Titus II Lesson -- November 15th

Golden Nuggets

Introduction
Through the years, the teaching in Titus II has covered much ground. We have:
• Started at the beginning (Genesis) and gone all the way to the end (Eschatology, Rapture, Millennium),
• Seen how God works in the lives of people (Abigail, Bathsheba, Boaz, David, Gideon, Naomi, & Paul),
• Addressed real-life issues (money management, biblical view of work, childrearing, decision-making and the will of God, divorce & remarriage, in-laws),
• Studied Old Testament material (Daniel, Ruth, Genesis, Job, 10 Commandments),
• Studied New Testament material (First Peter, James, Great Galilean Ministry, Gospel of John, James, Acts, Galatians, Ephesians, etc.), and
• Considered a Biblical Worldview

Transition
While it would be impossible to review all of the biblical material that has been discussed in the past 8 years, we can selectively consider “nuggets” or “pearls” that the Spirit chose to resonate in your hearts and minds. Let us take a brief tour down memory lane and consider eight of those nuggets this morning.

Lesson

1. The Study of 2 Samuel 11-12
Our tour begins in the book of 2 Samuel. Our study of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11-12 was very instructive of how sin is birthed and how sin always results in consequences. Buried within this study was a great lesson about prayer. Remember when David is told that his ill son will die because of his sin? What does he do? He chooses to intercede on behalf of his son. Yet, his son dies. What can we learn from David’s petition for his ill son in 2 Samuel 12:18-23? We can learn a lesson about unanswered prayer. David prayed as earnestly as a man could pray, but God clearly answered: “No!” How did David respond? David was content with God’s answer. He did not protest or complain. He accepted God’s will as that which was best. He worshipped God in spite of his loss and his pain. He did not agonize that he simply lacked faith (which if great enough would change the outcome). He knew God had heard him and He had answered. How many of us praise God when He has told us “No!”?

2. The Study of Contentment – 1 Timothy 6
Our study in 1 Timothy 6 on contentment included this poem by a confederate soldier written more than a hundred years ago. While it is not “biblical”, it says it all:

I asked for health that I might do greater things,
I was given infirmity that I do might do better things...
I asked for riches that I might be happy,
I was given poverty that I might be wise...
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men,
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God....
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life,
I was given life that I might enjoy all things...
I got nothing that I asked for but everything that I hoped for.
Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men most richly blessed.

3. A Biblical Response to 2008
In January of this year, I delivered a two-part message on a biblical response to 2008. We looked at both a “spiritual” response as well as a “financial” response. I want to briefly re-visit what we discussed in the “financial” response. I made the following predictions for 2009:
o Credit would be tight throughout 2009
o Unemployment would rise to between 10-12% by year end (and many of you would be affected)
o Worker pay and benefits would remain flat or decline
o Loan defaults would rise resulting in declining asset values
o Government revenues would decline, triggering tax increases and/or a decline in services
o The economy would not have bottomed and a recovery would be yet several quarters out

Unfortunately, virtually all of these predictions came true. What does 2010 look like?
o Credit will remain tight throughout 2010
o Unemployment will struggle to go below 9% (do not be surprised if it remains above 10%)
o Worker pay and benefits will remain flat or decline
o Loan defaults will rise again and asset values will remain flat (at best)
o Government revenues will decline triggering tax increases and/or a decline in services
o Businesses will continue to sit on cash and invest very judiciously

Or in other words, most of us will be profoundly disappointed a year from today with the financial recovery. If this picture is true (or even directionally true), how does one respond biblically to such a financial environment? Just as I stated in January, you need to:
o Get debt-free (Prov. 22:7; Prov. 6:1-5)
o Build and live on a budget (Prov. 23:23-27; Luke 14:28-30)
o Simplify your lifestyle
o Live below your means (preferably at about 75% of your income)
o Seek neither poverty or wealth (Prov. 30:7-9)

