Living Between Grace and Glory | Titus 2:11-3:8 | Pastor Jason Hill

I

am excited and honored to be able to

preach to you today and I want to say

first and foremost

congratulations you made it to the end

of the

year it's December 29th the last Sunday

right for some of us it was questionable

whether we would make it or

not but praise God he saw fit for me to

be here here and for you to be here

today so we praise God for for

that but during this time of year you

know it's the time of year when

everyone's trying to Define what 2024

was all about right as they think about

the different things that happened

during the year many stations and News

broadcasters and magazines and papers

are all saying 2024 year in

review and I think it's good for us to

be reminded of some things that happened

during the

year some of you will know that war in

the Middle East continues to to go on

with Israel facing Hamas and Hezbollah

and Iran and also as you see on the

picture the Syrian Civil War these

things are taking place we also all

think of the election drama right is it

Trump versus Biden is it Trump versus

Harris

is Trump even going to be in the

election because of the assassination

attempt some of us remember during the

summer the Paris

Olympics and seeing Sydney

mlin

win with a world record in the 400 meter

relay I'm sorry 400 meter uh

hurdles and just so you know Sydney

mcgoffin is an outspoken Christian you

need to get to know her and hear her

story what about other things what about

disasters that took place during the

year like the Francis Scott Key bridge

getting hit by the dolly or maybe

accomplishments through the year like

SpaceX using the Chopsticks and I'm

still trying to figure out how to use

chopsticks myself but Space X using

Chopsticks to catch the rocket booster

as it comes out and out of the sky just

amazing things that took place

for some of us what about hurricanes

here in Florida we think about

hurricanes a lot right we had hurricane

Barrel hurricane Francine and here in

Florida we had uh Debbie and Helen that

also affected North Carolina and you see

some of those pictures there and then

also hurricane Milton that came

through well for some of us the 2024 was

a year of inflation and struggling to

find how we're going to survive through

2024 going on into

2025 and as I've mentioned before for

some of us our health was

failing but yet God has continued to

carry us through the

year Well if you didn't get the

email and I'm I'm just curious how many

of you got an email from from Pastor

Ben okay how many of you didn't open the

email from Pastor Ben ah okay just

checking well Pastor Ben reminded us at

in 2024 for our church alone we saw

births and marriages we saw baptisms

anniversaries we saw Evangelistic and

Mission opportunities where we went in

more places around the world than we've

ever gone before and so these are times

for us to think back to 2024 and go wow

God did a lot in 202

24 but as we come to the end of the year

it's natural for us to think about 2024

and have an eye on

2024 but also think about 2025 and

what's coming in

2025 and as we think of 20204 moving

into

2025 the question that should be before

us is how should we approach

2025 and as I thought about

that it led me to Titus Chapter

Titus 2 · chapter mention

2 where we begin to think about living

between grace and

Glory living be between the the

already and the not

yet how do we live 2025 in such a way

that we honor the

Lord how are we going to see that as we

live between two appearing the appearing

of of Jesus for salvation the appearance

of

Grace how do we live for God in a way

that we will continue to press on as we

live for Glory as we wait his second

coming wait for a second

coming should we spend time in this in

between time remembering God's Saving

Grace and walking in God's strength as

we approach the future well yes we

should and as we think about what Paul

is saying to Titus it's important for us

to really jump in and say okay what is

it that I need to take away from

2024 looking at it through the filter of

God's word and how then do I approach

2025

well as we come to Titus Chapter 2 it's

Titus 2 · chapter mention

important for us to think about the

context first thing we need to know is

that Paul is writing to Titus to give

advice on how to lead the

church Paul established the church in

cre and he is left Titus there to

strengthen what remains

is on the island of creit and let me

just tell you C is not a place where

people look and go oh wow CIT is such a

wonderful place the people of creit are

so wonderful the are are great

people no Paul

said in Titus 1 verse2 one of the

cretans themselves and some people say

this is epines the poet a prophet of

their own said cretans are always

Liars they they're evil beasts they're

lazy

Glutton I mean does that sound like a

place where you'd like to spend your

vacation or you'd like to spend your

time there of course

not and Paul even says this testimony is

true so on the island of cre Titus was

