SERMON: The Trustworthy Sayings of Paul -- MESSAGE 2

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to 1 Timothy 3:1-7

 

1 Timothy 3:1 Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

 

-- On Tuesday of this week, President Trump attended a post-Inauguration Day interfaith ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral. Trump was seated in the first row alongside first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance during the service, a tradition undertaken by presidents of both parties.

            -- as has been reported widely on mainstream and social media this week, the Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde spoke directly to Trump during her address from the pulpit -- she said, “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,” said Budde, who was looking directly at the president. “There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families. Some who fear for their lives.”

            -- "They may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues."

            -- “In the name of God, I ask you to have mercy on them”, and then she concluded her message¹

           

            -- Bishop Budde’s comments from the pulpit, especially those directed specifically to President Trump, have elicited a harsh rebuke from some in the country, including some of our elected leaders -- she has received death threats -- and there have been calls for her to be removed from her position because she wasn’t a true spiritual leader -- others have called for her to be deported or excommunicated -- Trump himself said she owed him an apology for her remarks

            -- Budde herself said “she thought phrasing her words to the president as a plea for mercy “was a very gentle way to do it because I was acknowledging his authority and his power. -- I guess I had that wrong”¹

 

            -- so, I am not going to get into the politics of this issue or speak on the issues that Budde raised in her message -- but as we continue in our sermon series on the trustworthy statements that Paul shared with Timothy and Titus in his pastoral epistles, I do want us to consider the concerns that were raised about Bishop Budde’s spiritual fitness to serve as the leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, a position she has held since 2011 -- in this position, she oversees 86 churches across Washington, D.C., and Maryland, with 38,000 members.

            -- the questions I want us to consider today are “what are the requirements for spiritual leadership in the church?” -- “what are the standards and qualifications for spiritual leaders that the Bible mandates?”

            -- does Bishop Budde meet the requirements outlined in scripture to serve in her position, based on what we learned about her this week?

            -- so, with that challenge before us, let us move forward and look at this passage together as we seek to answer those questions

 

II.  Scripture Lesson (1 Timothy 3:1-7)

 

            -- look back at verse 1

 

1 Timothy 3:1 Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.

 

 

            -- before we begin answering our questions about the qualifications for spiritual leaders, we have to first define what we mean by “spiritual leader”

            -- here in verse 1, Paul addresses people seeking to be an overseer -- what is an overseer?

            -- more than likely, your Bible has a footnote saying that an overseer is traditionally synonymous with a bishop -- but where do bishops fit into the spiritual leadership hierarchy of the church?

 

            -- in the New Testament, there are various terms that are used to describe the different types of spiritual leaders in the church -- in Ephesians 4:11-12, we read of some of the spiritual leaders who are called by God to serve in His church -- “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up”

 

            -- the first spiritual leader mentioned is the apostle -- and we have talked about this in our Bible studies -- apostles were the earliest leaders in the church, and to be an apostle, one had to have received their calling and their ministry from the risen Christ

-- Jesus originally set aside twelve men to be His apostles, and after Judas fell from his position because of his betrayal, the church selected Matthias to replace him -- but later, Saul -- renamed Paul -- was called on the Road to Damascus and designated an apostle by Christ Himself

            -- according to Scripture it appears there were more than 12 apostles in the church who were called by Jesus to this position -- but by and large, we only talk about the 12 apostles, and most identify Paul as the last apostle instead of Matthias -- the position of apostleship was a limited position, and ceased to exist after the original apostles passed away

 

            -- after apostles, we have the prophets and evangelists, who both share a similar ministry and calling -- these individuals are called to proclaim the word of God -- to share the message of God to others, both within and outside the church

            -- as messengers, these people have a calling to the entire church and to the world outside the church, not to any specific congregation or gathering -- and that is key difference in their role as spiritual leaders in the church

 

