OceanSide church of Christ

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LIVE SOBERLY

Titus 2:11-12

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.               Titus 2:11-12 not only teaches us what to deny, but it also instructs us how to live in a positive way.

 

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

 

B.               In this lesson, we want to consider the topic:  “Live Soberly.”

 

C.              There are two primary Greek words that are translated “sober” in the New Testament.

1.               The one used in Titus 2:12 is from “sophrone.”

2.               The other word is “nepho” (I Thess. 5:6).

 

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

 

3.               Some try to distinguish between the two words, but they are almost interchangeable in the Biblical text.

 

D.              In the KJV, the translators use different terms to translate the two words.

1.               Sophrone:  right mind, sober, sound mind, temperate, discreet

2.               Nepho:  vigilant, sober, temperate, watch

 

E.               There are three verses in which both words are found together.

1.               I Timothy 3:2

 

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant (nepho), grave, temperate (sophrone), of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach.

 

2.               Titus 2:2

 

That the aged men be sober (nepho), grave temperate (sophone), sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

 

3.               I Peter 4:7

 

But the end of all things is at hand:  be ye therefore sober (sophone), and watch (nepho) unto prayer.

 

F.               There are several different avenues one can take in an attempt to understand and apply this word to our lives.  We will examine soberness in contrast to its opposites.

 

I.          SOBERNESS VERSUS UNALERT AND UNPREPARED

 

A.               Here, we see soberness in its most commonly understood definition.

1.               Soberness stands in opposition to the stupor of intoxicants.

2.               Soberness also stands in opposition to a state of sleepiness.  NOTE:  It is possible for a man not to be asleep, but not to be sober.

 

B.               The Christian is a person who is sober, that is, alert, awake, and not intoxicated.

 

C.              The reason for this is two-fold:

1.               We must be alert to our enemy Satan (I Peter 5:8).

 

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversay the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

 

2.               We must be ever watchful and ready for the Second Coming of our Lord (I Thess. 5:4-6).

 

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.  Ye are all children of light, and the children of the day:  we are not of the night, nor of darkness.  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

 

II.         SOBERNESS VERSUS INSANITY

 

A.               A person who is not in his right mind is not sober.

 

B.               In the days of Jesus, a man was possessed with a demon.

1.               This demon possessed the mind of the man.

2.               He did things he would not have done if his right mind had been operative.

3.               Jesus cast the demon out and a remarkable change came over the man (Mark 5:15; Luke 8:35).

 

And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind:  and they were afraid.

 

C.              Demon possession no longer exists, but there are disorders that one can have that render a person insane.  In such cases, one is not sober.

1.               Medications and counseling can help in some cases.

2.               God will judge these individuals with justice.

 

III.        SOBERNESS VERSUS SELF-EXALTATION

 

A.               When a person has a proud, arrogant view of himself, he is not sober.

 

B.               Romans 12:3

 

For I say, through the grace give unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

 

1.         It is possible for one to over exalt himself (e.g., Pharaoh, Exo. 5:2; Herod, Acts 12:21-23; and Diotrephes, III John 9-10).

 

And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go?  I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.

 

2.         The rich, the knowledgeable, the powerful, the celebrity, the politician, the star athlete, and others can develop an air of supremacy.

                        3.         Three things can help to humble us very quickly:

                                    a.         Sin:  I am not good

                                    b.         Death:  I will cease to exist

                                    c.         Time:  I will be soon forgotten

 

IV.        SOBERNESS VERSUS EMOTIONAL DISPLAY

 

A.               In Acts 26, Paul stands before King Agrippa in defense of the Christian religion.

1.               Prior to this, Paul had stood before Festus and had appealed to Caesar (Acts 25:11-12).

2.               When Agrippa learned of this, he desired to hear from Paul (Acts 25:22).

3.               Paul’s defense (Acts 26:1-23)

a.         He told of his life as a persecutor

b.         He told of his conversion

c.         He told that these experiences and his new message had led to his arrest

                        4.         When Festus heard this account, he accused Paul of being mad (Acts 26:24).

 

And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning hath made thee mad.

 

4.               Paul responded stating that he was not mad, but spoke sobering words (Acts 26:25).

 

But he said, I am not made most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

 

a.         The English Standard Version (ESV) states:  “But Paul said, ‘I am not out of my mind, most excellent, Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.’”

b.         The thought in the first century was that prophetic utterances came when one was in a highly emotional, ecstatic condition.

c.         Not so!  Paul was speaking a message under inspiration that was true and rational.

