Discipled by the Grace of God

Well, please turn in your Bibles, tablets, phones, etc. to Titus chapter 2. Titus chapter 2, where, while you're navigating there, let me say I think I've developed a feeling of kinship with Titus. As I've studied this epistle.

He was discipled by the apostle Paul and was a ministry partner of Paul. The apostle had a great passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ, for sound doctrine which inspires godly belief and godly deeds, and an amazing sense of mission. A great love for the people of God. And likewise, I've been discipled by Pastor Milton over the past 25 years.

And been discipled by preaching by by him over the last several months. And I've found that there are a number of similarities. Like the fact that Titus was a co-laborer with Paul, but also under his authority. I've served as a fellow elder with Milton for here for 20 years.

Titus was authorized by Paul to exercise oversight in Crete as I've been authorized to preach to you this morning. I've had the privilege of witnessing firsthand, Pastor Milton's passion for the word of God and his love for God's people, for us here at Cornerstone. And it's been an amazing journey. I thank the Lord for it.

Before we dive into the passage, please join with me in prayer. Lord, I thank you for this awesome opportunity to proclaim your word this morning. I thank you for each of the men who serve in this pulpit from week to week. I thank you for Pastor Milton.

And for his faithful ministry to us. And especially to me in preparation for this morning. We see your gracious hand each week through the ministry of the Word. I pray that you would bless this speaker.

I need your help to do justice to your word, Lord. And bless all who hear this message for your glory in Jesus' matchless name, I pray. Amen. Well, hopefully you've arrived at Titus too.

Our text for this morning is Titus 2:11 to 14, but let's begin our study by reading verses 1 to 15, the entire chapter. I'll be reading from the NASB translation. But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior. Not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands so that the word of God will not be dishonored. Likewise, urge the young men to be sensible. In all things, show yourself to be an example of good deeds with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

Urge bond slaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God, our savior in every respect. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. Instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glo glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed and to purify for Himself a people for his own possession.

Zealous for good deeds.

These things speak and exhort and and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you. Let me ask you this morning. Do you ever feel like you're living on an island amongst people who lack integrity, behave wildly, are lazy and worship pleasure?

Are you a spiritual leader? Meaning someone who teaches the word of God or someone who's discipling others? Or are you a parent dealing with the frustrations of raising your children in the Lord? Or perhaps you are further along in life, wondering how to serve the Lord and finish well, all while dealing with the difficulties of aging.

Or perhaps you're a young woman, feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, fighting irritation, especially if you're married with children and trying to fulfill your calling to love your husband and children. Or perhaps you're a young man. Worn down by the constant battle for sensibility and purity. Or perhaps you find yourself in a job that is far removed from what you dreamed of.

Maybe you work for a difficult boss. Or maybe you're a student who has a highly demanding instructor or two or more. Well, I think that we can all find ourselves somewhere in this chapter as Paul delivers to Titus instructions to teach to the various groups of believers in Crete. Older men in verse 2, older women in verse 3.

Younger women in verses 4 and 5, younger men in verse 6. And it's not a stretch for our spiritual leaders to find themselves in verses 7 and 8. And bond slaves, a category for which we often use the modern day equivalent of employees. Employees can find themselves in verses 9 and 10.

The main question that I want, want to ask all of us this morning is, do you ever feel unmotivated or uninspired regarding the things of God in your present station, stage, or location in life? Do you ever feel unmotivated or uninspired? Most of the time, we know what God wants, but we struggle to find the desire and the energy to live out what God wants. Plus, I think how easy it is to get caught up in the details of life, the urgency of life.

And to lose sight of the big picture. We've seen a number of examples of that in recent days in our study through Genesis. Well folks, I have good news for us this morning. God knows.

He knows about our struggle. He knows that he's given us truth to help us find inspiration on the journey from brokenness to glory. And in the middle of giving instructions to Titus about what he is to be speaking to the different groups of believers in Crete, Paul pauses to remind Titus of truths about grace, which will motivate and inspire godly living. Through the apostle Paul is being very good to Titus, to the Cretan believers, and to us.

God is not content to just give us a list of commands. do this, don't do that. Just do good, just be righteous. Well, in our passage this morning, Paul reminds Titus to teach believers to keep the big picture in mind.

