People of GCC, my name is Don McKenzie. I'm a part of the pastoral staff here, and I'm filling in today. Now, over the next two weeks, Jacob Schwegel and I are going to be diving into two key passages in the New Testament book of Titus. And today's passage addresses an issue that I struggled with for over 30 years, 35 years at the beginning of my christian life. And really, it's only been in the last 15 years that my experience with the truths of this passage have made my relationship with the Lord Jesus so much more joyful and satisfying.
So here's the issue that challenged me for so many years. How can my sinless God enjoy a meaningful relationship with me while I remain so flawed and sinful? All right, let me put it another way. In my relationship with God, who is always right and who ends up always being wrong in some way. You know, God has never confessed a single sin to me, and I have confessed countless sins to him.
There are really two sides to this. One is God enjoying a relationship with me and me enjoying a relationship with God? And it seems like the relationship is so lopsided. How can God even stomach me when there are people in hell who have committed the same sins that I have? See, it's hard to enjoy a relationship when you think the other person is repulsed by so many of your thoughts and actions.
So how can my sinless God enjoy a meaningful relationship with me while I remain so flawed and sinful? Well, I think our passage today in Titus, chapter two, verses eleven to 14, it's a wonderful, beautiful passage of scripture, and it deals with this tension between how we are supposed to live and how the Lord Jesus deals with us, even though we are so sinfully flawed. Okay, so are you with me? You've got the concept. Are you ready?
All right, let's dive in. Titus, chapter two, verses eleven to 14. Let me just read them. Okay. Starts out in verse eleven.
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. All right, that's the passage. I want to summarize the first three verses like this.
The grace of God that saves us also teaches us how to live while looking. Now, I want to break down my little summary statement? It starts at verse eleven where it says, for the grace of God that brings salvation. So the topic here is the grace of God. And we see that the grace of God in the verse brings salvation.
And then at the beginning of verse twelve, we're going to see the primary activity of this grace of God. It says, teaching us. So the grace of God is teaching us. Now the next question is, what is the grace of God teaching us? Well, that's the rest of verse twelve.
And I want to focus on the part that I underlined in verse twelve. It says that the grace of God is teaching us. Okay, it's not underlined, but it's teaching us that. Skip over. And it says what?
It's teaching us that we should live. And then we're supposed to live a certain way. Now God has a code of conduct, and he knows it's the most beautiful, fulfilling, and the best way for us to live. So he shares it with us and then he teaches us how to live it. That's the first thing that grace teaches us.
It teaches us how to live. The next thing grace teaches us is how to look. And we see that at the beginning of verse 13 it says, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and savior Jesus Christ. Now this is a verse about the second coming of our Lord Jesus. Okay, so the grace of God is teaching us to have an attitude of confident expectation that Jesus will indeed return.
So here's my summary statement for Titus, chapter two, verses eleven to 13. Let's look at it again. The grace of God that saves us also teaches us how to live while looking for Jesus to return. Now I want to focus on the phrase grace of God. Now it says that the grace of God is a teacher.
Now did you ever have a favorite teacher in school or do you have a favorite teacher in school? Now everybody I asked seemed to have one. And the reason they were their favorite teacher is because they were kind to them or they somehow influenced them in a good way. And then I asked people, well, did you ever have a teacher you didn't like? And typically they did.
And it was some teacher that for some reason they thought was mean to them or in some way embarrass them. But now here's a different question or thought. Imagine if you had a schoolteacher who never encouraged you, always pointed out your mistakes and just criticized your faults all the time. Now, I think I know what some of you might have just thought. You thought, well, I didn't have a teacher like that.
But it sounds like you're describing my spouse. Or perhaps you're describing my parent or a boss. If someone you care about regularly criticizes you, even if what they're saying is true, it will destroy any hope of a loving, happy, meaningful relationship. Now look, if anybody, if there is anybody who could truthfully and constantly criticize us, it would be the one person who literally knows everything about us. Our motives, our thoughts, our actions.
