The Reason for Godliness
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Beginning
Beginning
if you have your Bibles and i hope you do or you can look on with someone, i invite you to turn with me to . We will be looking at the reason for godliness. the basis of this life.
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
Intro
Intro
Why are you here?
Many of you have come today for many reasons. Maybe you came voluntarily. Maybe you came with your parents and you do not feel like being there. You stayed up too late last night and you just wanted to sleep in this morning. Whatever reason you are here today we all have one thing in common..
WE ALL NEED GRACE.
Someone define grace?
I heard someone define grace as getting what you don’t deserve. God’s favor toward the undeserving.
We need more grace than you and I can imagine. If there is no grace in your life, then it would not be possible to live a holy life.
Paul in this passage has talked quite a bit concerning grace and the importance it is for Titus to learn but also for us to learn today.
The Reason for Grace
The Reason for Grace
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
Titus
*Back Story
God coming into the story to help creation. The Gospel message that most of us have heard our whole lives. The Grace of God has appeared. The Reason for Grace originates with our God. We have to go back all the way to creation to find out the reason why we need grace.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
God creates everything. We all know the days of creation and he created humans.
What happened to Adam and Eve in the garden?
Possible Answers:
Adam and Even sinned and ate of the apple of the tree. God banished them from the garden.
So humanity rebels against God. You continue to read through Genesis and you get to
5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Someone tell the story of Noah?
So God shows grace by not wiping out the whole earth but choosing Noah and his family to live.
what does grace mean again?
Then we have the story of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Joseph. Joseph gets sold into slavery leading us to Exodus.
Someone tell the story of Exodus?
Lets fast forward to the gospels. Jesus is born. He lives a life on earth that pleases God. He lives a life we could never live. That fully pleases God in every way.
Why did he do that?
Possible Answers
To die on the cross for us.
He shows us that we can live the life he did because he uses what we can do today. Listen to preaching of the word. Praying. Worship.
So we’ve answered why we need grace. Now the question is to whom needs grace?
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
So the grace of God is bringing salvation for all people. The phrase is more stressed. Adding this phrase “salvation to all people.” It means that there is no exception.
It does not matter how bad you are. It does not matter how much money you have or do not have. it does not matter how many friends you have. how many sports you can play. It’s not how well you are doing into school. It is the grace of God that has appeared in the gospel of Jesus Christ that brings salvation for all people.
Now Does this means everyone gets saved?
No. However this does mean that you do not need to have a certain social status. a certain level of popularity. You don't have to be this good of a person, because we are all filthy sinners in need of a savior. In need of grace. God’s grace has been made available to all kinds of people. Men, Women, tall, short, athletic, nerdy. All kinds.
Because its for all kinds, we cannot discriminate white, black, popular, not popular. We are to take this message for all kinds of people. We are saved not by our goodness, but on the basis of the son’s work on the cross on our behalf.
So we’ve looked at the reason for grace. We are all sinners in need of divine help. Now how does our response for grace work.
The Response for Grace
The Response for Grace
training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
So previously looking in the first ten verses of this chapter. Paul’s instruction to Titus is to teach sound doctrine. He teaches what older men and women are to act and how they should influence the younger men and women. Basically he is telling them how to live godly lives. Then Paul goes into our need for grace that we just covered?
1. training us to renounce ungodliness
Someone define ungodliness
the characteristic of having no regard for God or a moral life. (not caring about what God cares about)
unbelievers would be considered having this characteristic. Life to their own without caring about what God would think. They live life without regard what the Bible says.
Paul is instructing Titus training to renounce ungodliness. We are to be trained to say no.
What are some sins or things in our life we say no to?
Possible answers:
hate
anger
sexual lusts, thoughts
jealousy
Did you guys listen to Chris’ sermon on holiness a few weeks ago? He mentioned a passage in . Now when I read this passage, I want you to pick out what Isaiah’s reaction is.
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”
And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people:
“ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
How did Isaiah respond to God’s presence?
So Isaiah sees the holiness of God. His mere presence and he responds, “woe is me!” the presence of God made Isaiah so aware his sin. His depravity.
When grace has been in our lives. When grace has appeared. when we have encountered Jesus, we are made aware of our sin. Our disgusting nature as human beings.
