The Treasure of Old Men

Did anyone at work. They they wanted to be paid.

They want a life of luxury. They didn't want to accept responsibility or work ethic that went beyond their own comfort level and in a word, they wanted to remain adolescent, feed me now so the implication here in verse two is that it's possible for an old man to laugh like a little boy was saying to the Christian show your culture what it means to act your possible to finance in years continue to live like an adolescent one thing that young men desperately need his mentors. They need older and wiser men to teach them and show them how to act like men. We live in a day when many young people are far from their family but the church can provide the mentors that young people need older men need to step up and invest in those coming behind them today on wisdom for the heart. Stephen Devi will explore this in a message called the treasure of old no one likes the increasing effects of aging, growing older effect if you walked into a room looking for your glasses only to realize. Looking in the mirror later that you already had them on, you know what I mean. I rabbit you mean either.

We are in denial early traders were surrounded by a culture that is in desperate denial and they're paying a fortune to keep up the appearances of youth got lucky. I got a stay young you got a sound young and active. So the antiaging industry, not the health industry, but the antiaging industry is now in America, a $100 billion a year industry and one health expert wrote an admitted it's really all about peace of mind. We still get older.

According to the Bible, old age is viewed as a fruitful time, a time when you can return to the generation behind the knowledge of the wisdom and the discernment and the balance that you glean from truth from life, from faith. David writes of bearing fruit in old age.

Psalm 9214 growing old enough to turn around and say I've been young and now all that I've never seen God ever for sake the right to be old enough to say that with meeting. Psalm 3725 for a culture that is terrified of getting older it's really time for us to think of the church of the opportunities of that and the obligations and responsibilities. The Bible doesn't ask us to avoid old age or or even resist it.

It actually welcomes you to it and then it turns around and it commands you to take advantage of it. I do find it fascinating that the Paul solution.

The false teaching false teachers on the island of Crete was narrowly setting Titus and appoint elders shepherds who teach faithfully, but to put the rest of the church family on special assignment, so to speak, in their special assignment is going to be effectively in this letter related to their age. If you know enough about the New Testament epistles these are letters from the apostles. Most of them written by the apostle Paul. Paul often talks to groups of people who talk to husbands and little talk to wives to talk to men talk to women talked older people and then to children and so employers, employees, these are family talks, so to speak. Wiley's about the command Titus to carry on his own family talk as he teaches the congregation on the island of Crete, and in your gonna discover that Titus is going to first and foremost speak to older men turned to me to the letter of Paul, the Titus in chapter 2 now when Paul wrote this letter you hold in your lap.

I hope you did bring a copy along the marked up to look at. Hold me accountable if you don't have one lean over so they might share with you when he originally wrote this letter. There were no chapter divisions or verse, numbering that was all added about 400 years ago to help Bible students find their way to the text more easily. Sometimes it interrupts the flow and this is one of those times. So let's go back to chapter 1 verse 16 to get a running start to get the idea of what he saying today that is, the false teachers profess to know God, but by their deeds they did.

I am being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed by the house for you see the word you is emphatic. Titus in other words, this is what the false teachers are teaching. This is out of false teachers are living, but you Titus something different in mind effect to be one verse one, but you speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. There's that word who Dino again hi Jean sound doctrine. In other words, Titus, delivering them things related to spiritually healthy teaching holes so uncontaminated doctrine and do it the tense of this imperative doing continuously. In other words, the congregation is to receive from their shepherds. Regular and pastoral instruction about practical Christian living attitudes and actions that should result from sound doctrine, not surprising here is that you might think that Paul will immediately launch into what sound doctrine is what you'll find in chapter 2, not a review of sound doctrine is never any major doctrine that notice the command of verse one a little more carefully. Titus as far you speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine, letters, call a family meeting spell out for everybody. The kind of lifestyle that is fitting from propos that which matches sound doctrine, it's appropriate to sound clean teaching the kind of lifestyle and attitude that matches it goes hand in glove. You say you believe it, let me see. So Titus chapter 2 really has nothing to do with our belief system has to do with our behavioral system Titus is not going to give them a pop quiz on the content of their beliefs.

He is commanded to teach them about the character of the believer.

Paul is already expose the character of the false teacher, the lifestyle of the cretins those who live on the island of Crete and as you know you were with us.

Follow safely clean their clocks didn't eat now he moves on to describe the lifestyle of the Christian and he's going to be just as blunt, just as in our face and just as revolutionary is going to talk to every age in this family talk about always going to address issues like anger and morality maturity gossip, substance abuse, laziness, priorities, dishonesty, disobedience, backtalk, innuendo, and even stealing just gonna lay it all out. If you want to be perceived by the cretin as authentic Christian's. These are the kinds of attitudes and actions that match up with the genuine item of uncontaminated true clean up your doctrine and he begins his family talk by addressing old men. Maybe you're wondering who's considered inherent old man so that I could just let Stephen preach to them while I relax. Well I'll tell you in a minute but let me tell you. First of all the polls going to deliver six different characteristics of what it means to be a godly old man noticed the first one.