4. The Sunday After
The Sunday after Mike Spratt died, which corresponded with the class coming of age, I delivered a lesson that praised, warned, and challenged the class. My final topic dealt with how Mike’s unexpected death reminds us of an important fact – we need to be prepared for death. One may ask: “What should we do to be prepared for death?” Or stated another way: “What decisions do you need to make?” Warning -- some of these may be unsettling (but should not). You and your spouse need to:
 Organize your financial records
 Have a will
 Have adequate life insurance
 Plan your respective funerals
 Determine what careers each should pursue if the other dies
 Determine what type of housing each should have if the other dies
 Determine where the surviving spouse should live
 Determine what childcare options should be used if the other dies
 Discuss who or what type of person the surviving spouse should consider for re-marriage

How many of you are so prepared? Why am I emphasizing that you discuss “dark” thought? It is because the greatest gift you can give your spouse is the freedom to grieve. This is only possible if decisions such as these and plans such as these have already been finalized. It allows the grieving spouse to grieve and not to focus on “logistical” matters.

5. The Example of Gideon
Our tour down memory lane returns us to the Old Testament and our study in Judges 6. Gideon is called deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. As the Midianites and Amalekites assemble to attack Israel, Gideon fears for his life. He says to God: “If Thou wilt deliver Israel through me as Thou hast spoken, behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on the all the ground, then I will know that Thou wilt deliver Israel through me, as Thou hast spoken. And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water. Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let Thine anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.” And God did so that night, for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.”

This passage is considered the proof text by many of the “practice” of placing fleeces before God in order to determine his will. “If X, then I will do Y.” There are several problems with this practice. First, God’s sovereign will call not be known in advance and thus is of no value in determining the “individual will” of God. Second, God’s moral will can be fully known and we do not have to resort to “fleeces” to determine that will. Finally, Judges 6 (the only example of using a fleece to determine God’s will), itself, does not support the practice of modern day Christians. This is because:
o Gideon’s fleece was not simply a circumstantial sign, but rather a miraculous display of supernatural power. How many of us realistically ask for a supernatural display when asking for guidance?
o Gideon was not employing the fleece to ascertain guidance, but to gain confirmation of guidance already given.
o Rather than being an example of a proper approach to receiving guidance, Gideon’s demand for further signs was really an expression of doubt and unbelief.

If the practice of placing out fleeces can not be supported by this text (or any other text), what are the best guidelines to use to determine God’s individual will for our lives?
o In those areas specifically addressed by the Bible, the revealed commands of God (His moral will) are to be obeyed -- the moral will of God encompasses much more than one’s actions. Goals, motives, attitudes, and means to ends are all governed to some degree by God’s moral guidance.
o In those areas where the Bible gives no command or principle (non-moral decisions), the believer is free and responsible to choose his own course of action. Any decision made within the moral will of God is acceptable to God.
o In non-moral decisions, the objective of the Christian is to make wise decisions on the basis of spiritual expediency. The final decision should be explained and defended on the basis of moral guidance (“God’s Word says…”) and wisdom guidance (“it seemed best”).
o In all decisions, the believer should humbly submit, in advance, to the outworking of God’s sovereign will as it touches each decision. That is because sovereign guidance has no direct bearing on the conscious considerations of the decision-maker.

6. Matthew 24:42-51
The next “nugget” can be drawn from our study of Matthew 24. While much energy is given over to focusing on understanding “end times”, very little consideration is given over to understanding what are our duties in waiting and preparing for the 2nd coming of Christ. Read the text. What do we learn from this text as it relates to our duties in waiting and preparing for the 2nd coming of Christ? In this study we concluded with these wise words:
o Secure your salvation. Since the 2nd Coming will be sudden, do not delay in securing your salvation or of warning others.
o Be a good watchman. Live your life as if he could come at any minute.
o Be a good servant. Be faithful to that which he has entrusted to us.
o Quit trying to predict the timing of the second coming. Since we can not know the hour and day of the 2nd Coming, it is futile (and I would argue sinful) to attempt to predict the 2nd Coming.

