The Work of the Son: "He Came to Save Sinners"

I Timothy 1:12-17

In John 5:16-17 the Jewish religious leaders are condemning Jesus for doing miracles on the Sabbath. “Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”” (John 5:17, NIV84). Jesus came to do the works of the Father. Over the last 4 sundays, I’ve shared with you what those works were. Over the years you’ve heard me repeatedly refer to God’s redemptive work in Christ. Well, that begs the question: “What did the redemptive work of God involve?” Five things ...

• Christ came to Rescue a Lover

• Christ came to Destroy an Enemy

• Christ came to Proclaim the God’s Truth

• Christ came to Dispel Spiritual Darkness

• Christ came to Save Sinners.

That’s it. Those five agendas constitute God’s redemptive work in Christ. Tonight we will look at the last one: He Came to Save Sinners

ILLUS. Most of you probably will not recognize the name Cleavant Derricks. He was pastor and choir director at a number of Black Baptist Churches in the early and mid 20th century. He wrote over 300 gospel songs. Perhaps his most famous tune is one that the Apostle Paul would have loved.

I once't was lost in sin

but Jesus took me in

An' then a little light, from Heaven

Filled my soul

He filled my heart with love

An' he wrote my name above

Just a little talk with Jesus made me whole

We must never forget that God came into this world with purpose, and His chief purpose was to save sinners. In this passage, the Apostle Paul outlines the process.

I. A CHANGED LIFE REQUIRES A HUMBLE ASSESSMENT

" ... I am the chief of sinners ... " (v.15)

1. the Apostle begins this passage with a powerful surge of gratitude

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service," (1 Timothy 1:12, NASB95)

a. the verb I thank is an emphatic

1) it paints a picture of someone profusely thanking another for their benevolence

2. Paul’s gratitude stemmed from the fact that God in His grace had provided Paul abundant enabling grace, considered him trustworthy, and had placed him into a privileged place of service

ILLUS. Like the Apostle Paul, I have never really figured out why the Lord has used me in this ministry of giving out the Word of God. If you had said to me when I was a young, environmental science major, that I was someday going to be in the ministry, I would have said it was absurd. I didn’t want it, and I didn’t have anything that would commend me to it. But God by His mercy, has put me into His service, and this ministry. He is rich in mercy, and I have used quite a bit of it in my lifetime!

3. the Apostle is so profusely thankful because that he knew so well the pit from which he had been rescued

"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." (1 Timothy 1:15, KJV)

a. the word chief is literally "first"

1) Paul was first in rank – he was the king of sinners

A. HE PROFANED THE NAME OF CHRIST

"Who before was a blasphemer ... " (v.13)

1. Paul uses this awful word and admits that he was a blasphemer

a. blasphemy was absolutely the most vile sin a Hebrew could be accused of

1) it was the deliberate insult, cursing or denial of God that showed contempt or a lack of reverence for God

b. Paul had blasphemed the Lord Jesus, and he had hated Him

1) some scholars believe that he may well have been present at the Crucifixion and ridiculed the Lord Jesus

c. whether he was or not, Paul says that he had been a blasphemer

B. HE PERSECUTED THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST

" ... and a persecutor ... " (v.13)

1. he was not exaggerating for the sake of effect

"I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished." (Acts 22:4-5, ESV)

"And ... I imprisoned and beat those who believed in ... [Christ]. 20 And when the blood of Stephen ... was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’" (Acts 22:19-20, ESV)

2. he sought to put Christians to death because he felt that this new sect posed a threat to Judaism

a. in carrying out his evil plan, he took delight in committing audacious, violent, and outrageous acts against the believers

C. HE PUNISHED THOSE WHO REFUSED TO DENY CHRIST

“ ... and a violent man" (v.13)

1. Paul – when he was Saul – did not merely see to it that Christians were hunted down, and arrested

a. with all the zeal and energy he possessed, he sought to defend the honor of God by killing the Christians

b. he was an aggressive bounty-hunter with a mean streak

c he delighted in kicking down doors, roughing up Christians and literally dragging them off to prison where he would toss them in a cell

"But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison." (Acts 8:3, ESV)

2. although it is not as obvious from the English words, there is an ascending scale of wickedness in the three words

a. blasphemer – is a matter of words only

b. persecutor – legally arresting and jailing

c. violent – he resorted to cruelty and abuse because he enjoyed it

3. but—glory to God—this "the chief of sinners” – obtained mercy

v. 13 “ ... Yet I was shown mercy ... “

3. he did not receive the punishment he deserved

ILLUS. Daniel Whittle, a renowned 19th century evangelist, using 1 Timothy 1:12 as his text wrote: “I know not why God’s wondrous grace to me he hath made known,

Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love, redeemed me for his own.

But ‘I know whom I have believed,

and am persuaded that He is able

To keep that which I’ve committed

Unto Him against that day.”

