1 TIMOTHY 1:12-202007 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: 1 Timothy 1:12-20

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2007. Do you know of a person in your life that you could not imagine them becoming a Christian? Do you have someone in your life that you could think that, I just...

I know God can do anything, but I really just can't see that taking place. I can't see them making a decision to follow Jesus Christ. I really can't envision them

Becoming born again and and desiring to seek after the things of God. Can you think of anybody that it would just seem to be impossible for that to actually take place and and to see their life turned around and to go from being so opposed to God to walking with God and and promoting the things of God and preaching the gospel message.

Is there someone perhaps in your life or maybe someone that you can think of? I think we could look at some of the very notable bad guys of our time. You know, you could look at Osama bin Laden or perhaps Saddam Hussein when he was alive. And to think about him becoming a Christian would just be, well, how would you even comprehend that? How could you see them turn their lives around to all of a sudden being one of the foremost people

Ministers of the gospel message, it would be, well, too radical for us to understand. Do you have those type of people in your life? Do you know those people? Can you think about those people? Well, as we're looking today at what Paul says to Timothy, he's sharing with us his testimony and knowing the testimony of Paul, we find that Paul was one of those people. He was one of those that if you were in the church back at the first century at this time, you

If you were at a prayer meeting and

You're going around and praying and someone prays for Saul of Tarsus, how he was known at that time, later became the Apostle Paul. But someone prays, Lord, I pray for Saul of Tarsus, that you would just touch his heart and bring him to a saving knowledge of you, allow him to be born again, get a hold of his attention and use him to preach the gospel. If you were there and someone prayed that, you'd probably kind of choke on your own saliva and fall out of your chair because it was just...

I mean, he was the guy who is trying to destroy the church and causing people to blaspheme in the name of Christ. And it would have just seemed so impossible for him to become a Christian, to preach the gospel message. And yet, as impossible as it may seem, it was something that God did. And there are those people in your life that I want to encourage you about.

You think it's impossible. You can't see it happening. They're so opposed to the things of God. But and yet God can do that work. He can pour out his grace and mercy into a life and transform it no matter what state it is in. Paul's the living proof of that. And as he shares with Timothy, really, he's sharing somewhat of his testimony with Timothy about what God has done.

And I want to encourage you with four points from what Paul is sharing with Timothy this morning. Four things, because as I shared at the beginning and will continue to share throughout the book of Timothy, you and I are also Timothy's.

And that we are called to the ministry, we're called to share the gospel message and probably not in the same role as Timothy and not necessarily the same calling and specific function. But every believer in Jesus Christ is called to share the gospel message, to be a witness, to be an example, to be a light.

And a testimony of what God can do. And so as Paul shares this message with Timothy, these things, I want to point out four things to you and I as Timothy's that we can take to heart, that we can understand in regards to this calling that God has given to us and this role that he has called us to fulfill. The first thing I want to point out, we'll look at verses 12 through 14. But the first thing is God puts you into the ministry.

Think about that for a second. God put you into the ministry. If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, he has given you the call. He's given you the command. He's given you the charge to be involved in the work of ministry, the ministry of bringing people into right relationship with him, the ministry of meeting the needs of the people around you. He has called every one of us to the ministry. Paul says in verse 12,

And I think Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has enabled me because he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. He says, I think Jesus Christ, I think Christ Jesus, because, well, he enabled me.

He counted me faithful and he put me into the ministry. The context for this verse really backs up to the previous verses. What we ended with last week is Paul was sharing with Timothy about those who are perverting the gospel message and and promoting the law. But they were not doing it well.

He describes there for Timothy the way that the law was meant to be used, that it was to be used for those who were living in sin, for those who had no relationship with God. He says the law is to be used for anything that's contrary to sound doctrine. But then in verse 11, he goes on to say, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

The law is for the things that are contrary to the message that God has given to us, Paul is saying. But he says this gospel message that's committed to my trust. Paul's recognizing God has committed something to my trust. He's committed something to my care, this gospel message. And he's committed it to me not to keep it a secret and hide it away, but to proclaim it and to share it and to make sure that people hear this message.

And as he recognizes that God has committed this trust to him, it leads him then in verse 12 to thank Christ Jesus, our Lord. As he recognizes, man, God, you have you've entrusted me with something. You've entrusted me with this message. All I can do is thank you because he recognizes he's not worthy. He reminds himself that, well, the gospel was committed to him, but but he doesn't deserve it.

And he's not capable of ministering the gospel because he says in verse 12, I think Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has enabled me, who has enabled me. See, God has put you into the ministry, just like he put Paul into the ministry. There's a saying that we often quote. It's God's calling is his enabling. And it's the truth. It's what Paul is recognizing and sharing here. God puts you into the ministry, but he didn't.