            -- moving on, we see that Christ called people to serve as pastors and teachers -- sometimes, these words are joined together into pastor-teacher, to identify the role these leaders fulfill -- contrary to the prophets and evangelists, pastors are called to shepherd over a specific group of individuals, usually in a church setting -- we’re all familiar with the people who fill this role in the church

 

            -- later on, as the church began to take shape and began to grow, we started to see references to elders in the Bible, with the earliest reference in Acts 11:30 -- elders were identified as mature Christians in a congregational setting -- people who had earned a say in the affairs and the management of a church because of their maturity and experiences with Christ -- they were like the official mentors of the church -- men and women who younger believers could go to to be discipled or taught in the faith -- and who had a role in the administration of the church

            -- when Paul began his missionary journeys, he would appoint elders in each of the new churches to help the pastor shepherd them and lead them -- to help share the load, as it were

            -- the Greek word for elders was presbuteros, so churches that officially designate elders in roles like this today are known as Presbyterian churches or following a Presbyterian model

 

            -- in addition to pastors and elders, the Bible also identifies deacons, who are identified as people called to special ministry in the church -- they functioned similar to the Levites in the temple worship of the Jews -- helping the pastors with the spiritual aspects of ministry, such as overseeing or helping with communion, baptism, and similar acts

 

            -- and finally, we see the position of bishops or overseers, leaders who apparently function in a role similar to an elder but who assist in the mentoring and administration of more than one church -- so, rather than being an elder in one congregation, a bishop helps administer and oversee multiple churches

            -- the term bishop comes from the Greek word, episcopos, from which we get the term, “Episcopal” -- it has come to define both a position and a type of church governance -- and churches and denominations that follow an episcopal structure have an established hierarchy with a bishop overseeing several churches in a leadership role -- the United Methodist Church and the Episcopal Church are examples of this model of leadership

           

            -- so, in this trustworthy statement, Paul is specifically speaking to Timothy about the leadership position of a bishop or overseer -- but I think it’s safe to generalize this passage, and to assume the spiritual qualifications and characteristics of an overseer also apply to all of the other leadership positions who have some type of spiritual oversight or responsibility in the administration of the church or congregation

            -- what we do learn here in verse 1 about the people who are authorized to serve as overseers or spiritual leaders in the church?

            -- well, we see that the people in these positions must be called -- Paul says, “if anyone sets his heart on being an overseer” -- some translations use the term, “if anyone aspires to be an overseer”

-- this phrase and Paul’s use of the word, “desire,” later in verse 1 identifies this aspiration as a God-given deep longing to serve in this position -- in other words, someone can’t just decide they want to be an overseer, but they first have to have a call from God and a longing in their heart to serve God and to share God’s word with others

-- and this call cannot be hidden -- if someone has it, you know -- they know and you know, because you see it in them -- it overwhelms them -- it defines them

-- it’s like the prophet Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 20:9, “But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones.”

-- this desire to be an overseer has to be a calling and a desire and an overwhelming pull from the Lord to serve Him -- and when you have that, you can’t ignore it -- you can’t run from it -- you can’t help but yield to the Spirit’s call

-- that is what Paul is talking about here -- in order to be an overseer -- in fact, in order to be any spiritual leader -- a pastor -- a teacher -- an elder -- a prophet or evangelist -- or a deacon -- you have to have that call -- it’s not about ability or skills or talents -- it’s about a desire in your heart that God has put there

 

-- so, what are these overseers supposed to look like? -- or, to get back to our original question, what is a person in a leadership position like Bishop Budde to look like? -- what are the characteristics and qualifications to serve in this role?

