1 Timothy: Session 3

our study this evening is going to shift gears as Paul moves from law to gospel.

Recall that Paul gives Timothy a command in verse 3, a command for Timothy to instruct “certain people no to teach false doctrines any longer (4) or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies.” Timothy is commanded by Paul to confront and call out falsehoods among the brethren.

Next, Paul gave the goal of this command which is love. The work should result in love and the rebuke should be given in love. The goal in this command is not to embarrass or divide, but to reconcile those teaching falsely with the true gospel message of Jesus Christ. The goal is to restore them to love… with love.

In this next section, Paul shifts from the law to the gospel. Paul brings out some important details that timothy needed to remember as he considered the command that had been given him.

Have you ever needed a reminder before? Ever been in a place of work or service and through the process… you begin to forget how or why you started this particular course of action?

Timothy is deeply entrenched in a culture heavily influence by the Roman-Greco culture. He is commanded by Paul to confront certain people who, according to verse 7 “do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.” Do you see any danger in this?

The false teachers BELIEVED they knew what they were talking about. Have you ever tried to change the mind of a person who was deeply set in his or her ways? It’s not an easy task for sure!

And yet… we’ve all been on the other side of this thing. I’m not talking about the rebuking side, but on the rebuked side, if you will... On the side of thinking we had it all together only to discover we knew nothing about what was going on!

EVEN PAUL had been in this position! And before closing out chapter one of this letter, Paul reminds Timothy of an extremely important element that is critically necessary to the command that he has been given. Paul reminds Timothy NOT TO FORGET ABOUT GOD’S GRACE.

As Timothy is receiving this command from Paul, this huge reminder is dropped… and I’m sure it was reassuring to Timothy in that day, and I pray it is reassuring to us tonight.

God’s GRACE is truly amazing! It is more than we deserve and certainly better than we could ever imagine! And as we continue our work and ministry in the context God has placed us in, let’s remember that it was by God’s grace that ANY OF US have been restored and redeemed!

Tonight we are going to look at three instructions on grace that were given to remind and reassure believers tonight as we continue in the call God has placed upon our lives.

Grace Received

The New International Version Chapter 1

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Paul’s first reminder of grace comes in the form of a personal testimony. Paul tells Timothy of his (Paul’s) personal encounter with God’s grace.

First, Paul gives praise to Jesus for two reasons.

One, for the strength that Jesus had given him. In Christ, Paul’s journey had not been an easy one. But by the grace of God, Jesus had given him the strength necessary to keep going.

Our journey in Christ has a promised glorious ending… but the journey itself is not promised to be easy. In fact, in these last days, we know things will only become more intense. Yet God has promised, In Acts 2, to pour out His Spirit upon all people meaning God, through His grace, will provide for us the needed resource to keep going.

Paul had received strength from Jesus - a needed strength to keep going. He is telling Timothy that his strength was not his own, but was given to him, by grace, through Christ!

Two, Paul give praise for being considered trustworthy and for being “appointed” to Jesus’ service.

What a joy it is to be in service for our Savior! And yes… this service might place us in moments that are… uncomfortable to our flesh… but if we walk in faith… Christ will see it through!

Paul was walking faithfully in the work set before him by Christ. He considered it an honor to be “appointed” or called to such service, especially as he considered… his past. JESUS HAD FORGIVEN HIS PAST, REDEEMED HIS PRESENT, AND RENEWED HIS FUTURE! All through the grace given by His heavenly Father!

As Paul continues to give his testimony, he speaks of the past forgiven, and the mercy he recieved.

How often do we try to allow the circumstances of our past to override the power of God’s grace? “It’s too late for me” or “I’ve done too many wrong things” are common responses from folks who believe they are beyond the reach of God’s grace. Let me tell you something tonight… NO ONE IS BEYOND THE LIMIT OF GOD’S GRACE!

Paul had an UGLY past… a past of persecution and ignorance regarding the gospel. Paul… was so sure he knew what he was talking about… so confident in what he affirmed… yet he was SO WRONG about what he believed was SO RIGHT!

