In the previous sermon, Titus 2:1-10, Paul gave Titus some good INSTRUCTIONS to give to all age levels, from the elderly to the young.
In this passage of scripture, he now gives them the MOTIVATION for why they should do these things.
He does this by sharing the message of grace with them. He gives them FOUR things to consider. Such as:
I. THE GRACE OF GOD SAVES US
Look at verse 11. We read, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.”
Illus: If I was to give a large Webster’s dictionary to everyone in this congregation, and ask you to pick out the MOST IMPORTANT WORD IN THE DICTIONARY, it would be interesting to see the many different words we would consider to be the most important in the dictionary.
But I know, beyond any doubt, what the most important word in every language in the world is; IT IS THE WORD GRACE.
• It is a word that is often mentioned in the songs we sing in our churches.
• It is a word that is often used in Sunday School lessons and sermons.
• It is a word that is used throughout the Bible.
• It is a word that many think they understand the meaning of, but some do not have the slightest idea of what it means.
The reason it is so difficult for us to understand what this word means, is because we mortals use the word incorrectly, over and over again in daily life
For example, a man might do a favor for a friend, and we say that he is “gracious”. IS HE REALLY? Most likely, he may not be gracious at all.
You see, when we do something for someone, sometimes we expect something in return. And anytime you expect something in return, you are not being gracious.
You are swapping favors! All of us are good SWAPPERS, but we are not all good GIVERS!
Illus: If I give you a Christmas gift, you had better give me one or next year you will not get one from me.
We call this a GIFT, but actually this is a TRADE.
Since we use the word incorrectly in this PHYSICAL LIFE, very often we will also use it incorrectly in the SPIRITUAL LIFE.
GOD’S GRACE and MAN’S GRACE are not the same.
• When man is gracious, he expects something in return.
• When God is gracious, He expects nothing in return.
This is why Ephesians 2:8-9 says clearly, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
• The Bible makes it amply clear, our works have nothing to do with our salvation, NOTHING!
• Our works have everything to do with our rewards, but nothing to do with our salvation.
If we could do one thing to earn salvation, ONE THING, we would not be saved by grace.
Illus: Sometimes we hear people say, “I believe we are saved by grace, BUT you also have to do this or that to be saved.”
These who believe this way do not have the slightest idea what the word GRACE means.
• If they did, they would NOT say, “I believe we are saved by grace, butttt….”
• If they knew what the word Grace meant, they would say, “I believe we are saved by Grace, period.”
Those who believe that salvation is by GRACE AND WORKS, give more praise to themselves than they do to the Savior, the Lord Jesus.
For example, suppose a man claims he got saved at the age of twenty. But this man believes we are saved by grace AND works. He got saved at the age of twenty, but this same man goes on to live to be eighty years of age. If this man claims the Lord saved him at twenty, but he kept himself saved since then, he is giving more glory to himself than he does to the Lord Jesus. How is he making this claim?
• Because the Lord saved him when he was twenty years of age..
• But he kept himself saved for sixty years.
That would make him receive more glory than the Lord Jesus, because the Lord saved him only of twenty years of sinning, but he saved himself for sixty years.
But mankind can not save himself or keep himself saved. The Lord does ALL THE SAVING, we did ALL THE SINNING.
We do what we do because WE ARE SAVED, not because we are trying to ACQUIRE SALVATION.
The fact is, everyone who enters heaven will be there because of what Christ did on Calvary.
But there will be some who are saved by grace who will be there, but they will have no rewards.
Look at 1 Cor. 3: 10-15. We read, “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. IF ANY MAN'S WORK SHALL BE BURNED, HE SHALL SUFFER LOSS: BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; YET SO AS BY FIRE.”
Notice, some who have been saved by the grace of God will be saved “YET SO AS BY FIRE”.
We are saved by grace. This is why the most important word in the dictionary is the word “GRACE”, because if it was not for the grace of God we all would be doomed for eternity.
But notice something else about the grace of God. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeard to all men.”
The hyper-Calvinists that teach “limited atonement”, do not know what they are talking about.
This grace that God bestows on lost man, “…Hath appeared to ALL MEN.”
THE GRACE OF GOD SAVES US! But also-
II. THE GRACE OF GOD TEACHES US
THE GRACE OF GOD MAKES US HIS CHILD, but also the GRACE OF GOD TEACHES US HOW TO LIVE LIKE A CHILD OF GOD.
