Titus: Displaying the Gospel of God's Grace预览

Have either of these things happened to you?

You cut someone off in traffic only to remember you have your church's bumper sticker stuck on the back of your vehicle.

You are visibly and verbally exasperated in the checkout line only to look down and see you're wearing a Christian T-shirt.

Ugh.

Sadly, we often act in ways that contradict the gospel of grace we profess. Sure, we all have our moments, but those who claim Christ ought to be living, breathing examples of what it looks like to belong to Him. Today’s text encourages us to live as representatives of God's grace by preparing ourselves for every good work in the world.

Think about some places in your life where you’d like to see more consistency between what you believe and how you live. Ask God for His help!

The message of the gospel is not just for the non-believer but also for the Christian—every single day. We must remember the good work that God did in us through His Son in order to rightly engage in the good works He’s set before us. How does remembering the gospel (Titus 3:3-7) motivate you to do good works?

Sometimes, “remembering the gospel” can feel a little cliche. What does it actually mean to remember the gospel? Well, you’ve been doing that all week! Remembering the gospel is reflecting on who you were before Christ and who you are in him. It means pushing back against the lies of the enemy with the truth of God’s Word. It is acknowledging the ways you’re falling short and humbly asking for God’s help.

Think about a recent moment when you found yourself needing to remember you aren’t saved by your righteous works but by God’s mercy. How could preaching the gospel to yourself have helped in that moment?

Maybe you snapped at your children when they asked the same question for the tenth time. Instead of resolving they deserved it, or wallowing in shame, preach the gospel to yourself by remembering the patience of God to sinners (Rom. 2:4). This presents an opportunity to apologize to your kiddos and welcome them to reflect upon the kindness of God through Christ as you seek to be patient with one another.

You may have failed to live up to the expectations you set for yourself at school, at work, or in other areas of your life. Remind yourself that your work will never be enough. You will always fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23) and can only be made right with Him through what Christ has done for you (2 Cor. 5:21).

You might feel like you deserve more than what you’ve received because you’re working hard for the Lord! But when you preach the gospel to yourself you’ll be reminded that you have not received what you deserve (death), but you’ve been given infinitely more than you deserve through the saving work of Christ (Rom. 6:23).

Instead of brushing such feelings under the rug, seek to apply the gospel to whatever hard thing you’re walking through and allow its truths to renew your mind (Rom. 12:2). The more you meditate on the saving grace of God and apply it to your own life, the more you’ll be ready to share this gospel hope with the people around you!

My (Hunter's) grandmother, Grand Ann, suffered from debilitating memory loss at the end of her life. Though she couldn't remember to take her medication in the morning, and she often forgot people's names, she was always talking about the love of Jesus. Even in her feeble state, the good news of the gospel was constantly on her lips. Why? Because she had a habit of regularly rehearsing its truths.

When you reach the end of your life, what of your spoken words do you want to be known for? Consider the things you constantly meditate on. Are they moving you closer to or further away from the woman in Christ you want to become? May we, like Paul and Grand Ann, spend every moment we have insisting on the good news of the gospel, knowing it is the most important message of all.