Christmas Eve. Jesus changes everything

Prepare to Listen.  For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all.
 
Prayerfully Read Titus 2:11-14
11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, 12training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, 13while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.  14He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
 
Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect
What has salvation been training you in?
 
Christmas isn’t usually our time to think seriously about how to live daily as followers of Jesus.  We’re so caught up in decorating, gifts, children’s plays, etc., that we fail to reflect on how Jesus changed everything and what that means for us now.  Today’s lesson gives us an opportunity to think about it.
 
Paul begins with the truth that God’s grace appeared in Jesus, bringing salvation to all, not just an elite few.  Which is what the angel announced to the shepherds at Jesus’ birth, saying, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10-11).  Salvation for all.  Good news indeed.
 
Salvation trains us to live rightly now.  First, the negative.  Salvation trains us to “renounce impiety and worldly passions.”  Impiety is a rejection of reverence before the Lord, living like those the psalmist complained about, who say “How can God know?  Is there knowledge in the Most High?”[1]  Worldly passions refer to desires and behaviors that are contrary to God’s will as Jesus taught.  It’s far more than a commitment to a few moral codes.  Which brings us to the positive.
 
“Live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly.”  This has to do with our inner life, not morality.  It’s about being like Jesus, living how he lived, obeying what he taught about the kingdom, being focused on compassion, justice for all, especially for the widow, orphan and immigrant, bringing healing and wholeness to all people.  Living kingdom values that upend our earthly ones.
 
How can you daily live the life that Paul wrote about in these verses?
 
Prayerfully Respond
Lord Jesus, you change everything.  May my following of you keep changing me, bit by bit to be more like you.  Amen.
 
Live obediently.  Live the changed life of Jesus.
[1] Psalm 73:11.