Put you into something and and not equip you to do it. He enables you because he's called you so that you never have to worry. Well, do I have what it takes? Do I do I have what I need to be able to do this thing that God has called me to do? Every Christian is called to the ministry, called to minister the gospel of Jesus Christ. And every Christian has what they need within their reach.

Through the person of Jesus Christ. Now, I would ask you to consider for a moment. How did Jesus enable Paul? Knowing Paul's background a little bit, you might understand that Paul was well, he was a brilliant man. He was a man who is trained by the best of the best in the Jewish leadership or Jewish religion.

He knew the word forwards and backwards. He followed it. He kept it. He was very religious and very zealous for the things of God. So we already had those things. So how did how did Jesus enable Paul? What did he give him that?

Would enable him to minister the gospel message. Was it by education? God says, OK, I'm going to enable you. First, I need you to enroll in the school of Simon Peter and, you know, allow him to teach you all these things. And no, it wasn't by education. And already Paul had an incredible education in the scriptures. Like I said, he knew them very well.

God has called you into the ministry and you can't disqualify yourself. Well, I don't have what it takes. You know, I didn't go to Bible college or I didn't I didn't attend any seminary or anything. No, he has called you. He has enabled you. And it's not by education. How is Paul enabled? Well, I suggest to you it's by the Holy Spirit and by a relationship with Jesus Christ. You remember in Acts chapter one is Jesus was ascending to the father. He tells the disciples, Jesus.

Don't leave Jerusalem. Don't leave here. You have this call. You have this commission. You're to go and make disciples to all the world. But don't leave yet. Wait for the promise.

And in Acts chapter one, verse eight, he says, you shall receive power. This is the promise. You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. There, Jesus tells the disciples, here's your calling. You're enabling. It's going to be in the power of the Holy Spirit. So.

You can't do it without that, disciples. And you and I can't either. The Holy Spirit working in our lives, the power of the Holy Spirit, enables us to do the ministry that God has called us to do. But not only that, if you remember a couple of chapters later in Acts chapter 4, verse 13, Peter and John are before the Jewish leaders, the Sanhedrin. They're on trial because they continue to proclaim the gospel message.

And it well, they see the boldness of Peter and John. Acts 413 says and says when they saw the boldness, they perceived that they were uneducated. So already we know that's not God's enabling. They were untrained. So we know that's not God's enabling. They were uneducated and untrained men. They marveled. The Jewish leaders are like, how can these guys be so powerful in their witness? How can they know the scriptures like this and use them that way? How can they be so bold in this?

It says at the end there, verse 13, they realize that they had been with Jesus. See, we have everything that we need to fulfill the ministry that God has called us to by being with Jesus and being filled with his Holy Spirit.

What we need is a close relationship with Jesus. That's how Paul was enabled. He didn't have a relationship with Jesus before. He wasn't full of the Holy Spirit before. And so he was an enemy of the gospel. But by coming into contact with Jesus Christ, by becoming born again, having that relationship with Jesus and being filled with the Holy Spirit, now he is enabled to do the work that God had called him to do.

In the same way, God has called you and put you into the ministry and he has given you what you need. But it's found in a close relationship with Jesus Christ and the power of his Holy Spirit. Paul says, I think Jesus Christ, because he enabled me and notice he counted me faithful. And notice that it's he who put me into the ministry.

Paul didn't say, I'm so thankful that Jesus, you know, that he saw how faithful I was. And then so he put me into the ministry. No, he didn't see my faithfulness. Paul says he counted me faithful. I wasn't faithful, but he counted me faithful and put me into the ministry.

Paul doesn't say here, I'm so glad, Jesus, thank you for seeing finally how talented I was and wanting to use my talents for your glory, man. I'm so glad that you finally found that out, God. No, he says he enabled me to see it's a work of God from beginning to end. It has nothing to do with us. He enabled me. He counted me faithful and he put me into the ministry. That word ministry literally means service. It's what we've been called to do.

We've been put into the service of God Almighty to do whatever it is he's called us to do, to fulfill the roles that he's called us to fulfill. For some, that is like the Apostle Paul to go out and preach the gospel publicly and proclaim what God has done in the work of Christ upon the cross. For some, that means that that you're called to minister publicly.

To your family, for some, that means you're called to minister in your workplace, for some within the church. There's lots of different roles that God calls us to fulfill, but you're in the ministry and it's a work of God from beginning to end. And he wants to use you to impact the people around you for eternity. It's the ministry of reconciliation, of bringing people back into right relationship with God.

Now, for Paul, it's so amazing that he has this ministry. He's so blown away by it. He's so grateful to God by it because of, well, he had quite a horrendous past. He goes on to describe it in verse 13. He says, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor and an insolent man, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

Paul says, I can't believe that I'm in the ministry. I can't believe that God is using me this way because this is what I used to be, a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent or a violent man. Now, you can find the details of Paul's story there in Acts chapter 8 and 9 as it gives the account of Paul, really the persecutor of the church, working with all his might against the things of Christ.

