We continue to worship our Lord by growing our faith in Him by hearing His Word. The Letters to Timothy were written by the Apostle Paul called by God to give instructions. Timothy was called to lead and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Ephesians living in a pagan society. The Ephesians worshiped many false Gods and it is always God’s desire for people to understand and grasp the truth.
Since our society is becoming more and more pagan, these instructions to Timothy apply to us Christians today!
Why do we have the Bible? God desires for us to know Him and to trust Him. God desires our faith in Him to grow. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God! Are we ready to be closer to God? Let us listen and follow Jesus Christ even more closely as we Christians are called today to teach and lead people to the gospel!
Open your Bibles to the 1st Letter to Timothy; read along with me 1 Timothy 1:12-17…
The Apostle Paul gave thanks to Jesus Christ! Why did Paul give thanks?
First of all, let us note that the Apostle Paul declared Jesus Christ as Lord! What did that mean? Jesus Christ rules over all and He is every Christian’s Master! If you have a Master who rules over everything, that is enough to give Him thanks. Is Jesus Christ your Lord and Master? Give thanks!
What else can we note why was Paul so thankful to Jesus Christ? – v12-15:
a. gave Paul strength – Jesus sustained, provided for, and empowered his life!
b. considered Paul faithful – Paul knew his unfaithfulness to God yet Christ saw him fully trusting God! We’ll discuss this phenomenon later in our applications.
c. appointed to serve God – entrusted to help expand Christ’s Kingdom! Jesus Christ appointed Paul as an Apostle; foundational for the building of the Church of Jesus Christ!
d. shown mercy – although was an enemy of God at one time, Christ forgave his sins
Not only mercy was shown to Paul….
e. God’s grace was abundantly given – all blessings from heaven were in Paul’s life!
f. Jesus Christ sought Paul and saved him – the worst of sinners, Jesus sought out Paul and saved him from eternal damnation
There were many reasons why Paul was thankful to God! How is our attitude of gratitude to God?
V15 is a key verse; God through the apostle Paul stated how important this truth about Jesus Christ is: This truth is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance! God desires every person to trust Jesus Christ and to accept Him fully: Jesus seeks and saves lost souls!
What else can we note from this passage? In v15-17…
Paul shared his life and how terrible he was in treating God in the past in order to share the awesome truth about the goodness and love of God; what do we note?
1. Paul was completely lost regarding God, but Jesus sought him and saved him!
But not only Paul….
2. Jesus Christ is seeking all lost souls to save them!
3. Although Paul was killing Christians, Christ had unlimited patience with him till he believed and received Jesus Christ as Only Savior and Lord! Jesus Christ is long-suffering (patient) for all people to believe in Him till they die on earth! Every person has the opportunity to be saved from their sins till they die! Jesus Christ is calling every person still living on earth to believe in Him and have eternal life in heaven!
Because of all of this, Paul gives praise to God!
V17a: God is King eternal, immortal, invisible, the Only God!
If one believes in this God then,
V17b: All honor and glory be to the Triune God now and forever and ever!
What Biblical Principles should we apply to our lives today from this passage?
First of all, can we relate to Paul’s life before we heard, understood, and accepted Jesus Christ as our savior and Lord? What type of a person really were we before we became a Christian? We might say, I’ve always been a good person! But, we need to see ourselves how God sees us! How did God see us before we accepted Jesus Christ and how does God see us now that we have humbled ourselves before the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?
Remember Romans 3:23...... And here’s another truth from God, Isaiah 64:6…All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
1. Before we accepted Christ, as sinners, we were filthy rags to God, to be thrown away! As Christians, let us never forget who we were, although it has passed, but note now through Jesus Christ…
Isaiah 1:18…. "Come now, let us settle the matter," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” And 2 Corinthians 5:21…. God made him who had no sin to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2. After accepting Christ, although still sinners, God sees us righteous through Christ!
And so, are you a Believer of Jesus Christ?
3. Daily give thanks to Jesus Christ and follow Him as your Master, who is always sustaining, providing, empowering, entrusting, forgiving, blessing, and seeking us to be near Him!
4. Look for opportunities to share to others your changed life through Jesus Christ!
5. Always proclaim God is King eternal, immortal, invisible, the Only God! Do you truly believe this God?
6. Always give all honor and glory be to the Triune God now and forever and ever!
To God be the glory Great things He has done! So loved He the world that He gave us His Son! Who yielded His life an atonement for sin And opened the life-gate that all may go in!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord; Let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord; Let the people rejoice! O Come to the Father Through Jesus the Son and Give Him the glory Great things He has done!
Take a moment now to quietly pray about these things….
