1 Timothy 1:12a "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord...."
Introduction:
Can we ever thank Jesus enough for all He has done? Yesterday we considered three reasons to thank Jesus by using the acrostic t.h.a.n.k:
1. Times of strengthening
2. Heavenly calling
3. Awesome salvation
Point of Application: We noted yesterday the following main point of application: thanking Jesus will result in a lifestyle of worship. I get this thought from what Paul says in the closing part of this particular portion of 1 Timothy 1:12-17. Notice what he writes in verse 17 - "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God,be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." Today's post will suggest two more reasons to give thanks to Jesus. We will utilize the acrostic t.h.a.n.k in understanding how giving thanks to Jesus results in a life of worship to Him. In thanking Jesus for times of strengthening, heavenly calling and awesome salvation, we can note a fourth area to be thankful for, namely...
Need for the Bible. 1 Timothy 1:15-16
We read the following in 1 Timothy 1:15 "It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all." As Paul wrote these words, he was expressing how by the Spirit he was wrapping his arms around key truths of scripture. Being that the Holy Spirit of God was superintending these words, we could say that the term "a trustworthy statement" illustrates for us the truth of the Bible's infallibility - that is to say, the Bible's ability to lead us into all truth and to never fail (hence the term "trustworthy statement").
Now what is it that makes the Bible necessary? It is the only book in the word that can be classified as the very words of God. In 1 Timothy 1:15b and 1:16 we see Paul wrapping two spiritual arms around the heart of the Bible's revelation: namely Christ's achievement of redemption and then the application of salvation at saving faith. In perhaps the clearest verse possible regarding the necessity and divine authority of sacred scripture, 2 Timothy 3:16, we see 2 Timothy 3:15 with this preface: "and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
Other biblical writers saw the need to thank the Lord for His word, since they saw the need for it. King Solomon says in 1 Kings 8:56 "Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant." In terms of thanking the Heavenly Father for the revealed word, no greater example can be found than Jesus Himself in Luke 10:21 "At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight."
We can thank Jesus for our need for the Bible because of salvation (Romans 10:17) and strengthening for the Christian life (1 Timothy 4:16; Hebrews 4:12). More could be said but we shall move onto our final point in today's post concerning giving thanks to Jesus, namely...
King Jesus Himself. 1 Timothy 1:16-17
We began this short blog series with the following main point of application: thanking Jesus will result in a lifestyle of worship. I cannot think of a greater reason to thank Jesus than Jesus Himself. Clearly Paul is reflecting back on the beginnings of his conversion to demonstrate the fact that not only did He witness the living Christ, but he has been experiencing him on a daily basis since his intial salvation encounter. Thanks to the Lord for all he has done is like putting fertilizer on the soil of a potted flower. The more consistently we apply and cultivate the soil of a potted flower, the richer the bloom will be and the more enjoyment will be experienced. Worship is impossible without thanksgiving to God.
Notice what Paul writes in his explosion of worship in 1 Timothy 1:17 - "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God,be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." After expressing His thanksgiving to the King Jesus Christ, Paul then expresses this sudden burst of worship and praise to the Triune God in general. The Eternal Son, of whom He just gave thanks, shares in undiminished Deity with the Father and Spirit. When we are thankful people, the heart will after a while burst forth in worship to God, much like water building up behind a dam. Thanksgiving after thanksgiving builds up pressure behind the heart until the heart cannot contain it. Worship is in its purest expression the fullest manifestation of thanksgiving to God. Thanksgiving in our Christian life is a faucet that we must turn on throughout the week, moment by moment. The more thanksgiving we express, the greater intensity there will be in our worship.
