The Fruits of Grace: Part 1

Take your Bibles if you would turn to Titus chapter two. We'll begin reading in Titus chapter two. We'll begin reading in verse 11 this morning from Titus two. This was the passage from last week but it leads into the passage from this week. As we'll continue through chapter three and verse seven.

So, Amen. 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.

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves, also, we're sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that, 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. 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. Let's go to our Lord in prayer once more. Thank you Lord for this day. Thank you for this opportunity To look into your word together today, I pray that we would be challenged and encouraged by it. I pray that we might be drawn closer to you.

Pray Lord if there be one here today that is yet to receive. God's gift of grace, his son, Jesus Christ. I pray that they would receive the Lord Jesus today as the Lord and savior of their life. Lord, thank you again for your word. Thank you Lord for this opportunity.

May the holy spirit take your word and use it mightily in our lives and hearts today. In Jesus precious name, we do pray. Amen. Amen. As I mentioned, this is a continuation of sermon I started last week.

It was on the ministry of grace. The grace of God that has appeared to all men whereby we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. Is the same grace which produces in us the fruit of righteousness and holy living. The same grace that saved you is the grace also that keeps and works your heart and life changes you into the image of Jesus Christ. He does this not based upon our good works or personal merit but he does this according to his what?

To his power and grace. His grace toward us. It is by the grace of God, not the law of God, which enables sinful human beings to be more like God. The Old Testament, the Israelites focused on the law. In Jesus's day, they had made the law and the keeping of the law, their self righteous ness, they their means of salvation.

That those means could not save them. For our good works are not good enough. For by grace only are we saved. And not by works. It is by grace we have been forgiven.

But also reborn to walk with Christ in newness of life. Paul now having addressed grace as the means by which we are saved and changed in chapter two, the verses we just read. For the by the grace of God that bring us salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us the denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. We looked at that last week. Paul addressing grace as the means of our salvation and the change that occurs in our life after we're saved that that changes us on the inside.

It transforms, transforms us from the inside out. That grace, however, needs to be manifested in our actions. It needs to be applied to our dealings with others in this world. So that others might see the grace of God in us. And might be glorified.

In us. In our lives, in the lives of those to whom Titus would be ministering on the island of Crete. Paul encouraged him to encourage them, to apply the principles that they are being taught to their life and to their actions. We are not saved by good works but we're saved by grace that we might do what? Good works to the glory and praise of our father which is in heaven and so Paul begins here to spell out some ways in which this grace is manifested in our life in which the power of God is manifested in our life, which this change is manifested in our life, to the praise and glory of the Lord.

First in verse one, he addresses their response to authorities, their response to authorities. Did they have authorities? Yes. Do we have authorities? Yes.

The grace of God and the power of God is manifested in many ways in how we respond to those authorities. If you'll notice today, the response to authorities is often negative in the world in which we live. In our pop culture, it is popular to respond negatively and harshly to authorities in our lives but that is not the way of Christ. He says here in verse one, put them in mind. Remind them to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, and to be ready to every good work.

So, Paul first addresses here with Titus their need to be subject or to submit to government officials, those in authority over their lives. Principalities, meaning kings and the like, powers, meaning delegated officials, magistrates would be like police officers that are to enforce the laws that are that are laid down. Paul says to put them in mind to submit themselves to government officials and to the laws that they make to be voluntarily submitted without force and to obey. Now, again, that is not a popular thing. We by nature want whose way?

Our way. Our way And we don't like people that tell us what to do. We don't like it when people say no, you can't do that. It rubs us the wrong way. It goes against our human sinful nature that wants its own way and naturally rebels against the authorities, God given authorities often.

That are restricting us or telling us what to do. We don't read about any conditions here for the governing officials. Although God does have much to say to kings and other rulers throughout scripture concerning their treatment of those in their care. Well, that's absent in this passage. Well, maybe it is but see the point in this passage is he's not talking to government officials.

Who is he talking to? He's talking to the citizens. He's talking to the people on the island of Crete to to those under the authority of the government officials. He'll deal he deals with government officials and other passages. Here, he's dealing with them.

And what is our responsibility as those under authority? Our responsibility is to submit. Our responsibility is to obey. As we read in Romans chapter 13, because the authorities are ordained of who? They're ordained of God.

Where do they get their authority from? Well, in reality, they get their authority from God because God can strip them of that authority. Just like this. Right. And the authority that God has shared with them primarily is for our what?

For our good. For our protection. That's why he ordained government authorities for our good. If you look here in first Peter two thirteen through 15, Peter says here, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, every law, for the Lord's sake. Not always for their sake.

I know that a lot of them are rotten to the core. So, God says, do it for who? Do it for my sake. Do it for me. Whether it be to the king as supreme or under governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers or for the praise of them that do well.

