Called
To Be God’s Woman:
A Titus
2 Woman
KEY Verses: Titus 2:3-5
Aged Women:
Teachers of Good Things
Lesson
8 -Titus 2:3b, 5a
BEGIN with Prayer
Matthew Henry had this to say about the
aged woman being teachers of good things:
“If the aged woman was ‘given to much wine’, she would be under the power
and mastery of it. “How immodest
and shameful, corrupting and destroying purity both of body and mind! Of what evil example and tendency,
unfitting for the next thing, which is a positive duty of aged matrons, namely,
to be teachers of good things!
Matthew Henry makes it clear also in his
writings “that women are not to be public
preachers…that is forbidden” – I Corinthians
He adds this by way of their
qualifications:
“Those whose actions and behavior become holiness are thereby teachers of
good things; and besides this, they may and should also teach by doctrinal
instruction at home, and in a private
way.”
Matthew Henry also gives a contrast between good things and things that
are not.
“Teachers of good things are opposed to teachers of things corrupt,
and not only what is corrupt but
also “to what is trifling and vain, of no
good use or tendency, old wives’ fables or superstitious sayings and
observances;…” They are to be
teachers of good things.” [Matthew Henry’s Commentary: Pg.
262]
“Aged women” in this passage is not speaking necessarily of the hoary
head. It speaks of a spiritually
mature woman. And, who are they to
teach? They are to teach younger
women; women who may be new in the Lord, young in the Lord, young wives, young
mothers, children, teenagers, women who are on their way to becoming aged
women. Whatever age we are, we are
aged to someone else as we are walking and living our daily lives in the Lord
according to Scripture. There are
no spiritual rocking chairs.
:O)
Let us begin tonight by reading [B]Titus 2:1-5, to get
the encompassing picture of our study for this evening.
Question 1: Perhaps the question that may come to mind is ‘what it is that is good?’ Matthew
Question 2: Because God is
“good and upright” as it says in Psalm
25:8, “He teaches sinners the way.” Because God is good: He allows our land
to yield increase, Psalm
85:12. Because God is good, He is ready to
forgive; He is “plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon” Him,
Psalm 86:5. God IS good and God DOES good,
as it says in Psalm 119:68. In this same verse the psalmist asks
that God teach him His statues.
When God teaches us, it sometimes includes His disciplining us in order
to teach us good things.
Disciplining may not be pleasant for the one receiving it
nor for the one who has to administer it…yet we know that all that
God gives us is good. If we keep that in mind, our
perception to what God does and allows will seem to us, more like honey rather
than like medicine.
Titus 2:3b says aged women are to teach young women…and tonight we
will explore some of those ‘good things’.
Question 3 – Author, Martha
Peace, has said
this, regarding this portion of Scripture.
“Often the older women will discern actions or patterns of thinking in
the younger women that are sinful or foolish. They will pray for the younger women but
do nothing else.” [Becoming A Titus 2 Woman, pg.
49]
Do you agree or disagree with this response? Is praying enough? Or, should the aged woman do more? If it isn’t enough, what might hinder
the aged woman from further action?
(ladies
answer)
A. Praying is important but according to this verse, it is not enough. Our verse tells us clearly, we are
to teach young women…that means putting ourselves on the line and
taking action. Because the woman is an aged woman, we expect her to ‘teach’
the younger woman in love, according to Scripture and not to be a lord over the
young woman or to teach her with bludgeoning force.
Question 4:
Now, place yourself on the receiving end: you have received some teaching
from an aged woman who tells you of some actions or patterns she has observed in
your life; things that are sinful or perhaps foolish. How do you respond to the aged
woman? What could hinder the
younger woman from accepting the counsel of the aged woman?
A.
Pride, spiritual and emotional immaturity; not
teachable.
Some of the ways the aged woman could go
about teaching good things is after having prayed and seeking God’s wisdom and
direction for how you should proceed, you begin to involve yourself in the
younger woman’s life, both through ministry and if the opportunity presents
itself outside of the church. Ask
the Lord to show you her needs or how you can ‘come along side’ of this young
woman and befriend her. This
is where the prayer comes in. And
also, interceding in prayer for the young woman, asking the Lord to make her
heart open and teachable to receive the teaching of His good things.
All this preparation in place, the door
opens to put this teaching into action.
Now what? What good things
are we to teach? What is good? Things that are good are right,
excellent, things that are in accordance with God’s Word. The aged woman became mature
in God’s Word by studying God’s Word and learning
about God Himself; not
just ABOUT God, but learning of God’s character. This learning process with God brings us
to a place of knowing God beyond a personal level, but knowing Him
intimately.
