Prescription for Young Men
Pastor David L. Brown,
Ph.D.
Sermon Delivered August 6, 2006
Key Verse – Titus 2:6-8
"Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
7 In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in
doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 8
Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the
contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you."
Review
So far we have looked at Paul’s…
v.2
Prescription for Mature Women – v.3
Prescription for Younger Women – vs. 4-5
In this message we will examine Paul’s…
The "young men" in focus here are
generally men who are of marriageable age to those in their late
50’s. Next we come to the word exhort. The underlying Greek
word is parakalei
parakalei (par-ak-al-e-i) which means to strongly urge someone to
so something.
- Sober Minded
– v. 6 "Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded."
Paul now instructs young men on what God expects
them to incorporate in their lives and character. The first thing
Paul says that young men need to be sober minded. This is the
same thing he said to the young women. Sober minded is
one word in the Greek –
swfronein sophronein (so-fron-en), which means
"to cause to be of sound mind, to recall to one's senses;" It has
the sense of being sensible and using good judgment. It indicates
having "a disciplined mind and living a disciplined life." A
disciplined life leads to such virtues as neatness, organization,
punctuality, diligence, etc.
Additionally, the idea is, that younger men
should be encouraged to be prudent, discreet, and serious in their
behavior. They must get control over their passions and appetites;
they should control the sinful inclinations which are common to
youth. They need a well-governed mind, that will not yield to the
indulgence of those passions to which the young are prone. They
should be "steady in their behavior, and resist sensual temptations.
They need to continually exercise self-control.
I liked what one writer said – "Paul is thinking
of the control of the temper and the tongue, of ambition and greed,
and especially of bodily appetites, including sexual urges, so that
Christian young men remain committed to the unalterable Christian
standard of chastity before marriage and fidelity after it."
This is contrary to the way young people and
especially young men live today. The bankrupt philosophy of our day
seems to be that youth is a time to "have fun," to hang out with
your friends and to do your own thing. That was not the way it was
when my dad was a kid. The most important thing for a farm boy was
to do his chores. The farm work came first: first before school,
first before extra curricular activities and first before "having
fun" with friends. Things changed a little bit when I was growing
up. School was more important for me. My parents wanted me to be
sure I got a good education. However, when I came home from school I
either had chores to do (split wood, pile it in the basement, weed
the garden, mow grass) or I went to work with my dad.
Far too many young people today do not have any
responsibilities to speak of. Nothing is expected of them. They
neither have a disciplined mind nor self-control. That’s a tragedy!
It’s a tragedy for the person they will marry and the person that
will employ them.
Pioneer Missionary to China, J. Hudson Taylor (1832-1805) once said, "An
undisciplined Christian will never amount to anything in God’s work." Self-discipline forms a
framework for Christian character.
Let’s look at the second point in Paul’s
prescription for young men.
- A Pattern of
Good Works – v. 7a "In all things showing thyself a pattern of
good works:"
God is not interested in sporadic good
works. Paul wrote to the Galatians, "Ye did run well; who did hinder
you that ye should not obey the truth?" Galatians 5:7 God
is interested in a pattern of good works. The word
translated pattern is
tupon tupon, which literally means a mark or
impression left by the blow of a hammer. It came to mean pattern,
model, and example. He wants younger men to be a model or example of
good works (good deeds, good actions). Did you know that that is one
of the reasons we are saved? God wants us to do good deeds. Turn to
Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained
that we should walk in them."
You cannot read the New Testament without seeing
that believers are to show "a pattern of good works" in their lives.
Let’s look at some of the New Testament Scriptures that teach that.
Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your
Father which is in heaven."
Colossians 1:10 "That ye might walk worthy of
the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work,
and increasing in the knowledge of God;"
Hebrews 10:24 "And let us consider one
another to provoke unto love and to good works:"
James 2:17-18 "Even so faith, if it hath
not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say,
Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy
works, and I will show thee my faith by my works."
Let’s look at the third point in Paul’s
prescription for young men.
- Show
Uncorruptness, Gravity, and Sincerity In Doctrine – v. 7b "…in
doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity…"
Young men, do you know what you believe? Could
you and do you defend your faith? Are you ready to give an
answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in
you? You should be able to do that! Why? Because Paul says
you should be sound in your Christian faith and what the faith
teaches. We know that from the word translated as uncorruptness –
adiafyorian
adiaphthorian (ad-ee-af-thor-ee’-an) which has the
sense of being sound in doctrine and being pure in
doctrine.
Next we come to the word gravity. It is a
translation of the Greek word
semnothta semnoteta (sem-note-ta) which
implies respect, reverence and dignity. So what
does it mean that you should show gravity relating to doctrine? That
simply means that you should show respect for the Bible and the
teachings of the Bible. You should not regard them lightly.
Finally, we come to the word sincerity.
Sincerity is a translation of the Greek word
afyarsian
aphtharsian (af-thar-see-an) which means uncorruptness, unmixed.
When it comes to Bible doctrine you must mix nothing with the truth;
take nothing from it; add nothing to it.
This is a warning to young believers not to
succumb to the pressure to water-down the Word of God under any
circumstances. We must speak the truth (in love) and not compromise
even when we are under pressure to do so.
Let’s look at the final point in Paul’s
prescription for young men.
- Sound Speech
That Cannot Be Condemned – v. 8 "Sound speech, that cannot be
condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed,
having no evil thing to say of you."
A Christian, every Christian, should be
sound in speech. The word sound is
ugih hugie (hoog-ee),
which means healthy talk. The words that you speak should make it
obvious that you are a believer. They should be pure, true and
honest so that your enemies cannot use what you have said as
ammunition against God and Christianity.
In summary, young men, here’s what is expected of
you –
ü You need to be
sober-minded – you need to be sensible and use good judgment.
ü You need to
show a pattern of good works – you need to be busy doing good
works.
ü You need
to show uncorruptness, gravity, and sincerity in doctrine –
you need to know what you believe, have a respect and reverence
for the Word of God and refuse to compromise its teachings
ü You need to be
sound in speech – talk like a Christian should talk.
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