Grace That Changes How You Live

May 10, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Grace Reaching in Wilderness Places

The woman at the well never expected a Jewish rabbi to ask her for water. Jesus crossed cultural barriers, her moral failures, and spiritual dryness to offer living water. He initiated the conversation while she avoided eye contact. “If you knew the gift of God,” He said, her brokenness reflected in the well’s depths. Grace came seeking before she knew to thirst. [42:42]

Jesus reveals grace as God’s relentless pursuit, not our religious effort. He steps into our Hocking Hills moments—our hiding places, distractions, and soul-exhaustion—to awaken true desire. Prevenient grace isn’t a theological concept. It’s Jesus showing up at your well when you’re numb to needing Him.

Where is God initiating with you this week? What well are you drawing from that leaves you parched? Name one place you’ve resisted His approach.

“For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people.”
(Titus 2:11, NLT)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to open your eyes to where He’s already pursuing you in hidden places.

Challenge: Write Titus 2:11 on a sticky note. Place it where you’ll see it hourly today.

Day 2: Dead Men Walking to Life

Paul shocks the Ephesian church: “You were dead.” Not misguided. Not needing improvement. Dead. They’d followed Satan’s rhythm like puppets, craving sin’s cravings. Grace didn’t tweak their habits—it resurrected corpses. Jesus didn’t negotiate with their decay. He breathed life into dry bones. [49:13]

Saving grace isn’t a spiritual booster shot. It’s CPR for the soul. We contribute nothing but our need. Like Ezekiel’s valley, God speaks to our rebellion-riddled skeletons and says “Live!” The cross doesn’t make bad people better—it makes dead people alive.

What “corpse-like” pattern still tempts you to self-resurrect? When did you last weep over the miracle of your second birth?

“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil…”
(Ephesians 2:1-2, NLT)

Prayer: Confess one area where you’ve acted like a zombie still taking orders from death.

Challenge: Text a friend: “Remember when God resurrected me from ___. Grateful He’s still breathing life into us.”

Day 3: Trained by Broiled Fish

The resurrected Jesus didn’t lecture Thomas—He showed scarred hands. He didn’t chastise Peter’s denial—He served breakfast. “Come, eat,” He said, transforming their shame into shared meals. Sanctifying grace trains through tenderness, not tirades. It’s broiled fish by the sea, not a syllabus. [52:51]

God’s transforming grace works like physical therapy—slow, specific, strengthening atrophied faith muscles. He feeds us truth before demanding tasks. Every “Feed my sheep” follows “Do you love me?” Holiness grows in the soil of His nearness, not our striving.

What broken part of your story needs Jesus to say “Come, eat” instead of “Try harder”? Where is He serving you fish while you expect a rebuke?

“We are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God.”
(Titus 2:12, NLT)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for one way He’s patiently retrained your desires this year.

Challenge: Replace one 15-minute scroll session with sitting silently, hands open to receive.

Day 4: Groaning for Glory’s Dawn

Paul tethers grace to groaning: “We look forward.” Early Christians whispered “Maranatha!”—Come, Lord!—like labor pains anticipating birth. Sanctification isn’t about polishing today’s chains but leaning into the promise of unshackled eternity. Grace makes us homesick for a Kingdom we’ve never seen. [53:50]

A sanitized faith obsesses over better behavior. A grace-saturated faith aches for the Bridegroom’s return. Like Moses craving God’s glory, we’re made to want more than moral improvement. Our hope isn’t in perfected quiet times but in the Perfecter who split the sky once and will again.

What mundane moment this week could become a “Maranatha!” prayer? When did you last let hope hurt?

“We look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ will be revealed.”
(Titus 2:13, NLT)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reignite your longing for His return in one area of apathy.

Challenge: Write “Maranatha!” on your wrist. Let each sighting remind you to whisper it aloud.

Day 5: Grace’s Calloused Hands

Jesus didn’t say “Believe in good deeds”—He said “Be committed to them.” The same hands that broke bread for 5,000 built tables as a carpenter. Grace incarnate splinters wood, washes feet, and bleeds. It’s callouses and compassion, truth and toil. [56:14]

Sanctified living isn’t spiritual performance art. It’s plumbers fixing leaks for single moms, teachers staying late for struggling kids, nurses holding dementia patients’ hands. Grace-made holiness works in coveralls, not choir robes. It’s the Spirit saying “Go” more than “Bow.”

Where has your faith been a museum piece instead of a work glove? What good deed have you spiritualized into inaction?

