Running the Earthly Race with a Heavenly Focus
6. Focused on His Coming (Titus 2:13)
We are to FOCUS on Our Blessed Hope!
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
Note the repeated emphasis on LOOKING unto Jesus. Hebrews 12:2 tells us to be “looking UNTO Jesus,” our Risen Savior. In that analogy, we are runners looking unto the goal… namely, the Judge at the finish line with a crown. Titus 2:13 tells us to be “looking FOR Jesus” our Coming Savior. We are to be looking for the coming of Christ for His Bride. As we live the Christian life we are to be focused with anticipation of His soon coming… maybe today!
The term “looking” (προσδέχομαι) is defined: “to expect, to look or wait for, eagerly anticipate a future event.” In this context, the term speaks of awaiting expectantly for the coming of Christ, looking for His coming, and anticipating it with great joy. The term “looking” also implies FAITH. We look for His coming because we believe that He is coming. And we believe because He said so: “I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2b-3). A look of faith to Christ the Savior saves the sinner from the condemnation of sin. A look of faith to Christ our High Priest saves the saint from the power of sin in his daily life. Faith IS the victory. LOOKING eagerly and expectantly is an expression of faith. In Titus 2:13, when Paul speaks of looking to Christ, he speaks of a heart of faith that is focused on His coming.
Consider the context and sentence structure in Titus 2:11-14. In verse 11, Paul begins by speaking about the grace of God that has appeared. It appeared in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. This true grace of God both saves and sanctifies. According to verse 12, God’s grace is a Teacher. It does not teach us that we are free to do whatever we want. That is licentiousness. The false teachers abuse grace and turn it into lasciviousness. Grace does not teach us self indulgence. But God’s true grace teaches us self denial! Grace teaches us to DENY ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly and righteously in the world. Grace teaches us how to LIVE the Christian life. Note that as believers we live in the world. We are surrounded by the world… its ways… its philosophies… the good, bad, and the ugly. We live IN the world, but we are not to be OF the world. We are to be different. Grace teaches us to be different as we run the race, as we live the life. Grace teaches us that we are not to be occupied with the same pursuits as the world. Something higher and nobler has captured our minds and hearts. This affects the way we live. Grace teaches us to be careful about the way we live.
Verse 13 reminds us to be “looking for that blessed hope.” The blessed hope refers to the glorious appearance of Christ. According to the rules of Greek grammar, (Granville Sharp Rule), they refer to the same thing. His appearing IS our Blessed Hope! We are to be LOOKING for His coming, which is our hope. Hope means a confident expectation… not an uncertain “hope so.” The term “look” is a present participle. The same construction appears here as in Hebrews 12:2 – a main verb in the subjunctive connected to a present participle. This construction speaks of action that occurs simultaneously with the action of the main verb: live. Thus, in Hebrews 12:1-2, the author speaks of looking AS you run. Titus 2:13 speaks of looking AS you live soberly and righteously. And don’t’ forget that “running the race” is an illustration of “living” the Christian life. In other words, as we live, we are to be continually LOOKING for His coming. We are to be giving Christ our undivided attention. Running the race is a metaphor for living the Christian life. As we live our Christian lives, we are to be continually LOOKING for (focused on) the coming of the Lord. In Titus 2:14, this heavenly focus on the coming of Christ has an effect on the way we LIVE. It should motivate us to be zealous of good works (vs.14). The One we are looking to is the same One who redeemed us in order that He might purify us unto Himself a people zealous of good works. Don’t ever think of a heavenly focus as being of no earthly value. We are not looking unto a pie in the sky that is detached from real life. Looking unto Jesus and looking for His coming transforms our earthly lives and results in good fruit and good works. Both expressions teach that our focus in living the Christian life is to be on a Person, Christ: either looking for His coming or looking to meet Him at the finish line. As we run the race… as we live our lives, we are to continually look to Christ, our Blessed Hope. Looking towards this hope will motivate us to keep on running. Hope is essential.
There is both a positive and negative side in looking for (awaiting eagerly; anticipating) Christ’s coming.
“And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” (I John 2:2)
Negatively, we should fear being ashamed before Him at His coming. We should fear having part of our lives go up in smoke as the wood, hay, and stubble is burnt up at the Bema. We should fear being caught wandering aimlessly when He comes, allowing laziness to settle into our Christian lives, not serving, not involved in the Local Church, not using the talents He gave us for His glory, letting others carry the load… in other words, sitting when we should be running. There will be shame at His coming if we are found to be unwilling to sacrifice… unwilling to waive our rights for the good of others… unwilling to suffer for His name’s sake. If our eyes are on self instead of Christ we will not run well. We will be feeling sorry for self, pampering self, doting over self, absorbed with self’s earthly circumstances, and not dwelling on our heavenly position. That kind of life is but wood, hay, and stubble. It is worthless and will be the cause of shame at His coming.
