For our scripture reading this
morning, let's turn to the book of Titus. Titus chapter two. Titus chapter two, we'll read
all 15 verses. But speak thou the things which
become sound doctrine, that the aged man be sober, grave, temperate,
sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise,
that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers,
not given to much wine, teachers of good things. That they may
teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love
their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good,
obedient to their husbands, that the word of God be not blaspheming.
Young men likewise exhort to be sober-minded. In all things,
showing thyself a pattern of good works, in doctrine showing
uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech that cannot be condemned,
that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no
evil to say of you. Exhort servants to be obedient
unto their masters and to please them well in all things, not
answering again, not purloining, but serving or showing all good
fidelity that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior
in all things. For the grace of God that bringeth
salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying
ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously,
and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior,
Jesus Christ, 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. Now, I want to concentrate on
this verse 14 of this chapter that speaking of Christ says
who gave himself for us. Now, we know that all things
originate with God. John Gospel tells us that life
was in Christ, that life was a light of men. all things God
gives to His people, to His Son, and even to lost men and women.
I didn't realize how many times this word give, gave, or giveth
is used over and over and over again in the Scriptures until
I started this study. This word gave, which is the
present tense of give, means to make a present of, to deliver, in exchange for someone or something,
which is what God the Father did with his son, as described
in Romans 8, 32. He spared not his own son, but
delivered him up for us all. And the reason he was delivered
was because a ransom, a payment, was due and required to set his
chosen people free. Now, when we say something was
delivered, it means it was sent to a specific destination or
a specific person for a specific purpose, which is exactly what
God the Father did with his son. He was delivered to an exact
location, that being a hill called Golgotha outside the city of
Jerusalem. He was delivered to an intended
specific destination, that being a Roman cross. And He was delivered
for a specific people, those chosen of God before time ever
was, called the elect in this book. And He was delivered for
a very specific purpose, which we read of in Galatians chapter
4, starting in verse 4. It says, But when the fullness
of time was come, God sent forth His Son, He delivered Him. Made of a woman, made under the
law, for this purpose, to redeem them that were under the law,
that we might receive the adoption of sons. But before we look at
this blessed truth of Christ Jesus giving himself for us,
I want to look at how he could have dealt with us had he not
chosen us in Christ and showered us with his merciful kindness.
Now, as God is gracious in giving his son to be a sacrifice for
his people's sin, So there is another side to the things that
God gives. And it should make us fall on
our faces and give thanks for the goodness of God toward sinners,
because we were at one time, the scripture tell us, by nature,
the children of wrath, even as others, just like everybody else. Heirs by nature to eternal condemnation,
were now made to be heirs of eternal salvation. Paul doesn't
say here that we were actually children of wrath. He says we
were by nature children of wrath, meaning that we, along with the
entire human race, were plunged into ruin by the fall of our
father Adam. And the nature that we're born
with is a nature that hates God. The scriptures tell us that our
carnal mind is enmity toward God. That is and was the nature
of this sinful flesh, and it always will be. But something
happened. God Almighty intervened and gave
us a new nature, which is spoken of in first Peter or second Peter
chapter one. It says, according as his divine
power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life
and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to
glory and virtue, whereby are given unto us exceeding great
and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of
the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the
world through lust. But unlike the good things that
God gives to his chosen people, there are things that he gives
to the lost men and women of this world. the Esau's of this
world, those hated of God from eternity. And what are these
things? Psalm 81, 12. So I gave them
up to their own heart's lust and they walked in their own
councils. Romans one we're thoroughly familiar
with. I won't bother reading it, but
Romans one verses 30 or 20 through 32 describe men who God has given
over to sin and misery. This is how God deals with men
and women who despise his son and despise his gospel. God gave
them up to uncleanness through the lust of their own heart.
God gave them up, we're told, to vile affections. God gave
them over to a reprobate mind. God gave them exactly what they
wanted, a complete absence of anything good and righteous.
relishing themselves in the most vile acts imaginable, God allowing
them to eagerly pursue those very things that would destroy
their eternal soul and condemn them to an eternity of suffering. And so those described here are
given the reward of their behavior. They are given a sentence of
eternal death. And never forget, dear Saint,
that you could be among that crowd. You could have easily been numbered
with the transgressors, except for one reason. Your precious
Savior gave himself to suffer in your stead, to be wounded
for our transgressions, to be bruised for our iniquities, to
pour out his very soul unto death, we're told in the book of Isaiah,
to be numbered with the transgressors so that you were not and to bear
the sins of many. And getting back to our Lord
Jesus Christ being delivered for our sins, he did not resist
being delivered, but gave himself as a ransom to free his people.
