Your Bibles want to turn if you would to Titus chapter two I do have the verses up here on the screen as well. This morning. Titus chapter two. There's so many passages that we can go to to learn more about the grace of God Well, this morning, we are going to look at a few of those briefly but we'll use this one sort of as our main text. Here today.

So, Titus two eleven through 14. This morning. Verse 11, for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Teaching us to 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 our 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. Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Lord, we pray that you bless your word today and use it mightily in each and everyone of our lives to draw us closer to you. Lord, we thank you for the grace of God that has been shown towards us in so many ways. Lord, may we may we recognize that today.

May we be more grateful and may we take advantage Lord of that opportunity that has been afforded us by our father in heaven. In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen. The grace of God has appeared. It says, to bring us salvation hath appeared to all men.

The word appeared here means it has become visible or known unto all. Particularly in the person of who? In the person of Jesus Christ. We read about that from John one from the bulletin just a few minutes ago. He took on flesh and he revealed to us the grace of God in a fashion not before seen or known.

It is through the giving of God's son, Jesus Christ, the offer of salvation to all who will believe and receive him as savior and Lord that we see the immeasurable grace of God. Who gave himself to redeem us. His work, his coins so to speak, his blood that he shed on the cross of Calvary for us. Reveals to us the immeasurable grace of God. The grace of God is like the love of God or the righteousness of God.

It is an attribute or an element of God's nature which is critical to who he is. Grace isn't just a thing. Grace is a description of the nature of our God. That is what it is. He is a god of love.

He is a god of holiness. He is a god of grace. It is impossible to find grace as used in the Bible without connecting grace to the unique nature and acts of God. Essentially, God is indeed a gracious God. A giving God, a compassionate and merciful God toward us.

The song I just sang sums it up in the phrase, he looked beyond my fault and saw my need. It isn't that God doesn't see my fault but he looked beyond just my fault and he saw my need and he sent who? He sent Jesus. He sent Jesus. God's riches at Christ's expense.

You may have seen that acrostic before. It is not the most theologically technical definition of grace but it is a pretty good approximation practically. Grace is God's riches, God's righteousness, God's goodness, God's power, God's riches at Christ's expense, not our expense, Christ's expense. It is because of Christ that the grace of God has been fully revealed in his nature and his love. And his offer of salvation and much more to us.

Thus, he does, God does not treat us based solely upon our own merit or give to us only what we deserve. If that were so, we would not know the Lord. If we only got what we deserved, we would not know salvation. We would not have a home prepared for us where? In heaven and Jesus would not have come to die for us on the cross.

While being merciful is withholding or tempering the punishment or retribution which one fully deserves, that's mercy. Grace is giving to someone something which they do not deserve. Showing someone love which they have not earned. Doing something for them. In God's case, in them.

In which they are clearly of which they are clearly unworthy. This is grace. Mercy, but even more than mercy. The grace of God includes these two elements of God, both his desire and ability to do for us in us and through us. What we are incapable of doing or accomplishing without him.

What is grace? Well, it includes both the desire and the ability of God. To do for us, in us, and through us that which we cannot do alone. That among other descriptions is the grace of God. You have, on the one hand, the ability to do some things for yourself.

Man can work with his hands, his feet, his back, and his brain to perform many incredible tasks. Many incredible inventions. Many incredible facilities. That man has undertaken. But he did not even do those alone because those abilities come from who?

They come from God He is the one who created us in his what? In his image and in that image, the ability to make and create and accomplish incredible things. But there are some things that we cannot accomplish without an extra measure of grace and help. From our God. There is a very definite end to the things which man can do on his own.

Particularly of a spiritual or eternal nature. Paul says in Ephesians two that we are dead in trespasses and in what? Sins. In respect to accomplishing spiritual things or things that are of eternal value, we're dead without God's help. Without God's grace, without Jesus Christ, we're unresponsive.

We're unable. We need God's what? We need his grace. You cannot change your nature or the consequences of rebellion against God. In other words, we're sinners.

We can't stop sinning. We can't eradicate sin from our nature and alone, we cannot escape the consequences of our sin. Romans three twenty three for what? All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans twelve five twelve, wherefore as by one man, sin entered into the world and death by sin, so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned.

Who is that? That's me. And that's you. And we do not have the power ability to change our nature or to escape the consequences that come as a result of it. Man can suppress his nature to a point.

Man can restrict or deter certain activities which result from our sinful nature. But man cannot change his nature alone. When I was a youth pastor, sometimes I talked to one of the youth that was in big trouble. Maybe he was in big trouble at school. There were times when it left school and became a home problem.