And there is someone like that. Do you know who it is? It's goddesse. He knows everything about us. Now, some people sadly think that God is just a mean, vengeful, angry God who can't wait to correct or punish people.
But that's not what the Bible says about God. In fact, in this verse right now, we're looking at verse eleven. It says, for the grace of God. So in verse eleven, we see that God is a God of grace, not a God of law or judgment or criticism or condemnation. But here he's a God of grace.
But I have to tell you, this grace of God that teaches this is puzzling me, and I'll tell you why. It says that the grace of God is teaching. And how can grace be a teacher? And if you'll notice in verse eleven, it says that this teaching, grace, also brings salvation and it has appeared. How can grace appear?
It means that grace was not present and then it appeared. And when it appeared, it brought salvation. So what is this talking about? When did this happen? Oh, wait a minute.
We are in church and it might rhyme with shemesis.
Yeah, sure. This is talking about the Lord Jesus who appeared when he was born and graciously died to bring us salvation. So here the grace of God is just another way of referring to the Lord Jesus. So you could properly read these verses like this. You could read it for Jesus who brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us.
Our gracious teacher is the Lord Jesus Christ himself. And what is our gracious Lord Jesus teaching us? Well, he's teaching us how to live and how to always be looking for his return. Now, I want us to look in verse twelve because it says teaching us. It doesn't say that the grace of God taught us.
Past tense, as if it's over. Jesus is still actively teaching us. Present tense. He never stops graciously teaching us how to live. Okay, since Jesus is teaching us how to live, then how are we supposed to live?
Well, that's the rest of verse twelve. Let's look at that. It says, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly. That means with self control, righteously and godly in the present age. So to summarize what he's teaching us, there are negative things we are to avoid, and there are positive things that we're to engage negatively.
We are to deny ungodliness and worldly lust positively. We are to live soberly, righteously, and godly. And really, that's all there is to it. Turn away from everything that is evil and embrace everything that is good. That seems pretty simple.
Surely everybody can understand this, right? And guess what? I do understand this. And that's why I spent so many years wondering how God could even remotely enjoy a relationship with me. I mess up all the time.
So what keeps him from just giving up on me? Well, look how Jesus is described in John chapter one, verse 14. In John 114, it says that the word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only son. This is talking about Jesus who came from the father.
And here it is, full of grace and truth. You know, Jesus is never half empty on grace. He's full of grace. He never runs out of grace gas, you might say. And I desperately need a teacher full of grace because I have not been an honor student in the school of Jesus.
I got a text the other day from my middle son as he was driving to his first day of the new school year at the University of Memphis. Now, my son has already graduated, and he's been working on other degrees for quite a while. His text said, on my way to day one of grade 22.
Later, it dawned on me that I'm not ever going to graduate from the school of Jesus while I'm down here. I'm in grade 53 and I'm still stunned how kind and gracious he is. Now, for those of you taking notes, that means I've been saved for 53 years. Now, here's a summary of the first three verses. The grace of God that saves us also teaches us how to live while looking for Jesus to return.
So verse 13 tells us about the looking part. Verses eleven and twelve told us about the living part. In verse 13, Jesus teaches us how to live while looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and savior, Jesus Christ. So this clearly speaks of Jesus second coming. It's when he next appears.
If you were to go and check Jesus's performance schedule, his next appearance is what verse 13 is talking about. Jesus first appeared in verse eleven bringing salvation, and then he started teaching us how to live that was his first coming. And another part of his teaching is to teach us to look forward to him returning. Look, as a Christian, we're either going to die and see Jesus or he's going to return, and then we'll see Jesus. But either way, the future for believers is to be with Jesus.
I was at the doctor the other day, and the nurse asked me how I was doing, and I said, I'm dying. She hesitated, and she turned and she looked at me, and then she said, we're all dying. I smiled and nodded, and then she said, although there are some things I want to do before I die. And I said, I've heard a lot of people say that. She said, my daughter is pregnant and I want to see my first grandchild.
