Titus 2:11-14 / Hope
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
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.
Advent = arrival (of some important person)
We are not the first to wait for the arrival of Christ.
His arrival was promised around 4000 years ago.
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
With this promise, God establish a reason to hope.
His son, Jesus Christ, will come.
And so many did hope for nearly 2000 years.
Hebrews established that “Abraham believed Him and it was counted toward him as righteousness.”
Abraham is well known a revered for his faith…his HOPE that God’s promise was sure.
What defines our Hope now?
Our Hope is in the Past.
Our Hope is in the Past.
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
“The grace of God has appeared...”
We believe that The promise that God made to Abraham was fulfilled. We commemorate that day each year on Christmas.
Many historians will agree that a baby was born that night
But our hope is that it was THE baby that was promised.
...”bringing salvation for all people...”
Certainly is was God’s Grace”...
We also look back on the day when that child became the man Jesus Christ, died on the cross for OUR sins.
This is where our hope is so much like that of Abraham.
Abraham had a hope that God’s salvation was coming
We have a hope in salvation
And that Hope is made possible through faith.
24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?
There have always been those who deny who Christ was or what he did.
I got a call last night from a Jehovah’s Witness
(They call now.)
As soon as I told them I was a Christian
They spent the rest of the time assuring me that they are as well.
I had to point out our difference is in who we believe Jesus is.
Our Hope is in the Present.
Our Hope is in the Present.
12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
Two important verbs:
Renounce
Live
Decorating Early:
Many posts about decorating early...
We always decorate the week leading up to Thanksgiving and tree ON thanksgiving
I’m just glad everyone is catching up
What if I held this tradition but acted like a scrooge the rest of the days leading up to Christmas.
Would you conclude that I Iike Christmas?
These two verbs remind us that our HOPE is not a single act.
Our HOPE is a lifestyle.
And it will take daily effort
Continual commitment.
It will require that we KNOW what was taught!
“the preset age”
We need to apply unchanging values to an ever changing culture.
Our Hope is in the Future.
Our Hope is in the Future.
13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
We. like so many others, hope in the future arrival of Christ.
Not as an infant - but as a king commanding an army
Not silently notice by a few
But with power and glory that will be seen by all.
Our Hope was Earned.
Our Hope was Earned.
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.
We have been redeemed.
saved - rescued
“Zealous for good works”
That what our HOPE should look like.