Paul testifies, in verse 14, of the grace that was poured out upon him abundantly along with the faith and love of the Lord. NO ONE IS TOO FAR GONE. NO ONE IS BEYOND THE LIMITS OF GOD’S GRACE. EVERYONE IS A CANDIDATE FOR THE REDEEMING POWER OF JESUS’ BLOOD! Paul drops this HUGE reminder regarding the grace he had recieved!

Grace Reminded

The New International Version Chapter 1

15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The second reminder given by Paul comes in the form of a reminder regarding what Christ came to this earth to do. It is a reminder regarding the source of our grace… or how grace became a possibility for us in the first place.

Paul starts off with a “trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.” This tells us what is about to be said is well known and Paul is simply wanting to bring it back to the forefront of our minds. JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS.

At quick glance we see two reminders.

One, Paul reminds of of the incarnation of Christ.

Two, Paul reminds Timothy of the purpose for which Christ had come. A well known passage of Scripture sums these two reminders up very nicely…

The New International Version Chapter 3

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

In short… Christ CAME to this world in a miraculous way for a redemptive purpose!

Paul then shares the key… the same key shared in John 3:16-17, to receiving in full the grace being spoken of… anyone want to take a guess as to what that key is? WE MUST BELIEVE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE.

Look at 1 Timothy 1:16 again - Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would BELIEVE in him and receive eternal life.

Look at John 3:16 - whoever believes in him shall not perish but have (receive) eternal life.

What this means is… a person has got to drop “what they are talking about and what they so confidently affirm” and place their belief in Christ… Paul experienced this first hand as all believers in this room have experienced as well. The ONLY way the “certain people” Timothy was commanded to confront were going to change would be through an encounter of grace through belief in Jesus! Jesus came to save sinners… of whom Paul said he was the worst. In other words… If Paul could be saved by grace… anyone could be saved by grace!

Jesus came… and Jesus gave. Jesus gave that sinners might be saved. Salvation comes by way of belief in Him. We must drop what we are so sure of and find our reassurance in CHRIST ALONE. For it is only by His grace that we are renewed and set free!

Grace Resolved

The New International Version Chapter 1

18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

Lastly, Paul encourages Timothy to be resolved - to be firmly determined regarding God’s grace. This reminder comes in the form of a renewed charge to Timothy.

The command spoken of in verse 18 is the original command given in verse 3. Again, it is not an easy command to accomplish, but if Timothy remains resolved regarding the grace of God… then it is a “battle” that Timothy can fight well.

Paul brings to Timothy’s recollection his call to the ministry. God has a plan for Timothy’s life… as He has a plan for each one of us this evening.

Paul brings up moments of confirmation… moments that Timothy was reassured in His calling. TIMOTHY IS DOING THE WORK THAT GOD SET BEFORE HIM. If God sets forth the plan… it’s a plan that can be trusted and fulfilled. But such requires that by faith… we trust in His grace to get us through.

Paul looks to what can happen if faith and grace are abandoned. He likens the rejection of faith as suffering shipwreck…

What does it mean to be shipwrecked? It means to be stuck… you have lost your vehicle or means of transportation and you have no conventional way to leave the island that you find yourself on. Your situation, your circumstance… is all you have left.

Faith in Christ breaks a person free of the “shipwreck” of our brokenness. Without Christ, we are nothing, we gain nothing, we go nowhere. In Christ, we break free of the wreck, faith becomes our means of escaping the circumstance we find ourselves in, and a whole new world of possibility opens as we live in His grace!

Be resolved to hold on to the faith! Be resolved to live in God’s grace!

And… be resolved to extend His grace toward others. This is NOT to excuse sin… but to remember we have all been there… and the only reason we stand redeemed is because of God’s grace.

Wrap Up

1 Timothy chapter one drops a hefty command on the shoulders of a young minister of the gospel. It’s not going to be easy… but God’s grace is with him.

God has given each of us a calling… each of us a unique ministry to carry out in our lives. It may not be easy… but God’s grace is with you!

Remember, God’s grace has saved you! God’s grace is why Jesus came to this earth - so that sinners might be saved! So be resolved to live in His grace and to be an agent of His grace! The world might think that it “knows what it is talking about and be confident in what it affirms.” But again… we have all been there… and it wan’t until someone presented the gospel message to us that we were able to shift our belief to the One who gave His life for us.