1 Timothy 1:12-17

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Entrusted with the Gospel

Most students of God’s Word are familiar with the apostle Paul’s testimony, which is what makes the last words of verse 11 so striking. How is it that God would entrust something as valuable as the gospel of his glory to someone like Paul? Is it because Paul was inherently trustworthy? What made the difference in Paul? The answer of to this question has huge implications for pastors like Timothy. When Paul says things like, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1), we might be tempted to despair of such instruction if we believe that Paul’s qualifications as a minister were somewhat above and beyond anything we could ever achieve. Paul, however, never misses an opportunity to direct our attention back to Christ.

Grateful for Grace

Paul begins by giving thanks to the One who had strengthened him, Christ Jesus, for considering him faithful and appointing him to ministry. At first glance, it could seem like Paul was thankful that Jesus recognized something inherently good about him, but such an understanding ignores Paul’s other comments about his faithfulness in ministry. According to 1 Cor. 7:25 and 2 Cor. 4:1, it was the mercy of God that made Paul faithful. This becomes clearer as Paul continues to explain God’s activity in his life. Instead of seeing something special in Paul, Christ saw an opportunity to demonstrate the greatness of his mercy and grace in the life of a completely undeserving person. If there was ever an ideal example of the extent of God’s mercy, it was the apostle Paul. Paul was not the hero in his story. Christ was!

If You Boast, Boast in Christ

Pastor, as you tell your story, be sure to acknowledge Jesus as the hero. If you must refer to yourself, take your lead from Paul. You are not the hero. You were not saved or called into ministry because you are dynamic or fantastic. Instead, you were saved and called into the ministry that the magnitude of God’s mercy might be seen in the redemption and use of a sinful man. We, like the epitaph on William Carey’s tombstone, must be ready to confess that we are but “wretched, poor, and helpless worms falling upon the merciful arms of God.” Surely it is a trustworthy saying: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners!

CBH

For more resources on Christ as the Hero, see David Prince’s excellent works on “Church with Jesus as the Hero” and “Jesus the Hero Family Devotional“