Place: Lurgan Baptist 23:7:2006. Reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-20 PAUL S STORY IS OUR STORY

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1 Place: Lurgan Baptist 23:7:2006 Reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-20 PAUL S STORY IS OUR STORY Many years ago in England there were two brilliant antagonists of the Christian faith. Their names were Lord Littleton and Gilbert West. These two men who were friends agreed that there were two claims of the Christian faith, which if they could be disproved would absolutely devastate Christianity. The two claims were the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and the conversion of the apostle Paul. So, the men agreed, that each one would take one of these areas, go back, and do thorough research, discredit the resurrection, the conversion of Saul and as a result they would demolish the Christian faith. The two men parted and went their ways. They engaged in extensive and thorough research on the two subjects, and then some time later they came back together. When they came together, they made the startling discovery, that each one of them as, a result of their studies, had come to be convinced of the authenticity of the Christian faith. As a result each of those men, apart from the other, had become Christians. They were wonderfully saved and trusting in Christ for salvation. Lord Littleton, the man who studied the conversion of Saul wrote these words in a book on the subject. The conversion and apostleship of Paul, alone, duly considered is of itself a demonstration sufficient to prove Christianity to be a divine revelation. You see, when this man considered what the Bible said about the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, he came to the unmistakable conclusion that Christianity is a revelation from God, divine in nature. Of course every conversion is a miracle experience. In the 19 th century a South African, by the name of Afrikaner, was a chief of the Hottentot tribe. He was a hardened, vicious warrior. He and his men were the terror of South Africa. He was so dangerous that the governor of Cape Town offered a large reward for him. dead or alive. Into the scene stepped Robert Moffat, a young Scottish missionary. Believing that God had called him to preach the gospel to the Hottentots, he sought them out. The first person saved under Moffat s ministry was Afrikaner. His was a remarkable testimony to God s saving grace. Before he was converted Brownlow North lived a very ungodly life. Some time later at Inverness, in Scotland, a letter was handed to him just before preaching, accusing him of being a miserable hypocrite, reminding him of what he had once been, and daring him to preach what he called the gospel. That evening Brownlow North took as his text ( 1 Tim 1:15 ) stressing the words sinners of whom I am chief. He told the congregation about the letter and said it was all true, but it was all forgiven, and since the Lord had forgiven such a sinner as himself, there was no sinner in the world too bad for God to forgive. My. do you feel that you are to bad for God to

2 forgive? For God to pardon? For God to cleanse? Well, you re not for Paul describes as the chief or worst of sinners. But he does not stop there, for he says, I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe. ( 1:16 ) Do you see that word pattern,? It conveys the thought of a pencil sketch, which the artist will draw before he settles down to produce his masterpiece. In the gallery of grace the Saviour, as it were, has drawn, and put on exhibition a sketch, which reveals Paul as an illustration, pattern, model, example of what God can do with a man when he saves him by His grace. Paul says, my life is a show piece, the Lord has saved me and put me on display, to show you, that what God has done for me, He can do for you. So Paul s story is our story. Do you recall the old hymn, It is no secret what God can do, what He s done for others, He can do for you. My. what the Lord did for Paul, He can do for you, for Paul looked on his conversion as a demonstration. Well, what did Paul s conversion demonstrate? What did it show? Well, it set forth, (1) THE UNWEARIED PATIENCE OF GOD For Paul says, I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unwearied patience. In other words, Paul was a wonderful illustration of God s patience and Christ s longsuffering. Now the Bible tells us frequently that the Lord is patient and longsuffering. Do you recall that word that was given to Moses? The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. ( Exod 34:6 ) The psalmist speaking of the Lord says, But Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. ( Ps 86:15 ) And do we not see examples of God s patience in the Scriptures? Do you remember how patient God was with Israel? The Bible says, And about the time of forty years suffered He their manners in the wilderness. ( Acts 13:18 ) Do you recall how patient God was with Lot? As he pitched his tent toward Sodom. ( Gen 13:12 ) And how long did the Lord wait for the thief on the cross, whose soul was hovering over hell? All his life! But the most illustrious example of the patience of God was in the case of Paul, for God was patient with Paul in spite of, (a) HIS OUTWARD DEFIANCE: For was this man not outwardly defiant? Not openly hostile to the gospel? See him as he sits at the feet of Gamaliel hearing about the Christ who died for sinners. ( Acts 22:3 ) Watch him as he consents to the death of Stephen, holding the very clothes of those who stone that man of God to death. ( 22:20 ) Behold him as like a wild boar he makes havoc of the church entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. ( 28:3 ) Look at him as like a fearful dragon breathing out fire and smoke he makes his way to Damascus for the sole purpose to imprison believers. This man hates Jesus of Nazareth, he opposes Christ, he provokes Christ, yet in spite of his outward defiance, Christ is patient and God is longsuffering!

