The following is a sermon transcript from our Sunday Service at The Rock Church in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Each week, we gather to worship, learn from God’s Word, and grow together. This transcript is provided as a free resource to encourage and equip you in your walk with Christ. While you’re welcome to read and share this content for personal use, we kindly ask that it not be redistributed or published elsewhere without prior written consent from The Rock Church.
Introduction: The School We Are All Enrolled In
When I say the word school, what comes to mind? For some, it is a distant memory, high school or college. It could have been some of the best days of your life or a time in which you’d just rather forget. For others, you’re in it right now. Oh, pastor, I can’t wait until I graduate. That day cannot come soon enough. I’m tired of learning about things I will probably never use.
The whole concept of school is quite a mixed bag, but the emphasis behind it, of course, is the importance of learning. But it’s not only facts and figures, it’s about how to think critically. It’s all very important stuff for us. In fact, I would argue that one of the most important disciplines is being a lifelong learner.
Why? Because we can always do things better. We can learn from others’ mistakes. We can try not to repeat them. We can study the amazing writings of some theologians and be in awe of the insight they provide into Scripture.
But one thing is for sure, knowledge puffs up while love builds up.
And I have some news for you. If you’re a Christian, that’s right. You are currently enrolled in school. However, it’s not a degree that you’re pursuing. And it’s not a building that you have to go to. It’s a school that you were matriculated in at the very moment you placed your faith in Jesus Christ.
And it’s not retreating to a secluded place. I’m going to my private school. I’m going to learn all on my own. No, you have classmates in this school. Look around. These are your brothers and sisters in this very school. God is using them to teach you.
And there will be times when you just don’t feel like learning. When you’d rather have different classmates, but the reality still stands.
And the wonderful thing about our God is that He’s teaching us. Not just with our minds, but with our hearts. He shows us our sin and our need for Christ every day.
This is a challenging school. But thankfully, there’s no entrance exams. There’s no video interviews. You don’t have to write a carefully crafted essay and have an exhaustive understanding of all the finer points of doctrine.
And we only get to graduate from this school when the Lord calls us home or should He return. There’s no schedule. It’s nights and weekends. It’s mornings and evenings.
So what I’d like to do today is introduce you to the school of grace.
Wait a minute, Pastor. How does grace teach us? I thought the law was supposed to teach us. I understand that grace is all about God’s loving kindness, His forgiveness of all our sin, and His unmerited favor for sinners like you and me.
Well, you would be right. But I’d like you to think differently about grace. Grace is powerful. Grace is a person. Grace is demonstrated to us in Christ. This is amazing grace. This is wonderful grace.
This is a school you want to be enrolled in for the rest of your life. Because that is in fact the reality of the Christian life. Before a faithful God who will never let us go.
We don’t get to call out sick or take vacation days. It always has been and always will be for our entire lives.
This wonderful school requires no tuition for which we get no credits for completing. All the credit goes to Christ. All the glory goes to God. And we receive all the benefits.
We will one day graduate and that will be a glorious day. But until then, let’s stay disciplined in this school. Let’s keep looking to Christ. Let’s keep our confidence in Christ that He who began a good work in us will do what? He will complete it.
Big Idea
The school of grace focuses on making disciples who are molded into the image of Christ.
And I’d like to explore four ways that grace teaches us.
In the first, grace teaches us that Christ has come with both power and purpose.
Grace also instructs us to forsake our sinful desires and fulfill the faith.
It also encourages us to look forward to Christ’s return while at the same time being faithful in the present age.
And the last thing that we’re going to see is that grace empowers us to boldly proclaim the gospel to all people.
I. Grace Teaches Us That Christ Has Come With Power and Purpose
Titus 2:11
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.
There are, of course, many things in our lives that we long for. I can’t wait until that raise comes, until that graduation date arrives, until that reunion with distant relatives happens. There’s so many things that we long for in our hearts.
But there is nothing in comparison to all of human history than the great appearance of this grace.
Now you might be wondering, are you saying that grace is a new thing? That has just arrived on the scene with the arrival of Christ? In other words, was grace in the Old Testament?
Well no, upon a careful study of the full revelation of Scripture we see that grace goes all the way back to Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15. We consider what is referred to as the Proto-Evangelium. It means the first gospel.
Wait a minute. How is the gospel appearing there?