charged to

organize and strength stren the work

there now some of you may go cre where

is that well I just wanted to show you

on a map where cre is it's actually part

of Greece but it's there near Turkey

right in the

Mediterranean it's this place that Paul

traveled to during his missionary

journey and established church

there as Paul's writing to Titus in

Titus 1 Paul addresses the need for

proper leadership I mean can you imagine

if it's a place that's filled with liars

and lazy

Glutton there's a need for proper

leadership and Paul also warns of false

teachers those that don't preach truth

the truth of who God

is what he's done in sending Jesus to

die on the cross for our

sins but in Titus Chapter 2 and 3 Paul

Titus 2 · chapter mention

challenges Titus to teach that Christian

Living is rooted in right Doctrine as we

read through Titus 2 we're going to

start in verse 11 and go through chapter

3:8 we're going to see time and time

again Paul is going to bring up the

truths of the Gospel the importance of

Doctrine driving home right Doctrine why

because if you're living in a

place that is drowning in sin that is

surrounded by people who are Liars who

are

lazy who have no thought of God before

them it's important for us to think okay

how then can I live as a

Christian in these days or in these

places and for us it's important for us

to think about how can I live as a

Christian

here in the United States as I live in

2025 so let's look and see what Paul

writes to Titus here Titus Chapter 2

Titus 2:11

verse

11 for the grace of God has appeared

bringing salvation for all people

training us to renounce ungodliness and

worldly passions and to live

self-controlled upright

and godly lives in the present age

waiting for our blessed hope the

appearing of the glory of our great God

and Savior Jesus Christ verse 14 who

gave himself to us to redeem us from all

lawlessness and to purify for himself a

people for his own possession who are

zealous for good works declare these

things he tells Titus exhort

and

rebuke with all authority and then he

says this let no one

disregard you so these truths are

important Titus was to declare to speak

to preach these things he was to exhort

the people to encourage them he was also

to correct them to show them where

they're wrong but notice as we get to

Titus Chapter

Titus 3 · chapter mention

3 Paul Paul says remind them to be

submissive to rulers and authorities to

be obedient to be ready for every good

work to speak evil of no one to avoid

quarreling to be gentle to show perfect

courtesy toward all

people for we ourselves were once

foolish disobedient LED astray slaves to

various passions and Pleasures passing

our days in Malice and envy hated by

others and hating one

another but look at verse

four but when the goodness and loving

kindness of God our savior appeared he

saved us not because of Works done by us

in righteousness but according to his

own Mercy by the washing of regeneration

and renewal of the Holy Spirit whom he

poured out on us richly through Jesus

Christ Our Savior so that being

justified by his grace we might become

HS according to the hope of eternal

life and then he concludes by saying

this the saying is trustworthy and I

want you to insist on these things so

that those who have believed in God may

be careful to devote themselves to Good

Works these things are excellent and

profitable for people let's go to the

Lord in

prayer God as we hear these words that

Paul wrote to

Titus Lord I pray that we would think

about how we ourselves can live between

grace and

Glory how we can live finishing 2024 in

a way that honors you but also in 2025

honoring you with our lives

God I believe that this passage points

us to the truth of the gospel and this

is Central to our lives and God this is

what instructs us on how to live a life

that honors you so Lord I pray today as

we talk about this text as we explore

what this text has to say God I pray

that you would teach us reminding us of

how great a Salvation

that we have it's in Jesus name we pray

amen as we think about living between

grace and

Glory what we find here in this passage

is that the grace goodness and mercy of

God which appeared is Saving

Grace now on your paper I put a

definition of Saving Grace and look at

what it says Saving Grace

is God's unmar

favor freely given through Jesus Christ

which enables us to be reconciled with

God and receive the gift of eternal life

now as you think about that definition

it's important for you to really uh just

kind of research and think about it a

little deeply as we go through there are

four points there right Saving Grace is

unmar favor it's not something that we

earned it's not something that we

deserve it's what God gives to us and

look it's freely given to us how is it

freely given to us it's given to us

through Jesus Christ and because we have

that gift it enables us as Sinners saved

by God to be reconciled with him to be

in right standing with him and to rece

receive the gift of eternal

