Train with Coach Grace

Greg Wood

Titus - Finish What Remains • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

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Sermon Big Idea: Train under the gospel of grace, looking back to the appearing of grace, and looking forward to the appearing of glory. Exegetical Big Idea: The grace of God saves, not only justifying believers, but sanctifying / training believers. Sanctification is rooted in what Jesus did to redeem and purify, and also empowered by our eager anticipation of glory – the glory of His return.

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Missional Community Question Suggestions:

1. Practically, what does it look like for us as an MC to help one another live in light of the gospel? [I’m thinking gospel-fluency, tracing our wrong behaviors to the wrong beliefs about who God has made us, what He has done, who He is, and leading us to repentance and right belief).

2. Where do you see yourself drifting into thinking that the gospel is only for justification? Share how you were challenged by the text to not just believe that the gospel is only for justification.

3. Looking back on your life, how has God used the gospel (grace appearing and glory appearing in the future) to change you?

4. Practically, where do you need us to remind you of the gospel of God’s redeeming work, and of the glory of God in Christ?

Introduction

Good morning!

Go ahead and grab a bible while you are out of your seat.

Announcements.

· New City Class – Adam will lead it today. Other staff may pop in. During the second service today.

· Chili & smoked meats cookoff

This morning we will be focusing on , verses 11 through 15, so please open a copy of the Bible so you can have it in front of you during the sermon. We have copies at the communion tables as well.

We are in the 5th week of our series in Titus, calling it “Finish What Remains”.

In are going to find the ground, the foundation, the theological basis, the support for all that has come before it in Titus. Paul gives us a call to enter into training, get ourselves under our new coach, grace.

The text essentially says this: The grace of God saves, not only justifying believers, but sanctifying / training believers. Sanctification is rooted in what Jesus did to redeem and purify, and also empowered by our eager anticipation of glory – the glory of His return.

Read along with me.

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

12 training us

to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions,

and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

13 waiting for our 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 lawlessness

and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

15 Declare these things;

exhort

and rebuke with all authority.

Let no one disregard you.

Pray with me please.

· Father, help us this morning to put away distractions, give our minds and even our will and the motion fully to you.

· Lead us Lord as we look to your word, and to be drawn near to you. We want your fellowship, we want you.

· Father I pray that you would strengthen the week this morning, lift up the broken hearted, encouraged the hurting, rebuke the proud, and exhort those of us who have become complacent.

· I pray father that your spirit would be working in us to molding us into the image of God.

· Keep us from fear and guilt.

· Open our eyes fully to the grace that is ours in Christ Jesus who was and is and is to come.

· In Jesus‘s name, amen.

Sports season is at an interesting place with the overlap of baseball season, the basketball season, and football.

The picture provided by sports trainers, coaches, and other trainers in the arts like music teachers is helpful for us this morning. Coaches, trainers, and music instructors serve us by bringing about a change in our lives, a preparation for something to come. These men and women help us to become more like who God made us to be.

In our text this morning in Titus chapter 2 starting at verse 11, we see that grace has appeared, and grace saves, but it doesn’t stop there!

In fact, I would say that the main emphasis of the text is that grace trains us for a godly life .

Here’s where the passage is taking us this morning:

Big idea:

Train under the gospel of grace, looking back to the appearing of grace, and looking forward to the appearing of glory.

Let’s unpack the text and you see if I’m on track.

What we see in the first verse and the first two words of the second verse is that grace trains us as we look back at Christ’s first appearing. So we are called to …

I. Train under the gospel, looking back to the appearing of grace (vv.11-12)

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

12 training us …

For – or because. this is the way writers indicate the ground, the basis, the support for another claim.

It supports all that came before, from:

· Paul addressing the letter stating he wrote to serve the faith and knowledge of the elect, God’s children; and that faith and knowledge accord with godliness

· To the aim to have Titus set things in order

· To appointing elders to protect the church from false teachers

· To discipling for protection from the same

· And discipling to train people to living godly lives….

… ALL is supported by this set of verses, because the reality of what is spoken of supports those things!

