Our Saviour's Lutheran Church
September 12, 2010
Grace Overflowed
1 Timothy 1:12-17
† In Jesus Name †
May the grace of God, His love and mercy that has and is poured out on His people here, become so real this morning, that you have no option but to rejoice and in awe at what He does...in and through sinners such as us!
A Vision with Hope
A long time ago a older missionary wrote a younger pastor a letter. The older missionary had sent the young pastor back to a city where groups of God's people were gathered, to oversee God's ministry that took place among those people. As with all churches, there would be challenges. There would be some division among them, there was lurking on the horizon the threat of false teachers, there would be some things that needed to be put in order, and others to be trained.
With a limited amount of space to write, and on expensive parchment, Paul would write to make every word count - every word needed to encourage this young man. To give him hope, to help him realize that God would work through him, and through the people he would disciple and train up to ministry
And so we have this letter, a portion of which was read a few moments ago to us. The beginning of the letter, and something critically important for us to realize this day. Paul would use two words together, which made the difference in the ministry God would call him to, a ministry that would have some times which were challenged, and were the outcome required strength greater than Paul's. And so, looking back at his ministry, Paul would say these words, grace overflowed.
As it does here, this day. As it has in the past, as it can in the future.
As you realize it is happening, the name of this place will come even more precious to you. This is Our Savior's Lutheran Church.
Paul's dry land...
He isn't the hero... he's the anti-hero
Something needed to change
Scripture had to be Quickened
As we get into the meet of this sermon, I want to take a moment and thank you for being so hospitable to Deacon Mark. Working with him on the sermons adds a dimension to my own preaching, and this week, he made an excellent point which he is sharing with my people at Concordia.
We often look at Paul with stained glass eyes. That is, we see the great missionary, we assume that he was a great preacher, and we hold him up as a great theologian. It is not the view he had of himself, by any means. As you read his letters, and the Book of Acts written by his friend Luke, you find a different man. One that was not great in appearance – he had been beaten too many times, stoned and shipwrecked. He wasn't always a man of great patience, as he dealt with legalists and judaizers, and even the apostle Peter. He wasn't always so merciful, as he dealt with young John Mark. This all after God had confronted him regarding his sin.
Hear again his words to describe himself. “13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent.” 1 Timothy 1:13 (ESV)
I have to wonder if at night, when all was quiet, Paul would hear Stephen's prayers, as the rocks were thrown down on him. If he would remember the fear in the eyes of wives and children, as he chained their husbands up, and dragged their pastors away to be tortured and even killed. I wonder if he remember all the times he cursed those who followed Jesus, and mocked them. And wondered – can they ever forgive me. Can God?
There are days like that for all of us. We look at our distant past, like maybe all the way back to last Thursday, and we remember our sin. Or we remember the sins of our youth, and we shudder – how can we claim to gather in His name, when we did those sinful things.
Paul must have had days like that as well, the thoughts show up in scripture. In Romans 7, after telling the church how God cleansed them in their baptism, he will spend a chapter describing his own torment that he was paralyzed when it came to doing good. But that which was sin, he had no trouble doing.
That can describe the church as well. I do not know a congregation that would complain if there were 30-50 baptisms a year that occurred there. Or if their building was so packed, they had to add two more services. Yet most churches, mine own included, have the same people there, week after week, and rarely a guest will open the door. We know we need to incite people, we know we need to not be afraid and share with them the treasure we are given. Yet... another Sunday roles around...and for some reason, we never got around to it. We were busy with this meeting, and that crisis, and you know – I would love to talk to that person... oops they left.
I have seen two churches, one this size, and one half this one's size grow to 80 people. It's not the programs. And it definitely wasn't the pastor. But what I have seen is simple, people realize what Paul is writing to Timothy about here.
Grace overflows. We need to know it overflows over us.
The Floodwaters..
Cleansed Him
Hear some more of Paul's words to Timothy,
15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:15-16 (ESV)
Paul indicates that there was more to his being saved, than just God saving him. If God can save the one who murdered deacons, and pastors, who imprisoned believers and cursed the Lord that died for them, he is an example of the depth, and the breadth, the height and the width of God's love for us. He is an example of God's perfect patience for us who still struggle with sin, even though we have been freed from it, and counted righteous because we trust in that which Christ endured for the joy that was set before him.
That was the reason Christ came – to be Our Savior, to pour out grace over us in such quantity, in such volume, in such power that it stripped from us every sin, every idol, every failure, and even all the unrighteousness that has be perpetrated against us.
If God can cleanse Paul and use him to write more of the New Testament than any one other writer. If God can cleanse me, and make me a pastor and trainer of deacons then God can certainly cleanse you completely. And he can cleanse your friends your neighbors, your co-workers, even your enemies and adversaries. He can free them from the guilt and shame of their past sins and failures. He can free them from the being overwhelmed by the sins that people have committed against them. He can, using the old term – quicken in them life, and life abundant and eternal.
Conclusion –
That's why this pulpit is here – to proclaim this good news. It's why this baptismal font exists to be the place where something wonderful happens. Paul described it to his other protege, Titus, in this way, “3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. Titus 3:3-8 (ESV)
It's the reason that there is an altar – where that precious body and blood is again given to you to eat and to drink – that you too may be strengthened, that His love and faith would be poured into you.
Whether you realize it or not, the gospel is the reason you are here, its the reason God has gathered you into this place together. To gather around His word, His love, His mercy, and to celebrate that it is yours, and like Paul, to give thanks. Hear again verse 12, this time written for you...
12 We thank him who has given us strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged the people of Our Savior's faithful, appointing them to his service,
I guarantee this – those storms may come and go, though there be times of drought and even division, none of those things can separate you from God's love in Christ Jesus. And as you are gathered in this place and serve Him as He determines, despite all else, you will know His peace. For He has cleansed you and strengthened you, given you the ability to trust in Him.
AMEN?
Let us then rejoice!