life but as we think about that

definition of Saving Grace there are

some people that Define Saving Grace or

view Saving Grace in different

ways the first way they viewed Saving

Grace or right standing with God and how

it relates to living is through

legalism legalism is basically the fact

that we do or what we do leads to who we

are an example of that would be if we

just live a righteous life we can become

a righteous people if we live a

righteous life we can become a righteous

people but scripture is very

clear in 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 5:21

5:21 the biblical respon response to

legalism is for our sake he made him to

be sin who knew no sin so that in him we

might become the righteousness of God in

Christ we receive God's righteousness

it's not in what we do and what we do

doesn't lead to who we are that's

legalism but there's another view as

well and that's l

ousness that what we

do doesn't

matter it doesn't matter what we

do an example of this is saying I can

live however I want because I think I'm

in right standing with

god well that

too goes against scripture and the

biblical response to that is 1 John 1

you remember in first John there's this

the litmus test of whether you're truly

a Believer or not and verse six says

this if we say we have fellowship with

him while we walk in darkness we lie and

do not practice the

truth well another view is called

moralism moralism is similar to

legalism and Lous because basically

moralism

the view of moralism is that we uh what

we believe doesn't

matter an example of this is the

statement that you may hear some people

say as long as I do what is right I say

I'm sorry when I messed

up God and me we're

okay it doesn't matter what you believe

in

moralism but scripture is very

clear that is by grace that you've been

saved through faith and that's not your

own doing it is the gift of God and it's

not as a result of works so that no one

can

boast well that leads us to the last

view the last view is

Grace you see grace Saving Grace says

who we are leads to what we

do you get it who we are leads to what

we

do an example of this is saying that our

standing with God leads us to want to

worship Him and want to serve him now

don't get these things

backwards Grace does not mean that what

we do doesn't

matter it doesn't mean we can live how

we want because God will always forgive

us no Grace teaches us and reminds us

that God is

better he's more Fuller more Fuller no

he's

Fuller he's richer than anything that's

ever been

created anything that we could ever

idolize God is

greater and if Ephesians 2:10 says for

Ephesians 2:10

we are his

workmanship and because we are his

workmanship created in Christ Jesus for

good works which God prepared beforehand

that we should walk in them you see

because of our standing with the

Lord God leads us to Good Works he leads

us to do things that honor him

and he desires for us to walk in

them I'll turn the page and let's dive a

little bit deeper into this passage of

scripture right at the top of the page I

want you to think about this because

this is very important the theological

basis for us living the Christian Life

or for Christian Living is Saving

Grace Saving Grace

understood meaning understanding who

Jesus is and what he did for us and

accepting Saving Grace accepting the

gift of God is

foundational for Christian

Living Saving Grace is

foundational so as we look at this

passage of scripture there are some

observations that I want you to see and

the first is this first I want you to

see the instru instructing power of

Grace look again back on Titus

Titus 2:11

2:11 says this for the grace of God has

appeared bringing salvation for all

people and verse 12 starts and it says

training us to do two things to renounce

ungodliness and worldly

passions and to live

self-controlled upright and godly lives

in the present age all the while while

we are waiting for the Blessed hope the

appearing of the glory of our great God

and Savior Jesus

Christ so as we think about the

instructing power of Grace I want you to

think about this with these four points

first the work of Grace is displayed in

the gospel the work of Grace is

displayed in the gospel what we see from

verse 11 12 and 13 we see Clarity in the

gospel we see what Grace does look at

verse 11 verse 11 tells us that Grace

saves us from the penalty of

sin Grace saves us from the penalty of

sin it says the grace of God has

appeared and what has the grace of God

done it is brought

salvation for all people now it doesn't

mean that all people are saved it means

that salvation is available to all

people all who trust in him so Grace

saves us from the penalty of sin now

there's a line to the left of where I

put verse 11 and I want you to think

about this because that line is for you

to write the word

past

past think about this in light of iians

2

1-6 says you are dead in your trespasses

and sin but as you come into verse four

it says but God being rich in

