The grace of God has appeared

Introduction: Paul has been instructing Titus on the proper conduct required for Christians of all ages and gender. So why should men conduct themselves in a godly manner? Because of the grace of God!

Text: Titus 2: 11-15

1.       Grace brings salvation (vs 11)

·        Grace- unmerited favor; Goodwill.

·        “Appeared” - the greatest demonstration of God's grace and love was the coming of Christ into the world. John 3: 16, Romans 16: 25-26

·        grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1: 14, 17. He brought salvation to mankind; Made salvation possible for all men. Genesis 17: 3.

·        Just because Jesus brought salvation to all people does not mean everybody will be saved. (universalism)  when one rejects God's offer of salvation, he has forfeited his right to God's grace. Hebrews 12: 15.

2.       Grace teaches (vs 12)

·        Grace of God has a message for mankind. The prophet Isaiah spoke concerning the coming Kingdom, Church of God, that in order to be an inhabitant of it, one would have to be taught of the Lord, Isaiah 54: 13. As Jackson comments, information regarding the grace of god is conveyed through the gospel. Also grace is not dispensed apart from instruction and obedience. Therefore obedience becomes the key to unlocking the merits of grace period God offers, through his grace, salvation to all people. But men must accept that offer.

·        Grace teaches that one must deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, one John 2: 15-17. This instruction includes the exhortation to live soberly. Exercise his faculties and abilities so as to serve God in the very best way. One is also instructed to live righteously. This means following the golden rule and doing what is right, Matthew 7: 12. Then grace teaches one to live a godly life. One characterized by devoutness and moral uprightness, one Timothy 4: 7-8.

3.       Grace brings hope (vs 13)

·        Hope- desire and expectation. Note Romans 8: 24. God's grace provides hope. But the Bible reveals that certain things must be done in order to have this hope. Hope is contingent upon our obedience to what grace teaches.

·        Those who have been instructed by that grace can look forward to the glorious appearing of their savior, 2 Timothy 4:8.

4.       Grace brings redemption (vs 14)

·        Christ's death was the payment for our ransom. One Peter 1: 18-19. The shedding of his blood purified man since sin is a moral stain. We obtain this redemption and purification when we respond to the gospel, God's message of grace.

·        “His own special people” - those in whom he has special interest. One Peter 2: nine. Those whom he treasures. These people are to be zealous of good works - works that are excellent, precious and useful. Overflowing and on fire for good works Ephesians 2: 10.

5.       Conclusion:  the grace of God is tremendously important to all of mankind. If one is saved, it will be by the grace of God. But it is only appropriate by obeying the gospel, God's message of grace.

 

 

 

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Speaker	Sermon/Lesson Title	Audio   Video  Text     MS Word
Bobby Stafford	The Grace Of God Has Appeared Titus 2:11-15
Bobby Stafford	Lessons From The Book of Titus Proper Conduct Titus 2:6-10
Bobby Stafford	Lessons From The Book of Titus How older women show their maturity Titus 2:1, 3-5
Bobby Stafford	Lessons From The Book of Titus The Attractive Attributes of Older Men Titus 2:1-3

 YouTube Transcript:

 

The Grace Of God Has Appeared

 

We're continuing, of course, looking at that wonderful letter the Apostle Paul wrote to Titus. The more I study this letter, the greater I feel about how relevant it is because Paul here has been instructing Titus on what proper conduct looks like; what proper conduct is required for Christians of all ages and all genders doesn't matter.  He has taught them what it looks like. The younger men, the older men, older women, younger women, servants. He touches upon everybody, and he's getting down to in our text today, saying why he answers the question, why should people conduct themselves in a Godly manner?  Why should Christians live this way? his answer is found in Three Little Words, the grace of God. 

Our text is Titus 2: 11-1 15. Let's read them as we begin, “for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust we should live soberly righteously and godly in the present age looking for the Blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ 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.  speak these things exhort and rebuke with all authority let no one despise you.”

He begins first of all by saying that Grace brings salvation. Grace is often defined as unmerited or unearned favor.  It's sometimes defined as Good Will.  And here he says that this Grace has appeared to all men.  The greatest demonstration of God's love, God's grace, was the coming of Christ into the world.  For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.  That is the greatest demonstration of what God's love and grace look like. 

When Paul wrote to the church at Rome, he ended that letter with something I think fits in with this idea of God's grace appearing.  In the last chapter of Romans Romans chapter 16, verses 25 and 26, “Now to him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest has appeared and by the prophetic scriptures made known to All Nations according to the Commandment of the Everlasting God for obedience to the faith.”