Closing thoughts:
We have for the past two days looked at giving thanks to Jesus. Our main point of application has been: thanking Jesus will result in a lifestyle of worship. As we looked at 1 Timothy 1:12-17, we saw the following five areas to thank Jesus for by noting the acrostic t.h.a.n.k:
1. Times of strengthening
2. Heavenly calling
3. Awesome salvation
4. Need for the Bible
5. King Jesus Himself
1. Times of strengthening
2. Heavenly calling
3. Awesome salvation
Point of Application: We noted yesterday the following main point of application: thanking Jesus will result in a lifestyle of worship. I get this thought from what Paul says in the closing part of this particular portion of 1 Timothy 1:12-17. Notice what he writes in verse 17 - "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God,be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." Today's post will suggest two more reasons to give thanks to Jesus. We will utilize the acrostic t.h.a.n.k in understanding how giving thanks to Jesus results in a life of worship to Him. In thanking Jesus for times of strengthening, heavenly calling and awesome salvation, we can note a fourth area to be thankful for, namely...
Need for the Bible. 1 Timothy 1:15-16
We read the following in 1 Timothy 1:15 "It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all." As Paul wrote these words, he was expressing how by the Spirit he was wrapping his arms around key truths of scripture. Being that the Holy Spirit of God was superintending these words, we could say that the term "a trustworthy statement" illustrates for us the truth of the Bible's infallibility - that is to say, the Bible's ability to lead us into all truth and to never fail (hence the term "trustworthy statement").
Now what is it that makes the Bible necessary? It is the only book in the word that can be classified as the very words of God. In 1 Timothy 1:15b and 1:16 we see Paul wrapping two spiritual arms around the heart of the Bible's revelation: namely Christ's achievement of redemption and then the application of salvation at saving faith. In perhaps the clearest verse possible regarding the necessity and divine authority of sacred scripture, 2 Timothy 3:16, we see 2 Timothy 3:15 with this preface: "and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
Other biblical writers saw the need to thank the Lord for His word, since they saw the need for it. King Solomon says in 1 Kings 8:56 "Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant." In terms of thanking the Heavenly Father for the revealed word, no greater example can be found than Jesus Himself in Luke 10:21 "At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight."
We can thank Jesus for our need for the Bible because of salvation (Romans 10:17) and strengthening for the Christian life (1 Timothy 4:16; Hebrews 4:12). More could be said but we shall move onto our final point in today's post concerning giving thanks to Jesus, namely...
King Jesus Himself. 1 Timothy 1:16-17
We began this short blog series with the following main point of application: thanking Jesus will result in a lifestyle of worship. I cannot think of a greater reason to thank Jesus than Jesus Himself. Clearly Paul is reflecting back on the beginnings of his conversion to demonstrate the fact that not only did He witness the living Christ, but he has been experiencing him on a daily basis since his intial salvation encounter. Thanks to the Lord for all he has done is like putting fertilizer on the soil of a potted flower. The more consistently we apply and cultivate the soil of a potted flower, the richer the bloom will be and the more enjoyment will be experienced. Worship is impossible without thanksgiving to God.
Notice what Paul writes in his explosion of worship in 1 Timothy 1:17 - "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God,be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." After expressing His thanksgiving to the King Jesus Christ, Paul then expresses this sudden burst of worship and praise to the Triune God in general. The Eternal Son, of whom He just gave thanks, shares in undiminished Deity with the Father and Spirit. When we are thankful people, the heart will after a while burst forth in worship to God, much like water building up behind a dam. Thanksgiving after thanksgiving builds up pressure behind the heart until the heart cannot contain it. Worship is in its purest expression the fullest manifestation of thanksgiving to God. Thanksgiving in our Christian life is a faucet that we must turn on throughout the week, moment by moment. The more thanksgiving we express, the greater intensity there will be in our worship.
Closing thoughts:
We have for the past two days looked at giving thanks to Jesus. Our main point of application has been: thanking Jesus will result in a lifestyle of worship. As we looked at 1 Timothy 1:12-17, we saw the following five areas to thank Jesus for by noting the acrostic t.h.a.n.k:
1. Times of strengthening
2. Heavenly calling
3. Awesome salvation
4. Need for the Bible
5. King Jesus Himself
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