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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
This is the first weekend of 2020 and I know you’ve probably been doing lots of reflection in these first few days of the new year, but may I invite us one more time to find a quiet moment and look way back over your life with these two questions. . .
1. What is the biggest difference between WHO you are today and who you were 20 years ago as the new millennium began in 2000?
2. What is the most significant decision you’ve made in the last 20 years?
Would you join me in 1 Timothy 1:12-17 today? I invite you to read it first, then let’s dig into it together. . .
Seems the Apostle Paul who wrote this letter, is giving us his answers to those two questions I posed to you. What do you hear Paul saying to us? Remember, he had achieved great success in his younger years, as a passionate Rabbinical student and zealous Pharisee. He was determined to climb to the pinnacle of power and flawless reputation in Jerusalem, among the religious leaders. He had dedicated his life to the eradication of this “Jesus sect”, arresting and persecuting any Jew who believed Jesus and declared Jesus to be their Messiah (Gal. 1:13-17; Phil. 3:4-7). He was merciless (Acts 8:1) until his Damascus road encounter with the risen Jesus, (Acts 9) which changed everything for Paul, for the rest of his life.
May I invite and challenge each of us this morning, to spend some time considering what one brief paragraph we each would write, which would clearly articulate the impact Jesus has had in your life? Paul writes:
“I thank Christ Jesus my Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to His service.” (1 Tim. 1:12). The phrase “Christ Jesus my Lord” is powerful for Paul. “Christ” is the Greek word for Messiah, so Paul starts there… declaring Jesus is HIS Messiah. “Lord” means Master, Sovereign, King. Paul is declaring his full allegiance, submission and unwavering obedience to Jesus, and calling Timothy to join him in making the same declaration.
Paul acknowledges Jesus had empowered him, given him the strength he has needed to faithfully live as Jesus’ Apostle who took the Gospel west from Israel into modern day Turkey, Macedonia and all the way to Rome! He suffered rejection, persecution, imprisonment, beatings, shipwreck, starvation, and much more, and Paul knew it was only by the emotional, physical, and even spiritual strength Jesus poured into him, that he not only survived but flourished in these years.
And Paul was simply amazed, overwhelmed, that Jesus would choose him to be His Ambassador, representing Jesus to both Jews & Gentiles all across the Roman Empire! Remember Paul wrote “Therefore anyone who is in Christ is a new creation, the old is gone and the new has come. All this is from God who has reconciled us to Himself and given to us the ministry of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s Ambassadors as though God were making His appeal [to the world] through us.” (2 Cor. 5:17-20)
So in one phrase, how would you explain the last 20 years in your life?
I like a honest person who is willing to see themselves and their life journey through clear and critical glasses. Paul hides nothing, he makes no excuses… “I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man.” Wow! So what words would you use to describe the darkness of your soul, the evil of your attitudes and behavior as you reflect on your life, especially before you came to know Jesus? Here’s why this is important: We can’t deal with, change or heal from the dark, painful stuff we cover over it and refuse to admit it is in our life …am I right?
Paul’s evaluation of God’s treatment of him in that dark place is this: “I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.” Does that mean God overlooked Paul’s wickedness, his angry abuse of Christians, his violent temper? Oh no my friends, NOTHING in life will escape God’s accountability, that’s what Hebrew 4:13 says… listen: “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of HIM to whom we must give account.”
Paul understood the depth of his evil and that he deserved death. In Paul’s case, because he had fought so hard against God by his persecution of Jesus followers, perhaps he felt that he deserved a punishment from God that would be worse than death, whatever that might be. But Paul was overwhelmed that God extended to him Mercy, Grace, Love and even gave Paul the ability to have faith in God’s truth about Jesus as Messiah and God’s Redemption Plan. Do you see that in vs. 13 & 14?
So how, my friends, do we each describe the scope, the specifics of what God has done in our lives as He evaluated our sin and the justice wrath we deserved? This is important my friends, because most people think something like this: “well, I’m not really such a bad person. I’m thankful for Jesus saving me from my sin, but He really didn’t need to bring me very far because I wasn’t deep in the darkness and evil of our world. I certainly wasn’t anything like Paul… or Hitler, or Hugh Hefner or. . .” Minimizing our need for a Savior is dangerous thinking my friends. It’s important we see ourselves as Paul saw himself.
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst. But for this very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life.” (1 Tim. 1:15,16)
Could I challenge you to do something my friends, each and all of us, for I’m gong to do it also: Take a pen and write a statement like that… an honest statement, about yourself and why Jesus Christ came to earth, and why your sinful condition required Him going all the way to the cross! And finally, what is Jesus displaying in you today, that is evidence of His great, “new creation” work in you? It’s important we recognize the great work of God in us, isn’t it?
It’s true you know… because of Jesus’s work in us, you and I are a DISPLAY of God’s glorious work of transforming a sin sick, hell bound sinner, into a trophy of God’s grace! So, what do people see as they look at you and me, my friends? And what do they conclude about Jesus as they watch our attitudes, listen to our vocabulary, consider our choices?
Because Paul knew the Old Testament so well, I imagine this powerful statement was ringing in his head as he wrote 1 Timothy 1… “They are the shoot I have planted, the work of My hands, for the display of My splendor… They will be called Oaks of Righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor.” (Is. 60:21 & 61:3)
Can you see Paul dictating this to his scribe… starting very thoughtful, perhaps even mournful as he remembers the darkness of who he once was, but then his voice building in strength, a smile coming to his face, his eyes glistening with tears and his arms uplifted as Paul speaks those words of profound gratitude for all that Jesus has accomplished IN him, totally transforming him from who he was, into the Ambassador of Christ that he became. And then with Paul’s arms outstretched toward the heavens in great adoration, this final statement. . .
“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen!”
I wonder my friends if this is one of the great statements in the Bible which G.F. Handel may have been considering when he penned his greatest work of all “Messiah” in only 21 days, hardly eating or sleeping. He was so powerfully inspired by God as he wrote music and lyrics to one of the greatest masterpieces of music of all time. It was so moving, as you know, that by the time it reaches the “Hallelujah Chorus” even royalty stood in honor of the King of kings, Jesus, which is why we stand in His honor today, when those powerful strains of music ring out.
May I conclude with a question today, as I began. How does your life and mine respond to that final statement of Paul, 1 Timothy 1:17? How is it seen in our attitudes, our words, our relationships, our families, our choices, our behavior? Can we say that the greatest desire of our lives in 2020 is that those words would describe how we feel in our hearts and how we live each day… “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever…” in my life, for the rest of my life… Amen!
I have a song for you to worship with right now. . . “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language…” (Rev. 7:9)
here’s the link:
Oh Lord Jesus we worship You . . .
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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