1 Timothy 1:12-14 (NKJV)
"SELF-AWARENESS"
October 9, 2022
Intro: After spending three years preaching at Ephesus, Paul left the church in the hands of a young preacher named Timothy, Acts 19. Timothy was a young man, in his first pastorate, and he had encountered his share of problems. He had to combat false teachers in the church, 1:20; the rise of false doctrine, 4:1; disorder in the worship services, 2:8; the need to find and ordain qualified leaders, 3:1; and materialism, 6:7. In the midst of this, some people in the church considered Timothy to be too young, 4:12. Paul most often writes a letter to the church in response to what is happening in the church. But Paul now writes a personal letter to the young Pastor to encourage him to continue to serve the Lord faithfully. He also writes to challenge him to know who he is in the Lord and to stand for the truth despite all the opposition he is facing.
In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the character Polonius gave advice to his son, Laertes, when he was heading to Paris, “This above all: to thine own self be true.” Polonius believed that a person can be good to others when he is financially sound himself. Therefore, he must be loyal to his best interests first, then take care of others. But in the modern interpretation, “to thine own self be true” connotes the ideas of truth as it relates to self-awareness. It means that someone can better judge himself if he has done what he should have done for himself; and only then is he fit to help others. The philosopher, Socrates said, “man know thyself!” He taught that knowledge of self is the basis for true understanding of who we are to others. Self-Awareness according to Paul is so important that he uses it as the basis of comfort for Timothy. Don’t cry for me and what I have been through Timothy but know that if I, a chief sinner, have obtained mercy then the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is exceedingly abundant with faith and love for you!
1. He’s Enabled Me
Paul tells us that he is serving in this call of the Lord because God has “enabled” him for the task. That word means “to be strengthened and to be endued with power.” Paul did what he did not because he was a great preacher or teacher. He did what he did not because he had a great intellect. He did what he did not because of any innate, natural abilities. He did what he did by the power of God. He was energized for his call and for his ministry by God. That was Paul’s testimony, 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. You need not fear what the Lord may call you to do in His service. For, if He calls you, He will prepare you and equip you and enable you. He will give you all the resources you need to get His work done for His glory, 2 Timothy 4:17, “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom.”
2. He’s Counted Me
Paul’s life mirrors that of our own lives. According to the Bible, all lost sinners are “blind” to their condition and their destiny, 2 Corinthians 4:4. They are, in fact, “dead in trespasses and sins,” Ephesians 2:1. None of us can see our condition, our need or the way out of Hell, until the Holy Spirit “quickens us” and points us to Jesus. Paul teaches that God COUNTED ME FAITHFUL not because of what I’ve done but He JUDGED ME FAITHFUL because I placed my trust in Jesus! By Paul’s own admission, he was guilty of breaking the commandments of the Lord. As a “blasphemer”, he had spoken evil of and slandered the name of God, Acts 9:4. As a “persecutor” and as an “insolent” man, he was guilty of murder, hatred and unspeakable acts of cruelty aimed at his fellow man, Acts 8:1. Paul was religious, but he was lost in his sins! Paul says that he did what he did in “ignorance.” He isn’t making excuses; he is simply stating the fact. When you don’t have a relationship with Jesus the many languages you speak and your formal education means nothing to God. Paul thought he was earnestly and faithfully serving God; and he was earnestly and faithfully wrong! He had rejected Jesus and the Gospel message; he was in a state of blindness until Jesus came and opened his eyes! And when his eyes were opened, he was then counted in the beloved! Romans 4:5,“…to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness…”
3. He’s Putting Me
Paul says that he is serving the Lord because the Lord “put” him in ministry! Paul did not choose to go into gospel ministry. He became a preacher and an apostle by the will of God alone! The Lord took him and put him! So it is with all those who are saved. The Lord chooses our place of ministry for us, 1 Corinthians 12:5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. When He gifts us and gives us a ministry of service, our duty is to serve Him there faithfully! AND How do we serve Him faithfully when we are not worthy of His service? Paul tells us that two great gifts from the Lord: mercy and grace. In His mercy, God did not give Paul the condemnation in Hell that he “did” deserve. In grace, God gave him the perfect salvation that he “did not” deserve! It was mercy that held off the wrath of God when Paul was persecuting the church and blaspheming the name and message of Jesus. But, it was grace that came to him that day on the Damascus Road, confronted him on a street call Straight concerning his sins, and saved his soul!
Paul tells us that the grace that sought him and bought him was “exceeding abundant.” This means that God had more grace than Paul needed! Where his sin had abounded, God’s grace did much more abound, Romans 5:20! By the way, when Paul says that he “obtained mercy”, that phrase is in the “passive voice.” This implies that Paul did not seek mercy, but mercy found him. He did not understand mercy, but mercy became his nonetheless! It was God’s mercy that held off His wrath as we wandered away in the darkness and deadness of sin. It was His grace that reached out to us in love to confront us and call us to Jesus. AND Family, you are not going to Heaven by the “skin of your teeth.” You are going to Heaven held tightly in the grip of sovereign grace! Jesus taught, “I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly” and Paul taught in Ephesian 3:20 that Jesus able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us! How does that Power work? Through Faith and Love which are in Christ Jesus! That is what God’s grace in salvation will do for you! It will cause you to believe things you have always doubted. It will cause you to love things you have always hated. In other words, salvation will change your life, completely, totally and eternally, 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. When you are self-aware of Christ in you the hope of Glory, you realize that it’s not you but the power of God working in you!