The grace of God teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions.
Living Godly
Living Godly
training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
What does self-controlled mean?
being prudent, soberly. Basically you are self-disciplined. you can exercise restraint.
Where are my dessert lovers?
When you have that piece of cake sitting in front of you. When that 20 oz steak that you know you should not eat the whole thing. When Christmas comes around and you know you are not suppose to get up late at night and go present searching around the house or open presents up early. Being self controlled is saying “No I should not do this” “This does not please God”
But here’s the issue. If our Christian lives were just meant on having self-control, we would very easily live lives based on rules and it would be all about self. “I’ve made this many good decisions today.” “I read my Bible four hours this morning.”
Whenever we should being living our lives depending on God. The Christian life is one where we depend on God. Godliness does not come out of human willpower, but it is relationship with God that results in a life honoring to God. The grace of God in our lives gives us a chance to live a life that is pleasing to God.
There’s no time to waste (12c - 13)
There’s no time to waste (12c - 13)
training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
“in the present age.” That means now. We who are believers need to be living a life of grace now. We have no time to waste. We do not need to start tomorrow. Not Next week. Not Next year.
When your parents tell you dinner is ready. Do you wait? When you go on vacation to a water park I am sure all of you take your time to get to each slide. Of course not!
We need to act now. But while in the present age, we wait for our blessed hope.
what is our blessed hope?
Hint* its after the words blessed hope
Our hope. What keeps us living on this life.
How many of you have lost hope before? Tragedy struck. Parents got a divorce? Failed a test
Our blessed hope is that in this world when life gets tough. When we suffer persecution, when we are going through hard trials, Jesus is returning to get his people.
But until then..
we must practice godliness and renounce ungodliness. We can expect that Christ is returning any moment and this puts expectancy in us. it grants us perseverance in our trials.
Preaching the Word: 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus—To Guard the Deposit Acting Now (vv. 12c, 13)
We are not allowed to say that in this age of grace there are no standards for us to follow. Godliness remains our obligation until Jesus returns.
How many of us go and see movies? What happens when there is nudity in the movie? Do you walk out?
But godliness in this culture, in this time period we are to say no to ungodliness and train in godliness.
Now heres the challenge for all of us. Where is the line we as believers draw. What movies do we watch and do not watch. What places can we go as believers that's acceptable and unacceptable. Some of you may be okay watching a movie that has cussing in it. Some of you it may bother you. Each person in here under the wisdom of the Lord, wisdom from counselors and convictions from the Holy Spirit to guide us into this world. in this culture all for the means of glorifying God.
We must ask questions about it.
Are we evaluating or simply enjoying?
Are we living as though there is no division between what is godly and what is worldly?
Does what we are doing really reflect the conviction that a holy God who rescued us from the death grasp of sin is with us in every place and is coming back in power and glory?
When you sin, God is there. He sees it. There’s no hiding. He knows every thought, every click, every action. Do we truly grasp this reality?
As we are trained to say no to ungodliness, have we lost our ability to say no?
These questions each of us individually must answer.
How do we know when we have lost concern for living godly lives?
How do we confront those around us if we think they are enjoying things they should not be? If they go see a movie that was not wholesome what do we do?
This is why the first ten verses of this chapter are so crucial. Older men are to teach the younger men godliness. Older women are to teach the younger women godliness.
Now I know what you guys are thinking. Older men. Well we got Jonas, Jonathan, Ralph, and Brad in this room and you’re wondering if they all count as older men. Brad looks like he may be 30. Jonas dresses as if he just turned 40. Jonathan shaved his head and gray hair is growing back, and Ralph lost track of his birthdays.
The point is that these men are men you can trust to go to learn godliness. These women. Christi, Katherine, Diane are ladies you can go to to learn godliness. We are apart of community who all share one thing.
We need grace. And we have received grace by believing in the gospel. And this gospel has changed us and we are being sanctified becoming more like Christ.
In This present age, let us await the appearing of the glory of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ by saying no to ungodliness and yes to godliness.
In This present age, let us await the appearing of the glory of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ by saying no to ungodliness and yes to godliness.
