Abundant Grace (1 Timothy 1.12-17)

Sermon by: Robert Austell; January 28, 2018 - 1 Timothy 1:12-17

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::: Scripture and Music ::
Come Ye Sinners (Indelible Grace, Matthew Smith)
Merciful God (Getty/Townend)
Choir: Amazing Grace (arr. Courtney)
Fiddle Tune Medley (feat. Chris Orr)
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (ST. DENIO)

:: Sermon Manuscript (pdf) ::
This "manuscript" represents an early draft of the sermon. Some weeks the spoken version varies more than others from the early manuscript. Nevertheless, if you'd prefer to read than to listen, this is provided  for that purpose.

Last week we started a series on God’s grace. We looked at a passage from 2 Corinthians 12 that says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for [my] power is perfected in weakness.” I’ve been pondering that all week; have you? It’s one of those almost weekly examples of my preaching to myself first. I so much want to fix things, fix situations, be perfect and smart and strong. And here I am in the midst of flu season, sadness over Kathy leaving, and overall just kind of running low, being told that God showing up in human weakness isn’t the back-up plan, but THE plan. And I picked that passage two months ago. God must have known we needed to hear that.

As part of looking at that passage last week I touched on today’s topic, noting that not only did God show up in Paul’s weakness with grace, but God also chose Paul in grace. Paul had not only not been a believer in Jesus, he had been the enemy of Jesus. And yet God pursued him, called him, forgave him, and used him. And Paul recounts the wonder of that in today’s text from 1 Timothy.

Formerly (v.13)

Paul was a bad man. He was sincere and believed in his cause, but he was a bad man. In his own words, he was formerly a “blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor.” (v. 13) He hunted Christians, rounded them up, and allowed and arranged for them to be killed. Do you know that about him? One of the accounts of that is in the book of Acts, at the end of chapter 7 and going on into chapter 8. As Stephen, one of the first followers of Christ to be put to death, was stoned to death, witnesses of the stoning laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. (7:58) Chapter 8 goes on to tell Saul’s story, beginning with “Saul was in hearty agreement with putting [Stephen] to death.” (8:1) Saul would later take the name Paul after meeting the risen Christ on the road to Damascus.

And Saul/Paul is not a one-off story in scripture. He is not the token redemption story in a room full of saints and righteous. Moses, whom God used to speak God’s message to the King of Egypt, had grown up in that Egyptian household but fled the country because of attacking and killing an Egyptian man. David, who became the greatest king of God’s people until Christ returned, was an adulterer and murderer whom God reclaimed and redeemed. And the stories go on and on of God sometimes reaching those furthest from Him and using them in the greatest service to him.

There is a word for that – actually two words: mercy and grace.

Mercy and Grace (vv.13-14,16)

I heard a definition for mercy and grace long ago from my pastor when I lived in Nashville and those definitions have continued to be helpful for me. Mercy is when God does not give us what we do deserve. Grace is when God gives us what we do not deserve. Paul received both from God. He was shown mercy because God did not give him the judgment he deserved for persecuting and executing Christians. In other words, God let him live and forgave him. But God’s mercy leads to grace. The grace for Paul – God giving him what he didn’t deserve – was a place in God’s work and Kingdom. And it was precisely into the area of disobedience he had formerly engaged. God called Paul to spread the news of Jesus Christ far and wide, and empowered him to do so.

Paul says two things about mercy in this passage. He says in verse 13 that God showed him mercy because of his ignorance and unbelief. Elsewhere Paul writes that ignorance and unbelief are no excuse, so I don’t think Paul is making an excuse here. Rather the mercy is that God came to him IN his ignorance and unbelief not with judgment (mercy), but in a way leading to knowledge and belief (grace). Then in verse 16 Paul clarifies and adds, “For this reason I found mercy, so that… Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe.” The mercy God showed Paul wasn’t just for Paul’s sake, but shaped Paul into a living example of God at work.

Of grace, Paul says in verse 14, “and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.” Abundance is a key part of grace, for grace is characterized by more than is expected or needed or deserved. It is the over-the-top expression of Christ’s faith and love for humanity.

But here’s the thing about most of us. We distance ourselves from mercy and grace because we distance ourselves from understanding our sin. Our standard for sin is: “I am not as bad as THAT guy.” I try to live a pretty good life, be nice to people, I don’t murder, embezzle, or whatever other thing counts as “real sin.” But Jesus was clear: our standard of righteousness isn’t my wacky neighbor or that mean kid at school or criminals we see on the evening news. Our standard of righteousness is God himself, the perfect love and obedience of Christ, the pure burning truth of the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever heard “Amazing Grace” – you know, that “saved a wretch like me,” and thought, “I’m no wretch.” If you and I and the majority of humanity are no wretch, then God’s grace is not amazing and Jesus’ death was very mis-placed. The song “Amazing Grace” should leave us weeping with amazement and gratitude, not issuing internal disclaimers of just how much of that grace stuff applies to me.

Think about the two messages from Paul – last week and this week. Where is God most known and shown? Paul says that it is in our weakness and in our sin. Should we sin and create weakness so God can show off? Paul repeatedly says “no way” throughout his writing. But neither should we hide our weakness and sin from God, ourselves, or others if that is precisely where God’s mercy and grace most brightly shine.

Trustworthy Statement (v.15)

In verse 15, in the midst of all this testimony and teaching, Paul says “This is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance…” He does that a number of times in his various writings and that fascinates me. I think it’s like in a sermon when I say, “If you don’t hear anything else today, listen to this.” And here’s what Paul says here: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” The only reason the second part of that is important is if you operated under the illusion that God only uses strong and perfect people. Paul – arguably one of the most effective followers of Christ ever – wants you to know that he believes he needs God’s mercy and grace more than anyone. I feel the same and I’d put myself in that line – I need the mercy and grace of God desperately, every day.

So don’t miss the first and main part of that trustworthy statement: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Do you ever think about why Jesus came? It wasn’t to teach us to be good, though he certainly taught us what God desires. It wasn’t to restore God’s people to political power, though those were the charges leveled against him at his execution. He came into the world to rescue those turned away from God. He came to show and to embody God’s mercy: that you and I might not get what we deserve from God if our lives were to be held up to the pure and perfect light of God’s holiness. And he came to show and to embody God’s grace: not just rescuing us, but inviting us to a life of service and purpose and participation in the life and work God is doing.

That’s grace and truth (from our banner) together: rescued and invited, delivered and desired.

Doxology (v.17)

Sometimes a writer will put a doxology, an outburst of praise, at the end of a letter as a kind of final word: “Let’s praise God!” But one appears here in verse 17, in the middle of the first chapter and not even at the end of that. What I think is going on here is not a formal ending to a letter, but something more spontaneous. I believe Paul is so moved by telling the story of God’s extreme mercy and grace in his life that he just can’t help offering praise.

Sometimes at the end of “Amazing Grace” I’ve heard a verse that is all “Praise God” over and over. It’s like that – but probably unplanned. So moved by the story and the reality of God’s grace, it is sometimes the only adequate thing left to do. So Paul exclaims: “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen!”

That’s the effect of understanding our weakness and sin. It’s not to be ground into the dust, but gives the true and right depth to the meaning of God’s mercy and grace. And when we glimpse that, there is nothing left but “Praise God; praise God!” Amen.