G Is For Grace Series

Introduction

1. (email funny)

2. As we continue to study our ABCs...

We come to the letter G...

G is for Grace...

Grace is one of the great words of the Bible...

It is found 115 times in the Bible...

It is found in both the Old and New Testaments...

And as Christians, learning our Biblical ABCs...

we must come to the realization that we are only Christians by God’s grace...

By God’s grace...

Christ reaches out to us even before we become a Christian...

While we are embracing the life of sin...

and while we are engaging in all the sinful behaviors and attitudes of the world...

Christ still loved us so much...

The Bible says that While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us... (Romans 5:8)

3. As we consider God’s grace...

it is my prayer that God will give us a great appreciation of His grace...

Read Text: Titus 2:11-14

1. First of all, let’s look at The People of Grace v. 11 says...

A. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to...

just a select few?”...No...it doesn’t say that...

God’s grace that brings salvation has appeared to the rich and famous?...No...it doesn’t say that either...

God’s grace that brings salvation has appeared only to those who are worthy to receive it?...No...that’s certainly not right...

None of us are worthy...

We all born in sin...

and without God’s grace...in sin we would remain...

Our text says, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.”

God’s grace is for all mankind...

God’s grace for the all men, women, boys and girls...

it is for the rich and the poor...

it is for the famous and the unknown...

it is even for those who don’t deserve it...

God’s grace reaches to every person...

it doesn’t matter your race, your social standing...

It doesn’t matter how bad you’ve been...

how deep into sin you have gone...

God’s grace reaches all.

B. Over the course of my ministry...

I’ve had opportunity to speak to different people about accepting Christ...

I’ve invited hundreds and hundreds of people to attend church...

on occasion, I will come across someone who will say that they will come to church AFTER they get their life turned around...

They need to get a few things straightened out first...

and THEN they will come...

Unfortunately...I’ve never seen those people come to church...

Because you see, we can NEVER get our life straightened out on our own...

We can never be good enough on our own...

We can never earn God’s grace through our own efforts...

we cannot pick ourselves up by our bootstraps...

As the hymn says, “come, just as you are”...

2. Secondly, let’s look at The Power of Grace... v. 12 says...

A. God’s grace “teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age”

Not only does God’s grace extend to all people...

But God’s grace gives us the power to live for Him in this world.

Without the power of Christ...

Not only would we never come to Him for salvation...

But, without the power of Christ...

We would not be able to live an ongoing Christian life...

God’s grace enables us to say “NO” to ungodliness and worldliness...

Nancy Reagan established the “just say NO” campaign...

Her vision was having people “Just say NO to drugs and alcohol”...

I don’t know how familiar Nancy Reagan was with Scripture...

But long before her “just say NO” campaign...

God’s Word has been telling people to “just say NO”...

to sin...

And by God’s power...the power of His grace...

we are able to do just that...

B. There are some people who feel that the Bible is just a book of “Don’t’s”...

“Don’t do this...

“Don’t do that”...

And certainly there are some “don’ts”...

Don’t commit adultery...

Don’t steal...

Don’t kill...

don’t live an ungodly/wordly life...

But there is more to the Bible than just “don’ts”...

There are some “do’s”...

In order to live a Christian life...

You’ve not only got to NOT do the don’ts...

But you’ve got to do the do’s...

and here in our text, God is giving us some of the do’s...

DO...live a self-controlled life...

DO...live a life of righteousness...

DO...live a godly life...

And by God’s grace, we are able to say “NO” to the don’ts...

and say “YES” to the do’s...

3. 3rd, we see the Promise of Grace v. 13 says...

A. “while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ”

So, not only does God’s grace extend to all people...

and not only does God’s grace empower us to live for Him today...

But we see this great promise of Grace...