Sermon by Pastor Troy Redmond.<\/p>\n
1Tim.1:15<\/b><\/span><\/span> This <\/span><\/span>is<\/i><\/span><\/span> a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Paul makes several statements to Timothy that he says are \u201cfaithful and worthy of acceptance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n I want to focus on this one today. \u201c\u2026Jesus came to save sinners\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Jesus made this plain.<\/span><\/p>\n John 3:16<\/b><\/span><\/span> For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n John reminds us in his last letters that eternal life is in Jesus. (The Son of God.)<\/span><\/p>\n 1 John 5:11<\/b><\/span><\/span> And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n There many more scriptures that back up this truth; Jesus is our redeemer.<\/span><\/p>\n The scriptures also make it plain that our redemption is a work and a gift of God.<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n Ephesians 2:8<\/b><\/span><\/span> For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Romans 6:23 <\/b><\/span><\/span>For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The scriptures also teach us that this \u201cgift\u201d is a gift of grace. (Unmerited)<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n Ro 5:6<\/b><\/span><\/span> \u00b6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. :7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n John reminds us that it was God\u2019s love for us and not ours for Him.<\/span><\/p>\n 1Jo 4:10<\/b><\/span><\/span> Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son <\/span><\/span>to be<\/i><\/span><\/span> the propitiation for our sins.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Scripture teaches that Jesus completely saves.<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n Hebrews 7:25<\/b><\/span><\/span> Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 1Jo 1:7<\/b><\/span><\/span> But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Isa 43:25<\/b><\/span><\/span> I, <\/span><\/span>even<\/i><\/span><\/span> I, <\/span><\/span>am<\/i><\/span><\/span> he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n God promised in the first chapter of Isaiah, that even though our sins are crimson red, He would wash us white as snow.<\/span><\/p>\n The Psalmist further teaches this truth.<\/span><\/p>\n Ps 103:12<\/b><\/span><\/span> As far as the east is from the west, <\/span><\/span>so<\/i><\/span><\/span> far hath he removed our transgressions from us.:13 Like as a father pitieth <\/span><\/span>his<\/i><\/span><\/span> children, <\/span><\/span>so<\/i><\/span><\/span> the LORD pitieth them that fear him.:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we <\/span><\/span>are<\/i><\/span><\/span> dust.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n This is a truth that the devil would have us forget; he likes to bring up our past transgressions.<\/span><\/p>\n Before proceeding, we must grasp another important truth.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c\u2026God is love\u2026\u201d (<\/span>I John 4:16<\/b><\/span><\/span>)<\/span><\/p>\n Paul tells us in <\/span>I Cor. Chapter 13<\/b><\/span>, that love doesn\u2019t keep a record of wrongs.<\/span><\/p>\n Let us return to the opening verse, and examine how Paul viewed his past.<\/span><\/p>\n 1Ti 1:12-13 <\/b><\/span><\/span>And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n He admits his past.<\/span><\/p>\n 1Co 15:9<\/b><\/span><\/span> For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Eph 3:8<\/b><\/span><\/span> Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Ac 22:4<\/b><\/span><\/span> And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Ac 26:9<\/b><\/span><\/span> I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.:10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against <\/span><\/span>them<\/i><\/span><\/span>.:11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled <\/span><\/span>them<\/i><\/span><\/span> to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted <\/span><\/span>them<\/i><\/span><\/span> even unto strange cities.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Ga 1:13<\/b><\/span><\/span> For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews\u2019 religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Paul did not go around bragging about how evil he had been; I think he had great regrets.<\/span><\/p>\n He understood though that no matter how great the regret is; he could not change the past.<\/span><\/p>\n Philippians 3:13 <\/b><\/span><\/span>Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Paul continues in verse 15 saying that as many as want to be perfect should be thus minded.<\/span><\/p>\n He says in Romans that we have, \u201cpeace with God through our Lord, Jesus Christ\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n How do we respond when the enemy brings our past up?<\/span><\/p>\n Let us return to Paul\u2019s letter to Timothy.<\/span><\/p>\n V.v.14 -17<\/b><\/span><\/span> 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Paul used his past transgressions to demonstrate the enormous grace of God that saved him.<\/span><\/p>\n As an example, Paul says that if the Lord would forgive him, He would forgive anybody.<\/span><\/p>\n He praised God for the abundant grace that was showered down on him.<\/span><\/p>\n The devil hates it when we give praise to God; he hates even more when he is the cause of our praise. <\/span><\/p>\n Let us notice how the Lord shut down Ananias, when Ananias brought up Saul\u2019s past.<\/span><\/p>\n Ananias was told to go and pray for Saul, but he immediately started to explain to God why he shouldn\u2019t. <\/span><\/p>\n God didn\u2019t let him finish, He told Ananias that Saul was, \u201ca chosen vessel\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n