Saved to Serve
Notes
Transcript
Good morning, everyone. It's good to be together again as we open God's Word. Today, we're starting a journey through the book of 1 Timothy in the New Testament. This is one of the letters that the apostle Paul wrote to a young leader named Timothy. Paul was one of the key figures in spreading the good news about Jesus in the early days of the church. He planted many churches, and Timothy was like a close helper to him—someone Paul trusted deeply.
Before we dive in, think about this for a moment. There was once an advertisement in a newspaper that said something like: "Men wanted for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success." Thousands of men applied! It was for an expedition to explore the Arctic, led by Sir Ernest Shackleton. People were drawn to the challenge because of who was leading it.
Warren Wiersbe, a Bible teacher, imagined what it might look like if Jesus put out an ad for people to help build His church. It could read: "Men and women wanted for difficult task of helping to build My church. You will often be misunderstood, even by those working with you. You will face constant attack from an invisible enemy. You may not see the results of your labor, and your full reward will not come till after all your work is completed. It may cost you your home, your ambitions, even your life."
That's the kind of call Timothy answered. He was a young man who grew up knowing about God from his mother and grandmother, who were believers. His mother was Jewish and a follower of Jesus, and his father was Greek. Paul met Timothy, led him to fully trust in Christ, and became like a spiritual father to him. Timothy traveled with Paul, helped in tough situations, and later was left in charge of the church in a big city called Ephesus.
Ephesus was an important place back then—a busy port city with maybe 250,000 people, one of the largest in the Roman world. It had a huge theater that could seat 50,000, and it was famous for its temple to the goddess Artemis, which was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. People came from everywhere to worship there. But now, there was a growing church of people who followed Jesus instead.
Paul wrote this letter to encourage Timothy as he led that church. There were problems, like false teachers spreading wrong ideas. But the letter isn't just for leaders—it's for all of us. It shows how God wants His people to live and work together to share the good news of Jesus.
Today, we're looking at chapter 1, with a special focus on verses 12 through 18. Let's start by reading the first part of the chapter together.
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope:
2 To Timothy, my true son in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach false doctrine
4 or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith.
5 Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.
6 Some have departed from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion.
7 They want to be teachers of the law, although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on.
8 But we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately.
9 We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers,
10 for the sexually immoral and males who have sex with males, for slave traders, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching
11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me.
Paul starts by telling Timothy to stop some people from teaching wrong things. These false teachers were twisting the Old Testament law—things like rules from Moses—and making up stories about family lines in the Bible to create new ideas that weren't true. This was confusing people and pulling them away from the simple truth of trusting Jesus.
There were false teachers in Paul’s time, and sadly, there are false teachers today, including right here in the United States. Paul made a prophecy about what is happening today in chapter 4:
1 Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
Just like back then, they take parts of the Bible and twist them to fit their own ideas, leading people into confusion or away from God's grace. For example, some promote what's called the prosperity gospel, where they teach that if you have enough faith or give enough money to the church, God will make you rich and healthy, with no suffering.
This is like a modern version of legalism, where following certain rules or formulas guarantees blessings, but it ignores the Bible's teaching that true faith is about trusting Jesus through good times and bad, not about getting material wealth. We've seen this in big televangelist ministries across the country like Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Benny Hinn, and Joel Osteen, where leaders promise miracles in exchange for donations, pulling people into a focus on money rather than on Christ.
Another example is the rise of movements in some American churches and online communities, where people are encouraged to question and dismantle core Bible truths, like the deity of Jesus or the reality of sin, often leading to abandoning the faith altogether instead of building it up through love and sincere belief. Joshua Harris (author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye), Marty Sampson (Hillson worship leader), Rhett and Link (online influencers who grew up in church), and Kevin Max of DC Talk are a few examples of people pushing this false teaching.
Then there's a teaching that since we're saved by grace, we don't need to follow God's moral commands at all, like it's okay to live however we want without repentance. This shows up in some progressive Christian circles in the U.S., where the emphasis is on acceptance without transformation, which contradicts the Bible's call to holy living.
You can think of this as "cheap grace." A pastor named Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who stood against evil in Germany in his day, warned about cheap grace. He said cheap grace is forgiveness without needing to turn from sin, or baptism without changing your life. It's like treating God's grace as something easy and without cost, when really, it cost Jesus everything on the cross. True grace is costly—it transforms us.