Even to the point, he says he calls himself a blasphemer. But in Acts chapter 26, verse 11, he's sharing his testimony again. And that's a practice of Paul that we would do well to to follow, to share our testimony often. But but Paul, as he's sharing his testimony in Acts chapter 26, verse 11, he's describing how he used to be. And he said, I punished them. That is the Christians.

I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly enraged against them. I persecuted them even to foreign cities. Paul is describing here the extent of his sinful state. So great was his hatred of the things of Jesus that he.

Not only did he blaspheme, but he would essentially torture others to blaspheme the name of Christ, to renounce the name of Christ. That was the extent and the state of who he was before God got a hold of him. Now, Paul was not proud of his past, but he also never loses sight of it. As I shared, he shares his testimony multiple times in the book of Acts, multiple times in the letters that he wrote to the different churches.

He always had in his mind, he always knew, this is what I used to be. This is what I am without God. And it keeps in his mind the reality of the mercy of God. That's what he says in verse 13. He says, I was these things, formerly all these things, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. Paul says, I obtained mercy. Mercy is not getting the punishment that is deserved.

I was these things and I deserve to be punished for them. But but I didn't get the punishment that I deserve for them. I obtained mercy. He's not pleading insanity here when he says I did it ignorantly and unbelief. Of course, he knew what he was doing.

In the sense of, you know, torturing people and chasing after them and persecuting them. But what he's saying is that it happened before he was saved. It happened in unbelief. He didn't believe in Jesus Christ. He hadn't been born again. He didn't understand the things of God, although he thought he did. I obtained mercy, he says, because of these sinful things in my life. The state that I was in.

And I think all of us can relate to that to some degree because all of us, we have past. We have those things in our lives that, well, man, if you knew about them, we'd be ashamed of ourselves. If it was out in the open, well, yeah, we all have sinful histories.

We all have those things in our lives that we're not proud of. Romans chapter 6, verse 21, Paul talks about, he asks the question, what fruit did you have in the things with which you are now ashamed? Talking about your old life, you know, what fruit did you have from all the sinful activity, all the things that you used to do, the things which now you're ashamed of? Paul was not proud of his past. It was, well, it was something to be ashamed of.

And there's things in your life. But here's the good news of God. Keep your finger here in 1 Timothy and turn with me back to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 2 Corinthians chapter 5. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5, Paul is talking about, well, he's talking about the future. The fact that we will stand before God and give an account. And his endeavor then to be pleasing to God to the best of his ability. But in verse 17 says,

He makes a comment. I'm sure you're familiar with the verse. He says, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Here, Paul says, here's the deal. In Christ, all things become new. There's a new creation that takes place.

The old things, the past, those things that you were ashamed of, the things that you were formerly, those things pass away and all things become new or a new creature, a new creation because of the work that Christ has done within our hearts. And if as

As if that isn't enough. That is enough, right? For God to save us and make us a new creation and forgive us our past. And that is enough. But that's not where God stops. The next verse, verse 18, he says, Now all things are of God who has reconciled us to himself. He's brought us back into right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

And he says there at the end of verse 18, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. So not only has God saved us and made us a new creation and forgiven our past, but he has also given to us the ministry of reconciliation.

The ministry of bringing people into right relationship with God. Now, we don't save people. We can't save people. But what we do is we lead them to the Savior. We lead them by the words that we share, the encouragement that we share, leading someone in the sinner's prayer, leading someone with the gospel message, or by the life that we live and the example that we set, that they could see the life that's transformed by God. But we are a testimonial witness. We are called into the ministry of God.

of reconciliation, that people might know the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And Paul says, I can't believe that I'm in this ministry. I used to be these things, but I obtained mercy because I did it when I was unbelief. But now I'm a new creation. I'm a new creature in Christ. And God has put me into the ministry. I thank Jesus Christ, our Lord, who has enabled me because he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. Let's go back to 1 Timothy chapter 1.

Continuing on, verse 14 of 1 Timothy 1, Paul says, And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. He's still really just rejoicing, reveling in how great God is and how good God is. Now he begins to talk not just about mercy, but grace. Mercy is not getting the punishment that's deserved, but grace is its favor and kindness.

That's not deserved. It's undeserved good things and goodness and blessings. It's God pouring out wonderful things in our lives, even though we can't earn them or deserve them. Salvation is one of those things, but the call into the ministry is another one. Now, I love how Paul describes grace as exceedingly abundant, exceedingly abundant. Now, abundant already just by itself means that there's enough. There's plenty there.

