“…looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,”– Titus 2:13.
The follower of Christ’s hope speaks of – a confident expectation of better things to come. In the above verse there is a bright and brilliant future for His children. This Hope is in the second coming of the Lord Jesus. From the above verse we can see, it is a…
1. Blessed Hope -The Christian’s hope is not “looking” for an event but for Jesus!
2. Visible Hope – He will appear again
3. Glorious Hope – He is our glorious God
4. Saving Hope – “the Grace of God has appeared BRINGING SALVATION…God our Savior”
5. Personal Hope – ” ….bringing salvation TO ALL People.” Which includes you and me.
6. Influential Hope – The reality of His return influences, motivates ,“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. “– {Titus 2:11-14.}
NOTE the words underlined and consider afresh how His return is to motivate.
Hope has a name- Jesus! This Hope is a Person the triumphant, returning Lord Jesus.
“LOOKING,” means to “WELCOME, ACCEPTING A PERSON WITH OPEN ARMS. The term was used of WELCOMING HONORED GUESTS AND MEETING THEIR NEEDS WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION AND KINDNESS.”
“LOOKING.” This is the main verb in the verse. It is made up of two Greek words, “pros”- speaks of “moving towards” and the root verb dechomai means. “to accept deliberately and readily, receive kindly and so to take to oneself what is presented or brought by another.”
It is an eagerly awaited anticipation, an ATTITUDE that leads to ACTION. It leads to denying ungodliness and worldly lusts and living self controlled, righteously, Godly and not being indifferent, callous but looking for the return of Jesus! This future Hope has present tense influence on our choices in living to Honor Him! – {Read Titus 2:11-14}
“LOOKING”-It is not merely information but an attitude that produces transformation of character and living. It is a look of deliberation, expectation and it has an influence of transformation. It is the blessed hope of the return of Christ Jesus. {Titus 2:11-14}
This “Hope” is for those who are “LOOKING…”
THE COUNTDOWN!
When our second youngest child was four years old and coming up to his fifth birthday, daily he would come to the side of my bed with a huge smile to announce “the countdown,”- “Five days to my birthday. Four days to my birthday. Three days to my birthday. One day to my birthday.” The excitement, the “looking” forward to a future event brought daily excitement. With each day there was a realization the “GREAT DAY’ was nearer, the occasion to Celebrate! With every passing day for the believer who is “looking” there is the realization of that GREAT Day is closer till there is the realization -HE IS HERE!
“Looking ,” is an attitude, longing for the return of the Lord Jesus that has an application to daily living!{Titus 2:11-14}
LOOKING FOR HIS COMING!
A young boy every evening at around 5 o clock could be found gazing out through the front window of is home, looking expectantly for his dad to return from that day’s work. He looked with anticipation, yearning to see him walking within sight of his home. It is time to look to Jesus and to look for Him, and live in light of eternal realities and that blessed hope- Jesus is returning!
“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” -Matthew 24:2
“For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.”– {1 Thess 4:16-17}
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”– {Revelation 19:11-16}
“When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” – {Colossians 3:4 }
“in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”– {2 Timothy 4:8}
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;”- {Philippians 3:20}
He is our Glorious God. He is our Savior. He is Jesus!
We look to Him. We look for Him!
Our Blessed Hope!