The Grace of God Has Appeared for All People

In one paragraph

Pastor Ray worked through Titus 2:1-15, a passage that lays out what Paul called the "household code," covering older men, older women, younger women, younger men, and bond servants. He spent most of the morning on the first four groups and held the bond servants section for next week, since he felt it needed more time. The thread running through every group on the list was self-control, and he...

Read together

1. Ephesians 3 (partial) Prayed that listeners would understand the incredible greatness of God's power for those who believe in Him
2. Titus 2:1-15 Main sermon text covering household codes for older men, older women, younger women, younger men, and bond servants
3. Ephesians 5:22-6:9 Listed as a comparable household code passage
4. Colossians 3:18-4:1 Listed as a comparable household code passage
5. 1 Timothy 2, 3, and 5 Listed as comparable household code passages
6. 1 Peter 2 Listed as a comparable household code passage
7. Proverbs 31 Referenced to support the idea that the affairs of the household are the domain of younger women
8. Philippians 4 (partial) Quoted as 'against such things there is no law' and 'whatsoever things are noble, just, pure' in relation to living uprightly
9. Psalm 51:12 Closing benediction: 'Restore to me, Lord, the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me'
10. Colossians 4:5-6 Closing benediction: 'Walk in wisdom towards outsiders, making the best use of the time and let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt'

Talk about it

1. Pastor Ray described the older men and women in Titus 2 as people who had real power under Roman law but were being called to use it with gentleness, love, and self-control rather than as tyrants. Where in your own life do you hold some kind of authority or influence, and how does this passage challenge the way you use it?
2. Pastor Ray pointed out that Paul tells older women to teach what is good and train younger women, and he connected that to his own grandmother teaching him to love God more. Who has been that kind of older, faithful example in your life, and what specifically did they pass on to you?
3. The word Pastor Ray kept coming back to across all four groups in the passage was self-control, the Greek word sophron, which he described as not commanding yourself but being commanded by God. What is one area in your life right now where that distinction between self-command and God-command actually makes a practical difference?
4. Pastor Ray said he tends toward the side that believes doing things the way God designed them tends to go better, but he also acknowledged that reasonable people across denominations disagree about how these household codes apply today. How do you personally hold together faithfulness to what the text says and honest wrestling with the cultural distance between Crete in the first century and your own life in 2018?
5. The closing point Pastor Ray landed on was that the grace of God has appeared not only to save us but to train us, to bring us into self-control and sanctification. He asked everyone to consider whether something in their life is out of balance right now. What would it look like for you this week to be, as he put it, consciously and prayerfully letting God deal with that thing rather than handling it on your own?