In the very beginning of John's account of the Gospel in John chapter 1 he says that Jesus brought Grace and Truth.   Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ. Before Jesus, there was Grace and Truth in the world.  We go all the way back to the early days of Genesis, and the Bible talks about grace and truth.  But Jesus brought Grace and Truth to the extent that the world had never seen, and so by that, the writer says Jesus brought Grace and Truth. He brought salvation to mankind, he made it possible and so as we read there the in Romans chap 16:25 it came to All Nations.  This goes back to Genesis 12 verse 3, where Abraham was given the promise that through his seed, all nations of the world would be blessed by the coming of Jesus.  Jesus brought Grace.  He brought salvation to all mankind, all nations, all people.  But just because Jesus brought salvation to all people does it mean that everybody will be saved?  That's the false teaching of universalism. Toward the end of The Sermon on the Mount Matthew 7: 13 and 14, Jesus says that most people will choose the broad path that leads to destruction

Even though Grace has appeared to all men most men will not be saved.  Therefore one must accept in some fashion God's Gift of Grace.  He offers it for every individual.  Every person is offered God's Gift of Grace but if that person doesn't accept the offer he's forfeiting his right to God's grace.  A few pages over in our Bible we come to Hebrews chap 12 and verse 15.  Very important verse when talking about the grace of God.  The Hebrew writer says in verse 15, “looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God.  Now the grace of God has appeared to all men.  It's offered to all men but what do we have to do?  We have to look carefully or we will fall short of receiving the grace of God.  He goes on and says lest any root of bitterness spring up cause trouble and by this many become defiled. 

We can fall short of the grace of God. How do I know how to accept that offer?  The next verse says that Grace teaches us.  Notice verse 12 of our text, “teaching us”.   The grace of God offers instruction.  To deny ungodliness and worldly lust.  And this same Grace teaches us to live soberly righteously and godly in the present age.  The grace of God has a message for all of mankind.  If you go all the way back to the prophet Isaiah who  talks so much about the Messiah and his kingdom.   In Isaiah 54:13 it says that in order for someone to be an inhabitant of this new coming Kingdom he has to be taught of the Lord.  The grace of God is an instructor it's a teacher it teaches us.   Wayne Jackson made the comment, information regarding the grace of God is conveyed through the gospel.  That's how we learn about God's grace. What it is, how we accept it, how it's offered. Grace is not dispensed or given out apart from, separate from instruction and obedience.  It teaches us about Grace.  It instructs us about how to receive Grace, and then based upon whether we choose to or not we obey how to receive that Grace.  Obedience becomes the key to unlocking the merits of Grace.   Without obedience we can't unlock that gift. 

Grace is a gift, but it's a gift we have to accept, and obedience is how we accept it, so God offers this through His Grace. Is this what we're taught? Through His Grace, he offers salvation to all people, but people must accept that. You know someone can show me something as a gift, but I need to accept it to receive that gift. Grace is a gift being offered, but I get how obedience is the key, so it teaches us that one must deny ungodliness and worldly lust. Remember how John puts that in 1 John 2, you know the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life. This instruction is an appeal.

 

If we're to live soberly, we have to use our faculties. We have to exercise our reason, minds, and brains to learn how to serve God in the best way and live in the best way. We're instructed to live righteously following the Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you, doing what is right. The only way I know what is right is because the Grace of God has a message for me. It teaches me what is right, and because it teaches me what is right, it teaches me what is wrong, and that's why Paul has been telling Titus what right is, what is proper conduct for older men, older women, and so forth. He says this is proper conduct, and we know that because the Grace of God teaches the Grace of God that's appeared, it has a message for us. It says we're to live a Godly life in this present age, a devout, morally upright life. That's how I'm to live. In 1 Timothy chapter 4, just a few pages back in your Bible from our text, we have these words from the Apostle.

 

Paul 1 Timothy 4: 7 and 8 says to reject profane and old wise fables and exercise yourself toward godliness. See, there's work involved. Exercise yourself for bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come godliness, devoutness, moral Uprightness.

