4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7
Good morning. This morning I want to center our thoughts on the simplicity and the complexity of love. Jesus, himself, delivered several commands to love including “Love the Lord your God,” “Love your neighbor as yourself,” “Love one another,” and even, “Love your enemies.”
Having received such hefty instructions, it’s only natural to ask, “where do we even start?” How can sinful creatures like us begin to love the Creator of the universe? Who could I start to love when loving myself is hard enough? Where do I begin to love those who drive me crazy? Why would I want to start loving those who only want to see me defeated?
And if we’re honest with ourselves, we admit there is a part of us that wishes such questions might go unanswered so as to avoid the vigorous work that love demands. However, if we open our hearts to Titus 3 this morning, then I believe we will have found the place from which we can start evincing the kind of love Jesus commands.
No matter the nature of the relationship, Titus 3 says that love has the same starting point. Ask any friend who loves Chris Ewing, ask any parent who loves their child, ask any spouse who loves their husband or wife, ask a faithful God who loves an unfaithful people; ask any of them and they’ll tell you that all love starts with grace.
When I was a kid, I heard the adults at church often engage in spirited discussions as to whether it was works or grace that secured one’s salvation. And yet Titus 3 asks, what is there to discuss? Though we go about good works, Titus 3 does not pretend good works save anybody. According to Titus 3, the only work that can save us is the work of grace and mercy performed by God on the cross.
Moreover, Titus 3 speaks of no human invention or any herbal remedy capable of sanitizing sin or deodorizing death. Rather, Titus 3 trusts that the Holy Spirit alone possesses the power to wash away the stain of sin and remove the stench of death. You see not only is grace the root of love, it is the wellspring of life itself. Lest we deceive ourselves into believing we somehow “earned” the life we have, Titus 3 wants us to remember that it is only because Christ’s life was put to an end that our lives were able to begin.
If there be anyone not yet on their knees in complete awe of God’s matchless grace, our passage in Titus 3 contains one more mind-blowing certainty. While some might doubt how long such grace can endure, Titus 3 remains convinced that the life that grace makes possible is a life that will never cease, but will go on and on into eternity. And if we accept the premise that love, life and grace are interconnected, then it is reasonable to assume that one of the features of eternal life is eternal love.
So this week I pray we all seek a greater understanding and appreciation for God's grace, and by doing so may loving the Creator of the universe not appear so implausible. May loving ourselves not seem so inconceivable. May loving those who push our every button not feel so unimaginable. May loving those who only want to see us fail not look so unthinkable? Remember, all you need is a place to start. And for those who confess Jesus as Lord, love starts with grace.
CJE