We know this to be the case from what's written in 1 Timothy 2,
6. It says, speaking of Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom
for all to be testified in due time. Now, when this verse says
he gave himself a ransom for all, we know that it does not
mean all men and women. It's obvious everyone is not
going to be saved, but rather it means all who believe on Christ
in saving faith, that faith that is given unto us as a gift of
God. Now, this word ransom that we
read here, it means the release of property or a person in return
for payment of a demanded price. What a perfect description of
what Christ has done for his people. We were held captive
by God's strict justice and holy law. And what was the ransom
that was demanded? It was death. The scriptures
tell us a soul that sinneth, it shall die. And it's not speaking of physical
death, all men and women saved and lost certainly die. It's speaking of an eternal death,
that second death described in the book of Revelation. Eternal
death is the only way for the strict justice and law of God
to be satisfied. Sin against God is the ultimate
capital crime. There will be no plea bargain
struck when it comes to this. Sin must be paid for and it must
be paid for by death. And we know that men with all
their wealth cannot redeem our soul. Because we read in Psalm 46 or
49 6 they that trust in their wealth and both themselves and
the multitude of the riches. None of them can by any means
redeem his brother nor give God a ransom for him. But in this
verse in first Timothy, it tells us that the ransom has been paid.
We have past tense been redeemed. It is already done. Christ Jesus
gave himself a ransom. Now, our Lord foretold this when
he said in Matthew twenty twenty eight, he said to this to his
disciples, even as a son of man came not to be ministered unto,
but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. And this was spoken of by Job
long before our Lord Jesus Christ ever became flesh and blood.
Job said this, then is he gracious unto him and saith, deliver him
from going down into the pit. I have found a ransom. Our God also promised us in Hosea
1314, it says this, I will ransom them from the power of the grave. I will redeem them from death.
Oh, death, I will be thy plagues. Oh, grave, I will be thy destruction. This is similar to what we find
in first Corinthians 15. Oh, death, where is I sting?
Oh, grave, where is thy victory? The elect of God will never go
down into the pit of the dam because of ransom has been paid.
in full, in blood. As Peter reminds us, for you
know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver
and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your
fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb
without blemish and without spot. Further, Galatians 1 4 speaks
again of the Lord Jesus Christ giving himself to set us free. Who gave himself for our sins
that he might deliver us from the power of this present evil
world according to the will of God and our father the same father
who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come
to repentance. Ephesians 5 2 says and walk in
love as Christ also has loved us and has given himself an offering
and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. Now in Isaiah
50 verses four through six, it tells us of the voluntary giving
of Christ for his people's redemption. It says this, the Lord hath given
me the tongue of the learned, this is speaking of Christ, that
I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary. He wakeneth morning by morning.
He wakeneth my ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God hath
opened my ear. I was not rebellious, neither
turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters
and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I've hid not my
face from shame and spitting. Now, there's a couple of things
here that I want to point out with this verse says that the
Lord hath opened my ear. It's referring to instructions
that are given in Deuteronomy chapter 15 to the nation of Israel. Now, when a brother has been
sold to another Hebrew because of debt, the scriptures tell
us that after six years, when the year of Jubilee came, that
their servant was to be set free. But if that servant loved his
master and wanted to stay with him forever, it says his ear
was to be opened or bored through. In verse 17 of Deuteronomy 15
says this, Then shalt thou take an all and thrust it through
his ear, meaning his earlobe, unto the door and he shall be
thy servant forever. This is the office that Christ
took upon himself, a servant who loved his father and became
obedient and willing to have the father deliver him up. But
this verse in Isaiah 50 goes on to talk about something else
that our Lord Jesus gave. It says, I gave my back to the
smiters. Now, I've touched on this before.
In a message not too long ago, this smiting that is spoken of
here is much more vicious and violent than a mere whipping. It involves what we call scourging. And as I mentioned before, this
scourge was a whip of braided leather that had pieces of jagged
metal and bone braided into those pieces of leather. And as the
victim was beaten and this was dragged across her back it tore
the flesh open like a plow would tear open the ground. And wonder of wonders our Savior
gave his back to this treatment. And the verse continues, and
I gave my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. This is
not mentioning just a mere pulling of a few hairs. This is describing
how the Roman soldiers grabbed handfuls of the Savior's beard
and yanked pieces of his face, flesh from his face. It's no
wonder that God's word tells us that his face, his visage,
was marred more than any man in his form. more than the sons
of man. He was literally butchered. And
then this verse concludes, I hid not my face from shame and spitting. Now, probably one of the worst
insults. And one of the strongest demonstrations
of contempt is to have someone spit in your face. The Scriptures tell us, then
did they spit in his face and buffeted him. and others smote
him with the palms of their hands. Now these Roman soldiers hated
being stationed in Palestine. From what I understand it was
where some of the worst it was almost like a punishment being
stationed in Palestine and they despised these people called
the Jews. So these soldiers saw this as
a chance to vent some of their anger toward this Jewish nation. And even the peons got in on
the act because Mark tells us that even the servants did strike
him with the palms of their hands. Here was a chance for those who
were sometimes abused to dish out some abuse of their own.