“He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin…to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.”
(Titus 2:14, NLT)

Prayer: Ask God to wreck one excuse for inaction with Titus 2:14’s “totally committed.”

Challenge: Do one unobserved act of service today—take out a neighbor’s trash, leave a gas gift card, anonymously donate.

Sermon Summary

We face a literacy crisis that shapes how we think, worship, and follow Jesus. Over half of adults read below a sixth grade level, and many who own Bibles still cannot explain core Christian terms. We must pursue biblical literacy so we can read scripture firsthand, test teachings, and resist cultural voices that reshape theology. Biblical literacy trains us to think, discern, and pursue truth rather than drift on emotion or habit.

We will slow down to define theological words and build understanding instead of assuming it. Simple definitions and careful teaching help us move from spiritual passivity to formation. We will prioritize education over entertainment so faith equips us for Monday, not just Sunday. Formation requires steady rhythms of scripture, prayer, and community that change desires and character.

Grace appears throughout scripture as a movement from God toward us, not merely a one-time event. We will hold the full journey of grace: prevenient grace that pursues us, saving grace that rescues us, and sanctifying grace that transforms us into Christlikeness. Titus 2 frames this journey: grace reveals salvation, instructs us to turn from ungodly living, and trains us to live with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion. Living worthy of grace means anticipating Christ's return and committing to good deeds as evidence of genuine transformation.

Sanctifying grace refuses to stop at forgiveness. We will allow the Holy Spirit to train our affections, deny ungodliness, and shape a life committed to service and holiness. Transformation shows itself in changed character over time, not mere attendance. Communion reminds us that grace cost Christ everything; we must examine our hearts and receive the table with humility, repentance, and faith. Grace found us, saved us, and continues to work within us; we respond by growing in biblical understanding and living a life aligned with God’s revealed will.

Key Takeaways

1. Biblical literacy prevents counterfeit faith We must learn to read, interpret, and apply scripture so culture cannot rewrite the gospel for us. Literacy arms us to recognize deception, ask good questions, and assess teaching by God’s story rather than feeling. Growing in biblical fluency protects the church from emotional theatrics that produce disciples who only crave weekly uplift. [30:20]
2. Grace unfolds as a sustained journey Grace begins with God reaching for us, moves through rescue, and presses onward to reshape our habits and loves. Recognizing grace as ongoing relocates the center of salvation from a single experience to lifelong formation. When we expect continued change, we accept discipline and pursue holiness as part of grace’s cost. [42:04]
3. Sanctifying grace reshapes daily life The Spirit trains our desires to refuse ungodliness and to pursue wisdom, righteousness, and devotion amid an evil world. True sanctification changes practical choices, relationships, and priorities so good works follow naturally from identity. We measure growth by who we become over a year, not by how we feel after Sunday. [52:51]
4. Communion demands sober self-examination Approaching the table calls for honest reflection about ongoing sin, unresolved shame, and resistance to God’s work. Self-examination protects the sacredness of the meal and acknowledges the cost of grace rather than treating it as ritual. We receive the bread and cup with humility, repentance, and intention to live changed. [60:16]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[26:45] - Vacation and the need to rest
[28:33] - Literacy crisis in America
[30:20] - Danger of losing biblical literacy
[31:58] - What biblical literacy enables
[42:04] - Grace as a journey explained
[46:30] - Prevenient and saving grace
[52:51] - Sanctifying grace and transformation
[60:16] - Communion, cost, and self-examination
[67:48] - Invitation to receive grace

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Titus 2:11-14 (ESV)
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.

Observation Questions

According to Titus 2:12, what specific actions does grace train us to pursue?
The sermon described grace as a three-part journey: prevenient, saving, and sanctifying. How does Titus 2:11-14 reflect these stages? [42:04]
What two purposes does Paul give in Titus 2:14 for Jesus giving himself?
The sermon warned that a church without biblical literacy risks "counterfeit Christianity." What example did the pastor give of how this happens? [30:20]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul connect grace with "training" (Titus 2:12) instead of just forgiveness? How does this align with the idea of sanctifying grace? [52:51]
The passage says we are to live "in the present age" while "waiting for our blessed hope." How might living in an "evil world" (as described in the sermon) shape what it means to live "self-controlled, upright, and godly"? [51:37]
The sermon argued that biblical literacy helps believers "recognize deception" in culture. How might a lack of biblical literacy make someone vulnerable to distorted teachings about grace? [30:30]
Why does Paul emphasize "good works" (Titus 2:14) as evidence of being "purified," and how does this relate to the warning about reducing Christianity to "attendance instead of transformation"? [01:04:03]

