God’s Gifts to His Chosen Bride

Read Titus 2:1-8

On our wedding day 19 years ago, Angela and I exchanged rings, gifts that remind us daily of the vows we made. Over the years I have given her other gifts, but they pale in comparison to how God has blessed me through her life. She is truly a gift from God. It strikes me every Mother’s Day, we give gifts, often flowers, that are fast-fading reminders as we pause for 1 day to honor those for whom children’s day comes 365 days a year. It strikes me that those whom we honor often do not stop their labor of love to enjoy the day. I want to call your attention to the gifts God has given His chosen bride, the church – including the very special women among us – and how we are called to love, honor and cherish the women in our lives to the glory of God.

What we often think of when it comes to Titus 2 is mentoring, older teaching younger what it means to follow Jesus. Paul did that for Titus, a young pastor on the Island of Crete facing the challenges of false teachers and immature legalistic believers in the church and opponents to Christianity outside the church. Paul was a gift from God to Titus as a mentor. God has given blessings to His church - God Himself, God's Word & godly people.

1. God Himself. (Titus 1:1-4; 2:11-14; 3:4-7) God has given Himself to the church in the Gospel – in the form of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Titus 1:1 speaks of the elect or chosen ones. It points to God's work of regeneration that He does in the lives of ill-deserving and undeserving sinners when they come to Jesus Christ by grace through faith. Regeneration is something God the Holy Spirit does for us, causing us to be born again, as 1 Peter 1:3 says, to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ; as Jesus said in John 3:6-7, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit, do not marvel that I said you must be born again.” Those of us who are "in Christ", believers, Christians are so because God washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life in Christ through the Holy Spirit. God gives Himself to the church, bringing His bride into relationship with Himself in Christ.

2. God’s Word (Titus 2:1). Paul instructed Titus to "speak"(continue to speak, on an ongoing basis what he had already been doing) "the things fitting for sound doctrine", in contrast with the diseased teaching of false teachers. The need for a solid grasp of God’s Word cannot be more strongly stated than in Titus 1:10-16. The Word of God is where sound doctrine comes from. "Sound" means "healthy". The truth produces health in our lives. Believers need to know the truth that sets us free as Jesus said in John 8:32, 36. No need to look elsewhere, God's Word is sufficient – either by way of specific teaching, directly addressing issues – such as how a husband ought to treat his wife; and how kids are to obey their parents - or by way of application and implication as God's Word is applied to issues it does not directly speak to. The Bible has everything we need for life and godliness. God has given His bride His Word, which stands forever, as Is. 40:8 says.

God has given the Church Himself and His Word. He also gives His bride the blessing of godly people - people who are being made by the Holy Spirit more like God, being "conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29). Tune in tomorrow for a look at how older and younger men and women are to live for the glory of God.