my message tonight, or today, is what Christ has done for us. This subject that I cannot begin to scratch the surface of, it's such a big subject, I don't know if anybody can, and there's countless books on the thing, but, you know, Christ has done so much for us that it cannot be contained in books, other than the Bible, that is. Christ has done more for His chosen people than we can begin to understand or appreciate. Maybe when we are taken to heaven, we can begin to understand, but only if it's revealed to us.

But I think it's vital for believers to have some basic understanding of what Christ has done for us in the past and what He'll do for us in the future. In my text today, we'll be looking at Titus chapter 3. Let's look at verses 4 to 7. Beginning in verse 4, but after that, the kindness and love of God our Savior towards men appeared. not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercies, he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior. That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

First thing that I want to look at is divine intervention. In verse 4 it tells us, the kindness and love of God our Savior towards men appeared. God's love appeared, appears towards mankind. before we love God. In 1 John 4, verse 19, it says, we love Him because He first loved us. God's intervention started when He chose us. In Ephesians 1, verses 4 and 5, according as He has chosen us in Him, that is Christ, before the foundation of the world. that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Having predestinated us onto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will, that's not our will, that's his will. Man has no free will in regard to his salvation, but God has total free will.

We were chosen by our Lord before we were even born. The very first verse of the Bible, Genesis 1-1, tells us, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Our Lord's divine intervention started before the earth was ever created. He put our names down in the Lamb's book of life before there was an earth. Think about this for a minute. Our name was already in the book before there was even a world. That would mean that he knew who our parents would be, and their parents as well as all the generations down through time. He knew the names that they would give us because he wrote it in the Book of Life. The ladies that are married, he knew what your married name would be because he chose your partner before the foundation of the world even. He brought the two of you together. I would call that divine intervention.

One thing is obvious, we do not deserve God's grace. We have nothing but sin to offer Christ. We do not have any good works that are acceptable to God. We were shut out by sin and on the fast track to destruction, deserving God's wrath. It tells us in Romans 6.23, that what God's wrath is. For the wages of sin is death, but our sovereign God intervened and came to our rescue. Turn to Romans 8, and let's look at verse 3. tells us, for what the law could not do through the flesh, God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, committed sin in the flesh. Christ became flesh so he could take away the sins of his chosen children. Christ is our sovereign that intervened for us when we had no hope of salvation. Look at Hebrews 9, 26. And it tells us there, the second half of the verse tells us, but now, once in the end of the world, hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Christ sacrificed himself for us. We don't deserve it. There's nothing that we can do to gain that Deserving mercy and grace that he gives us

then again in Galatians chapter 4 verses 4 and 5 But when the fullness of the time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the law To redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons in our present time to adopt a child is is a very big deal, but for us to be adopted by the Almighty is a very, very big deal. We will be His children for eternity, and it can't get any bigger than that.

Talk about divine intervention. Christ fulfilled all righteousness and was the perfect atonement for all the sins of His chosen people. In Hebrews 9, verse 26, it tells us, But now, once in the end of the world, hath he, that is Christ, appeared to put away the sins by the sacrifice of himself. Christ sacrificed himself on the cross at Calvary for his chosen people. He took away every one of their sins.

Turn to Ephesians 1, verses 4, 5, and 6. Visions is one of my favorite books, so I refer to that one quite often. But these three verses sum up divine intervention. According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, that's his will, not man's will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us. He has made us accepted in the beloved.

As most of you know, Ephesians is one of my favorite books. One of the readings is what Paul wrote that was inspired by the Holy Spirit. It makes things so clear, some of the things that Christ has done for his people. Here's just a small sampling of what Christ has done. He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings. He has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. We should be holy and without blame before him in love. He predestinated us unto the adoption of children according to the good pleasure of his will. It is not man's good pleasure or his will. It is God's and only God's good pleasure and will. He hath made us acceptable in the beloved. We have redemption through his blood. We have forgiveness of sin. We have the riches of His grace. This was just a short list from Ephesians 1, verses 3 to 7.