Couple times I remember, it became a a police problem and I would go to talk to the youth and they would say, oh I I want to I want to change. I want this to stop and and I would ask em, do you want the consequences to stop? Or do you want God to change you? Because those are two different things. So, often times, people just want to get out of the what?

The consequences of sin. The world works very very hard at trying to figure out how to sin and not face the what? The consequences. But that's not going to fix you. There's only one who can fix you.

Who you are? The the gets us in trouble in the first place, that compels us to sin. And that is God. By his grace. Furthermore, we often find ourselves in all kinds of different difficult circumstances which bring out the worst in our nature.

We become bitter, angry, hateful, depressed, negative, spiteful, jealous people. Often times, when bad circumstances happen, those things kind of bubble up to the what? They bubble up to the surface, they bubble up to the top because that's what's in here. Thus, man needs God's what? He needs God's grace.

That is he needs God's help. He needs God's help unmerited and unearned. That is the grace of God. It's not something that you can earn. If you think that you are earning the grace of God by coming to church today, you're wrong.

If you think you're earning the grace of God by putting money in the offering plate, you're wrong. If you think you're earning the grace of God by helping your neighbor or reading your Bible, you're wrong. Whatever it is you think you are doing to earn God's grace and favor, you're wrong. Because grace cannot be earned. It can only be given.

It cannot be earned. It is God's help, unmerited, and unearned. That is what defines grace. There are those in certain denomination and church churches that teach, well, if you want to get God's grace in order to offset your your sin, then, you have to do these works. That's not the way it works because grace is not the result of works.

It's not a work you do. It's a work that God does in you. That is unmerited and under. Man needs God's help. We need his grace to overcome temptation.

We need help to respond to difficult people and situations in a manner better than our nature provides. We need God's grace and strength to get back up and keep pushing forward in service for Christ when our mind, will, and body say, stop. We need his grace. We need his help. And you know something?

He is more than willing. To give it. Because he is a gracious, compassionate, merciful God. First, in respect to our salvation In respect our salvation. For the grace of God that bringeth what?

Salvation hath appeared to all men. The grace of God, God's compassionate, giving, gracious nature has been made known visible to all men. That grace which brings and offers salvation to all who come to him by faith. Ephesians two eighty nine, for by what? Grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.

For by your works, for by your nature, for by your keeping of the law, no, but by God's what? Grace. Through faith. In him. We're saved.

And not by works. Turn if you would. Your Bibles to Romans chapter five. There's too many verses here to put on the screen all at once. So, let's look there.

Romans chapter five and we're going to start reading verse 12 and I want you to notice something. As we read this through this passage that is specifically on salvation, okay? And on what Jesus did to bring salvation to us. So, we're going to start in verse 12. I quoted it just a moment ago and then we're going to move on down through verse 17, I think.

Alright. Notice how many times you see the word gift. Notice how many times you see the word gift and when you think of grace, think of what? Gift. Gift because the two are connected.

Verse 12, where wherefore, as by one man's sin entered into the world and death by sin, so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned. Now, that one man is Adam and the death and the second death, which is the lake of fire, have we earned by our works? That's what we've earned. But continuing on for verse 13. For until the law, sin was in the world, but sin was not imputed when there is no law.

In other words, people didn't recognize their sin oftentimes because there was no law that revealed it, okay? Moving along, verse 14. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one, many be dead, that's Adam's sin, Much more by the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

We suffer in sin thanks to the disobedience of Adam but we can escape by the gift of who? Jesus Christ. Verse 16. And not as it was by one that sins, so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. For if by one man's offense, death reign by one, much more, they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ.

Sadly, we have received this sin nature and condemnation therewith through Adam when he disobeyed God but we can receive the free what? Gift. Gift of God through the obedience and death of Jesus Christ on the cross. If we'll receive him as our Lord and savior. If we will accept the gift that God is extending through us which Jesus purchased on the cross of Calvary through the death of one Jesus Christ and the free gift.

You can be what? You can be saved. Forgiven. Redeemed. Receive everlasting life.

It is a gift purchased by God's grace through the sacrifice of his son on the cross. It cost us nothing. That's the meaning of the word gift. If it's a gift, that means it cost nothing to the person who receives it. You don't have to work for it because it is a what?

A gift. You don't have to plead for it. You don't have to promise. You don't have to you are simply receiving what somebody out of the goodness of their heart is giving you. That is the truest definition of the word gift.

