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You're listening to Key Life 
Fellowships Pulpit ministry 

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podcast. 
We thank you for tuning in as we

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learn from God's Word together. 
If you would like more 

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information regarding Key Life 
or to speak with one of our 

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pastors, please visit us at 
keylifefellow-ship.com. 

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Amen. 
I pray that it is truly the 

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desire of your heart is to 
delight in the Lord. 

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Thank you, Casey and our praise 
team, for reminding us of the 

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importance of delighting in the 
Lord. 

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You know what it was like, All 
of you who are in Christ, you 

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know what it's like to delight 
in your flesh. 

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You know what it was like to 
delight in this world. 

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Those things used to thrill you.
And now that you were in Christ,

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you know what it's like, and you
were welcome to delight in the 

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Lord Himself as He commands us 
in His Word to boldly come 

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before His throne of grace. 
I'm thankful today that we can 

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come before that throne of grace
and we can delight in Him. 

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We can bask in His love and in 
His glory. 

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We can, those of us who were 
once alienated from God and 

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counted as enemies, we can now 
approach our heavenly Father 

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crying out ABBA unto Him, 
knowing that we have that 

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intimate relationship because of
his love and his love that was 

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displayed for us in Christ. 
So if you have your Bibles this 

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morning, let's turn to first 
Timothy. 

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First Timothy, and we're still 
in the 1st chapter as we are 

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walking through these pastoral 
epistles of the apostle Paul in 

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a series entitled Biblical 
Ministers and Biblical 

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Ministries. 
So today we're going to be 

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talking about the traits of an 
effective Christian leader. 

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Now, if all of us today were to 
think of some of the most 

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influential and the most 
effective Christian leaders 

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throughout history, we would all
come up, I'm sure with a lengthy

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list of people that we would 
somehow, because in in our human

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thinking, we like to rank 
things, we would rank those 

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things in the order in which 
they have been used and have 

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affected our lives. 
We know at the top of that list 

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hands down would be the Lord 
Jesus Christ himself and we can 

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argue about most of the others 
on that list, right? 

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Some of you would say 1, some of
you would say the other. 

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But I think if we were to all be
honest, that number 2 on that 

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list of effective Christian 
leaders as we open up the New 

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Testament this morning as we see
a letter that God used the 

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apostle Paul to pen to Timothy, 
his Co labor in the faith and 

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his true son. 
As we saw last week there at the

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church at Ephesus, we would have
to say that the apostle Paul 

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would be somewhere near the top 
of the list in effective 

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Christian leadership and. 
So today, that's what. 

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We're going to look at, we're 
going to see some traits in the 

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life of the apostle Paul that 
are evidenced not only in what 

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he writes here to Timothy and to
the Ephesians, but we know these

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traits are evidenced in his life
throughout his entire earthly 

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ministry. 
And so there's no need to argue 

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where Paul would fit on the 
rankings of the most effective 

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Christian leaders of all time. 
It would be somewhere near 

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Christ there at the top. 
And he's one that we can, as we 

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will see, we can glean much 
insight from. 

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We're going to do just that in 
today's lesson. 

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But many of you at this juncture
would say, you know what, Kirk, 

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I'm not really a leader. 
So I really don't need to really

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pay attention to this. 
I'm simply just a stay at home 

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mom. 
Let me remind you, is leading 

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and discipling the next 
generation of believers, just as

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we know. 
And we learned last week that 

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Timothy had his mother and his 
grandmother in his life, 

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discipling him and teaching him 
the Scriptures at a young age. 

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You as a mother have a very 
important role to lead your 

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children and to be an example to
your children, to be an 

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effective Christian leader. 
I know that's a difficult task. 

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Many people are referred to it, 
just as I did a moment ago, just

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to stay at home. 
Mom, no, You have been entrusted

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with one of the most important 
jobs in all of humanity. 

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I have two believing children 
today. 

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Now I have two believing 
children #1 because of Jesus 

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Christ and what He did. 
We're gratefully indebted to His

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grace, but also because they had
a loving mother who led them 

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every day in prayer, who led 
them every day in Scripture. 

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While I was ministering to 
others, she was ministering to 

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our family. 
It is very important that you 

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see how important your role is 
after your dad's who were here 

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today. 
So you know, I'm, I'm a dad and 

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I'm just a worker. 
Your leader, you're leading your

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home. 
If you're doing what the Bible 

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tells you to do, you are leading
your home, you're leading your 

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family. 
You are a leader. 

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You need to pay attention to the
model that Paul is going to give

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us today so that you don't just 
settle for being a mediocre 

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leader, so that you realize I'm 
called to be an effective 

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Christian leader. 
I'm called to make an impact. 

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I'm called to make an effect. 
I'm to be intentional in my 

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leadership. 
And so we're going to learn from

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one of the best. 
Today, doesn't that stand the 

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reason if if you want to be a 
great leader, you have to learn 

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from great leaders that you 
don't want to learn from someone

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who was a failure in their 
leadership? 

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You want to learn from someone 
who would be on the top or near 

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the top of that list of 
effective Christian leaders. 

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And that's what we're going to 
do as we look at the life of the

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apostle Paul today, as we 
examine some traits that I can 

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tell you this, Paul didn't 
intend on us to look at this and

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see his traits that he 
demonstrates as a leader because

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of the work of God and his life 
through Jesus Christ. 

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Those things just came out of 
his life. 

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We're going to see those things 
come out of his life today. 

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My prayer is this that we would 
see those things coming out of 

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our lives because all of you 
under the sound of my voice, if 

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you are doing what Jesus Christ 
commanded you to do and that is 

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to make disciples, you are at 
least being a leader in one 

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person's life. 
Are you being an effective 

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Christian leader? 
Let's look and see what Paul 

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says to Timothy into the church 
there at Ephesus. 

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Here in verse 12 of chapter 1 he
says, I think Christ Jesus our 

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Lord, who has given me strength,
that he considered me faithful, 

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pointing me to his service. 
Even though I was once a 

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blasphemer and a persecutor and 
a violent man. 

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I was shown mercy because I 
acted in ignorance and unbelief.

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The grace of our Lord was poured
out on me abundantly, along with

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the faith and love that are in 
Christ Jesus. 15 says Here is a 

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trustworthy saying that deserves
full acceptance. 

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Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners, of whom I am 

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the worst. 
But for that very reason I was 

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shown mercy so that in me the 
worst of sinners, Christ Jesus, 

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might display His unlimited 
patience as an example for those

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who would believe on Him and 
receive eternal life. 

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Now to the King, eternal, 
immortal, invisible, the only 

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God be glory and honor forever 
and ever, Amen. 

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Let's pray together. 
Father, in the name of Jesus. 

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We thank you so much for how 
Your Word guides us, how it is 

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truly a lamp unto our feet and a
light unto our path. 

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Lord, as you lead us today by 
the example that you raised up 

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through the apostle Paul what it
means to be an effective 

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Christian leader, may we do the 
same. 

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May we strive to bring You glory
in our leadership. 

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May we strive to point others to
Christ, and may we see the 

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effective way in doing that 
through the example that we've 

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been given of Paul. 
God, I pray for the person who's

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here today who does not know 
Christ. 

