TAUGHT BY GRACE
Titus 2:11-14
TEXT: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
INTRODUCTION:
I. GRACE TEACHES US THAT ALL PEOPLE NEED SALVATION v.11
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
Acts 4:10-12 "let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, … 11 "This is the ’stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
II. GRACE TEACHES US ABOUT THE FOLLY OF SIN v.12
“… teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, …”
A. The Constitution Of Sin
1. Sin is Directly Against God
2. Sin is a Pollution of the Soul
Matthew 15:18,19,20a But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things that defile a man.
3. Sin is an Inherited Condition v. 5
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death passed upon all men, because all have sinned.
Romans 5:19a For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners.
Quote: "People aren’t sinners because they sin -- they sin because they’re sinners."
B. The Character Of Sin
1. Sin Consists in Deception
Romans 7:11 For sin seizing the opportunity afforded by the command-ment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.
Application: The reason sin deceives so easily is because it proceeds from the master of all deceivers:
John 8:44 "[the devil] was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it."
2. Sin is a Persistent Ghost
Psalm 51:3 "My sin is ever before me."
Illustration: The preacher who went on the street and simply pointed his finger and shouted guilty.
3. Sin Silences Life
Psalm 32:3,4 When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groan-ing all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me. My vitality was turned into the drought of summer.
C. The Cost Of Sin
1. Sin Causes Separation from God
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
2. Sin Brings Death Toward God
Romans 6:23a For the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eter-nal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
3. Sin is Judged By God
Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Includ-ing every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
III. GRACE TEACHES US HOW TO ADDRESS THE SITUATIONS OF OUR LIVES v.11,12
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live so-berly,
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?; unless indeed you are disqualified.
Application: God calls us to approach the situations in our lives head-on. We must be willing to examine and test our attitude and our actions. We must be willing for face even the most difficult situations and problems di-rectly rather than ignore them or refuse to deal with them.
Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
IV. GRACE TEACHES US THE NECESSITY OF LIVING HOLY LIVES 11,12
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, right-eously, and godly in the present age,
1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holi-ness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.
V. GRACE TEACHES US TO LIVE BEYOND WHAT IS LOOKING FOR WHAT WILL BE
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live so-berly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Application: Sometimes in the routine of life it is easy to become distracted by everything bad that is going on around us. It is easy to lose our perspective and to begin to despair and feel sorry for ourselves. But grace teaches us to focus on the future – to focus upon what God has planned for us.
Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the prom-ises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a home-land. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
VI. GRACE IS OUR CONSTANT REMINDER OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US v.11-14
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live so-berly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
Colossians 1:21-22 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight;
CONCLUSION:
