Christmas Day (2025)

Titus 3:4-7

Merry Christmas my dear brothers and sisters in Christ we can gather together around the word and the gift of Jesus Christ our Lord. He is the greatest gift that any of us have ever received and continue to receive. I preached last year on the Gospel and Old Testament lesson, but it is also good for us to look at the epistle lesson as where Paul writes to Titus, who is a pastor, and encourages Him with the message of salvation that is to be shared with the world that it is not by our works, but salvation has been accomplished by our Savior.

Now our passage today is sandwiched between reminders to do good works. Boy doesn’t make it easy, starting at v1 in chapter 3 it says, Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 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.

He lays out the good works that all people are called to do, and we are tempted to say why should I bother, why should I show respect to those who have wronged me, why should I treat them with kindness, and respect when they have none for me? To avoid speaking evil, and giving into gossip and slander, why be gentle with those who have treated me harshly and be courteous to them? Because who were we?

No different from the world, caught up in the same sins, and abandoning God’s Word and seeking to serve ourselves instead of serving the living God, and we were on the road destined for death and hell, but what changed? Well it wasn’t you, for we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition, for sin made us a slave, and a slave can’t just say I will no longer be a slave, no more than a dead person make a decision to live.

That’s why our passage then says, but when the goodness and loving-kindness of GOd our savior, that is Jesus appeared, He saved us. Not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy. Which means what did you do to be saved? Was it because you repented? Was it because you were sorry? Was it because you had potential? No! This point must be maintained lest we lose the Gospel.

For many will say that a person is saved because they repented, because they changed their life, because they made a decision, which is to make them the foundation of their salvation. What does the text say? He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy. Don’t claim salvation is your work, it is the gift of God to you. Jesus chose to save you, to call you his own and bring you into His kingdom.

The only reason we are saved, is because this child who is born on Christmas day came to redeem us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us, for even though He kept the Law perfectly he took upon Himself your sins, you didn’t contribute anything to your salvation, you didn’t offer up anything. He was born as your king and lord that you might be brought into God’s Kingdom. That is why this is such good news, and why the angels sang and rejoiced at the birth of Jesus.

If salvation depended upon man, if Jesus was just a new law giver who would demand that we kept more or different laws to be saved, we would still be lost. Consider yourselves, have you freed yourself from sin? Have you obeyed the 10 commandments? No! Even should we say they are too complex, too hard, but if they were simpler, then look at Adam and Eve, if they who were created in the image of God, who were without sin, fell to the temptation of Satan, do you think you would do better? Only the proud and foolish would answer yes to that question.

But in order that you might be saved, Jesus appeared, in this World, the Son of God became flesh and dwelt with us that he might accomplish your salvation, that you might be heirs according to the hope of eternal life. He would do all of this without your help, for the Father, Son, and HOly Spirit didn’t want us to mess it up, and so Jesus did it all and gave it to us as a gift. He brought us to life. How did he do that? By the washing of regeneration, and renewal of the Holy Spirit.

Now what does that refer to? A washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit? Holy Baptism there you were united with Christ and God saved you by that washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. What better picture is there of being saved by grace then the baptism of a child. Now I want to be clear we are to baptize all people, but the fact that children are included in that command, shows us that it is not by works, but by grace that we are saved.

What does a child do in baptism? Nothing, they are brought before the font by their parents in order that this washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit might be given to them, and that they might be saved. For all are born under the curse of sin and are in the kingdom of Satan until Christ claims us as his own. What better example of grace is there then a child being baptized? For we do nothing, but receive God’s gift. That gift claims us as Children of our Heavenly Father and he has made us heirs of salvation.

If we are heirs according to the promise given us in Baptism, then we have the hope of eternal life. Which means death no longer threatens us for it has become a portal to the Kingdom that Christ has prepared for us. This comfort carries us through not just today, but even when we remember the dear saints that have gone before us and were also made heirs. For even though they cannot join us here today to celebrate Christmas, we will see them again, in the land of the living, and that is a reason for great joy.

So my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, a merry christmas to you once again as we rejoice in the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord, our savior, and our champion, who has saved us by his appearing, and given that promise of salvation to you through the water and the word of holy baptism. May we all trust in the good and gracious