Our Response to Grace
Our Response to Grace
Like I said before, these standards God has for his children who are under his grace, are not the reasons God loves us. Look at verse fourteen in Titus.
who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness.
How are we defined in this verse. What word characterizes us?
Lawlessness. Wickedness. That is our condition before Christ. We are excluded from him. We are in our wicked state.
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
God shows his love for us dying a death we deserve to redeem us from our position.
What does the word redeemed mean?
it means - to release upon the receipt of ransom. Christ gave himself up for us. he gave himself up so he could satisfy divine justice.
cleansed
cleansed
Everything we have talked about. Saying no to ungodliness and saying yes to godliness. All for the means of ridding sin out of our lives.
Preaching the Word: 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus—To Guard the Deposit Cleansed (v. 14c)
Christ’s sacrifice and blood cleanses all to whom it is now applied by faith. These words remind us that God has cleansed us from the defilement of our sin by the sacrifice of his Son
Treasured
Treasured
“A people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”
The wonder of this statement. He claims us as his people even though we are sinful and in rebellion against him. The God of the Universe who created everything and sustains everything treasures us. This wording is the similar to that as God claiming the Israelities when leading them out of Egypt.
We are precious to God despite the sin that required the sacrifice of his own son. This is grace. Grace that leads to godliness.
This is not legalistic. We do not work toward our salvation. Christ’s work on the cross. His blood. And its his work that purifies us.
How does this affect us?
How does this affect us?
We become more sensitive to sin.
If we do not get rid of sin, It is like a woodpecker. Each particular attack makes noise but doesn’t seem to do much damage. But, like a woodpecker, if you let it chip away at your life long enough, it will leave many an ugly hole that never fills in.
Michael P. Green. 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000. Print.
Look at the language of the text to.
He redeems us
He purifies us
then we are zealous to do good works.
We are able to be sensitive to our sin, because God enables us to see our sin. You do not notice your sin on your own. The Spirit living within you directs and convicts.
What makes us holy is not our willpower. Not our own desire. But the grace of God with the Spirit inside us that will make us holy.
Our Response to Grace is that we are a people who have been redeemed, being purified for himself, and treasured. We are put in wonder of who our God is.
Finally the standard
Finally the standard
Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
Paul is instructing Titus to declare these things?
What things?
The message of grace.
intolerance to sin.
encourage and rebuke
These things are ongoing emphasis in Titus’ ministry and also in ministry today.
Grace and godliness is our standard. Grace despite sin and obedience through grace.
“Exhort and rebuke”
What do these words mean?
exhort - earnestly supporting or encouraging
rebuke - an act of criticism
We are to do this with one another. and not let anyone disregard you for your youth.
Just because you are a youth does not mean you cannot be an example for others. The grace of God that appeared to older men and women in the church is the same grace that has appeared to you. Just because you're young does not mean you do not have to say yes to godliness and no to ungodliness.
That is the standard!
Preaching the Word: 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus—To Guard the Deposit Our Standard (v. 15)
May we so powerfully believe and proclaim the love of Christ that affection for him drives out the affections of this world!
Application
Application
How do we take and apply this to today? What is God trying to tell us through the writing of Paul to Titus.
Like I titled my message “The Reason for godliness”
What is the reason for godliness?
Grace. Grace that appeared bringing salvation for all people.
Living in the present age. Living today for young people may be harder than ever before. We are always connected through our phones, yet there is more disconnect with people today in person because of our phones. Sexual sin is rampant. Drug addiction. Families are broken. Divorced parents. It is hard for young people to live in the present age.
And let’s be honest. you guys probably do not watch the news but you hear things and it just seems like this world is falling apart. Maybe you feel like your world is falling apart.
It is hard to have hope. But we must in this life learn this. We must learn to fix our eyes on Jesus, waiting on our blessed hope. Waiting on the appearing of the glory of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Living unexpectedly for him to make his glorious return. And while we wait we say yes to godliness putting off our old self and putting on the new. We say no to ungodliness and worldly passions.
Saying yes to godliness and no to ungodliness
Saying yes to godliness and no to ungodliness
Train for godliness.
What can we do everyday as believers to help us grow in our relationship with God?
Say no to ungodliness
How can we practice self-control?