September 1, 2019
Morning Service

Paul has written this letter to young Timothy whom he had left in Ephesus to charge the church there to teach no other doctrine than what he had given to them.  All things that we need for life and godliness have been given to us according to 2 Peter 1:3. The scriptures we have are all we need to be a faithful follower of Christ; they will lead us to a life that is pleasing to our Savior.  Paul gave Timothy the true purpose of the scriptures in verse 5.

1Ti 1:5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

            The hearing and doing of the scriptures is what develops within us a “love from a pure heart, from a good conscience and from a sincere faith.”  We follow Christ and obey His commands because we truly do love Him for all that He has done for us.  That should be your greatest desire as a Jesus follower.  To love and serve Him from a pure loving heart placing Him first in your life above everything else. 

That thought seems to be on Paul’s mind now as he shares his testimony with Timothy.  The entire story of his conversion can be read in Acts 9.  Paul, then called Saul, was a Jewish Pharisee and was fervent about his strict adherence to the Law.  His zeal even led him to persecute the newest threat to his faith which was called “The Way” led by a man called Jesus.  He even held the coats of those who stoned the first martyr of the church Stephen.  It was on the road to Damascus that this same Jesus appeared to Saul and called him into the ministry as a “chosen vessel to bear My name before Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel.”  He looks back and remembers all that God has led him through as he writes to Timothy.

 

1Ti 1:12-13 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, (13) although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

            Paul’s conversion was about as radical as you could have dreamed up.  He was one day the church’s biggest enemy and then He met Jesus and everything changed.  God used Paul and his unique knowledge of the OT scriptures to reveal to him the entire truth of His plan (magnified the law).  He then called him to be one of the chief spokesman for the very faith that he once fought against.  He used him in establishing churches and creating disciples that would strengthen it to endure to the next generation.  That is how God operates.  He allows us to walk a certain unique path and then calls us into a place that He can use our experience to help others and to build the kingdom.  That certainly was Paul’s story.

            What is unique in your life that God has carried you through?  How has He used you and that experience as a tool in His hand to build His kingdom?  Be grateful for your personal journey God has called you to.  As Paul looks back he too is grateful for the grace and mercy God poured upon him as he had persecuted the church out of ignorance and unbelief but was forgiven and then mightily utilized as a key to the spread of this wonderful gospel message.

 

1Ti 1:14-17 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.  (15)  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.  (16)  However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.  (17)  Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

            Paul fully realizes that he was not worthy of the calling that Christ Jesus had called him to.  Though we see Paul as a hero of the faith, he did not see himself in that light.  He here calls himself “the chief of sinners” because of the many things he had done to persecute the church in his former role before he met Christ on that road to Damascus.  The more he grew to understand God’s grace, the more aware he became of his own sinfulness.  Humility and gratitude drove Paul all the days of his life as he saw himself just as each of us can identify ourselves as a sinner saved by grace.  Grace is the unmerited favor of God.  We don’t deserve it or we can’t earn it, but Jesus offers it freely to us out of love.  God chose Paul, the church’s worst enemy, to become one of the key people who then would lead that same church into its future. 

This is a great example for all of us.  Look where the life of Saul was heading before he met Jesus and look how that radically changed after he met Jesus.  He did that for Paul, the chief of sinners, and He can do it for you.  Though you are not walking with Christ or even walking against Him, he loves you enough to call you into His kingdom and then will put you to work for Him.  He has great things for you to do if you accept His offer.  The same God that called Saul and transformed his life into becoming the Apostle Paul is calling you as well.  That is the purpose that Jesus came as Luke wrote:

 

Luke 5:31-32 Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  (32)  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

 

Joh 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  (17)  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

            Many times we feel we are not good enough or don’t deserve God’s wonderful grace and you are absolutely correct!  His grace is freely given to “whoever believes in Him.”  Paul told the Ephesian church this:

 

Eph 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast.  (10)  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

            It is grace that allows us to be saved through faith as it is a gift from God.  Paul accepted that gift and was called of God to walk a certain path and be used mightily by Him. That was his purpose in the kingdom.  We too are called to a certain path and be assured you are “His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.”  He has prepared or is preparing you for a work and a purpose to fulfill in this lifetime.  Ask, seek and knock until you find that work and purpose and thrive in it finding peace and contentment knowing you are in the center of God’s will as you serve Him by loving others.  Paul finishes this chapter with a charge to Timothy and to us.

 

1Ti 1:18-20 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, (19) having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, (20) of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

            Paul charges Timothy to “wage the good warfare” or the NLT calls it “fight well the Lord’s battles.”  Timothy had been given a gift to be able to preach and teach the Good News of Christ and Paul is charging him to get into the battle; get off the bench and get into the game!  He is charging us in the same way.  Get busy spreading the Good News to those around you; find the work He has prepared for you.  You are His “workmanship” as He has created you for good works and a purpose to be an active member of the church and His kingdom.  Get into the battle and begin to fight!

           

Heavenly Father move our spirits to action to join into the battle as we seek to fulfill our calling to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to this world!