Application Questions

The sermon asked, "Am I biblically formed or just spiritually passive?" What is one practical step you could take this week to grow in biblical literacy (e.g., studying a theological term, reading a Bible chapter daily)? [36:21]
Sanctifying grace "trains our desires to refuse ungodliness." What is one worldly passion or habit you feel the Spirit prompting you to renounce, and what specific action will you take to cooperate with that training? [52:32]
The pastor said, "We measure growth by who we become over a year, not by how we feel after Sunday." Looking back at the last year, what tangible change in your character or priorities reflects sanctifying grace at work? [01:04:20]
Communion calls for "sober self-examination." Before your next participation, what unresolved sin, shame, or area of resistance to God’s work might you need to bring into the light? [01:00:16]
The sermon warned against churches that "equip you for Sunday but not Monday." How could you intentionally apply one truth from Titus 2:11-14 to a specific challenge you’ll face in your workplace, family, or community this week?

Sermon Clips

36s

“``And here's the danger. This is where I'm going with this. A culture without literacy becomes vulnerable to confusion, but a church without biblical literacy becomes vulnerable to counterfeit Christianity. That's a huge problem in the church. Let me say it another way. If Christians are not biblically literate, the loudest voice in culture will eventually become your theology. That's the danger. That's the danger that we're facing in the church today.”

from 00:30:12

#biblicalLiteracy

39s

“This is why we're slowing down this week because grace deserves way more than just a shallow understanding. Way more. A church that cannot explain grace will eventually distort grace. We will. A church that cannot define grace if if I can't go around the room and say, hey, can you define grace? We have a cohesive message all the way through. Guess what happens? A church that can't do that, it distorts grace because it doesn't know what grace is. It ruins it. It tarnishes it.”

from 00:58:14

#explainGrace

39s

“Now, some of you were a guest this morning and you walked in and you you thought, man, I I don't know what I believe right now. Maybe you're thinking that Christianity is merely about becoming more moral. And if you're hearing that, I'm sorry. I haven't communicated well because Christianity teaches something different. Christianity teaches that you cannot save yourself. You need grace. You need saving grace. And God offers it freely through his son, Jesus Christ.”

from 00:58:54

#savingGraceNeeded

40s

“Because grace is too important to soften, to ignore, to redefine, or to leave unexplained. So when you're saying, pastor, I I brought my mom. I thought we were gonna have a Mother's Day message. Are you listening, church? I'm telling you the value of God's grace and how to live a life that will make your mom more proud than she's ever been of you. Wake up.”

from 00:57:23

#graceMatters

43s

“A literate Christian can read scripture firsthand. They can test teachings against God's will and against his word. They discern truth from false doctrine. They understand the gospel deeply, and they grow in spiritual maturity. This matters because Christianity is not built merely on emotion or tradition. It is rooted and revealed truth. A biblically literate Christian is harder to deceive, easier to disciple, and more prepared to disciple others.”

from 00:32:02

#biblicallyLiterate

34s

“You have the ability to navigate it. Well, what a novel thought. That's what the church should be doing. And so because of that, I wanna ask you a question this morning. Do you wanna be entertained or do you wanna be educated in the things of god? Serious question. I'm not taking a cheap shot. What's more important? Is it more important to be entertained as a Christian or is it more important to be educated in the things of god?”

from 00:39:31

#educateNotEntertain

31s

“But now we're entering in what we call sanctifying grace where god continues transforming you into the image of his son. Church, if I'm gonna be honest, this is where the American church is failing. We love to rest in saving grace. We love to rest there. Like, saved me. I've been saved by Jesus. But we don't wanna do the hard work of sanctifying grace.”

from 00:43:17

#dontRestInSavingGrace

39s

“When you see Jesus is holy and we're called to be a holy people. Jesus redeemed us and purified us for good works, a holy life. Not holier than thou. Let's throw that language away, a holy life. Meaning, we're called to look like Jesus Christ to the world around us Paul doesn't say we're to do good works, does he? He says that we are totally committed to doing good works.”

from 00:55:08

#holyLife

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Grace That Changes How You Live

Devotional

Day 1: Grace Reaching in Wilderness Places

Day 2: Dead Men Walking to Life

Day 3: Trained by Broiled Fish

Day 4: Groaning for Glory’s Dawn

Day 5: Grace’s Calloused Hands

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Grace That Changes How You Live

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