Well, let’s read it together, shall we? Genesis 3:15. I will put enmity between you and the woman, this is God talking to the serpent, and between your offspring and her offspring, He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heel.
So what does this have to do with the gospel of Jesus, with the coming of Christ, with the appearance of grace?
Consider the context. You recall the covenant of works, this arrangement established between God and Adam and Eve. Obey and live, disobey and die.
And so, did they obey? Certainly not. They ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and they were then under the curse of sin.
Now, did they die physically at that moment? Did God crush and punish them? No. He allowed them to live, but they suffered under spiritual death with no hope apart from the gospel.
And the same goes for every Old Testament saint who lived after them.
But pastor, how could they be saved? They didn’t know Jesus. They hadn’t seen Him yet.
That’s right. But they did have the hope of Messiah. And that is what is promised here in Genesis 3:15, that Jesus is the one that would bruise the head, that would crush the head of the serpent who is Satan.
You see, this serpent, this crafty one, this father of lies, the one who roams the earth seeking whom he would destroy.
So pastor, how is this the first gospel? Well, we have to understand that it was the appearance of Christ, the announcement of the good news.
It was Christ who had come to set the captives free.
Who are these captives? It’s those who are under the curse of sin, under the tyranny of sin, under the power of the god of this age who has blinded their eyes.
We have to understand one thing about sin. It’s not just a disease or a sickness. It’s total and absolute depravity.
But pastor, can’t people do good in the world?
Surely there is some good in the heart of man.
However, the question is not in the general good that man can do, but specifically in the spiritual good before a holy God.
Romans 3 makes it very clear that no one does good. Not even one. There is none righteous. There is none who seek after God.
In other words, no one under the curse of sin is capable of doing spiritual good. No one can please God apart from Christ alone.
No matter of all the works and religious efforts, we know clearly it’s all filthy rags.
Sin not only impairs and deceives us, it renders us spiritually dead.
Not only can we not choose God, but we are unable to choose Him.
As Paul told the church in Rome, it would be like the leopard who has the spots saying, Lord, today I declare and decree these spots be gone. I am a new person, a new leopard, and I identify as a spotless leopard.
That’s ridiculous. That’s impossible.
That’s the issue with our sin. We cannot change our sin nature. We cannot undo the curse. Something has to happen that’s outside of us.
The Reformers called it the extra nos. Outside of ourselves.
What does the Bible clearly teach? Salvation is of the Lord.
Righteousness, a gift imputed to us through this, the great exchange.
He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God.
There are some in the Christian community who support an idea of what is called prevenient grace.
Prevenient grace, what’s that? It’s that grace is available to all and all are able to receive. God will not force His way into our lives. We simply have to accept it.
But do we want a possibility for salvation or an absolute certainty?
Scripture quite clearly teaches that God doesn’t just cure us of the sin disease. He resurrects us from spiritual death.
He changes the disposition of our hearts.
He transfers us out of darkness and into His wonderful light.
John 6:44 — “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.”
Notice that word can. It signifies inability.
We were once dead, but made alive together with Christ.
The Father draws. He impels. He moves.
And when He does, we run to Christ.
John 6:37 — “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me.”
Do you see that word “will”?
It’s not might.
It’s not maybe.
It’s will.
The gates of hell cannot change that.
We should all be greatly comforted that our names were written in the book of life before the foundations of the world.
Jesus crushed the head of the serpent at the resurrection.
The gospel went free.
Salvation now goes to all kinds of people.
Especially those who believe.
II. Grace Instructs Us to Forsake Our Sinful Desires and Fulfill the Faith
Titus 2:12
Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.
Now that we’re in the school of grace, let’s clarify what, in fact, grace teaches us. Grace, it doesn’t teach us to continue in sin so the grace would abound. Far be it from us that we would look upon the coming, suffering, dying, and raising of Christ as an excuse to take the grace of God for granted.
I’m forgiven. No big deal. I can sin freely.
No, it is a big deal. And now that we’ve been born again to this living hope, our desire, of course, is to please our Master, the Lord Jesus. We don’t do so out of drudgery or duty, but out of delight and joy.
You see, to renounce something is a powerful statement of denial. It’s to give up all the rights and privileges attached to whatever that thing is. Renouncing your citizenship in a country means no longer do you enjoy all the privileges that come from that nation.
Jesus said in Matthew 16:24, if anyone desires to follow Him, follow Me. Let him renounce self, take up his cross, take up death, and follow Me.
