Grace Appearing

        What is it in this life that commands respect? Our regard for things often reflects our attitude towards them. The culture in which we now live seems to have lost respect for many groups that before were not even thought about disrespecting them. We find this with everything from the president of the United States down to the elders in our own lives. In my day as a youngster, you never even thought of disrespecting the janitor in our school. Things have changed. The reason in some part is basically the sinfulness of mankind in general which has resulted in a distrust of those in authority. Abuse of all kinds from the trusted elders in our lives has often resulted in criminal abuse. Thus, our trust and our respect have greatly diminished if not disappeared altogether. Titus 2:11-13 says, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

       Christmas is a time when, for the believer, we can reflect on what took place over 2,000 years ago. Prophecies were fulfilled that night when Mary gave birth to baby Jesus and He was wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger. It was the incarnation. That which had been predicted was coming to fulfillment as the Son of God took on flesh. Truly the grace of God that brought salvation had appeared to all men. It was just the beginning and in a few short years, close to 33 years, the Lord Jesus Christ would die on the cross on Calvary, be buried in a tomb and then raised from the dead, then to travel around for the next forty days and then ascend into heaven. What a marvelous time that was. Respect was gone in those days also. The Jews had been under the hand of oppression for over 400 years. The zealots hated the Roman rule as did many others but events would find the people in Jerusalem soon screaming to the officials to crucify the son of God. That was the cup He was going to drink and in so doing pay the penalty for all of our sins, past, present and future. Truly, the grace of God had appeared to all men. It is the same today and the words of Paul to Titus are just as true today as they were then. The grace has appeared but not all accept what has been freely given. Our culture still disrespects authority of any kind. There is, however, still hope. That hope is to be found in the Babe that was in the manger over 2,000 years ago. Praise God today for the hope that He has given to us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.