There's plenty of grace. God has plenty of grace for you. But not only that, it's exceedingly abundant. Not only is it plenty, not only is it enough, but it's more than enough. And it's even more than more than enough. And it's a little bit more than that, too. It's just exceedingly overflowing. There's there's you can't you can't run to the limit. You can't run out of God's grace. It's exceedingly abundant.

With faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. See, the grace of God is exceedingly abundant. And along with that grace, he gives to us the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Remember Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8 and 9. For by grace are you saved through faith. But then he goes on to say that that faith is not of yourselves. It's a gift of God. And it's not of works that anyone should boast.

The faith that you and I have in order to believe is also a part of God's exceedingly abundant grace. We don't have what it takes to believe. We don't have the faith to believe. But God has given to us enough faith to believe by his grace, not because we deserved it. Paul's reflecting on the grace of God as he remembers what he used to be. In Romans chapter 5 verse 20 says,

Paul's talking about the law and he says that the law entered that offense or sin might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. The whole point here, Paul says, God was able to show grace in my life.

He was able to save me. He was able to forgive my past and forgive all the wrong that I had done against Christ. He was able to wash that away. There was plenty of sin. Sin abounded. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. And he saved me. He enabled me. And he put me into the ministry. In the same way like the Apostle Paul. You have a past. Your sin abounded. Or perhaps today abounded.

You've not made a commitment to Jesus Christ. You've not been born again. And so your sin abounds. But what you need to know, what I need to know, is that God's grace is exceedingly abundant, much more than our sin, much more than we could exhaust. And it should cause us, like the Apostle Paul, to say, I thank Jesus Christ, our Lord. He's put me into the ministry. He's put you into the ministry. He's given to you the ministry of reconciliation.

That the people he brings you in contact with might know that he is real. That he can transform lives. That he can save them from an eternity of separation from God. God put you into the ministry. Not only that, as we continue on in verses 15 and 16. The second thing I want to point out to you this morning is...

God puts you into the ministry and then he puts you on display. Look at verses 15 and 16. It says, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. Verse 16. However, for this reason, I obtained mercy that in me first, Jesus Christ might show all long suffering as a pattern to those who are going to believe on him for everlasting life.

Paul says, I was saved. I used to be this way, but God's grace was exceedingly abundant. I received mercy. Why? Well, that I might be a pattern for those who are going to believe on him, that I might be an example, a demonstration of what God can do in a life. In verse 15 says,

He says this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. It's a common phrase that Paul used to highlight something and draw our attention to it. This is something we can be assured of. What is that? Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. That is something you don't have to question. You don't have to be concerned about. This is something worthy of full acceptance.

Jesus came to save sinners and all the sinners said, Hallelujah. Praise God, because we needed his salvation. You've been given the ministry of reconciliation. Now, who do you think it is that needs to be reconciled? Remember Jesus when he was ministering here on the earth?

The Pharisees would get quite upset with him. There was a particular time in Mark chapter two where the scribes and Pharisees are upset because they see him eating with the tax collectors and sinners. And so they tell the disciples, hey, how come your master does this? How come he eats with the tax collectors and sinners? And Jesus hears about it and he says, look, those who are well, they don't need a physician, but those who are sick need the physician.

He says, I didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. I think it's important for us to remember God came. Jesus came into the world to save sinners. That's who you and I are called to reconcile to God. Now, sometimes as Christians, we can. Well, we just like to serve where it's comfortable and minister where it's comfortable.

Yeah, I'm called into the ministry, so I serve in the parking lot and I help park the cars or I serve in the children's ministry. And, you know, hopefully there's not much confrontation there where I serve. But, you know, I don't want to serve. I don't want to share with this person because, you know, they're just involved in these things. And we'd rather kind of be comfortable and only serve where, well, where it's nice and easy and kind of in our Christian bubble. Now, God does call us to those different areas of ministry, right?

By no means is it limited to that. Jesus Christ came to save sinners. What do you think he left you here for? He left you here to be involved in the ministry of reconciliation that people might be saved, that sinners might come to repentance, that they might hear the gospel message. And there's a need for us to be open and available for God to use us in that way. And sometimes it may not be the person that we would

Desire to minister to. How would you like to be Ananias who God called to go lay hands on Saul of Tarsus who became the Apostle Paul? How would you like to be the one, that person that's in your mind you just can't fathom them coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? Are you open and ready? Are you willing to share with them the ministry of reconciliation, what God has done? We need to remember Jesus Christ came to save sinners and he left us here to tell them

that message. Now, Paul goes on to say, not only did he come to save sinners, but he says, of whom I am chief. He doesn't say I was chief. That's who I was. He says, I am chief. I'm a sinner. Again, Paul is, well, he has humility. You know what humility is? It's an accurate view of yourself. He recognizes who he is. He recognizes I am a sinner. He's not exaggerating.