4. a changed life requires a humble assessment

II. A CHANGED LIFE REQUIRES AN HUMBLE ACCEPTANCE

" ... Christ came to save sinners ... " (v.15)

1. Jesus came to deliver sinners from their miry pit of sin

a. He came to change sinners by taking away their heart of stone and giving them a heart of flesh

b. the Apostle writes that “... this is worthy of all acceptance ... “

2. this is a very important verse of Scripture because it affirms that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners

Romans 5:8-9 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." KJV

a. He didn’t come to be the greatest teacher the world has ever known

1) although He was that

b. He didn’t come to set a moral example

1) although He did that as well

c. He came into the world to save sinners

1) when you give your testimony make sure that you don’t tell people how wonderful you are or all you have accomplished for Jesus

2) don’t tell them about your church, or your church’s programs

3) don’t tell them about your staff, or the wonderful fellowship

4) tell them you were a sinner who was lost and on your way to hell, and that Christ saved you and gave you eternal and abundant life

3. the answer for man’s depravity is God’s mercy and regenerating grace

a. to that end, God sent His only begotten son to become our substitutionary sacrifice

ILLUS. There was a law in Tokyo about 1900 that no foreigner could take up residence there unless he had a "substitute." There were native Japanese who hired themselves out for this purpose. If a foreigner broke any law, the substitute suffered the penalty for it, even if the penalty were death. The wrath of the government came down upon the substitute. In a similar way, our standing before God and his law is only obtainable through the vicarious substitutionary work of His Son. And this substitutionary work is obtained without any fee – only faith in Him.

b. the birth of Christ was God's great expression of love for sinners

c. even our Lord’s name was special

1) in the Hebrew is Iesous (ee-ay-sooce')

2) it means "Jehovah saves"

4. through the life, death and resurrection of His only begotten son, God would provide a way through that wall which separates sinners from Himself

5. a changed life requires an humble acceptance

III. A CHANGED LIFE REQUIRES A HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGMENT

"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." (1 Timothy 1:15, ESV)

1. Jesus came to salvage sinners from their spiritual destitution

a. the Apostle Paul accepted – from a grateful heart – God’s redemptive act in his life

2. when confronted with the Gospel, the sinner has a choice ...

a. you can remain lost in you sin and under the condemnation of God which will eventually lead to hell, or . . .

b. you can acknowledge Christ as Lord and Savior and follow Jesus for the rest of your life

Romans 10:9-10 "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." NASB95

ILLUS. In 2002 Adrian Rogers preached the closing message at the SBC Pastor’s Conference in St. Louis. With the following story he described what our Lord’s substitutionary atonement is all about.

It’s the story of a father and son who worked for months to build a miniature sailboat. Every night when he came home from work the man and his son would disappear into the garage for hours. It was a labor of love. The wooden hull was painted bright red and trimmed in gold. It had gleaming white sails. When it was finished, they traveled to a nearby lake for the boat's trial run. Before launching it the father tied a string to its stern to keep it from sailing too far. The boat performed beautifully, but before long a motorboat crossing the lake cut the string, and the sailboat drifted out of sight on the large lake. Attempts to find it were fruitless, and the son wept over its loss.

Months later as the boy was walking home from school he passed the local Pawn Shop and was amazed to see his sailboat in the window. He ran inside to claim the boat, telling the owner about his experience on the lake. The store owner explained that he had found the boat while on a fishing trip. "You may be its maker," he said, "but as its finder I am its legal owner. You may have it back – for fifty dollars." The boy was stunned at how much it would cost him to regain his boat, but since it was so precious to him he quickly set about earning the money to buy it back.

Months later he joyfully walked into the toy store and handed the owner fifty dollars in exchange for his sailboat. It was the happiest day of his life. As he left the store, the shop owner hear him say, "I made you, but I lost you. Now I've bought you back. That makes you twice mine, and twice mine is mine forever."

3. a changed life requires a heartfelt acknowledgment

IV. A CHANGED LIFE IS AUTHENTICATED BY LIVING FOR CHRIST

v. 16 “ ... so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life ... ”

1. why in the world would God save a sinner like the Saul?

a. that begs the question: Why would God save a sinner like you?

2. He does so to demonstrate His perfect patience and longsuffering with sinners

a. the word example is an interesting compound word that means a sketch as in a short drama or play

b. Paul was saying that his life, when played out before others, is a testimony to Christ's saving power

3. the Apostle ends this passage with one of the great Doxologies found in the Scriptures

"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:17, NASB95)

4. a changed life is authenticated by a healthy attitude

I once't was lost in sin

but Jesus took me in

An' then a little light, from Heaven

Filled my soul

He filled my heart with love

An' he wrote my name above

Just a little talk with Jesus made me whole

Have you had a little talk with Jesus? Did he make you whole. If you are whole, are you allowing the grace of God to be daily demonstrated in your life as an example to others? Does your life in Christ make you break out in spontaneous praise?