R sbc
Date: July 30, 2006
Sunday Morning
Series: “ Christ The Sum & Substance of The Bible”
Subject: “The Manifestation of Grace”
Text: Titus 2:11-15
Intro: Preachers, theologians, song writers, book writers, have for years have tries to define grace in a proper and manner in which we could understand it. It is hard to define something that is so great as the grace of GOD. Grace is clearly in the experience of it. For someone not to have experienced the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ cannot understand the great magnitude of it.
John Vaughan defined it as “ the undeserved favour of God to those who have not merited or deserved it. Grace as it is associated with names may be defined by those words...
It is called free grace, as it is apposed to a commercial transaction.
It is called sovereign grace, because God sovereignly gives it to whom he will.
It is called unmerited favour, because you cannot earn it.
It is called the grace of God, because it originated with him, he owns it.
Grace is said to be something that you can see: Ac 11:23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
Grace is said to be something that we can continue in: Ac 13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God
Grace is said to be something that we can recommend: Ac 14:26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
Grace is said to be something that we testify of: Ac 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
I... “ THAT GOD’S GRACE HATH APPEARED”..VS 11
It has appeared and that is wonderful news, without it, no one would be saved today!
Our text clearly states what it came to do, “BRINGETH SALVATION” All agree that it was grace that came by the LORD JESUS CHRIST. 2Co 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
The beloved John wrote of the inspired word: Joh 1:14 And the Word was made 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. Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
II... “ THE SUBJECTS OF HIS GRACE”.. “ ALL MEN”
Not to be taken in the literal sense of the all men without exception, for that would leave all women out. It means all mankind without distinction. All kinds of men, women, boys and girls.
The word means all men as opposed to angels, and animals and other living things. Christ came to save his people from their sins... It is so because the LORD said so.
(1.) It is manifested to all who are his by divine grace: John 6-37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
(2.) It is manifested to all who believe on him: Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us–ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
(3.) It is manifested to all whom he calls to this grace and glory: Ps 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
(4.) It is manifested to:
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Joh 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: Joh 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Re 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
So the all is limited to whosoever and whosoever want will not be saved. The Lord Jesus said it clearer than I can when he was speaking to the pharisees Joh 10:26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
III... “THE MEANS OF THIS WONDERFUL GRACE”...VS 14
(1.) The grace of giving: “Gave himself for us”
Think of it:
a. While we were sinners: Ro 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. b. While we were enemies: Ro 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
(2.) The grace of purpose: “ Redeem us all iniquity”
It was a free work for us: Ro 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: It was through his blood: Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; It is eternal : Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
What a day of deliverance that was, all sins gone, all of every thing nothing left off, nothing left to condemn us..it is gone forever. Jesus paid it all, all the debt I owed, sin had left a crimson stain....
Ac 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses, no wonder the saints of the book of Revelation had it said of them: Re 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
(3.) The grace of purification: “purify unto himself”
This word purify means to purge thereby making clean from the filthiness of sins, and the guilt of it. It means to set aside for consecration this is what Christ did for when he died on the cross... it was finished the great work of redemption is over never to be repeated again as some do in their mass...
You do not need to do nothing to be ready for heaven... you are as ready as you will ever be... if your sins were purged at calvary, then calvary covers it all. Salvation is complete
This great victory is seen in the book of Revelation heard by John to encourage those whom he is writing to, and for us too.
Re 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. Re 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. Re 19:1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
(4.) The grace of teaching: vs 12 & 14 “ teaching us & doing”
It needs no great explanation, if you have grace it will teach you, to honor the LORD by whom you received this grace...look at it.
A. We will honor him when we deny our self: vs 12
b. We will honor him when we live for him and not self: vs 12
c. We will honor him when we Look for him: vs 13
d. We will honor him when we good works: vs 14
Php 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;