The Grace Experiencer Pt.2

Last week we started this text. Paul is writing to Timothy who he sent to Ephesus to help get the church back on track. His problem is that some leaders in the church were getting side tracked from the gospel, caught up in all kinds of myth building out of OT geneologies that had nothing to do with the gospel. And was causing division and had nothing to do with stewarding faith, what the church should be about.

What should the church look like? What do people look like that have experienced grace? It doesn’t look like what the church in Ephesus was beginning to look like. Paul says, “If you want to know what the church should look like. If you want to know what stewarding faith really does, look at me.” I’m what it looks like to be transformed by the gospel. The change that the gospel has made in Paul should be the change that the gospel has made in us.

So what kind of change does he describe should be evident when we have experienced the grace of God.

We looked at the first last week: A Grace Experiencer should be...

I. Thankful that God would use him. (1 Tim. 1:12)

No matter how God eventually used Paul, Paul never got over the gospel. Listen to him in v.12.

1 Tim. 1

1 Timothy 1:12 ESV

12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,

We must never ever get over the gospel. The gospel never got old to Paul because he kept a keen awareness of how sinful and wretched his heart is outside of God’s grace. We must be continually thankful for what God has done for us in Christ. That’s all we talked about last week.

Paul says, “If you want to know what the church should look like. If you want to know what stewarding faith really does, look at me.” I’m what it looks like to be transformed by the gospel. The change that gospel has made in Paul should be the change that the gospel has made in us. So what he describes is what the church should look like. It is what each of us should look like if we have experienced grace. We must never ever get over the gospel. The gospel never got old to Paul because he kept a keen awareness of how sinful and wretched his heart is outside of God’s grace. He had bee there.

Not only had his experience of grace cause him to be

What kept him thankful? He never forgot about how wretched he was outside of Christ. And, he how amazing it was to be forgiven and renewed in Christ. That brings us to the second description of a grace experiencer.

I. Thankful that God would use him. ()

A Grace Experiencer should be:

II. Humbled that God would use us despite our past. ()

A. We all have a past. (v. 13)

A. We all have a past. (v. 13)

Paul had a past and he was very aware of it.

1 Timothy 1:13 ESV

13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,

Paul said that he had been a “blasphemer.” So in his past as he had persecuted Christians, he had cursed the name of Jesus and denied him as Messiah. Now he realizes that was blasphemy because now he knows that Jesus is God.

Also, in an attempt to protect Judaism, Paul persecuted the church. That’s where Paul was headed in Damascus when he met Christ. We know that, but we probably don’t realize just how sever it was. Paul wants us to know just how severe his persecution of Christians was. Listen to him describe it in .

Acts 26:9–11 ESV

9 “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

So, he locked up saints in prison. He cheered when they were put to death for their faith. He persecuted them in a way that he tried to make them blaspheme Christ and chased them down wherever they might flee.

He calls himself an “insolent opponent.” Which means he did it all for the pleasure that it brought him.

Here’s what I want you to see. Paul had a past, so don’t be surprised that you have a past. Jesus isn’t surprised.

+Paul had a past, so don’t be surprised that you have a past. Just think, Paul had his worse sin placed in the Bible for everyone throughout history to know about.

+The reason that is important is that we tend to think that Jesus is just for good people. Or, if you’ve done anything bad in your life then you can’t be used by God. That’s why we have so many of the stories of great saints in the Bible. They are not great saints because they were good people. Case in point: Lot slept with his daughters. Moses was a murderer. David was a murderer and a rapist. Matthew was a sell out tax collector for the Romans, so was Zacchaes. Peter denied Christ 3 times the very night he was crucified. We already saw what Pau was without Christ.Do I need to keep going?

God is not looking for good people to use. God’s looking for sinners to save. Saved sinners make the best servants because they know that they didn’t contribute to their salvation. But they owe that to God. That makes us humble. God can use humble servants to change the world.

+You may be here and you think that you can’t be used because of your past. What are you going to bring up that’s worse than these guys? You were an alcoholic? You use to beat your wife. You had an affair. You had an abortion? You spent time in jail for drugs? If God could use these guys, God can use you. Don’t short change what God can do.

I love how Isaiah puts it:

Isaiah 61:1 ESV

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Isaiah 61:3 ESV

3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:2–3 ESV

2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

Ashes are a sign of repentance. God takes our repentance of our past and creates beauty from it.

+Some people that do come to church and they think they can’t be used because they currently struggle with sin. Who doesn’t struggle with sin? In your mind, a lot of you are thinking, “Well the rest of these people don’t struggle like I do.” Newsflash. Yes they do.

We dress up and come to church and act like we have it all together. News flash. The people around you are not better than you. Your pastor is not better than you. Your staff is not better than you. We all still struggle with sin.

We dress up and come to church and act like we have it all together. News flash. The people around you are not better than you. Your pastor is not better than you. We all struggle with sin.

When you come to church and think thattend to think that the people around you are better than you are.

Strong believers continue to struggle with sin. You know your sin, but you don’t know theres. So, you think that you are worse than they are. You are not. We would be shocked at each other if we all knew our deepest darkest temptations and struggles. And, quite frankly we’d probably be relieved. We are all messes.

Strong believers continue to struggle with sin. The only difference between you and everyone else is that you know your sin. But you don’t know theres. So, you think that you are worse than they are. You are not. We would be shocked at each other if we all knew our deepest darkest temptations and struggles. And, quite frankly we’d probably be relieved. We are all messes.

