The Blessings Of Grace

The Blessings of Grace – 28th October 2007 pm

The story is told of a young girl who left work early so she could have some uninterrupted study time right before a final exam in religion class. She studied all night. When she arrived at class in the morning everybody was cramming as much last minute info as their minds could handle. The teacher walked in and said, "Let’s do a quick review before the test."

They followed him through the review that was laid out on the study guide. As he covered item by item he finally jumped to issues the young girl had never heard covered in class. Several hands went up, "We never had that information before." The teacher picked up the text book and held it in his left hand and said, "Everything is in the book and you are clearly responsible for everything in the book." Who could argue with that!

Finally it was time to take the test. --- The assistants passed out the test and the professor said, "Leave your test face down on the desk until everyone has one --- I’ll tell you when to turn your paper over and start." Two minutes later the class heard, "OK, you may start."

When the young girl turned her test over, every answer was filled in! A note at the bottom of the last page said: "Your Final Exam is now over. All your answers are correct. You are blessed with an ’A’ on the final exam."

Every student read the same thing and looked up at the professor in utter astonishment!

When the professor was sure all eyes were on him he said, "You passed the test for one reason only --- because the creator of the test took the test for you. All your study time, class time and hard work in preparation for this exam did not help you get the "A". You have just experienced --- GRACE."

Titus 2:11-13

I. Grace Brings Salvation – Verse 11

Grace is unmerited favour, getting something we don’t deserve. What we deserve is a punishment that is fit for the crime – that is a punishment that is equal with our sin.

Our sin is rebellion against an all-wise, all-seeing, all-powerful God. His omnipresence places Him at the scene of our misbehaviours. His omniscience makes Him aware of our every thought, word and deed. His omnipotence can overwhelm all opposition.

Instead of pouring out His wrath upon us however, God extends His grace towards us. He doesn’t turn a blind eye to our sin because that would violate His holiness; nor does He offer us forgiveness; He offers complete justification – forgive and forget – clean sheet. He declares us to be righteous.

The plan of salvation is one of substitution. God executed His divine judgement – not on us – but upon Himself. At Calvary, the Son of God died in our place – such is God’s grace.

II. Grace has Appeared to ALL Men – Verse 11

No man, woman, boy or girl ever born of Adam’s ruined race is excluded from this grace. This great Salvation is sufficient to cover all our needs, but, only when it is accepted. Never the less, it is available to all people without exception and without distinction.

Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

“Come” is the greatest word in the Gospel. It first rang out in the days of Noah when God was about to pour out His wrath against the world. The ark was finished and a complete salvation provided, and God called out, “Come.” Again and again that wonderful word rings out and even before the Bible closes its pages, the Spirit sounds it out again.

III. Grace Teaches 7 Great Lessons

Salvation is not only a change in position, that is, set free from the slavery off sin, but it is also a change in attitude, appetite, ambition, and action. The same grace that redeems us also reforms our lives and makes us godly. “Teaching” has the idea of disciplining. We are disciplined by God’s grace, trained to be the kind of people that glorify Him.

Once we’ve experienced God’s grace, that Grace teaches us many things

a. To deny ungodliness (Verse 12)

The word translated deny in the Greek literally means to “disown.” In other words the believer is taught to take a stand against the natural ungodliness we’ve been born with and we deny that ungodliness the right to express itself and we yield to the indwelling Spirit of God.

Before we are saved we express our ungodliness Jude 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.