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I pray that today they would see
Paul's need for mercy and grace 

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and forgiveness, and that they 
would reconcile in their heart 

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that if the apostle Paul was in 
such great need of mercy and 

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grace and forgiveness, they too 
are in need of the same. 

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That it would propel them to cry
out to Jesus, to have mercy on 

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their soul, to forgive them, to 
wash them and cleanse them of 

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their sin as they surrender 
their life to Him as Lord and 

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Savior this very day. 
Lord, we will be careful to give

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you all the glory and all the 
praise for what you're going to 

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do as your word goes forth 
today. 

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We thank you in advance and we 
pray all these things in the 

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mighty name of Jesus, Amen. 
So as we consider what it means 

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to be an effective Christian 
leader, Paul begins in this 

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section. 
With this he said, I think 

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Christ Jesus our Lord, who has 
given me strength, that he 

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considered me faithful, 
appointing me to his service. 

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You write this down, one of the 
traits of an effective Christian

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leader is this. 
This person will be thankful, 

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thankful and thankful unto 
Christ for what he has done. 

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And there there is an absence of
this and so many Christian 

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circles in regard to leadership.
The leaders are self promoting. 

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They are actually selfishly 
driven. 

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There's never any turning and re
giving that thinks back to 

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Christ who deserves it. 
It's simply look at me and look 

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at what I've done and look at 
what I've accomplished and and 

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aren't I really great. 
However, Paul does not take that

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stance. 
Paul says I think Christ Jesus 

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our Lord, he begins with that a 
thankful heart. 

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If you're going to be an 
effective Christian leader, 

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whether that's in the pulpit, 
whether that's around your 

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dinner table, whether that's in 
your playroom while you're 

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reading Christian books to your 
children, If you were going to 

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be an effective Christian 
leader, listen to me. 

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Be a thankful leader and nowhere
to properly place. 

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That things Paul does just this,
he says, I think Christ Jesus 

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our Lord, he's thankful first of
all for God's work and his life.

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I think Christ Jesus our Lord, 
who has given me strength, he's 

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thankful for the strength that 
he receives from the Lord, 

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strength to endure persecution, 
strength to endure temptation, 

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strength to continue preaching 
the gospel and places that the 

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gospel had not yet reached and 
and even places that are hostile

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to the gospel. 
The apostle Paul was continually

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being strengthened by the Lord. 
In fact, as you know, it is Paul

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who wrote to the Philippians and
he said in chapter 4 verse 13, I

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can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me. 

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I know that's often taken out of
context. 

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When we put it in its proper 
context, Paul says I am able to 

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do whatever it is that God wants
me to do. 

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However it is and how difficult 
it may be in that particular 

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situation, I can have strength 
to do it because of Christ who 

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is living in. 
And he begins with thanking 

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Christ for that strength. 
He has given me strength. 

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Strength to go against 
everything that he had ever 

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known in his prior life. 
Strength to lose every friend 

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and every family member who 
thought he was foolish and crazy

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because he was following after 
this Jesus. 

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Strength to endure persecution 
in many places and imprisonment 

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and ultimately death. 
He says. 

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I am thankful to Christ Jesus 
because he's given me this 

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strength. 
He knew that in his weakness 

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Christ was his strength. 
And when he was weak, he was 

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strong because of Christ. 
And Christ would receive all the

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glory for his life, and to that 
he was thankful. 

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He was thankful for the Lord's 
work of graciously strengthening

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him. 
Are you thankful today that the 

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Lord does as He has promised, 
give you strength to do His will

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and every situation that He 
leads you into? 

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He did the same in the life of 
the apostle Paul, and he's 

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returning that thanks unto the 
Lord to which it belongs. 

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He's thankful that the Lord 
would graciously strengthen him 

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to do the task that was laid 
before him. 

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He's also thankful to the Lord 
for graciously saving him. 

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He says I thank Christ. 
Jesus our Lord, who has given me

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strength, that he considered me 
faithful, that he considered me 

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faithful. 
And I want you to pay close 

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attention to that phrase. 
He considered me faithful. 

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As we read the entirety of the 
text just a moment ago, we saw 

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that he was once a blasphemer 
and a persecutor and a violent 

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man. 
It doesn't sound like he was 

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very faithful. 
In fact, it sounds like the 

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opposite, that he was very 
unfaithful. 

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But what Paul is recognizing 
here, he is recognizing God's 

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grace in saving him, because it 
was God who graciously 

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determined that Paul would be 
faithful even when Paul was 

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unfaithful. 
It was God who graciously 

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considered Paul faithful in 
eternity past. 

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Before Paul was ever born, it 
was God's will that he would 

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raise up a man who would be the 
apostle to the Gentiles and he 

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would sovereignly save him and 
he would sovereignly make him 

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faithful. 
Paul is recognizing that that I 

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think Christ Jesus my Lord, not 
only who strengthens me every 

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single day of my life. 
But that who considered me 

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faithful even long before I was 
ever faithful. 

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Do you know that, Christian? 
Long before you were ever 

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faithful to the Lord, the Lord 
considered you to be faithful, 

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and He did everything within His
power to make sure that that 

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would be what you became. 
Many people get this backwards 

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in the theological sense. 
Did you know Abraham, who was 

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considered righteous, was not 
considered righteous because he 

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did something right first. 
In fact, he was a Pagan chasing 

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after idols, and God considered 
him faithful. 

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And God, because he had 
considered Abraham to be one of 

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his faithful ones, then did 
everything that needed to happen

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so that Abraham would become 
exactly what God had decreed him

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to be. 
He became faithful and that was 

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displayed through his obedience.
We know the same from Noah. 

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Back when Noah was just a simple
drunkard, he found favor in the 

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eyes of God. 
Do you think that he found favor

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in the eyes of God because he 
was a drunkard? 

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No, he found favor in the eyes 
of God because of God's grace. 

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And it is God's grace that we 
see here that Paul is thanking 

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the Lord Jesus for when he says 
this, he says he considered me 

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faithful. 
You know this, none of you who 

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00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:06,160
are faithful unto the Lord woke 
up one day and said, you know 

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I've been unfaithful to this 
point. 

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I think I want to be faithful 
now. 

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No one did that of their own. 
Accord. 

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In fact, it was even the Apostle
Paul on the road to Damascus 

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00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:23,080
being totally unfaithful to the 
Lord, persecuting his church, 

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the church that he's writing to 
in this letter that we're 

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00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:30,080
reading this morning. 
And Christ revealed to him that 

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God had a completely different 
plan for his life, that he was 

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going to raise up for himself a 
faithful minister of the gospel 

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to the Gentiles. 
And Paul proved that God was 

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right in raising him up as a 
faithful minister of the gospel.

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He then dedicated his entire 
life. 

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Being faithful to the one who 
had considered him faithful long

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before he was ever giving any 
evidence of faithfulness in his 

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00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:00,080
life. 
That's God's grace. 

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Are you thankful for that this 
morning? 

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00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:05,920
That long before you ever had 
one inclination of faithfulness 

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00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,360
in your life, God consider you 
faithful. 