Certainly not a popular thing to reject yourself. We’re told you need to love yourself. Go ahead, give yourself a big hug. Go ahead, forgive yourself. Follow after all of your dreams and desires. You’re powerful.
Jesus said, sorry, give it all up. You’re not on the throne anymore. Step off. Serve Me, love Me, worship Me.
Not only give up all the passions to make yourself known, but take up your cross, take up death, take up the death sentence. You got a mark on your life. You’re a target.
But Lord, that’s impossible. My desires are so powerful. My pursuit is so influential. How do I do this?
Well, you do it in the school of grace as the Holy Spirit is forming Christ in you. You are identifying with Christ. You are suffering for Christ. You are going through all trials and hardships for the glory of Christ.
Not the same gospel that’s preached in America and exported to other countries.
So as we consider this verse, we’re seeing both the negative and the positive commands.
We are denying, rejecting, forsaking everything that is anti-God in this world system of thinking and living.
Galatians 6:14 says, “Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
It means that we’re dead to the world. No more fellowship.
How are we supposed to live in the world if we’re dead to the world? It means that we deny its power over us. The cravings of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the boastful pride of life.
The world lives for pleasure. Whatever feels good, do it. Whatever makes you happy, run after it. Follow your heart. Chase after your dreams. You are smart. You are talented. You are powerful.
This entire system is built on an antichrist spirit, which is opposed to God and His kingdom.
The marketers are constantly selling you something that will solve all your problems.
The present world is corrupted in every sense of the word.
Jesus said, what does it matter if we gain the whole world, but then lose our souls?
So when we fail to stay engaged in the school of grace, the world begins to sweep us away, and the believer now looks not much different than anyone else.
We must daily put to death the deeds of the flesh.
James said it always begins with desire, and that desire becomes sin, and when that sin is fully grown, death.
We are called to be non-conformists. To refuse to conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
A Personal Example of Self-Control
It was just this past week that I stopped by one of the evenings to put some chairs away, moving them away from the windows for the cleaning crew. I was making a lot of noise while another group was meeting downstairs.
A gentleman came up and said, “What are you doing? Stop making all that noise.”
My first response in my heart was, “I’m the pastor. How dare you.”
But I paused and said, “I am so sorry,” and walked away.
By God’s grace, the Spirit restrained me.
Ever happen to you? I’ve had times where I’ve been unrestrained in my home. That was my flesh. That was my desire to be right.
But we are citizens of the kingdom. We are servants of the Most High.
If I had responded in the flesh, that outside group would remember the nasty pastor, and another wall would be built up against the gospel.
Three Relationships Grace Shapes
Self-Controlled:
Proverbs 25:28 — a man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.
Upright With Others:
Micah 6 — to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.
Godly Before God:
Not behavior modification. It’s heart posture. Christ is first.
Hebrews 12 says the Lord disciplines those He loves.
He is not punishing. He is training.
III. Grace Encourages Us to Look Forward to Christ’s Return While Being Faithful in the Present
Titus 2:13–14
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.
Some people complain about Christians, those followers of Jesus. All they can talk about is the second coming. Come on. Seems like they’re so preoccupied with that reality that they just forget about today. Why don’t you take care of your wife and your kids? Why don’t you be nice to your neighbor?
You see, when we meditate upon Christ’s soon return in the right way, it does something in us. Lord, I want to be ready. I want to keep my focus. We are longing. We are longing with a joyful expectation that Jesus is coming back.
It’s not something we just, man, I hope that happens. I know the Bible says it here, but I’m not sure. No, it is going to happen. And it’s a very happy hope. Why? Because we have been saved. We are being saved. And we will be saved on that day when Jesus comes down in the clouds with power and great glory.
When we are transformed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye and all the earth will see His glory. No one able to hide. Nothing will be hidden. All wickedness put away, exterminated. We will see the King in all His majesty, in all His glory, in all His greatness. Greater than anything or anyone that’s ever created.
We will see Him in His power. An authority that far surpasses all authorities in this world. He is our great God. He is our great Savior. He is the Lord Jesus. He is the Messiah through whom God has promised salvation for us.
Notice that language. You see it: our great God is for us. He demonstrated being for us as giving Himself. He gave Himself all of it — all the benefits of His deity while maintaining, not losing it. He gave up heaven. He humbled Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross. He didn’t give part of Himself. He gave all of Himself, all the while maintaining His deity.