What does it mean to know God intimately? Do we, when a crisis arises, respond to
God as being our first thought? Is our action to go immediately to Him,
placing all of our faith and reliance in Him? Perhaps, you may think this
unrealistic. Nobody does this! Well I would offer this to you for
consideration: when we come to know
God in the way He would have us to know Him: that is, His character, His Word,
His promises to us…we can come with confidence to Him with our petition and
leave it with Him until He answers and have peace IN the
matter.
We come to this place by studying God’s Word. This is a major ‘good thing’ to teach
younger women.
Question 5: Why study? What is the benefit of studying the
Scriptures a young woman might ask you?
Isaiah 40:8 -Tells us God’s Word stands forever; it is
enduring
Deuteronomy 8:3 – It is our spiritual
food
Job
I Peter 2:2 – We need it to grow spiritually. (In the same manner a newborn will not be
deprived of food to grow, we are not to be deprived of God’s
Word).
2 Timothy
Psalm 119:11 – We will know what is acceptable to God so we might not sin against
God.
Psalm 19:8 – The Word rejoices our hearts; it gives light for us to
SEE God and what He expects of us.
Psalm 119:105; 130 – Both of these speak of the Word as being a directional
light pointing us to where we should go; how we should live.
Question 6:
God gave us His Word that we might
:
Love it and delight in His commands, Psalm 119: 47
Consider it more precious than any earthly treasure, Psalm 119:72
Meditate on His Word through the day, Psalm 119:97 –
Notice:
the Psalmist is able to do this WHY? Because he loves God’s Word. Being saturated in God’s Word has the
return blessing of becoming wise and pure.
Question 7: God gave us His word that
it might:
Cleanse us, Psalm
119:9
Sanctify us – set us apart for Himself, John 17:17
Help us to love the brethren with a pure heart fervently, I Peter 1:20
Question 8:
God gave us His Word with purpose.
What are some of these purposes?
The Bible is the story of God’s
Redemption of sinners. Jesus
Christ, God the Son, came in the flesh to fulfill His Father’s will: to pay the
price for my sin and yours.
Only Jesus Christ could do this.
John
Romans 15:4
From this verse, we see that the
Scriptures were written for our
learning. It is our ‘school master’ and through
them, we are to learn patience and also to be
comforted by them. In
learning these virtues, we will live on a higher plane; we will live in
hope. We will not be relying on
self or anyone else only waiting on God and for His expected answer. Remembering He is a Jealous God, He
wants nothing and no one else to permeate our hearts, thoughts, lives.
[B] I John
Question 9:
Why has God commanded us to study His Word…to what
end?
God is serious about studying His Word
and it is a good thing that He has commanded us to study it. He wants us to get to know Him for Who
He is and not for Who we ‘think’ He is.
What did you find to be some benefits of studying His Word according to
these verses?
[B]
Deuteronomy
Q. What other
command words do we find in this verse?
A. We
have to READ all the days of our life; KEEP all the words of law
and statues…HOW do we keep God’s Word?... by meditating and memorizing it and
then, we are to DO them.
So the formula is reading, meditating
and memorizing, and then obeying God’s
Word.
R.Q. Can we read God’s Word
but neglect meditating on it? Can
we read, meditate, memorize and not obey God’s Word? Yes, of
course. The formula is to be
followed completely, if we want to know God and grow to be God’s Woman.
If we were to make a
cake and leave out even one ingredient, it
would make a difference in how the cake turns out. To be a good and favorable cake, all the
ingredients in the correct measurements must be followed for success. How much more important is God’s Word
than a cake recipe.
John
Acts 17:11 shows us how we should
approach the reading of the Scriptures: with a readiness of mind, an open mind
to search and examine God’s Word.
And, in this study, God’s Word teaches us what He expects of us as women,
wives and mothers. We’ll delve into
these areas in subsequent studies.
Author, Martha Peace+ says this concerning
‘teaching what is good’:
“You must study the Bible and learn to use it
rightly in context if you are going to truly teach “what is good.” Attend weekly Bible studies that are
doctrinally sound and full of meat.
Do not waste your energy on shallow share time. Read good, doctrinally sound books. Read the Bible and meditate on what it
means.
She goes on to add that “we should thoroughly
learn the passages on women and other important doctrines.” [+Becoming A Titus 2 Woman, pg.
52]
It is not enough for aged women to read, study, understand, learn, and
meditate on Scripture; they must come to the place of living out Scripture. Aged women
must be an example, a role
model in God’s ‘showroom’ of life: that is,
in her home, in her church, in her family, in her neighborhood, among
peers---wherever she is…she is to be a model citizen of Heaven while here on
earth.
In verse 5, we have a
further description of ‘good things’ the young woman is to learn. She is to be “discreet, chaste, a keeper at home, good and love her
husband and children and to be obedient to their own husband.” We will take
loving the husband and children in a separate lesson. But regarding discreet and chaste, let
us lightly touch on these in this lesson.