In some parts of Christianity today, especially in what people call progressive circles here in the United States, this idea can show up in a different way. Sometimes there's a big emphasis on God's love and acceptance, which is absolutely true—God does love everyone and accepts us as we are when we come to Jesus. But if it stops there and says things like "God's moral commands in the Bible don't really apply anymore" or "We don't need to repent or change because grace covers it all," that can slide into this false teaching. It might downplay parts of the Bible that talk about holy living or turning away from sin, focusing only on acceptance without the call to transformation.
One of the most visible example of this comes from churches and denominations that teach LGBTQ lifestyles are OK even though the Bible clearly teaches that it’s not.
The United Church of Christ (UCC)
The Episcopal Church (USA)
Presbyterian Church (USA) (PCUSA)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC): Founded specifically to serve LGBTQ+ Christians, this global denomination fully affirms homosexuality as not sinful. It interprets Old Testament laws as obsolete under the New Covenant, focusing on God's inclusive love and rejecting literal applications of Leviticus as cultural artifacts
Paul included homosexuality in the list of people who are lawless and rebellious in verses 9 and 10:
9 We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral and males who have sex with males, for slave traders, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching
And groups tied to the New Apostolic Reformation mostly in charismatic and Pentecostal churches claim new prophets and apostles who get direct revelations from God that override the Bible, leading to all sorts of speculative teachings that distract from the gospel.
These kinds of false doctrines are alive and well today, often spread through books, podcasts, social media, and megachurches, and they can trap people in bondage just like the legalism Paul warned about. The flesh loves these ideas because they let us feel spiritual without real heart change. But Paul is clear: we have to guard against them, seeing ourselves as under orders from Jesus, the King, to hold to sound teaching.
Now, right after saying the gospel was entrusted to him, Paul breaks into thanksgiving about his own story. This is the part we're focusing on today. Let's read verses 12-17.
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.
12 I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry—
Paul thanked Jesus for giving him strength and calling him into service in verse 12.
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,
But then he remembers who he used to be in verse 13: a blasphemer or someone who spoke against God and denied that Jesus was the Messiah. He said he was a persecutor who hunted down Christians. And he was arrogant like a bully who thought he was always right. We see more about Paul’s life before he decided to follow Jesus in Acts 26:
10 I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I was in agreement against them.
11 In all the synagogues I often punished them and tried to make them blaspheme. Since I was terribly enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.
Paul, before he met Jesus, was named Saul. He was from a good family, well-educated, a Pharisee—which was a strict religious group. He thought he was serving God by stopping the spread of Christianity. He approved when Stephen, the first martyr, was killed. He went house to house dragging believers to prison. He was full of zeal, but it was aimed in the wrong direction.
But God showed him mercy. Paul says he acted in ignorance—not knowing the truth. That's not an excuse, but God is merciful to those who ask Him for forgiveness of their sins. We see this even when Jesus was on the cross.
14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Grace means God's kindness we don't deserve—God turning hearts to Christ, strengthening faith, and helping us live for Him. Paul says this grace "overflowed"—it was more than enough, super abundant. No matter how bad someone is, God's grace is bigger.
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.
In verse 15, Paul called himself the worst of sinners because he actively fought against Christ. But God saved him to show His patience—to prove that if He can save Paul, He can save anyone who believes.
Paul said in verse 16 that God used his example to bring many people to Christ!
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.
A powerful example of God’s mercy and grace is Nicky Cruz. Born in Puerto Rico in the 1930s, Nicky grew up in a home filled with witchcraft and terrible abuse. His parents practiced dark spiritual things, and his mother even called him "son of Satan." He was beaten badly from a young age, and by his teens, his heart had hardened completely. He moved to New York City and became the leader of a violent street gang called the Mau Maus—one of the most feared gangs in Brooklyn back in the 1950s. Nicky was involved in fights, stabbings, drugs, and all kinds of crime. He was full of hate and rage, threatening anyone who got in his way.
Then, in 1958, a preacher named David Wilkerson came to the neighborhood to share about Jesus. Nicky slapped him, spat on him, and threatened to kill him. But Wilkerson kept showing love, telling Nicky that Jesus loved him and would never stop. At a big meeting in an arena, Nicky went planning trouble, but God's Spirit broke through. Nicky gave his life to Jesus right there, repented of his sins, and was completely changed. He left the gang life, went to Bible school, and started ministering to other gang members and troubled youth. His story became the book and movie "The Cross and the Switchblade." For over 60 years now, Nicky Cruz has traveled the world as an evangelist, sharing how Jesus saved him from violence and hate—just like He saved Paul from persecuting the church. If God can turn a gang leader full of anger into a messenger of peace, He can reach anyone.