Verse 13 now says that Grace also brings hope. Verse 13 says to look for the Blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, to see the world. When it uses the word hope, it is just desire; when people say, well, I , I hope to win the lottery, or I hope to do this, it's just a desire that's not biblical hope. Biblical hope is desire and Expectation. When God makes a promise, we expect it. That's not how the world lives, though the Bible reveals that certain things must be done to have this hope. In other words, it's not just some Idol hope; it comes through God's Grace. God's Grace brings hope. When Paul wrote to the church in Rome back in Romans chapter 8, he connected these Romans chapter 8:

 

24 he says for we were saved in this hope but hope that seen is not hope for why does one still hope for what he sees.  We're held in this hope.  Salvation Grace and hope are all connected. hope is contingent.  It's conditioned Upon Our obedience.  Grace has taught us through the gospel how to appropriate this Grace.  This free gift.  I have a responsibility if I want that Grace.  If I want to have this hope.  If I want salvation, then it comes through obedience. Those who have obeyed have been instructed by what Grace says. They can look forward they have real hope. They can look forward to the Glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. There's another place where Jesus Christ is called God.  He is fully God so that we can have this desire and expectation.  If we accept God's Grace by obeying what the gospel teaches.  Grace brings hope. It also brings Redemption verse 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. Christ's death was what bought us and brought us Redemption.

 It was the payment for our Ransom. We were slaves to sin.  Go to Romans chapter 6 and read that whole chapter. We were slaves to sin, but when we obeyed that pattern, that form of doctrine.  We were bought at a price in First Peter chapter 1. Going a few pages forward, we come to 1 Peter 1: 18 and 19, and here we have Peter saying knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but now he says this is what you were Redeemed by but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot so it was the shedding of his blood that purified us see sin is a stain it's a moral stain, and it's only by Christ's blood that that stain can be erased washed away so that we're made pure so we're purified by it so when we respond to the Gospel we have salvation we've accepted God's Grace were redeemed were purified if we respond to the message of Grace you know the gospel is a message of Grace purification salvation Redemption none of that's possible without the appearing of the Grace of God and it says if we if we're redeemed then we become God's special people people his own special people those in whom he has a special interest one more time in First Peter we have some similar language in 1 Peter chap 2:9 he says but you are a chosen generation a royal priesthood a holy nation his own special people see when we're redeemed when we accept that offer offer of Grace when we accept salvation by obedience we become redeemed and we become the people that he Treasures that's another way to translate that Those whom he Treasures when we become Christians we become part of a group that God especially Treasures these are people he has a special interest in you know that's one of the most remarkable things in the New Testament the God that created this world has a as a group of people that he Treasures above all others who are they Christians those in in the church.  We're his own special people. We belong to him in a way no other people do, and because of that, we're to be zealous for good works.  Works that are excellent works, that are precious works, that are useful.  

We’re to be overflowing and on fire for good works. He also says this in  Ephesians chapter Two, and I want to begin reading verse 8 and go down through verse 10.  Because they're all combined with what we're teaching and studying in Titus.  2  Ephesians 2:8 says for by Grace you've been saved through faith and then not of yourselves.  It is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.  How does Grace save for us you've been saved through faith.  The Grace of God has appeared.  It teaches us. 

We have to have faith in what that message teaches.  We have to have faith that Christ came into the world.  We have to have faith that he died on the cross.  We have to have faith that he shed his blood.  We have to have faith that he was resurrected and went into heaven.  We have to have faith that God's word is True.  But what does that Faith cause us to do if we want to appropriate God's Grace?  Titus says we do it by obedience.  Not a dead Faith, but a living faith.  We appropriate that Grace by obedience and it's not of Works lest anyone should boast.  We don't earn it,  it's not earned.  We didn't Merit it on our own.  We're created for good works.  We're to be zealous for good works.  We are his workmanship. We're to be overflowing.  We're to be on fire for good works.  We're created for that. 

Paul tells Titus to speak these things, exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.  When we teach the truth about Grace,  when we teach the truth about salvation, the gospel, about obedience, we need to understand that we're doing so and we're backed by God's Authority.  We know it's God's Authority because it comes from God's word.  We're to speak these things with all authority.  The Grace of God is tremendously important to everyone and if one is saved it will be by the Grace of God.  Nobody's going to be saved any other way than by the Grace of God. 

But that Grace is only appropriated by obeying the gospel.  The gospel is God's message of Grace .  It's the gospel that teaches us that we have to repent and be baptized for the Forgiveness of sins.  That's part of the message of Grace.  It's only by God's Grace that we can be saved but we have to repent and be baptized in order to receive that Grace.  Then, as Christians, we’re to be God's special people.  We are his special people devoted to good works.  Sometimes, we slip and fall, and we need to have the prayers of the congregation.  Prayers for strength to resist temptation.  If there is a need for you to respond we want you to do that as we stand and sing this song.