The Amazing, Incredible, Extravagant Grace Of Jesus Series

Amazing, Incredible, Extravagant Grace!

Titus 2:11-15

Pastor Jefferson M. Williams

Chenoa Baptist Church

3-14-2021

The Kitchen Sink

After I proposed to Maxine, our mutual friend Terri had a serious talk with me. She said that now that I had committed to Maxine satan was going to throw the kitchen sink at me. He would do something to question that commitment and my love for my little redheaded girl. She warned me to stay alert.

A couple of days later, I received, out of the blue, a phone call from a girl I dated in college. It didn’t really work out, mainly because shows about six feet tall without shoes on. I had to stand on the second step of her apartment stairs just to look her in the eye.

She was a international stewardess and told me that she had a weekend layover in Washington, DC and was wondering if I would like to come pop and spend the weekend with her. The tone of her voice was seductive and I felt the hair stand up on the back on my neck. This is exactly what Terri had warned me about not 48 hours earlier.

Was I tempted to go? Yes. In fact, that was kind of my modus operandi when I was younger. “Faithful” was not a word that most of my girlfriends would have used to describe me.

But that was before Maxine. And before Jesus. I was able to no because I wanted to say yes to Maxine and honor my commitment to her.

So I said, “I don’t think my fiancé would like that.” She was silent for a second and then told me how happy she was for me.

I hung up and called Terri and told her, “The kitchen sinks name is Anne!”

Where we’ve been

In chapter one, Paul is writing to Titus after leaving him on the island of Crete. Titus is to identify, train, and launch elders in each of the nearly 100 churches on the island.

Why? Because there is a herd of false teachers that are misleading these baby Christians. These elders must be able to “hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” (Titus 1:9)

Starting in chapter 2, Paul encourages Titus to “preach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.” (Titus 2:1) Paul then gives five types of people that the sound teaching should be directed at - older men, older women, younger women, younger men, and slaves.

Paul commands Titus:

“In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.” (Titus 2:7-8)

In the first chapter of Titus, Paul has focused on doctrine, right thinking versus false teaching. This is foundational and necessary to start our Christian journey.

But in chapter two, he will make the case that doctrine leads to duty, belief affects behavior, and orthodoxy results in orthopraxy.

In other words, if we say we are Christians, how we live out our faith is just as important as what we say we believe.

There is something supernaturally beautiful about a church that is full of people who take the call to follow Jesus seriously.

A watching world is desperate for hope and we have the honor of being ambassadors of Jesus Christ to them.

Turn with me to Titus 2:11.

Prayer.

Past Grace

In chapter 2:1-10, Paul gives the how. In 2:11-15, he will give us the why.

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” (Titus 2:11)

In this section of verses, Paul is going to give the motivation behind living godly lives. We will learn the driving force behind living for Jesus in a crazy, mixed-up fallen world is the amazing, incredible, extravagant grace of Jesus Christ!

In Greek thought this was a favor offered without an expectation of repayment. But it was only done to friends.

In Biblical thought grace is the “unmerited/undeserved favor of God given to unworthy sinners.”

The word “appeared” is fascinating Greek word that gives us a beautiful word picture of what Paul is trying to communicate.

The word “epiphaneia” is the visible appearing of something or someone that was invisible prior.

In classical Greek, it could refer to dawn or day break when the sun leaps over the horizon in our view. It can also mean an enemy jumping out of ambush.

But the most appropriate usage for our text is that of a god or a hero breaking into a hopeless situation in order to rescue someone from danger.

This grace appeared at the Incarnation of Jesus! At the birth of Christ in a manger in Bethlehem the epiphany of God’s grace burst on to the world’s stage revealing God’s heart and ushering a new age.