****titus 2:11-14

Amazing Grace

(Titus 2:11–14)

A young boy, born in the 18th century, for the first six years of his life grew up in a Christian home, heard the gospel truth, and was loved by his parents. At the age of six, his parents died and the orphaned boy went to live with his relatives. There, he was mistreated, abused and ridiculed for his faith in Christ. Unable to tolerate that situation, the boy fled and joined the Royal Navy.

While in the navy, the boy’s life went downhill. He became known as a brawler, was whipped many times, and participated in some of his comrades being keel-hauled. Finally, while he was still young, he deserted the Royal Navy and fled to Africa where he attached himself to a Portuguese slave trader. There, his life reached its lowest point. There were times when he actually ate off the floor on his hands and knees. He escaped, and then became attached to another slave trader as the first mate. But the young man’s pattern of life had become so depraved, he couldn’t stay out of trouble.

One night after stealing the ship’s whiskey, he became so drunk that he fell overboard and was about to drown. One of his shipmates noticed that he had fallen overboard, and in a desperate attempt to rescue him, he harpooned the young man and brought him back on board. As a result, the young man had a huge scar in his side for the rest of his life. After that event in his life, he couldn’t get much lower.

In the midst of a great storm off the coast of Scotland, when days and days were filled with pumping water out of the boat, the young man began to reflect on the Scripture verses he had heard as a child. He was marvelously converted. That young man was named John Newton, and the new life that he found is reflected in these familiar words:

Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound—

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind but now I see.

Many in our world do not understand what grace is. Athletes are said to have it when they are skillful and elegant in their moves. Banks allow this period for repayment. Many say “grace” before meals without understanding the true meaning of the word. Webster’s Dictionary defines grace as “beauty or charm of form, movement, or expression; goodwill, favor, a delay granted for payment of an obligation; a short prayer of thanks for a meal; a title of an archbishop, duke, or duchess; the love and favor of God towards man.” We will be examining the last of those definitions.

God deals with mankind in one of three ways. First is justice—justice is getting what we deserve. Secondly is mercy—mercy is not getting what we deserve. Lastly is grace—grace is getting what we do not deserve.

Donald Grey Barnhouse has well said, “Love that reaches up is adoration; love that reaches across is affection; but love that reaches down is grace.”

Thank God for His grace! Yet, many in this world take God’s grace for granted.

Paul declared the work of God’s grace for believers and in believers. God’s amazing grace brings us into the family of God and makes us more like Jesus. We need to receive God’s grace, live by God’s grace, and look for God’s grace.

This text reveals the benefits of having God’s Amazing Grace.

I. Amazing Grace gives us position in Christ. (vs. 11)

(A.) The security of God’s grace. (vs. 11a)

“For the grace of God that brings salvation”

We have a position of security in our salvation. Salvation is unbreakable because it is founded on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. The grace of God brought this salvation to us. This means we cannot go to God on our own—we cannot earn salvation through works or our own goodness. Ephesians 2:8–9 declares, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Some people look at salvation in the word do—you must do something or certain things to earn salvation. Some spell salvation don’t—don’t do certain things and you will make it. But God spells salvation done! When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, salvation full and free was delivered to us.

Our salvation is secure because of our Savior’s work. Hebrews 7:25 states, “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” God’s grace has brought salvation!

Salvation means deliverance or preservation. The grace of God has brought us deliverance from sin and from an eternity in hell that we deserved. God’s grace is His unmerited favor toward mankind. We do not have the capability to please God, reach God or live for God on our own. Because God’s grace brought salvation to us, no one can take salvation from us. Salvation is of the Lord. God’s amazing race gives us a position of security in Christ.

Verse 11 teaches us about the security of God’s grace, but also we see:

(B.) The scope of God’s grace. (vs. 11b)

“Has appeared to all men”

God’s grace has appeared. Appeared (epephane) carries the meaning of coming to light or manifesting in a way that previously was unseen. Jesus appeared to destroy the works of Satan, destroy the wages of sin, and to conquer death, hell, and the grave. He did that for every man and woman that would ever live. One song states it this way:

Jesus left His home in glory

Just to die a mortal man.

He paid a debt I owed on Calvary.

He came down from heaven’s glory,

He gave up everything He had

To save my soul.

He came down from heaven’s glory,

And it’s still the greatest story every told.

German Theologian Erich Sauer wrote about the Incarnation, “Of all times it is the turning point, of all love it is the highest point, of all worship it is the central point, of all salvation it is the starting point.”

