marvelous grace

A terrific sermon from Kyle this weekend-- great information and very moving at the end...

The text was Titus 2:11-14...

11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Kyle talked about three kinds of grace from this passage:

-11b's "appearing grace"-- from the Greek word that gives us "epiphany", what Kyle described as the welcoming front porch of God's offer of His grace

-11a's "grace that brings salvation"-- what Kyle described as the front door, as we decide to accept His grace. He asked which keys fit the door...Only the grace of God, not our works. According to Christianity, being "a good person" won't get that door open.

-12-14's "teaching grace"-- from the Greek word that gives us "pedagogy", the sanctifying grace that transforms the disciple over time

From there, he turned to the use of fear and guilt-- rather than grace-- to attempt transformation. The result, typically, is short-term behavioral change without a larger, long-term, biblical heart change.

His analogy of being a clean-closet person (and the role of grace instead of fear and guilt)-- rather than merely a person with a clean closet-- was outstanding.

And 29 minutes into the sermon, he fits John 8 into the framework of the message: "I don't know her name, but I know her story-- it's my story." In it, he talks about the inner guilt of the woman, the fear of the accusing Pharisees, and the transforming grace of Jesus Christ.

Then he turns to the story of John Newton before the powerful finish.

May all of us be more transformed by the remarkable grace of God...