Titus 2:13-14 Isaac Moran

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Home group questions.

1. Christians speak of living in the 'now and the not yet', what does that terminology mean to you? (see Colossians 3:1-4)
   • Fill in the blanks to get an understanding of what is now but not yet.
     already ___________ in Christ (Romans 8:15), but not yet __________ (Romans 8:23);
     already ___________ in Christ (Ephesians 1:7), but not yet ___________ (Ephesians 4:30);
     already ___________ in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:2), but not yet ___________ (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24);
     already ___________ in Christ (Ephesians 2:8), but not yet __________ (Romans 5:9);
     already ___________ with Christ (Ephesians 2:6), but not yet __________ (1 Corinthians 15:52)
     (taken from David Briones article https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/already-not-yet). 
2. How is the reality of the 'now but not yet' expressed in Titus 2:11-14?
3. The Westminster Shorted Catechism asks the question - What is the chief end of man? The answer is - to glorify God and enjoy him all the days of our life. 
   1. What does it mean to glorify God? 
   2. How does the idea of glorifying God and enjoying him impact your every day life, or how do you think it should? 
   3. How, where, when do you find enjoyment in God? Can you think of ways that we can encourage one another to enjoy God?
4. How do you feel about Jesus appearing in glory? Does his second coming have an impact on your life now?
5. Jonathan Edwards would meditate on/about heaven. He said it made him a better and a more impactful Christian in the present age. How might this be the case? How do you feel about heaven? Does the thought of heaven have an effect on your life today?
6. How do you feel about the fact that Jesus purchased you (1 Cor 6:19-20) to be his own possession and to make you a slave to God (Romans 6:17-23)?  
7. No one likes to show up to a formal event with a stain on their clothing or in tatty, old, smelly, worn out clothing. Yet this is a description (though far far worse) of how our sin makes us look before God. How does the thought of Jesus purifying you, 'giving you a new garment' make you feel (see Zechariah 3:1-5)? 
8. How does waiting for Jesus to appear in glory, and Jesus giving himself for our redemption make us zealous for good works? What good words do you think Paul is referring to?