John 1:1–2, 14 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The grace of God gives us a place of permanence because of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross so satisfied the Father that those that receive Jesus as Savior and Lord have everlasting life. No matter if you are black, white, red or yellow Jesus died for all sins and all sinners. But just because the grace of God has appeared to all men does not mean that all will come to Jesus for salvation. Paul is not teaching universalism, which says ultimately that all people will be saved or go to heaven. Jimmy Draper wrote, “The advent of Christ did not mean that all men everywhere would be saved, but that all men could be saved.”

Matthew 7:13–14 states, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Just because God extends the gift of eternal life does not mean people will accept it. In fact, I find more reject God’s gift than accept it.

George Wilson was sentenced to hang after he was convicted of killing a guard while robbing a federal payroll from a train. Public sentiment against capital punishment led to an eventual pardon by President Andrew Jackson. Unbelievably, Wilson refused to accept the pardon. Could one do that? The case became so legally confusing that the Supreme Court had to rule on it. Chief Justice John Marshall delivered the verdict: “A pardon is a parchment whose only value apart from that which the receiver gives it. George Wilson has refused to accept the pardon. We cannot conceive why he would do so, but he has. Therefore, George Wilson must die.” Consequently, Wilson was hanged.

God’s grace becomes a pardon from sin only to those who receive it. God’s grace is offered to all. When we receive His grace, we receive salvation and a position in Christ. In verse 12 we see:

II. Amazing Grace gives us purpose in Christ. (vs. 12)

God’s grace teaches us that:

(A.) We are to leave the sinful life. (vs. 12a)

“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts”

Teaching (paideuo) means instructing, training, discipling, educating and nurturing. When you see a person who is living in sin and rebellion and yet say they are saved, you see a person that is not being taught, trained, discipled or nurtured by God’s grace.

We have a purpose in Jesus to live for God, and His grace teaches us how to live responsibly. When a person is truly saved, there is not only a transformation of the person’s nature, but also of the person’s living. Grace teaches and trains us how to live a life that pleases God.

James Merritt said, “The grace of God is not only a teacher of men, hut also a teacher of men.”

Those who teach that a person who is saved can live any way they want to are spreading a false doctrine. They themselves are mistaken and are not taught by, nor understand, grace.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ.”

Many Baptists have bought into this lie from the devil. But the grace of God teaches us that we must leave the sinful life. Jimmy Draper wrote, “Much of the unhappiness among professing Christians is because of a half-hearted, undisciplined approach to the Christian faith. We need to be instructed in genuine Christian commitment.”

We are taught by grace to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. Deny means to turn away from, to reject, or to turn loose of ungodliness. To deny takes a conscious effort on our part. It is a purposeful action of our will. We have the power of God living in us to enable us to live according to the word of God. Galatians 5:24 states, “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” We have the power to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live responsibly in Christ Jesus.

Those who are being trained by grace, taught by grace, and discipled by grace will deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. The verb “deny” means that we do it once and for all. Are you being trained by grace or do you allow worldly lusts to rule your life?

If you are not living according to the word of God, then you are not being trained by grace! If you are not living for Jesus, you give evidence that you have not received the grace of God.

Have you left the sinful life? God’s amazing grace teaches us that we are to leave the sinful life. God’s grace also teaches us that:

(B.) We are to love the sanctified life. (vs. 12b)

“We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age”

Paul instructed Titus to teach the church about holy living—about being separated and sanctified. When we live godly lives, we show that we respect our Lord and His commandments. The grace of God teaches us to live righteously as we continue on in the faith. No one who is born again should deliberately and willfully go on sinning and bringing reproach on the holy name of Jesus. Romans 6:14 tells us, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” When we don’t live godly in our daily living, this lost world does not nor cannot respect us. When we say Jesus has saved us, set us free from sin and given us His Holy Spirit, and yet there is no change in our lives, people realize that we don’t have what we say we have, nor do we speak the truth.

Grace teaches us to live soberly. Soberly carries with it the idea of having a sound mind. It suggests the exercise of that self-restraint that governs all passions and desires, enabling the believer to be conformed to the mind of Christ.

The world needs to see sober-minded Christians who have their lives governed by the power of the Holy Spirit. But many times, the world has seen a social club filled with people who are racists, slanderers, gossips, perverts—those who show no forgiveness and many times show no love.

God’s grace teaches us not only to live soberly, but to live righteously. Righteously is a word that refers to how we conduct ourselves toward our fellowmen. God’s grace teaches us to live righteously before this world. We are to treat others the way we want to be treated—to do unto others as we would have them do to us.

