Titus 2:1-8

“As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. 2 Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. 3 Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers.[a] Instead, they should teach others what is good. 4 These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, 5 to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. 6 In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. 7 And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.8 Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.”

As Paul challenges mature men he starts first with the:

• Calling – Reason we are running the race “As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching.”

This is the call to walk out the Word of God because the world is watching. It’s about your witness, but most men have never made the focus of their work their witness. They have made it about a pay check instead of proclaiming Christ. Here is what I love about this passage unlike what the world has to say about older men God’s Word not only gives worth to older men but also calls us to work. Our problem is that we want the worth without the work, you see the greatest challenge to the church today is not the culture its saints that are sitting on the sidelines squandering their lives on meaningless things when they could be mentoring the next generation of men. Men let me remind you that following the Savior is not a spectator sport you are not called to watch you are called to work. It’s time to suit up and stop sitting, to put on the full armor of God and step out onto the field of battle. Because this isn’t a game, we are not playing flag football this is full contact for 4 quarters. What quarter of life are you in, 20, 40, 60, 80. Look Faith finishes the race it doesn’t forfeit the race. Men we were not created to coast we were created to compete for Christ.

Are you making the goal the glory of God. Our problem as men we are working for recognition and retirement instead of working for the Redeemer. We don’t retire from righteousness we are called to run all the way to the finish.

• Character – Rudder

Christ like character will always steer you to serve, but a corrupt character will steer you into sin. Is your ruder set for service or sin, are you running after righteousness or ruin?  Guys we need to guard our character because it’s our compass it provides direction to your drive. Most of us are driving dangerously because we are driving without direction. As men we are to macho to stop and ask for directions because we are afraid we will look like a loosers, so instead we fake it and instead of just looking like a looser we end up acting like a looser. Are you more worried about looking like a looser or living like a looser?

1. Self – Controlled –

This deals with drinking, mature men don’t get drunk. Unlike the Cretan culture that was dedicated to the national pastime of drinking Christ ones are to let the Holy Spirit control their lives. Ephesians 5:18, challenges Christains: “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.” Alcohol has been the rudder to ruin for many people. What consumes you will control you, are you consumed with Christ or cocktails, is the Lord or liquor what is leading your life? If you want to have Christ like character then you need to let the Holy Spirit be in control. Who is cultivating your character, Christ or the culture?