You know your sin, but you don’t know theres. So, you think that you are worse than they are. You are not. We would be shocked at each other if we all knew our deepest darkest temptations and struggles. And, quite frankly we’d probably be relieved. We are all messes.

Spurgeon said it like this:

As the salt flavors every drop in the Atlantic, so does sin affect every atom of our nature. It is so sadly there, so abundantly there, that if you cannot detect it, you are deceived. ~ Charles H. Spurgeon

Read more: https://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/25-christian-quotes-about-sin/#ixzz6EjzJpucW

If you don’t think you are as sinful as everyone else, you are deceiving yourself. That’s why Jesus had trouble with the the Pharisees. What’s the difference between you and David, Moses, and Peter? God wrote their sin down so that everyone would know about it. What if we put all our worse sin struggles on the TV’s so everyone can see? Now you are glad that God didn’t choose to use you like that aren’t you.

People have a tendency to think that people around them are better than they are. Just think, Paul had his worse sin placed in the Bible for everyone throughout history to know about.

Paul was thankful because God chose not to leave Paul in his sin.

And no matter what sin you come up with, your past is not worse t

Paul said,

1 Timothy 1:13 ESV

13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,

Acts

God gave him an excuse. He thought he was doing right, even though he was wrong. He was in darkness.

If we are talking about a time before you were saved, you were in darkness.

2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Why do lost people reject Christ? They literally can’t see what we see when we’ve had our spiritual eyes open by the spirit. When our eyes are opened, it changes us. Then we can see our sin for what it is. And that is a gift. Well all have a past. We were all sinners.

B. We all have a Savior. (vv. 14-15)

Part of the problem is that you are worse than others know about. Here’s what you are not considering. Everyone is more sinful than they show you on the outside.

1 Timothy 1:14–15 ESV

14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

Paul said that he was the worse sinner that anyone could think of before he met Christ. After we realize what he did, it’s hard to disagree with him. But, here’s what got Paul so very excited about the gospel. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”

The problem with the gospel is that it is offensive. We have to own the fact that we are sinners. Our lives have not measured up to be acceptable to God. We are enemies of God. Our lives are offensive to his holiness. We are dead in our sin and there is nothing we can do about it. Our best works are but filthy rags to God.

It is absolutely crucial that we own the fact that outside of Christ we are doomed sinners. Why? Because Christ came into the world in order to save sinners. Only sinners can be saved.

B. We all have a Savior. (vv. 14-15)

Don’t act like you are good and right with God. Because good people can’t be saved.

Luke 5:31 ESV

31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

Note, Jesus is not saying that some people are well. Paul made it clear that no one is well.

Romans 3:10 ESV

10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;

The issue is that some don’t believe that they are sick and need Christ.

+That’s one of the big problems with the normalization of homosexually by our culture. It’s not uncommon to struggle with sin. We are all bent toward sin. But, God saves sinners. What aweful is for the world to teach you that there is nothing wrong with you and you don’t have anything to be saved from. He saves those who are sick, but he does not save those who think they have no need for a physician.

Some of you are thinking that you are not good enough to be used by God. God only saves sinners.

+Why is this important? Because some of you are here thinking that you are not good enough to be saved. When you stop smoking or drinking or partying, then you can be used by God. I hope you realize now why you are wrong. You don’t get good enough and then get saved. You see your sin, bring it to Christ in repentance, and Christ starts to change you.

Let me give you two good examples: Kenya West and Justin Bieber. Both have recently come forward as Christ followers. Kenya West was asked, “Does this mean you are Christian artist now?” He responded, “I am a Christian everything now.” I listened to a interview with Justin Bieber where he was asked about his new faith. He said, “I always knew that Jesus died for me. But, I didn’t understand that following him meant repentance from sin and obedience. Now I’m a Christ follower.”

Some of you are thinking that you are not good enough to be used by God. God only saves sinners.

They didn’t get good and get saved. They brought their sin to Jesus and Christ changed them.

A past isn’t a reason that you should be saved or be used by God. Just the opposite. It is the very reason Christ came. “to save sinners”

*When I get good, I’ll be saved. Or, when I get good, I’ll serve.

“There may be some sins of which a man cannot speak, but there is no sin which the blood of Christ cannot wash away.”- Charles Spurgeon

C. We all have a purpose. (vv.16-17)

1 Timothy 1:16–17 ESV

16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Paul said that God saved him for a purpose. What was that purpose, to be an example that if Christ can save him, Christ can save you. With that thought he couldn’t help but to break out in praise! Paul is celebrating that God is so good that if he can save the worst of sinners, if he can change the worst of sinners then he can save and change anyone! No one is outside of the power of Christ to save!

You may be thinking, “Why would God save me? It may be just to show his mighty power. To prove to the world that their is no one outside of his power to save!”

A great example is the former slave trader John Newton. He became the first mate on the slave ship Brownlow bound for the West Indies to buy slaves to bring back to England. He eventually became captain of slave ships and made three voyages as captain to buy and sell slaves. Eventually God saved his soul and he studied for became an into an Anglican Pries and a stanch abolitionist. He also became a hymn writer, whose most famous hymn was Amazing Grace, his spiritual autobiography:

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind but now I see.

Newton said as he approached the end of his life:

“Though my memory is fading, I remember two thing: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” -John Newton

Isn’t it amazing that God can save and use anyone despite their past. May it cause us to live in everlasting thanksgiving!

On reflecting on who he as outside of Christ and what

III. Determined that we should not make shipwreck of our faith. (1 Tim. 1:18-20)

We’ve all had things that we have done or thought that we would never tell anyone about or want anyone to know.