Today, they would probably say he has low self-esteem. No, that's not the case. He has an accurate view of himself. He understands. I am a sinner. I'm a wretched sinner. I'm the chief of sinners. Jesus Christ came to save sinners. And I'm one of those. I'm the chief of those. I need the salvation of Jesus Christ. It kind of reminded me, and I'm not sure if the commercial still plays, but you'll probably know what I mean. You remember the hair club for men?

And the commercials, you know, the guy would share it and tell you all these great things, right? And then he would say at the end, you know, not only am I the president, but I'm a customer. And they would show the before and after picture of him, you know, when he was bald and didn't have any hair. And then now he has this great hair and he can kind of whip it around in different places and stuff. And, you know, just the before and after. That's what Paul is saying. I'm not just the president. I'm not just the preacher. I'm a customer. I'm a recipient of salvation. I need a savior, Paul is saying.

Let us never lose sight of that. We need a savior. We need Jesus Christ. We need his work upon the cross. We're no different than anyone else. We're no better than anyone else. Again, it's his work from beginning to end. He enables. He counts us faithful. He puts us into ministry. We used to be this way, but we received mercy and grace because Jesus came to save sinners. And I am one of those.

Paul goes on in verse 16 to say, for this reason I obtained mercy. Here's why 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. Again, Paul tells us he obtained mercy. Why did he obtain mercy? He tells us so that God could put him on display as a pattern so that everyone could know the longsuffering that God is capable of.

The patience that God is capable of. The mercy and grace that God has available. Paul is saying, I was the worst of the worst, but God had mercy on the worst of the worst. So that he could show everyone that nobody is beyond the grace and mercy of God. God uses Paul as his example, as the pattern. For you and I to recognize there's nobody beyond his reach.

There's nobody he can't transform. Again, looking at the hair club for men. Maybe you don't pay attention to those commercials, but I do. OK, so they have the before and after photos. Right.

This guy was this bald and then now he has this much hair. And the whole point of that is to be an example, to say, look, you're not beyond hope. You don't have a lot of hair. That's OK. Come to us and we'll help you get some hair. Or perhaps maybe you pay more attention to the diet programs and commercials. Right. I lost four thousand pounds in three days. And you could do it, too. I used to be this way and now I'm this way. They got all the before and after photos so that you can see.

Look, this is what I was. This is what I became. You're not beyond hope. You can you can be changed, too. And that's what Paul is doing here. God has him on display the before and after. We saw his life before. We know what he was like before. But look what God has done so that you and I can know God can do that in my life and that we can know God could do that in in anybody's life. He's the display, the pattern, the model for us.

And just like Paul, God has placed you into the ministry and he's put you on display. You are a pattern to the world around you. God says, look at Jerry. Look what I can do with a messed up and wrecked life. Look at Michael Colburn. Look what I can do with just a failed and miserable life.

Sorry, Mike. Look at Larry Hume who's laughing so loud. Look what I can do with the life. He's put us on display just like the Apostle Paul. That the world around us, because they've seen our life before, or we could share with them, hey, this is who I am. I am a sinner in need of a Savior. And God has you strategically placed within your family, within your workplace, within your neighborhood, wherever He has you.

So that the world around you can know, man, God's long-suffering. He has mercy and grace. See, your testimony is so powerful. Don't shy away from sharing your testimony. From sharing who you are and what God has done. It's the most powerful thing that you can share. It's not debatable. It's not arguing over a doctrinal point. It's simply sharing what God has done in transforming your life. You don't have to be a theologian.

You don't have to know a lot. You just have to know what God has done. You just have to have a relationship with Jesus Christ and be filled with His Spirit. Share your testimony. Don't be proud of it. Don't glory in it, what you used to do and be involved in.

You know, you don't have to give the details of what you're involved in. We know the details of Paul because it's recorded in Acts. But but here he doesn't tell Timothy, you know, here's the laundry list of all the things I did. He says, hey, I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, an insolent man. He gave very general description or understanding of what he used to be. And you and I could say that I used to be this and I used to be that I used to be involved in those things. But God had mercy on me. Your testimony is powerful.

Share what God has done. Share where he has brought you from. And as you do, stay focused on Jesus Christ. Paul, in these verses that we've been studying, talks about Jesus Christ or refers to him four times by name and then others, you know, he and him and Lord, he calls him. His testimony, what he's sharing with Timothy is all centered around the goodness of Jesus Christ and who he is.

It's shared in a way that we glory in God. And that's the next point. First, God put you into the ministry. Then to God, put you on display. And then number three, we find in verse 17, God gets the glory. Verse 17 says now to the king, eternal, immortal, invisible to God, who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

God enabled me. He put me into the ministry. I was a wretched sinner, but Jesus Christ came to save sinners. So I obtained mercy and became an example of what God can do in a sinner. He did it all from beginning to end. So he gets the glory. Let us never think that it has anything to do with us. Salvation, ministry, the work that God does. It's not about us.