Older men are to be temperate older men are to be don't miss the implication of that first phrase is possible for an older Christian man to not be these things he's commanding them to be temperate, which implies they may not be an older Christian by the way isn't automatically a godly person old age doesn't make a Christian man, more faithful, more satisfied and more godly, more contented, more effective in service to God.

You think Paul wouldn't have to tell old man anything. I mean who wants to to begin with right there already. This way they are no unnecessarily.

The fact that there included in this family talk, but referenced first implies the critical nature that of every age group. This one, we gotta get this went down, and explain why we go through our study today. The first characteristic is temperate. Originally the word meant unmixed with wine and translated with the lead wineglass came to refer to people and I think this is Paul's thinking here.

People who were sober in their mind. That is, they are in control of their passion.

Their words and actions of the world would be used to refer to a man who resisted being over in diligent excessive in a given the passions and emotions.

The flareup and just as quickly die down.

One Greek scholar added this word also came to describe a man was free from excessive free from what we would call today. Addiction to destructive things like pornography or illegal drugs, both of which were rampant in first century Rome, she Paul was already described cretins as effectively dirty old men remembered in chapter 1, their mind and their consciences are defiled their dirty there solely now, let's do something about it.

He's talking the men who are cretins coming used to be that way. Now let's show our culture, what it means to be healthy and wholesome and clean and uncontaminated it fits with the doctrine that we say we believe show them what what it looks like to be a godly old man okay who qualifies to be an old man waited long. It was Paul addressing as his family talk because what we know from Greek literature. We have to go there for help during the days of Paul and Titus.

The word used here in verse two, four older men was used for men who had reached the age of 50. All some of the others will help correct this really old guy sitting next to me on both the well. If you've reached 50 or are your borderline or maybe you cross the border is hers ago. This is for you. You're an old man. I didn't call you that Paul did your an old man, there's no need denying anyway. You arty know you're getting old anyway right.

I read one today wrote you know you're getting old that you know you're all when you recognize the music on the elevator and can sing along. You know you're getting old when you phone close for so long they'd come back in style twice when the mind of Paul who wrote this letter to Titus, long before the invention of elevators in his thinking. If you're 50, you qualify. Notice what he is next to the list.

Older men are to be temperate. Here's an interesting word, dignified the word is seven thus it means to be worthy of respect. The cretin men we've seen them described in chapter 1, they were adolescents. What's adolescent activity with adolescent thinking so many lives for himself and his own desires so many views people as pawns. I want this now, I am me and my unit cretins. Then he want to work, they they wanted to be paid. They wanted a life of of a luxury they didn't want to accept responsibility or self self-sacrifice or work ethic that went beyond their own comfort level in in a word, they wanted to remain adolescent, feed me now so the implication here in verse 10 is in is that it's possible for an old man to act like a little boy, Paul is saying to the Christian show your culture what it means to act your age with the opposite of the cultural adolescent is all about his own shallow reflection numbers, respect me because of what I have posted none dignified means you are respected because of who you are. The solution is not going to be sudden. If I Paul knew the solution would be first to challenge the older men to begin to pursue these characteristics and to develop this and to continually teach this to pursue these characteristics and then turn around and mentor and disciple. The younger men who never had a father who'd grown up they had a father who was an adolescent I can tell you after spending recent days with in time with some of our leaders were going to be taking new and aggressive initiatives of as a church family to train men in this regard, encouraging older and more spiritually mature men to mentor younger me so fascinating ministry moment a little while ago about how the women are doing this wonderful ministry. We need to be doing this is men pastor while he told Ms. Wednesday morning quest is going to get exploring ways for older men in the faith to mentor younger men in the faith.

Next month the men's ministries is bringing a businessman, Dan Cathy, the CEO of Chick-fil-A to come and share his testimony and what it means to be distinctive Christian man in the community and those of you are. Many need to be here for that lesson the church has to be the place.

It has to be the place where we have within our family circle older men who aren't ashamed of that who are willing to live like that who are willing to pursue the temperance and the dignity of all age who can have fun and enjoy life who will mentor younger men who will become more than likely the first genuinely mature father figure. Younger men in the church have ever had older men must be worthy of respect.

