Today we're going to learn how small desires have the power to gradually take our freedom. Nobody plans to lose control of their habits to the point that it shapes their character. It usually starts small with a little comfort, maybe a little distraction, something that feels harmless in the moment. But over time, what we thought we were choosing starts choosing us. That's when the vice of indulgence begins to take hold. You see, indulgence promises momentary relief from stress or boredom, but it doesn't stay contained. It becomes a pattern, and over time we find ourselves enslaved by the very behavior we first chose for amusement or maybe pleasure. Self-control, on the other hand, often gets framed as restriction, but scripture tells a different story. Self-control is actually a freedom gained when God's spirit directs our desires toward healthy patterns. It keeps us focused on long-term outcomes instead of the immediate gratification.
Welcome to Mountain View Church. My name is Jeremy. Over the past month, we've been walking through a series titled Virtues and Vices, calling out the habits of human nature and discovering the opposing attributes of the spirit-led life. Today, we're unpacking the virtue of self-control and the vice of indulgence, looking at the Apostle Paul's letter to Titus. Paul describes a better way to address habitual behaviors than simply trying harder and hoping that our lifestyles will change. We'll discover that indulgence is centered on distraction, enslaving us to our desires, but self-control is centered on direction, freeing us from those impulses.
The pursuit of freedom from indulgence is a mental and emotional struggle, but it's also a spiritual battle. Our lives might stay busy and even look faithful on the surface, but underneath, in the downtimes when no one's looking, the truth unfolds. This is why self-control is a core virtue of Christian formation. Without redirection toward other pursuits, healthy pursuits, our desires will take over. We don't need more willpower. We need the power of Jesus.
My name is Katarina. Our scripture reading is from Titus 2. You are welcome to follow along with a physical Bible. You can search the table of context, tense, to locate the corresponding page number for Titus, or alternatively, you can download the Bible app or visit bible.com. But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith and love, and in steadfastness. Older women, likewise, are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine.
They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Bond servants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything. They are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Before we unpack the text, I want to give you some historical context. Titus had been discipled by the Apostle Paul and had become a trusted ministry partner. Many scholars estimate Titus was about late 30s, maybe early 40s at the time of this letter, and he was overseeing a multiple of churches across the Roman-controlled territory of Crete. These congregations were facing some serious challenges. Some were slipping into destructive lifestyles, while others were leaning into legalistic teaching. The problem on both sides, though, was the same. Behavior was being shaped without true heart formation.
So Paul's letter to Titus begins with a focus on leadership and spiritual formation. Elders need to be appointed and sound doctrine must be maintained. By chapter two, Paul outlines what a mature Christ-like character should look like across the local church. And so at the heart of Paul's letter is grace. Christian behavior doesn't begin with rules or pressure, but with the saving work of God, of his grace through Jesus. And because of the grace of God, and because it's appeared now after Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension, believers are called to live differently in this present age.
Virtues like self-control aren't conditions for salvation, but a result of it, as God's people wait with hope for Christ's return. But now let's start unpacking a few of these verses. Paul references the virtue of self-control multiple times, directed toward every demographic in the church. In verse 2, it's directed toward older men. In verse 5, toward older women, training younger women. And in verse 6, toward younger men. Then again, in verse 12, Paul expands it to all believers, calling them to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. The underlying message is clear, that self-control is a virtue that should be passed down from generation to generation. Which kind of makes sense, since teens and young adults can be more prone to the vice of indulgence. With increased energy and passion and drive, let's face it, those desires aren't directed toward healthy pursuits all the time. And it's easy...
in those younger years for indulgence to kind of fill the gap. Now, in a healthy community, older generations have learned from their experience and sometimes their past mistakes, let's face it. They can help prevent younger believers from being enslaved in those destructive habits. They can help them be self-controlled. And so let's break this down. Paul's specific instruction for each demographic. The first and most comprehensive calling is to older men, which makes sense as heads of each household. Paul tells Titus that older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.
By naming this list of virtues, Paul is also exposing the common temptations that older men drift toward. Impulsive eating or drinking, careless living, cynicism, and impatience. For older men, indulgence can be masked as an earned freedom or maybe a God-given right. Unfortunately, this mindset is an empty narrative that enslaves them as they continue to excuse their unchecked desires. But now Paul turns to older women. Likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. That word likewise ties them directly to similar expectations of the older men.
The difference is that Paul names two indulgence warnings that were likely significant problems in those churches, gossip and substance abuse. Their call is for a reverent behavior, which needs to be rooted in self-control, letting the Holy Spirit build a defense in them against indulgent speech like gossip or slandering and that appetite for wine, for drunkenness. Next, Paul transitions to younger women, but under the banner of instruction from older women. He states that older women should train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands.