Grace teaches us to live soberly, righteously and godly. The salvation of our souls should inspire us, empower us and sustain us. When we realize each day what Jesus has done, we are able to realize what He is doing, and can look forward to what He’s going to do. God’s grace is our schoolmaster. God’s grace is not a license to sin. Those who have such a point of view do not understand grace. We are to live God-like in our world. We know from the example Jesus Christ how God lived on this earth and we are to do the same. We have a call today to live godly in this present age. Paul’s generation had the call to holiness, and our generation today has the same call. John MacArthur wrote, “Living godly may refer to our changed relationship to God Himself. We are no longer His enemies but His children. We no longer ignore Him, blaspheme Him, or use His name in vain, but instead honor Him in reverent adoration, praise, and worship.”

God’s grace teaches us that we are to love the sanctified life. We are to have reverence for His name, His church, and His word. The grace of God nurtures our faith and helps us grow more like Jesus.

Great Truth: The grace of God teaches us to live in this world with a passion for the next.

God’s grace gives us position in Christ, purpose in Christ, and in verse 13 we learn:

III. Amazing grace gives us patience in Christ. (vs. 13)

(A.) Our patience is seen in our looking. (vs. 13a)

“Looking for the blessed hope”

The grace of God teaches us to be watching for the Son of God. Looking (prostechomai) means to receive to one’s self, to expect, to look for, or to wait for. It is an active verb which means “to give attention to something.” Kenneth Wuest wrote, “The verb has an atmosphere of expectancy about it, and a readiness to welcome the person looked for and expected.”

None of us have ever seen Jesus, but by faith we understand that Jesus is coming again and are looking for His coming. Grace teaches us to be looking for the blessed hope of the Lord’s return. Grace is mentioned 75 times in the New Testament. The second coming of Jesus Christ is mentioned more than 380 times in the New Testament. We don’t know when He’s coming, only that He is coming, and grace keeps us aware of His coming again.

Matthew 24:42–44 encourages us, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

1 Thessalonians 5:2 also tells us, “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.”

Because we believe what God says to us in His word, we have patience in the coming of the Lord. The grace of God teaches us to be patient, resilient, and resourceful as we live each day like it could be our last. Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3 that we are to be “looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.” We have this blessed hope in knowing that when Jesus comes for us, that we shall be with Him.

There is a story of a Georgia Baptist preacher who spoke at a children’s center for the mentally handicapped. He noticed that the windows of the center had smudges all over them. The caretaker said they had that problem every time a preacher would come and speak about the second coming of Jesus. For days these little children would rise early, press their faces and hands against the windows, look into the sky and continually ask, “Is He coming today? Is He coming today?”

Grace teaches us that we are to be looking for Jesus. Jesus came the first time literally, physically and visibly. He is coming the second time literally, physically and visibly. He came the first time as a servant. He’s coming again as the sovereign. He came the first time to reach people. He’s coming again to rule people. He came the first time to a crucifixion. He’s coming the second time to a coronation. He came the first time to a tree. He’s coming again to a throne. He came the first time to be judged by men. He’s coming again to be the judge of men.

James 5:8 exhorts us, “You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

I believe the church of the 21st century has lost it’s fervency in looking for Jesus. We have lost heart in looking up for the coming of Jesus. False doctrine from without and a lack of patience from within have crippled the church. When we understand grace in regard to who we are in Christ, it changes the way we live and inspires us to look. We are to look up for our redemption draws nigh!

1 John 3:2–3 declares, “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, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

Our patience in Jesus is seen in our looking for Jesus. Also we see:

(B.) Our patience is seen in our longing. (vs. 12b)

“And glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”

Paul longed to see the glorious appearing of Jesus. When we are filled with the Spirit, we too long for His coming.

Since the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, many have waited patiently to see Jesus return. The story is told of the emancipation of slaves in the British West Indies. The night before they were to be declared free, they did not sleep. Down in the valleys in the West Indian villages, the people stayed up all night. Sentries were stationed on top of the mountains and hills surrounding the villages. The sentry’s task was to herald the coming of dawn, for at sunrise they would be free. Those sentries on the hilltops would see the first rays of the sun even before the valley was aware of the light. Only then did the valleys resound with the joyful sounds of deliverance. The grace of God gives us patience in waiting for His return. Like those West Indian slaves, we are to be longing for what Christ has in store for us.

Looking for and longing for Jesus to return does not mean that we will be unattached from this world.

Great Bible Truth: When we are living for Jesus then we are truly looking for Jesus.

When Jesus is our Lord, then we are truly longing for Jesus. Jimmy Draper writes, “Our hearts long for that day when we will be free from the burdens, the sadness, the disappointments, the disillusionments, and the depressions of life. To be free is the hope of the heart.”

This verse gives us patience because it teaches us that when we are waiting for Jesus, we are waiting for God. Jesus Christ is God Almighty, and God manifest in the flesh will one day return for His children. John MacArthur wrote, “In His first appearing, Christ was grace personified. In His second appearing, He will be glory personified.”

