Celebrate the Gospel!

Celebrate the gospel! (1:12-17)

Celebrate the gospel! (1:12-17)

The gospel is...

As we guard the gospel in the church, we also must celebrate the gospel – not just as a church, but in our personal lives.

Verses 12-17 – Paul bursts into his personal testimony, which results in personal praise

If you take little to no time to celebrate the gospel’s effect in your own life, don’t be surprised when you grow calloused and cold toward God and His gospel.

Paul gives us one of the most concise, clear and compelling descriptions of the gospel in all of Scripture: vs 15 – “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Paul tells us first that Jesus came… we learn that the gospel is:

The gospel of Christ is...

incarnational, yet undeniable

universal, yet personal

incarnational, yet undeniable

Christ Jesus didn’t come into being to save sinners, He came into the world

He existed long before Bethlehem

: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

The One who was with the Father in glory put on a robe of human flesh and came to us. Fully man while being fully God – this is the incarnation.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version.,). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

But why did He come?

Jesus Christ came to live the life we could never live, die the death we deserve to die, and to rise in victory over enemies we could never conquer – sin, death, hell, and the grave.

die the death we deserve to die, and to rise in victory over enemies we could never conquer – sin, death, hell, and the grave.

There is not a greater wonder in all of history, and yet Paul says it’s true.

Unlike the myths and speculations of the false teachers in the church (vs 4), this is (vs 15) a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation

universal, yet personal

universal, yet personal

The grace of God is...

This is reality and it is undeniable

universal, yet personal

Now that we’ve established that Jesus came to save sinners, the question is: Which sinners?

Answer: All sinners who would embrace this gospel fully.

And then Paul adds his personal place in this group of sinners – CHIEF

This is why it is universal (for all) and yet personal – do you see your place as an individual in this group of sinners in need of a savior?

We quote “For God so loved the world” why neglecting our personal place in that verse.

Also, if we acknowledge our personal place in this group, how hesitant would we be to promote ourselves to worst on that list?

“Well, at least I’m better than that guy...”

“I didn’t do anything TOO bad...”

vs 14 – God’s grace overflowed for you. This is what Paul meant by “exceeding abundant”

If were to multiply all your sins times 1,000 – it still wouldn’t come close to exhausting His grace.

– But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

vs 13 – Paul talks about what he used to be

Deep down you know God’s grace is sufficient but for reasons of past/present guilt, do you struggle with accepting it is yours now? Remember God chose the church’s chief persecutor (Paul) & made him its chief missionary. He said “the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant!”

blasphemer, persecutor, arrogant

Remember God chose the church’s chief persecutor (Paul) & made him its chief missionary.

The person writing this letter to the church used to be the church’s greatest human threat.

He said “the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant!”

Paul was on his way to Damascus to kill Christians when he met Christ. Paul’s example in vs 13 tells us a lot about God’s grace...

unconditional

The grace of Christ is...

“Grace” which requires conditions ceases to be grace

unconditional

“Grace” which requires conditions ceases to be grace

God’s UNMERITED favor

purposeful

God’s UNMERITED favor

purposeful (vs 14)

It demonstrates God’s patience

It demonstrates God’s patience

It leads to praising God

This is good news for all who have thought “God would never save me...”

Or perhaps, deep down you know God’s grace is sufficient but for reasons of past/present guilt, do you struggle with accepting it is yours now?

Remember God chose the church’s chief persecutor (Paul) & made him its chief missionary.

The person writing this letter to the church used to be the church’s greatest human threat.

He said “the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant!”

It leads to praising God

The glory of God is...

Listen to Paul’s response to God’s grace in vs 17 (Read vs 17)

Guilty before the eternal Judge, the apostle was overwhelmed that he would receive such mercy from such a King!

Paul’s praise to God in vs 17 tells us a few things about the glory of God...

The glory of God is...

royal & eternal

invisible & incomparable

royal & eternal

King of the Ages

Now and forevermore

He never grows tired or weary. He never changes. Death and decay have no power over Him.

Fight for the Gospel! (1:18-20)

invisible & incomparable

God is beyond the limits of our sight and imagination

No one compares to Him

While guarding the gospel as a church, let us celebrate the amazing gospel power of God in our individual lives.

Fight for the Gospel! (1:18-20)

In our lives

In light of who God is and in light of His grace, Paul gave Timothy one final exhortation in this chapter: FIGHT FOR THE GOSPEL!

Timothy must engage in battle – war a good warfare – for the gospel’s sake.

This is a great reminder to all of us – to understand what it is we should be fighting for and fighting against

And that none of us are immune to fighting this fight.

We’re in a war, brothers and sisters.

In our lives, marriages, families

We fight for the gospel in our lives

In our churches

We’re in a war, brothers and sisters.

In our lives, marriages, families

vs 19 – This battle will look differently in each of our lives, but we must fight the good fight. Sand strong and keep “faith and a good conscience”

Finally...

In our churches

We fight for the gospel in our churches

vs 20 – church discipline (excommunication)

&

Hymenaeus and Alexander were cast out of the church to show that were separated from Christ

Not in anger, but with hope and prayer that they would repent and turn to Christ

Paul essentially tells us, “You and the church must take sever measure at certain times to fight for this gospel. Take them.”

Whatever you do, hold on to the gospel. It is the only thing that unites a church, and it is the only thing that sustains and edifies (grows) his people.

Indeed this is a gospel worth guarding and defending, and this is a gospel worth celebrating forever.