 

-- verse 2-3

 

1 Timothy 3:2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

 

            -- I know we’re getting on in time, so I’m going to try to run through this, so hang on -- let’s go through this list of qualifications for overseers that Paul gives Timothy in these verses

 

            -- first, an overseer is to be above reproach -- blameless -- not perfect, because none of us are perfect -- but not walking in sin -- not living a life of sin -- not known for living in a way the Bible and God disagrees with

-- beyond reproach describes a humble leader -- one who is aware of his faults and his sins to the point that they don’t overcome him, but that if he does stumble, he gets up in repentance and faith to move forward with the Lord again

 

            -- here in the updated translation of the NIV, we read the overseer must be “faithful to his wife” -- a lot of other translations term this phrase as “husband of but one wife” -- seems like this phrase would be easy to interpret and understand, but honestly, no one is certain of what Paul means in this statement

-- some take this to mean that an elder must be married, but Paul himself was not married, so we doubt this is his meaning because he was certainly called to serve God as an apostle and overseer in the churches he established

-- some take this to mean this is a prohibition against polygamy, which was still common in some areas of the Roman Empire where Paul ministered as an apostle and established  churches

-- others take this statement to mean that a man must not be divorced or widowed and remarried, but the text does not clearly state this -- I don’t think God is leading Paul to make a statement here on marital status as a criteria for leadership, especially since we know that many church leaders were not married or were absent from their wives for extended periods of time

-- this seems to be related more to the statement that an overseer must be beyond reproach -- that in their relationships with other sexes, the overseer must be blameless -- no one must think they are doing anything immoral or wrong with someone who is not their spouse

-- the current translation of the NIV picks up this understanding of the term when they translate it as “faithful to his wife” -- it implies that Paul was referring to fidelity and faithfulness to one’s spouse and nothing more 

-- this term reminds me of the famous “Billy Graham rule” -- the self-imposed rule that Billy Graham followed where he would never allow himself to be in a room or a car alone with a woman who was not his wife -- not that he was doing anything wrong or tempted to do anything wrong -- he just didn’t want to give the appearance of impropriety

-- I think that’s the point of Paul here -- he’s not saying anything about whether overseers must be married, but if they are married, then the relationship of an overseer with their spouse and with people of the opposite sex must be beyond reproach -- this is speaking more of living a life free of sin and temptation than anything else

 

            -- temperate -- this means balanced -- moderate -- not giving in to excesses, especially in excess to sin -- good example is drinking alcohol -- regardless of what some denominations may teach, the Bible does not condemn drinking -- wine was a major part of the daily life and religious practices of both the Jews and the early Christians -- but drinking to excess was condemned -- and Paul counseled that you should not become drunk and controlled by wine, but should be controlled by the Spirit -- that is the definition of temperance

 

            -- self-controlled -- self-control is a fruit of the Spirit -- control over your mind -- over your actions -- you working in concert with the Spirit to turn away from evil desires and to stay in step with God

 

            -- respectable -- honored by others -- respected, not because of your position or power or wealth -- but respected because of your relationship and walk with Jesus -- because of your character

 

            -- hospitable -- loving others -- following the command of Christ to love others as ourselves -- to treat them as we would like to be treated -- to love everyone, even our enemies -- even those who vote different from us -- even those whose lifestyle is different from us -- even those who are in this country illegal -- hospitable -- loving others as Christ’s hands and feet -- loving others because Jesus first loved us

 

            -- able to teach -- spiritual leaders must be able to teach -- this doesn’t necessarily mean Bible study or exposition of scripture -- this doesn’t mean they’re gifted orators -- but this means they can teach and disciple other believers in how to follow the way of Christ -- some people learn by reading -- some people learn by hearing -- some people learn by doing -- and the overseer must be able to teach people in all these ways so their relationship with Jesus will flourish

 

            -- not given to drunkenness -- not violent, but gentle -- not quarrelsome -- we talked about these traits when we mentioned temperance -- no extremes in behavior or emotion -- but living moderately, balanced lives -- in control of themselves within and without

 

            -- not a lover of money -- one of the criticisms of spiritual leaders is that they are only in it for the money -- we’ve all heard this said about the televangelists and remember the scandals of the TV and radio preachers living extravagant lifestyles -- and certainly, the people who do this are more lovers of money than they are of God or the people they are called to serve