You know, you could ask someone, well, you know, that's amazing what God has done. Why did God use you? Oh, well, you know, I'm really talented. I've always been really good in this area. That's why God saved me, because he knew he could use me in this area and I could do great things for him. Or, you know, God uses me because I really have a heart for the lost. Or God uses me because I really pray a lot. Or God uses me because, hey, it's not about you. Sometimes we think about

those teachers perhaps that we hear on the radio or that that really minister to us and and we wonder why has god used them so much i mean it's just always so powerful what they what they have to share and we think man god uses them because they just know the word so well or because of this or because of that but no it's not because of them it's because of god his grace his mercy his enabling his putting into the ministry if it's because of us we're in trouble because we fall short

We blow it. Our hearts are prone to wander. It needs to be all about Jesus Christ. And it is. So he gets all the glory. And Paul says, man, now to the king, eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. He can't help but just praise God in wonder and amazement. I can't believe God has done this. God who is eternal. And yet he takes time.

to minister to us and transform us. He's all powerful, and yet He cares for us, and He meets our needs, and on and on we can go. As we recognize what God has done, it should cause us to proclaim, praise, worship, glory and honor be His name. Never touch the glory. Never take the credit for who you are, what you've done, or what God has done through you. It's all God from beginning to end.

And so he closes this chapter with a charge to Timothy. It's the fourth thing we find in verses 18 through 20, where he tells Timothy to wage the good warfare. Wage the good warfare. Verse 18 says,

This charge, this command I give to you, Timothy. Now, he's telling Timothy to take charge.

To do the things that God has called them to do. And remember where Timothy was at this time. As Paul is writing to him, Timothy was timid. He was holding back. He wasn't dealing with the situations appropriately. He wasn't placing order in the church, as we'll go on to see all of the things that Paul tells Timothy to implement and make sure are taking place within the church. He was really just kind of kicking back and not doing what God had called him to do. He was hesitant in the work out of fear. Fear.

Amongst other things. And so how encouraging this would be as Paul reminds him, hey, I'm commanding you, I'm giving you this charge, Timothy, but it's not from me. It's according to the prophecies previously made concerning you. He's reminding Timothy of that time when

Whether it was in Ephesus or somewhere else, we don't know, but the elders laid hands upon Timothy and were praying for him. And a word of prophecy came forth and God spoke directly and specifically to Timothy about his calling and his gifting and how he was going to use him. And so Paul says, remember, God, God's the one who has done this. He's the one who's placed you there, Timothy, just like he's done with me.

He enabled me and put me into the ministry, even though I was such a wretch. But but Timothy, it's the same for you. God has placed you into the ministry. He has made these prophecies and given this direction. Timothy, God has you there. So do what he's called you to do by these prophecies. Wage the good warfare. Wage the good warfare.

Take courage and do the work is what he's telling him. You've been called. God called you to do this. Wage the good warfare. Now, it's the terms of battle, of war, that Paul is using. Because it is a war. We know there's the spiritual war that takes place. Ephesians 6 goes into detail about some of that. Spiritual armor that we're to put on. There's a war against the enemy. A war against the world.

Even Paul is going to or Timothy was going to have to deal with these situations within the church where people were teaching false doctrine and he was going to have to confront them and and deal with these difficult situations. But he's holding back. He's not engaging in the fight. So Paul says, remember the prophecies. Remember, God placed you there. Remember, God has you exactly where he wants you. So fight the good fight. Do the work that I've called you to do.

And in the same way, I encourage you, Timothy, your Timothys, according to the prophecies made concerning you, wage the good warfare. Do the work of the ministry. Be the witness for Jesus Christ. Share the gospel message with those around you.

Now you say, well, Jerry, there's no, I mean, come on. I never had, you know, people pray over me and then a word from the Lord comes forth or, you know, the clouds of heaven never opened and light shone around me and God told me what to do. Or, you know, I didn't, I've never had the situation like that. I don't have prophecies that were made concerning me. Well, I beg to differ. I believe that you do. God has specific instruction for you. We have those prophecies, right?

individually, and I'll talk about those in a moment, but we also have promises, prophecies made about us corporately or generally. In John chapter 14, verse 12, Jesus tells his disciples this, most assuredly, you can count on this, he says, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also, and greater works than these he will do because I go to my father.

Jesus says, he who believes in me, those who believe in me. If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, if you've been born again, this is you. He says, the works that I do, they will also do. Not only that, but greater than the works that I do, will they do who believe in me. This is a prophecy concerning you if you believe in Jesus Christ.

