"...because..."

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“...BECAUSE…”

Scripture Reference: First Timothy 1:12-17

Preached at Mount Zion Baptist Church on May 5, 2019

Delivered by Rev. John Daniel Johnson

Opening:

This morning I have a confession to make. I want to tell everyone that I love my wife and children. I love my church. I love the people who attend here. I love my friends and I love my neighbors, but the confession I want to make to you this morning is that I love Jesus more. Jesus is the only man it is okay for another man to love more than anything.

I love knowing that my God, my Savior, my Jesus Christ left the throne room of Heaven, and chose to live in this life with us. The Bible tell us…

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin."

—Hebrews 4:15

I love knowing that when I believed and trusted on the LORD Jesus, that He took my sin and removed it from me. He took this old creature, with all my wrong-doings and sins, hung them on the cross of Calvary. He took my sin and shame and made me a new creation. My old self is gone. My old ways are dead. I’m a new creation in Jesus.

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

—2 Corinthians 5:17

My brothers and sisters, if you are a child of God, if you have believed on Jesus for the remission of sins, if you have made the LORD Jesus the Savior of your life, your old life before salvation is gone. Will we occasionally still sin? Yes, but the Holy Spirit convicts us of where we fall short of the glory of God. However, we no longer desire to sin because we have been born again. We were all born into this earth of fleshly parents. By that mere fact, we inherited the sinful nature of mankind. However, once we believed on Jesus, we are born again. Not of flesh, but of the water and the Spirit. We are a new creation. We all have a testimony to tell. We all have a relevant encounter with Jesus to tell others.

This morning we are going to look into God’s Word at the testimony of Paul. The Apostle Paul was so proud of his new life in Jesus he recounted his personal testimony at least 7 times, Acts 9, Acts 22, Acts 26, Galatians 1 & 2, Philippians 3, and in 1 Timothy 1. Today we’re going to look at that last Scripture.

Transitional Sentence:

We once were lost in sin, but in Christ we have been made anew. We are going to examine the traits that have changed in the life of a believer all because of Jesus.

Read Text:

“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

—First Timothy 1:12-17

I. Because I Have Been Forgiven, I Can Forgive

“Stop being bitter and angry and mad at others. Don’t yell at one another or curse each other or ever be rude. 32Instead, be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave

you because of Christ.”

—Ephesians 4:31-32

II. Because I have Been Hated, I Can Love

"For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit."

—Titus 3:3-5

III. Because I Have Been Offended, I Can Defend

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them."

—Ephesians 5:11

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek."