God’s Amazing Grace

Titus 2:11-15
GOD’S AMAZING GRACE

Titus 2:11-15 (NASB)11 For the grace of God has appeared, [a]bringing salvation to all men, 12 [b]instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of [c]our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 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.

15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all [d]authority. Let no one disregard you.

Intro: Grace is defined as the “underserved love and favor of God toward fallen man.”It’s defined as divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection on life”.

When you take a moment and consider all that that means, it is an awesome thought!

It means that any sinner can be saved! Any storm can be weathered. Any situation can be faced. When we sing Amazing Grace, we are telling the truth. This passage is one of the clearest in the Bible on grace and its results. Notice three facts about God’s amazing grace.

Grace is getting something we don’t deserve! Mercy is not getting something we do deserve …

I. Titus 2:11) GRACE SAVES US:

A. Grace brings salvation –

Ephesians 2:8-98 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and [a]that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Rom. 4:4-5 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,

B. Salvation means that the Christian has been:

1.Cleansed from sin by the blood of Jesus

–Listen to John in the book of Revelation 1:4-5 ; he says”
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who [c]is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins [d]by His blood

….
1 John 1:6-9 says’6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(Titus 2: v. 14 – tells us, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeemed… Redeemed; Purified; (Gave meaning it was 100% God)

Galatians 3:12-1412 [a]However, the Law is not [b]of faith; on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live [c]by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a [d]tree”— 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might [e]come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

1 Peter 1:17-2517 And if you call upon Him as [your] Father Who judges each one impartially according to what he does, [then] you should conduct yourselves with true reverence throughout the time of your temporary residence [on the earth, whether long or short].

18 You must know (recognize) that you were redeemed (ransomed) from the useless (fruitless) way of living inherited by tradition from [your] forefathers, not with corruptible things [such as] silver and gold,19 But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot.

2. Salvation means we are delivered eternally from the penalty of sin – Rom. 6:23 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.

3. And grace also means we are Assured of Heaven and the promise of eternal life when we die – John 14:1-3

14 “Do not let your heart be troubled; [a]believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

2Cor. 5:6-8 Amp.;5 Now He Who has fashioned us [preparing and making us fit] for this very thing is God, Who also has given us the [Holy] Spirit as a guarantee [of the fulfillment of His promise].

6 So then, we are always full of good and hopeful and confident courage; we know that while we are at home in the body, we are abroad from the home with the Lord [that is promised us].

7 For we walk by faith [we [b]regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance.

8 [Yes] we have confident and hopeful courage and are pleased rather to be away from home out of the body and be at home with the Lord.

Story of Lazarus and his death and Martha the sister: John 11:25-27 Amp. 25 Jesus said to her, I am [Myself] the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on) Me, although he may die, yet he shall live;

26 And whoever continues to live and believes in (has faith in, cleaves to, and relies on) Me shall never [actually] die at all. Do you believe this?

27 She said to Him, Yes, Lord, I have believed [I do believe] that You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), the Son of God, [even He] Who was to come into the world. [It is for Your coming that the world has waited.]

C. But your Question is do you know Jesus?

Yes, there is a saving grace of God! But only if we know Jesus as Lord and Saviour!

· The necessity of the New Birth Is that we know Christ and that we Believe He is the Son of God!

· -John 3:3-7 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born [a]again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born [b]again.’

Greek word here for Again means “ from above”

Spiritual birth can only come through Grace and Faith that we believe, HE IS WHO HE SAID HE IS!!

· Acts 16:31 Paul in prison tells the curious jailer:

31 Paul said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

John 3:16 16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His [a]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

· John 6:47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.

( All the scripture’s teach the simplicity that we have to know Christ above all else! There is no other way!)

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Rom. 10:9-10 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

(If we Confess that we are sinners and believe – You can be saved)

 

II. GRACE SCHOOLS US: (Teaches Christian Living) Titus 2:12 tells us Grace is instructing us…..

A. Grace teaches the negative side of Christian living: What to avoid!

1. It instructs us to avoid Ungodliness- Anything that does not glorify God –

1Cor.10:3131 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
2. It also teaches us to avoid Worldly Lusts – James 4:4 (MSG)

4-6 You’re cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.” And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.

 

B. Grace also teaches us what to do and how we should live on the positive side of life!

1. Soberly – Sensibly with Self-control : Col. 3:5 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry

There should be change in our desire now that we are born again – 2Cor. 5:17 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new)
Our Character – What you are, whether we are around others or when we are alone!)
Our method should be changing – Jesus summed it up in Mt. 22:38, 39; 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
Our Motive should be changing – Mt. 5:16 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

2. Grace instructs us that we should be living Righteously with others: – Rom. 12:17-2117 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. [a]Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but [b]leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

3. Grace instructs us in the way we should live now that we are in Christ – A Godly Lifestyle –

Col 3:15-17 15 Let the peace of Christ [a]rule in your hearts, to which [b]indeed you were called in one body; and [c]be thankful. 16 Let the word of [d]Christ richly dwell within you, [e]with all wisdom teaching and admonishing [f]one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing [g]with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
When we live by Grace we should All want to do good and want to please God –
2Cor. 10:3-5 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (Pleasing to Christ)
Grace will teach us how to live on the positive side of Christianity and what to do!

Grace brings Salvation;

Grace instructs us:

III. GRACE also SEPARATES US: Titus 2 v.13-14

(Provides the Christian with Hope) Our hope as believers separates us from the rest of the world! Colossians 1:27 to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Romans 5:1-4 says Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have[a] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

A. Grace Causes us to look for Christ in everyday life and His promise that He will come again! Jesus is coming!

John 14:1-3 “Do not let your heart be troubled; [a]believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
1Thes 4:13-1813 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep [a]in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive [b]and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a [c]shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive [d]and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 John 3:1-3 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[a] we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Grace separate’s us but also should make us aware and prompt us to Be ready –
Mt. 24:44 44 For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

B. Grace Causes us to be a peculiar people- Set apart from the world even though we live in it!
(A people for His own possession) 1 Cor. 6:19-20 19 Or do you not know that your body is a [a]temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from [b]God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

This relationship promises us special blessings
Heb. 13:5 5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”
This Relationship also gives Hope Right Now!!!
Phil. 4:19 19 And my God will supply [a]all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

C. Grace separates us and Causes us to be zealous of good works –good deeds
Eph. 2:8-108 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and [a]that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
James 2:17-18 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is [a]dead, being by itself.18 But someone [b]may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Closing:

Grace says “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness!”
The devil says Your so weak you’re never going to get this right”
Grace says Greater Is He that is in me than is in the World!”
The devil says you’re a failure!
But grace says I can do all things through Christ!
The devil says your guilty and your might as well give up….
But grace says there is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!!!
Jesus said on the cross It is finished!!!