Teaching Notes

Titus 2

Who Am I?

In my book, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made I ask this question in one of the chapters.  The results of study showed your (teenagers) answers to this question. Some said they wanted to have a college degree (88%).  Some stated a comfortable lifestyle.  Some of the responses were related to spiritual matters. 50% said they wanted to be commited Christians and 46% said they wanted to make a different in the world.  All these are goals you can go for, but it must first start with you understanding who you are from God's perspective.  We will look at Titus 2 to see what we can glean from this chapter.

MONDAY

1-6 Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don't want anyone looking down on God's Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives.

As you read these verse of scripture they are instructions on how all parts of the family of God should behave.  It calls for the older women to help the younger ones how to be virtuous and pure.  It requires young women not to be gossipers but models of what is good and acceptable of God.  So this lets us know that even in our pursuit of careers or jobs we are still expected to have good moral behavior.  This is so others will not look down on the message of God badly because of our behavior or actions.

Prayer - Lord today we seek you to help us have the right behavior, first before you and then before others.  We do not want to hinder the message of Christ because of foolish behavior or actions.  Help us to be an example because as we grow older we then should be examples for those coming behind us. Amen.

TUESDAY

7-8 But mostly, show them all this by doing it yourself, incorruptible in your teaching, your words solid and sane. Then anyone who is dead set against us, when he finds nothing weird or misguided, might eventually come around.

What is interesting about this part of the chapter is the reason why we should have right behavior.  The reason is so that we will not keep others from coming to Christ. It says if anyone is dead set against believers when they find that what you are saying is not misguided by they see the evidence of godly behavior as it is lived out in you, they might come to accept the truth of God.  This does not guarentee it, but it says it is possible if we live right before others.  So we are required to live right before others so we can become more and more like Christ.  That is really how you will find who you are to be.

Prayer - Lord today help my light shine so someone else that may have turned away can see you in my life and want what they see I have.  If that light is not shining as it ought to, then help me so I can become a good witness to others about your goodness and your mercy. Amen.

WEDNESDAY

9-10 Guide slaves into being loyal workers, a bonus to their masters—no back talk, no petty thievery. Then their good character will shine through their actions, adding luster to the teaching of our Savior God.

Well thank God we are not slaves today but the principles can still be applied today. If you are a worker, have a job you are required to have godly character on your job.  That means you don't steal or disrespect your teacher (this is true for school or any other place you find yourself in).  This will show your good character and will add to your witness.  It shows you are one that trust in the teachings of Christ and you walk right before him.  This is what is important if you are to witness to others.  It is more about what you show than what you tell people you know.

Prayer - Lord help us to make good decisions in all areas of our lives; work, school and home.  Help us to be a good godly example so that others will believe that we do seek to live a life worthy of you.  Help us to show others who they can become as we live for you. Amen.

THURSDAY

11-14 God's readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation's available for everyone! We're being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.

What can you become? Who are you? This scripture tells us if you are a child of God you are forgiven.  It is no longer a secret about the salvation made available to all that seek it.  We have been given the tools to move from a life that is not pleasing to God (one that is more concerned with self than God) to one that is filled with honoring and loving our savior. We can rejoice because what we have now is only a taste of what will come when we see Jesus when he appears.  He offered himself to free us from darkness (this is the darkness on our lives because of sin) and now gives us that which will help us live a good and pure life.  This can make us people God can be proud to call his own.  This is who we can be, a people set aside for God and one that he shows his love upon.

Prayer - Lord today we thank you for loving us enough to help us live in the right way.  Help us to let go of anything that is not pleasing to you.  Help us to be willing to spend time with you.  We do that in our prayer time, in our study of your Word (reading our Bibles) and in our times of worship (both by yourself and with the people of God at church). Amen.

FRIDAY

Today let us take a look back at the scripture and ask ourselves some questions.

1. This scripture was written to Titus from Paul and he tells Titus it is his responsiblity to teach sound doctrine. After reading Monday's scripture, what do you think Paul meant by "solid" or sound doctrine?

2. Paul tells Titus the best way he can teach sound doctrine to those that follow him is by doing it himself.  Why do you think it is important for you to be an example to others about what you say you believe?

3. Titus is told how to guide slaves in being right before they masters.  We explained how that can be used for us today.  It can mean anyone in authority over you.  If you have someone over you and you do as the scripture says, what could possible happen?

4. Thursday's lesson talked about how God's offer of salvation is readily available to all.  Why is this important for us as believers to know?

Prayer - Lord, we are thankful for all the wonderful things you give to us.  We are thankful for your Spirit that helps us to be able to do those things you set before us.  Equip us today to live so that we can know who we are and we can also show it to others.  We are children of God. Amen.