7. Childrearing
For nearly six weeks, we took a deep dive into what the Scriptures had to say about parenting and rearing children. From that study, I want to pull out one thread. What are we to focus on in our parenting? Are we to focus on their behavior? Are we to focus on their character? We are to focus on the heart of our children. This is because a person’s life is a reflection of his heart. Luke 6:45 states: “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” This passage teaches that behavior is not the basic issue. This passage teaches that character is not the basic issue. The basic issue is always what is going on in the heart. Your child’s behavior – the things he says and does – reflects his heart. If you are to really help him, you must be concerned with the attitudes of heart that drive his behavior. Why? Because a change in behavior that does not stem from a change in heart is not commendable; it is condemnable (see Matthew 15:8-9). But, what about the gospel? Isn’t that to be our focus as parents? Obviously, one the most important things we want to tell our children about (as well as to model), is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, the focus of parenting must be on that which we can contribute to the parenting process. We can’t save our children – that is God’s work. But we can instruct them in the matters of the heart.

8. The Book of Ruth
Let us next turn to the book of Ruth. Most of you know the story – a widow (Naomi) and her daughter-in-law (Ruth) return from a sojourn in Moab in an impoverished state. We learned that Ruth turned into a field apparently by chance (“she happened to come to the portion of the field…”). She worked hard. It was hot. She takes a break. While unattractive and sweaty, sitting alone, speaking with an accent, two men off in the distance talk about her. “Who’s that?” Without her knowing, everything was about to change – (“The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (Prov. 16:9).

It is because of this providential meeting, that we are introduced to one of the most godly men in the Bible – Boaz. While there are many lessons from this story that are worthy of being highlighted, let me highlight just three (3):

o The Generosity of Boaz
The character of God is one of mercy. God’s interaction with Israel displayed mercy. As such, the Law of God was very clear, we are to be merciful. We read in Leviticus and Deuteronomy: “Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the Lord your God (Lev. 19:9-10)…When you reap your harvest in your field and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow, in order that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands” (Deut. 24:19). While the law of God is clear – you need to know that this was merely the “minimum” standard. This was what God “required.” To be “generous”, one must give beyond this level. And here is Ruth 2, we see the example of a man (Boaz) who loves God, who loves the Law, and who desires to be both obedient and “generous.” Notice how he:
 Allows her to drink from the water jars that have been provided for the servants
 Allows her to eat food that has been provided for the servants
 Commands his servants to allow her to glean even among the sheaves (not on the edges), and
 Instructs his servants to purposely pull out some grain for her from the bundles already gathered

The example of Boaz can teach us much about generosity. For if we truly understand the character of God, if we truly understand the moral will of God, if we truly believe what James says in James 1:27 (“This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”), then we will be generous. We will live in smaller houses, we will have fewer toys, we will have older cars, we will wear less expensive clothes, we will donate more money – because we are being generous.

o The Redemption of the Damaged
A second “take-away” can be seen in the miraculous backdrop of Boaz’s heritage. It is a story for those of you who struggle with their past. Do you believe mistakes you made in your youth (or earlier in your life) make you damaged material? Do you believe you can not used by God to make a difference in this world? If you do, listen to this lesson from Ruth.
 Matthew 1:4 – “…and to Ram was born Amminadab; and to Amminadab, Nahshon; and to Nahshon, Salmon; and to Salmon was born Boaz by Rahab; …”
 Boaz’ mother was Rahab the harlot of Jericho.
 Hebrews 11:31 – “By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.”
 If God can redeem Rahab and make her useful in the advancement of His kingdom, God can redeem anyone and make them useful in the advancement of His kingdom.

o The Picture of Redemption
Our final “peak” back at the book of Ruth displays an even greater picture of redemption. You may remember that the Moabites “did not meet you with food and water on the way when you came out of Egypt and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you” (Deut. 23:4). As such: “No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the Lord; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall enter the assembly of the Lord” (Deut. 23:3). Yet in the tenth generation, and recounted in the genealogy of Jesus (Matt. 1:2-5), the ancient quarrel between Abraham and Lot is redemptively ended in the marriage of Boaz and Ruth. Once again, God redeems by grace.