For so is the will of God that you with well doing, you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. Peter writes those in this letter, he says, submit yourself to every ordinance of man. Do it. Do it for the Lord's sake. Do it for testimony sake.

To put to silence their complaints and their accusations. In regards to this. Now, the gospel is offensive. People don't like to hear that they're what? That they're sinners in need of a savior and the gospel will bring offense but let it be the gospel that brings the offense.

That's right. Let it not be our actions. Let it not be our attitude, a complaining or negative attitude. Let it be the gospel that brings the offense. The gospel that can reach through that to reach their heart.

That they might be saved. Let's not throw up other obstacles in the path. Let's live in such a way that others will see who in us. Jesus Christ and glorify our father which is in heaven. The Cretans, that's what they were called, the people that lived on Crete.

We're known for being a feisty people who very much dislike restrictions on what they perceive to be their civil liberties. Does that sound familiar? Do a lot of people feel that way today? I do believe so. Even some Christians, sometimes we feel that way.

They were not known for being compliant and easygoing. Thus, the reason Paul addressed their response to authorities. There may be times we must stand up for our rights as given by God particularly to worship and serve him as he has commanded. Remember the apostles in Acts, they were arrested, they were brought before the ruling council, and they said, we must obey who? God rather than men.

They were told, you you can go but don't you speak anymore to the people about this man, about Jesus and they said, sorry. I mean, they didn't say sorry. They said, we can't we can't do that. We must obey God rather than man. Now, you do, you make the judgment you're going to make, you do what you're going to do.

We have to do what he have to do. And sometimes we do have to take a stand. But we need not make a mountain out of a molehill. And sometimes we're pretty good at that. We need not perceive every law or abuse of power as a cause for rebellion.

That is not the way of who? That's not the way of Christ. There are laws that are passed that aren't good ones. There are people in authority that aren't good ones. But we're not called to set them straight.

We're not called to rebellion except rebellion against sin and who? Sin and Satan. We are called to be representatives of Jesus Christ. We are called to the gospel ministry and though there are times we must take a stand and though there are times we need to speak out in behalf of those who can't speak out for themselves. Abortion for instance.

We need not be difficult people. Always chomping at the bit to get angry against our authorities every time they do something. We don't agree with. That is not the way of Christ. Well, what is the way of Christ?

Well, the rest of the verse. Let's read it again. Verse one, put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey magistrates and to be ready to every good work. What is Christ? What's the way of Christ?

What's to submit? It's to be not difficult in respect to our authorities and it's to be ready always to everyone. Ready always to every good work. Instead of fighting the power, we need to be focused on doing what is right and beneficial. In obedience to the power and authority of our God.

That's right. In heaven. That's what we need to be focused on. Is obedience to his will. Doing things that bring glory to him.

Matthew five sixteen, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. What good works are those? Those are the works that represent our father in heaven. Those are the works that are in accordance to his will. Those are the works.

That bring glory to him. Things that are profitable and beneficial to others, to our relationship with the Lord, and to our God who has made us. In Titus three eight, I didn't read that verse but it says this, in Titus three eight, if you're there, this is a faithful saying and these things I will, that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. How we live is important to our Lord?

Should be important to us. How we respond to authorities in our lives are as important to God. It should be important to us. That we be focused on doing those things that bring honor to him including being submissive to the authorities in our life. Good works like being kind and helpful.

Good works meaning honest works. Obedient works. These bring glory to our father. Not evil works, not vengeful works, not spiteful works. But good kind, honest, works.

Look if you would in Romans chapter 12. I don't have the verses on the screen. If you have a Bible, if you hold your place in Titus and turn back there for a moment. Romans chapter 12. Paul is going to expand from just our reaction and response to to principalities and powers and magistrates to others as well in the following verses.

And he's dealing with that in Romans chapter 12 also in verse 21. There are a lot of difficult people that you deal with in life. There are some authorities that want to take advantage of the power that they have been given. How do we deal with those people? Well, Romans chapter 12, Paul writes this, beginning verse 17 actually, 17.

Recompense to no man evil for evil. In other words, don't think to yourself, well, they they cuss me out, then I have the right to do what? To cuss them back. That that isn't the way of Christ. So, recompense no man evil for evil.

Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all. Man, and that that means that verse means this, for your part, do everything you can to live what? Peaceably with everybody. Now, sometimes people make that extremely difficult and you can't control what your neighbor does.

You can't control what your coworker does or or that wonderful relative that you have but do what you can for your part to live at what? At peace with them. Don't be the instigator of the contention. Be the peacemaker. Verse 19, dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves but rather give place under wrath for this written vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.