… ALL of this call to godliness is rooted in a glorious act of God. What does the text say that is?

“the grace of God appeared, bringing salvation.” Grace appeared – past tense – appeared to us in Jesus at his first coming.

Therein is your foundation, follower of Jesus. Grace appeared. Shift off that foundation, or reject the truth of Jesus coming to bring grace, and you just have a house of cards that crumbles.

And let’s not miss that the text says that “the grace of God appeared, bringing salvation.” So…

a. The gospel of grace justifies (v.11)

I get “justifies” from “bringing salvation.” As Paul wrote it in Greek It’s actually an adjective, so better would be to say, “salvific”, but that’s not a normal word we use.

But his point is that Jesus took on flesh and came to save sinners, to bring us salvation. That could happen only if he took our place in paying the penalty for sin with his life.

In his death, the wrath of God is satisfied because the penalty for sin is paid by a man who was perfect. Now, by faith in him, trusting His work as sufficient, valuing Jesus as Savior and Lord, we are put into a right standing with God.

We call this concept JUSTIFICATION, meaning that we are given a right standing with God through the gift of Jesus’ righteousness being credited to us. That is a great exchange and bargain!

Romans 3:23–25 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

(ESV)

Then what is meant by grace is salvific to “all people”? – whether Jew, or Gentile, no one is excluded from getting in on this. Not all people will, but anybody can get in on this.

So, the grace of God appeared . The good news that Jesus brought salvation has appeared so that we can be justified before God.

But look at what else is there in the text:

b. The gospel of grace trains in order to sanctify us (v.12)

12 training us

to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions,

and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

So this is the gospel shaping how we live every day.

As we look back at grace from Jesus’ first coming, we are seen at training camp with coach grace. And gracing is training us, getting us to look back at grace’s appearing in Jesus’ first coming. And training camp seeks to impact our daily lives…. Not just justify us, not just save us for the last day, but save us in the present, to sanctify us in the present age:

12 training [discipling / disciplining] us

In order that [to]

(renouncing [as we renounce] ungodliness and worldly passions,) [background statement to next]

we may live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

“training us in order that – renouncing ungodliness and worldly passions – we may live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.”

Grace is training us to renounce or deny something, and to gain something.

What does it say we renounce? ungodliness and worldly passions… what came from our old nature. Disrespecting of God and worldly cravings. We used to always live consistent with that nature, then the new nature came at the new birth, and we should deny the old nature what it wants, no longer disrespecting God.

Then, grace is seen training us to live consistently with who we have been made in Christ. The new you is living. And the being precedes doing.

V12 and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

Self-control – sensible and moderate in behavior

Upright – being right because of being justified.

Godly – being devoted to a proper expression of religious beliefs.

Illustrate.

I want to pause here at the end of the first point and address some areas of unbelief with this text.

Apply

One possible approach to rejecting true belief in this text comes from the Self-righteous Religious Person.

· Deep down you may reject the continual need for grace and its ongoing action. You’re okay with justification, but then strive to take it from there. Where you’re basically saying, “I’m good enough, and certainly better than all those people over there.”

—> You need to believe the gospel of grace justifies AND sanctifies, and repent of trying to make God owe you something. Come underneath the training of grace.

· Another way unbelief sits here is a rejection of this “Salvation for all people”; you want some people, maybe your enemies, to be too far beyond the reach of God, and would rather see them in Hell than around the table with you in the new heavens and new earth.

—> Repent of your hatred and pride, which probably has at its roots a believe that you were beyond the need for grace yourself. Look to the appearing of grace, knowing that without it, you too would face condemnation by God. When you receive and embrace grace, you can give it.

· Thirdly, holiness is not a clean outside appearance, and your motive for holiness should not be to be seen by the eyes of people, honored by men;

—> Repent, and look back at the appearing of the grace of God in Jesus. Holiness gets its energy from and is motivated by the sight of what Jesus has done, so that it emanates from a transformed and pure heart, aiming at showing Jesus to be great to others.

And we can apply this to the Irreligious / Secular / Relativistic misunderstanding of grace and holiness as well.

