Growing up, every Christmas, the night we set up the Christmas tree was important. We always discussed the meaning of what we used.

1. Evergreen tree – reminds us of God’s everlasting love.
2. Lights – Jesus is the light of the world.
3. Tinsel – We are to reflect Jesus’ love to the world.
4. Ornaments – home-made / gifted but a reminder that God has made us all unique.
5. Candy cane – the story of the cane, 3 stripes rrpresenting 3 men on the crosses, Jesus in the middle.

When I read this verse I immediately was reminded of a Christmas tree and how much effort each year goes in to making it look the best we can, according to our values, highlighting the things that are important to us at Christmas.

What is it we use to adorn this message that God saves sinners?

Titus 2:1-10
A God- Filled Life
1 Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. 2 Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. 3 Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. 4 By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, 5 be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s Message because of their behavior. 6 Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives.
7 But mostly, show them all this by doing it yourself, incorruptible in your teaching, 8 your words solid and sane. Then anyone who is dead set against us, when he finds nothing weird or misguided, might eventually come around.
9 Guide slaves into being loyal workers, a bonus to their masters– no back talk, 10 no petty thievery. Then their good character will shine through their actions, adding luster to the teaching of our Savior God.”

Do our lives adorn God’s message? Do they honour God instead of make a mockery?

Its easy to ‘water down’ doctrine in the name of relevance but theres certain things we can’t water down. #1 being that Jesus lived, died & was raised to life by the power of God – for sinners so that they may be reconciled to himself. To water that down & present it any less is to misrepresent.

May our servant lives adorn and bring glory & honour to God’s doctrine. May we spur one another on to adorning God’s mighty message of salvation.