Reflecting Grace
Helping Others Learn From Where You’ve Been
What do you get excited about?
Is there something that you can’t help but talk about? Maybe it is your favorite football team. A restaurant you want everyone to try. The accomplishments of your kids.
We’ve all known people who can’t help but bring up what God has done in their lives. Maybe you’ve had a friend who brings up their faith in any conversation. And, if you’re honest with yourself, perhaps you’ve even been a little annoyed by it at times.
Could it be that this friend knows something we don’t?
The Apostle Paul, one of the most well-known Christian teachers, knew a valuable lesson that we would do well to learn from.
This is a man who wrote close to half of the New Testament. He was called by God while on the road to Damascus. Led to being one of the first Christian leaders. He is at least partially responsible for the movement that began the early Christian church.
In short, Paul was kind of a big deal in the church.
And yet, in 1 Timothy 1:15, he calls himself “the chief of sinners.”
Here we are, some 2000 years later. To us, Paul is like a rockstar of the church world. His life, teachings, and influence really are something to behold.
Why is that someone with so much influence, with a seeming direct line to God, would refer to himself as such a lowly figure?
It’s because Paul knew where he’d been. He knew the depths of depravity that the Lord had saved him from.
He knew that at one time he had been a Pharisee who oversaw the imprisonment, torture, and maybe even killing of Christ’s followers. He had been an angry, hateful hypocrite.
Then, God met him where he was and changed him. God reached into the darkness that was Paul’s life and drew him out into the light of forgiveness.
Because of the grace and mercy that God extended to Paul, his life changed, and he couldn’t stop talking about it!
That friend you have, you know, the one that bugs you with how much they bring up God. They know what Paul knew:
They once were lost, and now they’re found. And they can’t stop talking about it.
In this week’s message, Pastor Will encouraged us that we need to Yield ourselves to God to be used to bring this good news to others, both by our example and our words.
When we are honest with ourselves and with God about how in need of a savior we are, He is faithful to forgive us and use us. We’ll realize just how far He’s brought us. Then we won’t be able to stop talking about it! Because our chief aim in life is to live in a way that honors and glorifies God and points others to Him.
So, my friends, how far has He brought you? If you’ve experienced forgiveness and mercy, know that you can trust God to use you and protect you.
Don’t be ashamed of where you’ve been. Be encouraged to share it boldly. Let your past help someone have a new future.
Because, like Paul, we may have been the worst of sinners… but our story didn’t end there.
1 Timothy 1:12-17 - I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry— 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.