3 I recall some years ago being in the city of Tel Aviv in Israel. We had taken the group in our last few hours in that country to catch up with their shopping. I was sitting in one of these modern shopping malls, just watching the world go by when a Jewish man sat down beside me. Before long we engaged in conversion and he asked me what had brought me from N. Ireland to Israel. I told him that my Saviour Jesus Christ was a Jew and had lived and died in his country. His reaction was hostile, he was openly defiant. He said Jesus of Nazareth was the greatest impostor to walk this earth. Tell me, are you openly hostile to the things of the Lord? Has that defiance revealed itself in your life? Perhaps you desecrate His day? Perhaps you oppose His people? Maybe you mock His Word? My. do you not realise that God could blot you out, that He cut you off? Why does He not do it? Because of His patience. He is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish. ( 2 Pet 3:9 ) (a) (b) INWARD RESISTANCE: Few conversions take place out of the blue. Usually there are links in the chain that eventually lead you to the Saviour. Paul s conversion was no different. There is probably some truth in the familiar saying, if Stephen had not prayed, Paul had not preached. The influence of the sight of that martyrdom and especially of that gracious prayer must have had much to do with converting Saul the persecuting Pharisee into Paul the faithful apostle. You see, the impression that Saul was getting of the Christian faith was good but instead of yielding to the claims of Christ, Paul was kicking against the pricks. For Christ said, It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. ( 9:5 ) The pricks, what were they? Well, the picture is that of a yoked ox struggling against that which is inciting it to its work. This is exactly what Saul was doing! Can you see him as he makes his week long journey from Jerusalem to Damascus? A journey that was probably made on foot, a journey that gave Saul plenty of time to think. You see as he walked, he thought, he thought about Stephen s blood stained body, he thought about that gracious prayer, he thought about the Saviour that Stephen died for. There were heartsearchings, convictions, scruples, but instead of coming to Christ he sought to stifle the goads of God. Is this a picture of you this.? Have you been influenced and impressed by true Christians? Could it be you ve come to the conclusion that the Christian life is the best life, the only life, the proper life but instead of trusting the Saviour are you resisting Him? My. the Word of God urges you to come, the servant of God pleads with you to come, the Spirit of God incites you to come, why delay? My. has the Lord not been patient with you? Oh, how long the Lord has waited for some of you. Week after week, month after month, year after year. But the Bible warns that God will not always wait, Christ will not always knock, the Holy Spirit will not always plead! My. don t take His patience for granted, lest you find yourself in hell. What did Paul s conversion show? (1) (2) THE UNLIMITED POWER OF GOD We are often told in the Bible that God is a powerful God, that He doeth according to His will., ( Dan 4:35 ) We see God s power in Creation

4 ( Ps 89:11 ) We behold God s power in Preservation ( Job 8:11 ) and here we notice God s power in Salvation. For notice here, (a) THE SINNER THIS POWER SOUGHT: Paul, but who was he? Well, he describes himself in ( 1:13 ) as a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious. The word for blasphemer is a strong one, it means that he was a profane person, that he delighted ridiculing the name of Christ. As a blasphemer, Paul violated the first half of the Ten Commandments which speak of man s relationship to God. As a persecutor and a violent aggressor, Paul violated the second half of the Ten Commandments which speak of man s relationship to man. My. its hard to imagine anyone worse than a blasphemer of God and persecutor of His church. Now wonder Paul refers to himself as the chief of sinners. Yet this was this sinner that God s saving power sought. I tell you if you had gone round the world you would not have found a heart more completely at enmity to God and to Christ than Paul s yet Paul was gloriously saved. My. if God could save the chief of sinners can He not save you? Do you think that your case is too difficult? Then look at the example of Paul! Do you feel your heart is too hard? Then look at the pattern of Paul. Do you sense that your sin is to vile? Then look to the model of Paul, for Paul shows us that no need is to great, no heart to hard, no sin to vile, no sinner to complex that God cannot save! (a) (b) THE SALVATION THIS POWER BROUGHT: For God s saving power brought, 1. BROKENENESS to the life of Paul: For suddenly as he came near Damascus, there was a light, a voice, a revelation of the Risen Christ. ( 9:4-6 ) and in a moment this proud self-righteous Pharisee was on his knees. Who art Thou, Lord? Lord what, wilt Thou have me to do? ( 9:5 ) My. has the Spirit of God ever brought conviction, contrition, brokenness to your heart? You say, preacher its not possible to turn the current of my soul toward God. Is it not? Have a look at the conversion of Saul, for if conversion shows us anything its shows us God s Unlimited Power. 2. PRAYERFULNESS to the life of Paul: For he cried Lord. ( 9:5 ) It was Paul who later wrote, For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. ( Rom 10:13 ) That is, whosoever shall call on the Lord Himself shall be saved. This is exactly what Paul did when he said Lord. My. have you ever cried, Lord save me. Some years ago the United Beach Missions were playing with some children on the sands of Scarborough, in North Yorkshire, when suddenly a Royal Air Force Lightening Jet flew by, skimming the surface of the sea before it turned and flew inland. A minute or two later it returned and went into steep incline over