Warren Wiersbe also writes, “This verse boldly affirms that Jesus Christ is God, for there is only one article in the Greek: ‘The great God and our Savior.’ Because of this believers should always be expecting His return and live like those who will see Him face to face.”

Are you looking for Jesus? Are you longing for His coming?

Grace teaches us that Jesus is coming and gives us patience in both our watching and our waiting.

Amazing grace gives us position in Christ, purpose in Christ, patience in Christ, and in verse 14 we learn:

IV. Amazing grace shows us the passion of Christ. (vs. 14)

(A.) The payment revealed. (vs. 14a)

“Who gave Himself for us”

Paul reveals to Titus that grace shows us the passion of Jesus Christ. Grace shows us that Jesus came to die and make the payment for our sins. He lived a sinless life and died a sacrificial death. The Bible says, “who gave Himself for us.” Grace teaches us why Jesus came and what Jesus did. Jesus freely gave Himself for us—to pay the price for both my sins and yours.

1 Peter 1:18–19 states, “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 declares, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Mark 10:45 also teaches, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

The only payment that would satisfy the Father’s wrath was the sacrifice of His Son. Jesus fulfilled the requirements of God’s righteous law, and through His sacrifice He makes sinners righteous before God. There was a need in that all of us are sinners, lost and in need of a Savior. Jesus came and gave Himself for us. This is called the doctrine of substitutionary atonement—a doctrine that is denied by infidels, heretics, and liberal theologians.

Many have the attitude of the late Bishop G. Bromley Oxnam, president of the World Council of Churches, who said, “I would rather go to hell than go to heaven on the back of another man.”

John R. Stott said, “The concept of substitution may be said, then, to lie at the heart of both sin and salvation. For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting Himself for man. Man asserts himself against God, and puts himself where only God deserves to be; God sacrifices Himself for man and puts Himself where only man deserves to be. Man claims prerogatives, which belong to God alone; God accepts penalties which belong to man.”

The great evangelist Dwight L. Moody, talking to someone who was trying to deny the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ, said, “Do not suppose God has made a law without a penalty. What an absurd thing it would be! The penalty for sin is death. For ‘the soul that sins shall die.’ If I have sinned, I must die or get somebody to die for me. If the Bible doesn’t teach that, it doesn’t teach anything. And that is where the atonement of Jesus Christ comes in.”

Make no mistake about it—Jesus gave Himself for us! James Merritt said about the death of Jesus, “It was a sacrificial death for sin, it was a substitutionary death for sinners, and it was a sufficient death for salvation.”

Jesus came and took our place. I should have died on that cross! I should have paid the penalty that He paid!

A little old lady was theologically ignorant and educationally illiterate, but she had a passionate love for Jesus Christ and the Word of God. An infidel asked her one time, “Can you even tell me what it feels like to be saved?” She thought for a moment and said, “Well, it feels to me as if the Lord stood in my shoes, and now I’m standing in His!”

God’s amazing grace shows us the passion of Christ. Not only is the payment revealed in verse 14, but we also see:

(B.) The purpose revealed. (vs. 14b)

“That He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”

Jesus died that we might be saved, but also that we might be of service. He died to redeem us from the penalty, power and presence of sin.

Redeem (lutroo) refers to the releasing of someone held captive, such as a prisoner or a slave, on receipt of a ransom payment. Jesus bought us back! We sold ourselves into slavery to sin, yet Jesus came and redeemed our souls from death, hell, and the grave.

Grace shows us that Jesus died for us. It inspires us to leave the sinful lifestyle and reveals that Christ has made us pure by His precious blood. Hallelujah! Jesus has made us His own special people. 1 Peter 2:9 states, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”

Grace teaches us that because of the passion of Jesus, we are the people of God. Those who have trusted Jesus for salvation are the people of God. We are His own special people zealous for good works. We are not saved by our good works, but for good works. Works are a result of salvation, not a requirement for salvation. Ephesians 2:10 teaches, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” We work by the grace of God because we are trained and taught by the grace of God. Hebrews 9:13–14 also explains, “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

Because Jesus came, died and rose again, we can shout to glory that we are saved by the grace of God!

Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,

And grace my fears relieved,

How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed!

Thro’ many dangers, toils, and snares,

I have already come,

‘Tis grace hath bro’t me safe thus far,

And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,

His word my hope secures,

He will my shield and portion be

As long as life endures.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,

Bright shining as the sun,

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise

Than when we first begun.

Have you experienced the grace of God? Have you been born again? Are you being trained and taught by grace?

Grace gives us position in Christ, purpose in Christ, patience in Christ, and shows us the passion of Christ.