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1 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the 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 wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14 NIV)
One of our shared childhood Christmas memories were the bags of treats we would receive during this time of year. Nellie got hers at the place where her father worked, and I got mine at our church at the end of the Christmas program. When I was senior pastor at Trinity UMC in San Antonio I shared that memory with a dear member, Mr. Pat Itz, and he and his family took it upon themselves to buy the fruit and the candy and nuts that filled the simple brown paper bags that were handed out to kids during that special night. It brought back so many special memories of a Red Delicious apple, an orange, most were Valencias, and a handful of nuts and those ever special Christmas candies that one has to hunt down these days at World Market. Among our favorite were the ones that resembled a continuous W that is called Ribbon candy. We would walk out of the church and volunteers, some years, a volunteer Santa, would hand out the bags. We clutched the bags tightly and peeked on our way home to see what treats we had received. The real blessing, of course, was the message shared through the Christmas pageant. Once home, being the Christmas Eve present-openers, we would tear open our gifts, then open the bags and enjoy the goodness of fruit and candy. The nuts would wait until Christmas morning when Mom would get Dad's hammer and break open the various nuts, some I had not ever seen before but awaited Christmases so I could see them again. One could say this simple gift was a demonstration of grace.
Christmas celebrates grace that doesn't just speak or promise but appears. Paul writes to Titus with profound theological density about what we're really celebrating when we sing carols and exchange gifts. "For the grace of God has appeared." Grace isn't an abstract concept or theological category—it appeared. It took on flesh, breathed air, cried as a baby, grew as a child. The word "appeared" (epiphanē in Greek, from which we get "epiphany") means to make visible, to manifest, to show up in tangible form. Grace appeared in a specific time, a specific place, in a specific person: Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem. Before Jesus, people knew about God's grace through the Law, the prophets, and God's faithful dealings with Israel. But in Jesus, grace didn't just communicate from heaven—it walked on earth. This grace "offers salvation to all people." Not just to Jews, not just to the religiously qualified, not just to moral achievers, but to all people—every ethnicity, every social class, every person regardless of background, behavior, or belief. The baby in the manger is God's grace made visible, offering salvation universally. Christmas is the annual reminder that God's grace isn't a doctrine to be debated but a person to be received, not a theory to be studied but a gift to be opened.
But grace isn't just unmerited favor that overlooks sin—it's transforming power that liberates from sin. "It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions." The grace that appeared in Jesus doesn't leave us as it finds us. It teaches, it trains, it disciplines (the Greek word paideuō means to educate, instruct, train like a child). Grace is both gift and teacher, both pardon and power. It teaches us to say no—not through willpower alone or religious rules, but through the transforming influence of encountering Jesus. "Ungodliness" is living as if God doesn't exist or doesn't matter. "Worldly passions" are desires shaped by a fallen world rather than by God's kingdom. Grace teaches us to reject both—not by crushing our desires but by redirecting them toward better things, not by making us miserable but by making us holy. Then Paul gives the positive side: grace teaches us "to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." Self-controlled—mastering our impulses rather than being mastered by them. Upright—living with integrity and justice toward others. Godly—living in reverent awareness of and obedience to God. Notice "in this present age"—not in some future perfect world, not when circumstances are ideal, but now, in the mess and complexity of real life. Christmas grace doesn't wait for better conditions to transform us; it begins the work immediately in whatever age, whatever circumstances we find ourselves.
Paul then shifts focus from present living to future hope: "while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of our glory and our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." Christmas celebrates grace's first appearing; Christians await grace's second appearing. The same Jesus who came as a baby will return as conquering King. The word "appearing" is used twice—grace appeared at Christmas, and our blessed hope is the appearing of Jesus' glory. We live between the two advents, between incarnation and return, between the manger and the throne. This waiting shapes how we live now—"in this present age" we live transformed lives while anticipating the age to come. Our "blessed hope" isn't wishful thinking but confident expectation grounded in God's promises. Notice Paul's stunning description: "our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." This isn't two persons but one—Jesus is both "our great God" and "our Savior." The baby born at Christmas is fully divine, worthy of worship, the Creator who entered His own creation. Only God can be Savior; that Jesus is Savior means Jesus is God. Christmas theology is high theology—we celebrate the incarnation of deity, the enfleshment of the eternal Word, God with us in the most literal sense possible.
Paul concludes by explaining why Jesus came: "who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." The purpose of Christmas wasn't the manger but the cross. Jesus "gave himself for us"—voluntary, sacrificial, substitutionary. He wasn't a victim of circumstances or political intrigue; He deliberately gave Himself. The purpose? "To redeem us from all wickedness." Redemption is the language of the marketplace—buying back what was sold into slavery, paying the price to secure freedom. We were enslaved to sin, in bondage to wickedness, unable to free ourselves. Jesus paid the price—not with silver or gold but with His own blood—to purchase our freedom. "All wickedness"—not some sins, not the respectable ones, not the minor infractions, but all wickedness. Every sin, every rebellion, every failure is covered by His redemptive work. But redemption isn't just liberation from something; it's liberation for something: "to purify for himself a people that are his very own." We're not just rescued from sin's penalty; we're being cleansed from sin's pollution. God is creating a people who belong to Him, a people being purified, a people defined by their relationship to Him. And the outcome? A people "eager to do what is good." Not grudgingly obedient, not fearfully compliant, but eager—enthusiastic, zealous, passionate about goodness. Grace that saves is grace that changes, producing people who delight in doing what's right because they've been transformed from the inside out.
Christmas is ultimately about this: grace appeared in Jesus Christ to offer salvation to all people, to teach us to reject ungodliness and embrace godliness, to give us hope for His glorious return, to redeem us from wickedness, to purify us as His own people, and to make us eager to do good. When we gather around Christmas trees and sing "Joy to the World," we're celebrating theological realities with cosmic implications. The baby in the manger is God's grace made visible, offering you salvation, teaching you to live differently, promising to return in glory, redeeming you from all wickedness, purifying you as His own, and transforming your desires to align with His goodness. This is why Christmas brings joy that transcends circumstances—it's not about perfect families or ideal situations but about grace that has appeared and grace that will appear again, about a Savior who gave Himself for us and is making us into a people who are His very own.
PRAYER: Great God and Savior Jesus Christ, thank You for appearing as grace incarnate, offering salvation to all people including us; thank You for giving Yourself to redeem us from all wickedness and for purifying us as Your very own people; teach us by Your grace to say no to ungodliness and yes to self-controlled, upright, godly living as we wait with blessed hope for Your glorious appearing, in Your holy name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Use this time to reflect on one specific area where God's grace is teaching you to say "no" to ungodliness or worldly passions and "yes" to godly living, and thank Jesus for not just saving you from sin's penalty but transforming you from the inside out.
I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me. Give of yourself to someone who has yet to experience the loving presence of God in their lives.
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
