Scripture: Titus 2:11-14
Rediscovering Jesus as Savior opens us up to reflect on our spiritual lives, as well as our hopes and expectations of God. God’s grace is the foundation of both salvation and Christian living. This grace is so powerful that it compels believers to renounce worldly desires while eagerly anticipating the glorious return of Jesus Christ.
The framework for this sermon is to explore the story of Jesus as Savior between two key Epiphanies. An Epiphany is a moment when God reveals Godself to humanity. For example, in Luke 2, we read:
“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’”
– Luke 2:10-11
This is the moment when the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, is announced to the shepherds in the middle of the night.
In contrast, in Titus 2, we encounter another Epiphany:
“while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
– Titus 2:13
Here, we see the anticipation of Jesus’ return, a powerful moment of revelation yet to come.
It’s important to pause here and reflect on the context of the first century. For the early Christians, there was a fervent hope for the return of Jesus, and this hope greatly influenced their thoughts and practices. You can see the impact of this hope in the Acts of the Apostles and the Pastoral Epistles. While Jesus has not yet returned in the way the early church envisioned, it remains a core tradition of the church to continue waiting in expectation for this new revelation of God through Jesus Christ.
Pastor Todd