-- but there is a perception that all preachers are like this -- that all churches are like this -- during Covid, when a lot of pastors and churches refused to shut down for the safety of their parishioners, the public perception was that they were doing it simply because of money -- I had many arguments during this time with people who thought that -- the perception of the public is that pastors and churches love money more than anything else -- and so Paul warns against that here -- to not put people with this trait into leadership because their example will negatively impact the church and the witness of Christ through their actions

 

            -- verse 4-5

 

1 Timothy 3:4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)

 

 

-- Paul shifts from talking about the personal characteristics of these people to how they manage their families -- and this important because this speaks to their ministerial call

-- as overseers -- as pastors -- as elders -- these spiritual leaders are called to oversee and manage the spiritual family of God -- His church

-- as Donald Whitney wrote, “A flock of sheep isn't a random collection of ewes, rams, and lambs. Shepherds know their flocks. They know which sheep are theirs to care for and which are not. Sheep belong to specific flocks. This is also the way it should be for God's spiritual sheep”³.

            -- overseers and pastors need to be able to manage the family of God -- and the evidence -- the proof of this -- is in how they manage their own family -- if a person cannot manage their own individual family, they are going to fail in the management of the family of God as a whole        

 

            -- going back to Bishop Budde, the bishop who spoke to Trump earlier this week, I cannot fault what she said -- I agree with her call for Trump to consider grace and mercy in his administration of the law and the policies of this country -- in his role as the President, he is acting as the father of this country -- and he has a responsibility to lead his family and to protect his family in a godly manner -- through grace and mercy, love and forgiveness

-- based on what I heard from Bishop Budde’s message, that was the point she was trying to make to him -- if we are going to call ourselves a Christian nation, then we need to act like a Christian nation -- and our actions with others -- including illegal aliens and other countries and other leaders -- needs to be characterized by Christ-like actions -- by grace and mercy and justice

 

            -- however, if I was to fault her for anything, it would be whether she was in a position to make that call to Trump as a bishop or overseer -- Trump is not a member of her church -- he is not a member of her spiritual family

-- and although she was speaking truth to power, she did not have that oversight responsibility and family relationship with the President that Paul says an overseer or a pastor must have with their flock

-- she was speaking more as an evangelist or prophet than as a bishop -- and in this setting, this caused her words to be taken more as a harsh critique and attack rather than taken to heart with full consideration of what Jesus says in the Bible

-- in the Old Testament, when God had Nathan condemn David for his actions with Uriah and Bathsheba, Nathan was able to speak truth to David because of the relationship he had with David -- he spoke as one over the family of God, which Bishop Budde was unable to do in this setting because she did not have that same relationship with the president or any of the other elected officials in that service

-- those words needed to be said -- they needed to be heard -- but because of the setting, they fell on deaf ears and elicited a response that was more harmful than anything

 

            -- overseers and pastors are specifically called to shepherd and lead the people in their churches -- that’s why Paul says overseers must demonstrate they can manage their families well because they are being put in charge of a new family -- the family of God that gathers under this leadership and who they are responsible for

-- and this means that overseers must know the members under their care in order to serve as a true overseer -- radio and internet preachers might be gifted teachers, but they can’t really develop you spiritually because they don’t know you

 

            -- verse 6-7

 

1 Timothy 3:6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

 

            -- finally, an overseer or pastor needs to be a mature Christian -- they don’t need to be a recent convert, because it takes experience and relationship with God to be able to shepherd and lead other Christians

            -- new converts and new seminary graduates may know a lot about God, but there’s a difference between book learning and heart learning -- and true spiritual knowledge is built as an overseer or pastor has spent time with God walking in and out of storms and in and out of the seasons of life

            -- additionally, Paul points out that recent converts might become conceited in their position -- their power might go to their head -- and they might give in to pride and fall under the same judgment as the devil -- allowing their pride to cause them to seek worship and praise in place of God

