Titus chapter 2, we'll begin
reading in verse 11 at the end of the chapter. Titus 2 verse
11. For the grace of God that bringeth
salvation hath appeared to all men, all nationalities, Jew,
Gentile, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust,
we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world. God's grace that saves teaches
his children how to live in this world. They don't learn by the
whip of the law, by threatening, but by grace. Verse 13, looking
for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Savior. That's speaking of one person,
Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us. That's why he came, to redeem
his people. And he did. After doing so, he
cried, it is finished. He obtained eternal redemption
for us. It's done. It's done. who gave
himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and
purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak and exhort
and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee." Taking
verse 11 and verse 14, or rather verse 13 as our text,
I want us to consider these three things. You find them always
together. First, grace. Verse 11 speaks
of the grace of God that brings salvation. And then that blessed
hope. that blessed hope that God's
grace in saving sinners gives them this blessed hope of seeing
that one, that one who is their savior, that one who loved them
with an everlasting love. Three things, grace, salvation,
that blessed hope. It's like a golden chain, isn't
it, with three links that can't be broken. That can't be broken. That can't be severed because
God has welded them together. And what God had joined together,
no man, no man can put asunder. Whoever tastes his grace also
experience his salvation. We read it a moment ago in Psalm
84, didn't we? The Lord shall give grace and
glory. The great high priest of our
profession, Jesus Christ, that night before he was betrayed,
before he went to trod the winepress alone, before he went to be made
sin for us, was praying. Not a word for himself. John
17. Not a word for himself. Everything
he speaks of is for the sheep. Father, I will you do this for
the sheep. For the sheep. I've kept those
that you've given me. None of them is lost. I've kept
them. And Father, I will also that
all those you've given me Be with me where I am. That's the
third link in this blessed chain of grace. That blessed hope of
seeing Him. And He says, I will. And I remind
you, that is the will of omnipotence. That is the will that's never
resisted. That's the will of the one who
has his way all the time, everywhere. There are no exceptions to that.
That is the will of that one who sets upon his throne. And
Psalm 29 tells us, he setteth king, yea, he setteth king forever. He setteth above the flood. Father, I will. I will this on
behalf of those you've given me. This is the, so to speak,
last will and testament of our Lord Jesus Christ and included
in that blessed will. To all of his children he says,
I will that they be with me where I am. That's the heaven of heaven. That's the glory of glory. That's
the blessing of blessing. What could be greater than that?
They shall see him as he is and be with him forever. If you have
one of these blessed things spoken of in our text, you have all
three. You can't have one without the
other. You have one, you have them all.
God had made Christ, Scott Richardson said, concerning the completeness
we have in Christ, the fullness in Christ. He said God put all
of his eggs in one basket. That's what Paul said in 1 Corinthians
1. God had made Him, that is Christ,
to be unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. I've had people tell me, you
know Larry, you just don't go far enough. There's more, there's
more. More than Christ, John? How is that possible? How can
there be more than completeness? How can there be more than fullness?
The true grace of God, as we read in verse 11, brings salvation. And that salvation will bring
all who experience it to glory. Because that salvation rests
on and is because of our great God and Savior. the Lord Jesus
Christ, our great God and Savior. Is He able to save to the uttermost? Ask all those that have come
unto God by Him. Is He able to give rest to those
who are labor and heavy laden under a sense of sin? Ask all
those who have come. All those who have experienced
His grace know that he's gracious, that he is able to save unto
the uttermost. He is himself that blessed hope. Paul doesn't speak about a what
in that verse, looking for that blessed hope. No, he's speaking
about a who. He's not speaking about pre-millennial,
or all-millennial, or post-millennial, or as Tim James said, Reynolds
Aluminum. He's talking about the appearance
of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. He's the blessed hope of all
of his people. It is the grace of God in Christ
that makes a believer. Nothing else can. That's just
a fact. Nothing else can. Turn, if you
will, just a back a page or two to 2 Timothy chapter 1. This
is what Paul writes to his beloved Timothy in chapter 1. He says in verse 9 concerning
God, God who has saved us and called us with a holy calling.
Why? Why? Well, we deserved it. Oh no, thank God he wasn't based
on that, or none would be saved. Who has saved us and called us
with the holy calling, not according to our works, but what? But according to his own purpose
and grace, which was given us in Christ before the world began. First, what brings salvation? And Paul tells us plainly in
verse 11, the grace of God brings salvation. Not merit, but mercy. Not free will that brings the
grace of God to needy sinners, but his free grace. That's what
we just read. Not according to our works or
our will or our worth, but according to his mercy he saved us. according to his own purpose
and grace. Grace brings salvation. Works won't do it. Works won't
do it. Turn back to Romans chapter 11.