And that is what we have received in Jesus Christ because of God's immeasurable grace. It cost us nothing. But it cost Christ everything. You see, when somebody gives you a gift, they had to purchase that gift. It cost you nothing but it cost them to purchase that in order to give to you.

Salvation is a gift given to us based upon the grace of God. And the sacrifice of his son. And thus it cost his son his life. In order to purchase that gift. That he now offers freely to all who will receive it.

It is a work performed by God's grace and power in the heart and life of the child of God who is willing to embrace it. It is a work performed by who? By God, according to his grace. It's not a work that you perform. You cannot save yourself.

Only God can save you. Only Jesus can save you. By his grace. According to his grace. It is his power, his grace, working in our life, his spirit that regenerates us when we receive him as Lord and savior and makes us anew.

It is all of grace and not a result of works, the works and power of man as Paul points out, time and time again. The two are mutually exclusive. If it is a gift, by God's grace, then you cannot what? Earn it. Work for it.

Because it's a what? It's a gift. If you earn it and work for it, it's not a what? It's not a gift, okay? The two are mutually exclusive.

Two passages of scripture in which Paul declares this Romans eleven six and if by grace, then it is no more of works. Otherwise, grace is no more grace. Basically, what I just said but if it be of works, then it is no more grace. Otherwise, work is no more work. You can't have both.

Either it's grace and it's a gift or you've earned it and it's your works. Now, which is it? How are we saved? By grace. Second Timothy one nine.

Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Could God be more clear? I don't think so. Salvation is by grace alone and not by works. It is also by God's grace that we overcome sin in our life as God graciously provides us the ability and drive to do so.

It is only by God's grace and his help that we are enabled to overcome temptation and sin in our life. For by the grace, for the grace of God that brings salvation and the pure dome of all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. Down to the bottom who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. You see, God didn't save us by good works but God saved us by grace that he might enable us by his power to do what? Good works.

Good works. Can't get the cart before the what? The horse. The car doesn't pull the horse. The horse pulls the cart.

It is grace which pulls the cart of good works. Don't get the two switched around. It is grace God's power, God's gift by which we are saved through faith That results in a life transformed. And a life enabled. To get victory over sin.

And to bring glory to God. It is not our human nature which compels us and enables us to overcome temptation. It is the grace of God. There is no temptation taken you but such is as common to man but God is faithful who's willing who who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you're able but with the temptation also make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it. Who is going to make that way of escape?

God is. Who's going to enable you to find it? God is. By his grace. Without his grace we'd be trapped but according to God's grace, through the salvation that he brings, we are no longer trapped It's like when Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt.

They were trapped in Egypt, in slavery. And they they Moses raised up an army and they fashioned weapons of war and they fought back against the Egyptians and they fought through the Egyptians. Some of you are looking at me funny. Why are you looking at me funny? Because that's not the way it happened, is it?

How did how did Israel escape slavery in Egypt? They escaped slavery in Egypt when God brought 10 plagues on the Egyptians. That's how. At the end of the tenth plague, after the death of the firstborn, after Pharaoh's own son died by the hand of Israel? No, by the hand of who?

By the hand of God. That Pharaoh let Israel go. It wasn't by their might, it was by whose might? God's mind. It wasn't by their might that trapped against the Red Sea that they were able to cross it.

It wasn't because they made rafts and they formed a bridge. No, God parted the what? He parted the waters and they walked across and they escaped the slavery of Egypt. We have escaped the slavery of sin. By the grace of God and through his power, unmerited and unearned in our life.

But because of the compassion and love of God for us that he sent his son to die on that cross for us. We've been freed. And now, as we have left Egypt, God empowers us to start living for who? To start living for Jesus. Enables us to do works that are pleasing unto his name.

It is his grace that affords us the power to overcome. It is his grace that teaches us how to overcome. It is his grace that is placed in our hearts a desire to do so, to escape sin, and to please God in gratitude and love for the one who is bestowed upon us such an immeasurable gift. Why are you here today? Well, most of you are here today by the grace of God.

You're here today not because you're trying to earn God's favor. You're here today because God has shown his favor upon you unmerited and unearned and you just want to show him your gratitude and love and praise his name and learn more about him. That is what grace does. In the lives of those who receive it. The grace of God is grace of God is Paul passionately declares in Romans six does not give us an excuse to sin but gives us the ability to overcome it.

The old covenant, the law, exposed sin, it set boundaries around sin, but it couldn't in the heart help people to overcome sin. But the grace of God can. The grace of God can and so now, we serve him and we're growing in him not out of duty, not by law, but because of God's grace. His gift, his power. He said to the Israelites and Jeremiah, he said, one day, I'm going to write my laws on your what?