 

B.               The message of the gospel is till true and rational.

1.               It is a message that is based upon evidence (Heb. 11:1).

2.               The evidence can be examined and tested as to its truth and accuracy (Acts 17:11).

3.               It must, then, either be accepted or rejected (Acts 26:27-28).

 

King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?  I know that thou believest.  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

 

V.         SOBERNESS VERSUS IMMODESTY/EXCESS

 

A.               In the city of Ephesus, the “women of the night” were easily detected.  Their manner of dress gave them away:  gold, jewels, braided hair, and expensive attire.

 

B.               When Paul addressed the Christian women of this city, he exhorted them to dress soberly (I Tim. 2:9-10).

 

In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

 

C.              Excess in dress, whether over or underdressing, is immodest.  It does not display the right thinking demanded of a child of God.

1.               Bikinis, tatooes all over one’s body, pants showing underwear, gothic look, gold and diamonds everywhere, loud colors, and that which is sexually revealing.

2.               When one departs from another’s presence and they cannot remember how he is dressed, he was modest.

 

VI.        SOBERNESS VERSUS LACK OF SELF CONTROL

 

A.               The world has a tendency to focus upon its sinful lusts, desires, passions, and cravings (Eph. 2:3).

 

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

 

B.               Christians are different.  They live lives of self-control, temperance, and discipline.  They seek to curb and conquer their fleshly passions.  They seek to live soberly.

1.               Elders (I Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:2).

2.               Deacons’ wives (I Tim. 3:11).

3.               Gospel preachers (II Tim. 4:5).

4.               Aged men (Tit. 2:2).

5.               Young women (Titus 2:5; see also I Tim. 2:15).

6.               Young men (Tit. 2:6).

 

C.              I Peter 1:13-16

 

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to former lusts in our ignorance:  but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

 

1.               This control begins in the mind.

2.               It involves obedience and abstaining from fleshly lusts.

3.               It results in our being holy and set apart.

4.               It is motivated by the hope that we have of receiving God’s grace at our Lord’s return.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.               When one is drunk, other will often tell him he needs to “sober up.”

 

B.               From a Biblical perspective, perhaps all of need to do some sobering up.

1.               We need to sober up about the Second Coming.

2.               We need to sober up about self.

3.               We need to sober up about modesty and excess.

4.               We need to sober up about “how” we live the Christian life.

 

C.              I Thessalonians 5:8-9

 

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

 

 


 

LIVE SOBERLY

Titus 2:11-12

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

A.                Titus 2:11-12 not only teaches us what to deny, but it also instructs us how to live in a positive way.

B.                In this lesson, we want to consider the topic:  “Live Soberly.”

C.                There are two primary Greek words that are translated “sober” in the New Testament.

1.                 The one used in Titus 2:12 is from “sophrone.”

2.                 The other word is “nepho” (I Thess. 5:6).

3.                 Some try to distinguish between the two words, but they are almost interchangeable in the Biblical text.

D.                In the KJV, the translators use different terms to translate the two words.

1.                 Sophrone:  right mind, sober, sound mind, temperate, discreet

2.                 Nepho:  vigilant, sober, temperate, watch

E.                There are three verses in which both words are found together (I Tim. 3:2; Tit. 2:2; I Pet. 4:7).

G.                There are several different avenues one can take in an attempt to understand and apply this word to our lives.  We will examine soberness in contrast to its opposites.

I.                 SOBERNESS VERSUS UNALERT AND UNPREPARED

A.                Here, we see soberness in its most commonly understood definition.

1.                 Soberness stands in opposition to the stupor of intoxicants.

2.                 Soberness also stands in opposition to a state of sleepiness.

B.                The Christian is a person who is sober, that is, alert, awake, and not intoxicated.

C.                The reason for this is two-fold:  1) Our enemy (I Peter 5:8) and 2) The Second Coming (I Thess. 5:4-6).

II.                SOBERNESS VERSUS INSANITY

A.                A person who is not in his right mind is not sober.

B.                In the days of Jesus, a man was possessed with a demon.

1.                 This demon possessed the mind of the man.

2.                 He did things he would not have done if his right mind had been operative.

3.                 Jesus cast the demon out and a remarkable change came over the mane (Mark 5:15; Luke 8:35).

C.                Demon possession no longer exists, but there are disorders that one can have that render a person insane.  In such cases, one is not sober (Medications, counseling, and the righteous judgment of God).

