LOOK AT WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR ME--1 Timothy 1:12-17

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, 1:18-20; the rise of false doctrine, 1:3-7; 4:1-3; 6:3-5; disorder in the worship services, 2:1-15; the need to find and ordain qualified leaders, 3:1-14; and materialism, 6:6-19.  

Paul uses his life as an example of what Jesus can do through His grace and through His power.  He says to Timothy, “Look at me, Timothy!  Look at what Jesus has done for me!” I would like to take some time to look at Paul’s personal testimony today.  Why? I find that what Jesus did in, to and for Paul, He has also done in, to and for me, and in, to and for all of those who are saved by His grace.  Join me as we consider Paul’s testimony. 

I.  v. 13, 15           THE TESTIMONY OF A SINNER

A.  v. 13  The Deeds Of This Sinner –As a “blasphemer”, he had spoken evil of and slandered the name of God, Acts 9:4.  In doing so, he had failed to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” Matt. 22:37.  As a “persecutor” and as an “injurious” man, he was guilty of murder, hatred and unspeakable acts of cruelty aimed at his fellow man, Acts 7:58; 8:1, 3; 9:1.  He had failed to “love thy neighbour as thyself,” Matt. 22:39.  Paul was religious, but he was lost in his sins!

B.  v. 13  The Deception Of This Sinner – Paul says that he did what he did in “ignorance.”  He isn’t making excuses; he is simply stating the fact.  Paul did not understand the ramifications of his actions.  He thought he was earnestly and faithfully serving the Lord.  He had rejected Jesus and the Gospel message because he was sincerely trying to earn his own salvation.  He was in a state of blindness until Jesus came and opened his eyes!

C.  v. 15  The Diagnosis Of This Sinner – Paul sums it all us when he claims the title “chief of sinners.”  Paul was saying, “Before Jesus saved me, I was as bad as a man could get.  I am still wicked to the core of my being, but now I am saved!”  If you don’t believe this, just look at what Paul said in Rom. 7:18-25.

 II.  v. 13-14             THE TESTIMONY OF A SAINT

A.  v. 13b-14a  The Means Of This Saint’s Conversion – Paul tells us that two great gifts from the Lord resulted in his salvation: mercy and grace.  In His mercy, God did not give Paul the condemnation in Hell that he deserved.  In grace, God gave him the perfect salvation that he did not deserve! But, it was grace that came to him that day on the Damascus Road, confronted him, and saved his soul! 

B.  v. 14  The Manifestation Of This Saint’s Conversion – When grace came, it brought with it “faith and love.”  When the Lord saved Paul, he was able to believe that which he had formerly denied.  When grace came it allowed him to love a Lord and a people he had formerly hated.

III.  v. 12                THE TESTIMONY OF A SERVANT

A.  The Reasons For This Service – Paul says that he is serving the Lord because the Lord “put” him in the ministry having found him “faithful.”  Paul did not choose to go into the ministry.  He became a preacher and an apostle by the will of God alone. The Lord took him and put him where He wanted him to serve. 

B.  The Resources For This Service – 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.

IV.  v. 16              THE TESTIMONY OF A SHOWPIECE

A. Pattern of the Showpiece---Paul says that the reason God chose to extend His mercy and grace toward him---was as a pattern.  The word “pattern” means “a sketch, an outline, a summary exposition.

B.  People of the Showpiece--My friends that is why He saved you and me too!  He saved us to set us out before a lost and dying world to tell them, “If I can save this one, I can save you too!”  He saved us to be trophies of His grace and living testimonies to His life changing power, James 2:18; Matt. 5:16.

V.  v. 17              THE TESTIMONY OF A SONGLEADER

A. Paul remembered what he was before Jesus found him, and all that Jesus has done for him.  When he considers it all, he cannot hold back his anthem of praise!  He bursts into a doxology of praise to the glory of God!

B.  Paul sets the right example for us!  Every saint needs to remember where Jesus found them, what He has brought them through, Isa. 51:1, what He is doing through them, 1 Cor. 2:9, and where he is taking them, John 14:1-3. When we remember Who He is and Who we are, how could we not lift our voices in praise to Him?  He is worthy and God’s people are to be about the business of praising His Name, Heb. 13:15;Psa. 50:14-15!

Conc:  If you are saved, you have a testimony that resembles the testimony of Paul.  The Lord surely has been good and gracious to us, hasn’t He?  If you have realized this morning that you have never been saved, you can get that taken care of this morning.  Let’s just mind Him church!