And the focal point of his teaching is grace. The motivation and inspiration, the fuel, if you will, for godly living and good deeds. And we'll observe Paul being very creative and very instructive in how he does so. So how we're going to frame our discussion this morning is that we'll look at 4 truths about the grace of God that inspire us for godly living in our particular stages and stations of life.

Truth number one The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all. The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all. Look at how the whole chapter, we in the whole chapter, we see Paul pausing in the middle of his instructions to remind Titus of the big picture. Gospel truths which begin in verse 11 and continue to verse 14.

This is the first of two times that Paul does so in this epistle, and if nothing else, it reminds us that commands alone are not enough. Verse 11 begins with the conjunction for connecting what Paul is about to write to the commands he has just shared with Titus inverses 1 to 10. Paul begins his reminder in a very creative way. He writes, for the grace of God has appeared.

Grace is the Greek word charis. It means favor, kindness, or grace as a gift or blessing. Brought to man by Jesus Christ. Undeserved or as Pastor Milton often reminds us, ill-deserved favor.

The opposite of what we have earned or or deserve. The phrase the grace of God has appeared is Paul's reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. And his first advent. Meaning Jesus is the grace of God.

The embodiment of God's grace. The grace of God is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the gospel of Jesus Christ is the, the grace of God. The grace of God is the gospel of Jesus Christ. And the gospel of Jesus Christ is the grace of God.

These truths are interchangeable. The grace of God has appeared, Paul says. As we will soon learn, this refers to the significance of Christ's first appearance as well. Also, I want you to note that verse 11 contains the big idea of the passage.

The main subject verb, and that is grace has appeared. Paul then attaches one of the significant purposes of Jesus' first advent. That he came to save sinners. The NASB translates verse 11 as bringing salvation.

The verse could be translated as the saving grace of God was manifested as Young's little translation handles it, or could, it could be translated, the grace of God has savingly appeared. Mankind needed salvation. Mankind needs salvation. Which means mankind needed a savior.

Mankind needed to be saved from the penalty and the power of sin. To be sure To be sure, in his first advent, Jesus brought love, mercy, miracles, healing power, powerful teaching. But most importantly to mankind, as Jesus said in Luke 19:10, he came to seek and save that which was lost. Salvation was accomplished through his sacrifice.

Jesus brought salvation to all men, Paul writes. The commentators differ on the question of whether or not Paul is teaching about the extent of Christ's atoning sacrifice. We won't unpack the debate this morning. Perhaps Pastor Mike will tackle it in the future sermon since he is our resident theologian and tackler of tough topics.

But what Paul is definitely communicating to Titus, as you connect what he writes to the various groups of believers in verses 2 to 10, is that saving grace in the person of Jesus Christ has appeared and was applied to every demographic of the Cretan people. To people in every stage and station of life, saving grace in the person of Jesus Christ has appeared. And he's, he's appeared to older men and women, younger men and women, males, females, free men, bond slaves. Atonement was available to all and applied to all.

I think that this interpretation is also supported by the fact that as you continue reading through the passage, Paul uses plural possessive pronouns like for and us, for us, OK? For us. An hour. As he unpacks his gospel thoughts.

For the grace of God has appeared. I could not help but be reminded of Paul's own salvation story. How God's saving grace met him on the road to Damascus. How that grace confronted him during his sinful mission to persecute believers and called him to repentance.

How that grace completely transformed his life and his mission. Paul was radicalized by grace. Radicalized by grace. And that served as the ultimate motivation for everything that he did.

So it's not at all surprising that in the midst of these instructions to Titus, gospel thinking comes to Paul's mind. Truths about God's saving grace come pouring out. That his encounter with saving grace was never ever far from his mind. If you ask Paul, why do you do what you do?

The answer would be something like, because saving grace has appeared to me. If you said, Paul, why do you suffer through hardship and persecution? He would say something like, because saving grace has appeared to me. Paul, why don't you just back off preaching the gospel?

Because saving grace has appeared to me. Paul says things like, woe to me if I do not preach the gospel. Commands alone are not enough. As Pastor Milton often says, God doesn't just want our obedience, he wants our gospel motivated obedience.

The grace of God in the person of Jesus Christ is the why behind every command. It's the why Paul's pause to unpack the why behind the commands reminds me of a presentation I had at a conference I attended back in January. As I, some of, I work part-time for the Seattle Mariners organization and we had a summit in January. Our entire minor league staff was there, including some of our top, top scouts, our general manager.