            -- and, finally, Paul says that an overseer needs to be living a life with Christ to the point that outsiders will see him and respect him and be drawn to Christ because of him

            -- this will keep them from falling into disgrace like so many others and into the devil’s trap

 

III. Closing

            -- let’s bring this to a close

 

            -- Mark Driscoll was once known as an amazing evangelical leader and gifted teacher -- in 1996, he founded Mars Hill church in Seattle, Washington, and a few years later, he had grown this church to over 14,000 members in five states and with fifteen locations

            -- he was a popular guest speaker at evangelical events -- a noted author with several books to his credit -- he formed a theological mission, through which he mentored other pastors and pushed Christian messages and Christian policies throughout the country

            -- but his success was a façade covering a deeply flawed individual -- complaints about his heavy-handed leadership, alleged plagiarism, and abusive handling of issues in the church began to accumulate

-- and in 2014, a formal complaint was lodged against Driscoll by some of his church staff, accusing “Driscoll of being "domineering, verbally violent, arrogant, and quick-tempered."  [The complaint] further argued that this "established pattern of ... behavior" disqualified Driscoll from church leadership”² -- because of these complaints, negative public perceptions, and a public outcry against both Driscoll and the church, Driscoll was forced to resign from his church in 2014

 

-- Mark Twain was known to be opposed to the Bible and the church -- and he said that the reason was because of the church leaders that he had known -- As he grew up, he knew elders and deacons who owned slaves and abused them -- He heard men using foul language and saw them practice dishonesty during the week after speaking piously in church on Sunday -- He listened to ministers use the Bible to justify slavery and other injustices

-- Although he saw the genuine love for the Lord Jesus in some people, including his mother and his wife, he was so disturbed by the bad teaching and poor example of church leaders that he became bitter toward the things of God.

 

-- as John MacArthur rightly wrote, “Godly leaders are not produced by Bible colleges or seminaries; they merely give them the tools with which to work. Nor do pulpit committees or ordination councils make men fit for the ministry; they merely have the responsibility to recognize those who already are. Only the Holy Spirit can produce a true spiritual leader.” 

 

            -- so, how do we know if a person is a true spiritual leader or not? -- how do we know if the person in a position of leadership above us is following God or self?

            -- we know based on these spiritual qualities that Paul gives us in this passage -- it’s not about skills -- it’s not about talent -- it’s not about charisma or personality -- what qualifies a person for spiritual leadership is godly character, established by these clear criteria as outlined here in 1 Timothy 3:1-7₄

            -- so, as we look for spiritual leaders in our country and in our churches and in our homes, remember these criteria -- and do not be misled by people who look good on the outside and fit all the worldly ideas of leadership, but who on the inside are a spiritual mess

            -- don’t listen to these people -- don’t follow these people -- don’t give these people your time -- but instead seek out godly men and women who can help you grow in grace and in your relationship with Jesus

            -- let us pray

 

 

1 https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/bishop-trump-inaugural-prayer-service-lgbtq-immigration-policie-rcna188590

2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Driscoll

3 [Taken from Spiritual Disciplines Within The Church by Donald S. Whitney,
Moody Press, copyright 1996. Used with permission.]

4 Dave Guzik

SERMON: The Trustworthy Sayings of Paul -- MESSAGE 1

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to 1 Timothy 1:12-17

 

1 Timothy 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

 

15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

 

            -- when I was growing up, our parents and our teachers spent a lot of time teaching us how to remember -- we didn’t have cell phones and the internet and the access to information that we do now -- so, they would drill us on the important things that we all needed to know -- our names -- our parents’ names -- our address -- our telephone number -- important dates -- things like that

            -- they would go over them time and time again to make sure we knew all this information and could recall it without a second thought -- and it worked great

