An Attitude of Gratitude
Notes
Transcript
12 I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry—13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Introduction:
Here’s an interesting list that people put some things they are thankful for - many of you can agree.
A perfectly synchronized traffic light when you are running late.
A friend who sends you hilarious memes on tough days.
The satisfaction of peeling the protective film off of a new electronic device.
The feeling of a freshly washed and made bed.
Finding a long-lost item you thought was gone forever.
The smell of a new book or magazine.
A handwritten letter in the mail.
The joy of jumping into a cool pool on a hot day.
Finding money in a jacket you haven’t worn in a while.
A baby’s infectious laughter
The joy of singing along to your favorite song in the car.
A dog who greets you at the door with jumps and barks.
There are many small things that many times we forget to include on our thankfulness list. There are also many spiritual things we forget to put on our thankfulness list.
The Apostle Paul at the beginning of his letter to Timothy breaks out in a “Thankfulness” paragraph and almost structures itself as a thankfulness list.
Paul talks about the things he is thankful for. He uses the present, active indicative of the word “Thank” in vv. 12. This means He is continuing to thank God.
Thanking the Lord for what He has done should be a lifetime obsession of the believer.
We need to learn to put away the “I want” or “I needs” with God and focus on the “Thank you” aspect.
Paul, in this passage, I believe lays out 5 things about Jesus Christ that Paul is thankful for. Let us note them together.
Paul thanks God that…
Paul thanks God that…
1. He enables me. (vv. 12 -13a)
1. He enables me. (vv. 12 -13a)
12 I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry—13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief,
Paul was thankful here that Jesus had called him into the ministry.
Before you start to think that this doesn’t apply to you since you are not a “pastor”; let’s understand the word “ministry.”
The word ministry simply means “service.”
God has called every Christian to the ministry and to hard service for His name’s sake.
You are a minister and in the ministry just as much as I am.
Even further, Paul says here that he was thankful that when God called him into the ministry, He ENABLED him to do it.
Paul literally says here that Christ is the one who “strengthened” him.
Paul needed God’s enabling to serve Him.
Paul was the worst of the worst in regards to Christianity.
Paul realizes that if ANYONE needed God’s enabling power and strength to do the work of the ministry, it was himself.
I want you to notice something else: Paul says that He was thankful that God considered him “faithful.”
You see that’s what the Lord is looking for: faithfulness.
He’s not looking for brains, brawn, beauty or brilliance; He is looking for faithfulness.
Paul was thankful that God enabled Him to work in the ministry, since he was faithful.
oThat’s what God is looking for in us today. It doesn’t take much brain to be faithful.
o Are you faithful to his church? Are you faithful to the ministries that you have chosen to be a part of?
2. He forgets my past. (vv 13a)
2. He forgets my past. (vv 13a)
13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief,
Another thing that Paul makes mention of here in this passage is to the fact that Paul did NOT let his past disqualify him from present ministry.
“who was formerly” He stood there as Stephen was being stoned.
No matter your past, don’t forget that it is forgotten.
18 “Do not remember the past events;
pay no attention to things of old.
19 Look, I am about to do something new;
even now it is coming. Do you not see it?
Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert.
God wants to use your faithfulness to serve Him. He will enable you to do what He wants you to do.
If you struggle with this fact this morning, let Jesus enable you to do His work.
3. He shows me grace and mercy (vv. 13b-14)
3. He shows me grace and mercy (vv. 13b-14)
13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Paul moves on to say that He is thankful for God’s grace and mercy.
Paul makes the point that he was ignorant and stupid and yet God still was merciful and gracious to him.
We can all remember times like that in our lives, can’t we?
Paul went as far as to persecute the church, but he did so out of ignorance.
And it was the mercy of God that saved Him. And for that, Paul is thankful, and so should we!
Aren’t we thankful for the mercy of God? It is something that we do not deserve either.
(See also: Thanksgiving)
Don’t grumble because you don’t get what you want; be grateful that you don’t get what you deserve.
Anonymous
We have all received “grace for grace” because of Jesus Christ.
God’s grace has given us:
An eternity in heaven
Rewards in heaven
Personal possessions here on the earth
Friendships
Family
All of this was possible because of Jesus. Have you taken time to thank Him today?
4. He saves me.(vv. 15)
4. He saves me.(vv. 15)
15 This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them.
Paul makes it clear that Christ Jesus came to save sinners, not the righteous. Doesn’t that fill you with thankfulness?
Jesus made it clear that it is the sick who need a doctor; not the whole.
Paul even says here that he is the chief of sinners.
This brings up a natural question
Aren’t we all equally sinners?
Charles Spurgeon said this
“All men are truly sinners, but all men are not equally sinners. They are all in the mire; but they have not all sunk to an equal depth in it.”
(Spurgeon)
Some of us have been saved out of a whole lot more than others of us.
Some of us have been saved out of a life of drunkenness, drugs, infidelity, vanity, and all others. We have such a great salvation!
Listen to me Maple Springs: Jesus does not stand as your accuser. He stands there as your Savior. Jesus did not make accusations against the sinner. He only gave invitations, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest" If you're a sinner, you don't need to fear Jesus. He's reaching out His arms to you. He's saying to you, Come unto me, I will give you peace. I will give you rest. I will give you hope. I will give you life. I came to save you.
5. He is patient with me. (vv. 16)
5. He is patient with me. (vv. 16)
16 But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life.
Paul is saying this - “Christ’s longsuffering will never undergo a more severe test than it did in my case, so that no sinner need ever despair. Let us glorify God therefore.”
Aren’t youSthankful for the patience of God?
I know that many of you tried and tested God for many years before you gave your heart and life over to Him. Aren’t you glad He was patient with you?
CLOSING:
CLOSING:
In Luke 17 Jesus tells us about 10 lepers who were healed. Only 1 came back to say “thanks.” Be that one.
Thank you God, that you…
Enable me.
Forget my past.
Show me grace and mercy.
Save me.
are patient with me.