Opening Prayer
My God, let Your grace sanctify me thoroughly and completely. Amen.
Text: Titus 2:11-14
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.
Devotion
This is God’s saving grace, His saving grace: that Jesus Christ gave Himself for us to justify, sanctify, and glorify us. It is grace, undeserved love and goodness, the opposite of what we deserved. And we must learn that our salvation is pure grace, so that we come directly into the blessed state of freedom!
This grace is sanctifying, for God’s Son has redeemed us from all unrighteousness and taken away our sin. Whoever is baptized in Him believes in Him, in other words, whoever receives grace is righteous, holy, and blessed. And when this saving grace rules in the heart, it causes us to turn away from all ungodliness and worldly desires and drives us to lead a wise, righteous, and godly life. The ungodly turn away from God in indifference and slavish fear. Worldly people stay with the world and don’t bother themselves about heaven. But whoever receives God’s grace loves God, rejoices in the hope of eternal life, waits for the Lord’s return, yes, longs for His glorious revelation and prepares for it with a holy life and the practice of godliness. The things of earth, its riches, honor, and joy, are not the believers’ longing and goal. They have something else, a completely different great and beautiful thing waiting. The Apostle John writes about this: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1Jo 3:2).
But if you hope for eternal life by grace for Jesus’ sake without abandoning worldly desires, then you receive grace in vain. And then it is not the Spirit of truth, but the deceiver, who is the source of your hope. He deceives so many, because “the world wants to be deceived.” They want to give in to the flesh and keep their friendship with sin, until they think about being at heaven’s gate, when they will die. Then they will bid farewell to sin in order that they may enter heaven. No, in that way you do not enter into life. Grace and salvation in Christ cleanse the heart and make us zealous for good works. Whoever is not eager against sin and zealous for sanctification has not received grace and may not have any hope! Read well what our text says.
Closing Prayer
God, keep us from sinning against grace. Help us to receive it with true faith, so that it can cleanse our heart, free us and sanctify us and fit us for the blessedness of heaven. Amen.
Ye sinners, perverse and proud-minded,
Whose souls in transgressions are blinded,
Why are ye so prideful in spirit
And trust in your self-righteous merit.
O see ye the places most lowly
And weep before Jesus the Holy,
Then gain ye His sweetness for malice,
For roses grow fairest in valleys.
My Jesus, Thou ever remainest
My glory and crown, who sustainest
My heart in the fullness of pleasure;
Thy sweetness alone I will treasure.
The world may of all things bereave me,
Its thorns may annoy and aggrieve me,
The foe may afflictions engender,
My Rose I will never surrender.
Brorson: Now found is the fairest of roses L 153:7-11 HCH 96:5-8 tr. J. C. Aaberg;
tune: Med Sorgen og Klagen (LHy 595); alternate hymn: Thy little ones ELH 144:6-8