My second point is divine salvation. Going back to our text in Titus 3, verse 5, according to His mercy, He saved us. Salvation, what does that mean? Dictionary tells us that it is the preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss. In theology, it is the deliverance from sin and its consequences, believed by Christians to be brought about by faith in Jesus Christ. But salvation is much more than this definition in the dictionary. Salvation is not what we do, it's what Christ has done, and it's God's salvation and everlasting mercy.

Turn to Romans 9, and we'll look at verses 15 and 16. Starting in verse 15, for he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. It is 100% God's salvation. We cannot do even 1% for our own salvation. If we could, would it be true salvation? There is absolutely nothing that we can offer for our own salvation that could ever be accepted by God. God has done it all. Christ has done it all on the cross. He said, it is finished. No sinner can produce or can he possess a justifying righteousness that could help their salvation.

Looking at our text in Titus chapter 3 verse 5 tells us, not by works of righteousness which we have done. A sinner is not able to produce his own righteousness, no matter how much he believes he can. It's just not possible. That can only be done by Christ and Him alone. The second half of the verse says, but according to His mercy, He saved us. It's His mercy, not anything that we can do. By the washing and regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Then verse six adds, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior. It is a work of Christ and not man. When we are washed in the blood of Christ, we are reborn. If we were not reborn, it is not possible for us to enter into the kingdom of God.

Turn to the third chapter of John, and let's look at verses three to seven. Beginning at verse three, Jesus answered and said unto him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, how can a man be born when he is old? How can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again."

New birth is not an option in salvation, it is a must. This new birth is not something you can do, it is something that God does in you. Only after you are reborn can you enter into the kingdom of God.

My third point will be divine blessings. Looking back at our text, verse 6 tells us, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. Every spiritual blessing and believer enjoys as through, in, and by the Lord Jesus Christ. It tells us this in Ephesians. Turn to the first chapter of Ephesians, and let's look at verse 3. Ephesians, verse 3, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Psalms 129 verse 8 says, the blessings of the Lord be upon you. As believers, we cannot begin to understand how many blessings we have been given to us, how many more may be given to us in this life while we're still here on earth. Just think of the blessings waiting for us when we get to heaven and are with Christ. We cannot begin to think of the blessings that are waiting for believers. You know, it just It's just too big a thing to think about for our finite minds, you know, of what heaven will be like.

One of the greatest blessings that Christ has given us is the forgiveness and redemption of all our sins. Ephesians 1, verse 7 says, that is believers, have redemption through His blood, that's the blood of Christ and His alone. The forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace, His grace that forgives our sins is the greatest blessing that we can receive. Another blessing that is given to us is the righteousness that's imputed to sinners by Christ, the Lord our righteousness. First Corinthians 1 verse 30 tells us, but of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Blessings of righteousness can only come to us by Christ. We cannot make it ourselves. We cannot make ourselves righteous. It is impossible for a sinner to do. The hope of salvation is in Christ. Hope of salvation is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Christ is our only hope. He is the good hope.

2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 16 tells us, now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God, even our Father, which hath blessed, which has loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace.

Let's turn to Romans chapter 8, and let's look at verse 30. Starting in verse 30, Moreover, whom he did predestinate, which is a blessing, Then he also called another blessing. Then he also justified a blessing. Then he also glorified yet another blessing. Divine blessing comes in many form. Predestination, a calling, justification, glorification, salvation, redemption, forgiveness by our Lord. We need to be thankful for every day of our lives for all of his divine blessings.

My last point is divine results. What is the result of our Lord's divine intervention, divine salvation, and divine blessings? Go back to our text in Titus. 3 verse 7, that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. However, we are by nature the children of wrath. Ephesians 2, 3 tells us it is only by God's divine grace that we are heirs of God. Romans 8 17 tells us and if if children then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ in first John chapter 3 verse 1 goes on to tell us behold what manner of love the father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God

Can we even begin to comprehend what that means, to be called a son of Christ or a son of God or Christ, to be adopted into the family of God, to live in the presence of our Lord in heaven? We are not worthy of that. without the divine intervention, salvation, blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ. The shedding of His blood to wash away the sins of His chosen people is the only way that that is possible. This is the only message that Wayne preaches about every week, Christ and Him crucified. That is the message that I try to bring whenever I'm up here and filling in for Wayne.