5 Scarborough Castle. Some thought the pilot was doing a stunt. Then the plane flipped and dramatically dropped into the sea. It disintegrated on impact and the pilot was killed instantly. The headline in the newspaper the next day was Pilot gives life to save crowds. It described how, instead of ejecting from the plane and risking its crashing onto the crowded beach, the pilot had made an instant decision to stay with the stricken plane and steer it away from the crowds. He sacrificed his life to save them, although the pilot had probably not anticipated certain death. My. the Lord Jesus deliberately left heaven and came to earth with the express intention of going to a death where He could save the crowds. At Calvary He took our sins and our sorrows, and its on the basis of His cross, His precious blood, that you can be saved. Have you ever cried, Lord save me, forgive me? 1: 2: 3. YIELDEDNESS to the life of Paul: Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? ( 9:6 ) its interesting that Saul s first question had the word Lord, at the end, this is what Christ had been to Paul previously. His second question put the Lord, first and this is where Paul kept the Lord from this time onward. Christ s will, word, way, was all that mattered to Paul. It was Christ first, foremost, finally. Here was unhesitating submission, unreserved willingness, and unconditional service. Lord what. do? My. Christian. are you living under Christ s Lordship? Are you willing to do what the Lord wills without thinking about the consequences? Like a soldier standing waiting for orders have you said, Lord what wilt. do? Lord guide me, direct me, my friends have their duty and calling, but Lord what wilt Thou have me to do? Others must follow the light they have, but Lord what wilt Thou have me to do? My. Paul s conversion is a showpiece, its an illustration of what God can do with a man, when He saves him by His grace. It shows forth (1) (2) and then it shows forth, (3) THE UNRIVALLED PLAN OF GOD For God has a plan for our lives that as we go step by step the way shall open up before us. ( Prov 4:12 ). God s sovereign plan for Moses was that he be leader of His people, for David it was that he be King of Israel, for Elijah it was, that he be a faithful prophet, for Daniel Prime Minister of Babylon, for Christ, Saviour of the world, but what about Paul? Well, God s sovereign plan for Paul meant, (a) EXPERIENCING THE MERCY OF GOD: Twice in this passage Paul says, I obtained mercy. ( 1:13, 16 ) God in His mercy does not gave us what we do deserve, that s hell, and God in His grace gives us what we don t deserve and that s heaven. Mind you Paul did not say, I attained mercy. As though it was by an effort of his own. No, No! He says, I was mercied. I was altogether undeserving and unworthy, but God had mercy on me. So Paul was saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. My. are you saved? Is this your testimony? I obtained mercy. You know, John Newton was one of the great preachers and supreme hymn writers of the church.

6 Before he was saved, he had sunk to the lowest depths to which a man could sink. In those days he sailed the seas in a slave traders ship. When he got converted and became a preacher of the gospel he wrote a text in great letters and fastened it above the mantle-piece of his study, where he could not fail to see it. Thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt and the Lord thy God redeemed thee. He also composed his own epitaph, John Newton, clerk, once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa, was by the mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned and appointed to preach the faith he had so long laboured to destroy. John Newton had experienced the mercy of God. Paul had experienced the mercy of God! What about you? Do you know anything about this mercy that delivers you from the penalty of sin, the tyranny of the devil and the jaws of hell? (a) (b) EXERCISING A MINISTRY FOR GOD: Is this now what he says in ( 1:12 )? For salvation is to be followed by service! Here s Paul, saved from an awful eternity saved for a fruitful ministry. ( Jn 15:16 ) Billy Sunday was a hard drinking professional baseball player in the early days of the sport. Walking down the street one day in Chicago with several of his team-mates, he came across a man preaching on a street corner. They stopped to mock the preacher, but something he said struck a responsive chord in Billy Sunday s heart. He embraced Jesus Christ as his Saviour and went on to become a noted evangelist. Do you recall the words of the Lord Jesus? Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit. ( Jn 15:16 ) Is this what you are doing? Exercising a fruitful ministry! My. do you see yourself in Paul s story? For Paul s conversion is an illustration of what can do with a man when he saves him by his grace. It sets forth (1) (2) (3) Paul s testimony, was I obtained mercy. My. That leaves you without excuse, for if the worst of sinners found mercy, why have you not found it? If the chief of sinners knelt at the cross, why have you not? For Paul s story is your story. For you like him have known God s patience, like him you may experience God s power, like him, you can fulfil God s plan. And what is God s plan for you this.? That you obtain mercy, when you come as a sinner to Jesus! Will you come, now?