It was a big deal. And one of our minor league staff members who's a special assistant to the GM. began his talk by asking the question of the entire room, why are you here? Why are we here?

Why do you do what you do? Some very thought provoking questions. And one of his points in asking those questions was to get us, get us to think about the fact that, that there is a why behind everything we do. The question is, how do we answer that question.

Well, as Paul does in most of his epistles, here he is reminding Titus of the answer to that question. The inspiration for godly living because grace has appeared. So grace in the person of Jesus Christ has savingly appeared, bringing salvation to all men in every station or stage or location in life. And there's much more for us to learn about the grace of God, which will inspire us to godly living.

Which brings us to our second truth. The grace of God instructs us, saved ones, to live out our salvation now. The grace of God instructs us saved ones to live out our salvation now. Paul continues to creatively unpack gospel motivations in verse 12 where he writes, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.

The Greek word translated instructing means to train children, to chasten, correct, to instruct by training. It is the word from which we get the English term pedagogue or pedagogy. Paul is being very creative here, giving saving grace a persona and a mission. Although he doesn't mention the word gospel, specifically, make no mistake, Paul is being gospel centered.

He's reminding Titus to be gospel centered, and he wants the believers in Crete to be gospel centered. You can think of saving grace as an instructor, a professor, a coach, a mentor, a counselor or discipler. Grace has appeared and wants to teach us in order to train us for or towards something. By God's design, the grace of God wants to do more than save us from the penalty and power of, of sin, and someday from the presence of sin, we'll get there shortly.

Discipleship comes to mind or the discipleship relationship. But what does instructor Grace want us to learn? That's the question. I find it helpful to think of the before and after picture as we unpack this part of the verse.

We see it all over the place whenever we're driving or someone is promoting something that's transformative, whether it be a workout or a diet plan or some new superfood or some surgery. One of the things that my wife Kim and I enjoy is we enjoy watching the home makeover programs. One of our favorites has a reveal at the end of the show, where a giant before picture of the home is pulled apart to show the transformation of the home. The after picture.

Now, keep in mind as we unpack what instructor Grace wants to teach us, keep that in mind. Paul gives a reminder of what happened when saving grace appeared. He writes, instructing us to deny ungodliness or instructing us that having denied ungodliness, The idea is one of, of, of renouncing something at some point in the past. In this case, that's something being worldliness and ungodly desire, ungodliness and worldly desire, excuse me.

Ungodliness and worldliness are what characterized the Cretan believers. This was their before picture. No concern for the things of God, and a preoccupation with the things of the world and the passions of the flesh. This lesson from instructor Grace would be significant for the Cretan people, given the culture in which they lived when saving grace appeared to them.

If you look at verse 12 of chapter 1, Paul writes, one of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. This testimony is true. Liars, beasts, gluttons. The Cretan believers were in need of a makeover, a complete remodel.

And so were we. Instructor Grace is reminding them that these things are, these are things that they renounced when they received the saving grace of God and should no longer be characteristic of them. But now look at the after picture as Paul continues in the verse. Instructor Grace is teaching them to live sensibly, righteously and godly.

Sensibly means soberly, discreetly, or self-control. It is a key word in the epistle, having been used by Paul to describe one of the characteristics that Titus is to look for in elders in chapter 1 verse 8. To be taught as sound doctrine to older men and women likewise in chapter 2, verses 2 and 3. To younger women in verses 5 and 6.

And now to everyone here in verse 12. Righteously and godly are straightforward in that the Cretans would choose right over wrong whenever confronted with that decision, with a mind toward pleasing God. With a mind towards whatever is pleasing to God. Sensibly, righteously, and godly.

These three attributes characterize the after picture. The prepositional phrase in the present age informs us of one of Paul's main focuses for Titus's mission. Is that the difference that saving grace should make in the here and now. That salvation is not just about the age to come.

But has major implications for how the Cretan believers were to live right now. Those who have been saved by grace and discipled by grace live differently by grace. Let me say that again. Those who have been saved by grace and discipled by grace live differently by grace.

That difference manifests itself in character and behavior which brings honor to the word of God, puts on opponents of sound doctrine to shame, leaving them with nothing bad to say. And adorns the gospel in every respect. This poses questions to all of us, such as, who or what am I being discipled by? We're all being discipled by something or someone.

