Prepare your heart for the Sermon by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together hearing God's Word.
You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.
Carefully Think
- Read Titus 2:1-10.
- What is the first instruction Paul gives to Timothy?
- How does Paul’s instruction to Timothy relate to the rest of the passage?
- In what category of people does Paul place Timothy, according to this passage? Is vs. 7-8 specifically for Timothy or does it apply to all “young men”?
- How are the older women instructed differently than other groups?
- What are these older women to abstain from? Who are they to direct?
- How are the instructions to bondslaves summarized in vs. 10? Could this be used to summarize the whole passage? Why or why not?
Prayerfully Meditate
- What aspects of each believer’s life would not be effected by the commands given here?
- List the commands given to each group. What are the similarities? Differences?
- How would the surrounding culture be affected by believers’ obedience to this passage? List several possible positive impacts.
- What objections and negative responses would our surrounding culture have to these commands? Provide several specific objections and negative responses.
- How are these commands applicable to believers today? Explain which components are applicable and how you know.
- How would obedience to these commands affect a believer’s witness to our surrounding culture?