Podcast Preview
There’s something about Jesus. He could draw crowds to himself like he was a magnet. He could make prostitutes weep for joy. He made old cynical apostles coin new words just to talk about his grace. There’s something about Jesus that draws sinners to him.
It either does that or it makes you jealous at the attention he gets from sinners. This is what would regularly happen when Jesus was alive. People actually made up a tagline about him- Jesus had a tagline- you know what it was? Everybody said it about him! “This man welcomes sinners.” And what they wanted to do with the tagline, they actually wanted to destroy his brand. They wanted people to not go anywhere near him. Because he hangs out with sinners, so he must be the biggest sinner ever. It’s like they couldn’t even bear to say his name. So they just said: “This man… welcomes sinners.”
And it’s a good thing he does. He welcomes us; sinners. We’re about to begin a sermon series on the books of 1st and 2nd Timothy. Through these books we’ll dig into what this is: the essentials of the gospel- that this man welcomes sinners. Even us!
1 Timothy 1:12-17
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly (Paul actually coined a word here- it’s a word that means super-abundant), along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 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. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
