Read: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
After reminding Timothy of the most important sign of spiritual life and health (love), Paul shares the story of how God’s grace has taken a hold of his story. As one of Paul’s closest friends, it’s a story Timothy knew very well. So, why did Paul tell it to him again? Paul re-told his story as an example of what a healthy spiritual life looks like in practice and what it looks like for sound gospel doctrine (v11) to take a hold of a person’s story. We could call a story like this a “grace renewal story” - a story of someone coming to experience the greatness of a need, a failure or a sin that leads them to experience the even greater grace of God overflowing into that need, failure or sin. Grace renewal stories are both the evidence of, and a means to, a vibrant and healthy Christian life. Paul shares how God’s grace shaped the way he saw his whole story - past, present and future.
1) Grace for Our Past
When Paul wrote 1 Timothy, he had been a Christian for 25-30 years. Of all Christians in history – Paul is recognized as one of the most passionate, accomplished and mature Christians to ever live. Of all the lessons he could share in looking back over his life as an example of spiritual health and as a countermeasure against the false teaching & spiritual unhealthiness in Ephesus, he shared his grace renewal story. He is saying to Timothy, “The more I live, the more two things become clearer and bigger to me – 1) the sin I need to be saved from and 2) the grace that has overflowed into my need (v14).”
If you compare what Paul shares here toward the end of his life/ministry to other places where he shares the story of his past, what you will find is that Paul is more honest than ever. He owns the sin of his past by using the most stark and jarring terms he has ever used - blasphemer, persecutor, arrogant man. He is also more thorough than ever in confessing these sins. He saw just how offensive his sin was to God (blasphemy being the worst sin a devout Jew could commit), he saw just how much he hurt others (persecuting those he now loved) and he saw the sin “beneath the sin” (the arrogance that drove him). It’s important to see that along with Paul’s honest and thorough confession of sin, he is also more compassionate than ever. Paul knew the Bible better than anyone yet missed the God of grace at the center of it all. Instead of getting stuck asking How could I? I should’ve known better! he doesn’t beat himself up for the failure of his past, and is able to see and receive God’s mercy for the ignorance and unbelief of his past (v13).
2) Grace in Our Present
Paul moves from the past to the present in verse 15, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – and I am the worst of them.” This statement has puzzled and shocked scholars over the years. Paul can’t possible mean this, can he? He must be using hyperbole or thinking about his past life only? Surely, he knew there were worse sinners out there than him!? But Paul is so clear here that there is no way to explain this away. He says, “This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance.” In other words, “I mean it for myself 100%”. This is something every Christian - as they grow, mature and move toward spiritual health- will come to tell as their first person, present tense grace renewal story too.
Paul’s story illustrates a principle at the very heart of Christian maturity - the more we grow, the more we see how far we have to go. The more we grow closer to God and see his glory and holiness, the more we see how deep and pervasive our sin is; the more we realize just how much God’s grace is overflowing over and into our lives in the present! We can see this principle at work in how Paul told his first person, present tense grace renewal story as he matured in his own spiritual life.
In 1 Corinthians (early in his ministry) he said, “I am least of all the apostles.”
In Ephesians (middle of his ministry) – “I am the least of all the saints.”
In 1 Timothy (near the end of his ministry) – “I am the worst of sinners.”
From this progression - we can expand on the principle at the very heart of Christian maturity: The more we grow, the less we compare ourselves to others; the more we compare ourselves to Jesus, the more we realize just how far we have to go; the more we realize how great and gracious a Savior He is, the more we want to say “thank you” to Him with our entire lives.
3) Grace for Our Future
In vv16-17 Paul looks to the future. He shares what he saw as the reason he received so much mercy from God. He concluded it must be that his story would be an example of a “grace renewal story” for others to see just how extraordinarily patient God is with broken and sinful people. The Greek word he uses for “example” is a word used for an artist’s sketch drawing. Paul is saying no matter how much he grows and matures as a Christian – his life will always be a working picture of God’s patience. It is very humbling, yet profoundly freeing, for us to accept that no matter how spiritually mature we become, we will never outgrow the extraordinary patience of God toward us in our sin and brokenness. This doesn’t mean we accept our sin and give up on growth – it does mean we accept that no matter how much we grow, we will always have a long way to go in becoming like Jesus. And God is always patient towards those who know this is true?