Is Grace my instructor? Am I a before or after picture? What characterizes me? Think about how much of our lives are covered in these five words.

5 headings if you will. Ungodliness, worldly desires, we'll put those over on this hand. Sensibly, righteously, and godly over on this side. Maybe I should reverse that since you guys are facing me.

One could take a piece of paper and write these 5 words on either side of the center. Ungodliness, worldly desire on one side, sensibly, righteously, and godly on the other side. And then ride out a typical day. Or a typical week, or a typical month.

And I think as we write that out, We'll know whether or not we are being discipled and motivated and inspired by grace. On that note, I wanna say a few words, just a few words about the methods or the how. We as believers voice our differences and disagreements in 2018. There is a biblical process.

And biblical manner in which to confront conflict with others or disagree with others. The biblical manner is the opposite of the methods that are often employed today. Beloved, expressing our our thoughts and our feelings in public as a first and only resort does not adorn the gospel. What I have in mind are the Twitter wars, fights on Facebook, and other forms of social media.

You might be surprised to learn that in professional sports, There are trainings and annual summits that happen every year. Where the players and staff are taught about the proper uses and the dangers of social media. My point being that even the world understands and recognizes the difference. Even the world understands and recognizes the damage that it can do to an individual or to a cause.

We had an example of that just this week. They do so because they've recognized the dangers, but they've also recognized the constructive uses, and they want the players to be informed. One of the main things taught is, and this is what I want to leave you with on this point. Think before you press send.

And ask yourself one question. Will this adorn the gospel of Jesus Christ? Will this promote the cause of Jesus Christ? I'll leave it to you and the Holy Spirit to answer that question.

So grace has appeared, bringing salvation. Grace teaches us how to live out the salvation right now. And there's more truth about the grace of God that will inspire us to godly living in our particular stages and stations of life. This brings us to the next truth.

Number 3. The grace of God instructs us to be motivated by Christ's second coming. The grace of God instructs us to be motivated by Christ's second coming. Grace wants the Cretan believers to be living sensibly, righteously, and godly while looking forward to a significant event with joyful anticipation.

Notice what Grace wants Titus and the Cretan believers to be keeping in mind in verse 13. Paul writes, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. I love how Paul creatively transitions here in his gospel thinking. He has looked backward to the saving appearance of the Lord, drawn inspiration and motivation from there.

And now, for he looks, he draws Titus's attention to the future for additional inspiration. Looking for could be understood as waiting for or awaiting. It is clear that Paul believed and taught that the Lord could appear in glory at any time, a doctrine called eminence. It is also clear that this was never far from his mind.

Paul calls this upcoming appearance of Jesus the blessed hope. This is literally awaiting the happy hope. Or awaiting the happily hoped for appearance. This sense of anticipation, this sense of longing and desire intensifies the attitude which those who have been saved by grace and discipled by grace should have.

Jesus could return at any moment. Jesus could return at any moment. This has been, this must have been very good news to the Greek Cretans, given the trouble in their church. The disorder, if you look at chapter one, the false teaching, the upset households, and living in a culture surrounded by folks that are known as liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.

But what is the hope? or who is the hope in? Paul writes, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. As commentators write, Christ will return in full glory.

The glory that he now enjoys in heaven, where he is seated at the right hand of the throne of majesty. Christ's appearing will be glory day. This appearing will also signal the end of the difficulties the believers have been facing. This appearing will no doubt signal the end of any desire for ungodliness or lawless deeds.

Each and every form of sin will be done away with. This day will bring to fulfillment the grace taught lessons about sensibility, righteousness, and godly living. Christ's appearing will be the ultimate graduation day. Notice the title Paul uses to describe Jesus.

He calls him our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. Some of your translations may have our great God and our Savior Christ Jesus. But commentators point out that the Greek grammar indicates that great God and Savior applies to Christ only in this instance. Understood this way, this is one of many passages in the New Testament which affirm the deity of Christ.

Paul's use of this and similar titles in this epistle give further evidence. In chapter 1, verse 3, he calls him God our savior. In chapter 4, in verse 4, he says, God the Father in Christ Jesus our Savior. Chapter 2 verse 10, God our Savior.

Chapter 3, verse 4, God our Savior. Jesus Christ, our savior in chapter 3, verse 6, and here in chapter in verse 12 of chapter 2, our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. As an example, we talk this way often. Like when we introduce someone as a sister and a friend.

