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TITUS 3:3-7

"HE SAVED US"

I. "HE SAVED US" FROM;
        A. Our past empty life described as --
                1. "Foolish."
                        a. "The fool hath said in his heart ..."
                        b. The greater fool declares he believes in God, but lives as  though
                           God did not exist.
                2. "Disobedient."
                        a. Not listening or responding to the voice of God.
                        b. Rebelling against His authority.
                        c. Arguing with His commandments.
                3. "Deceived."
                        a. One of the cruelest tricks of Satan.
                        b. You believe everything is cool, but it's getting hot.
                        c. You're wrong; but you think you're right.
                        d. You're sleeping, but you think you're awake.
                        e. You're dead, but you think you're alive.
                        f. You're a slave, but you think you are free.
                        g. How can you know for sure? The authority of God's word.
                4. Serving diverse lusts and pleasures.
                        a. Lust for power.
                        b. Lust for pleasure.
                        c. Lust for knowledge.
                        d. A slave for your own desires.
                5. "Living in malice and envy."
                        a. Envious of others good fortune.
                        b. Why should they get all the breaks?
                6. "Hateful and hating one another."
                        a. The striving of the ego-centered life is hateful.
        B. Our hopeless future.
                1. Going on forever this way.
                2. "The certain looking forward to the fiery..."

II. "HE SAVED US" WHY?
        A. Because of His kindness and love."
                1. I cannot find a reason within myself.
                        a. I try so hard.

(1. Maybe because l am so sweet.
(2. He shows me how sour I am.
                        b. Anything I possess of worth or merit I owe Him
                                1. "What have you but you have received?"
                2. The reasons for salvation are found in the infinite mysteries of  God's own
                   nature.
                        a. His love, His Kindness, His mercy, His grace.

Ill. "HE SAVED US" HOW?
        A. Neg. "Not by works of righteousness which we..."
                1. These are the things man often looks to.
                2. Sometimes in talking with very godless people they tell me of their
                   charitable acts.
        B. "But according to His mercy."
                1. Not my merit, His mercy.
                2. Man-seeks to extol his merits.
                3. Thank God heaven will not be a bragging session.
                        a. I used to hate the conventions where every one seemed to  be trying
                           to impress each other of all they were doing for  God.
                        b. In heaven we will be extolling all He did for us.

IV. "WE ARE SAVED" BY...
        A. "Washing of regeneration".
                1. Not cleaning up my old act --nature.
                2. Receiving new nature (heaven).
        B. Renewing of the Holy Spirit.
                1. Even as Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
                2. My new nature conceived by work of Spirit.
                        a. "Who were born, not by the will of man..."
                3. I am a new creation of God.
                4. "Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our  Savior."
        C. Justification by grace.

V. "WE ARE SAVED" FOR.
        A. Heirs.
        B. Eternal life.