            -- I can barely remember what I had for supper last night, but to this day, I can still remember my home phone number -- 896-7735 -- and my address -- 810 North Cleveland Avenue, Adel GA -- I haven’t lived at that house or had that number in 40 years, but I still know it today, all because it was drilled into me when I was young

            -- and there were other things that were taught to us -- little sayings that society felt that everyone should know -- little nuggets of wisdom that taught a lesson or morals or something similar -- I know now they’re called aphorisms -- communication devices that are used to remember everyday truths, like proverbs or adages -- but regardless of what you call them, they’re something that we all grew up knowing and that we learned so that they could help us in life

            -- let me give you a few examples of these and see if you can help me finish them:

 

                        -- a stitch in time…[saves nine]

                        -- don’t count your chickens…[before they hatch]

                        -- a penny saved…[is a penny earned]

                        -- an ounce of prevention…[is worth a pound of cure]

                        -- you can lead a horse to water…[but you can’t make him drink]

                        -- early to bed and early to rise…[makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise]

                        -- actions speak…[louder than words]

                        -- don’t judge a book…[by its cover]

                        -- and one more that has to have been developed in the south -- if it ain’t broke…[don’t fix it]

 

            -- these aphorisms that we were taught early in life are good rules of thumb to help us get through life and remember the important things -- aphorisms were used throughout history for this purpose because they’re short -- they’re easily understood -- and they’re something that we can just take with us -- that’s why we all remember so many of them

            -- well, maybe you didn’t know this, but we find aphorisms in the Bible, too -- in his pastoral epistles -- in the letters that Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus to mentor them and help them grow in their role as elders and pastors of their churches -- Paul gave them several aphorisms to remind them of foundational spiritual truths that both they and everyone in their churches needed to know and remember

            -- there are five of them in three pastoral epistles, and we’re going to start a series today looking at each of these separately

            -- let me go ahead and give you all five of them now, and then we’ll spend the next five weeks looking at them in more detail

            -- the first is “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”

            -- the second is “Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.”

            -- the third is “physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things”

            -- the fourth is “if we are faithless, He remains faithful”

            -- and the last is “having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”

           

            -- these aphorisms are identified in the Bible by the phrase, “this is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance” -- some translations of the Bible use the word, “faithful,” instead of “trustworthy” -- “this is a faithful saying that deserves full acceptance”

            -- there’s no real difference between trustworthy and faithful -- both of them are English translations from the same Greek word -- both of them mean that these sayings are something that we can trust in -- we can put our faith in -- that we can trust in because they are foundational truths

            -- the reason we have them in the Bible is the same reason why we used to be taught aphorisms and proverbs as kids -- it’s because the Christians in Paul’s day didn’t have ready access to the Bible or information like we do today, and the early Christians needed a way to learn and know the truths of the Bible

            -- remember that when Paul and the other apostles were writing their letters and their gospels, there wasn’t a New Testament that everyone could carry around with them -- the books that are in the New Testament were written over a period of about 50 years, so there wasn’t a complete collection of them

-- what we call the Old Testament -- the Law and the Prophets and the Wisdom literature -- was collected and available -- but these were in scrolls and most people didn’t have access to them -- they were in the synagogue, and a few rabbis and teachers had some of the scrolls they traveled with or kept at home -- but for the most part, the Bible was inaccessible to most people

            -- so, the faith was carried orally -- it was spoken -- it was truly “the Word” -- people would memorize sections of Scripture and use aphorisms like the one Paul gave Timothy here to remember the core tenets of the faith -- to know what the truth of the gospel was

-- the good thing about these aphorisms is that they were short and could easily be remembered and told to others

            -- that’s one reason the creeds were developed -- the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed and the others -- to lay out the foundational core of our faith in a way that was short and true and easy to remember and share with others

            -- these trustworthy or faithful sayings of Paul are an early form of creeds -- so, with that long introduction, let’s look now at the first of the five trustworthy sayings of Paul from the pastoral epistles

 