Positively, we can have CONFIDENCE at His coming if we are running the race with patience. If we are focused on Him and LOVE His appearing, then we will KNOW that we have crowns awaiting us. That brings spiritual confidence before Him. I John 2:28 speaks of the believer ABIDING in Christ (resting in Him; living by faith; surrendered; yielded). This is how we are to LIVE the life and RUN the race. This is the Christian life: abiding in Christ. It is the only life that is approved of God – a life that manifests fruit that was borne as a result of abiding in Him. We can have confidence at His coming if we are ABIDING in Him, walking in the light, serving Christ, sharing the gospel, and being the kind of witness He would have us to BE. If we are yielded and surrendered to Him, His life will be manifested through us, and that is well pleasing in His sight. That gives us confidence at His coming.
Consider I Tim.4:7-8: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” Note that for Paul, his confidence arose not just from what Paul was doing FOR the Lord but from his heart attitude TOWARDS the Lord: he loved His appearance because he loved the Lord. Those who focus on Christ and anticipate with great joy His coming, (we love Him and therefore we love His appearing) will be rewarded, because that kind of focus always results in a Christlike life… which is rewarded at His coming, and which creates MORE eagerness in us for His coming!
Philippians 3:20 states: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” There is a connection between LOOKING for the Savior and a heavenly “conversation” (citizenship). If we are focused on Christ above, it will affect our whole manner of life… the way we run the race down here on earth! As a citizen of heaven, we focus on the heavenly citizenship and Savior, and that results in a life which is continually progressing towards his heavenly position. In Philippians 3:18-19, Paul states that the unsaved in the world MIND (think of; look to) earthly things. They are looking to be rich and famous down here. But we are citizens of heaven. Our minds and hearts are anticipating a coming Savior to deliver us from the present evil world system and take us home to glory. We LOOK for a Savior. This is a heavenly mindset. This makes us different from the world: Christ centered, and beloved of the Father. The more we acknowledge our citizenship in heaven, (position) the more we will LOOK for the coming of Christ. Dwelling on our heavenly position (citizenship) will affect our earthly condition (lifestyle).
In the book of Revelation, we are told to BEHOLD… to LOOK for (focus on)… His coming.
There is a connection between looking unto Jesus and receiving crowns and rewards. Paul makes it clear in II Timothy 4:8 that our crowns are associated with His coming. There is a crown of righteousness for those who love His appearing. In Revelation we are told to BEHOLD (look) towards His coming and are reminded that His rewards are with Him. This ought to strike fear into us… (fear of displeasing Him; fear of becoming distracted) and also it ought to motivate us to keep on running, and to continue living for Him. This truth will motivate us to run the race with all we’ve got: the Lord is coming! He is coming at any moment… and His reward is with Him. We are presently running the race, but He could COME at any time… and we might have to give an account of everything we have done in our bodies. If that thought is front and center in our thinking, it will have an effect on the way we run the race.
“Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.” (James 5:8-9)
A life that is focused on the coming of the Lord will run the race with patience and produce good fruit. James 5:8 states that patience is needed in waiting for His return. But note that James states that we can be patient if we realize that His coming is “nigh” (near). He could come at any moment… therefore, be patient. And note also that the fact that the Judge is standing at the door (He could walk through at any moment), therefore we are to be careful about how we treat one another… holding grudges, etc. All of that could be judged at any moment. We don’t want to be ashamed at His coming. Thus LOOKING for His soon coming will have an effect on the way we live our ordinary lives… the way we treat one another… the way we run the race. James encourages us to be patient as we await the Lord’s coming, in spite of the difficult situations we face in the here and now… the Lord is coming.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3)
A heart that is focused on the coming of the Lord need not be troubled by the cares and difficulties of this life. Christ is coming again. Our hearts need not be troubled. He is coming to take us to our heavenly home… and enter into eternal rest. There may be all kind of difficulties, struggles, and even heartaches in our earthly homes. But let not your heart be troubled. Right now He is preparing a place for us there, a heavenly home… a place of peace and rest… of settled holiness and righteousness. There are no troubles there.
