Grace Alone Sunday Lesson, Titus 3:3-8

Intro:

Reid Camp Eagle Story

Think of a moment of grace…

Grace vs Mercy Definitions

Share the moment you thought of earlier… was it Grace, Mercy, or both, Neither?

Pt 1: Grace Means Free

Titus 3:3–5 “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. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 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,”

Clearly in v 3 we see we didn’t earn it and didn’t deserve it… this is the picture of Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Titus V 4 “but” changed everything, conjunction

How does the word “but” impact the way we read Titus 3:3-4 and Ephesians 2:1-5?

Pt 1 Grace Means Free / Undeserved, freely given… God’s riches at Christ’s Expense

Romans 11:3–6 ““Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”

compare to v 5… it could never be works!

Pt 2: Grace Means Costly

Read Titus 3:6–7 “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.”

Pt 2, Grace Means Costly

What is the role of Mercy and what is the role of Grace in Titus 3:3-7?

One put off punishment while another on gave new life.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Repeat Pt 2, Grace was costly for Christ.

Jesus took our punishment so we could have his righteousness

“Justification” isn’t a word we use but we hear about people justify things all the time can you think of examples of this and develop a definition from your group?

To pronounce or make something righteous

Christ made us both “righteous” and “heirs” neither of which we deserved due to the wrong we commit!

Pt 3: Grace Means Change

Titus 3:8 “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.”  

Good works stems from grace not the other way around! Then it wouldn’t be grace! 

Closing bonhofer

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, living and incarnate. Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him. Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: "ye were bought at a price," and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us.