And we need to remember that our dear Savior stood there taking
all of this brutality and maltreatment. When with just a word to the
father. A single word. He could have brought it to a
swift conclusion. Those 72,000 angels, those six legions of
angels that he spoke to Peter about when the mob came to get
him in the garden were still available, from just a word from
the Savior, to come and rescue him. But that was not possible. Our Lord Jesus Christ must suffer
all things, first, to fulfill the Scriptures, and second, to
accomplish the redemption of his chosen people. Christ warned
his disciples about this in the Book of Mark, and I wonder if
this actually registered with these men when he said this.
But in Mark 10, 33, he said, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem,
and the Son of Man must be delivered unto the chief priest and unto
the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver
him to the Gentiles, to the Romans. And they shall mock him and shall
scourge him and shall spit upon him and shall kill him. And the
third day he shall rise again. Now, our Lord Jesus Christ knew
the horrors that he would experience at the hands of evil men, and
yet he chose to go to Jerusalem nonetheless. But as terrible
as those things were, that he told his disciples he was about
to endure, they paled in comparison to what would take place when
he was hung on a Roman cross. Because then the worst agony
that any human being has ever suffered was about to begin. In the space of three hours,
our Lord Jesus was going to endure an eternity of suffering for
a number that no man can number, a people that He loved. And all
of this that I've spent the last few minutes describing came to
pass for one reason, because He gave Himself to suffer all
these things in our stead. that He might bring us to God
and present us faultless before His throne, as described in Jude
24 and 25. Ephesians 5, 25 tells us this,
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church
and gave Himself for it. He set us an example to emulate,
and that He gave all that He was and all that He had for His
people, for His bride, for His church, We will never be able
to come close to giving ourselves the way Christ
gave Himself, because no human being has ever loved anyone the
way Christ loved His people, the way Christ loved His church.
Then in our original text here in Titus 2.14, we read the reason
why all of this took place, that He might redeem us from all iniquity. Now, I was surprised that out
of the 262 times that the word iniquity is found in the King
James Bible, only 15 of those are found in the New Testament.
Now, this word iniquity is another word for the absence of uprightness,
gross injustice, unrighteousness and wickedness, the very definition
of sin. We read how in the final judgment
God will cast the wicked into everlasting torments as he says
unto them, depart from me all ye that worketh iniquity. Psalm
five tells us that God hates all workers of iniquity. So how
is it that any man or woman can stand justified before a holy
all seeing God? Only one way, substitution. We must rely on the merits of
another to purge away our iniquity. The Psalms are full of verses
which speak of how this happens. Turn over with me to the book
of Psalm chapter 32. Psalm 32, this speaking of how
our iniquity that would, which would destroy our souls is purged
away. Psalm 32, Verse two, we read this, blessed
is the man under whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity. And in verse five, I acknowledge
my sin under thee and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will
confess my transgressions under the Lord and now forgave us the
iniquity of my sin. First John one nine assures us
of what David wrote because it tells us this. If we confess
our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. While you're in the book of Psalm,
turn over to Psalm 78. There's a good reason and a good
description here of why our God forgives the iniquities of His
people. Psalm 78 in verse 37. For their heart was not right
with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant. But he, being
full of compassion, being full of compassion, forgave
their iniquity and destroyed them not. Yea, many a time turned
he his anger away, and did not stir up his wrath. Full of compassion,
overflowing with mercy. Were it not for the fact that
we're secure in Christ, our God would have surely destroyed us.
But Lamentations tells us this. It is of the Lord's mercies that
we are not consumed. Why? Because his compassions
fail not. They are new every morning. Great
is thy faithfulness. Turn over to Psalm 103. David further speaks and rejoices
in the fact of full forgiveness. When in Psalm 103 we read this,
starting in verse 2, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not
all his benefits, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth
all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who
crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies." Dropping
down to verse 8 tells us the reason why God does all this. The Lord is merciful and gracious. slow to anger and plenteous in
mercy. Then our text here in Titus 2
14 explains the reason of God forgiving all of our iniquities.
