A, Christmas Day - Titus 2:11-14 "Goodwill & Favour"

In these days many are having a wet or white Christmas. And with this comes separation from where they might want to be. In parts of the world you can bet there will be people who can’t be where they want to be, and with it comes sadness, frustration, and perhaps even anger. Even with climactic chaos, there will be folk who seek to blame someone else for their inability to be where they want to be.

Christmas exposes inner belief! Is it about the right to be with family, the demand to control the climate to satisfy the desires of the self, or the requirement to have things just the way we think they should be?

These things are close to what they should be but the motivation the wells up from with us moves us away from what God wants for us. Yes! We do have a right to be with family, we should desire a climate of peace and joy, and there is a necessity for things to be a certain way.

Saint Paul explains, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour 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.” (Titus 2:11-14)

Every person on this earth has a right to desire the grace of God; but not because they have earned it. It’s not a case of being good because Santa’s coming to town. In fact, it’s nothing like it. Nevertheless, we can expect grace because God promises it, because the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. Calling all into the family of God!

But what is this grace all people can expect? It’s God’s generosity, his loving kindness, his mercy, his gift to you and me, his goodwill and favour, his acceptance, and his pleasure despite what we do and think exposing us for who we really are.

So who are we? We are people who need salvation. We need a Saviour because in reality Santa’s never coming to town if it is on account of us. We need a Saviour because of sin – my sin and your sin; the sin of all people. Grace is offered to all people because all people need it to be saved from sin and death.

In these days do many of us seek out the appearance of grace? Do we seek the Saviour? We all seek a saviour but is it one in which we wait for our blessed hope, the appearing again of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ?

Just imagine if Jesus appeared in all his glory right now, and said enough is enough, it’s time to take you out of all this. Most of us would be stunned at the change of plans. Hang on, I hoped to go home and have lunch, or go on holidays, or unwrap a few presents. In these days many of us hope in anything but the appearance of our blessed hope, our Saviour Jesus Christ.

But yet he comes into the lawlessness of this world — your heart — and implants salvation. Every time you hear the Christmas story, every time you see a manger in the shop window, every time you hear the proclamation of salvation in the carols, and most of all when you hear the word of God.

This word of salvation which comes to humanity, to you and me by the power of the Holy Spirit, trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled upright and godly lives in this present age. And this word of salvation has to because we’re ungodly towards God, and seek favour and goodwill for ourselves at other’s expense. We are passionate for what’s in the world rather than he who has made it and seeks to redeem it for himself.

Nevertheless, God still seeks to purify for himself a people as his own possession, he seeks to save; to bless and keep, and let his face shine upon those who receive and abide in his graciousness. The Lord of love and grace wants nothing more than to look upon you with favour and goodwill, so you live in peace — purified — despite whatever worldly strife seeks to disrupt you.

As we wait, frequently repenting from our impurity, turning towards our blessed hope, imagine what it will be like when we see the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

We have heard how the glory of God shone around the shepherds the first time when Jesus Christ dwelt with unclean, lawless, and ungodly people on earth. Picture what it will be like when he returns to purify those who believe they need a Saviour, to those who long and trust God to cleanse them of their sinful passions forever.

Unlike the shepherds who were unclean but privileged to see and hear the glory of God in the field and in the manger, we will be glorified, purified, having received the full measure of what our faith has hoped for. We will shine with Christ, greater than the angelic hosts of heaven. We will be glorified children of God for all eternity.

Do you want this? I want it! No more uncertainty that comes from my heart. No more conflict rising out of an over-abundance of my passion and from others misunderstanding it. No more pressures of time, there will be timeless eternity to be in awe of God and his glory. No more tiredness, no more pain, no more dishonesty, no more superficiality, everything will be real, everyone will be trustworthy. Do you want this? I want it, because here in this world I continually lose sight of the glorified child of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, have made and are continually making me to be.

The God of love; the true Father of Christmas, and his Son Jesus Christ, together with the Holy Spirit, want this eternal reality for you too. Amen.

Heavenly Father, lead us from the temptation to believe your kingdom is not coming to us. But move us to believe and receive the true gift of Christmas into our hearts, your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.