I told her I could tell she was really looking forward to that. She didn't know. I'd been studying this passage about Jesus teaching us to look forward to him returning.
She made a few comments about how excited she was, and then I said, I know what you mean. I'm really excited about seeing Jesus when he returns. Now, how do you think she responded? I wanted to say she fell down on her knees and cried out, what must I do to be saved? But that is not what happened.
After a little surprised look, she said, oh, well, yeah, but I'd really like to see my grandchild first.
So what are you excited about? The things of this world are the one who made this world. This is what Jesus is wanting to teach us. He wants his followers to learn to long for his return because we love him and we want to be with him. Having this forward looking focus will change how you think about your past and about your present.
I'm telling you, it can help remove the sting of your past sins, and it will help start filling up your heart with a joyful expectation of finally and physically seeing your savior. You know, I have a little saying that I try to remind myself of from time to time. I think I have it up here. What have I packed for heaven today. See, I'm going to heaven.
That's my destination. This fallen earth is not my home. And Jesus teaches his people to look forward to our next never ending life with him. So start packing. Get ready.
It's going to happen.
So why should we be more excited to see Jesus than to see our first grandchild or anything else? Well, that's the end of verse 13. Let's take a look at it. He says, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and savior, Jesus Christ. In this verse, who is Jesus?
Well, first he is our great God. When Jesus returns, it's our great God returning. And not only is Jesus our great God, he is also our great savior. I'm not going to spend eternity in hell because my great God saved me, and I can't get over it. When the apostle Peter wrote about Jesus returning, he couldn't get over it either.
And so he made these comments in one Peter one eight after he talks about Jesus returning and he's going to reveal himself, he thinks of Jesus, whom, having not seen you love, because I haven't seen Jesus, but yet a love has been developed in my heart over the years. Though now you do not see him yet believing. Believing in this one that I have not seen is going to return. What happens? You rejoice with joy, inexpressible, full of glory.
Believing and focusing on Jesus and his return is a huge key in having increased joy and happiness in your soul. So what are you looking forward to? Well, it makes total sense to consider that there is nothing or no one greater than our great God and savior Jesus Christ. And so, of course, we should be eager to see him return. Look at these verses, Philippians 320 for our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait, eagerly wait for the savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
First John three, two. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when he is revealed his second coming, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Second Timothy four eight. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day.
And not me only, but also all who have loved his appearing. Jesus is coming back, and he wants us to be alert and looking, longing and waiting with a growing love in our hearts to finally see him face to face. All right, let's review our summary of what we've seen so far in Titus. The grace of God that saves us also teaches us how to live while looking for Jesus to return. This is Jesus present teaching ministry and the lives of his people.
And in verse 14, we're going to see the saving ministry of Jesus, who is our great goddess savior. So let's look at verse 14. Right after he says that Jesus is our great God and savior, he says, 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. Now it says that Jesus gave himself for us. What do you think that refers to.
Yeah, him dying on the cross. So he gave his life by dying on the cross. Now, next, notice the word that who gave himself for us? That. Now, that is telling us the reason that he gave himself for us.
And there's two reasons in here, all right? The first reason that he died for us is that he might redeem us from every lawless deed. Now, redeem is a great Bible word, and it means to pay the price to set us free. I'm sorry. The word redeem is it means to pay a ransom.
To set a prisoner free. To pay a ransom. To set a prisoner free. If you pay the price, you redeemed the prisoner. You set them free by paying a price.
And so Jesus gave himself for us to pay the price, to set us free from the guilt that is caused by every one of our lawless deeds. It's just another way of saying that Jesus died for our sins. And because he did that, my lawless deeds no longer hold me captive. I have been set free, and I am free from the wrath of God. My sins have been forgiven because Jesus paid the price for them to be forgiven.