DIAGNOSE
In what part of your story is it hardest for you to see the grace of God at work? Your past, your present or your future? What would it look like for you to open your heart to receiving God’s overflowing grace to you in this part of your story?
Past - Receiving God’s overflowing grace and mercy for the sins and failures of your past
Present - Accepting you have (at the present) a greater need for God’s grace than you’ll ever see. Accepting God knows just how much sin still remains in you and yet overflows with grace and love for you on account of your faith in Christ
Future - Accepting that no matter how much you grow and learn, you will never grow beyond being an example of the extraordinary patience of God
DISCUSS
What about the sermon impacted you most? What left you with questions?
In the sermon, it was said: “Love is not efficient. It almost never happens when we are in a hurry. Love will almost always look like a waste of time.” Do you agree? How should this affect the way we live in a world of endless options, constant hurry?
God’s plan (v4) is often different than our plans. God’s idea of what is urgent is so different from ours. Is there something urgent to you that God doesn’t seem to be responding to with the urgency you would like? How might God be deepening your faith and growing you in love in this as you wait on Him?
Why should 1 Timothy 1:15 be the first person, present tense grace renewal story of every healthy and growing Christian?
How are these two things becoming bigger for you? 1) Your sin, need and brokenness 2) The grace of Jesus for your every sin and need? If they are not becoming bigger for you, why do you think this is?
What lessons can we learn from Paul’s progression in his first person, present tense grace renewal story?
How might the following statements of application cure so much of our perfectionism and spiritual discouragement? “Cheer up you are a much bigger sinner than you thought! Cheer up God is far more patient than you are with yourself”. Why are we often more impatient with ourselves and others than God is?
BONUS – Why We Should Tell Grace Renewal Stories
When a grace renewal story is shared, other people say…
Maybe I can serve Jesus too – Paul says God considered him trustworthy (faithful) to serve him in gospel ministry (v11). What kind of person does God entrust with gospel service and ministry? The person who thinks they’ve arrived and have the answers? Not trustworthy. The person who thinks they have so much to offer others? Not trustworthy. The person who hides and minimizes their sin? Not trustworthy. But the person who increasingly knows how much of a sinner they are and how great a Savior Jesus is? Trustworthy. In this kind of person, others can see Jesus’ greatness and glory
Maybe I can talk about Jesus authentically with others too – “I used to think that I couldn’t talk about Jesus with others or be used by Jesus until my life measured up or until I got my spiritual act together. But now I see that what I share with others and give to others is what I most need. Not just needed; need – in the present and will need – in the future. So it’s ok to share my story even if it’s in process. After all, it’s about Jesus and not about me anyway.”
It that’s who Jesus is, I want to know Him more! The point of a grace renewal story is not to focus on or obsess about our sin but to get our focus and obsession off our sin and onto Jesus. Paul is NOT the point of Paul’s story. Look at what he says about Jesus: He gives strength to the undeserving. He is more merciful than we’d ever imagine. His grace overflows over any and all sin no matter how great. He gives faith and love to those who don’t have them. He came into the world to save people at their worst. His saving work is sufficient for all our sin – past, present and future. He is extraordinarily patient with people in process.
When people hear this - no matter where they are in the spiritual journey - they say, “If that’s true, that’s someone I want to know more about.”
I see the bigger story! A grace renewal story causes other people to say “I can see a little bit clearer now that it’s not all about me! There is something bigger at work than my life, my failures, my growth. It’s ALL part of a greater story. A story that began in eternity past with the immortal, invisible, only God and one that will continue forever and ever. It’s a story where God is honored and glorified as the God of overflowing grace for eternity. This is the story my life is meant to tell.”