When others treat you poorly, don't don't take it on yourself to teach them a lesson, okay? And we're it's a temptation in the flesh. Well, boy, they did, I'm going to teach them a lesson. That person that cut me off in in my car, man, they just pulled right in front of me and I had to hit my brakes. I'm going to teach them a lesson.

You watch, I want to go around them and that is not your response ability. Let God deal with them. Let God deal with them personally. Let God deal with them indirectly through magistrates. Don't take that responsibility on yourself.

Let God teach them the lesson. Focus on you doing what kind of works? Good works. Rather than on teaching somebody else a lesson. Verse 20, therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him.

If he thirst, give him drink. For in the so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with what? With good. When somebody keeps jabbing you, when some peoples continues to treat you wrong and you still treat them with kindness and love, it heats coals of fire on their head.

What does that mean? That means, it gets, yeah. It gets frustrating. If they're treating you wrong and you don't reciprocate. It's going to make them likely feel what?

Guilty. For what they're doing. You just keep doing what's right. You focus on what you do. You let God deal with them and in doing so, you're likely to make them feel guilty and you know, God might use that guilt to change their life.

Be not overcome of evil. Don't be infected by it. Overcome evil with what? With good. Overcome the evil of those around us.

By being the good. For God, by being salt and light in this world. To back to Titus verse two. Titus chapter three verse two. To speak evil to no man, this is a list.

Be ready to every good work to speak evil to no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. This is just a continuation of this thought and lesson that Paul is teaching. In response to all men, just not just authorities. You need to apply this righteousness, this grace, this holy living to your life by learning not to speak evil and not to be brawlers. What is to speak evil mean?

Well, that means not to defame or blaspheme or vilify others. We're pretty good at that. Our sin nature compels us to drive others down in order that we might exalt who? Exalt self. That's the opposite of God's formula.

It says, humble yourself and I will exalt you. Exalt yourself and I will bring you bring you low. Humble yourself before the mighty hand of God that he may lift you up. Don't be speaking evil of others. Gossiping and slander.

The Cretan people, according to history, were notorious for their passionate spirit and brash reactions, often resulting in much evil speaking about one another and sometimes such passionate spirit boils over into actual brawling. That's not what we are called to do. There may be a time when a fight is necessary to defend a loved one who is in danger. But we are not called to fix our disagreements or to prove our manlihood or to get our way. Through insults and gossip or fists.

That is not the way of who? That's not the way of Christ. We are to be peacemakers. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of who? The children of God.

Be the peacemaker. That's not the easy path. Sometimes, it's easier to ball up your fist and hit somebody. And it's a whole lot easier to open your mouth and gossip to your neighbor. That comes awful easy.

The hard thing is to bite your tongue and look for an opportunity to do good to them that do evil. To you but that's that's what Jesus did for us but God commended his love toward us and that while we were yet what? Sinners. Sinners, Christ died for us. That's right.

Well, we were yet the enemy, Christ gave himself. In our behalf. He humbled himself and he made a way that we might, his enemies might become his family. God expects us to go against our human nature by his grace and be peacemakers rather than rabble rousers. To be gentle appropriate, patient meek, self controlled, humble.

What is the way of Christ? The Christian response particularly regarding those who are not nice or rulers who are not accommodating to us is gentleness. It's the opposite of our human nature. That's the opposite of most of the TV shows and movies you're going to watch. That's the way of the world.

This is the way of Christ. Gentleness, humility, self control. I I think back in scripture of of somebody like Daniel. Daniel, stripped away from his family, thrown into the palace under the authority of a foreign king. He is now a slave.

Enslaved. What is Daniel's response to the people and authority over him? Wasn't rebellion. It wasn't mean. It wasn't callous.

It wasn't angry. It was kind and self controlled and thoughtful and even in doing so, he stood up. He stood up for what he believed but he did it in a gentle, kind way. He requested the person authority over him that they not eat of the king's meat and he said, well, I can't do that because if I don't make you eat of the king's meat which was against the law of the Jews, the law of Moses, if I if I don't make you eat the king's meat, he's going to take off my head and Daniel said, well, maybe try this, a test. Just for a little time.

Feed us the vegetables and the water and you feed them the king's meat and let's see at the end of the time who is who's in better shape. Daniel was wise even as a young man but he was patient and kind, trusted in the Lord. He wasn't a rabble rouser and he made a difference. He made a difference for the Lord. As did Joseph and as did so many others in scripture.

Why should we be gentle? Why should we be kind when others around us are treating us in such a manner? Why why shouldn't we complain and gripe and fight back against authorities that are getting in our way? Well, because we represent Christ. That's right.