It’s called the hypostatic union. This great mystery. Truly God. Truly man.
And what did He do for us? He delivered us from the bondage of sin and death. He purchased us with His own blood. He extinguished every kind of evil, both internally and externally.
We were once slaves, slaves of sin, slaves of evil. We once lived in contempt and violation of every part of God’s law. We did it joyfully, scoffing. It’s our nature. This is what we inherited from Adam.
But the second Adam has come.
If you didn’t know, we have been saved by works. What was that, Pastor? Yeah, it’s just a matter of whose work saved us. It’s, of course, Christ. He’s the only one. His work saved. To fulfill all righteousness. To obey every part of the law. The sinless Savior of the world has come. And He’s coming back very soon.
So what’s He doing in the process? What are we doing in the in-betweens?
It’s called sanctification.
It’s the purification process.
The Spirit of the living God is purging out the world and the flesh. Why?
To form Christ in us.
To prepare us for our final destination.
New bodies. New heavens. New earth.
We’ve been set free from the penalty, from the guilt of sin. And now we live as a people — look at this — for God’s own possession. He’s got total ownership of us.
The Jews understood this very well. Deuteronomy tells us that God’s people are His treasured possession.
And now in Christ, both Jew and Gentile, slave and free, rich and poor, are one people in Christ.
Jesus is our Passover.
He is our Exodus.
He is our Sinai.
And because of that, we not only want to do good works — we should be zealous for them.
Lord, use me.
Lord, send me.
Lord, shine through me.
We let our light so shine that others would see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.
IV. Grace Empowers Us to Boldly Proclaim the Gospel
Titus 2:15
“Declare these things. Exhort. Rebuke. With all authority. Let no one, Titus, disregard you.”
So what are we to do with all we learn in the school of grace?
“I’m just going to keep it to myself. I don’t want to offend anybody. I’m going to just retreat to my home, my sanctuary, my safe place. I’m keeping the world away.”
No.
We’re to boldly proclaim this glorious gospel to all people.
We’re to be the most passionate about this gospel because we know the outcome is sure. We don’t have to convince. We don’t have to use our charisma. We just say it. It’s in the message. We proclaim it and we know that God will save a people for His own possession.
The Lord has chosen to use our lives as a means toward that end.
Isn’t that a glorious reality?
Not that God might save a people or make it a possibility for either them to reject or embrace, but that He will save a people. He will not lose one of them.
Now, of course, Paul was concerned with young Titus and the others in the church that they might dismiss him.
“Oh, Titus, you haven’t been in ministry that long. I really can’t listen to all that you have to say.”
You see, Titus didn’t stand on his own authority. He stood on the authority of God’s Word.
That’s what’s happening in the church. The authority is not in men, but through men given by God.
These exhortations are both to encourage the church and to put away all false teachings that try to creep into the church.
You should consider every lost person as potentially elect of God.
We are not in a position to judge.
“Hey man, that guy over there, he can’t be one of the elect. You know how many times I’ve shared the gospel with him?”
No, no, no.
Our souls should break for the lost.
In fact, Paul was willing to be accursed of God if it meant the Jewish people would be saved.
It should be a weeping and a mourning — but also a safely trusting in our great God and Savior who will save a people for His own possession.
That’s a comfort.
That’s a rest.
That’s a joy.
The Nature of Gospel Authority
When Paul tells Titus to declare, exhort, and rebuke with all authority, that authority does not come from position alone. It comes from truth. It comes from God’s revealed Word. It comes from the certainty that what is being proclaimed is not man’s opinion, but heaven’s decree.
This means the gospel is not something we tweak to fit the culture.
This means we don’t soften it to make it more palatable.
This means we are not free to redefine sin.
This means we are not free to redefine grace.
This means we are not free to redefine salvation.
We declare what God has already declared.
We exhort with what God has already commanded.
We rebuke with what God has already judged.
And when we do, we do so:
Not with pride.
Not with arrogance.
Not with hatred.
But with tears, truth, and trembling.
Why We Can Proclaim With Confidence
We proclaim with confidence because the results do not rest on us.
We don’t save anyone.
We don’t regenerate hearts.
We don’t remove blindness.
We don’t raise the dead.
But God does.
The Spirit does.
The gospel does.
And because of that, the pressure is lifted — but the responsibility remains.
