Grace Is An Action Word

Posted on by

Sunday, January 6, was Epiphany Sunday. I have always considered Titus 2:11-14 a key Epiphany Sunday text. On this particular day I used the opportunity of teaching the adult Bible class in order to set the scene for Titus 2. My sermon notes are below.

Focus: God’s grace not only saves us, God’s grace enables us in the present tense.

Function: To embolden God’s people to access God’s grace in active ways.

Plotline: God is a God of grace and God’s grace saves us. *And God’s grace teaches us. *And throughout life, God’s grace sustains us. *The appearing nature of God’s grace enables us to live lives of grace. [For those familiar with Buttrick’s Homiletic, you will note the sermon is in the mode of immediacy.]

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14)

When I was in High School, there was a TV showed called, A Touch Of Grace.  The wife and mother of this family was named Grace.  The stories centered on how Grace touched all of their lives.  Today, children are still being named Grace, however, the Greek derivation is more common—Charis, Charisa, etc.  But there is more to Grace than just a name.  —Retell the Gospel story …

*God is a God of Grace. And God’s grace saves us. *But God’s grace is more than that, God’s grace also teaches us.

  • For example, two foundational stories:
    • Abraham was declared righteous by faith before his circumcision and before the giving of the law. (Rom 4)
    • “I brought you out of the land of Egypt” –Then the giving of the Ten Commandments. (Exod 20)
  • But Israel did not remain in the loving arms of God’s grace. But that was not the end of God’s story.
  • Out of God’s grace, God promised …
  • And after years of waiting, God’s grace appeared in Jesus Christ…
  • And grace appeared to each one of us…

*Paul writes about this grace—a saving grace. But grace is more than that.

—Read Text Again

>This grace is active, it teaches us.

>FIRST—to deny ungodliness and lust.

>SECOND—to live self-controlled and upright lives.  To be godly.

To deny:                     To live:

  • grumbling                    encouraging
  • complaining                 exhorting
  • gossip                          uplifting
  • hate                             loving
  • anger                            compassion
  • anxiousness                 peaceful
  • worry                          joyous
  • Do you prefer to wear sour clothes from the hamper or new clean clothes?  Even after washing clothes can become soured again. But grace teaches us to say no to soured clothes.

To say no:                   To say yes:

  • jealously                      concern
  • envy                            service
  • pride                            humility
  • selfishness                   selflessness
  • To live self-controlled lives (disciplined lives)

*God’s grace not only teaches us, it sustains us.

  • “Sustainable” (key word in research, industry, school).
    • Markets
    • Green Earth (sustainable resources, sustainable energy)
    • Kids in school
    • And our faith.
    • As we live here on the earth, we look forward to the blessed hope and glorious appearing of Jesus.  Just as Israel of old waited for the coming of the Messiah, so we are called to wait. It is grace that enables us to wait. Grace sustains us.
    • Child waiting for Christmas—getting part of the gifts early to enable that child to wait. Then & Now.

*God’s grace appears to us in order that we might live gracious lives. Grace is not a figment of our imagination or an abstract concept for philosophers to contemplate. God’s grace is tangible, concrete, and alive. Paul describes two appearings of grace. The initial appearing of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ and the final appearing to all of God’s people. In between, from “back then” to “out there then”, God’s grace is still active in order to enable us to live now.

  • God’s grace teaches us. I saw grace teach a young man when…
  • God’s grace sustains us. I saw grace sustain a mother when …
  • God’s grace enables us to wait for that appearing. But not wait on a couch. God purified for himself a people. We are a people eager to do good works by taking hold of God’s grace now, in between the two appearings.