Question 10: What does it mean to be discreet? To be chaste?
(ladies
answer)
A.
Sober and Discreet – Self-controlled; prudent. This is a most necessary and practical requirement for someone who is
to have the responsibility of a wife, mother and keeper of the home. In our youth, we may be more
prone to rashness and vanity but now as wives and mothers, our behavior needs to
be different. Proverbs 2:11
says, “discretion shall preserve us”, and
understanding will keep us from the evil
way.
Chaste
and keepers of home is interestingly coupled one after another.
Women of the world are
running hither and yon, busy with activities that have no godly purpose; it is
an idle life-style because they, perhaps, would rather not be in the “prison of
their own home”, fulfilling the responsibilities and privileges that are
theirs as wives and
mothers. This worldly response is
at odds with what God is
saying here. Their vain lifestyle can lead to sin.
[B] I Timothy 5:13, 14 speaks of those that have learned to be idle; they wander
from house to house; they become tattlers and also busybodies, speaking things
which they ought not.”
Their place is to be a “keeper
of their own home.” This is an
occupation all of it’s own. God is
saying, if you will, we are to be employed by the business which concerns the
home. [B] Proverbs 31:27 tells us
clearly, we are not to be idle or lazy concerning the needs and workings of our
household. Learning to be organized
and thinking ahead to what the needs of your family may be in the daily routines
will go a long way in making the home a place where everyone is
happy.
APPLICATION Rhetorical Question: What are some
practical ways you have implemented in being a keeper of the home that helps the
home to run smoothly? What are some
areas you need to work on to have your home run
smoothly?
In all of these areas we’ve discussed this evening, we are to be examples
and a living testament to the Christ living in us. Practically speaking, how do we do
this?
Talking about the Lord, lifting Him up; sharing what He’s taught you with
other ladies, how He’s blessed you; what you learned or received from your quiet
time with Him. All this has
manifold blessings for it not only edifies the other lady, but it brings praise
to God also. We cannot keep our
faith to ourselves…no where in Scripture does it speak of a private or selfish
faith that is ours alone.
Another evidence of Christ living in us would be to be forgiving; to
admit our faults when we are wrong; to be respectful to authority; to have a
right attitude towards our husbands: never tearing them down or telling their
faults to others or making him the ‘joke’ of your conversation. The lady that does this may not realize
that this is a subtle form of her pride.
By tearing down her husband to others, she is lifting herself over
him…PRIDE. It is a form of
disrespect toward him and then, behind his back. Others may laugh ‘with you’, and for the
moment you may enjoy your triumph, but in the end, you have caused your husband
to be subject to disrespect by others, wrong thoughts…thereby causing them to
sin. Even if what you have said is
true of your husband, it is like dirty laundry…it is not to be aired. It also speaks poorly of us when we do
this. And before God…we sin against
Him. (Psalm 51:4). This is not consistent with what we have
studied in an earlier lesson about being holy.
The heart of the aged woman teaches good things to the younger woman that
she may be encouraged and also for her to learn about having a good and right
relationship with God.
When we are right with God, we will be right with everyone
else.
The aged woman needs to be careful of her own pride not getting in the
way as she teaches the younger woman.
She needs to be careful to not teach her with the motivation of
proving she is right.
Her motivation should
be for the younger woman to have
a right relationship with God and for God to
receive the glory.
One final thought about teaching good
things:
sometimes the things we need to teach may be reproofs or corrections,
warnings: negative things. Before
ever stepping forward to ‘teach’, be well prayed up. Ask the Lord for wisdom of how your
“iron can sharpen” another’s “iron”.
Teaching “good things” is more than encouragement and praise, it is also
giving warnings when it applies, and then, only when the Lord directs us to do
it. Ask the Lord for discernment,
that the ‘teaching’ we give may be only His Word and not
our own opinions.
Question 11 – According to
Titus 2:5, why
should aged women “be teachers of good
things;”?
A. “…that the word of God be not
blasphemed.”
If we were to ignore
the teaching of these verses: to be
holy, to be sober, to not misuse of our tongues, lips, and mouths, to love and
obey our own husbands and to love our children, to be discreet, good, chaste and
keepers at home… our testimony would bring disgrace on the Word of God as we
parade ourselves before the world as professed Christians. Where and how will God receive the glory
in this?
[B] Galatians 6:1-2 - The discerning, aged woman who loves the Lord, must be
proactive in the wisdom God has given her.
She must not allow the fear of being rejected keep her from teaching good
things. This self interest is to
love self more than loving God and His Word.
We have covered a great deal of what the Lord has to say to us who are
Called to be His Woman.
Over the next two weeks we will continue in the “good things” young women
are to be taught: loving and obeying husbands, loving children and being keepers
at home.