This is exactly what Paul says. Speaking of works and grace,
he says one's got to go. They can't live in the same house.
It's just not possible. If salvation is by works, then
grace has nothing to do with it. But if salvation is by grace,
work's got to be booted out. Like my granddaughter told me
one time, I think I've told you, I dropped in unexpectedly to
visit them. I mean, I'm Pawpaw. I don't need
a, I don't have to have an invitation. I can pop into, right, John?
We can pop in any time. But they had planned to go somewhere.
She was concerned that if Pawpaw hung around, Mama might not leave
and they would be late for wherever they were going. She whispered
in my aunt's ear and said, Pawpaw, if you don't leave by sister
and sister time, my mommy's going to kick you out. God's grace kicks works out. This is exactly what Paul says
in verse 6 of Romans 11. And if by grace, then it is no
more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be
of works, then it is no more grace, otherwise work is no more
work. It's got to be all of one or
all of the other. By grace. By grace are you saved. What part? All of it. All of it. By grace are you saved
through faith, not of works. Not of works lest any man should
boast. Grace that was unmerited, there's
no other kind. Grace that's undeserved, grace
that was unsought, unasked. That's exactly right. Grace makes
us willing. Grace gives us the desire. Grace gives us the will. Grace
grants us faith. Grace grants us repentance. Grace
all works shall crown. Romans 10 verse 20. This is exactly
what the Lord said through his prophet Isaiah. Isaiah is very
bold and saith, I was found of them that sought me not. I was
found of them that sought me not. Why? How's that so? Because the great shepherd goes
out in search of his sheep. I come to seek and to save. I don't come to seek and to fail.
I come to seek and to save. I find my sheep, I put my sheep
on my shoulders and I bring them home rejoicing. Why would he
rejoice if there's any possibility that rescued sheep should ever
be lost? He rejoices and there's rejoicing
in heaven, he thought, because he knows in time that one that
experiences his grace is going to be brought all the way to
glory and they'll behold his face. That's the kind of grace
we read about in God's Word. I was found of them that sought
me not. I was made manifest unto them
that asked not after me." Oh, that's the kind of grace this
sinner needs. Grace first. Grace first. Grace last. And grace in between
the two. Grace that calls me. Grace that
keeps me from falling. And grace that will present me
without fault, without a spot, without a blemish, without any
trace of sin whatsoever before the throne of a thrice holy God. That's amazing grace. Grace first
inscribed my name in life's eternal book. It was grace that gave
me to the Lamb who all my sorrows took. Those 70 we read of in
Luke 10 that our Lord sent out to preach the gospel, to heal
the sick, to cast out demons. They come back afterwards rejoicing,
saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy
name. And he said, don't rejoice in
that. Rather rejoice in this. Not that
the devils are subject unto you, but rejoice in this, that your
names, your names are written in heaven. Rejoice in this, that
God had from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification
of the spirit and belief of the truth. Rejoice in this, that
you were chosen in God's first delight, our head. God chose
us, thou art my first elect, God said concerning Christ, and
then chose us, all of his members, in Christ our head. It was grace
that gave me to the Lamb who all my sorrows took. Grace at
the first and grace at the last. Grace all the works shall crown.
to everlasting days. It lays in heaven the topmost
stone and well deserves the praise." Oh, but what about that journey
in between? Between grace here and glory
hereafter? Oh, what may transpire? Through much tribulation, we
must inherit the Kingdom of God. I'll tell you what will take
place. God will keep us by His grace. God will lead His dear
children along all the way my Savior leads me. Oh, no wonder
the hymn writer entitled that hymn that we just read to you,
or a portion of it, Grace is a Charming Sound. Paul says grace
brings salvation. It brings everything needed with
it to get the job done. If you would call someone to
your house, say a plumber, and they would come in and they'd
say, well, I can do part of the job, but the rest of it, you're
going to be on your own. Really? Don't let the door bump
you on the way out. No. Grace brings all of salvation. Grace gets the job done. Grace
grants faith. And grace gives us repentance.
You know what? Grace even gives us the will
to be saved. Our Lord said, Whosoever will,
let him come to me. Whosoever will, let him come.
And yet, he said, ye will not come. It's true. Whosoever shall
come to Christ shall be saved. Whosoever comes to him, they
will in no wise be cast out. And yet, apart from God's grace,
there's not a man born of woman that'll come to Christ. If left
alone, they will not, Christ said, come to me. What was true
of those he spoke to is true of every man by nature. In Adam,
all die. And being in that state of spiritual
death, we cannot, we will not come to Christ. What's the answer
then? What's the answer? Does He save
people against their will? Of course not. Of course not.