Self-control is taught, modeled, and passed down through those relationships. Paul has placed this responsibility on older women because discipleship happens best when we're walking with each other and we're walking with someone who has a lived example. Based on Paul's instruction, young families in the Cretan congregations must have been struggling with distorted priorities, maybe fractured relationships, and maybe pressure to live like the surrounding pagan culture instead of the way of Christ. When a young woman leans into indulgence, her marriage and family suffer dearly. In contrast, the spirit's call to be self-controlled can reshape her entire home life. But suddenly, a question surfaces. I'm sure it has for you. Why is this generational transition of virtue such a big deal? Well, Paul gives the reason. In this verse, he says that the word of God may not be reviled.
Notice how Paul ties personal discipleship directly with the public witness. When Christianity, or Christian homes maybe, reflect the same disorder of the world around them, of the culture, the credibility of the gospel is ruined. The virtue of self-control shows the world that the grace of Jesus can transform everyday life. Next, having finished his instruction to women, Paul jumps back to the men, specifically younger men, with another likewise, to urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Connected to the previous verses, but very direct. It's like his instruction for younger men is so brief.
and so direct that you start to think maybe there's a reason to it. Maybe it makes sense. You see, young men in the first century were no different than young men of today. Guys in their teens and early 20s are often driven by impulse and appetite. Not all of them, but most of them. And so when they're not intentionally directed toward work, healthy relationships, and a purpose, they are highly, highly susceptible to the vice of indulgence. And so it fits that Paul doesn't overwhelm younger men with another list of virtues added to the self-control. He gets right to the point. Everything in their lives depends heavily on that single virtue to be self-controlled.
When a young man leans into Jesus and is filled with the Holy Spirit, that same energy and drive is transformed into faithfulness, leadership, and exemplary service. So if he can capture self-control, spirit-led self-control, he's a force to be reckoned with. Now, I realize that this might sound like stereotyping certain demographics. There are always exceptions within every age or gender stage of life. Paul's point isn't that indulgence belongs to one group more than another, but that it often shows up differently depending on the season of life, level of influence, and the relational responsibility that one has. So what remains consistent, though, is the need for self-controlled direction in all areas of life, for a better future, for better outcomes. Which brings us back to the core principle that indulgence is distraction, enslaving us to our desires. But self-control is direction, freeing us from our impulses. The distraction of indulgence rarely feels dangerous in the moment, does it?
It actually feels harmless, or we might even excuse ourselves and say, I deserve this. But over time, that vice pulls us off course. pulls us off course from who we want to be and what we've hoped for, what we hope our lives to become. Self-control, on the other hand, doesn't say no to impulses. It's not just about that. It redirects our perspective. It shifts our desires toward healthier, wiser, and more faithful pursuits. We're still going after something, just a different something. And looking back, those redirections, little bits over time, they make a big difference. And it'll feel freeing. It'll feel like freedom from a kind of self-inflicted bondage that indulgence or even maybe just trying harder or working harder can do. Redirection is the key.
Now, at this point, some of you might have wondered, what does an indulgence actually look like? Let's dig into it. Let's take some time to get specific. And maybe some of these things are right where you're at. But before we do that, let's look at the first century. Based on Paul's teaching and other biblical texts, the vice of indulgence most often appeared through excessive drinking, overeating, being argumentative or slanderous, engaging in sexual immorality, or through the love of money in overspending or maybe even stealing. Now, some of that is the same. Human nature is human nature.
But in Paul's day, indulgence wasn't always loud or scandalous. More often, it showed up as socially acceptable behaviors that quietly mastered the heart. The church started to act like culture, which maybe is the same. And yet, while the expressions of indulgence are somewhat the same, there are some changes. The heart is the same, and yet culture has some changes. And yet, I think one question likely still remains. How do we actually live this way? Where does self-control come from when our willpower keeps failing us over and over and over again? Well, it's not about willpower.
Human beings will never have enough willpower. We need to circle back to our text. Paul points to the why. He points us to God's grace. The same grace that saves us is the grace that trains us. He writes, for the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us.
to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purity for himself, a people for his own possession, who are zealous for good works. This is so important. Grace reshapes our desire in the present moment. And the virtue of self-control is something that God is forming in us, not trying harder, letting him do it, letting him increase the self-control as we choose to walk with Jesus day after day. And as we continue to focus on Jesus, waiting for his eventual return, we develop a stronger immunity against all vices, including indulgence. Focus on walking with Jesus first. Don't focus on getting rid of the vices. Focus on Jesus. Walk with Jesus. So today, if you're worn down and if you are stuck in cycles of impulse, God's grace is available to you right here, right now, wherever you're at, wherever you're watching from, wherever you're listening from, right now, Jesus is waiting.
And I know what you're thinking. You're maybe like, you don't know what I've done. You don't know what I'm up to. You don't know the kind of indulgence I've been partaking in. Hear me. The gospel shows us that you don't need to clean yourself up before you come to Jesus. That's not how it works. You'll never be good enough. You'll never be able to work hard enough. That's why God sent Jesus. Simply let his grace begin to reshape what you want to be, what you want to become. Let him do the work. You see, Jesus lived the perfect self-controlled life that we could never live.