That you will do the works of Jesus Christ. And not only that, greater works than Jesus Christ did. How do you do greater works than Jesus Christ did? Well, because you get the opportunity. Now that the work is finished. Now that it's complete. Now that salvation has been accomplished. Now you get the opportunity to participate in bringing people. The ministry of reconciliation. Bringing them into right relationship with God. You get the ability and opportunity to impact people.

Those around you for eternity. Much like Jesus did. And he prophesied and promised. Those who believe in me will do it. In Acts chapter 1 verse 8. I read it to you earlier. The promise of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes. You shall be witnesses to me.

In Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria to the end of the earth. It's a prophecy concerning you. You say, well, that's not concerning me. That's those guys. And they were to go to Jerusalem and we're in Corona. And that's just not relative to me. But the next chapter, in Acts chapter 2, verse 39, Peter is sharing what God has to say. And he says, for the promise that is of the Holy Spirit is to you and to your children and to all who are far off, as many as our Lord God will call.

There's a prophecy concerning you that you will be empowered with the Holy Spirit and will be witnesses of Jesus Christ. There's a prophecy concerning you that you will do the works of Jesus Christ and greater than what he has done. Mark chapter 16 has some more things to say. The signs that will follow those who believe Jesus goes on to list some of the works and miracles that will take place. The point is there are prophecies made concerning you. God wants to use you.

In the ministry. And the lives of those around you. There's many more. We have these prophecies made concerning us. So let's wage the good warfare. And do the work of the ministry. And do the works like Jesus did. And be empowered with the Holy Spirit to be a witness. Let's do the work. According to the prophecies made about us. Now those are general prophecies. But I also believe that God will give you specific prophetic instruction.

specific direction as you seek him day by day, sometimes moment by moment. Like I encouraged you a couple of weeks ago, this comes from having a relationship with God, knowing his voice, spending time with him. And if you don't know how to recognize the voice of God, whatever you're doing, stop, spend time in the word until you learn to hear his voice.

We desperately need the voice of God. He has. He has prophetic instruction for you. He wants to use you in powerful ways. As we often say, it's not our ability, but our availability. Spend time with him and make yourself available and watch what God will do. Finishing off in the last two verses, 19 and 20, he's encouraging Timothy to do

To wage the good warfare. And he says, having faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected concerning the faith, have suffered shipwreck. Of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. He talks about faith and a good conscience. These two things go together. He also mentioned them in last week. We saw in chapter one, faith and a good conscience.

Faith, believing in Jesus Christ, but the good conscience. Well, Jesus said, if you love me, you will keep my commands. Faith and a good conscience go hand in hand as we put our trust in God, as we believe in him, as we put our faith in him. He calls us now to walk in obedience to him and to not violate the conscience that he has given to us, not violate the promptings of the Holy Spirit that that warn us when we're doing things wrong.

That we know God has not called us to do. And Paul's warning here. Timothy. If you continue to violate your conscience. You will shipwreck your faith. Like these two guys. He says some have rejected the good conscience. And as a result their faith has been shipwrecked. Hymenaeus.

We don't know much about these guys, but this guy, Hymenaeus, is mentioned in 2 Timothy 2, verses 17 and 18. And there Paul mentions that he was teaching that the resurrection already passed. And as a result was overthrowing the faith of son. So here's this guy. He teaches the second coming has already taken place. You missed out on the rapture. You missed out on the kingdom of God. And he's overthrowing the faith. He has shipwrecked himself in the faith.

But now is overthrowing the faith of others. Alexander, he might be the same Alexander that's mentioned in Acts chapter 19, who riled up the city against Paul. Or there's another Alexander that's also mentioned in 2 Timothy chapter 4, who Paul says, he did me much harm. We don't know. But here's what we do know. Paul says, they rejected a good conscience and have shipwrecked their faith. See, here's what happens. These guys...

made a profession of faith. They believed in Jesus Christ. But there was something that God wanted to do that they were unwilling to allow him to do. There was something he had been placing upon their hearts. Being that it's the conscience that Paul is dealing with here, it's probably an area where God had wanted to change them, where there was some sin that they were holding on to. But rather than repent from the sin and allow God to do the work that he wanted to do,

They held on to it. They continued to violate their conscience. And as a result, their faith was shipwrecked. Because when you hold on to sin, even though you know it's wrong, and even though you know it's not what God wants you to be doing, but if you hold on to it and persist in it anyways, now we all sin, we all fall short. Understand that.

But if it's willful, deliberate, active sin, like we talked about last week, and if you hold on to that, then what will take place? Well, your faith will become shipwrecked. Now, as you look at the Word of God, your mind and your heart will twist it to accommodate the sin that you're active in. And your doctrine will be skewed. Understand, you cannot live in sin and not be affected by it. It's going to shipwreck your faith.

