Session 4 September 17th 2020

 

Read

Titus 2:1-6

 

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

 

3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

 

6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.

 

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Imagine for a moment we are living in a world where adults are not potty trained. YEAH gross. We all need to be grateful that as we grew up someone told us we needed self-control in this area and took the time to teach us how to practice it.

 

Paul reminds us in Titus 2:1-6, growing up in Christ requires the same kind of instruction. We all come to Jesus with areas of our lives over which we do not exercise self-control. Rather, we yield to impulses and our desires. It could be substance abuse, fits of temper, gossip, sexual practices, or destructive thought patterns. No matter what it is, a fleeting impulse can lead to a permanent problem.

 

Self-control does not limit us and subdue us. To the contrary, it frees us to follow Jesus more closely.

 

When we ask Jesus into our lives, one of the Holy Spirit’s gifts is self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Self-control does not limit us. To the contrary, it frees us to follow Jesus more closely.

 

Those who are mature in the faith are responsible for training younger believers—teaching them how to tap into and grow in self-control and helping them prepare for Jesus’ return. “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:13).

 

Reflect and pray

 

What is the area over which you have the most trouble exercising self-control? Don’t try to overcome it on your own. Is that a struggle?

Are you prepared to connect with someone to mentor you in this area?

Are you making yourself available to mentor younger Christians?

What is one step you can take today to be intentional about mentoring someone this week?

What are you asking God to do in you to help?