And then he carried our sins, all our indulgences to the cross, paying for them in full with his life. On the third day, after his death and burial, God raised him to life, conquering death and sin, offering forgiveness and eternal life to all who believe. And upon belief, we receive the sealing of the Holy Spirit, an ever-present helper, as we continue to journey through this current life, waiting for the next. And it's that Holy Spirit, the third part of the Trinity, God's Spirit, that's the one, he's the one that's working inside of us as we pursue to follow Jesus. the son of the Trinity, the one God gave us to follow. So whether this is your first step toward Jesus, or maybe it's a quiet return after quite a long time of drifting away, maybe a long time of partaking in indulgences that you hate yourself for and you feel guilty and ashamed about it, it's okay, let it go, give it to him. The invitation is the same, wherever you're at, turn to Jesus, trust in his grace, and then let the Holy Spirit begin his work inside of you. I can't say this enough, it's not about trying harder.
It's not about more willpower. You'll just let yourself down in the end. Focus on Jesus, walk with him, and let the Spirit do the work. Let's pray to that end. Dear Jesus, I come to you honest about where my desires have drifted and where impulse has taken the lead. I confess that I've often chosen comfort over faithfulness and distraction over direction. Thank you for your grace and forgiveness. Reshape what I want. Help me say no to what pulls me away.
and yes to what leads me toward you. Form me into a person who lives with hope and walks in freedom. In your name I pray, amen. Thank you for being here today. Whether you're part of our church family, you're visiting, you're tuning in online, I'm so glad that you took time to listen to this message. If you'd like to take the next step in your faith journey or you'd like to get connected with our church family, you can visit mountainview.church slash connect or you can send us a direct message on social at mountainviewwhitehorse. If you're watching in-house, you'll find a connect card under the seat in front of you. Fill that out and hand it in to the welcome desk. If you happen to be watching online, consider subscribing to our YouTube channel and turning on those notifications. That way, each week's message will show up right in your feed without you having to look for it.
And for parents out there, don't forget about our Basecamp children's program. We have an in-house program on Sunday morning, or there are digital video lessons and activity downloads available every week at mountainview.church slash Basecamp. Now, here are a few more quick updates on what's coming up. Good morning, Mountain View Church. My name is Jason MacArthur, and I'm a board member with UConn Cares. I just wanted to thank you as a congregation for your generosity and including us with the First Gifts service this year and the gifts that you so graciously gave. To give you a bit of a snapshot of organization, we are an independent, unaffiliated community group that seeks to settle refugee families in the Whitehorse area. We've been working together at this since 2015, and your support and generosity is very timely as we are seeking to...
welcome a new family from Pakistan in the next, well, this year for sure. We're still waiting on the details. They're actually a Christian family who have fled because of just the situation there. And so once again, I'm very grateful on behalf of our organization. Many thanks once again. If you have any questions about our organization or any interest, please get a hold of me at church or, yeah, I'm very happy to talk to anyone about that. And enjoy your Sunday. Thank you. One of the best ways to get connected, build relationships, and use the gifts God has given you is through service.
serving and volunteering is a crucial part of integrating into the life of a local church, any local church. And so if you're interested, please visit mountainview.church.serve and fill out the volunteer application there and select the areas that you'd enjoy serving in. And a reminder for all women that tickets are available for the Listen Sister Women's Conference happening March 20th and 21st with Christian author and speaker Tess Scott. Tess will be exploring what hope looks like in everyday life and how Jesus remains a steady source of hope when life feels uncertain. So grab your tickets at mountainview.church slash women. That's mountainview.church slash women. Finally, it's time for this week's discussion and prayer focus. Wherever you are, whoever you're with, take some time, ask this question, and pray with each other. What indulgence has pulled you off course? And how is the Spirit calling you to self-control?
What indulgence has pulled you off course and how is the spirit calling you to self-control? I realize this might take some vulnerability, some humility, but being honest about that can be the start of a beautiful relationship, maybe a great accountability, and maybe this is an entry point into a community group. We'd love to have you have those conversations with people who love you and people who you can trust. So after you've had some conversation, take some time to pray for this. Ask God for clarity, for repentance without shame, and spirit-led direction in one specific area this week. Again, ask God for clarity.
for repentance without shame, without guilt, and ask him for spirit-led direction in one specific area this week. Don't focus on it all. Just ask the spirit to address one thing and let him work in that. Lastly, please come back next week. As I already mentioned, Pastor Aaron will be unpacking the virtue of purity and the vice of lust. So if you've ever wrestled with lust, maybe boundaries, or maybe you struggle with the way culture shapes sexual desire and sexualizes everything, it seems, please make plans to come back next week. Have a great week.
If you prayed to receive Jesus today or would like to connect with our church community, visit mountainview.church and click the connect link. If this podcast and radio ministry has been a blessing to you, please consider partnering with us or making a tax-deductible donation at mountainview.church. Thanks for listening to Mountain View Church Audio. Join us next week for more Christ-centered teaching from the Wilderness City of Whitehorse Tupon.