What I Love About Grace

Turn with me to Titus chapter 2 if you would please. Titus chapter 2. Um, oftentimes whenever young people come up and say, "Brother Charlie, could you sign my Bible?" I use this text whenever I sign. This is some of my favorite verses in the whole Bible. In Titus chapter 2, 11-14. Here I find one of the most complete many summaries of the Christian life in the Bible. Notice here in verse number 11, the Bible says, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works.

Now, just briefly, I'd like to bring out God shows us what grace brings. If I were to title it, I would title it, what I love about grace. First of all, I love the reach of grace. For you see, the Bible says that it hath appeared unto all men. And you know, I can't speak enough about grace. It's only by grace that you and I are here this morning. It's only by grace. Now, who in the world in their right mind on a Sunday morning in Hawaii would be joined together? It's because of grace. It's because of grace that we are here. And the Bible states clear that it hath appeared to all men. Now, grace is not hidden.

It's not reserved. It's not limited. It did appear. God stepped into human history with salvation offered to all men. Say, "Brother Charlie, do you believe in the elect?" I believe without a shadow of a doubt. I believe that every single person who puts their faith and trust in Jesus Christ are elect are the elect of God. But I don't believe that God elected some to go to heaven. And I don't believe that God elected others to go to hell. I believe that the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared clearly to all men. Now if grace appeared unto all then no sinner is hopeless no witness is unnecessary.

So when you feel like life your life or someone's life is too far gone grace has a way of showing up and giving you that hope that things can be different. Not only that notice in verse number uh 12 it says teaching us. So once we find the reach of grace, it's extended to all men. That grace does something important in all that receive Jesus Christ. To receive that grace, the Bible says it starts then training us. And I've I've labeled this as the training of grace. For you see, we were not saved to continue living out our fleshly desires. The Bible says, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.

You see, grace doesn't just save us from sin's penalty. It trains us away from sin's power. There are two sides of grace instruction. It tells us what we need to deny. The Bible says we're to deny ungodliness. Now, ungodliness would be the life without reverence for God. Anything that does not look like God, we should flee from ungodliness. Deny that. Not only that, worldly lusts. Now, worldly lust would be those desires that are shaped by the flesh. Always wanting more, always discontent, all of that. We're to deny ungodliness, worldly lust. But now the grace also teaches us not only what we're to deny, but what we're to be looking or living for.

And he says living soberly. Now what does that mean as believers? What are to we to be living? When the Bible says soberly, what does that mean? Well, that means self-controlled inwardly. Like for example, appetites, emotions, words. You know when a Christian flies off the handle and just starts speaking your mind sometimes in traffic, right? Anybody get frustrated in traffic? You guys have wonderful traffic around here? You do? Yeah. You ever just Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. That's not living soberly. We're to live wanting that God, that grace controls our inward desire. We're to live soberly, righteously, doing things outwardly, but not just for the sake of appearance, but for the sake of we now are partakers of God righteousness, God's righteousness.

We are to live righteously and godly. That means devoted upwardly to our God. God. As we drive through that traffic, we're to be aware that our thoughts are to be on God. The purpose of our life is for him. God says, "Hey, for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness, worldly us, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly." Now, is there something I excuse that grace calls me to deny? Is there one area where grace is trying to train me this week? Thirdly, not only do I love that about grace, I also love the expectation of grace.

For it gives me someone to look to. And it says, "Turns our eyes to the blessed hope." Looking for that blessed hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Friends, no matter how difficult life gets here, we're to be looking unto Jesus. Say, "Brother Charlie, when's he coming back?" Have no idea. I have no idea. I do know this. My grandfather Nicholls, last time I saw him was in 1985. I remember him saying that he believed Jesus Christ would return before he passed on into glory. He passed in 1988. Hey, listen. There have been quite a few years since 1988 go by. But as my grandfather was looking for him, you and I should be looking for that blessed hope.

The Christian life is not just cleaning up our behavior. It's living with our eyes on the person on the promise. Not only that, I also love the product of grace. For it says this, the end of of verse number 14, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. You see, God produces a people with a new identity. Let me encourage you this morning, be zealous of good works. You know that means on purpose. On purpose. Too often times we live our life just up to whatever we feel like doing. Listen, as Christians, we are to be zealous in our work for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus gave himself for us. Grace has a cost that was paid fully by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So as Christians, grace reaches us. For those of you have been saved, and there's someone here this morning that's not saved, let me remind you, you cannot enter into the he kingdom of heaven unless you be born again. Not only does it reach us, it teaches us, it focuses us on Christ. And it is to produce in us a people, different people, peculiar people, zealous of good works. So today, let's not just admire grace. Let's receive it. Let's submit to his training, but at the same time, let's keep our eyes on Jesus and let's keep working zealously for his glory.