It is so that he might purify unto himself a peculiar people,
zealous of good works that he might remove from us any and
all spiritual defilement. Free us from any and all sin
and iniquity. Make us to be as pure in His
sight as Christ Himself. All because of the fact that
our Savior gave Himself for us. So we have looked at how God
the Father gave His Son to be a sacrifice to redeem His people.
But now, I'd like to look for just a few minutes at some of
the things that God the Father gave to His Son. First of all,
he gave him his church, his bride. In John 10, Christ is having
a dialogue with the Jews, and starting in verse 24 we read
this, Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him,
How long dost thou make us doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us
plainly. Now they didn't ask this because they really wanted
to know. They asked it so they would have ammunition with which
to accuse him. Jesus answered them, I told you
And you believe me not the works that I do in my father's name
bear witness of me. But you believe not because you
are not of my sheep. And I said unto you my sheep
hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give
unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall
any man plucked him out of my hand. My father which gave them
me is greater than all and no man is able to plucked him out
of my father's hand. And our Savior further expands
on this in John six thirty nine. This is the father's will which
has sent me that of all which he has given me I should lose
nothing but should raise it up at the last day. Also the Savior
told us that the father gave him the things that he was to
speak when he was on this earth. In John 12 49, he says, for I
have not spoken of myself, but the father which sent me, he
gave me a commandment of what I should say and what I should
speak. And also in his prayer to the
father in John 17, our Lord says this, for I have given unto them
the words that thou gavest me and they have received them and
have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed
that thou didst send me. The father also determined who
would hear the words of their son and come to saving faith
and who would not. Matthew 13 11 Our Lord is telling
his disciples why some men believe and other men do not believe.
He answered and said unto them because it is given to you to
know the mysteries of the kingdom of God but to them it is not
given. Paul also wrote of this in Romans
11, verses seven and eight. He says, what then? Israel has
not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained
it, and the rest were blinded. According as it is written, God
hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should
not see, and ears that they should not hear. Further, God the Father
gave the son the reigns to this universe, our Lord told his disciples
in Matthew 28, all power is given unto me in heaven and earth.
And John 17, two, as thou has given him power over all flesh,
that he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given
him. Now, after our Lord partook of
the Passover supper with his disciples, we read in John 13,
three, Jesus, knowing that the father had given all things into
his hands and that he was come from God and went to God. He
rises from supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel
and girded himself after which he washed his disciples feet.
The father also gave his son the authority to be the final
judge of all men. John 5 22 for the father judges
no man but has committed all judgment under the son. He has
given all judgment over to his blessed son. In John 5 we read
this for the father hath life in himself so hath he given to
his son to have life in himself and hath given him authority
to execute judgment also because he is the son of man. Also, among the things that the
father gave the son, he gave him a name like no other name. Wherefore, God also hath highly
exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that
at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of things in heaven
and of things in earth and things under the earth, and that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of
God the Father. Now, as every child ever born
does not choose the name that they are given, so it was with
the Son of God. He was given his name by the
Father. He was given the name Jesus,
for he shall save his people from their sins. He was given
the name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us. He was given the name the Lord,
our righteousness. He was given the name Wonderful,
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He was
given the name King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And there
are many things that God the Father gave to his people. First
and foremost, and most glorious of all, he gave his son. John 3, 16, for God so loved
the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. God also
gave us his law. He speaks of this in Ezekiel
20. This is speaking of the nation of Israel, but it applies to
us as well. Wherefore, I caused him to go
forth out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.
And I gave them my statutes. and show them my judgments, which
if a man shall do, he shall even live in them." So that law that
was given unto us was a schoolmaster that would bring us to Christ. And also God the Father gives
his chosen people faith to believe on Christ. John 6, 65, Therefore
said I unto you that no man can come to me except it were given
him of the father. The scripture tells us that faith
whereby we are unable to believe is a gift given by God given
to some and not given to others. God also gives his people all
the promises that are found out through his word. I love this
verse whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious
promises that By these, we might be partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption in the world. Where do we even
begin to contemplate the abundance of promises that our God gives
to his people? There are too numerous to begin
to even list them. And lastly, God the Father gave
us something else. He gave us a divine inheritance. John 1 12 but as many as received
him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to
them that believe on his name. He tells us in John 5 11 and
this is a record that God has given unto us eternal life and
this life is in his son. In Titus chapter 3 Paul explains
how it is that God the Father can be just while also justifying
the ungodly. Starting in verse four, we read
this. But after the kindness and love
of God, our Savior toward men appeared, not by works of righteousness,
which we have done, but according to his mercy, 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. All of the goodness and blessings
that we enjoy in this life and will enjoy in that life, which
is to come, we enjoy because God has chosen to give us all
things through his son who gave himself for us that he might
redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar
people, zealous of good works. Billy, come lead us in a song.