The Amazing Grace of God

Titus 2:11-15

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.”

Bottom Line for this message” Grace has a Face”

Verse 11

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.

1. First, the use of the word “for” connects this verse to the previous verses. Because we are the recipients of God’s grace and salvation, we should reflect the values and engage the behaviors that Paul promoted in verses 2-10. Paul previously discussed preaching, leadership and teaching, all of which is important to the Christian lifestyle (making disciples who make disciples), but what God does in verse 11 can be summed up in one work: GRACE

2. What is grace?

   • Many say “unmerited favor” or “God’s favorable attitude towards us”, but these definitions are too abstract relative to this verse. Websters has several definitions, but Websters doesn’t define Grace for us, God does.

   • The grace of God is an ACTION, not an ABSTRACTION. It’s a PERSON, not a CONCEPT.

3. Grace is an actual event in space and time. Grace has a face – Jesus Christ Scarred, bloody and in agony A face of the person that suffered and died on the cross for your sins and mine. A face of grace- bringing salvation to all people

4. Grace isn’t cheap…it comes at such a great cost, but our modern theology sometimes attempts to cheapen it by offering people what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called “cheap grace”: Cheap grace is:

   • the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance

   • Baptism without church discipline

   • Communion without repentance

   • Absolution without personal confession

One thing that I believe has made Grace appear cheaper is the modern American church.

- Modern American church grace says: “all are welcome. Come as you are. The coffee’s on us, sit back and relax…and don’t worry about changing. We couldn’t ask you to do that. We don’t want to offend you.”

- Grace says: “all are welcome. Come as you are and be prepared and willing for God to change you. Because when you recognize the true cost of grace, you recognize that it is a debt that you cannot pay, and you are compelled to change…out of gratitude. You will have to die to yourself. Be prepared to sacrifice parts of your sinful lifestyle that the world accepts, and says it’s OK, but God doesn’t.”

Galatians 5:24

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Grace says “I created man and woman”. Modern American grace says “it’s all good…whatever you want to be. God probably made a mistake” in an effort to avoid looking intolerant. God says “I created marriage between a man and a woman”. Modern American grace says “it’s all good…marry who you want. Who are we to judge? Besides, our numbers are low”. God says “I knit babies together in their mother’s wombs”. Modern American grace says “It’s a woman’s body and she has right to choose”. Who are we to judge?

Bonnhoeffer went on to say:

“Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy for which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.”

“Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.”

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

It’s not popular to say that Jesus is the only way to God. Modern culture and theologies…even some in the Christian Church…see this as too narrow and restrictive, intolerant and unloving. But to say there are many ways, makes no sense, and stands in the face of the sacrifice of true Grace.

God would not have sent His only Son to die on a cross if He could have saved us by any other means.

No Grace would mean no salvation. If there were a bunch of ways to get to heaven, then why did Christ die?

When Jesus was praying in Luke 22:42

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Basically asking…if there’s any other way. God didn’t say, “well, actually there are a thousand ways, but

I’m going to make you go through this anyway”. Just No.

Grace has a Face. The face of Jesus

Galatians 2:21

21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Back to Verse 11

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people

What is salvation?

While sometimes in the Bible, salvation is being saved from one’s enemies, in the New Testament, it refers more to end of time events…God’s judgement. Salvation, in this sense, is being saved from God’s perfect judgement…through His perfect GRACE

• Grace makes all people savable – every sin of every person has it’s answer in Jesus.

• “Every person who ends up in hell steps over a blood-stained cross with their name on it to get there”

Grace has a Face…the face of Jesus. The face of salvation.

1. Grace TRAINS us. (verse 12)

12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

1. Grace doesn’t flatter us…it teaches us…it trains us

-It doesn’t tell us all is well, but speaks bluntly, directly and lovingly-for our own good.

Titus 2:12 puts an end, once and for all to any theology that separates salvation from the demands of obedience to Jesus Christ.

-Grace teaches us that our lifestyle is suicidal…not in a worldly way, but in an eternal way.

-Grace teaches us what we need to do, and what not to do in order to change.

-Grace educates us, trains us and to reform and transform. God expects us to go in a new direction when we experience His Grace…His Son…His salvation.

If you have you accepted His Grace…His son, and have not been changed, maybe you didn’t.

-Grace trains us to live better lives according to God’s standards and priorities and not our own.

-Our works become the natural response to HIS works

- Grace teaches us to live a certain kind of life, to live in a particular way, and defined by particular character qualities.

1. Develop self-control

2. Live uprightly

3. Live Godly lives…for NOW, not for some other place and time, but for here and now.

What does that training look like?

1. Sometimes it looks like Divine discipline – sometimes it’s difficult circumstances.

Hebrews 12:7-11

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.

Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

- If you feel that the circumstances of life are stretching you beyond what you think you can bear, or beyond what you want to bear, it may well be the Grace of God training you.

Like a serious workout at the gym…it hurts, and isn’t pleasant at the time. But if we recognize it as Grace and embrace it for what it is, then it will have that amazing strengthening, fruit-producing effect.

Embrace it…embrace the training of Grace

HOW?

1. Training requires some degree of cooperation or response on our part.

Anyone who has been to the gym or worked with a trainer understands that you can’t just show up for training and watch the trainer do all the work and somehow benefit from it. You have to actively engage and actively participate if you expect to be changed by it.

2. We have to deny ourselves

The first step is self-denial.

You can’t train for a marathon without first denying various habits and behaviors in your life that would get in the way of you preparing for the race….like diet and lots and lots of running.

Training in grace is like training for a marathon- you have to say NO to several things as a first step, in this case: 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions

UnGodliness – Whatever actions or attitudes undermine God’s centrality in your life (If it makes God marginal, it is ungodly)…like cheap American Christian Church Grace.