There's never been a sinner saved against their will. But they're
not willing by nature. And it can't be said if they
don't come to Christ, then what's the answer? Oh, grace comes forth
with the answer. When it says, my people shall
be willing in the day of my power. That's the answer. Grace doesn't
offer to save. I hope nobody here finds any
comfort in that nonsense. God's grace doesn't come to the
tomb of Lazarus and say, I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll
make a deal. Lazarus, you take the first step, and I'll do something
for you. But if you don't wiggle out of
that tomb on your own, Lazarus, if you don't take the first step
by your own power, then my hands are tied. My hands are tied.
If you don't take the first step, Lazarus, then I can't do nothing
for you. No, that's not the grace of God
that brings salvation. That's not grace at all. Grace
doesn't offer to save. God's grace saves. It saves. It does everything necessary
to save. The whole religious world talks
about grace, doesn't it? But just listen to Him. Describe
your grace. Define the grace you're talking
about. It needs my assistance. It needs
my help. It's not sovereign grace. It's
not reigning grace. It's not grace that makes me
willing in the day of His power. Well, then it's not the grace
of God, and it's not the grace that'll save a helpless sinner. That one who wrote these very
words about grace, that is Paul, had experienced that grace, hadn't
he? There's a good brief article
by Henry Mahan about the experience of grace in today's bulletin. Oh, what a blessed before and
after picture in the life of Saul of Tarsus before he had
experienced God's grace and afterwards. Look, if you will, at Philippians
chapter 3. Paul spoke about this so often. He never got over it,
did he? He just never got over it. He never got over the wonder
of God's grace to him and his mercy. Timothy, even when he
sat in prison with a short time to live, he said, Timothy, I
obtained mercy. I obtained mercy. Still sitting
in that dungeon, he's not gotten over the wonder, the miracle
of God's mercy and grace. Timothy, I obtained mercy. Philippians chapter 3, Verses
four through six, Paul describes his condition, what he was before
grace. Verse four, though I might also
have confidence in the flesh, if any other man thinketh that
he have whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more. Circumcised
the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,
A Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the law, a Pharisee concerning
zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which
is in the law, blameless, blameless. But after grace, Paul says, I
brush all that off the table like scraps, like scraps after
a meal. I just sweep it all away for
this, for this. But what things were gained to
me in verse 7? Those I count a loss for Christ. Doubtless I count all things
lost for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
Lord that I might know him. For whom I have suffered a loss
of all things. And to count them but done that
I might win Christ. Oh, what a prize. What a pearl
of great price. Oh, to win Christ and to be found
in him. What security, what hope, what
acceptance, what safety in Him to stand before God in Him. to stand before God Almighty
wrapped in the very righteousness, the perfect righteousness of
His own Son. Oh, to be found in Him, not having
my own righteousness, that's filthy rags, which is of the
law, but that which is through the faith of Christ. the righteousness
which is of God by faith, that I might know Him. I know doctrine. Well, that's possible and not
to know Him. I know what my church teaches. Oh, that's not enough.
I know this and I know that. Do you know Him? Salvation is
not in what? I know we say it over and over
again, but salvation is not in what? Even correct what? It's
in Him. Paul said, again setting in that
dungeon cell, waiting for the executioner to come. He says,
Timothy, I'm not ashamed. I'm here because of the gospel
of God's free grace. That's why I'm here, but I'm
not ashamed. Why, Paul? Because I know whom. I know whom. I know whom. I'll
tell you what. Could what be a comfort to the
Apostle Paul in that hour? In the hour of death, when I'm
breathing my last, will Gil's body of divinity warm my soul? Oh no! I must know whom I have
believed and persuaded that he's able to keep that which I've
committed unto him. against that day. What a contrast
to what Saul of Tarsus was before that experience of God's reigning
grace and afterwards. Before that eventful day on the
Damascus Road, look, if you will, back in Acts chapter 9, just
briefly, Acts chapter 9. We read of that day that Saul
of Tarsus had gone to the chief priest, the high priest, and
desired authority, warrants I suppose, letters, that he might have the
right to authority to go to Damascus, where he had chased the believers
to, and bring them back to Jerusalem, that they might stand trial,
that he might give his voice against them, that they should
be put to death. Paul said, I was determined.
Look if you will at verse 1. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings
and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high
priest and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues,
that if he found any of this way, this way, the way of Christ,
whether they were men or women, he might bring them, bow them
to Jerusalem. Look, if you will, in chapter
26. This is a part of his testimony when he stands before King Agrippa.
Verse 9 of Acts 26. I verily thought within myself that I ought to
do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which
thing also I did in Jerusalem and in many of the saints that
I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priest.