Next, Paul is so thankful that God saved him that bursts into praise in verse 17
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Then he continues to encourage Timothy in verses 18-20
18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the good fight, 19 having faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and have shipwrecked their faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.
Paul reminds Timothy of words spoken over him earlier—prophecies that he was called for this work. Timothy was challenged to fight the good fight and stay true to his faith. We just studied Ephesians where in chapter 6, Paul said we need to put on the full armor of God. He warned of some who had ignored their conscience and wrecked their faith. Paul even handed two men over to discipline, hoping it would bring them back.
What does all this mean for us today? First, be careful about who you trust to teach you about God and the Bible. Filter everything you hear or see through the Bible and prayer. Go to the website gotquestions.org which is a great resource that answers questions from a Christian, evangelical, theologically conservative viewpoint.
Second, understand the importance of the gospel. Paul slips in his testimony right after talking about the gospel entrusted to him. The gospel is the good news that Jesus came to save sinners. It's the center of everything. The church exists to guard this truth and share it. False teaching pulls us away from it, but the gospel is what changes lives.
Why does Paul share his story here? To remind Timothy—and us—that everything flows from the gospel. Leadership in the church, correcting wrong teaching, living rightly—all based on this glorious message.
Third, don't forget your salvation. Maybe your story isn't as dramatic as Paul's—he saw a bright light on the road to Damascus and heard Jesus' voice. Most of us don't have that. Some of us came to faith young, without a big "before and after." But every one of us was lost in sin, headed for separation from God. Jesus saved us by His death and resurrection. He paid the price for our sins—past, present, future.
If we forget that, we can become self-righteous. We start looking down on others, thinking we're better. But remembering God's mercy to us keeps us humble. It reminds us that we're all sinners saved by grace. God can save the "worst"—like Paul thought he was. That gives hope for anyone we know who seems far from God.
Think about how Paul changed. From enemy of the church to its greatest missionary. God's patience waited for the right time. We can pray for people who oppose the faith today, trusting God's timing.
Fourth, serve as a vessel filled with grace and mercy. Paul said grace overflowed to him. Imagine your life like a cup. God fills it with His mercy and grace—more than enough. When it's full, it overflows to others.
There's a story from Philip Yancey about a man named Gordon Wilson. In 1987, a bomb exploded in Northern Ireland, burying him and his daughter under rubble. His daughter died, but he survived. He said publicly that he forgave the bombers and would pray for God to forgive them. His words touched many hearts and showed the world a picture of grace.
That's what the world needs—grace it can't copy anywhere else. The church should be known for this. We're not here just to gather and feel good, or to keep away from people we disagree with. That would make us like a private club. No, we're saved by amazing grace from the judgment we deserved. We gather to learn from God's Word, encourage each other, and let that grace overflow.
Grace that stays bottled up gets stagnant, like still water. But when we share it—forgiving, loving, reaching out to sinners—it flows fresh and brings life. Paul's example challenges us. He never forgot he was the worst sinner saved by mercy. That kept him grateful, patient with others, and bold in sharing the gospel.
Now, two practical ways to live this out.
First practical application: This week, write down your own salvation story, even if it's simple. Maybe you came to Jesus young or later in life. Jot down what you were saved from and what God has done since. Keep it somewhere you can see—your Bible, a journal, or your phone. When discouragement hits or you're tempted to look down on someone else, read it. Let it remind you that you're a sinner saved by overflowing grace. This keeps your heart soft toward others and grateful to God. Paul never forgot his past; it fueled his ministry. Do the same—it'll change how you treat people who seem far from God.
Second practical application: Look for one person this week who needs to see grace overflow. Maybe a coworker who's hard to get along with, a family member who's made bad choices, or someone in the community who's done wrong. Pray for them daily, asking God to show them mercy like He showed you. Then take one small step to show kindness—send an encouraging text, invite them for coffee, offer help without strings, or just listen without judging. Don't preach at them right away; let grace flow through your actions first. Remember Gordon Wilson forgiving bombers, or Paul praying for those who once persecuted him. Overflowing grace isn't just words—it's lived out. You might be the example God uses to draw them closer.
Friends, Paul's story shouts that no one is beyond God's reach. His mercy is bigger than our worst sins. Let that truth fill you, change you, and spill over.
Let's close with his praise.
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