Mercy and because of his great love for

us so God Saves us from the penalty of

Sin from Death because of sin because

the scripture tells us the wages of sin

is death

so as we think about the work of Grace

Grace saves us from the penalty of sin

but also we see in verse 12 that Grace

saves us from the power of

sin now look back up at the top of the

page verse 12 in mold it says training

us to do two things one to renounce

ungodliness and worldly Passions but two

to live

self-controlled upright and godly lives

one we could say is negative to renounce

what is not god-honoring

and two it's positive to live in a way

that honors the

Lord so Grace saves us from the penalty

of sin but it also saves us from the

power of sin and that line to the left

of verse 12 that you have there on the

paper I want to encourage you as you

wrote past beside verse 11 write present

by verse 12 you see in the present where

we find

ourselves Grace saves us from the power

of sin so we can walk and live in a way

that glorifies and honors the Lord

but there's hope here about the future

as well verse 13 shows us that Grace

saves us from the presence of sin and

yes that line to the left write the word

future there as we think about waiting

for what look at it what it says in

verse 13 waiting for our blessed hope

the appearing of the glory Glory of our

great God and Savior

Jesus

Christ you see

it the work of Grace displayed in the

gospel frees us from the penalty the

power and one day the presence of

sin praise God for his

grace but the second point I want you to

see is

this the purpose of Grace

is man's Redemption and

Reconciliation now Romans 2:4 tells us

Romans 2:4

that the kindness of God leads us to

repentance and here as we look at verse

14 look at what it says up at the top of

the page who this is talking about Jesus

Christ who gave himself for us to redeem

us from all

ungodliness and to purify for himself a

people for his own possession who are

zealous for good

works you see Jesus purchased us from

all wickedness or

lawlessness the word that's used there

in verse 14 is the word

redeem it's the idea that you're

releasing someone who is captive

you see Romans 6 talks about how we are

slaves to

sin but yet it continues and reminds us

that when Christ came and

we have experienced Saving Grace now

we're no longer slaves to sin but we're

slaves to God he redeemed us he

purchased US 1 Peter 1: 18 and 19 remind

us and it uses the word not redeem but

it used the word

Ransom God ransomed us through Jesus but

not only did Jesus purchase us Jesus

clean cleansed us to be in right

standing with him the word that's used

there in verse 14 is the word

purify means to clean to cleanse and

that pure ification and allows us to do

two things one because God purified us

he creates a special relationship with

us 1 Peter chap 2:9 says but you are a

chosen race a royal priesthood a holy

nation a people for his own possession

that you may proclaim the excellencies

of him who called you out of Darkness

into His Marvelous Light you see there's

a special relationship your chosen

race you're a royal priesthood a holy a

set apart a holy nation a people that

are his own

possession but we also

see that in his cleansing he brings

glory to himself through good works

Matthew 5: 16 says in the same way let

your light shine before others so that

they may see your good works and give

glory to your father who is in heaven

see God works through

you so that as others look in your life

they can give glory to

him that's the secret sauce of Christian

Living right amen that God gets glory in

and through your life

but as you think about these words good

works they may see you good works and

even here in Titus it talks about Good

Works what are good works well good

works means work done in such a way as

to please God more than please

self to please God more than pleasing

others good works are those works that

honor the

Lord but also good works carry out the

purposes God set forth in his creation

of the

world good works are those that redeem

Brokenness good works are those that

reconcile people to themselves and

presenting truth to them so that they

can be reconciled to

God these are the purposes or is the

purpose of Grace but also I want you to

see the outcome of Grace the outcome of

Grace is a

transformed

life a life that's been

changed a life that has gone through a

metamorphosis a life that is honoring

and glorifying the

Lord it tells us in verse

14 that we have been

purified so that we would become a

people for his own possession and a

people who are zealous for good works

you see we are a possession of

God and scripture not only says that

here that we are his own Poss it also

tells us in Romans chap 6 verse 20 and

21 again this was referred to earlier

when I was talking about Romans chapter

Romans 6 · chapter mention

6 how we're no longer sa slaves to the

flesh or slaves to sin but we're slaves

to God for when you were slaves of

sin you were free in regard to

righteousness but what fruit were you