III.              SOBERNESS VERSUS SELF-EXALTATION

A.                When a person has a proud, arrogant view of himself, he is not sober.

B.                Romans 12:3

1.                 It is possible for one to over exalt himself (e.g., Pharaoh, Exo. 5:2; Herod, Acts 12:21-23; and Diotrephes, III John 9-10).

2.                 The rich, the knowledgeable, the powerful, the celebrity, the politician, the star athlete, and others.

3.                 Three things can help to humble us very quickly: 1) Sin:  I am not good; 2) Death:  I will cease to exist, and 3) Time:  I will be soon forgotten.

IV.              SOBERNESS VERSUS EMOTIONAL DISPLAY

A.                In Acts 26, Paul stands before King Agrippa in defense of the Christian religion.

1.                 Prior to this, Paul had stood before Festus and had appealed to Caesar (Acts 25:11-12).

                                        2.                 When Agrippa learned of this, he desired to hear from Paul (Acts 25:22).

3.                 Paul’s defense (Acts 26:1-23)

                                        4.                 When Festus heard this account, he accused Paul of being made (Acts 26:24).

5.                 Paul responded stating that he was not mad, but spoke sobering words (Acts 26:25).

a.                 The English Standard Version (ESV) states:  “But Paul said, ‘I am not out of my mind, most excellent, Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.’”

b.                 Those in the first century thought that prophetic utterances came from a highly emotional, ecstatic condition.

c.                 Not so!  Paul was speaking a message under inspiration that was true and rational.

                    B.                The message of the gospel is till true and rational.

1.                 It is a message that is based upon evidence (Heb. 11:1).

2.                 The evidence can be examined and tested as to its truth and accuracy (Acts 17:11).

3.                 It must, then, either be accepted or rejected (Acts 26:27-28).

V.                SOBERNESS VERSUS IMMODESTY/EXCESS

A.                In the city of Ephesus, the “women of the night” were easily detected.  Their manner of dress gave them away:  gold, jewels, braided hair, and expensive attire.

B.                When Paul addressed the Christian women of this city, he exhorted them to dress soberly (I Tim. 2:9-10).

C.                Excess in dress, whether over or underdressing, is immodest.  It does not display the right thinking demanded of a child of God.

1.                 Bikinis, tatooes all over one’s body, pants showing underwear, gothic look, gold and diamonds everywhere, loud colors, and that which is sexually revealing.

2.                 When one departs from another’s presence and they cannot remember how he is dressed, he was modest.

VI.              SOBERNESS VERSUS LACK OF SELF CONTROL

A.                The world has a tendency to focus upon its sinful lusts, desires, passions, and cravings (Eph. 2:3).

B.                Christians are different.  They live lives of self-control, temperance, and discipline.  They seek to curb their fleshly passions.

1.                 Elders (I Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:2).

2.                 Deacons’ wives (I Tim. 3:11).

3.                 Gospel preachers (II Tim. 4:5).

4.                 Aged men (Tit. 2:2).

5.                 Young women (Titus 2:5; see also I Tim. 2:15).

6.                 Young men (Tit. 2:6).

C.                I Peter 1:13-16

CONCLUSION

A.                When one is drunk, other will often tell him he needs to “sober up.”

B.                From a Biblical perspective, perhaps all of need to do some sobering up:  Second Coming, Self, Modesty, and “how” we live the Christian life.

C.                I Thessalonians 5:8-9

 

 

LIVE SOBERLY

Titus 2:11-12

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

                    A.                Titus 2:11-12 not only teaches us what to deny, but it also instructs us how to live in a positive way.

                    B.                In this lesson, we want to consider the topic:  “Live Soberly.”

                    C.                here are _______ primary Greek words that are translated “sober” in the New Testament.

                                        1.                 The one used in Titus 2:12 is from “sophrone.”

                                        2.                 The other word is “nepho” (I Thess. 5:6).

                                        3.                 Some try to distinguish between the two words, but they are almost interchangeable in the Biblical text.

                    D.                In the KJV, the translators use different terms to translate the two words.

                                        1.                 Sophrone:  __________ mind, sober, sound mind, temperate, discreet

                                        2.                 Nepho:  _____________________, sober, temperate, watch

                    E.                There are three verses in which both words are found _________________ (I Tim. 3:2; Tit. 2:2; I Pet. 4:7).

F.                 There are several different avenues one can take in an attempt to understand and apply this word to our lives.  We will examine soberness in contrast to its opposites.