II.  Scripture Lesson

-- look back at verse 15

 

1 Timothy 1:15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

 

            -- this first trustworthy statement of Paul establishes the foundation of our faith -- the truth that Jesus came into the world to save sinners -- to go to the cross as our atoning sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins and provide for us salvation and the forgiveness of sins so that we might be reconciled to the Father forever

            -- with this short saying, Paul explains the reason for Christmas, the cross, and the empty tomb and points us to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and the eternal salvation we have through Him

            -- if we’re sharing the gospel with someone today, we usually start at John 3:16, right? -- “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”

            -- but remember, Paul and Timothy and Titus didn’t have John 3:16 -- the gospel of John wasn’t written yet -- but trustworthy sayings -- aphorisms like this -- were shared among Christians to help them understand the way to be saved -- to know the grace and the forgiveness of sins that comes only through believing in Jesus

            -- knowing that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners was the first step to salvation -- the foundation of faith -- and knowing this truth -- believing in this truth -- is all that is required to save a sinner and give them eternal life

            -- that’s why Paul tells Timothy here that these sayings are trustworthy or faithful -- you can put your trust in them -- you can put your faith in them -- and they deserve full acceptance -- which means that you have to do more than just know this -- you have to believe it -- you have to trust it -- you have to depend on Jesus for salvation

-- by saying it deserves full acceptance, Paul is saying you need more than head knowledge of this truth -- you need heart knowledge if you are going to be saved

 

            -- Paul knew the truth of what he was telling Timothy here -- he came to know it personally when he experienced Jesus on the road to Damascus -- and he had learned that the Jesus he had been persecuting was the Christ -- the promised Messiah -- who came to take away the sins of the world

-- Paul stood on the truth of this trustworthy statement as the foundation of his life from that moment on -- and it changed him, inside and out

-- that’s why Paul says here that he knows this is true, because he was the worst of sinners, but Christ saved him as an example to others of His amazing grace

 

            -- look back at verse 13 and 16

 

1 Timothy 1:13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

 

16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

 

            -- Paul reminds Timothy of his story -- of who he had been and what he had done before he learned the truth of this saying -- he was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man -- he actively preached against Jesus and His followers -- he went from town to town searching out Christians and arresting them and having them executed

            -- he stood there as Stephen was stoned and held the cloaks of those doing the stoning, in full acceptance of Stephen’s death simply because he was a Christian

            -- Paul hated Christians -- he hated Jesus -- and he sought to stamp out the Christian faith -- but then came the Damascus Road and his experience with the overwhelming grace of God

 

            -- look at verse 14

 

1 Timothy 1:14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

 

            -- the grace of God was poured out on him and he came to know the truth that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, even sinners as bad as he -- Paul’s salvation was the proof that everyone can be saved -- that there is no sinner so vile or no sin so great that the grace of God can’t erase it -- that the love of God can’t overcome it -- that through Christ Jesus all sinners can be saved

 

            -- this aphorism of faith -- this trustworthy statement -- overwhelmed Paul -- it changed him -- and it changed his life as God blessed him and called him to share this message of grace and good news with others

            -- look back at verse 12

 

1 Timothy 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.

 

 

-- even though Paul had been the worst of sinners -- a blasphemer and persecutor and violent man -- God saved him through Jesus and graced him in three specific ways as the calling upon the rest of his life

            -- first, Paul says that Jesus had given him strength -- or, as the KJV puts it, Christ had enabled him -- in other words, Paul was saying that we don’t have to rely on our own strength or our own skills or our own talents to do great things for God or share the word of God with others -- all we have to do is rely on the power of God, and He will accomplish through us all that He has called us to do

 

            -- secondly, Paul says that Christ considered him faithful -- to be faithful means that you are trustworthy and that you can be trusted to do a task -- being faithful means that once you believe that God will strengthen you and enable you to do things for Him -- that you accept His call to ministry