Godliness is having a regard for God’s glory and God’s will in every aspect of our lives, doing everything out of reverence and love for Him.

Worldly Passions – The result of a hungry soul that doesn’t have God at the center.

Anything that steals your focus away from God…like maybe politics?

Saying NO is not a one-time thing. It’s an ongoing part of training.

We’re called to take up our cross, the cross of self-denial every day.

Count the cost of what training will require.

Luke 14:28

28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

2. Grace is POWERFUL

-Just as God redeemed Israel from Egyptian bondage, so too the Son of God redeems, with great power, a new covenant people from bondage to lawlessness and sin. Only the Grace of God, through the death of His Son can redeem from lawlessness, can liberate from sin and can set the captive soul free. Nothing else will…nothing else can.

Jesus described the reason for His coming in this way:

Mark 10:45

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Paul described it this way…

2 Corinthians 5:21

21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God

Grace has the power to conform us into the righteousness of God

2. Grace teaches us to WAIT for what we hope for…to wait expectantly for His coming

13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

-Waiting sometimes seems passive, like we are not doing anything, but Biblically speaking, waiting is not passive…it’s ACTIVE

- Waiting in this sense draws us forward into action, rather than causing us to relax

- Like a bridegroom waiting for his bride, there’s nothing passive about waiting if the focus of your wait is your primary desire.

It’s important to realize that there is a profound difference between passive waiting and active waiting.

Passive waiting can take the form of cynicism, complaining, or simply doing nothing.

Active waiting, however, is a posture that seeks to cultivate habits that are focused on intentional preparation.

It is a blessed hope because unlike every other hope we might have, it cannot be disappointed….Jesus is coming back.

We are waiting for “the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ”.

Are you waiting on the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior? If you are excitedly waiting for Jesus to come, your waiting looks like preparation. Your preparation looks like fruit. If you’re not prepared, and not bearing fruit, then what are you waiting for??

(Grace is Powerful) (Grace teaches us to actively wait)

2. Grace is PURIFYING

14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

-It cleanses, washes and renews: The death of Christ cleanses us

-It purifies our hearts by faith and our lives by the Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 25:4

Remove the dross from the silver, and a silversmith can produce a vessel;

The Refiner’s fire is purifying: When precious metals are refined the impurities (dross) must first be removed. These pollutants are burned away as the metals are subjected to intense heat. As a result of the refining process the craftsman is given pure silver to work with as he crafts the metal into a beautiful masterpiece. Without first removing the dross, the precious metal would be unworkable. The silversmith knows when the silver is pure because he can see his reflection in it.

Have we allowed God to purify us through His grace? Can He see His reflection in our lives?

3. Grace is POSSESIVE

Verse 14 …to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

-Kind of paradoxical – even though grace is incredibly generous, it is also tremendously possessive…even jealous.

He PURCHASED us. To PURIFY us to POSSESS us…literally for Himself.

…a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

1 Peter 2:9-10

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

-When Grace comes into your life, it takes over…it buys you and makes you its own. That’s a very good thing…that’s SALVATION.

-When you encounter the Grace of God…the cross of Christ, you are no longer your own, but His own possession. Grace is possessive because it is costly. It cost God the life of His only Son.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Grace appeared at the climax of history through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, but Grace is always there for us in the continual self-giving of the Son, like a steady, never-ending stream.

• Have you embraced Grace, and all He provides and requires?

• Am I now living a life defined by Grace? - You will know by the fruit.

• God’s Grace appears in verse 11, and God’s glory appears in verse 13. The grace that has appeared speaks of His first coming, and the Glory that will appear speaks of His second coming.

God’s Grace teaches us who is Lord.

God’s Grace teaches us what we should learn.

15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.”

• Learn doctrine…these are the things you should teach – refers to the entire letter-a letter filled with sound teaching

• Learn duty…encourage with authority. Go alongside and challenge in the way we should all live as we look for “the blessed hope”.

• 3. Learn discernment: if “encourage” speaks to us about the way we should go, “rebuke” admonishes us concerning the way we should NOT go. When we confront or correct, we do so with all authority. We don’t compromise…Grace cost too much to compromise.

• Learn dedication: Speaking the truth will not always be popular, but it will always be necessary. It will require courage, conviction, the confidence of Christ – and will always require love as it’s foundation. This will enable you to humbly stand tall, refusing to be intimidated by Christ’s opponents. In this, you will not let anyone disregard or despise you.

Don’t worry about the nay-sayers. Be above reproach and love them. (Like Paul and Timothy)

Recap

1. Grace isn’t cheap. Don’t treat it cheaply and don’t represent it as cheap. That’s false teaching. Grace Christian Fellowship –the sign says: “Love God, Love People”. We love God, and we love people because we so strongly desire to show people the true Grace of God through Jesus Christ. That tells people

   • the message is more important than the brand…

   • that love is more important than a logo…

   • that the objective is more important than optics

   • that it’s better to be a hospital for the lost, than a country club for the saved

   • that Grace itself is precious…that time here is short, but eternity isn’t…

   • that conviction is more important than comfort

   • we can’t say “we’re good”, when we know we’re all bad

   • Grace is costly. Grace is Honest. And Grace is redemptive but at the same time, any of this done without love is worthless.

2. Let Grace train you…like a marathon. Training can hurt, but understanding what you’re training for puts everything in perspective.

3. Put away anything in your life that doesn’t bear fruit for God’s kingdom, and keep Him as your main focus.

4. Know His word and teach it with authority.

5. Stand tall, confidently and passionately love God and love people.

Our hearts should well up with praise in response to the Grace of God.

Grace has a Face and He truly is amazing.