I.                 SOBERNESS VERSUS ____________________ AND UNPREPARED

A.                Here, we see soberness in its most _________________ understood definition.

                                        1.                 Soberness stands in opposition to the stupor of _________________.

                                        2.                 Soberness also stands in opposition to a state of ____________________.

B.                The Christian is a person who is sober, that is, alert, awake, and not intoxicated.

C.                The reason for this is two-fold:  1) Our __________ (I Peter 5:8) and 2) The ___________  ____________ (I Thess. 5:4-6).

II.                SOBERNESS VERSUS INSANITY

A.                A person who is not in his ____________ mind is not sober.

B.                In the days of Jesus, a man was possessed with a demon.

1.                 This ____________________ possessed the mind of the man.

2.                 He did things he would _________ have done if his right mind had been operative.

                                        3.                 Jesus cast the demon out and a remarkable change came over the man (Mark 5:15; Luke 8:35).

C.                Demon possession no longer exists, but there are disorders that one can have that render a person insane.  In such cases, one is not sober (Medications, counseling can help, and the righteous judgment of God will be just).

III.              SOBERNESS VERSUS __________-______________________.

                    A.                When a person has a _________________, arrogant view of himself, he is not sober.

                    B.                ________________________ 12:3

1.                 It is possible for one to over ____________ himself (e.g., Pharaoh, Exo. 5:2; Herod, Acts 12:21-23; and Diotrephes, III John 9-10).

2.                 The rich, the knowledgeable, the powerful, the celebrity, the politician, the star athlete, and others.

3.                 Three things can help to humble us very quickly: 1) _________:  I am not good; 2) ___________:  I will cease to exist, and 3) ________________:  I will be soon forgotten.

IV.              SOBERNESS VERSUS ______________________ DISPLAY

                    A.                In Acts 26, Paul stands before King Agrippa in defense of the Christian religion.

                                        1.                 Prior to this, Paul had stood before Festus and had appealed to Caesar (Acts 25:11-12).

                                        2.                 When Agrippa learned of this, he desired to hear from Paul (Acts 25:22).

                                        3.                 aul’s defense (Acts 26:1-23)

                                        4.                 When Festus heard this account, he accused Paul of being __________ (Acts 26:24).

5.                 Paul responded stating that he was not mad, but spoke _________________ words (Acts 26:25).

a.                 The English Standard Version (ESV) states:  “But Paul said, ‘I am not out of my mind, most excellent, Festus, but I am speaking true and ________________ words.’”

b.                 Those in the first century thought that prophetic utterances came from a highly emotional, ecstatic condition.

c.                 Not so!  Paul was speaking a message under inspiration that was true and rational.

                    B.                The message of the gospel is till true and rational.

                                        1.                 It is a message that is based upon ___________________ (Heb. 11:1).

                                        2.                 The evidence can be examined and tested as to its truth and __________________ (Acts 17:11).

                                        3.                 It must, then, either be _________________ or _________________ (Acts 26:27-28).

V.                SOBERNESS VERSUS IMMODESTY/EXCESS

A.                In the city of Ephesus, the “women of the night” were easily detected.  Their manner of ____________ gave them away:  gold, jewels, braided hair, and expensive attire.

B.                When Paul addressed the Christian women of this city, he exhorted them to dress _________________ (I Tim. 2:9-10).

C.                Excess in dress, whether over or under dressing, is ____________.  It does not display the right thinking demanded of a child of God.

1.                 Bikinis, tatooes all over one’s body, pants showing underwear, gothic look, gold and diamonds everywhere, loud colors, and that which is sexually revealing.

2.                 When one departs from another’s presence and they cannot remember how he is dressed, he was modest.

VI.              SOBERNESS VERSUS LACK OF SELF _________________________

A.                The world has a tendency to focus upon its sinful lusts, ________________, passions, and cravings (Eph. 2:3).

B.                Christians are different.  They live lives of self-control, temperance, and ___________.  They seek to ________ their fleshly passions.

1.                 Elders (I Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:2).

2.                 Deacons’ wives (I Tim. 3:11).

3.                 Gospel preachers (II Tim. 4:5).

4.                 Aged men (Tit. 2:2).

5.                 Young women (Titus 2:5; see also I Tim. 2:15).

6.                 Young men (Tit. 2:6).

C.                I Peter 1:13-16

CONCLUSION

A.                When one is drunk, other will often tell him he needs to “______________  ________.”

B.                From a Biblical perspective, perhaps all of need to do some sobering up:  Second Coming, Self, Modesty, and “how” we live the Christian life.

C.                I Thessalonians 5:8-9