Sunday, October 11, 2020
“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.” (Titus 2:11-12). What great news! Paul extols God’s glorious grace, which saves us. End of story, right? No, that’s hardly the end of the story. Paul tells us that this same grace (trains) us to renounce ungodliness.
But Paul does not stop there. He states in (2:15): “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority.” What he is declaring, if we want to serve Jesus, we cannot avoid correction. Yet we are also promised this about God’s corrective pruning as he tells us in Hebrews 12:11: “Later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Jesus training, his pruning is powerful, both in its pain and in its glorious fruit.
Do you lack peace? Ask God to take His pruning blade to your heart. Why a blade in this parting teaching from Jesus? He explains, “These thing I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). This word “full” indicates thorough, complete, and powerful. These words which are good, true, beautiful and parting words He gave to His disciples, and they are manna for us today.
God’s cutting and pruning ends up producing joy, all from the hand of the expert gardener who loves us.
You are Loved, Pastor Don
Cornerstone Worship Center 