Bryant Huang.
Most Christmas cards... "Is there something/someone missing?"
Can you imagine if you planned a birthday for a friend... then never invited
Let's examine why Christ means everything to us.
The Grace of God was constantly on the lips of the Apostle Paul.
May these words of Paul's help us be captivated by God's grace.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
Titus was very dear to Paul's heart.
Titus is on the island of Crete. Crete is huge; and it's NOT an easy place to minister.
Titus, I want you to #1 put things in order... and #2 appoint ministers.
Hopefully Titus was encouraged to receive this letter from Paul.
BIG THEMES in Titus: Good Works (x10)... Soundness (x10)... Salvation (x10)...
The heart and soul of the whole epistle can be fit into these few verses.
3 Blessings of God's Grace:
#1. God's Grace Saves.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men
- The "For" tells us that verses 1-10 comes before this verse 11. And verse 11 follows from these verses 1-10.
- This list of verses 1-10 is a long list/ a high calling. If the book ended here, one could be discouraged. BUT verses 1-10 are possible "For the grace of God has appeared"
- Undeserved grace from God. Paul loves the idea of grace. Paul begins and ends his epistles with "grace"
- Jump ahead to...
Titus 3:3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived,enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
A commentator says: God's grace is His act of favor; bestowing the greatest gift upon those who have deserved the greatest punishment.
- "has appeared" hints in the past. Revealed to us when Christ was born in a manger. It was revealed was he taught. It was revealed when he hung on the cross. It was revealed when he rose from the dead.
Praise God that the apostles also wrote it down... so that it would be disclosed to us: the prophetic writings.
v.11 "...bringing salvation to all men,"
Is Paul teaching universal salvation?
1 Timothy 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Isaiah 45:22 “Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.
Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.- The invitation goes out to ALL but not everyone accepts that invitation.
- Judas Iscariot wasn't saved.
- Wide vs. narrow gate.
#2. God's Grace Trains.
After salvation, the grace of God continues to makes changes in the believer's life.
Titus 2:12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
- Yet, NOT JUST training/instructing... Greek root "pedagog"... a rich parent who hires a slave/tutor to train their child. Guiding correction and training. Being able to reason and make new decisions after being trained.
- Not just the WHAT, but also the WHY... feedback.
- First, the negative... RENOUNCING two vices: #1 ungodliness and #2 worldly desires (pleasure, power, possessions).
- Second, the positive... #3 self-controlled (self-mastery so as not to sin); #4 uprightly (honestly with integrity); #5 godly (living in a manner that is in reverence to Him). AKA a good way to remember these... (INWARDLY LIVING, HORIZONTAL LIVING AMONGST OTHERS, VERTICAL LIVING before God).
Hebrews 5:13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
- Our primary training is the Word of God.
- The Holy Spirit will help train.
- God will also train us with interaction with other believers. - This training will also be continuous. Training will not be done this side of Heaven.
Possible Applications:
Regular times in prayers.
Regular times with others in the faith.Training is on-going. Constant analyzing of how we live out our faith.
#3. God's grace Encourages. Gives believers HOPE beyond this life.
Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus
- In order live properly in this age, we must set our longings forward.
- The HOPE of Jesus returning is absolute certainty, but it's still HOPE.
- His appearing won't be a puny one, it will be glorious.
Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds.
2 Thessalonians 1:10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
1 Corinthians 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
This is such a glorious hope.The hope of eternal life.
Who is this Jesus that we're waiting for?
Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
Why would our God give himself up in exchange for us?
- Reason #1: to redeem us from every lawless deed (He was our ransom). Romans 6:23.
Psalms 130:8 And He will redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.
Romans 6:17-18 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- Reason #2: to purify His people for His own possession. God chose ONE people to be His.
What is the cleaning agent... A: the blood of Christ.
How do we distinguish the people of God? A: These people are zealous for good works. As believers, we don't just do good works b/c we have to, we do these good works because WE WANT TO!!! They are so committed to this cause... Just like those who zealously wanted to see "Star Wars VII" this weekend.
Christians have good works that are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Aligned to Biblical teaching.
That these good works would ultimately point others to praise our Father in Heaven.
Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
2015 has been quite tumultuous.
Our hope is in 6 words: "The Grace of God has appeared."
Look beyond this life with ANTICIPATION... no matter how bad this life, our rescue is coming soon.
Let's praise God for the amazing Grace that He has shown us.