It's going to change the way that you understand the word of God. It's going to change the way that you walk and believe in the things that you share with others because you cannot continue to live in sin and it not affect you. It's destructive and the wages of sin are death. And so Paul says these guys, they rejected a good conscience. They continued to violate their conscience. They disregarded what the Holy Spirit was prompting in their hearts and as a result they shipwrecked their faith and now they're being used to

To lead others astray. And so Paul says, I delivered them to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. Difficult statement. What does he mean by that? Well, I would encourage you to spend some time in 1 Corinthians chapter 5 where Paul is dealing with a situation where someone involved in open and blatant sin is to be put out of the fellowship, to be put out of the church, that they may recognize the severity of their sin.

That it's corrupting them, but not just them, it's corrupting those around them. Now, in 2 Corinthians 2, that man that Paul is dealing with repented as he was put outside of the church. And so Paul says, now bring them back in. The whole objective is so that they come back to repentance and right relationship with God.

And so these guys, Hymenaeus and Alexander, that's what Paul's saying. I put them out. I've delivered them unto Satan. They're out of the fellowship, out of the church, that they may learn not to blaspheme, not to distort the truth of God. If they repent, they're welcome back in. They'll be embraced. But until then, they're delivered unto Satan, that they would learn the lesson of sin. Now, this is the problem. I'll close with this.

This is the problem with presuming upon the grace of God. Verse 14 tells us that the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant. The grace of our Lord is exceedingly abundant. And where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more. And so sometimes in our hearts, deceiving ourselves, we can think, well, grace abounds, so I can continue to live in this sin. It's not a big deal. God will forgive me, we tell ourselves. But the problem is,

When you go on sinning, taking the grace of God for granted, counting on the grace of God, as you go on violating your conscience, continuing to do what you know is wrong, you will shipwreck your faith. It will mess you up. Sin will destroy you. That's why you need to repent. 1 John 1.9, a verse we hold on to and treasure because we recognize that we're sinners, tells us,

If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we confess our sin to Him, He'll cleanse us. He'll wash us. We become new in Christ. But if we hold on to it, we'll shipwreck our faith and we'll be delivered unto Satan that we may learn not to blaspheme God. This morning, I don't know where you stand in your relationship with God.

I know that if you do have a relationship with God, that God has put you into the ministry and he's put you on display in such a way that he gets the glory. So wage the good warfare and do the work that God has called you to do. But this morning, if you're living in sin, there's a different message to you. That is, turn around. You're going to shipwreck yourself.

You're headed for the rocks and you don't see it. You need to turn around. You need to repent. If you do, if you confess your sin, God is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you of all unrighteousness. And then He puts you into the ministry and puts you on display and He gets all the glory, so fight the good fight. But you need to repent. You need to turn from your sin. Or maybe you're listening to this. Maybe you're spending time in the Word with us, but you're not born again.

Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. That's me, but that's you as well. If you've never made a commitment to Jesus Christ, you need to be born again. You must be born again to enter into the kingdom of God, Jesus said. And he has grace and mercy and abundance for you if you will simply receive what he has done for you. This morning, I would challenge you, I would encourage you. Salvation is only found in Jesus Christ.

It's not about how good you are. He doesn't compare your good works versus your bad works and make a decision based upon that. No, your eternity is based upon your relationship with Jesus Christ. If you have one, then praise God. Do the work of the ministry. If you don't have one, get right with God today. Only He can save you. Only He can satisfy you. Let's pray. Lord Jesus, I lift up our own hearts to You this morning.

And God, we ask, Lord, as we reflect upon your word, Lord, that you would forgive us for our sin. And God, if there's any who are continuing on in sin, Lord, who are living in a way that's, Lord, in disobedience to you and they know it, God, I pray that you would help them to repent. Lord, right now as they confess their sin to you in their hearts, wash them and cleanse them.

Lord, purify them and bring them back into right relationship with you. Make them a new creation in you again, I pray. And Lord, put them into the ministry of reconciliation. Use them and what you're doing and what you are going to do in their lives. God, use it to bring glory to your name and to bring others to a saving knowledge of you. God, I pray for those who are not born again or those who have walked away from you. God, I pray that they would receive your work upon the cross.

Lord, that they would put their faith and trust in you. And by believing, they may have life everlasting. Make them a new creation this morning, I pray. And God, for those who are walking with you, God, I pray that you would put them into the ministry. Give them opportunities, Lord, like they've never seen before. To share their testimony, to share how great you are, to share how wonderful you are and what you've done and what you've brought them out of. God, I pray that you would use us.

to minister to many in the ministry of reconciliation. Lord, that we might be an example, a bright shining light that people would know you and how wonderful you are. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.