Also because we need to we need to understand and be reminded that we were once in their what? We were once in their shoes. And we would have wanted others to be kind to us. We would have wanted others to be patient with us and God was kind to us and God was patient to us and so we need to be reminded. We were once in their shoes.

He goes on in verse three to say this, for we ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lust and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. You gripe and you complain about them but you are a sinner too and once you were just like they were. You had your problems. You dealt with them the wrong way. You weren't always kind and nice and if you'd been in their place, you likely have done the same thing.

Don't forget from whence you have been saved. You were foolish, unwise, disobedient, rebellious, deceived, seduced by sin and Satan, serving divers, diverse lusts, and pleasures, and bondage to many desires, and pleasures of the flesh, living in malice and envy, having ill will toward others, envious of their good that God had given to them rather than thankful, hateful, and difficult people. Don't forget what God saved you from. Right. What God saved you for?

To glorify him. To show them there is a difference. To be salt and light. As children of God who you are now. Verse four, but after that kindness, for after that 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. For the washing of regeneration, renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our savior. You were these things. He gives a similar list in first Corinthians six but you've been saved. You've been forgiven.

You've been changed. By the grace of God the power of God in your life. You're not that person. You're a different person. Not according to your works, not because you earned it, not because you did it, because Jesus did it for you.

Because God saved you when you didn't deserve it because of his mercy, not your works. Verse five, not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his his mercy. Ephesians two eight nine, for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Get down off your high horse for a minute. You are who you are today by the grace of God.

You are on your way to heaven by the mercy of God. Right, preacher. It's not something you earned. It's not something you deserve. It's something you've been given.

It's a work that God has done in you. It's a work that God can do in them if they will receive it. You be what God has called you to be but don't you forget where you came from and don't you boast in what you've done because it's been God that's done it in you and if you recognize what God has done in you, you're going to recognize that God can do in them. And be the conduit. Through which they can see.

The grace and power of God. Grace and power of God through whom he has poured out upon us, his holy spirit. We have an advantage over them. We have God living where? In us.

He's changed us. He has given us a new life in Christ Jesus. We have been reborn, regenerated in Christ. He is renovating, changing us, transforming us every day. He has justified us in verse seven.

That being justified by his grace. In other words, you have been declared guiltless before the throne of God in heaven. Not because you didn't do anything wrong. But because Jesus took your penalty and upon himself. So that you wouldn't have to and you've been declared guiltless by the grace of God.

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. He has given you his spirit. He has declared you guiltless in heaven and he has given to you eternal life. As a gift of his grace he has adopted you and he has prepared a place for you in heaven. Romans six twenty two and twenty three, but now being made free from sin, and become servants of God, you have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life.

For the wages of sin is death, that's what we deserve but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So, Paul writes to Titus, you have received by God's grace these wonderful gifts. You didn't earn them. Now, you have an opportunity to make a difference for him. And the grace of God teaches you.

As he said in chapter two, denying ungodliness, worldly lust that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. And that should be made manifest in our lives by how we deal with others. Particularly those that are what? Difficult take advantage of us. Those who we might count as our enemies.

We have an opportunity to be light in their life and in their world. As we recall, those who are light to us. And the gift that God has given by his grace. We need to apply this to how we deal with others. And the and God will use us.

God will use you. To be a light, to share the good news of the gospel. In your words and in your actions. If you're here today and you've never trusted Christ as savior, we plead with you today. God loves you but you're a sinner that needs a savior.

You can't earn your way to heaven. You can't get there by good works. You can only get there by trusting him. Surrendering to him and asking him to be the Lord and savior of your life. To forgive your sins.

And to give you eternal life. So we plead with you in a moment as we give this hymn of invitation that you would come. And we'll share with you how you might be saved today and know it. And Christian, let us take the word of God this morning and let's apply it to whose life? Our life.

Let us be ready, prepared, looking for opportunities to do good for Christ. To be kind and gentle, to be obedient and submissive to our authorities. To go out of our way, to not be overcome of evil but overcome evil with what? With good. That our God in heaven might be glorified.

That others might see Jesus Christ in us. Let's pray. Dearly father, thank you Lord for your goodness to us. Thank you for your love and mercy and your grace whereby we are saved and we pray Lord that you help us. That you work in our hearts by your grace to make us more like your son, Jesus Christ, and that others would see.

By our response to our authorities in our life, by our response to others in our life. That we are children of our God in heaven be as peacemakers, as those who are servants, of those who bite our tongue not complainers but are those who lift others up Lord, help us to be more like Jesus this week. Forgive us of where we have failed and help us to be willing to recognize that in our own life and heart and do better. And Lord, if there's one here today that's not saved, Lord, I pray as you're inviting them this morning that they come and trust Jesus today. In Jesus name, we do pray.

Amen.