What is Grace?
Grace Sermon Series, Part 1
Titus 2:11-14
- We have two baptisms after the service … A GREAT DAY!
Introduction
- The word translated "grace" in the New Testament comes from the Greek:
-- It is the word “charis”, which means “favor, blessing, or kindness”
- When grace is used in connection with God, it takes on powerful meaning
-- Grace is God choosing to bless us rather than curse us as our sin deserves
-- When we realize what we’ve been given, we can all extend grace to others
-- IMP: We do NOT want what we deserve … the penalty for sin is DEATH!
--- Rom 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- Bottom line: Grace is His benevolence to the undeserving (you and me)
- Read Titus 2:11-14 / Pray
∆ Point 1 – Grace was given to us (11-12)
- The bible tells us that God’s grace appeared; it was literally revealed to us (v11)
-- God literally gave us His grace in the most spectacular event in history
-- John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
- Because of what God did; we now have access to grace IN our salvation
-- Salvation is first dependent on God, and then on our acceptance of it
-- This is what normally trips people up; it’s where it gets really cloudy for some
-- Why? The thought is: “It cannot be that simple, there has to be more!”
- Why do we need to try to make God’s desire for us to be His so difficult?
-- God had to make it simple for us, so that so many could come to Him
-- 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
- APP: In our acceptance of Christ; we receive GRACE because He’s given it
- Challenge: Have you ever tried to explain it that way to someone?
-- We accept, and then we receive all that God has to offer
-- Caution: It’s not a magic pill … but it is God’s favor IN our lives
- It is this grace that empowers us to turn from sin; to desire Him (v12)
-- It calls us to live holy, to live above the noise/distractions of the world
-- Paul (v1:1) knew about living worldly; now he’s dramatically changed by God
- Why? Because he has received God’s grace into His life; forgiveness for sin
-- He’s chosen (willingly, freely) to live for God, rather than himself
-- APP: Pharisee’s were always about them; not really about God’s ways
-- Pharisaical laws are perfect example: 600+ rules on top of 10 commandments
- Re: It’s God that gives us the power to say “No” … it’s through His grace
-- How? We’ve received all that we need from Him through the Holy Spirit
-- Because of that, we are able to CHOOSE to live for Him and not our desires
- TRANS: So what do we do while we are choosing to live for Him?
∆ Point 2 – We should be waiting for God (13-14)
- We are to be anxiously awaiting His appearing (v13)
-- “While we wait” is an active phrase for us to learn and appreciate
-- It means that we are actually doing something, we are living and waiting
-- In v12 we saw that we are actively saying “No” to the world’s desires
-- We are: “living self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age”
- And while we are doing that … we are WAITING for Him to return; promise
-- It is His approval we should desire, He is what completes us; so we wait for Him
-- While we wait while God gives others the ability to come to Him also
- Caution: In this waiting though, we must remember what we’ve been given
-- APP: We are not called to act snobby to others, but to give freely what we have
-- 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
- Jesus has paid it all so that we could be free (v14)
-- He literally gave Himself to redeem us from all that is wicked in this world
-- HUGE: It is in His life that we receive GRACE, it’s in Him we are truly free!
- Jesus lived for the Father’s approval … He willingly paid for us with His life
-- Admittedly, most people want to know the WHY to everything … well …
-- Good news …. In this case we can actually tell them why!
-- APP: Why? To purify the creation for the joy of the creator to receive it!
- We were given opportunity for a new life because God wants us for Himself
-- IMP: Grace is the epitome of living unselfishly; it’s a reminder of what we have
- We’ve been offered an opportunity to choose God over this world
-- APP: It is in this that we must see our need for a Savior; to see our need for God
- TRANS: When we see our need, it’s easier to share with others around us
∆ Point 3 – How does this apply to us?
- Turn to Ephesians … let’s walk through several verses to help us understand
-- You can use this as an outline, or not, but it helps to have a frame of reference
- 1:6: We are accepted by God to the “praise of His glory and grace”
-- Coming to the Lord means that there is praise for all that He has done
- 1:7: We are forgiven “according to the riches of His grace”
-- It’s God’s grace to give, and all that we have is a result of His goodness
- 2:5, 8-9: We are saved by His grace, through a loving act on His part!
- 2:7: We are trophies of His love through “the exceeding riches of His grace”
-- We are literally presented back to God, by Christ, as an offering to Him
- 3:7-8: We are privileged to be witnesses of the Lord through the “grace given”
-- The life of Paul was one of wickedness and complete rebellion to God
-- Now, even he admits that he did not have it all together; needed God’s grace
- 4:29: We are exhorted to be channels of blessings to others by a consistent life
-- Why? So that we may “minister grace” to them; we may share what we have
- 6:24: “Grace be with you all who love our Lord Jesus Christ”
-- The benediction of love is that we’d receive, share, and remember His grace
-- In everything we do, we should be called to give what we’ve been given
- TRANS: Go back and read Titus 2:11-14
∆ Big Ideas
- The application for you and me is very, very simple … if we’d apply it
1 - God’s grace has been given through Jesus Christ
2 - We are then called to live properly for Him, desiring His approval
3 - Then, our only task is to share it willingly so others might receive it
- Grace is received first, and then it’s to be shown (given) to others
- Once we start living like this; once we honestly start to show it
-- People will be drawn to it like a moth to a flame … so what’s holding us up?
- Pray
-- Opportunity for Salvation