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00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:11,720
And then He did everything in 
His power to make you the 

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00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:14,400
faithful one that He considered 
you to be. 

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00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:18,480
All glory and honor and praise 
and Thanksgiving unto Him. 

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00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,320
We see Paul expressing that very
clearly here. 

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That he's thankful that God 
considered him faithful, that he

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00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:31,640
graciously saved him. 
He's thankful here for God's 

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00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:37,880
work in his life, acknowledging 
the grace that had been given 

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00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:43,840
unto him to believe, to follow 
Christ, that God would in 

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00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:48,240
eternity past foreknow him, 
considering him faithful. 

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00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:51,720
So we see that he's thankful for
God's work in his life, but he's

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00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:53,960
also thankful for God's will in 
his life. 

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00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:58,160
What's one thing thing to think 
about that God in his will has 

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00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:00,640
sovereignly saved us? 
Let me just make this very 

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00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:01,920
clear. 
If God hadn't willed to 

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00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:03,880
sovereignly save you, you 
wouldn't be saved here this 

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00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:06,640
morning. 
You would still be lost and dead

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00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:09,760
in your sin as you were when you
came to Christ. 

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00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:13,720
Paul recognizing this, but then 
he takes it a step further and 

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00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:17,000
he says, I'm not only thankful 
to the Lord Jesus who gives me 

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00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:20,400
strength every day and who 
considered me faithful before I 

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00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:24,400
was ever born and graciously 
enacted that throughout my life.

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00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:31,920
I'm also thankful that he would 
ever appoint me to his service. 

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00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:36,520
Oh, you see the humility there, 
especially in the day and age 

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00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:39,560
that we live where so many 
so-called Christian leaders are 

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00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:41,920
ineffective because there's a 
lack of humility. 

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00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:47,840
They act as if they are somehow 
God's gift to ministry, or God's

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00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:51,280
gift to pastoral service, or 
God's gift to whatever under the

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00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:55,480
sun they endeavor to do. 
However, Paul's not approaching.

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00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,600
It like this. 
In fact, he's approaching it 

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00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:01,240
from the opposite perspective. 
He's approaching it with utter 

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00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:04,040
humility. 
He says I'm thankful to Christ 

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00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:07,840
Jesus our Lord, who would 
appoint me to his service, that 

301
00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:10,760
He would not only graciously 
save me, but that He would 

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00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:15,040
graciously allow me to 
accomplish His will with my 

303
00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:18,920
life, that I could now bring Him
glory. 

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00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:23,720
A man who once brought reproach 
upon his name and reproach upon 

305
00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:28,480
his church. 
Now in Christ I am thankful He 

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00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:30,920
allows me. 
To serve him. 

307
00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:35,720
He's humbled by this thought. 
Wasn't it sad in the church 

308
00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:37,480
these days? 
We're not humbled by that 

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00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:39,800
thought because I believe this. 
We were humbled by that thought.

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00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:41,680
There would be a whole lot more 
of us serving him. 

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00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:46,400
Thank you, Lord. 
You would even consider me to be

312
00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:48,800
one of your servants. 
Is that not what the psalmist 

313
00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:50,080
said? 
He said I would rather be a 

314
00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:54,120
doorkeeper in the House of God 
than to dwell in the tents of 

315
00:18:54,120 --> 00:18:55,840
the wicked. 
I would rather be the lowest 

316
00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:58,600
servant in God's house than to 
be what I once was. 

317
00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:03,560
Here's Paul saying, I'm so 
thankful that God has considered

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00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:07,720
me for service that he lets me 
minister for his glory. 

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00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:11,240
May we remember that as we 
strive to be effective Christian

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00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:14,000
leaders. 
Moms, you have children because 

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00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:15,880
God has graciously blessed you 
with them. 

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00:19:16,360 --> 00:19:18,680
Fathers, you have a family 
because God has graciously 

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00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,120
blessed you with them. 
Steward them properly. 

324
00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:23,920
And how do we do that? 
With compute complete humility, 

325
00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:25,600
we say. 
As the Apostle Paul, I am 

326
00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:29,040
thankful that you ever would 
consider to appoint me in 

327
00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:35,440
service to you. 
Every ounce of ministry that you

328
00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:40,440
participate in ought to be a 
humbling experience, not a an 

329
00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:46,040
experience that causes you to 
stick out your chest or pat 

330
00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:49,360
yourself on the chest. 
Did I cause you to fall on your 

331
00:19:49,360 --> 00:19:52,080
knees as Paul is doing here and 
saying thank you Lord, that you 

332
00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:54,960
would even consider me to do 
such a thing? 

333
00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:58,880
There's so many people in our 
time who are so wrapped up in 

334
00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:00,800
themselves, right? 
They say things like it's my 

335
00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:03,040
ministry, this is not your 
ministry. 

336
00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:06,680
This is the ministry of Christ, 
it is the ministry of 

337
00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:09,280
reconciliation and we are 
sharing the gospel with others, 

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00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:12,000
whether there be members of our 
family, whether they be Co 

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00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,680
workers during our lunch break, 
whether they be people in the 

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00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:16,840
church. 
This is the ministry of 

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00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:19,800
reconciliation that was given to
us by Christ himself. 

342
00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:23,920
This is Christ ministry. 
Paul is understanding that and 

343
00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:27,400
he's humbled that I would ever 
be counted as someone who would 

344
00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:30,280
be worthy enough to be a part of
Christ ministry. 

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00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:37,120
Here he finds himself. 
Thanking God for His will in his

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00:20:37,120 --> 00:20:40,240
life. 
In fact, in First Corinthians 

347
00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:44,160
chapter 15, Paul expresses just 
how humble he is about this. 

348
00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,080
The fact that God would use him,
he says in verse nine, First 

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00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:50,880
Corinthians 15, he says, for I 
am the least of the apostles and

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00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:53,240
do not even deserve to be called
an apostle. 

351
00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:56,960
What humility there? 
One who wrote over half of the 

352
00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:00,120
New Testament. 
He says I'm not even worthy to 

353
00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:03,120
be called an apostle because I 
persecuted the Church of God. 

354
00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:05,920
He said I'm not worthy because I
remember what I was. 

355
00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:10,560
Watch what he says in verse 10. 
But by the grace of God, I am 

356
00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:13,160
what I am. 
He says it's God's grace. 

357
00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:17,440
This made me what I am, not my 
choice, not my ability, not my 

358
00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:20,000
desire, but God's grace. 
And he said in his grace to me 

359
00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:22,840
was not without effect. 
No, I worked harder than all of 

360
00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:25,880
them, yet not I, but the grace 
of God that was within me. 

361
00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:28,360
What is Paul saying here? 
He's saying I'm thankful to God 

362
00:21:28,360 --> 00:21:32,920
for His grace and allowing me to
be one of His servants, 

363
00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:37,000
fulfilling His will for my life 
and bringing Him glory through 

364
00:21:37,120 --> 00:21:40,360
that will. 
He was honored that God would 

365
00:21:40,360 --> 00:21:42,760
ever choose him to be a vessel 
for His glory. 

