Titus 3:3-15 - Gospel Renewal

Titus: The Gospel Series  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented
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Intro

In the movie the Lion King, after the traumatizing death of Mufasa, Symbal runs away from the pride.
He grows up and lives with Timon and Pumba where he lives by the motto: “Hakuna mattata” which means ________?
Nala was out hunting one day, almost ate Pumba and gets into a scrap with Symba.
They recognize each other and she insists he has to come back because Scar is ruining everything.
He refuses.
Symba has this guilt hanging over his head because he thinks he killed his father.
Symba was out sulking and meets Rafiki, the wise baboon.
After a small chase, Rafiki leads Symba to this brook where he see’s his father’s face in his reflection
Then Mufasa comes to Symba in the clouds and says, “You have forgotten who you are. Remember who you are!”
Titus 2:11-3:2 - Paul had just given us instruction for how to live as children of God
What we believe influences how we live.
Symba did not believe he was the rightful king, so he lived apart from who he was created to be.
If we claim to be Christians, we believe we are the children of God
If we are God’s children, we ought to behave as children of God.
Mufasa needed to remind Symba of who he was to point him toward who he needed to be.
Since Paul has reminded us who are are, he’s reminding us who we were.
Titus 3:3 ESV
3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
“For” points back to everything before it.
He’s building on his point for gospel living.
Why do we do these things and live this way? Because at one time, we didn’t.
We were once foolish, disobedient, led stray
Our natural bent was to disobey God and seek our own way.
Disobedient to God, authorities, parents—Everyone and everything.
We were small in our understanding.
We were self-centered and self-deceived.
We believed we could be God better than God can be God.
“Slaves to various passions and pleasure” (v. 3)
Slaves, meaning we were entirely dominated by some influence or person.
It’s the same connotation as being owned
“What’s wrong with pleasure?”
We worshipped the pleasured. We were owned by it. We made it our god.
How are we slaves to it?
We’re never satisfied by it.
There is a possibility to turn good and right things into gods.
Money, sex, food, drink.
Great gifts from God, but we elevated them to be gods.
Pornography, lust of money and power, gluttony
We worshipped the gift over the giver of the gift.
We were addicted to the gift.
We were slaves.
Paul wrote to the Ephesians that we were dead in sin (Eph. 2:1).
More than just addicted, we were dead in it. It was a poison that killed us.
While we were addicted to the very things that were killing us, we didn’t have anyone to fall back on.
“hated by others and hating one another” (v. 3)
We had self-oriented attitudes, we lived life in envy and malice.
We didn’t relate to one another well.
This is why we need the gospel on repeat.
We remind ourselves of who we were before Christ to emphasize the life we now have in Christ!
At the end of the “Remember” scene, we see Rafiki and Symba together talking about change.
Symba: “I know what I have to do, but going back means I’ll have to face my past. I’ve been running from it for so long.”
Rakifi responds by smashing his stick on Symba’s head.
Symba says, “What was that for?!”
Rafiki: “It doesn’t matter, it’s in the past!”
Symba replies, “Yeah, but it still hurts.”
Rafiki teaches us, “Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.”
Paul reminds us of who we used to be to emphasize the good news of what God has done and what God has called us to.
We needed a Renewed Vision Of Grace
Whenever the Bible reminds you who you were, it’s always so great to hear “But” (v. 4)
But is the hinge word of this passage.
“The goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior has appeared” (v. 4)
Paul is bringing us back to his point in Titus 2:11 “11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,”
Paul is reemphasizing the reality of the gospel in the life of the believer.
Titus 2:11, he’s building on the reason for the culture in the church and now he’s building on the reason for the way we are to live.
What did the grace and love of God do when Jesus appeared?
Then he explodes with the message of the gospel.
Titus 3:5–7 ESV
5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
We could build a whole life on this!
The doctrine of regeneration
Regenerations is the divine act where God the Holy Spirit renews dead creation and raises it to life in Christ.
Regeneration is a transition from spiritual death to spiritual life.
Conscious, intentional, active faith
At conversion, the Lord sovereignly grants the believer new life and a new identity in Christ.
This event is so powerful that the apostle John refers to it as a new birth from above (John 3), Paul would say that you are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).
Those born of the Spirit, do not receive an extension of this mortal life, but are freely given eternal life.
Life in which has the quality of God’s own.
It is God who changes us
Our salvation and redemption, our eternal life is entirely a work of God.
