A Terrorist's Testimony

Title: A Terrorist's Testimony

Text: 1 Ti 1:13-17

Hymn: Amazing Grace

Introduction

Good morning.

1 Timothy 1:12–17 ESV

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 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. 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. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Granpa C.A.

1 Timothy 1:15 was my grandpa’s favorite verse. I remember him quoting it to me with a shaky voice and a quivering chin in such appreciation for God’s grace and mercy. He said that for the first 5 years as a Christian, he couldn’t read a chapter in the Bible without crying. Can you imagine that? Can you relate to that?

My Testimony

If I were to rewrite this as a letter to “my son in the faith”, I might write,

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, a pagan power seeker, and a selfish and timid boy who thought mostly of himself. Though God gave me every opportunity to embrace Him, I rejected Him time after time. But I received mercy...

Are you glad you received mercy? We talk a lot about God’s grace, but no so much about His mercy. I believe this is because we tend to think ourselves as basically good. I grew up in the church. I was around Christians. I was raised in a Christian home. I had access to a Bible, fellowship, teaching, programs, etc. But I was on my way out of the church. I was headed towards hell. I had every privilege and was walking away. I had broken the essence of all 10 commandments. I deserved the full wrath of God more than others, because so many others did not have the access that I had. We are all going to be judged by the light that we have had, not by how far we go. A basic concept of the kingdom is one of responsibility with what you have as seen in the parable of the talents or the stern judgment of those who are teachers.

As Jesus said,

Lk 12.48 Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Lk 12:48). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

So while Paul had a checkered past full of hate, persecution, wrongful imprisonment, and even murder, he did it in ignorance. He thought he was doing God’s work in those actions. How many of us are guilty of wilful disobedience and apathy? When Paul learned the truth, he turned away from all of that.

My question to us today, is do we realize the mercy of God. Not just the grace of God, but His mercy.

Grace is getting something that you don’t deserve. G.R.A.C.E. = God’s riches at Christ’s expense.

Mercy is not getting what we deserve. We deserve hell. We deserve wrath. We deserve abandonment, not second and third chances.

What have you had access to? What have you done with it?

* Take a minute and just remember where and from what Jesus saved you from.

* How was He merciful to you?

What people has he not put on your path that would have underminded your understanding of Him?

What situations has he not allowed you to go through that would have led you away from Him?

Why has He allowed you to live this long?

You see, I was unappreciative of God’s activity in my life. I could have grown up with ungodly parents and no church experience. I could have fallen into the hands of evil people who could have embittered me against God. I could have had such evil foisted upon me in the home and in the world and I would have deserved it because I entered this world in utter sin. I came out of the womb selfish and demanding. I was born with a rebellion in my heart.

We think that we are so good. Jesus said that no one is good, not even one! Our hearts are all deceitful.

English Standard Version Chapter 17

9  The heart is deceitful above all things,

and desperately sick;

who can understand it?

10  “I the LORD search the heart

and test the mind,

to give every man according to his ways,

according to the fruit of his deeds.”

It is an act of God’s mercy when we don’t get what our wicked hearts deserve.

My Barber:

He said he follows his heart. I said oh I wouldn’t do that! My heart deceives me all the time!

We all actually deserve wrath. We are by nature objects of wrath. We are easily duped by the enemy and serve him without even realizing it and would never give God a thought if left to our own devices. This is where the idea of the depravity of man comes from. We are so far gone that we would not seek Him if not for His mercy.

English Standard Version Chapter 2

2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

But God… did you see that? But God, being rich in mercy. He is rich in mercy. And though we are objects of wrath by nature, His justice is tempered with mercy. And as James says,

English Standard Version Chapter 2

Mercy triumphs over judgment.

* How do you think Paul's self-debasement affected his view of others?

* How does knowing that Jesus came to save sinners apply to our job description as ministers?

* What kind of patience did Jesus show the world in how He dealt with Paul? He spared a terrorist! What kind of patience did Jesus show the world in how He dealt with you?

English Standard Version Chapter 5

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

English Standard Version Chapter 7

7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

We are called to make judgments in Scripture, but this wisdom from Jesus tells us that we need to be very careful. Our judgment is always clouded and partial. We need to have a view of our sin that does not excuse it or compare it to other’s sins. Our sin is primarily against God.

Vertical verses Horizontal Comparisons

English Standard Version Psalm 51

4  Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you may be justified in your words

and blameless in your judgment.

5  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

and in sin did my mother conceive me.

6  Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,

and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

David wrote these words after lusting after another’s man’s wife, sleeping with her, getting her pregnant, trying to cover it up, and then having her husband killed. Yet his confession was still, primarily acknowledging that his sin was against God.

Know the Disease to Appreciate the Cure

Mercies come in the Absence of Things

Proverbs 30:8-9

English Standard Version Chapter 30

8  Remove far from me falsehood and lying;

give me neither poverty nor riches;

feed me with the food that is needful for me,

9  lest I be full and deny you

and say, “Who is the LORD?”

or lest I be poor and steal

and profane the name of my God.

Sometimes riches can cause a person to turn from God. For others, poverty.

Sometimes sickness can cause a person to turn from God. For others, the absence of it keeps them seeking God.

We rarely thank God for the absence of things like disease, disaster, or distraction.

Oh God thank you for not giving me Covid today. Thank you for keeping me from cancer and diabetes. Thank you Jesus for safety in driving to work this morning. Thank you that I wasn’t struck by lightning or a tornado today or a meteor or eaten by wolves while hiking. And yet, is it not a mercy?

The Mercy Seat

Matthew 18:23–35 ESV

“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Mercy for You, but Wrath for Others?

Friend, are you a merciful person? When offended to do offer mercy or wrath? When someone offers a snarky, mean, or ungraceful comment, do you snap back at them? If your spouse eats the last desert, do you offer mercy or wrath? Do you forgive as Christ forgave you? Do you give people the benefit of the doubt? Do you believe the best about people or assume the worst?

Have you been to the mercy seat?