And when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them often in
every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme. And being
exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange
cities." 1 Corinthians 15, he says, I'm not even worthy to
be called an apostle. In Galatians chapter 1 of Galatians,
again, just briefly, here's Paul's testimony of what he was before
the experience of God's grace. Listen here. Galatians 1. For
ye have heard of my conversation, the way I lived in time past
in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the
church of God and wasted it, and profited in the Jews' religion
among many my equals in my own nation, being more exceedingly
zealous of the tradition of my fathers. Yes, Saul was determined
to arrest God's people. but there was one whose determination
was greater than that of Saul of Tarsus. And that is the determination
to decree the will of that one who sits upon the throne. The
God of all grace had determined, isn't this marvelous? The God
of all grace had determined before time ever began that Saul of
Tarsus would be a chosen vessel unto him. Ananias, don't you
be afraid, he's a chosen vessel of mine. Listen to the words
of that one that Saul was given to by God the Father. the great
shepherd of the sheep. Oh, listen as he speaks with
power, authority, majesty. There is no speculation in his
words. There is no doubt in his words. He says very matter-of-factly,
all that the Father giveth me shall come to me. And Saul was
one that the Father had given to him. And him that cometh unto
me, I will in no wise cast out. He who is mighty to save declared
that day, that very day, at that very hour, that very moment,
on the Damascus road, he had decreed, Saul, you're going to
come down. This day, you're going to bow
before King Jesus. Arrest that man. And Saul came
down. Now look at Saul of Tarsus. Turn,
if you will, back to Acts chapter 9. Look at Saul of Tarsus now. Verse 4 of Acts 9, after grace,
he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul,
Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, who art thou, Lord?
And he said, I am Jesus. I am Jesus. Not an imposter, I am Jesus whom
thou persecuted is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And
he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what will you have me to
do? And the Lord said, arise and
go into the city and it shall be told thee what thou must do. Yes, I was a persecutor, injurious,
but, but, but what? But what, Paul? Now you preach
the gospel that you once labored to destroy. You once considered
Jesus Christ an imposter, a liar, and now you say you're determined
to know nothing else except Jesus Christ and him crucified. What
brought about that change, Paul, but when it pleased God? But
when it pleased God who separated me from my mother's womb and
called me, how? By His grace, His mighty, sovereign,
reigning grace. Saul was made willing in the
day of God's power or he never would have been. And neither
will any other sinner. Paul didn't have a problem with
God's sovereign mercy, did he? Paul didn't have a problem with
reigning grace. He said, it is not of him that
willeth, it's not of him that runneth, but it's of God that
showeth mercy. Thank God his will prevailed
over mine. His grace reigned over my sin. The only people who have a problem
with sovereign grace are those who are seeking salvation in
some other way. Those are the only ones. Like
that Pharisee our Lord spoke about in Luke 18. Mr. Pharisee, it's not of him that
willeth. It's not of works. He doesn't
like that. Why? Because he's standing there
at that moment boasting of his work. He very plainly reveals
what he's trusting in. I'm not like other men. I do
this and I do that and I don't wear this and I don't go there
and I don't taste that and I don't associate with anybody who does.
That destroyed his foundation. Oh, but there's another man there.
I'd like to find one. I'd like to find one. They're
rare. They're rare. A sinner who's got nothing to
pay. They're rare. Everybody's made
a decision for Jesus. Everybody's walked in hell. Everybody's
done something. Oh, find me a sinner like that
publican. He won't even lift his head toward
heaven. He feels so unworthy he won't
even look in God's direction. All he can do is smite on his
breast and cry and beg for mercy. He wasn't a bragger like the
Pharisee. He was a beggar and he knew it. He knew his only
hope was God's sovereign mercy. God be merciful to me. I'm the
sinner. Mr. Publican, do you have a problem
with God's free grace? Oh, no. Oh, no. That's my only
hope. that salvation is by grace alone. I'm lost otherwise, but if salvation
is by grace, sinners are saved not by their works, then this
sinner This sinner might, on that foundation, salvation being
all a matter of God's pure mercy and grace, this sinner this day
might go home justified. And he did. He did. You see that
man our Lord said, he's going home justified. That publican
That publican, that self-loathing publican's going home in the
sight of God as though he'd never sinned and never will. Man, that's
grace. That's the kind of grace I need.
That's good news to blind beggars, isn't it? Ask Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus, aren't you glad that
it wasn't left up to you? Aren't you glad that Jesus Christ
did it all? Aren't you glad he came to where
you were? That he called you to himself?