· Confronted by hearing that grace trains us. Sounds religious, like “do good in order to be good.” But, grace doesn’t mean anything goes, you have license for whatever. Grace moves us toward God’s design, not away.

—> Believe the biblical portrate of grace, and embrace that God’s design is good and full of more joy than the phony stuff we’ve been sold by a rebellious would.

That’s the first big thing to take away: Train under the gospel, looking back to the appearing of grace.

II. Train under the gospel, looking ahead to the appearing of glory (vv.13-14)

For the grace of God has appeared…

12 training us

[to live consistent with who we have been made in Christ]

13 waiting [as we wait] for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

I can’t help but picture that we have one eye looking back to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection (first appearing), while also looking ahead with the other eye to his second appearing. Our eyes are split.

There are just a couple things here to note

a. The gospel ignites joyful hope (v.13)

Jesus’ second appearing is described as our blessed hope, our happy hope, and the appearing of the glory.

Now in the OT, God’s glory is terrifying. It is only through Jesus’ mediation that it is blessed, happy, and wonderful for us.

This is a hope that is sure to come, for Jesus is the rightful king, and will appear a second time as the glory of our great God and Savior.

The gospel promises Jesus’ return, because it is ultimately good because we get to be with God FOREVER. Without getting God forever, it’s really a waste of time.

So, let’s train under the gospel, looking ahead to the appearing of glory in order to ignite joyful hope (v.13)

That glory of God is specifically in His only begotten son, Jesus Christ.

b. The gospel of the glory of God in Christ (vv.13-14)

Tell me more about this Jesus!

(ESV)

Titus 2:13–14 ESV

13 waiting for our 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 lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

This is the Jesus whose goal in what He did in joyfully obeying the Father was to redeem us from all lawlessness, and purify us.

God’s intention has always been to enjoy His glory reflected back to Him in His people. After creation of everything good, mankind rebelled and sinned and broke the mirror so that the reflection was marred.

But God!

But God has something to show off for eternity!

Ephesians 2:4–7 ESV

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

(ESV)

But God In Christ worked to reconcile us back to himself, getting a bride for His Son in the Church, a bride in whom Jesus delights: redeemed and pure.

v.14 then says that we, being redeemed and pure, have a passion for good works that show Jesus off even moreso! Our new nature, our transformed motivational structure is like sailboat, with sail trimmed, harnessing a power from outside of itself, but moving, working as it should, speeding along zealously.

Two appearings transform us: One of grace (so that we wouldn’t die from glory), and the Second of glory, so all our hopes can be finally realized in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Apply

Religious folks’

· Unbeliefs

o Object of our hope is not ourselves, but the appearing of the glory

o Call to be zealous for good works, based in the truth, not mere religious zeal. ,

o Motive for good works is not a great name for ourselves; rather, it is that we get to enjoy more of God as we help others by our good works to enjoy Him too.

—> Call to repent and believe

o Believe the gospel of grace justifies AND sanctifies

o Is our ground of confidence at Jesus’ return

o Live by faith, looking back to 1st appearing and grace, looking ahead to another appearing of grace in the glory of Christ our Lord.

Irreligious / Secular / Relativistic misunderstanding of text

· Unbeliefs

o This Jesus, who gave himself

§ to redeem from lawlessness

§ to purify for Himself

· calling us to be zealous for good works

· Call to repent and believe

o Embrace the real Jesus

o Embrace real grace, that the gospel of grace justifies AND sanctifies

o Start training!

Briefly, a few more ways the text relates specifically to New City.

III. Train under the gospel, as New City (v.15)

(ESV)

Titus 2:15 ESV

15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Paul gives 4 imperatives: declare, exhort, rebuke, let none disregard.

Having this solid foundation is SO IMPORTANT that we must be adamant about keeping the power, the motivation, the gospel-underpinnings in place.

Gospel-centrality, grace-centrality, Christ-centrality is worth fighting for!

And we do that as New City Church.

· The gospel is proclaimed through music, preaching, and in our prayers every Sunday

· We seek to have the gospel undergird all our structures, mission, and vision.

