serves as a guard and as a guide as we press into the truth subscription, and as we exercise faith in this truth. Most assured me, it's decommis our gracious and kind, heavenly father, father of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the one who is indeed worthy of all of our worship and our praise and our adoration. Father, we bow before you as you're humble and thankful people, grateful for this opportunity to send our minds, attention and heart's affection on you, and to praise you for who you are and for what you've done. Grateful for this opportunity to worship you, both through proclaiming these things in song and through hearing these things, proclaim for the exposition of your word, and even to press into these things as we pray in accordance with your word, guided by the presence and power of your spirit. Father, we thank you for what we've heard and ask that you would make it useful and profitable in our lives, so that we might be useful and profitable in your service. For indeed, we ask this the name of your son, Jesus, who is the Christ, our Master, Savior, redeemer and soon coming King, and the name of Jesus who is our example. Amen.