That he didn't tell you to take the first step, but he said,
come to me, bring him to me. What do you want? Oh, I want
to see. I want to see. And Jesus Christ
said, so be it. Ask that woman in the house of
that self-righteous Pharisee Simon, we read about in Luke
7, if she's got a problem with God's free grace. And she'll
say, no, no. It was on those grounds that
the Lord Jesus Christ forgave me of all my many sins and told
me to go in peace. All my sins, being many, are
all forgiven me. Ask Lazarus if salvation by pure
unmerited grace to dead dog sinners is all right with him. Ask him. Ask him. Oh, see him? See him? He goes from lying in that tomb,
dead, and that's a picture of what we are by nature, dead,
dead in trespasses, free will, free indeed, dead in trespasses
and sins, and there we would have remained except, except
but God. John 12 we read, our Lord is
again back in Bethany and He's sitting at the table And Lazarus
is sitting there with him, feasting at the king's table. He might
have been singing something like this to himself. I am so glad. God saves old sinners. I'm surprised
and amazed how he sets them free. God don't let me get over that.
But the biggest surprise in God saving old sinners is that He
would save an old sinner like me. When God was pleased to bring
this rebel down and grant me faith in His Son,
enable me to do what would have never been done otherwise, to
behold the Lamb of God and His Spirit bore witness with my spirit
that my sins were all forgiven me. I walked around thinking, oh
my soul, it's too good to be true. I met people I told, he
saved me. He saved me. You believe that? He saved me. Everlasting salvation. The grace of God that brings
salvation. Everlasting salvation. What the
Lord does, he does forever. I know that whatsoever God doeth,
it shall be forever. Nothing can be put to it, neither
anything taken from it. And God doeth it that men should
fear before him. He that hath begun a good work
in you will perform it until the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace brings uttermost salvation
from sin's penalty. There's no condemnation to those
who are in Christ Jesus. There never will be. From sin's
dominion, Sin shall not have dominion over you. Why? Because
you're not under the law, but under grace. And soon from sin's
very being, Christ loved the church and gave himself for it,
that he might redeem it unto himself a glorious church, not
having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. And that grace that
brings such great salvation will bring everyone who experiences
it to glory. Again, Psalm 84, he shall give
grace and glory. Verse 13 here in Titus 2, looking
for that blessed hope. Oh, what a blessed hope. John
mentioned it this morning. Job said he knew, though he died,
lay in the grave, he knew that he should see God. He should see God for himself.
Oh, what a blessed hope. The Lord, he that sat upon the
throne, in Revelation chapter 1 we read, he declared there
should be no more tears. But there's something more than
that, our text speaks of. More than no more sorrow. More
than no more pain. More than even no more death. As great as those things are,
and to look forward to, they're not greater than this. That blessed
hope is our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ himself. Looking
for that blessed hope, Jesus Christ himself, not a plan, but
a person. Not a doctrine of redemption,
but the Redeemer. Look at verse 14, concerning
our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for
us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity. And bless God,
he got the job done. He shall see of the travail of
his soul and be satisfied. He'll have everyone that he redeemed
with his own precious blood with him in glory. He redeemed us
to God. We shall see him as he is, the
object of our faith, the reason of our hope, and the ground of
our acceptance before God Almighty. Paul, again, in writing to Timothy,
in 1 Timothy chapter 1, he says, Jesus Christ, our hope, our hope,
nothing else, nothing else. Mr. Bunyan wrote this concerning
the believer facing death. He said, the river of death has
been a terror to many, yea, the thoughts of it have frightened
me, but now But now, now in Christ I stand easy. He's delivered
us who through fear of death were all of our lifetime subject
to bondage. He's taken the sting out of death.
The stinger was put in him. Now grave where is thy sting? Or rather, seeing where is thy
sting, O grave where is thy victory? But now in Christ Jesus, he wrote,
I stand easy. I'm going to see that head that
was crowned with thorns and that face which was spit upon for
me. I go where I shall live by sight and be with him whose company
is my delight. I have loved to hear my Lord
spoken of, now I'm going to see him. I'm going to see him. I have seen the print of his
shoe upon the earth, now I'm going to sit at his feet. I have
read his word, now I'm going to hear his voice. I've heard
I've beheld his world beautiful, though with sin. Now I'm going
to dwell in his heaven, where sin can never enter. The bride, I is not her garment,
but her dear bridegroom's face. I will not gaze at glory, but
on my King of grace. Not at the crown he giveth, but
on his pierced hand. The Lamb is all the glory of
Emmanuel's land. God bless you.