Not because of what they own because of who they are to Dennis to change and he tells the older men to be that giving other words, the adds to the list. The older men must be sensible. This is one of Paul's favorite descriptions for the entire family by the way, the only term he uses not only for older men but young women and young men and in later on in verse 12 of chapter 2 is Umatilla whole church to be sensible. He loves this work and refers to soundness of thinking of mine EE it then flows into self-discipline. In other words, you are maturing as an older man because you are doing the right thing, not just because someone is telling you to, or someone is reminding to but because you want to. It's part of your daily passion to you get up in the morning and you effectively pray Lord today. I want nothing right. I need wisdom to judge issues to determine what's good and what's better than what's best in my life, and old men are great for this. Why because old man of live long enough to see just about everything. Older men have lived long enough to know by then that sin promises all a lot more than the liver produce older men have handled enough money to know that it can bring happiness and he can take wing and flyaway. Older men have found enough stuff to know how quickly it gets shoved in the attic. Older men have seen enough sickness when suffering to know that life is fragile and unpredictable, and so older men can teach younger men how to relish the moment grown and discernment in balanced thinking, which is the characteristic of this word sensible. They think grown tall enough for their feet to touch the ground. Finally, Paul adds the universe to their to be sound in their faith, love and perseverance present word sound again to be healthy and whole there to be uncontaminated in their faith and their love and their perseverance. What is he mean sound in faith describes their relationship with Jesus Christ. It's healthy, growing ongoing it's unfettered uncontaminated kept clean and that's daily business right sound and love describes relationships with other people and ongoing choice to exercise agape, which is Paul's word used here. That's the selfless love of commitment is affection for others based on volition sound and perseverance simply means you're committed to doing the above you persevere at it. You're going to keep that it no matter what. What Christian man wouldn't sign up yet love a healthy relationship with God and I'd love for my relationships with people to be sound, but how many will sign on for the perseverance demanded of them to pursue soundness and purity and wholeness in faith and in love no matter what and have justified going out the back door. I choose not to persevere in that while I thought the spirit of God to me when I signed up to have a good relationship with him in a good relation with the life of the spirit of God within us with everything out as is signed. This is the greatest demonstration of the power of the Spirit of God was in God the son Christ Jesus not escaping the cross. But in during the cross. He persevered, he fully God, yet fully man in his perseverance and soundness and help in all of his relationships has become for us the perfect model of an older man even though he never reached 50 he was that mature but the family and the church family needs. According to Titus chapter 2, first and foremost, and this is all you get to the David Kennedy with the older men they must be in pursuit of him pursuing these characteristics. While all others pursue everything else older men walk in on these things pursue what really matters in one of his books. Writer Robert Fulghum tells the story of when his daughter was six or seven years old. She gave him a paper bag to take with them to work. When he asked her what was in the back. She said will just some stuff taken with you.

Well, he got to work, sat down eventually got his lunch and there was the paper bag.

The port at its contents to ribbons three stones, a plastic dinosaur a pencil stub, a tiny seashell used lipstick to chocolate kisses and 13 pennies a look at him while he ate finishes lunch, swept off everything into the wastebasket and went back to work.

When he arrived at home is Iran right up to him and said where's where's my bag. I lifted work. Why was she sitting of the those things in that sack daddy that those are things I really like. I thought you might like to play with them to, but not want them back. When she saw her dad hesitate. Tears welled up in her eyes and she said you didn't lose the bag. He said he didn't. And after she went to bed. He raced back to the office. Fulghum writes all quota. Molly had given me her treasures all the little girl held dear and I missed it I missed it and I didn't just miss it.

I thrown it away. I went back to my office. I dumped all the wastebaskets out onto my desk, Jennifer Jamison, did you lose something I said yes my mind is probably in here somewhere. Help me find found the bag and crumpled it filled it again with my daughter's items to ribbons, three stones, a plastic dinosaur pencil stub, a tiny seashell used lipstick to chocolate kisses 13 pennies I brought them I went up and I sat down the edge of the bed with Molly and I had her tell you all over again. The story behind every treasure in her bag and he writes to my surprise several days later Molly gave me the bag once again same old accent stuff inside, but I felt forgiven over several months.

The bag was given to me from time to time to take with me to the office. I was never clear why I why I got it or why I didn't get it on on a particular day I began to think of it as a daddy prize and I try to behave the night before so she let me have in time Molly turned her attention to other things.

She grew up she gave me the bag. One morning and never asked. It sits in my office today left over my little girl said this is my treasure and it's yours right.

I missed it the first time, but not now friends. I think that in opening lines of this family. Paul is telling the church every Titus, the church will be taught what we need first and foremost our men who have learned what to keep whatever church you attend the truth of God's word rings true. Your church needs older men who have discovered the nature of true treasure and who are committed to pursuing what truly matters brothers if that's you, I hope this challenge from God's word will stir your heart and give you a renewed sense of purpose and if you're younger man be on the lookout for an older man that you admire and ask to spend time with him. This is wisdom for the hearts today's message from the preaching ministry of Stephen Davie is called the treasure of old men. Is there a man in your life who would benefit from hearing this message again, you can send them the link to today's message and they can listen online wisdom online.org.

Today's lesson was part one in a series from Titus two called family talk as Stephen continues through this passage, there will be challenges for men and women of all ages and I hope you'll be with us for all of it, but between now and then we'd love to hear from you. You can send Stephen a note if you address your card or letter to wisdom for the hearts.

PO Box 37297, Raleigh, NC 27627. Here's that address.

Once again, in case you're trying to write it down its wisdom for the hearts. PO Box 37297 Raleigh, NC 27627. Thanks for listening. Join us next time. For more wisdom for the