INTRO
Recap of series…
-
- “BUT I’m going places…”
- “BUT my past…”
- “BUT my plans…”
“BUT God wouldn’t use someone like me…”
Trauma of choosing teams!
- Always one of the last 2
- Not much expected of you
TENSION
What if God was picking teams?
Game – Save the world
- “BUT I’m not really good at anything…”
- “BUT someone else is better…”
- “BUT I screwed up, and everyone knows it…”
Use your big BUT to bring people to Jesus.
TRUTH
Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
- God will save anyone, even someone like you (v.12-15).
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
- Saving of the early church, 1 of 5 in Past. Epis. (1 Tim. 3:1-7; 1 Tim. 4:8-10; 2 Tim. 2:11-13; Tit. 3:1-8)
- Breakdown: King Jesus, incarnation, purpose of saving sinners)
- Is this a “faithful saying” of Refuel?
Paul’s life was proof that this “faithful saying” was true.
- Blasphemer – Did not believe in the name of Jesus
- Persecutor – Took positions against Christians
- Insolent – He was a bully (physical and verb)
Week 2’s big BUT: But I received mercy…”
- Jesus appeared to Paul
- Acted ignorantly (he was lost)
- “Salvation triplets”
- Grace overflowed (takes away guilt)
- Mercy (takes away misery that comes from guilt)
- Love (enabled him to love God and others)
God took the world’s greatest pagan, and made him the world’s greatest Christian. What’s your excuse?
2. God will use someone like you to save others. (v.16-17)
“BUT I received mercy for this reason”
Paul was the prototype of God’s power to save, and so are you.
- Foremost/Protos – First in time or place (vv. 15-16)
- Example/Hupotuposis – Example, pattern, sketch
- Compare to Eph. 2:10 – “Masterpiece”
- A prototype – “Someone or something that serves to illustrate the typical qualities of a class…”
When we’re real with others, we demonstrate God’s patience toward them.
- If God can endure Paul’s blasphemy, persecution, abuse, endure his indignities, and use him to start churches around the world, appear before kings and world leaders, and write 13 books of the NT, God can be patient with anyone!
- “If God can be patient with me, he can be patient with anyone.”
- If your friend sees God’s patience in your life, he/she will believe God’s patience in his/her own life.
- BUT you received mercy for this reason…
Evangelism isn’t reserved for the spiritually elite. It’s for YOU!
3. The stakes are high. (v.16)
The goal is clear: Believe for eternal life
- Supported by the “faithful saying” in verse 15.
- You were saved to save. Because you believe, others may believe.
- God put exactly enough Christians in your school to see your school saved.
Clear pattern: Believe 🡪 Eternal life
- John 3:16
- Acts 16:31
- John 6:40 – “Everyone who looks on the Son and believes should have eternal life.”
If believing leads to eternal life, what does unbelief lead to?
“The only thing worse than being lost is being lost and no one is looking for you.”
Who do you know that is lost?
APPLICATION
How to use your BUT to bring others to Jesus…
#1 – Stop pretending. Live an open life before others.
- We pretend we’re perfect and we don’t need God’s patience.
- We pretend that God’s grace is cheap, and abuse his patience.
- Both ways rob God of the glory he’s due in your life.
#2 – Plant the seed for gospel conversations.
- Invest – See the image of God in people. Find them fascinating! Demonstrate their value in the eyes of God.
- Invite – Church event, Refuel app, give them a LifeBook or a Bible
#3 – Share the G.O.S.P.E.L.
- ASK – “Do you have any spiritual beliefs?” or “What do you think about Kanye’s new album?”
- ADMIRE – Respect the earnesty in their quest for answers. Find one thing about what they believe that you can admire.
- ADMIT – Admit that you’re the prototype for a sinner, and tell them how patient God has been with you. If God can save you, he can save anyone!
God created us to be with him.
Our sins separate us from God.
Sins cannot be removed by good deeds.
Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again.
Everyone who believes in Him alone has eternal life.
Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever.
refuelwednesday 