getting at that time from the things of

which you are now

ashamed for the end of those things is

death right the way ages what we get in

return for our sin is death but notice

verse

22 but now that you have been set free

from sin and have become slaves of

God you know a slave has no rights of

their own a slave is owned by someone

else so as a slave of God you are a

possession of God and look at what it

says at the end of verse 22 the fruit

you get leads to

sanctification and its end eternal life

so you see we are a possession of God

but we should display also this tells us

at the end of verse 14 we should display

enthusiasm in godh honoring

work displaying enthusiasm in God

honoring work well later on in Titus

Titus 3 · chapter mention

Chapter 3 the verse that I ended with as

we read through Titus 211 to 38 it says

this this saying is trustworthy and I

want you to

insist on these things so that those who

have believed in God may be careful to

devote themselves to Good Works to

devote yourself to be

enthusiastic and who are those who

should be enthusiastic about good work

well it

says those who believed in God so the

outcome of Grace is a transformed

life but the last thing I want you to

see in verse 15 is the message of Grace

is to be shared with all using biblical

Authority at the end of this section in

verses

11-15 Paul reminds Timothy timoth um

Titus Titus he says declare these things

exhort and rebuke with all

authority the word he uses there the in

verse 15 when he talks about Authority

is the same word that is used for Jesus

when Jesus has authority over demons you

remember

he cast out the demons into the pigs he

had authority over

demons or maybe you might remember when

Jesus was in the boat and he stealed the

sea and he showed his authority over the

weather well this is the same

word that Paul uses here

Authority and that Authority is found in

the Bible from the very word of

God so what are we to do with this

message we are to encourage the good

with the truths of the Gospel isn't that

what Paul's doing

here he's saying do these things declare

these things exhort encourage them plead

with

them and convince them of wrong or

correct them with all authority these

truths

we use these truths to encourage the

good reminds us of Galatians 2:20 that

Galatians 2:20

says I've been crucified with Christ it

is no longer I who live but Christ who

lives in

me again it's not Me In My Own Strength

doing these things that honor and please

the lord it's Christ in me and he says

and the life I now live in the flesh I

live live by faith in the Son of God who

loved me and gave himself for me you see

we're to encourage the

good

but Paul writes to Titus and he tells

him here we are to correct the bad with

the authority of the

Bible reminds me of Hebrews 4:12 for the

Hebrews 4:12

word of God is living and active sharper

than any double or twoed sword piercing

to the division of Soul and Spirit of

joints and Marrow and Discerning the

thoughts and the intentions of the

heart you see on the authority of the

scriptures like a two-edged sword it can

Pierce

through what perceives to be good work

but done with wrong

motives and

revealing eror

ER and so the the word of God we can use

it to correct the bad with all authority

and we can also use it we are to speak

it to everyone we are to speak to

everyone the principles of scripture

speak to

everyone at the end of verse 15 he says

let no

one disregard

you the word disregard there means means

to think around or to to get around

you so with scripture and the principles

of scripture we can do one of my

favorite verses and that is remember

that all scriptures God breathed and

that it's profitable for teaching for

reproof for correction and for training

in

righteousness so as we think think about

what Paul has written to Timothy here in

verses 11-1 15 there are some

application questions I know we usually

say application to the end but you guys

that have been here when I've preached

before you know I throw some application

in the middle okay so application

questions let's start with this what has

God's Saving Grace taught

you and I put that statement name

something because I know usually we go

oh yeah yeah it's taught me a lot okay

it doesn't

help what has God's Saving Grace taught

you Paul reminds Titus that God's grace

the grace of God trains us it teaches us

so what has it taught you second

question have you trusted in Jesus's

death death burial and

Resurrection this my

friends is what Paul defines in

Corinthians as the gospel have you

trusted in who Jesus is and what he has

done for

you let me say before you can do any of

this other

stuff this is the starting point for you

couple of other questions does knowing

and believing the gospel cause you to

live

differently is your life different than

your neighbor's life who doesn't know

the

Lord is your life different than your

co-worker's

life or when you're with your coworker

or your neighbor do you become a

chameleon and just kind of fit in using

