Looking For That Blessed Hope

Temple Baptist Church - 2-8-2015

Titus 2:13-14

Introduction: 

A.  Titus is the third of the Pastoral Epistles: books written to young pastors setting forth the workings, doctrines, and personal sanctification of the believer.

1.  1 Timothy sets forth the structure and workings of the local church.  The key verse is 1 Timothy 3:15, “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

2.  2 Timothy sets forth the importance of doctrinal teaching and purity of the local church.  The key verse is 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

3.  Titus sets forth the personal responsibility of the believer to live for the Lord in the light of His coming.  The key verse is Titus 2:13, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

B.  I will not spend time this evening to set forth the eminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but those who are knowledgeable in the scripture can discern the times in which we live.  The world is in chaos, our nation is in serious spiritual decline, wrong is right and right is wrong, the New Testament churches are the enemy, and Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world while true Christianity is about as scarce as “hen’s teeth!”  Enough said.

C.  We have been looking at Practical Sanctification in this chapter and the Holy Ghost ends the chapter with our blessed hope, the Second Coming of Christ.  He is coming in two phases:  for His Church and 7 years later in power and glory to set up His kingdom.

D.  I want to look at our verses in two ways.  By way of introduction, we see:

1.  In the price of salvation, we find Calvary – “Who gave himself for us” 

1 Peter 1:18-19  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversationreceived by tradition from your fathers;  (19)  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

2.  In the people of salvation, we find Cleansing – “Redeem us from all iniquity”

2 Corinthians 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

3.  In the product of salvation, we find Conversion – “Purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” 

1 Corinthians 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

E.  Now, let us take a look at those who will be found looking.  Tonight, the world spiritually sleeps; tonight, most churches are spiritually asleep; tonight, most professing churches are spiritually asleep.  Very few people are actively looking for the Lore to return and these verses give a description of that few.

1.  They are a Living People – “Peculiar people zealous of good works”  The word peculiar means to be beyond the usual.  If something has a peculiar smell, it is a smell that is distinctive and outside of the norm.  The word means odd or strange.  I have heard the word used many times as a child in reference to people who were odd or strange.  People who did not fit a mold or fit in.  That is what God’s children are to be.  When the world is around us, we should stand out of the crowd because we are not of the crowd.  We may stand in the crowd but we are not of it.

2.  They are a Loving People – “The great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”  Much is said about Jesus Christ here in the Bible Belt but there are fewer and fewer people who live a life that reflects a true love for the One who died for them.  People who give a pre-eminent place to the Lord in their lives and place His will above their own.  People who speak of Him and witness for Him.  Whom you love, you spend much time around.

3.  They are a Longing People – “Blessed hope and glorious appearing”  It is not that God’s children do not love life and want to live here as long as they can but these special people  know that heaven awaits them along with a new, eternal body to dwell in.  There are 7 “no mores” found in the last chapters of the Book of Revelation and heaven is as much about what is not there as it is about what is there.  A prepared place for a prepared people.  They long for home!

4.  They are a Looking People – “Looking for”  We that are saved are an expectant people.  I know that the second coming of Christ has been prophesied and preached for years but I look around and expect His coming.  I may die of a natural death but I expect His coming.  I heard someone once say that we should plan as if the Lord would never come and live as if He would come in the next moment.  As the world slept at the first coming of Christ (they sat in spiritual darkness), so our world sleeps spiritually.  He is coming because He said that He would come.  That is our blessed hope!  Heaven is home.  I have moved much over the years but one day I will move no more.

1 Corinthians 15:19  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.