Pastoral letters 3
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As we continue our study of the Pastoral letters we find ourselves once again in the first chapter of First Timothy. Timothy had recieved the assignment of being the pastor of the church at Ephesus. This was not an easy assignment, but one that needed a rock solid christian to correct the problems that were in the church. The thing is that Timothy had some problems of his own. He was timid and also afraid that the people wouldn’t take him seriously because he was a young man. Paul’s advice to Timothy; Rely on Christ. In our text Paul uses himself as an example of how Christ works in us.
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 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. 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. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
1tim
TS: The first reason we can do God’s work and live this life is that Christ is powerful.
Christ is Powerful
Christ is Powerful
Jesus enabled Paul to do the work of the ministry regardless of his past.
Jesus enabled Paul to do the work of the ministry regardless of his past.
Timothy was timid and had doubts about his ability to do the work of the Lord effectively.
Your past doesn't determine your future
Your past doesn't determine your future
Think of all the people of the bible who did great things for God. Did they have a spotless past? No. Moses was a murder, Rahab was a prostitute, David was an adulterer, Peter was rash, and finally Paul was a persecutor of the very church he was now building. All of these people did great things for God regardless of their past. We must never let our past get in the way of our work for the Lord.
God enables us to do
God enables us to do
God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. He gives us the power to do the work that He has called us to do.
God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. He gives us the power to do the work that He has called us to do.
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost it gave the disciples and us the power to do the work of the Lord.
God enables us to go through
God enables us to go through
Not only does God give us the power to do His work but He also enables us to go through all the troubles and trials this life will throw at us.
Think of all the things the Apostle Paul went through. He said that he could only go through those things by Christ’s power
I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
phil4.12-13
Whether things are good or bad, we can deal with all situations through Christ.
Christ is Merciful
Christ is Merciful
Whether things are good or bad, we can deal with all situations through Christ.
TS: Christ is powerful and enables us to do and to go through, He does this because of His mercy.
Christ is Merciful
Christ is Merciful
mercy
■ noun (plural mercies)
1 compassion or forgiveness shown towards an enemy or person in one’s power
Christ shows us mercy in the fact that our sin is forgiven by Him. Look at the list of Paul’s past sins; blasphemy, violence, pride… Even on this man, His enemy, Christ showed mercy. Christ is willing to show us the same mercy not because of anything we do, but because of His kindness and love toward us.
Christ is willing to show us the same mercy not because of anything we do, but because of His kindness and love toward us.
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love
for mankind appeared,
He saved us —
not by works of righteousness that we had done,
but according to His mercy,
through the washing of regeneration
and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love
for mankind appeared,
He saved us —
not by works of righteousness that we had done,
but according to His mercy,
through the washing of regeneration
and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
TS: We have seen Christ’s mercy to us, not only is He merciful but He is also Gracious.
Christ is Gracious
Christ is Gracious
Paul says in our text that the Grace of God was abundant toward him by him the Chief of sinners. We must never let sin(past or present) determine our standing with God. It is not by anything we do that we are saved but by God’s grace.
We must never let sin(past or present) determine our standing with God.
3 (in Christian belief) the free and unearned favour of God.
We have the unearned favor of God. That is just like how we deal with our own children. We give them things, we love them, we forgive them, not because they always earn those things but because we love them and because they are ours. God is like that, we are His children and we get all sorts of good things because we are His and He loves us.
Two reasons Grace was abundant in Paul's life
Faith
Faith
We all remember that we are saved by grace through faith. Faith or belief in Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection is the only requirement of this salvation. I don’t have to do anything to earn it just accept that it is true.
Faith or belief in Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection is the only requirement of this salvation.
Love
Love
This love is not our love but God’s love for us
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
No matter what happens in life, God’s love for me was settled on the cross.
No matter what happens in life, God’s love for me was settled on the cross.
TS: Christ is Gracious and not only that He is also patient
Christ is Long-suffering
Christ is Long-suffering
Christ is the ultimate picture of patients. You can think of the entire church age, 2000 years!, as God patiently waiting for the lost to come to him. Jesus is also patient with us as we go through this christian walk.
A master sculptor must be patient with the clay as he molds it and deals with the impurities and imperfections that appear as he works with it. So also God, is long-suffering with us as he makes us in to a vessel of honor for him.
Timothy’s weakness
your weakness
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2co12.
TS: Now that we know of all these things that Christ is, let us recognize Christ as King
Christ is King
Christ is King
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
1tim1.
This is Paul’s praise, and it shows the incredible attributes of our King
Eternal- from everlasting to everlasting
Immortal- Death has no power over Him
Invisible- Not made of the same corruptible material as we are
Wise- He knows all things
Eternal- from everlasting to everlasting
Immortal- Death has no power over Him
Invisible- Not made of the same corruptible material as we are
Wise- He knows all things
Because of these things, because Christ is powerful, merciful, gracious, and our king. We can go through any situation in life, deal with any weakness, and do the work of our Lord. It is never about what we can or cannot do but what Christ can do in us.