According To His Mercy
Introduction:
What motivates you to attend services? What motivates you to
live a godly life? What motivates you to maintain good works?
The text for this lesson is a motivational one to inspire us to
live a more dedicated life.
Text:
Titus 3:3-8, “For we ourselves were also once foolish,
disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures,
living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But
when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man
appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of
regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured
out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that
having been justified by His grace we should become heirs
according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a faithful
saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that
those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain
good works. These things are good and profitable to men.” (NKJV)
Background: In the
preceding verses Paul instructed Christians to treat others with
kindness, gentleness, and respect, In our text he tries to
motivate us to do this by reminding us of how we used to be
before becoming Christians, why we need regeneration, what God
has done for us, and the hope we now enjoy.
Body:
1.
Why We Need Regeneration
(vs 3)
a.
A description of what we were
without Christ. Ephesians 2:12, “that at that time you
were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of
Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no
hope and without God in the world.” Colossians 1:21-22,
“And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by
wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His
flesh through death…”
b.
This sinful world is controlled by
Satan. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, “But even if our gospel is
veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose
minds the god of this age [satan] has blinded, who do
not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of
Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”
People of the world serve Satan.
The phrase “god of this world” (or “god of this age”) indicates
that Satan has a major influence on the ideals, opinions, goals,
hopes and views of the majority of people. His influence also
encompasses the world’s philosophies, education, and commerce.
The thoughts, ideas, speculations and false religions of the
world are under his control and have sprung from his lies and
deceptions.
c.
Characteristics of sinners: Titus
3:3, Romans 1:29-30
i.
Foolish – without knowledge of
spiritual matters. (Romans 1:21-25)
ii.
Disobedient - in rebellion against
God's authority. (Titus 3:3, 1 Peter 2:8)
iii.
Deceived - being LED astray by
others. (1 Peter 2:25, 2 Timothy 3:11)
iv.
slaves of last and sensual
pleasures - given over completely to them. (Romans 1:26)
v.
Living in malice and envy - kept
hatred in their hearts for others and resented what they had.
(Romans 1:29-30)
vi.
Hateful and hating one another - a
wicked attitude causing wicked behavior. (Psalms 36:2-4)
vii.
All these things describe us before
we knew Christ. “There is none good no not one” that's why we
desperately need regeneration.
2.
What God has done for us
(Titus 3: 4-7)
a.
God is called our savior because he
originated the scheme of redemption - the plan of salvation.
His response two hour need for salvation is seen in four
attributes:
i.
God's kindness - goodness of heart
- gracious generosity. He delivered us from a miserable and
wicked state we were in before obeying the gospel. We were like
those in Ephesians 2:1-3, “And you He made alive, who were
dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of
disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves
in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh
and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as
the others.”
ii.
God's love toward man -
philanthropy - his love had no limits. John 3: 16. His son
Jesus died for all. Romans 5: 6-8. So everyone has an
opportunity for eternal life in heaven.
iii.
God's mercy - an expression of
sympathy for the misery of another period real compassion
demands we become involved. This is just what God did. God
became involved with man's need for salvation. Man could not
save himself. A savior was needed so one was sent. Luke 2: 8-11.
iv.
God's grace - undeserved favor.
Ephesians 2: 8-9
3.
What was the result?
a.
He saved us - made us safe from the
power of sin. Romans 6: 17-18. Safe from eternal consequences of
sin- matthew 1: 21.
b.
He justified us - this is a legal
term. Pronounced not guilty. Completely exonerated - not even
slightly guilty of our sins. Appearing as if we had never
sinned.
c.
He made us heirs of God - Romans 8:
14-17.
d.
He gave us hope of eternal life -
Titus 1: 1-2.
4.
Conclusion:
a.
To receive the wonderful blessings
just discussed, one must have that washing of regeneration.
b.
Once sin has entered our life and
made us unclean, no amount of good works can undo the damage
that has been done unless one experiences this washing. In
other words, there must first be a regeneration; a conversion.
c.
How is this accomplished? Let's
look at Ephesians 5:25-26, “Husbands, love your wives, just
as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26
that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water
by the word,” the Lord's church is cleansed by washing of
water by the word. Add to this 1 Peter 1:22-23, “Since you
have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit
in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with
a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed
but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and
abides forever,” we learn from Romans 1: 16 that the gospel
is the power of God unto salvation. Through the gospel we learn
how we are cleansed and regenerated and converted.
d.
We are cleansed by having faith in
the son of God which leads us to turn to God, confess his name,
and be immersed/baptized. And with this immersion, our sins are
washed away. Acts2:38; 22: 16.
e.
Cleansed by the washing of water.
This process of conversion produces a new creation, 2
Corinthians 5:17-18, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he
is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all
things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has
reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us
the ministry of reconciliation” . What a beautiful picture
this is.
Prepared by Bobby Stafford.
The church of Christ at
Granby, MO
Located at
516 East Pine St.
P.O. Box 664
Granby, Mo. 64844
(417) 472-7109
For more lessons and Sermons
please visit
https://granbychurchofchrist.org/
https://granbychurchofchrist.com/