We all understand that we're not introducing two people, we're understanding one person, or I might introduce Pastor Milton as my pastor and fellow elder. We use this type of language all the time. Notice the certainty Paul expresses of this second appearance. Awaiting the thing happily hoped for, or the longed for appearance communicates certainty that the event will happen.

Here's what Paul is saying. As certain as Jesus Christ has appeared in grace, he will appear in glory, just as he said. As sure as Christ's first advent was humble in nature, his second coming will be glorious. Think about some of the facts of Christ's first advent.

The story of his conception was controversial. His birth was remarkably humble. It was witnessed only by Mary and Joseph. It was proclaimed by angels, but their first audience were shepherds.

People who were stationed at the fringes of society and whose reputation was so poor that their testimony was not even admissible in a court of law. He was accepted by some, but rejected by many, including the religious leaders whose rejection of him was so complete that they believed they were serving God by putting him to death. His trial, conviction, and crucifixion were polarizing. His disciples abandoned him, leaving him with only a handful of followers at the foot of the cross.

But his reappearance will be unmistakably glorious. He will appear in glory for all to see. There will be no controversy, no polarization, no defection by his graced ones. As Paul wrote in Philippians 2.

For this reason also, God highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow. Of those on earth, excuse me, on those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth. And that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Folks, there are many things which inspire us towards godly living.

Many things. We might hear a message that just fires us up. We might read a book We might have a relationship with someone, a discipler or a fellow believer whom we walk and, and go through this journey with. Folks that we admire.

We should also be inspired and motivated by the fact of Christ's imminent glorious return. For those of us here this morning who are in the midst of trying circumstances, I have some good news for you. Remind yourself that Jesus is coming again soon. That your present circumstances or present trials will not last.

That you will share in Christ's glory for all eternity. Let the truth of Christ appearing in glory inspire you to persevere. Well folks, I have to be transparent with you. When I say, perhaps this doesn't seem to be, to be a lesson you need to hear.

And, perhaps your station, stage, and location of life are pretty sweet. And you are enjoying the blessings of God in this age, and you even find yourself longing for it to continue. I feel that same tug. I have 5 grandchildren.

We have 5 grandchildren and it is my heart's desire to see them grow up and come to serve the Lord and I look so forward to making great memories with them. However, Instructor Grace would remind us that our best life is not in the here and now. In fact, the life to come. The life that God has in store for us will blow away the joys of this life.

That our amazingly good God and Savior has so much more in store for us. So, as we enjoy the blessings and contentment of our lives, for those of you that are, that may not feel like you need this lesson, As we enjoy the blessings and contentment of our lives in this present age. Let the thankfulness that results from our present circumstances explode into anticipation of what is to come. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 2:9, but just as it is written, things which I have seen and ear has not heard, excuse me, things which I have not seen and ear has not heard and which have not entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him.

Let this thankfulness explode into a desire for a living godly. And to pass the blessings we've received onto others through good deeds. I find this quote from CS Lewis very helpful from mere Christianity. Lewis wrote A continual looking forward to the eternal world is not, as some modern people think, a form of escapism or wishful thinking.

But one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave this present world as it is. If you read history, you will find that Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought the most of the next. The apostles themselves who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire.

The great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English evangelicals who abolished the slave trade, all left their marks on earth precisely because their minds were occupied with heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world, that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at Earth and you will get neither.

Is it surprising to you that Paul's mind goes to Christ's glorious appearing at this point in his writing? I have to admit that it was somewhat surprising to me. I would think that Paul would write something similar to what he says in Ephesians 5:17, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Make the most of your time.

Especially since Paul knows his own days are numbered. He has communicated that to Timothy in a parallel epistle. But he instructs Titus to teach that we should set our minds on another reality, the appearance of Christ in glory. Are you looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus?

If he were to appear right now, would your response and exclamation be, yes, it's Jesus. Or would it be, oh, it's Jesus. Do you think of his return often? Our answers to those questions tell us much about where our hope really lies.

One of the motivations for gospel living today is that Jesus Christ is coming again in glory. This is a lesson grace wants to teach us. And although Paul has given Titus much to digest in a few words and to feed to the credent believers, There is one final truth about the grace of God that will inspire us for godly living in our particular stages and stations of life, which we'll work this way. The grace of God instructs us about the purposes of Christ's redemptive work.

