He Saved Us!!!

This was the title of Craig's message this morning - link to come later. He spoke from Titus 3, concluding our series in this the third of the pastoral epistles written by Paul. Craig didn't take us through expositionally as such although he did deal with verses 4-7 comprehensively. He basically said there were 7 ways that God had saved us -

1) God has saved us by his kindness (v4) - this kindness meaning that he has concern towards people

2) God has saved us by his love (v4) - this love is that of strong affection and he displayed it through his Son Jesus

3) God has saved us by his mercy (v5) -we make no contribution to our salvation. Our salvation is a gift

4) God saved us by his regeneration (v5) - we are born again (see John 3, Romans 6:4)

5) God saved us by his Spirit (v5) - God's Spirit is at work in us!!! (see 2 Cor 5:17)

6) God saved us through his Son (v6) - this is the ultimate, God saved us through his predetermined plan - Jesus. Justice had to be satisfied and only Jesus could do that as the Son of God

7) God saved us by his grace (v7) - IT'S BY GRACE THAT WE ARE SAVED - this is wonderful, outrageous truth. It's not what we do that makes us right with him, that allows us to be found righteous, but it is what Christ has already done. It's lavish and unfathomable, but God by his grace saves us and calls us into his family. It is totally without merit and is totally undeserved.

The message this morning was on the back of what we are saved from: SIN - the power, penalty and pollution of sin. We are saved from hell an eternity without God. We are saved out of danger and placed in safety and glory (by this he did not mean that we do not suffer persecution or suffering of any kind, but we are saved from the danger of facing him on the final judgement day and confronting the wrath of God as we deserve, because Christ pays that price for us).

It is so good to come back from the conference, where I was constantly thinking how does this apply and what do I need to initiate and follow through on - to be confronted with Jesus so boldly and wonderfully. A simple message preached with passion and authority - it is the message I needed to hear today. Click here for the audio link to the message.