Waging the Worthy War 1
Part 2 Faithful in the Ministry  - 1 Timothy 1:12-17

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;  

Charge For Service

Paul gives Timothy an example of faithfulness in the ministry using himself as the example. This would come naturally to Paul’s mind because he never forgot nor diminished his experience that day on the Damascus Road when he saw the light of Jesus Christ.

His words to Timothy as he recall what Jesus has done are filled with awe, reverence and thanksgiving.

He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and I hurt people: but I obtained mercy. The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. He tells Timothy pay attention to this amazing truth, This is a faithful saying, and everyone should believe it, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 1 Timothy 1:12-15

Can’t you still hear after two thousand years the wonder of Paul saying, Isn’t God’s Grace amazing? He saved a wretch like me!”

In 1 Corinthians 15:10  Paul says that Grace was the reason for everything he did, He just could never get over it. “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

Paul would suffer beatings, imprisonment, stonings and shipwrecks and much more, all for the cause of Christ because he could never forget or get accept as ordinary the love, mercy and grace of God.

He is so enraptured at this point in his letter that Paul in vs 17  breaks into and writes a song, a hymn of praise, a doxology, that captures his joy and wonder at being saved and called to serve Jesus Christ.

Paul’s Doxology of Praise - 1 Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Faithful Following

Why do we remain faithful in our service to the Lord? Why are some of you still here, still giving, still praying, still sharing after 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 even 60 or more years? Isn’t it for the same reason that Paul gave in his testimony?

Paul would always be faithful and he knew that Timothy would be faithful in their service to God because grace was overwhelmingly amazing and it would overwhelm every obstacle and every sorrow so that as we leave this world we like Paul will be singing praises to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, Honor and glory for ever. Amen!

I can't walk away. I can’t quit though there are times I wish I could have, but I can’t. I just can’t. Not when I consider what I would have been if not for God’s grace. When I think about my what my sin would have done to me, if God had not gotten a hold of me.

When I think of all He has blessed me with in this life as part of His love and mercy.  I see LeeOra, who did not marry a preacher, but God have grace, (lots of grace, over and over and over grace) I think of my children who could have walked away from the restrains and frustrations of being a pastor’s kids. I think of the churches I’ve pastored, the people who have become like family. I think of this wonderful church and how God at this late stage in a 40 year ministry has blessed me with all of you. I’m overwhelmed by these earthly blessings and I haven’t even begun to experience the heavenly ones yet to come.  I don’t deserve anything from God’s hand, yet he bestows blessing on top of blessing.

When I’m tired and wore out, when I grow disappointed in people or the ministry, I think of God’s grace and mercy and like Paul, I just can’t get over it.  I can’t quit because I’m still in awe of the glorious Gospel of God and the amazing grace I’ve found.

Remember David’s words of awe about God’s caring for him in Psalms 8 1 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. …3  When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. … 9  O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Illustration:  Livingstone thinks it no sacrifice.

“People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. Can that be called a sacrifice which is simply paid back as a small part of the great debt owing to our God, which we can never repay? Is that a sacrifice which brings its own reward of healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter?

 “Away with such a word, such a view, and such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering or danger now and then, with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life, may make us pause and cause the spirit to waver and sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared with the glory which shall hereafter be revealed in and for us. I never made a sacrifice. Of this we ought not to talk when we remember the great sacrifice which He made who left His Father’s throne on high to give Himself for us.”