The grace of God instructs us about the purposes of Christ's redemptive work. Grace has instructed us to look forward to Christ appearing in glory for inspiration and motivation. Now Grace instructs us to look backward to the cross. Grace reminds us that our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus gave himself for us, as Paul writes.

So that those saved by grace can and will be motivated to live a certain way. Especially in the midst of an ungodly culture. Christ's voluntary substitutionary death on the cross resulted in our release from the reign of sin and the penalty of sin through the payment of a price, a ransom. There are a number of purposes for Christ's redemptive work stated in the New Testament, but here, Paul reminds Titus of two of those purposes, redemption and purification.

First of all, Christ gave himself to redeem us from every lawless deed. Christ gave Himself to redeem us from every lawless deed. The idea is that we were slaves of lawlessness or citizens of the state of lawlessness, if you will. Holding the law of God in contempt and habitually committing lawless deeds.

Our position and deeds had us on a path to destruction from the wrath of God. But Jesus gave himself to pay the ransom to redeem us, to free us from bondage to lawlessness, and rescue us from destruction. In Mark 10:45, Jesus said, for even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many. As the hymn goes, I will sing of my redeemer and his wondrous love for me.

On the cruel cross he suffered from the curse to set me free. I will tell the wondrous story, how my lost estate to save in his boundless love and mercy, he the ransom freely gave. I will praise my dear redeemer. His triumphant power I'll tell, how the victory he giveth over sin and death and hell.

I will sing of my redeemer and his heavenly love for me. He from death to life has brought me, Son of Man with him to be. Sing, oh sing of my redeemer, with his blood, he purchased me. On the cross, he sealed my pardon, paid the debt, and made me free.

So Christ Jesus gave Himself to redeem us from every lawless deed. Secondly, Paul goes on to say that he gave himself to redeem us and to purify for himself a people for his own possession. To purify for himself a people for his own possession. Jerry Bridges provides what I think is a helpful illustration when he describes a meeting with a landscape architect who's just ended a day in the field.

Bridges asked the man, what needs to happen before your wife will welcome you to the dinner table? Now, this is South Carolina in July. Hot, muggy. Working in the dirt all day.

The man replied that he needs to take a shower and put on clean clothes, change his dirty clothes. Bridges asks him, why don't you just take a shower? And then put on, put your dirty clothes back on. The man answers that his body needs to be cleansed.

Paul is referring here to the Old Testament imagery of ceremonial washing. He's reminding us that Jesus died to cleanse us from the defilement of sin, which accompanied our citizenship in the country of lawlessness. As D. Edmund, D.

Edmund Hebert wrote in his commentary, sin not only makes us guilty, it makes us dirty. And we know from Scripture that no one can enter into the presence of a holy God. With, with sin. With the defilement of sin.

Jesus gave himself to purify us, to wash us, and he did so as a means to an end. Paul writes for himself. This reminds me of the first part of Malachi 3:17 where the Lord says, they will be mine. Our purification is what Jesus did to bring us to Himself.

Our purification was a means to an end. So that we can join Christ in His presence. And in His glory for all eternity. Thirdly, as we've already observed, those who have been saved by grace have been delivered from the penalty of sin and the power of sin and one day from the presence of sin, Here, Paul reminds Titus that Christ Jesus gave himself to purify for himself a people for his own possession.

To claim a people from the possession of sin. A special people. Or a peculiar people as some translations have it. Malachi 3:17 continues.

I, they will be mine, says the Lord of hosts, and then it continues on the day that I prepare my own possession. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son. His son who serves him. But Paul is not finished unpacking the purposes of Christ's redemptive work.

He has one more thing in mind, that his special people, his peculiar people would be zealous for good deeds. A people who are eagerly desirous of Or zealous for something. In this case, that thing being good deeds. I wanna tell you a quick story about zealousness.

I know we're getting short on time. One of the things I do for the Mariners, I travel from affiliate to affiliate and I visit with the different clubs there. And I had what happens from time to time, which is a great blessing and that is to see a player called up to the major leagues. Last week, a player who has been in the minor leagues for 6+ years got called up to the major leagues for the first time.

And as I was leaving the clubhouse after the night game, he had already gotten the news that he was being called up. And I congratulated him. He's a really, really good guy. Said good luck to him.