366
00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,520
I want an honor. 
It is week after week after week

367
00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:51,280
to have the privilege, and I do 
say privilege, being able to 

368
00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:53,920
stand behind this pulpit and 
open up the very word of God and

369
00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:56,720
to lead God's people to know Him
more through the Scriptures. 

370
00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:01,400
I'm so thankful to the Lord 
Jesus Christ for that grace in 

371
00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:03,840
my life, appointing me to His 
service. 

372
00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,800
But did you know this? 
He has appointed all of you to 

373
00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:10,320
His service. 
If you were in Christ, He has 

374
00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:12,680
gifted you with gift from the 
Holy Spirit. 

375
00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:17,800
And those gifts are to be used 
in ministering to His people and

376
00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:20,440
to ministering to the loss, to 
shining the light of Jesus 

377
00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:24,640
Christ and to serve Him. 
And if you would truly see the 

378
00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:29,280
honor that it is, you would not 
be lazy in your service, but 

379
00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:32,320
you'd be thankful. 
But I'm thankful that I can wake

380
00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:37,600
up every day and I can serve you
and I can bring glory to your 

381
00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:39,000
name. 
He was honored that God would 

382
00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,520
ever choose him to be that kind 
of vessel. 

383
00:22:43,360 --> 00:22:47,000
Ephesians 3, verse seven, He 
says about himself, I became a 

384
00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,960
servant of this gospel by the 
gift of God's grace given me 

385
00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:51,120
through the working of his 
power. 

386
00:22:51,120 --> 00:22:53,920
He says I'm a servant of the 
gospel because God has worked 

387
00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:58,040
his power graciously in me. 
Although I'm less than the least

388
00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:01,360
of all the Lord's people. 
This grace was given me to 

389
00:23:01,360 --> 00:23:04,640
preach to the Gentiles the 
boundless riches of Christ. 

390
00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:09,120
Now Paul really wrecks the 
modern worship yourself 

391
00:23:09,120 --> 00:23:11,320
ideology, doesn't he? 
You're good enough and you're 

392
00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:13,760
smart enough and you got lots of
things to offer. 

393
00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:14,800
Paul says I don't have anything 
to. 

394
00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:21,920
Offer his theology, Rex human 
psychology in our day, he said. 

395
00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:24,600
I have anything to offer. 
I am the least of the apostles 

396
00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:29,760
and I am thankful that God would
ever even begin to consider me 

397
00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:31,520
one to be saved. 
But. 

398
00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:34,840
Secondly, to be used for His 
glory in ministry. 

399
00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:40,200
What an effective leader here to
remind us that we are to be 

400
00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:44,200
thankful in our leadership, to 
be thankful every day that we 

401
00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,880
have been given that role in 
that position. 

402
00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:48,680
Moms, I've already mentioned you
in the sermon. 

403
00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:52,440
I'll mention you again. 
I know some days it's difficult.

404
00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:55,280
Someday it's days. 
It's difficult. 

405
00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:57,960
It's difficult. 
To teach your children and to 

406
00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:01,600
endure the things that you have 
to endure as a mother, you've 

407
00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:05,040
already made a sacrifice, right?
While other families, they have 

408
00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:07,280
two incomes, you guys are 
pinching pennies because you 

409
00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:10,000
only have one, because you're 
still fit to lead your family 

410
00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,920
and to disciple them. 
For that I commend you and let 

411
00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:14,960
me. 
Just say this for free and God's

412
00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:16,880
going to take care of you. 
He always has. 

413
00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:19,360
He always takes care of those 
who are seeking to do His will. 

414
00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:22,720
And I know you had this 
frustrating day. 

415
00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,560
Instead of being frustrated, why
don't we try being thankful? 

416
00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:32,840
Why don't we, as the apostle 
Paul say, I thank Christ Jesus 

417
00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:37,120
our Lord that he has appointed 
me to raise up and to teach the 

418
00:24:37,120 --> 00:24:40,520
next generation of believers 
that will follow after us. 

419
00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:44,720
As I know, you have to go to 
work every day and then on top 

420
00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:47,000
of that, you have to lead your 
wives and you, you have to lead 

421
00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,520
your families and you, you have 
to devote yourself to the Lord 

422
00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:51,600
and you have to continue to grow
so that your family will 

423
00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:53,840
continue to grow. 
And sometimes this is difficult.

424
00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:56,080
I don't stand before you saying 
this is an easy task. 

425
00:24:56,360 --> 00:24:58,800
It's a task that most of the 
world just doesn't even consider

426
00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:01,120
at all. 
But yet you've considered it. 

427
00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:04,080
And now through the help of the 
apostle Paul, I want you to be 

428
00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:06,720
effective in it. 
And how can we be effective in 

429
00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,560
it? 
Every day that you get to serve 

430
00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:13,680
your family, every day that you 
get to minister to your wife 

431
00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:15,800
who's ministering to the next 
generation. 

432
00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:19,000
Every day see it as a privilege 
and get on your face and say 

433
00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:23,320
thank you God that you have 
entrusted me to lead a home for 

434
00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:28,320
your glory. 
For those of you who serve the 

435
00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:30,600
Lord in any other ministry 
capacity. 

436
00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:34,600
Do the same. 
Perhaps you serve the Lord here.

437
00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:38,720
You find yourself on things like
the lawn crew or the janitorial 

438
00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:41,680
crew. 
You might find yourselves 

439
00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:46,520
unclogging a stuffed up toilet 
or cleaning a nasty bathroom. 

440
00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:49,160
Can we do it with thankfulness 
in our heart? 

441
00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:56,560
I'm thankful God, that you would
even consider me a fit candidate

442
00:25:57,480 --> 00:26:01,000
to scrub a toilet in your church
for your people. 

443
00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:05,840
You say, well, Kirk, how can you
be thankful for such things that

444
00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:09,240
that's grace you deserve hell 
everlasting. 

445
00:26:10,360 --> 00:26:15,760
And He's let you serve Him by 
bringing Him glory through 

446
00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:18,120
something as simple as cleaning 
a bathroom. 

447
00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:23,160
Paul is a thankful leader. 
You want to be a an effective 

448
00:26:23,360 --> 00:26:25,640
leader. 
Wherever you find yourself 

449
00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:29,760
leading, be thankful. 
Secondly, he goes on and he says

450
00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:33,000
even though I was once a 
blasphemer and a persecutor and 

451
00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:37,160
a violent man, I was shown mercy
because I acted in ignorance and

452
00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:39,560
unbelief. 
The grace of our Lord was poured

453
00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:43,320
out on me abundantly along with 
the faith and love that are in 

454
00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:46,480
Christ Jesus. 
We see the second trait here of 

455
00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,800
an effective Christian leader, 
and that is the trait trait of 

456
00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:52,200
being transparent. 
That's transparency. 

457
00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:55,080
And so we see in Paul's life, he
is very transparent. 

458
00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:57,440
He's not hiding from anyone what
he. 

