Monday, September 27, 2010

September 26,27, 2010 sermon on 1 Timothy 1:12-20 by Pastor Paul G. Eckert

September 26/27, 2010 - Pentecost 18
Sermon by Pastor Paul G. Eckert
Sermon text - 1 Timothy 1:12-20
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, 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.
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 unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on 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.
18 Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight,
19 holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.
20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
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In the opening words of our text the Apostle Paul said, "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service." Speaking personally, I can very easily relate to these words. I have always considered it a privilege, a blessing from God, to have a call to serve as a pastor. Now, at 79 years of age, still to continue as a pastor simply emphasizes for me God’s grace in permitting me to this time to be appointed or to have a call to serve, to be a part of the public ministry proclaiming the message that deserves full acceptance, that CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS.
But I’m not the only one. Whatever our positions in life, all of us, if we truly are believers in Jesus, should be witnesses of God’s wonderful truth of salvation. Today, as is our annual custom to recognize certain designated times or years of service, we take note of some of those "all of us" who serve the Lord in St. Jacobi in called staff or appointed or volunteer positions. I’ll mention here Mrs. C.J. Hackmann who has reached the special milestone of 25 years in the teaching ministry. We congratulate her and thank her together with the others who are listed in this week’s bulletin. All of them, together with all of us in St. Jacobi Congregation, have a part in proclaiming here and elsewhere the eternally important truth that
CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS
I WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE HIM! (12-13)
1. Consider Paul’s background (13a)
Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, ---.
a) in Acts 26:9-11 Paul expanded on these words when he said:
"I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them."
b) does Paul sound like a good candidate for the ministry,
someone God would be interested in? - not to us!
2. But look at God’s mercy (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.
a) people who are perfect don’t need God’s help or mercy; but
Paul, though ignorantly sincere in his past, obviously needed it; and he received it from God who seeks sinners to save them
b) you and I started at the same spot Paul did: we were born in
unbelief; and even after being brought to faith we often act in
ignorance, or may be sincere in what we are doing wrong, not
fully recognizing how far we fall short of God’s demands for
perfection; but God has shown His mercy to us too, hasn’t He
3. And look at what else God does (12)
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.
a) how great the mercy of God is that proclaims forgiveness to
sinners because His Son served us and paid for our sins, the
mercy that says eternal death in hell cannot claim us
b) and then on top of that He tells us that we can be a part of
His service, a part of His team, that we can have a part in
sharing the greatest news that the world needs to hear
4. What a privilege! (12)
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.
a) God could have left His Son visibly here on earth to do the
service of proclaiming the message of salvation
b) as God used angels to proclaim His Son’s birth in Bethlehem
and to announce His resurrection from the dead, so God could
easily have given His many angels the service or assignment of
going into all of the world to preach the Gospel
c) but instead He appointed a sinner like Paul, people like you
and me who are sinners, to be in His service of proclaiming the
Gospel that we and all need; thank Christ Jesus our Lord for
appointing us to such service; what a privilege to serve Him!
II WHAT GRACE THAT MAKES THIS POSSIBLE! (14-16)
1. What Christ did is grace (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.
a) "the worst" could possibly better be translated as "chief" or a
"prime" example or a "foremost" example of a sinner
b) whatever example Paul may be, however we may compare
ourselves with him, the wonderful fact is the mercy and grace
of God, the truth that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners
2. This grace was poured out on Paul (14)
The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
a) think of these words of Paul in his letter to the Romans: "When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. --- What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" But then he goes on, acknowledging the Lord’s grace poured
out on him abundantly, and says, "Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord."
b) that abundantly poured out grace gave Paul faith in Christ
Jesus and the love that flows from Jesus and through us
3. Paul stands out as an example of this grace (16)
But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.
a) what about your background? as with Paul, is some of it real
bad? are there things in your past, or present, that make you
feel worthless, maybe at times make you think God would want
to have nothing to do with you?
b) don’t feel that way! Paul is a foremost example of God’s
mercy and patience and forgiving love for sinners; God forgave
Paul, a prime example that in Jesus He forgives you and me too
4. This deserves full acceptance (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.
a) that acceptance starts with acknowledging we are sinners and
hearing God’s love which says He loves sinners, calls them
to repentance, promises that there is no condemnation for those
who are in Christ Jesus whatever the degree of their sin
b) then accept that not partially and once in a while, partially
showing up to worship, or give expression once in a while,
partially, to your claim to be a believer in Christ
c) this trustworthy, wonderful truth that Christ Jesus came to
save sinners, to save us, deserves not partial but full acceptance
III WHAT MOTIVATION FOR BEING FAITHFUL! (12,15,17-20)
1. Not all remain faithful (19-20)
--- holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
a) some people start in their faith but don’t hold on; instead they
reject what deserves full acceptance and shipwreck their faith
b) note here that handing such over to Satan - we might call it
excommunication - still has the purpose of rescuing them
2. We need the warning to remain faithful (18-19a)
Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience.
a) fight, don’t surrender to the devil, to the world, to sin; fight,
don’t see confirmation time as a time to stop growing in faith
b) instead follow the instructions of God’s prophetic Word,
faithfully use His Word, come to His forgiveness-proclaiming
Supper, and in that way hold on to faith and a good conscience
3. We have the motivation for this (15a)
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners ---.
a) we are forgiven people of God; we have our Savior who wants
no shipwreck but is piloting us through life to heaven’s harbor
b) what reason and motivation for being faithful even to death!
4. For this praise God, also by serving (12,17)
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.
a) may we want to serve as Paul did, as I am sure those we
recognize in this service do, each of us according to the
position and abilities and opportunities God gives us
b) in this way may we praise God as Paul did when he said,
"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be
honor and glory for ever and ever."
c) yes, praise Him for the trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
As stated in the beginning, this Sunday we are recognizing certain designated times or years of service of some who serve the Lord in St. Jacobi in called staff or appointed or volunteer positions.
That is good. But I am sure that Mrs. C.J. Hackmann would say that it was not necessary to note her 25 years of service, as I am quite sure the others would say the same, and all would join the Apostle Paul in saying, "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service."
In that thankfulness, knowing the wonderful truth that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," let all of us join Paul in saying, "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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