            -- remember the old Mission Impossible TV shows? -- at the start, they always sent a message with a mission for the team to consider -- they were deemed to be the only ones capable of completing the mission -- the only ones who could accomplish this mission that for other people would be impossible -- but, the voice on the message always concluded by saying, “If you choose to accept this mission” -- they had to do more than just be capable -- they had to be willing to go forth and do it -- they had to be faithful

            -- God is saying the same thing here -- you are faithful -- you are trustworthy -- I trust that you can accomplish this task to which I have challenged you -- this task that I have set before you on this day -- you have been given my strength to go forward and complete -- you need only supply the willingness -- the faithfulness to accept the mission

            -- most people live boring Christian lives only because they refuse to faithfully accept the mission that God has called them to

 

            -- finally, Paul says here that Christ appointed him to God’s service -- He put Paul in the ministry -- only after Paul accepted the mission -- only after Paul agreed to go forth in God’s power and not His own -- did God give Paul his marching orders 

            -- God sent Christ Jesus into the world to save sinners, but He saved us for a reason -- He did not intend for us to be satisfied with being pew-warmers on Sunday mornings -- He intended for us to get involved in His mission -- to serve Him where He sends -- to be His front-line troops in the battle against evil in this world

            -- God created us to serve Him -- to minister in His name -- as it says in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 

            -- all of this is embodied in the trustworthy saying, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”

-- what Paul is trying to get across to Timothy here with this phrase is that Jesus can save anyone, even the worst sinner in the world -- and when He saves us, He gives us His strength -- He calls us faithful -- and He empowers us to go forth and serve others in His name -- sharing with them the good news of the forgiveness of sins through Jesus and salvation through faith in Him

            -- that’s why Paul ends this section with a doxology -- an exclamation of praise to the God who saves

            -- verse 17

 

1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

 

III.  Closing

-- most of us in here know Leo Tolstoy because of his famous novel, “War and Peace” -- but when Tolstoy recounted his life, he considered another book that he wrote in 1879 the greatest work of his life -- a book called, “A Confession,” which tells the story of his search for meaning and purpose in life

            -- Tolstoy had been raised as a Christian, but he rejected his faith as a child and spent his early years seeking fame, fortune, and pleasure -- he drank heavily -- he lived promiscuously -- and gambled frequently

            -- in 1862, he married and had 13 children -- having achieved fame and fortune through his writing and now surrounded by a loving wife and children, it appeared that he had found what he had been seeking -- yet one question haunted him to the verge of suicide -- "Is there any meaning in my life which will not be annihilated by the inevitability of death, which awaits me?"

            -- as Nicky Gumbel explained, “[Tolstoy] searched for the answer [to this question] in every field of science and philosophy. As he looked around at his contemporaries, he saw that people were not facing up to the first-order questions of life ("Where did I come from?" "Where am I going?" "Who am I?" "What is life all about?"). Eventually he found that the peasant people of Russia had been able to answer these questions through their Christian faith, and he came to realize that only in Jesus Christ do we find the answer.”

 

-- and now, in this 21st century, we find that nothing has changed -- despite finding worldly success, we are still haunted with the same questions that tormented Tolstoy -- just like Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the rock group Queen, wrote in one of his last songs as he faced the specter of AIDS and the end of his life, “Does anybody know what we are living for?”¹

 

-- Paul knew -- and he tells Timothy right here -- the answer to life -- the answer to eternity -- the answer that we are all seeking -- is only found in Christ Jesus who came into the world to save sinners -- to give us His strength -- to consider us faithful -- to make us His servants -- and to bring us into eternity with Him

            -- this first aphorism -- this first trustworthy statement that he gives to Timothy -- is the foundation of our faith and our life -- and we need to learn this and know this and fully accept it so that it might change our life as it did his

            -- let us pray

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1 Modified from: Nicky Gumbel, Questions of Life (Kingsway Publications, 1993), pp.14-15