459
00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:02,240
Used to be. 
He's not trying to be 

460
00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:04,680
self-righteous any longer. 
He's already done that in his 

461
00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:08,000
past life, hasn't he? 
He was climbing the Pharisaical 

462
00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:12,600
ladder, a Jew among Jews, a 
Pharisee among Pharisees, 

463
00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:16,960
looking the part, cleaning up 
the outside, but knowing full 

464
00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:19,400
well that on the inside, as 
Jesus declared about the 

465
00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:22,000
Pharisees, it was nothing but 
dead men's bones. 

466
00:27:23,120 --> 00:27:26,520
He's not seeking to do that in 
his leadership in the church. 

467
00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:31,080
No, he values transparency, and 
he's not afraid to say exactly 

468
00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:34,720
what he was before Christ 
mercifully saved him. 

469
00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:40,720
He says I was a blasphemer and a
persecutor and a violent man. 

470
00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:46,720
He says exactly what he really 
was apart from Christ. 

471
00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:48,640
You want to be an effective 
leader, Be transparent. 

472
00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:51,960
Be honest about your depraved 
condition. 

473
00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:53,840
That's what he's doing here. 
He's being honest about his 

474
00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:57,280
depraved condition. 
He's saying to everyone who's 

475
00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:04,360
listening that I have a past, 
but Christ has rescued me from 

476
00:28:04,360 --> 00:28:06,040
my past and my past. 
Was this? 

477
00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:09,200
I was a blasphemer. 
I was a persecutor of the 

478
00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:13,600
church. 
I was a violent man bringing 

479
00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,880
violence and even death to those
who would follow Christ. 

480
00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:18,680
He was honest about this. 
Can I? 

481
00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,360
Can I say to all of you, you 
want to be an effective 

482
00:28:21,360 --> 00:28:24,560
Christian leader? 
Be transparent. 

483
00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:29,200
Don't ever jump into the 
self-righteous pharisaical 

484
00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:31,800
attitude of teaching your 
children that you're perfect 

485
00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:36,160
when you're not. 
They know you're not perfect. 

486
00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:41,200
If they spend any time in the 
Word of God, they'll know no one

487
00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:43,200
save Christ. 
Was ever perfect. 

488
00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:46,280
But what so many times parents 
do in the church, you know what 

489
00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:49,080
they do? 
They present themselves to their

490
00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:52,280
children as if they have it all 
together. 

491
00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:54,840
Do you know what you do when you
do that? 

492
00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:59,320
You teach your children self 
righteousness and not to depend 

493
00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:01,880
on the righteousness that is 
apart from the law of 

494
00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:04,800
righteousness that comes from 
God according to what Paul 

495
00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:06,760
teaches the church in Romans 
chapter 3. 

496
00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:11,760
You teach them to base their 
righteousness upon themselves or

497
00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:14,560
to base their righteousness upon
what they do. 

498
00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:18,960
You also teach them to hide the 
fact that they don't do things 

499
00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:22,720
right all of the time and they 
are in need of grace and they 

500
00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:26,680
are in need of mercy. 
Paul, you're being transparent. 

501
00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:30,560
He's being honest about his 
depraved condition because the 

502
00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:34,480
self righteousness that once 
held him captive no longer has a

503
00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:36,920
hold on him. 
He's not trying to impress 

504
00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:39,200
anyone. 
He wants them to be impressed. 

505
00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:44,680
With Christ and Christ alone. 
And he clearly states I was a 

506
00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:50,920
blasphemer and a persecutor and 
a violent man, and I was shown 

507
00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:54,240
mercy because I acted in 
ignorance and unbelief. 

508
00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:57,360
He was honest about his depraved
condition. 

509
00:29:57,360 --> 00:29:59,440
He was transparent. 
Not only was he honest about 

510
00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:02,880
that and his transparency, he 
was honest about his desperate 

511
00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:05,120
need for Christ. 
When we're honest about who we 

512
00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:08,600
are apart from Christ, and then 
we can be honest about how much 

513
00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:12,400
we desperately need Christ. 
Paul knew that he desperately 

514
00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:14,000
needed Christ. 
He knew that the people 

515
00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:16,320
listening to this letter, when 
they would have received it and 

516
00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:18,320
Timothy would have read it to 
the church, that there would be 

517
00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:21,720
some there who desperately 
needed Christ, and if he would 

518
00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:24,440
have presented himself as 
someone who had his act all. 

519
00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:28,360
Together, instead of being 
transparent about what he once 

520
00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:32,000
was apart from Christ, he would 
have kept them from seeing their

521
00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:35,440
true need for Christ. 
But he doesn't do that. 

522
00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:38,320
He was honest about his depraved
condition. 

523
00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:41,360
He was also honest about his 
desperate need for Christ, that 

524
00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:46,960
he was completely dependent upon
God's mercy and that had God not

525
00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:50,280
shown him mercy, he would still 
be lost. 

526
00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:54,880
He would still be headed 
straight to hell with all the 

527
00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:58,280
religiosity and all the self 
righteousness that he had had 

528
00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:03,160
his entire life. 
But because of Christ's mercy, 

529
00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:09,000
he now has hope and forgiveness,
restoration. 

530
00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:17,280
He was eternally indebted to God
for the mercy that he had been 

531
00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:20,240
given. 
That mercy was, as we see here, 

532
00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:22,280
abundant. 
He says the grace of our Lord in

533
00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:24,920
14 was poured out to me 
abundantly. 

534
00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:27,880
You know, I was poured out to 
him abundantly because he needed

535
00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:30,200
a lot of it. 
I made you think that God pours 

536
00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:32,480
out His grace abundantly in our 
lives. 

537
00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:34,560
I made you think that God's 
words. 

538
00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:37,320
Says that were sin increased, 
grace did that much more 

539
00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:41,600
increase that His grace is 
always bigger than our sin. 

540
00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:46,960
Paul and his transparency 
clearly communicates that he's 

541
00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,600
being honest about his desperate
need for Christ. 

542
00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:52,960
I wish we would see some leaders
raised up in the church in our 

543
00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:55,720
time who would be honest about 
their desperate need for Christ,

544
00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:58,080
not only at salvation, but 
continually. 

545
00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:01,080
I desperately need Christ. 
Why? 

546
00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:04,240
I don't want to return back to 
being the blasphemer and the 

547
00:32:04,240 --> 00:32:07,920
persecutor and the vile and 
wicked, violent man that I once 

548
00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:11,880
was. 
I want to constantly depend upon

549
00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:17,240
Christ, desperately needing him.
Paul here showing his 

550
00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:21,320
indebtedness to Christ, what 
Christ had done for him. 

551
00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,960
He says the grace of our Lord 
was poured out on me abundantly.

552
00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:29,080
Watch this along with faith. 
Faith being a gift for all you 

553
00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:30,600
people who think faith came from
you. 

554
00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:32,200
Faith came from God. 
It's a gift. 

555
00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:37,240
He says. 
The faith and the love that are 

556
00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:40,160
in Christ Jesus. 
He's saying I received believing

557
00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:44,680
faith because of the grace that 
I have been given in Christ that

558
00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:47,400
was abundantly poured out on me.
Not only that, but I received 

559
00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:51,680
love, enduring everlasting love 
that God has for his children. 

