First Mennonite Church
July 21, 2024
Living Out What Grace and Mercy Look Like
Text: 1Timothy 1:12-17
My grandmother’s name on my mother’s side was Eusebia. It’s the Greek word for “godliness” “reverence” or “piety.” Anyway, she did not have much of those qualities, but until later in her life. When my mother gave her life to the Lord, she continued, or at least tried, to relate to her mother and other sisters as usual. However, when my mom arrived at my grandmother’s home, my grandmother would completely ignore my mom. My mom, her other two sisters, and my grandmother could be around the table, but my grandmother would pretend she did not hear anything my mother said or even look at her throughout the conversation and visit. However, later on, my grandmother came to the faith, also. She asked my mom to forgive her for the way she had treated her, admitting she did not understand why she did it. At our church, there was a time on Sunday night services for testimonies. It was a time when church members could share what God had done for them. My grandmother once said that there is nothing like experiencing the joy God gives to those who believe in Christ. I remember seeing my grandmother silently repeat the words when I was reading Scripture during the service. She never learned to read or to write. When the worship service was over and before she went home, she and I engaged in conversation in the Mayan language, only for me to get in trouble with it. She was so loving and of good cheer all the time. My grandmother died on August 2, 2012, around the age of 94-96. She was born in Mexico and her family moved to Belize when she was a young child, therefore, she never got to get a birth certificate.
Testimony of conversion is very important and the most effective way to invite others to Christ. And that is what we will see today.
Paul warns Timothy, whom he left in Ephesus to lead the church there, against the dangers of false teachers who “have turned to meaningless talk” (v. 6). These people wanted to pass as teachers, yet they did not know what they were talking about, Paul says. Paul emphasizes that the law is good, but it’s been given to the lawless, immoral, and all those who do evil.
After Paul’s warning, he begins to give testimony about his calling and conversion. Imagine here for a minute. Here is an aging Paul, who has a long history of evangelic ministry, of planting churches throughout the Roman Empire. Here is an old man who had gone through all kinds of adversities, from beating, stoning, imprisonment, shipwrecks, and all kinds of dangers now writing a letter near the end of his days and from a Roman prison. His passion for the well-being of those who are taking care of his labor of love—the churches he planted, seemed unfading. So, after having asked for a sheet of papyrus, he addresses his letter to a young man, Timothy, whom Paul calls “son.” And, after his words of warning, he gives testimony of God’s mercy and grace based on his own experience of them.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service, writes Paul. Paul’s sense of gratitude toward God was still strong and genuine, even after a long fruitful life of ministry accompanied by great hardship. Paul humbly admitted that he owed the strength he still had to God. Paul viewed his missionary call as a gift given to him by God who considered him trustworthy. Based on Paul’s previous life: a persecutor, a violent man, a blasphemer, and a puffed-up Pharisee, he knew that his calling by God could only be through grace and mercy. Paul confessed he had nothing worthy to be chosen to be God’s useful vessel. Paul considered serving God a privilege.
Today we stand/sit here not because we are worthy, or because we are good enough before God, we are here before God because of his mercy and grace. Let us consider what these words mean.
Mercy is what is shown to someone who cannot do anything to help his/her needy condition. Remember the parable Jesus told about the kind Samaritan, we call “The Good Samaritan.” The injured man was half dead, bleeding, and lying on the roadside. He could not even get up from the ground, but there came the Good Samaritan who not only helped the battered man to his feet but actually to his donkey. The Good Samaritan washed the wounds and bandaged them. God shows us mercy through Christ and calls us to show mercy to those around us. In the Beatitudes, Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
As for God’s mercy, he gave us life when were dead in trespasses. He made peace with us while we were enemies, Paul says in Ephesians 2:4, 5.
Grace on the other hand is kindness and love extended without expecting anything in return. Paul came to understand that God loved him, whether or not he would love God in return. Christ loves us whether or not we love him in return. He loved us to the point of dying for us and even when there was no guarantee anyone would respond to his love.
In Paul’s world, grace as God’s gift without the expectation of anything in return was a radical idea. You see, reciprocity was the norm. You give and the recipient is obliged to give something in return. Gifts were exchanged to guarantee or to establish alliances. Therefore, the idea that God would give us something and not expect anything in return was just extraordinary and a new concept.
In the Old Testament, God remained loyal to the covenant he made with his people, Israel. So, Israel spoke about God’s loyalty in terms of being “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6). In practical terms, God always showed patience toward Israel when she rebelled against God. God always came to the rescue when Israel was in trouble. He rescued them from Egypt; he provided them food, water, guidance, and ultimately, the Promised Land. But God expected Israel’s faithfulness in return. God expected obedience from his people.
In the New Testament, God’s mercy and grace were revealed through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. Mercy and grace were Paul’s central themes in his gospel message. God showed mercy towards sinners because we cannot do anything to free ourselves from the power and consequences of sin. God showed us grace in that Christ died before we even considered giving his death some thought.
For Paul, grace and mercy, however, were not mere theoretical concepts. These were his real-life experiences of God’s goodness in Christ. Therefore, even at the very end of his days, Paul could not get over his gratitude towards God for showing him mercy and grace. These gifts of God to him changed his life. It changed him from a blasphemer into a shameless worshipper. Paul’s words of praise and spontaneous worship are attested when he exclaims, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” There are at least three times Paul’s conversion story given in the book of Acts.
Paul tells Timothy:
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.
Paul’s life was completely changed from a persecutor of the church to a tireless proclaimer of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul’s life was changed from a violent man to a meek and humble man who acknowledged that he was the worst of all sinners. Thus, if he although being the worst of all sinners God still redeemed him, then there is no one beyond the reach of God’s mercy and grace.
Last Sunday, we found that one way Paul shared the gospel message was by finding something in common with his audience. Paul identified something that would raise the interest of the Athenians regarding the “Unknown God.” I, therefore, said that we should find connection points, something we share in common with our neighbors and friends that would allow us an entry point to share Christ as Savior, Lord, and coming King.
Today, we find Paul telling his story of conversion. Paul admits he is unworthy on his own before God. Paul humbly admits that of all men, he is the worst of sinners, yet God’s grace and mercy were extended to him.
Therefore, let us take Paul as our model for sharing the gospel. You see, we Christians can be tempted to speak about the positive things about ourselves as if we attained them on our own. We can be tempted to boast about how good we are as Christians by pointing out the troubles and weaknesses of others. But if we share how God has been our strength, how we have experienced God’s compassion, care, forgiveness, and healing, others will want to experience those things too.
Here is one other key on how Paul shared the gospel. He used a very simple and concise presentation of the gospel when he said, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” We live in a time when people do not have much time for anything. People are busy and “on the go.” So, we need to know how to present what Christ offers the world and our being the prime example of what we say God does in people’s lives. So, when we share the gospel, let us remember that we are living examples of how God’s mercy and grace look likes to those we are sharing the good news. Amen!
Pastor Romero