Without the blood of Christ, none of us would have any hope for salvation. Christ is our only hope, our good hope. He is the only hope that we need. Ephesians 2 verses 8 and 9 makes that very clear, that we cannot save ourselves. For by grace are ye saved through faith, and not that of yourselves, it is a gift of God. not of works, lest any man should boast.

" When you are given a gift by someone, you have not done anything to work for to receive that gift. That is the same thing with our salvation. The gift of our salvation is not something that we have to work for or that we can earn through our good works. For one thing, none of our works are good enough in the eyes of the Lord. There's nothing that we can do. Isaiah 64, 6 tells us, and all of our righteousness are as filthy rags. There is nothing that we can add to our salvation. Christ said it all on the cross. It is finished. He did it all for His chosen people. He will never lose a single one of His chosen people. Note that that verse says His people. His people does not include everyone in the world. That does not mean that Christ loves everyone as some people would like you to believe. Have you ever seen the billboards along the interstates that says God loves you? It implies that God loves everyone. That's just not the case. If Christ loved everyone, then no one would be lost. There would be no place for a place called hell.

Let's turn to Romans 9 and let's look at verses 13 to 16. Starting in verse 13, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau I have hated. That right there makes it very clear that he does not love everybody. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid, for he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So that it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.

Our God is compassionate and merciful, and none of us, our God is compassionate and merciful, or none of us could be saved. These verses make it very clear that God does not love everyone. Christ went to the cross to shed his blood for his people, his chosen people.

Thank you, Lord, thank you, Lord, for your divine intervention, your divine salvation, your divine blessings. That's the end of my main message, but I was talking the other day with some people at work, and we were talking about something else that God has done for us. It's everything that's around us. You look at our very world that we live in. God created such a fantastic place for us to live. This earth is positioned exactly where he placed it away from the sun. If it was any closer to the sun, we'd burn up. If it was any further away, we'd freeze to death. And it's also tilted on just a slight angle to provide the seasons for us. We're just now starting the winter season. But if it wasn't for that tilt of the earth, we would have no seasons. It would be constant temperature year-round. But because God's creation, He created the seasons so that we are blessed with spring, summer, winter, and fall.

that if either of these two conditions were very much different, we would probably not even exist as a civilization. If our world was just short distance, I've already said that, closer or further away, we'd freeze or we'd burn up. Thank you for being in total control, because God is in total control of where the Earth orbits. Beyond the world itself, we have to look at the creation that he made here on Earth, all the animals, such a diverse Everything from the tiniest little gnat up to elephants and sperm whales that are huge. There's such a wide variety Plants is another thing there's down from a tiny little thing like algae in my fish tank at home up to the great big giant redwood trees out in California. They're such a diverse and around the world there's plants and such a variety.

There's a old movie Robin Hood. There was a line in there that said God loves What was it? Love's Wonders Variety. That's what it was. But, you know, our earth could not have just been created from a big bang like some people want you to believe. It's a creation of God. God created all this stuff. Just the very first A verse in the Bible, Genesis 1-1, God created the heavens and the earth. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. In verse 25, it goes on to tell us, God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the earth after his kind. And God saw that it was good.

God created a great place for us to live in, but he created it for His people or the people of the earth, but it's also for his good pleasure. So You know, it's just another thing that he has done for us that It's part of his grace that he gave to us. So he created the whole world. It was just one more example of What Christ done for us?

So let us pray

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you for giving us this opportunity to be together to hear your word to help us to open our hearts to Understand those words that you want us to have. Be with Wayne and Vicki as they travel and bring them back to us next week for the next message. Be with those that were unable to be here. Be with those also that are sick and cannot be here. Put your healing hand upon them. We ask these things in Jesus' name, amen.