Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Dec 17th Christmas Decorations

Today’s Passage – 2 Timothy 3 – Titus 3; (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Psalms 81 – 85; Proverbs 17)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 John 3:1

Read previous posts from this passage – “Sometimes You Have To Stand Alone,“ and “Perilous Times.“

Read the “1217 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. 7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. 9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; 10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.“ (Titus 2:6-10)

Notice in verse 7 the phrase, “shewing thyself a pattern,” and then also, “shewing incorruptness, gravity, sincerity.” Notice also in verse 10 the word, “adorn.” The Greek word that is translated “adorn” here in Titus 2:10 is the word “kosmeo,” which means to arrange in order, or to decorate or ornament. Sometimes kosmeo is translated into the word “garnish”:

“And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;” (Revelation 21:19)

The precious stones are ornaments and serve to make Heaven more beautiful. In fancy restaurants they will garnish the plates of food, which makes the presentation of the food more appealing.

We understand what it means to adorn, garnish, or decorate. This is the time of year that we talk a lot about decorations and ornaments. My wife Cindy loves to drive around and look at the Christmas light displays with all the beautiful decorations that brighten up our lives during this wonderful season of the year.

More than any other time of the year, Christmas is the time for decorations. We decorate our homes with lights. We buy Christmas trees and decorate them with ornaments. We adorn our presents with colorful wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows. At the church, we have beautiful poinsettia plants, and a Christmas tree with lights and bows. There are wreaths on our front door. These are all ornaments or decorations. They are designed to reflect in a visible, outward way, the spirit of the Christmas holiday.

Our text today in Titus 2 tells us that there are ways that we can “adorn” in a visible way the doctrine of the Saviour that we have received on the inside. We can make God and the Christian faith look good to those around us. Adorning or garnishing or decorating the doctrine of God is the best kind of decoration that we can display, not only at Christmas, but also throughout the year.

By adorning the doctrine of God we glorify the Lord, which is our primary job while here on this earth:

“Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.” – (Psalm 22:23)

“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” – (Psalm 34:3)

By adorning the doctrine of God, we will also be more effective as His ambassador to this world:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” – (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

How can you adorn the doctrine of God? How can you make your faith in God look good to this world?

1. Stay faithful to God – the world can see if you are faithful or not. Put God first in your life. Don’t let anything take the place of God in your list of priorities. Your job cannot come before God. Your hobbies cannot come before God. Your relationships with anyone else, including your family, cannot come before your relationship with God.
2. Live separately from the world – when the Christian participates in the ungodly practices of this world, he does the exact opposite of adorning the doctrines of God. He detracts from glorifying God and will be ineffective as God’s ambassador.
3. Speak the truth in love – look for opportunities to tell people about the wonderful grace of God.
4. Look for ways to love and bless people.

There is a lot of ugliness in our world, even at Christmastime. The Christian has been given the wonderful privilege and awesome responsibility of countering the darkness and brightening up the world he lives in by “putting on Christ” (Romans 13:14) and adorning the doctrine of God. Magnify the Lord; make Him look good, big, and beautiful to the people around you.