560
00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:55,280
He was indebted to Christ. 
He was being honest about his 

561
00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:58,320
desperate need for what Christ 
had provided for him. 

562
00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:02,800
He personally understood the 
things that he's writing here. 

563
00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:04,960
He's not writing these things 
secondhand. 

564
00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,960
Paul is saying I'm that guy. 
The one who was a blasphemer, a 

565
00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:13,600
wicked man, a persecutor of the 
church, violent even. 

566
00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:22,240
This is what God in Christ 
showed me, my desperate need for

567
00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:25,680
Christ, and I desperately need 
him, and you desperately need 

568
00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:29,320
him as well. 
And is he the Lord who pours out

569
00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:32,120
grace upon those who desperately
need him? 

570
00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:37,280
In fact, Ephesians chapter 2, 
Paul who wrote this same text in

571
00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:40,560
Ephesians that we're reading 
from here in first Timothy, he 

572
00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:43,640
says this verse 2, As for you, 
you were dead in your 

573
00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:45,880
transgressions and sins in which
you used to live when you 

574
00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:48,760
followed the ways of this world 
and of the ruler, the Kingdom of

575
00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:51,320
the air, the Spirit who is now 
at work and those who are 

576
00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:53,000
disobedient. 
He's talking about your past 

577
00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:57,280
life and his past life where he 
followed after sin and Satan. 

578
00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:01,520
He says in verse 3, in case you 
think that this doesn't apply to

579
00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:04,080
you, All of us lived among them 
at one time. 

580
00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:09,679
And those who follow sin and 
those who followed Satan, he 

581
00:34:09,679 --> 00:34:11,840
said, gratifying the cravings of
her flesh and following his 

582
00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:13,320
desires and thoughts like the 
rest. 

583
00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:15,440
We were by nature deserving of 
wrath. 

584
00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:21,400
Watch his indebtedness here, he 
said, but because of his great 

585
00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:26,239
love for us, God, who is rich in
mercy, made us alive with 

586
00:34:26,239 --> 00:34:29,600
Christ, even when we were dead 
in transgressions. 

587
00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:35,639
And he says this famous saying, 
it is by grace you have been 

588
00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:38,679
saved. 
Paul personally understood what 

589
00:34:38,679 --> 00:34:43,719
it means to be saved by the 
grace of God, by no, no, no work

590
00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:47,719
of his own, by no merit of his 
own, but to be saved by God's 

591
00:34:47,719 --> 00:34:49,800
grace. 
He's being honest here about his

592
00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:53,440
desperate need for Christ 
because he was desperately in 

593
00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:57,640
need of God's grace. 
So we see this effective leader 

594
00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:01,640
doing what so many are afraid to
do in the church today. 

595
00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:05,840
That is to be transparent. 
I stand before you today a 

596
00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:08,800
transparent man. 
Oh, please put no faith in Kirk 

597
00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:09,720
Hall. 
Why? 

598
00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:13,800
Because I was once a blasphemer.
I was once a wicked Sinner. 

599
00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:17,800
I was once anything that you can
think of that would describe 

600
00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:19,920
someone who was in opposition to
God. 

601
00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:29,480
But His grace and the grace that
he poured out on me in an 

602
00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:36,560
abundant fashion allowed me to 
believe by the faith that He had

603
00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:41,040
given me and allowed me to 
experience the love that He had 

604
00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:45,360
for me that I never otherwise 
would have experienced. 

605
00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:49,680
So we see Paul's transparency 
here again. 

606
00:35:49,680 --> 00:35:54,080
Mothers, fathers, leaders of any
kind, it is important that we 

607
00:35:54,080 --> 00:35:56,080
are. 
Transparent to those who are 

608
00:35:56,080 --> 00:36:02,280
following us parents, show your 
children that you are flawed and

609
00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:05,400
you are in need of Christ. 
Why? 

610
00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:10,040
So that they will see that they 
are flawed to and in need of 

611
00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:12,960
Christ. 
I have seen family after family 

612
00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:16,720
in churches for for years making
this mistake. 

613
00:36:17,720 --> 00:36:20,880
Now when you're around people 
don't do this, this and this. 

614
00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:25,760
Play like you're perfect when 
you're not around them. 

615
00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:28,880
Do those things. 
No teach your children this. 

616
00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:30,720
You are always in the presence 
of God. 

617
00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:34,080
Live your life, Cormdale, like 
you really are in the presence 

618
00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:36,400
of God. 
And when you blow, it depend on 

619
00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:39,520
the grace of God, because it's 
only the grace of God that will 

620
00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:45,920
rescue you from you. 
Yet instead, oh, let's just 

621
00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:49,760
learn how to play the Christian 
part and never be transparent. 

622
00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:55,600
Parents, you will raise up the 
next generation to be 

623
00:36:55,600 --> 00:37:01,960
self-righteous hypocrites. 
If you do one thing on a Sunday 

624
00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:05,560
morning and you come in here and
you pretend to be perfect and 

625
00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:08,640
that everything is all right, 
and then you live your life not 

626
00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:11,400
depending upon the grace of God,
hiding all the things that 

627
00:37:11,400 --> 00:37:14,280
you're ashamed of instead of 
being honest about them, You are

628
00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:17,680
not being an effective leader. 
Oh, you're a leader all right. 

629
00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:21,000
You're going to lead them down 
the path of self righteousness 

630
00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:24,880
with it, which is as detestable 
of a sin as any you will read 

631
00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:27,400
about in Scripture. 
Be very careful. 

632
00:37:28,120 --> 00:37:31,280
An effective Christian leader 
will always be transparent as 

633
00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:36,440
Paul is here. 
Thirdly, he says in verse 15, 

634
00:37:36,440 --> 00:37:39,000
here's a trustworthy saying that
deserves full acceptance. 

635
00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:42,240
So this is important. 
Pay attention to this. 

636
00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:45,160
It's a trustworthy saying that 
deserves full acceptance. 

637
00:37:45,160 --> 00:37:46,520
This is something that we need 
to fully embrace. 

638
00:37:46,520 --> 00:37:47,840
There is no discussion about 
this. 

639
00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:49,880
Christ. 
Jesus came into the world to 

640
00:37:49,880 --> 00:37:52,640
save sinners. 
And then he adds this little 

641
00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:57,840
footnote there, of whom I am the
worst. 

642
00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:01,840
Now I want you for a second to 
imagine what's going on here, 

643
00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:03,280
because this is really how it 
happened. 

644
00:38:04,280 --> 00:38:07,520
Often we forget this. 
This was a letter Paul wrote to 

645
00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:10,520
his, as we saw last week, true 
son in the faith, Timothy. 

646
00:38:11,400 --> 00:38:13,880
And he's writing him because 
Paul has left him in Ephesus to 

647
00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:16,440
pass through this church, and he
knows that he needs some 

648
00:38:16,440 --> 00:38:19,280
leadership in his life still, 
don't we all? 

649
00:38:20,720 --> 00:38:21,920
And he's writing him this 
letter. 

