Discover the Gospel V
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Turn to Titus 2:11-14. We’re continuing with the theme of Discovering the Gospel.
The context: Titus was charged, by the Apostle Paul with appointing elders in ever town on the island of Crete, which is in the Mediterranean. Titus also had the task of rebuking carnal living. Carnal being according to the sinful flesh. But not necessarily to those outside the Church. His task was to confront those who claimed to know God but lived like they did not.
Paul said,
They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
So Titus had to play the role of Wyatt Earp and clean up the churches.
There were two main problems Titus faced: 1) The carnal culture of Crete created copious and consistent controversy and crud for Christians. Meaning, the outside culture was infiltrating the Church. “Christians” weren’t living like Christians. The culture of Crete accepted immorality as the norm. “Well, if the world thinks immorality and sin is the norm, then I guess it’s ok.”
So Paul, and Scripture in general condemns this inconsistency between faith and works.
But then he encourages believers to live in such a way that is consistent with what we believe so as to gain the respect of people, which ultimately makes God attractive.
The second thing Titus faced was the issue that the Gospel of Jesus Christ had somehow not made its full impact on those who supposedly had received the Gospel. And Paul gets this - he realizes there is a disconnect between their lips and their behavior, which means there’s a disconnect between the message of the Gospel and the personal impact of the Gospel.
I think Paul is saying, “Look at the Gospel again. Rediscover the Gospel and do whatever it takes to get this religious concept not only into our heads, but into our hearts so that the Love of Christ and the Gospel message compels us and transforms us. Jesus didn’t die on a cross for our sins to give us a nice comfortable stagnant religion.
The Gospel is not only intended to save the world but to change the world.
The only way the Gospel will change the world is if we who have the Gospel are changed by the Gospel.
So right in the middle of his letter (Titus 2:11-14), we find four verses that powerfully and brilliantly exposes the full spectrum of the Gospel. We’re going to pick this apart and ask some basic questions and discover how wide and deep the Gospel is. But also to minimize any disconnects between our lives and the Gospel - between what we say we believe and how we live. We won’t get through it all today. Notice the simple quests I ask - something you can do.
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
For the grace of God …. What’s grace? It’s God’s unmerited, undeserved favor and thought and love toward humanity.
This is God’s grace. What did God’s grace do? For the grace of God appeared …. What does “appeared” mean? It was visible. It was displayed. How was God’s grace visible? Through His Son Jesus the Christ. So this tells me …
1. The Gospel is about Incarnation.
God came into this world as a man to rescue the world. Jesus, Immanuel, God in the flesh (see Heb. 2:14-18; Phil. 2:5-11). No one has seen God, but …
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Jesus said …, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” That’s the Incarnation - Jesus showing us the Father. But that’s only half of the story. Now, we have a part to play. “Go into all the word … You will be my witnesses ….”
In Jesus we see God. In us people see Jesus.
That’s the whole story of the Incarnation.
What did the appearance of God’s grace do?
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
What is salvation? Rescue, deliverance, restoration, hope …. For whom? All people. So this tells me that …
2. The Gospel is about Inclusion.
God had the original No Child Left Behind campaign.
Remember the context here. The Creeps said they believed in God, yet their lives showed otherwise. They said one thing but lived another.
If we know the Gospel is for all people – then our lives must do what?
There is no “the Gospel is for everyone except ….”
Here’s the thing - there are a lot of people out there that believe the Gospel is not for them because they’re sinners. Where do they get that idea? Plenty of places, but it should not come from us.
We must live in such a way that sinners know the Gospel is for them.
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,
The idea here is that the work of Christ empowers us to turn away from a broken, immoral, and wicked lifestyle, and turn toward a new lifestyle of love, piety, morality and joy.
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
This tells me that …
3. The Gospel is about Transformation.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
If there is no power for change, for victory, for a new life, if there’s no power for transformation, then tell me, who’s interested. Romans 12:2. This is why I believe we need to rediscover the Gospel …. That’s why it must get from our heads to our hearts and live the transformation ….
The Gospel - it’s about Incarnation, Inclusion and Transformation. We’ll finish this next week, but for now …
How incarnational is my faith?
What do I do to help others see Jesus?
With my time, resources, my context (gifts, skills, talents …)?
How inclusive of non-Christians am I?
It’s easy to include people we like. Easy to include Christians and church folk. But what about the people who need Jesus?
This next question I will ask in two different ways:
What am I doing to propel my transformation?
(Called discipleship)
How am I allowing God to transform me?
(called surrender)
If the Gospel is intended to change the world, then what’s my part in the change?
If sinners need to know that Gospel is for them, then how does my life reveal that truth?
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.