You hear people saying of wealthy preachers sometimes, ‘Oh, but nobody should complain about that.’ There are some churches, some of these so-called mega churches: they pay their preachers fortunes, and one or two people will protest and say, ‘Is that right?’ and the reply comes, ‘Oh yes. Don't you know this man is so marvellous that he could earn the most fantastic salary in the secular world, and he works hard, so he is worth every penny of it.’ Well that kind of reasoning, human reasoning alone, is all very well, but look: ‘In all things, showing yourself an absolute model or pattern of noble works.’ Why, if the preacher is wealthy and paid like a large company CEO or executive, and adorned with expensive things, that becomes an example. All the people may aspire the same way. Their consciences will be fractured so that they freely buy things, unnecessarily expensive thing, things for show, things for self-aggrandizement, things to look and feel better than other people, and churches will become displays of wealth. We have seen it. I remember a church years ago, and I used to drive past it. It had a small car park in the front and the elders and the officers: their cars were parked first in the front, and they were all very expensive things far beyond what was necessary. Those who justify this don't know the Scripture. Examples of modesty and restraint, and all the things that the apostle has been talking about in the preceding verses. ‘In all things showing thyself a pattern an exact model of noble deeds’, in all aspects of Christian life. So these and other similar passages of Scripture are to be reckoned with and taken account of and obeyed.
Sometimes people say, ‘Oh, you more conservative Christians, you and your preachers who are seen on your conferences: you all look like undertakers. You should ease down. You should be wearing coloured shirts and open necks and short sleeves next, and living casually and comfortably, and preaching that way. Why do you do the things you do? Why are you sober and restrained?’ Because it's in the Scripture. Because moderation and self-control and maturity and seriousness are the standard we are given. ‘Gravity’ – what a word! Gravity: that which is dignified, which makes God dignified, and the things of God dignified. This isn't just human reasoning; these are the commands of Scripture. We have a pattern to follow, and it's not what we chose, not what we figure out for ourselves, it is the scriptural example. Today it is thrown to the winds. ‘You have got to be culturally progressive. You've got to throw away all the old ways. Our forebears were just odd and strange and over-solemn and over-serious.’ So people do whatever they want, whatever they like. But we are here to say, the Lord wants otherwise, and in his word he lays down a pattern, and decorum, and a manner, and we should observe it. ‘In all things, showing thyself a model of good works [noble deeds].’
You hear even well-known preachers in the world saying, you should not be too specific, or too applied in your teaching. You should not put your finger on matters of conduct or particular sins, because you should preach generally and positively, and not be specific. But that's exactly what the apostle is warning Titus against. If you soften and you don't apply, and you don't name examples, and guide people, you allow error in. You allow people to feel, this is all right, and that is all right, and it is OK to do all sorts of things. ‘In doctrine showing uncorruptness.’ There is no room for spoiling, for things to be misunderstood and to go wrong. You must be precise.
Some years ago I went to lead a funeral, and it was to take place in a church on the east side of London, and it was a sort of evangelical church, but the person who was to be buried had early life associations there, and lived in that area, and that's where the funeral was to take place. When I arrived, the local minister, who was an elderly man, beamed at me. He was a nice man, but he introduced himself in this way. He said, ‘I am the resident comedian’, and he meant it. To be a preacher is to liven people up, to tell lots of amusing stories and jokes, and some preachers do that. They may be sincere in their way; they may mean well, but they have got it completely wrong by the Bible. Here it is gravity, sincerity. Of course you can have a sense of humour, but overall you have got to be a person – and this goes for every Christian, not just ministers – who naturally attracts respect. God's presence is associated with great dignity. You want the presence of God in the church. You don't want pop music, you want the Scripture, you want serious sentiments, deep things. The rest just drives out the presence of God. That is the foolishness of it. Gravity, sincerity – ‘honesty’ it is sometimes translated. Sincerity and honesty go hand-in-hand. Sincerity, meaning, earnestness.