Jesus Is A Real Savior Who Came For Real Sinners

6.17.20 1 Timothy 1:12-15

12 I give thanks to the one who empowered me, namely, Christ Jesus our Lord, that he treated me as trustworthy, appointing me into his ministry. 13 He did this even though formerly I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. But I was shown mercy, because I acted ignorantly in unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord overflowed on me along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and worthy of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” of whom I am the worst.

Jesus is a Real Savior Who Came for Real Sinners

In Acts 9 Jesus told Ananias that Paul was, “my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” God ended up sending Paul on at least three missionary journeys through dangerous territory. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11, “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.” Legend has it that he was beheaded outside of Rome at the end of his second imprisonment - perhaps during the persecutions of Nero. Who would apply for such a job? Nobody in their right mind would want such a calling.

Yet how did Paul look at his ministry? I give thanks to the one who empowered me, namely, Christ Jesus our Lord, that he treated me as trustworthy, appointing me into his ministry. He was thankful to be able to serve the Lord, no matter how much sacrifice and pain it involved. Paul was also thankful for the fact that Jesus was the One who EMPOWERED him to do such a ministry. He looked at it as an HONOR that God would choose to do His work THROUGH him.

Would that God put this attitude in the hearts of all people: in the mother who has given up a career for her children: in the husband who has rejected a promotion so he could spend more time with his family: in the member who has been asked to serve on a committee at church that will take time and effort: “This is a privilege! I’m thankful for the opportunity!” All too often we complain about how much work WE have to do, and we forget about the God who works THROUGH us and IN us. Paul told the Philippians in chapter 2, “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

Paul knew that God had chosen him to do difficult and sacrificial things, and he was honored that God chose to do such things through HIM of all people. It was an honor. No matter how dirty or difficult a calling you have in life: service is to be an HONOR and a PRIVILEGE. A police officer was recently interviewed, talking about how he and his fellow officers were having rocks, bricks and urine thrown at them: how they were being called every name in the book: yet he considered it an HONOR to be able to serve with his fellow police officers. You have to believe that you have a HIGHER calling to have such an attitude in the midst of such pressure. That’s how Paul felt, and that’s how God wants us to feel too. Yet HOW OFTEN do we look at it as the exact opposite? We think God should feel privileged to serve US - and do all the work for US! We get angry and frustrated when life isn’t easy. We give up when we are called on to do the dirty and the difficult things! We’d rather get divorced or quit our callings, because we believe that it just isn’t fair.

Paul’s thankfulness for his ministry came from his view of HIMSELF and his view of God. His thankfulness came from a low sense of self worth. Why did God choose HIM to reach out to the Gentiles? It didn’t have anything to do with Paul’s worthiness. Paul says, “He did this even though formerly I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. Violent, in the Greek, seems to refer to insulting someone in an arrogant manner. So Paul seems to have been arrogant and absolutely convinced that Jesus and his followers were completely heretical. The book of Acts even describes how Paul was there at the stoning of Stephen. Now, Paul does say that he acted in IGNORANCE. He truly thought Jesus and his disciples were leading people astray. Nonetheless, he doesn’t excuse himself for that. He still looked back on how he had done these things and referred to himself as “the WORST” of sinners. He felt awful about what he had done. He knew he deserved to be damned for his sins.