For the grace of God has appeared. Bringing salvation for all people. That means Jesus, the grace of God, has appeared. Jesus sent to earth, that is, God with skin on. He came down and lived among us. Full of grace, bringing salvation for all people. And though it is available for all people, we know from the scriptures that not all will be saved.
That it’s for only those who surrender in their faith to Jesus. And what does this surrendered life look like? How does it practically work out?
—
Pastor Mike Candy
Excerpt taken from “Baptism Service: February 2024”
Video Transcript:
I’m going to just share with you a little bit, kind of set the stage for where we, are going this morning.
baptism as many of you may know, some of you may not know is really a symbol. It’s a symbol of what God has done in the lives of those that know him. Baptism does not make you a Christian. It declares that you already are. That’s why you’ll see each person that comes into the tank this morning, wearing one of these shirts that says forgiven.
they’re wearing it before they enter the tank because it’s a declaration that God has already done something in their lives. And so when each person goes under the water, you’ll hear us say, in the likeness of his death. And as we bring them back up out of the water, we’ll say, in the likeness of the resurrection of Jesus.
In the same way that he died and rose again, baptism displays this union that we have with him, this connection to him. We too have died to an old way of life and have been raised to a new way of life. And now, reborn, we get to live out that faith. Joe mentioned each person is going to testify and share in their own unique way of ways that God has drawn, them to himself.
However, there’s one specific thread that runs common throughout, and that’s what I wanted to share with you this morning. We’re really all telling small parts. Of the big story of what God has been doing all along, God’s story. and I want to read to you just a, a passage this morning that is really a summary, of the whole gospel in one short section.
So, if you want to turn with me, we’re going to be in the book of Titus. Now, I realize Titus might take you all of my entire sermon to find. It’s one of those difficult books. as the Spirit of God would have it, if you go Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, we get to the T books in the New Testament.
First and second, Thessalonians, then first and second, Timothy, and then on to Titus. They’re in alphabetical order in the T’s, okay? The T’s are in alphabetical order, so check them out. it is page 938. If you got one of the Bibles in the pew, you’re like, why didn’t you just say that at the beginning?
That’s all I needed to know. But I’d like you to look at the, at the passage, click it on your phone, find it. We’re going to be in Titus chapter 2 just for a minute here this morning. I want you to see these words because there are no slides, but I want you to also hear them this morning too. We’re in Titus chapter 2 verse 11.
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people. Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self controlled upright and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Father, this is a dense portion of scripture. And I pray, Lord, with, the power of your spirit, might you allow us to comprehend how, how incredible your love is, how intentional your plan is. And Lord, as we hear stories this morning of, of ways that you have delivered people out of sin and, and their own darkness and brought them into a new relationship with you.
Lord, convince us that this saving power is still available today for those that do not know you. God, I pray, you would teach us this morning in many ways this morning. We pray in your name, amen. So I just want to walk verse by verse really quickly through this here. I only have like two minutes left, right?
So you’re, you’re going to, it’s going to be quick for the grace of God has appeared. Bringing salvation for all people. That means Jesus, the grace of God, has appeared. Jesus sent to earth, that is, God with skin on. He came down and lived among us. Full of grace, bringing salvation for all people. And though it is available for all people, we know from the scriptures that not all will be saved.
That it’s for only those who surrender in their faith to Jesus. And what does this surrendered life look like? How does it practically work out? Well, we walk in this grace. Look at verse 12, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.
This is the work of Jesus. This is the work of grace in our lives. He gives grace, not just for a new identity, but for a new way to live. We’re not just saved from the penalty of sin. We are reprogrammed to, to want and desire his way of life. We’re delivered from the power of sin now, not just eternally, but now here living godly lives in this present age.
That is the training ground of grace. And you might notice in some of the stories this morning and in your own life, you and I have not graduated from this Institute of Grace yet. We are all in process. And so as you hear stories this morning, you might still pick up that they don’t have all of the finer points of theology figured out and everything.
You and I probably are still growing in that as well. And so as we follow Christ. We’re living to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, living new lives because of grace. Here’s what it says though. We’re, we’re training and living in this world, but we’re also waiting, verse 13, for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and savior, Jesus Christ.
Our eyes are fixed, not just here, but also on a time to come, a return of Christ to dwell among us. A recreation of this world, fully glorified beings we will be for those that have a relationship with him. And for this we wait, for this we wait. But in this waiting process, we don’t just gather here, hide and, and live as, we, we might call it the holy huddle.
We’re sent out to live on display waiting for this return. How is this all possible? Verse 14. Remember this, Jesus gave himself for us in his death on the cross to redeem us, to buy us back from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works by his death in our place.
Through faith, we are redeemed, bought back from the power of sin. Made new in his image, purified and given to do good works in his name. Not as a way to earn, but as a way of worship. We live this out. Man, if, if you ever want to just present the gospel in, in, in full, go to Titus 2, use this passage. It’s got it all.
Jesus, the rescuer, came to buy us back. So, as you come this morning and as we hear stories of people and their testimony of what God has done in their life, we say this each time, I want you to look, to listen, and respond. Look, there, there’s something visible happening this morning. This is not just testimony, but it’s actually displaying, again, that buried with him and raised to new life, this is baptism.
I want you to listen carefully to the words spoken and also to respond, knowing that as people share their stories, there will be things that potentially you hear that connect to your story. Possibly, it’s through adoption, maybe a connection that you’ve made. Maybe it’s through, struggles with parents, or things that you’ve, wrestled with through your lives.
Maybe there’s, someone that, sensed the stage of a midst of confusion, that they were just unsure about where to go, or they were pursuing darkness, and God rescued them. Might I suggest that you’re here this morning because God wants to encourage the body of Christ. That God wants to do something specific in these baptisms, that might speak to you.
So if you’re here and maybe you feel triggered by someone’s story or, or things that they have gone through, we want to walk through this with you. God is drawing you in and he’d love to, build a relationship with you.