Thursday, December 24, 2009

At Christmas "The Grace of God Has Appeared," Part 4 of 9

TEXT: "That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works" (Titus 2:10b-14).

IDEA: Just as the grace of God has appeared, so the glory of God will appear.

PURPOSE: to help listeners feel the hope of Christ’s second coming.

One name for the Christmas season is Advent: What does that refer to?

When we think of Advent, what usually comes to our mind?

To the writers of the New Testament and to thoughtful Christians, Advent refers to both comings of Jesus into the world:

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.  (NKJV)

I. Just as the grace of God has appeared, so the glory of God will appear.

The “appearing” in verse 13 is the same word used in verse 11to describe Christ’s first coming. What are the differences in the two appearances?

In the first advent, we see the display of God’s grace. In the second advent we see the display of God’s glory = the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

When we think of the word glory, what comes to mind? The root idea is weight, honor. But the root idea isn’t always the same as the picture of glory that comes into our minds.  If I say to you, “It was a glorious day,” what would that mean to you?  Probably that the day was radiant or brilliant.

The glorious appearing of Jesus Christ will reveal the complete display of the perfections that make up His character.

In His first coming, His glory was covered with His humanity (apart from the Transfiguration and the miracles). But when HE returns, we will see Him in all of that radiance.

II. How does the second coming in glory compare to Jesus’ first coming in grace?

He came as a helpless baby in a peasant’s arms, but will return as sovereign Lord of the universe.

In the first He was attended by shepherds, but in the second by a retinue of angels.The first coming gave us the sound of a baby’s cry, but the second will be with the sound of a trumpet that will waken the dead.

In the first coming, Jesus came to save the world, and in the second He will judge the world.

III. How we think of his coming again ought to shape what we think of His presence now.

He is no longer a peasant but a reigning king (Revelation 1).

If we live in the light of the second coming, we live in the light of the fact that the one who died for us now reigns over us.