Heart. And not just on tables of stone. And then you will serve me. Thus, it was by God's grace that God took the worst of sinners. The most ardent persecutor of Christ and his people and made him the greatest proponent of Christ and the gospel that this world has ever seen.

A man named Saul of Tarsus as most of us know by the name of the apostle Paul. He called himself the chiefest of sinners. For that he was but God changed his heart and God changed his life and he became the apostle Paul who only boasted in his suffering for Jesus Christ. Thus, it is by God's grace that a vile sinner and sailor and slaver became a preacher of the gospel, a faithful and righteous servant of God, and an arbent ardent abolitionist. By the name of John Newton.

Who wrote Amazing Grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now, I'm found, was blind, but now I may and now I see. John Newton knew he didn't earn that. He didn't deserve that.

If anybody was unworthy, he was. But yet in God and his grace and his mercy, saved his soul and changed his life as he is changing ours by his grace. It is also by God's grace that we endure with grace and long suffering peace, and even joy. It is also, let me read that again. It is also by God's grace, we endure.

With grace, long suffering, peace, and even joy. We endure the insults and abuse of others. By God's grace, with long suffering, peace, and even joy. We endure the evil inequities of life including illness and handicap and trauma. By the grace of God, we endure with peace, the loss of loved ones, the dearth of money and finances.

It is the grace of God that upheld the faith and the heart of Job when everything was taken away. But yet, Satan could not take away the faith of Job. How did Job endure? By God's grace. It is by God's grace that Noah was saved.

Genesis six eight, I think I have that on here. Let me see. But Noah found what? Grace in the eyes of the Lord. Did he earn his salvation, deliverance from the judgment of the flood?

No. He received it by grace. It was by grace that Joseph endured with grace, slavery, and unjustified imprisonment and by God's grace, he ascended to a throne and forgave and provided for his family when they were in need. It was by God's grace, Abraham followed God and received a son in his old age and an inheritance for which he did not work. It was by God's grace.

Israel was delivered from slavery in Egypt and by God's grace, Canaan was delivered into their hands as the walls of Jericho fell down. Grace is not solely a New Testament doctrine. For we see God's grace all throughout the Old Testament. If you're looking for it. It is only in the New Testament that we meet grace personified in the person of who?

In the person of Jesus Christ. It is by God's grace that I, like Paul, have been called in the ministry and been enabled to perform it. For years, in high school and beginning college, I told God, I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't get up and say my name in front of people.

Nonetheless, preach a sermon. But what God calls you to do by his grace, he does what? He enables you to do. If you are willing. If you believe in his grace and in his power.

Not by might nor by power but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Zechariah four six. It is by God's grace we have enjoyed the freedoms of this land. Not just the hard work of our founders, not just their intellect but God's what? As by God's grace, we have enjoyed the freedoms of this land and it is by his grace we can endure.

If those freedoms should one day be taken away. But by God's grace and with his help Paul says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and then finally, Titus here again. Look at the verse there and read this verse 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and savior, Jesus Christ. For God's grace reveals to us also that there is more to this life than this life.

That there's more to come which gives us a different perspective and purpose and power to live life differently than the world around us. With hope and joy and peace even in the midst of sorrow. For it is by God's grace that he is preparing a place for you and for me. It isn't by our power. You're, are you preparing your place in heaven?

No, God's preparing it for you. It isn't that you've earned it by your works and you deserve the place. It is by God's gift of grace and his mercy that he's building a place, has made a place for you in heaven. It is by his grace alone. Thank the Lord for his marvelous marvelous grace.

I don't, did I put it up here? I want to end with this passage. One of my favorite passages in scripture. Doesn't have the word grace in it but nonetheless, you see God's grace in it. Blessed be the God and father, our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again.

Unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled, and then fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith and of salvation ready to be revealed at the last time. You're saved by grace, you're kept by God's grace. You're empowered by God's grace to serve the Lord and to do great and mighty things. In his name. It is all.

By the grace. And power of God. Thank God for his matchless grace. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord for the grace your grace that you have shown toward us and the gift of your son, Jesus Christ, and the gift of eternal life.

Lord, we thank you and we we praise you Lord today for a god of matchless grace and love and mercy We pray Lord that our lives would be full of gratitude that that grace that has been shown to us, we would also show to others. That they might see Jesus Christ in us and if there's one here today that has yet to receive that gift of grace. Salvation through Jesus Christ. If there's anyone that's unsure this morning, I pray as we sing this song. That they would come.

And be safe today. In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen.