WISE COUNSEL

PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

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In honor of my wife, Amy Laden, whose birthday is today, we are going to be reading through one of her favorite passages in the Bible, Titus chapter two. 

1 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. 7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. 

9 Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 10 and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. 

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. 

15 These, then, are the things you should teach. 

Encourage and rebuke with all authority. 

Do not let anyone despise you.

(Titus 2:1-15 NIV11)

Good Counsel

While all of this chapter is worthy of your time and study, I want to focus on a particular part of this teaching that has been impressed upon me through Amy Laden’s wise counsel to me over the years. 

To the Elder

During our many years of productive and faithful service to the Lord together as husband and wife, Amy has helped me see the wisdom found in God’s word that calls us to carefully and lovingly instruct those that the Lord has placed under our care. 

In Titus 2:2-3, we are taught to help those who are ahead of us in life to press on in their journey of maturity and spiritual growth. The “older” men and women around us in life should be lovingly encouraged to never retire from being a witness for Christ. 

Those we consider our elders (which is a moving target) are not to be cast aside as has-beens and useless, instead they have a vital role in God’s kingdom. 

The elders of the church (not the office but the actual) need to see that the Lord is not through with them yet and that they should not turn to drink or lethargy. Instead they are to be encouraged and challenged to use their God-given wisdom for good as they invest in those younger than themselves. 

To the Younger

In Titus 2:4-5, those who see themselves as the elders in the church (again, not the office but age), are challenged to lovingly invest in those who are younger than themselves. Those with experience are called by God to give wise counsel to those who have not yet traveled their paths. 

In this teaching, we see some of the key areas of encouragement that the older believer should focus on as they answer the call of God with those who are younger:

•   Show love to their families
•   To allow the Holy Spirit to help them be self-controlled
•   Set a positive Christian example
•   Seek purity in their sexual lives
•   Be productive at home and in the marketplace
•   Submit to one another 
•   Guard your integrity at all times
•   Watch your words

Attractive

The goal of this intergenerational mission is given in Titus 2:10, “so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.”

As we seek to invest in one another through our demonstrations of love and grace, we help others to see the wisdom of God’s word and so be drawn into a maturing relationship with Jesus Christ. 

In Christ, 

Ryan Laden

PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Works at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

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