the same

vocabulary doing the same things that

your neighbor and your coworker do that

don't honor and please the Lord and

lastly we can't avoid what verse 15 says

to us here and how Paul is charging

Titus but by extension Paul is charging

us to declare these things the truths of

the Gospel we're to declare them we're

to save them to exhort to plead with

people to trust in the gospel and to

convince them of their wrong or correct

them or rebuke them so the question

that's here is is the grace of God in

Christ something you

regularly talk about with

others is it a Sunday morning

activity you know as men we're really

good at compartmentalizing right this is

my Sunday morning church this is my work

this is my family this is

this but what Paul is writing in Titus

is he's challenging

Titus you should declare these things

you should talk about these things you

should announce these things Reve the

truth of the

gospel and let no one disregard

you regularly talking about it to all

people let's turn the

page and let's see what Titus 3 1-8

reminds us of you see right from the

very beginning as we move into Titus 3

verse one Paul

says Titus remind them of some things

that they must

do remind them so as we think about this

section I want you to see the pressing

reminders of

Grace first we see that Grace changes

your

conduct and let me say it again just to

make sure that we're all

clear without a personal experience

of Saving

Grace we lack the right

incentive and the confidence to teach so

social ethics to anyone

else that's what John stot

said so for you to understand this it's

reminding them of things that they know

are

true that's what Paul is doing here for

Titus and this this is what Paul's doing

to us remind them Grace changes your

conduct you

see how does it change your conduct well

toward those in

Authority you submit and

Obey right off to the side there Romans

Romans 3:1

3:1 and first Peter 2: 13 and

14 you see our conduct should change

toward those that are in Authority it

shouldn't be you don't have the right to

tell me these

things it should be okay I submit I obey

I

follow well also our conduct should

change toward

tasks it tells us in verse one to to be

submissive to rulers and authorities to

be obedient but then it says to be ready

for every good

work toward task we should be prepared

to serve

eagerly ready

prepared to serve to do what God desires

for us to do and what are some of those

things that God desires for us to

do God desires for us to share the

truths of the Gospel we we already

talked about that God also desires for

us to not forsake the assembling of

ourselves together as the manner of

some but to encourage all one another

all the more as we see the day

approaching God desires for us to

continually be shaped to become more

like

Christ but also Grace changes our

conduct toward others

verse two tells us that we're to speak

evil of no one to avoid quarreling to be

gentle to show perfect courtesy toward

all people so toward others we to be

careful in our

speech not be flippant but be

careful to be careful in unity not to be

Divi

divisive to be gentle or

Meek and to be considered

of others that last

phrase says to show perfect courtesy

toward all

people it's not just be courteous it's

perfect

courtesy what a

challenge but Grace also changes your

conduct but also Grace humbles you

because of your past look at what he

says in verse three

for we ourselves were once foolish

disobedient LED astray slaves to various

passions and Pleasures passing our days

in Malice and envy hating hated by

others and hating one

another you see when we think about our

past it should cause us to

really praise God for his wonderful

Saving Grace

when you recall the depths of human

depravity without Christ the depths do

you see them as you look at verse

three there's deception being led astray

there's

Disobedience there's being enslaved to

something there's evil attitude or

depravity there's unquenchable desire

there's disregard for others

to put

it in an easy way for me to

understand it's being ruled and reigned

By Me Myself and

I but you see when you recall the depths

of human depravity without Christ it

should cause you to say praise God for

his wonderful gift of

Salvation maybe you you regret the dis

the Despicable character

traits hated by

others you know it stands out to me at

the end of verse three it says hated by

others and

hating one another this is the only

place in all of scripture it talks about

hating one

another what a Despicable character

trait

that you're driven by

hate or maybe you bemoan the broken

relationships with people maybe as you

look back at your past and you see your

own sinfulness you see this

wake of broken

relationships where you hurt people Time

and Time and Time time

again you see grace humbles

us reminds us how far from God we really

were but yet also Grace

explains your

salvation Grace explains your salvation

look here in this passage in verses

4-7 what God shares with us about his