650
00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:23,640
And he knows that this letter is
going to be written to the 

651
00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:26,200
churches, and it's probably 
going to, as all the letters did

652
00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:28,720
in the New Testament, be cycled 
around to all of the churches of

653
00:38:28,720 --> 00:38:34,080
the day. 
Can you imagine when, Timothy? 

654
00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:39,000
Stood up to read this letter 
there in Ephesus because Ephesus

655
00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:42,880
was a place that we know 
historically was prone to 

656
00:38:42,880 --> 00:38:46,240
idolatry. 
They would worship the goddess 

657
00:38:46,240 --> 00:38:48,720
Artemis or otherwise known as 
Diana. 

658
00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:52,960
And in those temples of Artemis 
or Diana, there were temple 

659
00:38:52,960 --> 00:38:55,200
prostitutes. 
And did you know this, the 

660
00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:58,400
gospel going forth in Ephesus, 
It was probably under the sound 

661
00:38:58,400 --> 00:39:01,120
of Timothy's voice when he read 
this letter the first time. 

662
00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:06,760
A former temple prostitute had 
come to faith in Jesus Christ, 

663
00:39:06,760 --> 00:39:09,840
who still kind of sat in the 
back of the church because she 

664
00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:13,680
knew that people knew her past 
and knew how awful she was and 

665
00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:16,400
knew that her whole life she had
been a prostitute. 

666
00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:23,680
She was potentially sitting in 
the back when this was read, and

667
00:39:23,680 --> 00:39:26,200
she would have heard this. 
Here's a trustworthy saying that

668
00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:30,400
deserves full acceptance. 
Christ Jesus came into the world

669
00:39:30,400 --> 00:39:33,080
to save sinners, and you know, 
it entered into her mind as it 

670
00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:36,680
once entered into my mind. 
Yeah, but not sinners who are as

671
00:39:36,680 --> 00:39:40,640
bad as me. 
Have you heard that lie before? 

672
00:39:42,760 --> 00:39:47,960
Only to have Paul follow up with
this, of whom I am the worst. 

673
00:39:48,840 --> 00:39:52,120
She is hearing a letter from the
apostle to the Gentiles read by 

674
00:39:52,120 --> 00:39:54,560
her pastor. 
And the apostle to the Gentiles 

675
00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:58,160
says to the church, I am the 
worst of sinners. 

676
00:39:58,360 --> 00:40:01,120
And I needed Jesus to come to 
this earth. 

677
00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:05,160
And the purpose that he came to 
this earth was so that sinners 

678
00:40:05,160 --> 00:40:07,760
could be saved. 
Do you see what's happening 

679
00:40:07,760 --> 00:40:10,440
here? 
Oh, don't read past these things

680
00:40:10,440 --> 00:40:13,680
in Scripture. 
Paul's letting you know that God

681
00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:16,760
can and does save the most 
wicked of sinners. 

682
00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:23,320
He saves all of those who like 
he are fully trusting in Jesus 

683
00:40:23,320 --> 00:40:25,080
atonement. 
That's what he's doing here. 

684
00:40:25,200 --> 00:40:28,280
Paul understood that that his 
once thought righteousness 

685
00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:31,800
counted for nothing and the only
thing that counted for his 

686
00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:35,160
salvation is Christ, the one who
came to save even the worst of 

687
00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:38,320
all sinners. 
Paul says this about himself in 

688
00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:40,800
Philippians chapter 3 verse 
four. 

689
00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:45,240
He says, though I myself have 
reasons for such confidence, if 

690
00:40:45,240 --> 00:40:47,520
someone else thinks they have 
reasons to put confidence in the

691
00:40:47,520 --> 00:40:50,120
flesh, I have more right. 
There were those who were saying

692
00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:52,360
that I have confidence in my 
flesh because I've done certain 

693
00:40:52,360 --> 00:40:53,640
things. 
Paul says I've done good things 

694
00:40:53,640 --> 00:40:55,720
too. 
They were often the wrong 

695
00:40:55,720 --> 00:40:58,640
motives. 
He says in verse 5 circumcised 

696
00:40:58,640 --> 00:41:01,000
on the eighth day of the people 
of Israel of the tribe of 

697
00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:04,080
Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews in
regard to the law of Pharisee. 

698
00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:07,000
As for zeal persecuting the 
church As for righteousness 

699
00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:09,840
based on the law faultless. 
He said I lived what people 

700
00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:11,920
would say was a pretty 
righteous. 

701
00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:16,880
Life. 
But it was nothing because he 

702
00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:18,800
did it in his own power and he 
did it in his own strength. 

703
00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:21,480
He wasn't fully trusting in the 
atoning work of Jesus Christ, he

704
00:41:21,480 --> 00:41:24,440
says in verse 7. 
But whatever were gains to me, I

705
00:41:24,440 --> 00:41:26,840
now considered a loss for the 
sake of Christ. 

706
00:41:27,440 --> 00:41:29,520
What is more, I consider 
everything a loss because of the

707
00:41:29,520 --> 00:41:32,320
surpassing worth of knowing 
Christ Jesus my Lord for his 

708
00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:33,800
sake. 
I have lost all things, he says.

709
00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:37,080
I've lost it all and I'm gladly 
in a position where I have lost 

710
00:41:37,080 --> 00:41:38,560
it all. 
I'm thankful that I have lost it

711
00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:40,200
all because I've gained Christ, 
he said. 

712
00:41:40,200 --> 00:41:41,800
I consider everything else that 
I've lost. 

713
00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:48,520
I consider it to be garbage. 
Skibulan in the Greek, he says 

714
00:41:48,520 --> 00:41:50,840
that I'm a gained Christ to be 
found in Him not having a 

715
00:41:50,840 --> 00:41:52,680
righteousness of my own that 
comes from the law. 

716
00:41:52,680 --> 00:41:54,800
Why He knew what a righteousness
that come from the law. 

717
00:41:54,800 --> 00:41:58,800
Looks like I left him empty. 
He just said that, He said. 

718
00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:01,200
As for the law, righteousness. 
I lived a good life, man. 

719
00:42:01,200 --> 00:42:02,880
People would look at me and 
think he's got it all together. 

720
00:42:02,880 --> 00:42:06,440
I didn't have anything together.
About that which is through 

721
00:42:06,440 --> 00:42:08,280
faith in Christ, the 
righteousness that comes from 

722
00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:11,600
God on the basis of faith. 
Faith in who faith in what faith

723
00:42:11,600 --> 00:42:14,840
in Christ and who he is and the 
atoning work that he did at the 

724
00:42:14,840 --> 00:42:16,840
cross. 
Here we see Paul fully trusting 

725
00:42:16,840 --> 00:42:19,520
in Jesus atonement and that 
alone for salvation. 

726
00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:23,080
He understood and he wants 
everyone else to understand that

727
00:42:23,080 --> 00:42:24,760
the. 
Law can never save. 

728
00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:28,880
Only Christ can save sinners. 
He plainly says that here. 

729
00:42:29,040 --> 00:42:30,760
Now look at it in the context of
his life. 

730
00:42:31,800 --> 00:42:34,480
He was obedient unto the law, 
but yet he was lost. 

731
00:42:34,640 --> 00:42:37,560
He was a Pharisee among the 
Pharisees, but yet he was lost. 

