Sermon: “The Good News of a Transformed Life”
Titus 2:11-15
Sermon Series: “The Gospel”
Main Idea: Jesus died in order to transform our lives.
Introduction: As we have examined the gospel and especially looked at the cross, we have seen that Jesus sacrificed Himself to the Father as our substitute to satisfy the wrath of God. However, the death of Christ is also for us and has many built-in benefits. One of those benefits is the fact that Jesus died to transform our lives. As we look at this passage of Scripture this weekend, we are going to see that true salvation frees us from sin instead of freeing us to sin. It is an ungodly, Satanic lie to think that the purpose of God’s grace is to enable us to live however we want to live and still go to heaven when we die. An unsaved person would really be miserable in heaven. Also, we are going to see how the grace of God empowers those of us who do know Jesus to live victorious, God-honoring lives.
Ways People Attempt To Follow God:
Legalism Liberty License
How Salvation Works In Our Lives
Justification (Saved immediately from sin’s penalty)
Sanctification (Saved progressively from sin’s power)
Glorification (Saved eternally from sin’s presence)
Truths From Titus 2:11-15
1. Jesus died in our place as our substitute. The beginning of verse 14 says that Jesus “gave Himself for us.” “For” is the Greek preposition “huper,” which means “in place of.” Jesus died for our sins in our place in order to satisfy the wrath of God. He died the death that we deserved to die. This is the only way that we can be rescued from sin, death, and hell (the meaning of salvation) and brought to God. This is the grace of God.
2. However, when Jesus died, He also died to transform our lives. This new life is one that is:
A. Set free from sin (not to sin-see Romans 6). Jesus died to “redeem us from every lawless dead.” In this case, “redeem” means “to pay a price in order to set free.”
B. Purified as the special and personal possession of God. There are several implications here. First, this refers to the corporate nature of Christianity. It is talking about the church, which is all the redeemed who are the people of God. Second, it refers to the fact that we are cleansed by the blood of Christ (1 John 1:7). Third, it refers to the fact that we belong to God. He chose us to be His own (1 Peter 2:9-10). Fourth, it refers to the fact that we are unique and special as the people of God (the King James translation uses the term peculiar, which means unique and special instead of weird).
C. Zealous to do good works. Zealous means “eager.” What are you zealous about? We are not saved by good works, but we are saved to do good works (Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 3:4-8). We cannot actually do works that please God until we are saved because we are rejecting His Son and do not have the motive of glorifying Him.
3. We are able to live a transformed life by the power of God’s grace enabling us to obey (v. 11-13). There is a balance here. Philippians 2:12b-13 say, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
We are to say no to ungodliness and worldly lusts.
B. We are to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age.
C. We are to look for the glorious return of Jesus Christ. His return gives us hope and confidence, but it also challenges us to live a righteous life. It is also our hope as far as being completely delivered from sin.