work in Salvation these are good works

of righteousness and love look he gave

us his own Mercy verse four tells us but

when the goodness and loving kindness

right above that you can put

mercy of God our savior

appeared he saved us the reason why I

bolded that on the paper there is

because that is the main phrase we need

to keep in mind he said saved us for

those of us who are in right standing

with God it's not because of us it's

because of him it's because of his Mercy

it's because of his grace it's because

of his loving kindness toward us he

gives us his

Mercy he gives us a new

beginning it tells us in verse 5 by the

washing of regeneration and the renewal

of the Holy Spirit there's

regeneration being made new A New

Beginning there's also

renewal God gives us a new beginning he

gives us a new standing SE it in verse 7

so that being justified by his grace no

longer are we condemned by his grace we

are justified by his

grace and because of that we might

become hires according to the hope of

eternal life and that points us to he

gives us a new

future he gives us a new F future the

future is the hope that we have of

eternal

life well

lastly look at verse eight with me

verse 8

says the saying is trustworthy and I

want you to insist on these things so

that those who have believed in God may

be careful to devote themselves to good

works these

things are excellent and profitable for

all

people verse 15 reminds us that we can

see the insisting teachings of

Grace insisting you see what he says

verse 8 I want you to insist on these

things what are the insisting teachings

of

Grace the

teachings number one it's the teachings

about

Grace that keep us devoted to Good

Works devoted

now

again we should all affirm good works

works that honor the Lord works that

further his

plan which are Works about

reconciliation and works about needed

Redemption but secondly I want you to

see the teachings about Grace are valued

and helpful for all people he says these

things verse 8 I want you to insist on

these things and then later at the end

of verse eight he says these things are

excellent and profitable for people and

let's just say Saving Grace is excellent

and profitable for all people all need

to know the truth of the Gospel

good

works again are not the basis of

salvation but listen they are an

essential evidence of

Salvation so as you think about

approaching

2025 are you going to

walk in the truths of the Gospel are you

going to rest in the truths of the

Gospel are you going to honor the Lord

are you going to do what he desires for

you to

do are you going to be

purposeful in your

conversations are you going to be

purposeful in your work purposeful in

your living purposeful with your

family well as we turn this new year

it's a great time for us to make a fresh

new commitment to the Lord to say I will

live for you in

2025 well there are application

questions

here and I want you to see these because

I this is very

important do those who are around you

see a submissive

obedient diligent and courteous person

you see if Grace changes your

conduct this should be a

no-brainer but I'm asking you this

question because I want you to think

about that has your

conduct

changed because of the Gospel that is in

you

secondly when you think of life before

Christ do you do you

mourn or do you

celebrate your

depravity have you ever been around

someone who talks about their life

before Christ and it sounds like that

was much better than their life after

Christ you see grace humbles you because

of your past when you look at your past

we should mourn because of a the

separation from God mourn because of the

destruction that we've

caused not glorify it not celebrate

it when you think of your salvation do

you live a life of gratitude to

God can others see it in what you do and

how you glorify

God I know that's not there but I think

that's that's an

important pair to that question and

lastly are you insistent on gathering in

a place where you can remember God's

Saving

Grace you know the easy thing to do is

to go outside and look and go oh it's

raining I don't need to go I don't need

to go to church

today oh it's raining

I might just miss growth group today or

Sunday seminar because you know I can

say it's raining and it's harder to get

to to church

today are you insistent on gathering in

a place where you can remember God's

Saving

Grace brothers that's why Hebrews

encourage us

us to not forsake the assembling of

ourselves

together and to encourage one

another

why because we see a day

approaching so brothers and

sisters on this day I encourage you to

think about living between grace and

Glory think about living right now think

about 2025 and think about these last

few days of

2024 and I pray that you will answer the

question that is here before us as we

think about living between Glory uh

Grace and glory and that is I will serve

the Lord because of his Saving

Grace he died for me will you live for

him let's go to Lord in prayer