· In our MCs we seek to have the gospel be clear at every gather, and apply it to every heart.

· We, New City Church, want to see all of God’s people living in light of this good news of the grace of God, so they too can have a happy hope in the glory of God when Christ returns.

Why do we do this? Because we have the ultimate good news – there is no news that is better - for all time.

a. Good news Past

God planned redemption through Jesus who appeared – past tense - in grace.

Followers of Christ have experienced the good news in the past in justification.

If you’re not a follower of Jesus, we want you to be. Believe the good news about Jesus appearing in grace! I encourage you to talk with someone here about it.

b. Good news Present

God is at work now, applying the benefits of Christ to people: justifying (making some new), sanctifying (giving new desires to walk closely with Him). That accomplished work affects us in the present. You and I have good news for today. We get to look back on the good news of the past, and walk today transformed.

And the gospel is working now as we count on future grace to be revealed to us in the return of Jesus.

there is...

c. Good news Future

Jesus will return, it will be an appearing of glory. That assurance of a secured future changes us today. But what we hope in is not that we will be clean enough for that day by our own works, but we know that we will be able to have the righteousness of Christ’s justification.

By the power that is in the blood of Christ we will be fully and finally changed, and receive glorified bodies. This is the glorification that we talk about as the final act of God’s saving process.

MC leaders, musicians, bloggers, partners: Declare these things. Exhort and rebuke in the gospel. Let no one disregard you.

Abide in Christ, continue in the gospel. Help one another live in light of the gospel.

IV. Conclusion

I want to close with a quote that I believe captures the difference in training by the Law, and training by the gospel.

Bunyan quote:

“Run, John, Run!” the Law commands

But gives us neither feet nor hands

Far better news the gospel brings: it bids us “Fly!”

And gives us wings!

— John Bunyan

The gospel gives an even higher calling, not just run but fly!

And the gospel does not leave us without power, but transforms with wings and provides the air upon which to soar.

So, New City:

Train under this gospel of grace, looking back to the appearing of grace, and looking forward to the appearing of glory.

Let’s pray.

Communion

· Looks back!

· Looks ahead to the return of Jesus

· For believers, open

· Reflect on His grace, remembering the bread represents His body that was broken, and the juice represents the His blood that poured out in His death in our place.

· In remembering, ask Him to graciously transform you, making you more like Jesus.

· Stand – tables up front, tables in the back.

Preliminary Notes

a. Text

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

12 training us

to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions,

and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

13 waiting for our 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 lawlessness

and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

15 Declare these things;

exhort

and rebuke with all authority.

Let no one disregard you.

b. Sentence structure & Greg’s translation mods

11 For the grace of God has appeared – salvific for all people [women, men, bondservants, etc; Jew and Gentile, religious / irreligious] –

12 training [discipling / disciplining] us

In order that [to]

(renouncing [as we renounce] ungodliness and worldly passions,) [background statement to next]

we may live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

13 looking forward to our 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 lawlessness

and to purify for himself a people

for his own possession

who are zealous for good works.

15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

c. Exegetical Big Idea

The grace of God saves, not only justifying believers, but sanctifying / training believers. Sanctification is rooted in what Jesus did to redeem and purify, and also empowered by our eager anticipation of glory – the glory of His return.

d. FCF

Basing life on anything (rule-keeping, boundless freedom) but grace.

e. Sermon Big Idea

a) Train under the gospel of grace, looking back to the appearing of grace, and looking forward to the appearing of glory.

f. Sermon outline 10/27/2019

Title: “Meet Coach Grace”

Intro

I. Train under the gospel, looking back to the appearing of grace (vv.11-12)

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

12 training us …

a. The gospel of grace justifies us (v.11)

b. The gospel of grace trains in order to sanctify us (v.12)

II. Train under the gospel, looking ahead to the appearing of glory (vv.13-14)

a. The gospel ignites joyful hope (v.13)

b. The gospel of the glory of God in Christ (vv.13-14)

III. Train under the gospel, as New City Church (v.15)

a. Good news past

b. Good news present

c. Good news future

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