Look at verse 12. We read, “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”
The reason a lot of folks cannot say “no” to the temptations of sin in their lives, is because they do not have HIS SAVING GRACE, nor do they have HIS KEEPING GRACE.
If it were not for the grace of God in our lives, we would be living the same way that the sinful live each day.
We have some people in our churches who claim they have been saved by the grace of God, but their life of sin does not reflect that they have been saved by the grace of God. They still are as evil as they have always been!
GOD’S GRACE SAVES US, but also GOD’S GRACE TEACHES US.
WHAT DOES THE GRACE OF GOD TEACH?
(1) God’s grace teaches us, “Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts.”
Look at the word “denying”, this means that when sin appears in our life we reject it, denounce it.
That is, when it comes to UNGODLINESS and WORLDLY LUST we immediately reject it. Also-
(2) God’s grace teaches us, “…We should live soberly, righteously, and godly, IN THIS PRESENT WORLD.”
His GRACE not only tells us what we should FLEE FROM, but also what we should FLEE TOO.
Notice, three things. He said the grace of God in our life teaches us to live:
(A) Soberly - A disciplined or self-controlled life.
(B) Righteously - Doing right and treating others right.
(C) Godly - To be like God
Where are we to do these three things? The Bible says, “…In this present world.”
God saves us FROM SOMETHING for SOMETHING!
The GRACE OF GOD SAVES US and the GRACE OF GOD TEACHES US, but look at something else-
III. THE GRACE OF GOD EXPECTS SOMETHING OF US
Look at verse 13. We read, “Looking for that BLESSED HOPE, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
We, who have been saved by the grace of God, live with the expectation that this very day might be the day the Lord will come back to take us to our eternal home.
When it comes to living in this SINFUL WORLD, LOOKING FOR THAT BLESSED HOPE to happen any day, we deny UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS.
God’s grace teaches us to expect, at any time, the BLESSED HOPE that Christ may appear in the clouds to take us to our eternal rewards.
Never has any generation had more reasons to be excited about the Lord’s return than our generation.
WE COULD VERY EASILY BE THE GENERATION OF PEOPLE LIVING ON THIS EARTH WHEN THE LORD JESUS COMES BACK!
When that happens, some wonderful things are going to take place for His children.
(1) WE SHALL SEE HIM!
Paul refers to this time as “…the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.”
Illus: Years ago when Elvis Pressley was alive and was going to appear at the Carolina Coliseum in Columbia, South Carolina, his fans camped out for days before the concert, to make sure they would be able to get tickets for his appearance.
Why did these fans do such a thing? Because they thought so highly of this singer who brought joy to their lives, they felt that he was worthy of the sacrifice they were making to see him.
When Elvis appeared, the crowd that loved him went wild.
Can you imagine what it is going to be like when the Lord appears, and those who love Him see Him for the first time?
Everything we do for Him in this life, we do because we who have been saved by grace feel that He is worthy of our sacrifices.
(2) WE SHALL SEE OUR LOVED ONES!
And the only reason that we will be able to see them is because God is gracious.
THE GRACE OF GOD SAVES US, THE GRACE OF GOD TEACHES US, THE GRACE OF GOD EXPECTS OF US, but also-
IV. THE GRACE OF GOD PROVIDES SOMETHING FOR US
God’s grace PROVIDES what?
Look at verse 14. We read, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
The Lord did not die on the cross for His sins, He died on the cross for our sins. Look at verse 14, we read, He died “For us”.
WHY WOULD HE DO SUCH A THING?
The Bible tells us why; that he might “…Purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
Look at the word “Peculiar”, this means being beyond usual, special (one's own).
Illus: For example, suppose I was a stamp collector and I came across a stamp that was different from all the rest. I would say, “This stamp is peculiar.”
We live in a world full of sinners, but by the grace of God we have been redeemed, and we are a “peculiar people.” We are not like the lost people in the world in which we live.
Look at verse 15. We read, “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.”
The last thing that Paul says is that we are to speak about THE GRACE OF GOD, but we are not to do it in ignorance and arrogance, in such a way that people will DESPISE US.
There is a right way and a wrong way to do everything, and there is a wrong way to TALK ABOUT SPIRITUAL MATTERS IN PUBLIC!
Conclusion:
I. THE GRACE OF GOD SAVES US
II. THE GRACE OF GOD TEACHES US
III. THE GRACE OF GOD EXPECTS OF US
IV. THE GRACE OF GOD PROVIDES FOR US