We speak.
God saves.
We proclaim.
God resurrects.
We sow.
God gives the increase.
And this gives us boldness — not fear.
We can speak to our family.
We can speak to our coworkers.
We can speak to strangers.
We can speak to the addicted.
We can speak to the broken.
We can speak to the religious.
We can speak to the hardened.
Why?
Because no heart is beyond the reach of grace.
The Weight and the Privilege of Being Used by God
It is a staggering thing that God uses human voices to accomplish eternal redemption.
God could save apart from us.
God could thunder from heaven.
God could send angels into every home.
But instead, He sends you and me.
Stammering mouths.
Weak vessels.
Fearful hearts.
And yet, the power is not in us.
The power is in the gospel.
The power is in Christ.
The power is in the Spirit.
And that means the weakest believer who proclaims Christ is more effective than the strongest unbeliever with a microphone.
The Posture of the Proclaimer
We do not proclaim as judges.
We proclaim as beggars who found bread.
We do not proclaim as those above others.
We proclaim as those rescued from the same pit.
We do not proclaim with superiority.
We proclaim with humility, knowing that apart from grace, we would still be blind.
And that keeps our hearts soft.
That keeps our tears real.
That keeps our prayers constant.
That keeps our urgency alive.
Grace Makes Us Speak
Silence is not neutrality.
Silence is disobedience when truth has been entrusted to us.
Grace does not make us spectators.
Grace makes us witnesses.
Grace does not make us passive.
Grace makes us proclaimers.
Grace does not lead us to hide.
Grace leads us to speak.
And that is the final work of the school of grace — it takes disciples and turns them into heralds of the King.
Closing Exhortation
So as we close, remember this: you’re in the school of grace, like it or not.
It’s the best school. And it’s a school that is making disciples who are being molded into the image of Christ.
The grace is bringing us up, training us in the right fear of the Lord, knowing that our Father loves us. He gave Himself for us. There’s no greater love than this.
Let’s walk in that love.
Let’s be zealous for good works.
As you walk in the Spirit, as you give no opportunity for the flesh, we will fail. We will fall. But we will keep getting up and going in the grace and strength of the Lord Jesus Christ.
So I’d give you a small application.
Look to Christ and pray this week. God would give you an opportunity to share this gospel. To anyone. Irrespective of what they look like and how they talk and where you meet them — just not in a dark alley somewhere.
Pray that God would give you one person to hear this glorious message that Jesus has come. It’s Christmas time. The Savior’s come. Tell them.
Tell them about sin.
Tell them what happened.
Tell them they need Jesus.
Tell them that they’re — man, it’s not going to go well for you.
I don’t care if you don’t think you need Him.
We talk about sin.
We talk about how we’ve broken the law.
We stand under the wrath of God.
And just cry out for mercy for the Lord Jesus to save you.
Preparing Our Hearts
I want us to take a minute. We’ll just confess, as we’ve gone through a lot of considerations, works of the flesh and sin in our lives.
That’s why we come to Jesus and He says, “Come, come, come. You’re weary. Burdened. You’re weak. Come on. Confess. Just share your heart. I know what’s going on. Let’s have some time together.”
That’s what we do every week. We take just a moment of quiet. We go to Jesus. We say, “Lord, I’m here to confess my sin, but I’m also here to receive assurance of pardon that the blood of Jesus has washed it all away.”
Maybe you got angry at somebody this week.
Maybe you did something you regretted.
Whatever it is, bring it to the Lord.
And as 1 John says, let the blood of Christ keep on cleansing you.
Look to the gospel.
Look at what you’ve been forgiven of.
A debt you could not pay.
He paid it for you.
Let’s prepare our hearts before we come to the table to take of this meal the Lord commanded us to take.
Let’s pray.
Prayer
Our great God, our Savior, who’s come into the world to save sinners like us. This grace is so great. We cannot imagine. We don’t understand. It’s hard for us to even consider how corrupt we are.
But Jesus, You have come to set the captives free.
You’ve come to give sight to the blind.
You’ve come to open the eyes, to give ears to hear, to transform the heart of wicked, depraved man.
Take the heart of stone and give him a heart of flesh.
That’s all by Your grace.
We deserve none.
But You’ve extended it through Christ.
So as we come to Your table, would You prepare us as we look to You, as we confess our sin?
We take a moment now.
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