Look at this beautiful verse. In Ephesians, chapter one, verse seven, it says in him, in Jesus, we have redemption. There's our word, the payment. What was the payment through his blood. What do we get because of it?
The forgiveness of sins. Why would God do this for me? According to the riches of his grace. Now, let's go back to our verse, verse 14. So the first reason that Jesus died for us was to redeem us or rescue us.
Now, the second reason was to purify us. It says, to purify for himself his own special people, zealous for good works. Now watch this. Jesus not only died for our justification, he also died for our sanctification. He didn't only die to remove our guilt before God as our judge.
He also died to give us new hearts that he uses to start purifying us. He redeems and purifies. Do you see that? There in the verse? Let me illustrate this.
Imagine that God paid the price to set a serial killer free from his maximum security cell.
Of course, this vile prisoner didn't deserve it, but God paid the price, so the man goes free. As a result, he's forgiven of all of his crimes. Now, what do you think this depraved serial killer will do now that he's free? Aren't the odds overwhelming that he's just going to start killing people again?
Why would God set a man free who's just going to go out and commit more terrible crimes. Does that seem right to you? Seems awful to me. But what if God not only forgave his sins, but also changed his heart to want to be zealous for good works?
What do you think he'll do after he's set free?
He'll discover he has these new desires and he'll begin to follow them. This is what Paul is talking about in this verse. God not only forgave our sins, he started purifying us because he's creating an incredible group of forgiven people who become zealous for good works. So verse 13 teaches us that salvation brings both redemption and the start of purification. We are guilty, so he forgives us.
We are dirty, so he starts cleaning us up, and he graciously never stops. Now back to my introduction. How can my sinless God enjoy a meaningful relationship with me while I remain so flawed and sinful? And the answer is, because Jesus died to forgive me and to cleanse me. And God the Father is totally, listen to this.
God the Father is totally satisfied with the payment that Jesus made for me. And if God the Father is totally satisfied with the death of Jesus for me, shouldn't I also be satisfied and happy with what Jesus did for me?
It took me years to experientially reach a point where I understood that God actually accepted me, even though he knew everything about me. And it's awful what he knows about me. And every ounce of that awfulness was put on Jesus, and he judged it. So now he's free to have nothing but loving adoration and affection for me. He's devoted with joy to teach me how to live so I can enjoy him more, how to live so I can enjoy you more.
He loves doing it because the price that Jesus paid is honored in heaven. Why, if God ever treated me with one little ounce of wrath, it would be a spit in the face of what Jesus did on the cross. And the father would never, ever even conceive of such a thing. He is thrilled with what Jesus accomplished on the cross.
Let me tell you something I've discovered at the school of Jesus. I am a remarkably slow learner. I don't know about you, but, man, I keep making some of the same mistakes over and over and over. If I didn't think it would upset my father for me to say all these things about me, like I'm so stupid and I'm an idiot, and he goes, wait a minute. I love you.
Don't talk about yourself like that. And I go, thank you, but, you know, I'm a slow learner. And he goes, well, this is going to work out great because I'm a super gracious teacher. I'm full of grace. I thought, wow, Jesus, you are so exactly what I need.
I'm in grade 53, and some of you are brand new. You're first graders? Hey. Welcome to the school of Jesus. He's going to teach you how to enjoy your forgiveness.
Even though you still struggle with sin. He's going to keep purifying you so you can learn to love and enjoy him more and more. Your best days are ahead of you. He's our great goddess. He's our great savior, and he is our gracious teacher.
Enjoy the ride. Try to pack a little something for heaven every day. And before long, your growing desire to see him face to face will finally happen. And then we will fully understand why Jesus is such a big deal. Let's pray.
Heavenly Father, thank you that you love us so much that you sent your son to save us so that we could enjoy a relationship with you. Teach us how to do that. I know you are. And so we thank you for it. Amen.
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