“This is a faithful saying and worthy of
all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom
I am chief.”
--- 1Timothy 1:15 (NKJV)
3.
What
to do with Him? (v15d)
This is the good
news of the Gospel, but the Gospel comes
with a consequential invitation. You have to respond. Paul responded it
positively as you see the last phrase here, “of whom I am chief”
i.
Personal
commitment
The Gospel call is
a personal call. Like Paul, we must make a personal decision. None can make for
you. You yourself have to make that decision! You have to deal with this person
Christ for your salvation or die in your sin to the damnation of God! Christ
didn’t come into the world to damn you, for you are already damned. He came to
save. If you would not trust in Him, and His work for you in the Cross, you
will not escape, for the Scripture says, Repent and believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
ii.
Recognize
yourself before Jesus – as Sinner before Savior
It is just like you
are stranded in an island where the tsunami
is coming. The President of India sends a helicopter to fetch you. The rescue
team explained and demonstrated what Helicopter is
– the ability to lift people up in the air, and the terms of the presidential offer. The Tsunami is coming soon!
The President’s term is that only human being will
be evacuated, not your goods, smartphones
etc, and only Indians will be evacuated. If you refuse to put your trust on the
Helicopter or the term of the President
and refuse to take a leap for whatever reason, surely you shall perish in the
Tsunami!
God is calling you
to be saved today! He first calls you to admit who you are – are you human
being, the sinner? Would you choose to
identify yourself as a new man in Christ, living for God? The Gospel call is a
confession of who you are. You are a sinner under the wrath of God. You
recognize who Jesus is – that He is the Savior and in Him alone is the
Righteousness you need.
iii. Repent
And the Bible says
you must repent from your sins! You must forsake sins! You must not continue to
live in the ways that bring damnation of God.
You are a new creation, the race of Jesus, no longer of Adam: to
have a new desire now, from sin to holiness; to pleasing self to pleasing God;
to worldly living to godly living – desiring to know and live for God.
iv. Trust (only Savior, future, everything)
And you would have
to trust for your eternal life with God, day-to-day life and everything! Behold
Gospel is merciful news, that He
withholds the punishment you are due of. It is gracious that He gives you
righteousness that you never deserve. It is for all who hears and would accept
it! The Gospel has reached you.
And in a personal
note, Paul wrote, we are all sinners, and Christ came for us of whom I am a
chief sinner. And what he means to say is if God can save a chief sinner like
me, he can save you no matter how fallen you are; you just need to trust Him
for everything! Would you commit your life to Christ today? Jesus says in John
6:37
All that the Father gives Me will come to
Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
God is drawing you to Jesus today, I, as a preacher of His word, am persuading you to
come to Christ today? He sent his disciples unto the ends of the world to
proclaim this news, and to call people to commit their lives to this truth – life in Christ, dead to self and sin!
Do you dare to die in your sins, my friends? Do you dare to suffer the wrath of
God eternally? I am telling you, you cannot, And I cannot allow you to do that. I am afraid for your soul. You
cannot spit and trample on the grace of God, which has been offered freely
today again through this Gospel! Would you put your trust in Christ and be saved today?