And we will be with Him there forever. This Christ is coming at any moment… maybe today. The Lord here reminds His disciples that this world is not their home – nor is it ours. We are reminded that we shall be with the Lord forever. Therefore, “comfort one another with these words.” These words were spoken by the Lord to comfort the troubled and heavy hearts of His followers. Those burdens are lifted when we focus above. The troubles and trials of this earthly life are replaced with a joyous anticipation of good that God has in store for us. You can’t run well with a troubled heart. But hope and joy will enable us to keep on running.
“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” I Peter 4:7)
We are commanded to be sober and watching (LOOKING) for the END of all things is at hand. For the church, the end of all things refers to the coming of the Lord for His bride. This “end” of the church’s present history on earth is “at hand.” The Lord’s coming is imminent. Therefore, we should be watching or (as we have seen before) LOOKING unto Jesus… and LOOKING for His coming. The term “watch” is defined as “clear-headed; an acknowledgment of the reality given with God’s revelation; thus, focused on spiritual reality.” The spiritual reality is that Christ is coming and His reward is with Him… and we shall all stand before Him. That should have a sobering effect on us and should cause us to watch… to be aware… alert… focused on spiritual reality… focused on Christ and things above.
Watching for “the end of all things” indicates a seriousness of God’s plan for the ages. It is an acknowledgement that we are watching soberly… realizing that the JUDGE is at the door and judgment on this world is coming. This too will have an effect on our attitude and our heart affections. We will be less inclined to love the things of the world and more inclined to set our affections on things above. We will be watching for His coming and living in light of His coming. Being focused on His coming will fill us with a healthy fear of God. It will also help us to be patient, knowing His coming is near. It will bring comfort to our troubled hearts. (Hang in there! The Lord is coming any time now.)
But perhaps most importantly, it is our blessed HOPE. It results in great HOPE for the future, regardless of present conditions. Consider the great hope that is ours as we contemplate the coming of the Lord:
Focusing on the coming of Christ and all that it implies will engender great hope, a blessed hope in our hearts. It will be worth it all – when we see Jesus! Reading God’s Word every day will keep hope alive in our hearts. It will refresh and revive these glorious thoughts every morning, renewing our minds, and that will enable us to run the race with patient endurance. Focus is everything.
As Christians, we believe in the coming of the Lord. Here at Salem Bible Church, we hold tenaciously to the pre-tribulation rapture. We are unashamedly pre-millennial. We have the correct doctrine concerning His coming. But when it comes to the coming of the Lord, there is something far more important than merely subscribing to the correct doctrine. In I Thessalonians 1:10 Paul states that we are to be “waiting for His Son from heaven.” The term “waiting” (ἀναμένω – an emphatic plus μένω) means that we are to wait eagerly. It is an intensive form of the term for “abiding.” As branches on the Vine, we are to abide IN Christ, in His Person. But here, we are to abide with intensity FOR Christ… for His coming. This speaks of awaiting His coming with zeal and eagerness. It implies that we LOVE His coming. Are we really waiting for the SON? Are we eagerly anticipating His soon coming? Is this the focus of our lives? The only way we will ever eagerly await His coming is if we first KNOW Him… and have set our affections on things above, where Christ is. We are not waiting for a prophetic event. We are awaiting a Person… whom we know and love. (You don’t eagerly await the arrival of a total stranger.)
If we are serious about eagerly awaiting the Lord’s coming, then we need to be serious about getting to KNOW HIM through His Word, and through being willing to follow His steps of suffering for righteousness sake. If we are serious about waiting for the Son, then we need to be serious about abiding IN Christ right now… day by day. We can only eagerly LOOK FOR the coming of Christ if we are presently walking in the Spirit with a pure heart. If we regard iniquity in our hearts, there will be no eagerness about His coming! Eager awaiting for a person implies that you LOVE that person and that you LOVE His appearing. It is one thing to have the proper eschatological doctrinal position. It is another thing altogether to LOVE His appearing… and to be eagerly awaiting His coming. If we love the Lord, we will be watching and looking for His soon coming. This truth should have an effect on the way we live.
“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (I John 3:3)
There is no inner purifying effect for the one who simply holds to the proper eschatological doctrines. But there IS a an ongoing (present tense) purifying effect for the one who WAITS for the Son… and who has this Blessed Hope in his heart day by day. John states that the believer purifies himself while he has this hope of Christ’s coming in his heart. Our job is to keep the Blessed Hope fresh in our heart and to be LOOKING for His coming. God’s job is to purify the heart. We are involved in the process of purifying our hearts by LOOKING unto Jesus, who is our Blessed Hope. Are we really looking FOR Christ, our Blessed Hope? Does it fill us with hope? It should.