You cannot save yourself. Jesus didn’t save you because you’re impressive.
It wasn’t a particular set of words you pray or a decision you make.
On your best day, you have nothing to give to God.
This is a difficult thing for us to believe functionally
In our puny minds, it would be better for us to earn our spot.
“God, I can do this for you! I can do that for you!”
Rest doesn’t come easy to us.
It’s easier to believe that I’m useful than I’m loved.
The problem is that’s not how the love of God works!
What does God need from me?
What does He need from you?
God saved us because He loved us!
Not because of anything I did for Him!
It is God who creates and gives life
It is God who makes new and redeems
It is God who heals the broken, raises the dead!
It was God who was longsuffering with us in our sin
It was God who freely gave up His own Son
It was God who poured out His wrath on Jesus so we could be forgiven
It was God who raised Christ from the dead
It is God who calls you out of your sin into an everlasting life and a right relationship with Him forever!
Our salvation and hope from beginning to end is totally dependent on “the goodness and kindness of God our Savior” (v. 4) according to His mercy (v. 5).
More than this, He gave us His Spirit, so that we can always be in His presence!
In the Old Testament, the Temple was the place you went to be in the presence of God
But NOW, He freely gave us His Holy Spirit to dwell within us! (v. 6-7)
He didn’t just give a little bit of the Holy Spirit’s presence though!
“6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,”
God has abundantly pours out His Spirit on us to be with us!
When Jesus said, “I won’t leave you as orphans,” He meant it.
He didn’t leave us to fend for ourselves
He didn’t leave us an angelic drill instructor
He’s with us Himself by the power of the Holy Spirit!
“So that” (purpose) we might become heirs
Meaning benefactors of God’s grace and love
Receiving an inheritance of eternal life
Not earned! Given!
God views us a His children!
Heirs!
If you’re here and you’re not a Christian, this can be for you!
This new life can be the beginning of your new story!
Turn from your sin!
Believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died for your sin and live life to God!
This good news is for those who believe
Will you become a Christian??
Paul gives Titus a charge:
Titus 3:8 ESV
8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.
Renewed Urgency of Grace
“Insist on these things! Don’t come off them!”
“Insist on the gospel” so that—Here’s the purpose
Insist on the gospel that those who believe may devote themselves to Kingdom work.
That they would devote themselves to gospel living and gospel discipleship.
That they would devote themselves to God!
If our lives have been changed by God, then we should live our lives to God.
We should grow day in and day out to serve the Kingdom of God with joy!
In order for us to grow into Jesus, we need the church.
We need faithful brothers and sisters in Christ to push us toward Jesus!
But there are those who will not push us toward Christ, and some of them might even come from the church!
Great news! Paul has a word for us!
Titus 3:10–11 ESV
10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
Some of you have been hurt by someone from a church.
There are those who cause division and look to disrupt the unity of the church and the faith of a Christian.
On behalf of the church, I’m sorry.
This is very prevalent in our day
It’s easy for churches to be planted by anger and frustration.
We want to be a biblical church that presses into the gospel, extending grace and forgiveness.
If someone is looking to stir up some trouble, we don’t want them to just leave
With love and compassion we want to call them to repentance.
Invite them back to life with Jesus and fellowship!
But if division persists and the church is involved, something needs to be done
We want to be gospel-centric in everything we do.
Which means that anything that might draw us from gospel living/discipleship within the church, we want nothing to do with!
Paul’s final words to Titus are a farewell from friends to friends.
Titus 3:12–15 ESV
12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. 14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. 15 All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.
Notice how Paul phrases that last verse after restating everything he just said.
The word “all” is used twice
At the beginning and end of the verse
He’s talking to the church
He’s pointing us to a Renewed Ministry Of Grace
In verse 15 we find two words of wisdom for life in the church: Love and grace
Those whose lives are characterized by these twin towers of the Christian life are people qualified to reach people with the gospel.
Those who walk in grace and love for the sake of the gospel are those who have been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit!
He says, “Grace be with you all!”
If we are to live our lives for Christ, God’s grace alone will give us the strength, balance, wisdom, and endurance we need.
It’s God’s grace that sustains us when the world is against us.
It’s God’s grace that allows us to draw near to hurting people and love them with grace and love in hope that they experience the love of God!
Overview of Titus
We want to be people who possess Gospel Identity, follow Gospel Leadership, believe Gospel doctrine, live in Gospel Culture, exhibit Gospel Living, and engage in Gospel Discipleship.
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