BLESSED
HOPE
Memorise
Looking
for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ;
Titus 2:13
Read
Titus 2:11-14
2:11 For the
grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
2:12 Teaching
us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world;
2:13 Looking
for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ;
2:14 Who gave
himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Message
What is our hope as Christians, and why have we
chosen to turn our backs on the world and its pleasures? It is the hope of
glory, honour, immortality and an eternity spent in the bosom of our Lord
(Romans 2:7). This mother of all hopes shall be made manifest at the return of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Normally, a person hopes for something good and
pleasant. However, for the children of God, there is no hope that compares with
the return of Jesus to Earth. It is on account of this hope of Jesus returning
for His people, that Apostle Paul confidently declared in 1 Thessalonians
4:13-14 that:
“But
I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are
asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we
believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus
will God bring with him.”
Jesus is the grace of God that brings salvation by
the gospel. The return of Jesus puts an end to all pain, all suffering, all
disappointment, poverty, failures, battles, conflicts, sorrows and defeats. For
those in Him, who eagerly look forward to His coming, I write this to you: His imminent
return is very much around the corner, based on the signs of His return as
given to us in the Bible. Note that today’s scripture passage provides certain
dos and don’ts for those who have the blessed hope of the return of Jesus.
Titus 2:12 says that the Grace of God – Jesus, is teaching us that we should
deny ungodliness and worldly lust. Beloved, we are in an age where ungodliness
and worldly lusts are becoming the norm; an age where people perpetuate evil
without qualms and where mild terms are coined for sin e.g. having an affair
when talking of adultery. In spite of this, the Grace of God teaches us that we
should live soberly, righteously and godly. To be sober is to be responsible
and serious. It means to comport oneself with dignity. To live righteously and
godly is to live according to the word of God and to live by the leading of the
Holy Spirit.
Besides, Titus 2:14 says we are to be zealous of
good works – works of kindness, evangelism, visitation, follow-up, encouraging
those needing comfort, interceding for others etc. We are not just to do these
works, but we are to do them with zeal. Now the question is: are you giving
attention to the teaching of the Grace of God? May the blessed hope be for you
a blessed hope indeed when the Lord appears in Jesus’ Name.
Key
Point
He that has this hope purifies himself
even as he is pure.
BIBLE
IN ONE YEAR
2 Kings 1-2
Proverbs 20:18-30
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