Went home, went back to the hotel for that night, showed up the next morning for a day game, 11:00 a.m. Came in to find the manager of the club saying that that player After everyone had left. Went into the batting cages and hit 150 or so baseball. The, the man who locks up the stadium at night, who secures all the facilities, walked into the cage to find this player by himself.

Getting ready for what would come next. That's zeal That zeal. What does Paul want us to be zealous for? Good deeds.

This is a major Emphasis of Paul in this epistle. These are the deeds of those saved by and discipled by grace. In this epistle, he mentions deeds 8 times in less than or approximately 900 words. And he contrasts the deeds of those saved by grace with those in verse 16 of chapter 1, who profess to know God, but by their deeds deny him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

Regardless of their stage or station of life, Those saved and discipled by grace must demonstrate that fact by being eagerly desirous of good deeds. Thereby showing that the profession of faith in Christ is genuine. This begs some questions that each of us should ask ourselves. Do our deeds adorn our doctrine?

Do our deeds adorn our doctrine? Also, the people who know us consider us peculiar? Not in the sense that we have quirky personalities or quirky habits. But in terms of the fact that they know that we are followers of Jesus Christ.

That saving grace has appeared to us. That saving grace has discipled us. Well, if the answer is yes, Paul or instructor Grace would say that's a good thing. That Christ gave Himself so that you would be his special peculiar people.

So in closing The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all. The grace of God instructs saved ones, us saved ones, to live out our salvation now. The grace of God instructs us to be motivated by Christ's second coming. And the grace of God instructs us about the purposes of Christ's redemptive work.

I have to admit that this was one of the surprising discoveries for me in studying this passage. I chose the topic of grace for this sermon because the Lord has recently made me aware of how much I need to grow in grace. He helped me realize that I'm often, too often, not a biblically gracious person. That there's a nastiness that is stirred in me when things don't go my way or I don't get the treatment that I think that I deserve.

Unfortunately, Kim and my kids are far too often the recipients of this bad behavior, these bad deeds. I chose this passage for this sermon, thinking of grace as a resource. And thinking maybe it would help me to grow in grace and to teach others to grow in graciousness. How to employ grace in daily living as a resource.

In fact, I even shared that idea with some folks from our care group that that's what I'd be preaching on this morning. Well, grace is a resource. It is something that we can receive from God and pass on to others. But Grace was also an instructor.

And grace has some lessons that it wants to teach us, how to be sensible, righteous, and godly now. Grace wants us to know that Christ could return in glory at any moment and let that truth drive our behavior, our godliness. In conclusion, Be ever mindful of the gospel. Whatever station or stage of life you're at or stage that you're in, With all its responsibilities.

Keep the gospel in mind. Follow Paul's example and be creative in the ways you look at the gospel. And give gospel reminders to others. Take the gospel everywhere.

Be thinking of the gospel at all times. Remember that commands alone are not enough. To those of us who are in spiritual leadership, parents, grandparents, counselors, disciples, etc. Let's not just be givers of commands.

Let's bring the gospel to bear in our ministry. That's where the power of God is. Don't be overly commands oriented. Give commands but do so using the gospel.

Always putting the gospel before those we lead. Remember, God doesn't just want our obedience, He wants our gospel inspired, grace motivated obedience. When leading others, we need to make ample use, lavish use of the gospel and point others to, to the gospel as Paul does here. Look forward, look forward.

Be looking forward with anticipation for Christ's return and glory. If he were to appear right now. Would he find us looking more like the before picture or the after picture that we referred to earlier. My prayer for myself and for all of us that we live in a manner that when Christ returns, he will find us.

As folks who have been saved by and discipled by grace. And finally, accept the grace of God. Accept the saving grace of God. To those here this morning who haven't believed and confessed Christ Jesus, I ask you, do you believe that grace has savingly appeared in the person of Jesus Christ?

Have you received the grace of God? Will you take this grace? If you've never done so, I appeal to you to accept this saving grace right now, right where you're seated. Please join me in prayer.

Father, just thank you so much for this amazing passage. You through Paul to Titus, have packed so much truth into so few words. that are so powerful and so useful for us in our daily living. Lord, I pray that we would grow in grace, that we would be discipled by grace, and that our transformation would continue.

Lord, help us to be sensible, righteous, and godly. Lord, bring these truths to mind in every situation or The relationship that we find ourselves in. Help us to do so today. We ask these things in the matchless name of Jesus.

Amen.