1. I would like to preach this morning on the subject of the grace of God.   Grace can be simply defined as God’s unmerited favor.
2. This important doctrine, the doctrine of God’s grace, is the watershed that divides Bible Christianity from all other religions.  For example, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that the grace of God is mediated through her priests and sacraments; but certainly this teaching is not taught in the Bible.
3. Someone has said that an easy way to remember the doctrine of grace is by the acronym:
4. God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
5. In Titus 3:4, Paul expresses a parallel thought.  There he says, “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared.”
6. Therefore, grace is “the kindness and love of God.”
7. We often refer to the church age as “the dispensation of grace.”  This is not to suggest that God’s grace was not available before Calvary.  Rather it means that the grace of God was poured out in an abundant way when Christ died for our sins.

9. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).
10. Sinners have always been saved by grace.  Genesis 6:8 says, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”
11. Rom. 4:4 says Abraham was saved by God's grace through faith.
12. And then Paul goes on to explain how David was saved by the grace of God.
13. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8, 9).
14. Jesus Christ is the supreme revelation of God’s grace.  He is the grace of God personified.
15. Grace governs and empowers Christian living.   We are not only saved by grace – we are kept by grace and we live by grace.
16. Second Peter 3:18 says we are to, "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
17. In fact, if you look at the context, Peter is saying that growing in grace will help us to remain steadfast and avoid backsliding (II Peter 3:17).
18. The very last verse in the Bible is, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" (Rev. 22:21).
19. Titus 2:11, 12 says, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world."
20. Therefore, grace teaches us.   This morning I would like for us to consider some of the lessons taught by the grace of God.

I. GRACE TEACHES US TO DENY UNGODLINESS (TIT. 2:12)

1. God’s grace trains us in the school of holiness. Grace does not eradicate ungodliness and worldly lusts, but it causes us to deny them.  Grace teaches us to "live godly in this present world."
2. Only the grace of God can do that. Philosophy cannot teach us to deny ungodliness.
3. Ethics cannot teach us to deny ungodliness.
4. Education cannot teach us to deny ungodliness.
5. Even church standards and rules cannot teach us to deny ungodliness.  But grace can, and grace does.
6. This is similar to what Peter teaches in II Peter 3:17, 18.
7. Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness by the impulsive power of gratitude.  Jesus died for our sins.  Jesus saved us from our sins.  Now how can we displease Him by indulging in ungodly behaviour?  Grace teaches us this.
8. Grace instills in us a determination to "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called."
9. Grace teaches us that we are not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God (Eph. 4:30).  And ungodliness grieves the Holy Spirit.
10. In fact, twice in the Bible the Holy Spirit is referred to as "the Spirit of grace" (Zech. 12:10; Hebrews 10:29).
11. “Ungodliness” includes anything that is contrary to God, anything that displeases God – lying, cheating, stealing, bad language, bad attitude, pre-marital or extra-marital sex, anything that goes against the Word of God.
12. Romans 1:18 says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men."
13. And then Paul refers specifically to ungodliness (Rom. 1:19-32).

II. GRACE TEACHES US TO DENY WORLDLY LUSTS (2:12).

1. enying ungodliness and worldly lusts” (Titus 2:12).
2. “Worldly lusts” refers to worldly desires, not just sexual sins but also lust for money, lust for power, lust for pleasure, lust for fame and fortune, and so on.
3. "Worldly lusts" are those affections and appetites which dominate and regulate worldly men and women.
4. It is the heart craving worldly objects, pleasures, honours, riches. It is an undue absorption with those things which serve only a temporary purpose and use.
5. "Worldly lusts" cause the things of heaven to be crowded out by the interests and concerns of earth. This may be done by things which are quite lawful in themselves, but through an immoderate use they gain possession of the heart.
6. For example, it is good to be industrious and to work hard and so on.  But when people leave little time for church and Bible reading because they are so busy working and making money, they are in trouble.
7. Most people think NYC is an ungodly city because of all the crime and drugs and immorality, etc.  Certainly that is true, but have you considered that NYC is an ungodly city because most people (even many Christians) are caught up in the "rat race."
8. "Worldly lusts" are "the lusts of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (1 John 2:16).
9. God's grace teaches us to "deny ungodliness and worldly lusts." It does this by putting upon us "the fear of the Lord," so that we departs from evil.
10. Acts 9:31 says the Christians were "walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost."
11. You cannot have one without the other, and I think it is significant that the fear of the Lord is mentioned first.
12. Do you remember when the repentant thief rebuked the impenitent thief?   He said to him, "Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?" (Luke 23:40).
13. Grace teaches us to deny worldly lusts by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit (cf. Gal. 5:22-26).
14. Grace teaches us by causing us to subordinate the interests of the body unto the higher interests of the soul. That is why the apostle Paul said, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (I Cor. 9:27).
15. One of the biggest challenges today is trying to keep worldliness out of our lives, out of our church, out of our homes, and out of our thinking.
16. The apostle Peter says: “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” (I Peter 2:11).
17. Worldliness and worldly lusts hinder us from serving the Lord effectively (cf. I John 2:15-17; James 4:4).
18. We do not hear much preaching against worldliness these days – that’s because many preachers are worldly themselves!
19. A missionary told me he was invited by a pastor to watch a Hollywood movie in his home.   The missionary said he felt very embarrassed because the movie was dirty.
20. The missionary said that the pastor laughed and said, "Don't be legalistic!  We are under grace, not the law!"
21. I hear that kind of talk often, but it is a misunderstanding of grace (Romans 6:1, 2, 14; Jude 4).
22. The missionary wisely excused himself and left the room.  He told me he was not surprised about a year later when he heard that that pastor was kicked out of his church for immorality.
23. A number of years ago, my wife and I went upstate to visit some friends.  Their pastor rebuked me and criticized me because he said I was too strict.
24. I wasn't surprised when I heard later on he was kicked out of his church for committing adultery with a teenage girl.

III. GRACE TEACHES US HOW TO LIVE GODLY (2:12).

1. Another important lesson from God’s school of grace is that “we should live soberly” (Titus 2:12; cf. 2:2).   This means self-controlled.
2. We should live “righteously” (2:12), i.e., honestly.  We need to be truthful.
3. We should live “godly in this present world” (2:12), this means completely devoted to God.  
4. George Whitefield often declared that he would rather have a church with ten men in it right with God than one with 500 whom the world laughs at behind their backs.
5. Soberly – this speaks of our duty to ourselves.
6. Righteously -- this speaks of our duty to our neighbors.
7. Godly – this speaks of our duty to God.
8. The grace of God teaches us valuable lessons on how to live the Christian life.  First, the grace of God saves us (2:11); then the grace of God instructs us on how to live, and thirdly, the grace of God motivates us.
9. The blessed hope (2:13), the glorious appearing of our Lord is the most powerful motive for godly living (cf. I John 3:2, 3).

CONCLUSION:

1. There was a young lawyer down in Georgia who was invited to deliver an address of welcome to the Governor on a Monday evening.   He took great pains to prepare his speech, realizing that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
2. Then he received a telegram on Monday, saying that the Governor’s visit would be delayed until Wednesday evening.
3. Immediately he wrote a letter back to the committee that a previous engagement would prevent his being present on Wednesday evening.   Even though he spent a lot of time working on this speech, and even though giving this speech would certainly mean a big promotion for him, and even though he was looking forward to meeting the Governor, nothing could cause him to miss this “previous engagement.”
4. Do you know what this engagement was?   Regular Wednesday night prayer meeting at his church – he never missed prayer meeting.
5. Do you have this kind of devotion to God?   Are you “godly”?  (2:12)