732
00:42:38,040 --> 00:42:41,320
He was of the tribe of Benjamin,
circumcised on the 8th day, but 

733
00:42:41,320 --> 00:42:44,920
yet he was lost. 
And all those things mean 

734
00:42:44,920 --> 00:42:47,960
nothing, why? 
They were all done in the flesh,

735
00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:52,720
but he is fully trusting his 
fully putting his faith and his 

736
00:42:52,720 --> 00:42:56,920
trust in the atoning work of 
Jesus Christ to save him because

737
00:42:56,920 --> 00:43:00,680
he knew the law never could and 
it wasn't designed to do that. 

738
00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:05,880
Romans 8 verse one. 
There he says, therefore there 

739
00:43:05,880 --> 00:43:09,520
is now no condemnation for those
who are in Christ Jesus because 

740
00:43:09,560 --> 00:43:12,040
because through Christ Jesus the
law of the Spirit who gives life

741
00:43:12,040 --> 00:43:13,960
has set you free from the law of
sin and death. 

742
00:43:14,520 --> 00:43:17,320
What the law was powerless to do
because it was weakened by the 

743
00:43:17,320 --> 00:43:20,520
flesh, God did by sending his 
own Son in the likeness of 

744
00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:22,760
sinful flesh to be a. 
Sin offering. 

745
00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:25,560
And so he condemns sin in the 
flesh. 

746
00:43:25,680 --> 00:43:28,840
He's saying my hope is not in 
observing the law. 

747
00:43:28,880 --> 00:43:31,600
I once put my hope in that and 
it was futile. 

748
00:43:32,760 --> 00:43:36,720
My hope is in Christ. 
Galatians 2 verse 16 He gives 

749
00:43:36,720 --> 00:43:39,800
clarity to the Galatians. 
He said no, that a person is not

750
00:43:39,800 --> 00:43:42,720
justified by the works of the 
law but by faith in Jesus 

751
00:43:42,720 --> 00:43:44,960
Christ. 
So we too have put our faith in 

752
00:43:44,960 --> 00:43:48,200
Christ Jesus that we may be 
justified by faith in Christ and

753
00:43:48,200 --> 00:43:50,880
not by the works of the law, 
because by the works of the law 

754
00:43:51,000 --> 00:43:56,360
no one will be justified. 
This is Paul fully trusting in 

755
00:43:56,360 --> 00:43:59,560
Jesus atonement. 
An effective Christian leader 

756
00:43:59,680 --> 00:44:03,840
will always be trusting in the 
atoning work of Jesus Christ and

757
00:44:03,840 --> 00:44:06,960
that alone. 
Not their ministry accolades, 

758
00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:11,480
Not their achievements. 
Not awards, Not success. 

759
00:44:12,600 --> 00:44:16,080
They will be trusting in Jesus 
atonement. 

760
00:44:17,240 --> 00:44:20,800
Paul understood this. 
That's why he says here's a 

761
00:44:20,800 --> 00:44:23,760
trustworthy saying that deserves
full acceptance. 

762
00:44:23,880 --> 00:44:26,800
You can take this to the bank as
100% true. 

763
00:44:26,840 --> 00:44:30,320
Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners, of whom I am 

764
00:44:30,320 --> 00:44:32,200
the worst. 
What was he saying? 

765
00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:40,200
I even I needed salvation from 
Christ because I was the worst 

766
00:44:40,640 --> 00:44:43,040
of sinners. 
I was the one who was a 

767
00:44:43,040 --> 00:44:47,760
blasphemer and a persecutor and 
a violent man against God's 

768
00:44:47,760 --> 00:44:51,880
people. 
Yet by fully trusting in the 

769
00:44:51,880 --> 00:44:57,480
atoning work of Christ, I even I
can be washed and can be 

770
00:44:57,480 --> 00:45:02,360
cleansed and can be for forgiven
of all of my sin and my 

771
00:45:02,360 --> 00:45:04,960
defilement. 
Not only do we see him trusting 

772
00:45:04,960 --> 00:45:07,520
here, fully trusting in Jesus 
atonement, he's also fully 

773
00:45:07,520 --> 00:45:12,080
trusting in Jesus ability. 
I told you he put that tag on 

774
00:45:12,080 --> 00:45:16,440
there, of whom I am the worst. 
He was putting that on there 

775
00:45:16,440 --> 00:45:19,080
because there would be people 
who were in the church again who

776
00:45:19,080 --> 00:45:21,560
thought there's no way that he 
could ever save me. 

777
00:45:23,680 --> 00:45:26,640
Paul put himself in the position
of the worst so that others 

778
00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:30,960
would realize. 
He can save the most wicked and 

779
00:45:30,960 --> 00:45:34,040
the most vile. 
He can save the drunkard and the

780
00:45:34,040 --> 00:45:36,160
adulterer and the sexually 
immoral. 

781
00:45:36,600 --> 00:45:40,000
He can save the coveter. 
He can save the murderer. 

782
00:45:40,360 --> 00:45:45,520
He can save anyone if he can 
save the one who is the worst of

783
00:45:45,520 --> 00:45:48,120
sinners. 
Paul is saying see this as the 

784
00:45:48,120 --> 00:45:52,960
example that it is and fully 
trust in Christ's ability to 

785
00:45:52,960 --> 00:45:56,760
save anyone. 
I don't care how vile or how 

786
00:45:56,760 --> 00:46:02,080
wicked they are. 
Paul said if he saved me, he can

787
00:46:02,080 --> 00:46:08,640
save anyone. 
Paul clinging the words of God 

788
00:46:08,640 --> 00:46:12,680
in Isaiah chapter one verse 18. 
The Lord says through Isaiah, 

789
00:46:12,680 --> 00:46:14,880
come now, let us settle the 
matter, says the Lord. 

790
00:46:15,520 --> 00:46:17,000
Let's settle this once and for 
all. 

791
00:46:17,640 --> 00:46:20,440
Though your sins are like 
scarlet, they shall be white as 

792
00:46:20,440 --> 00:46:23,480
snow. 
Though they are red as Crimson, 

793
00:46:24,320 --> 00:46:29,640
they shall be like wool. 
What confidence Paul had, what 

794
00:46:29,640 --> 00:46:34,320
confidence Isaiah Speaking of, 
and the fact that we can trust 

795
00:46:34,320 --> 00:46:39,400
in Jesus ability to cleanse us 
from the dirtiest, the most 

796
00:46:39,400 --> 00:46:43,920
wicked, the most heinous sin in 
our lives. 

797
00:46:44,440 --> 00:46:48,920
Paul wanting them as a good and 
and effective Christian leader 

798
00:46:49,080 --> 00:46:52,240
to learn how to trust not in 
themselves. 

799
00:46:53,000 --> 00:46:55,640
He had already spent his life 
trusting in himself. 

800
00:46:57,200 --> 00:47:00,520
And he learned the hard way that
we're not to trust in ourselves.

801
00:47:01,280 --> 00:47:02,560
Why? 
Because you can be self 

802
00:47:02,560 --> 00:47:09,120
deceived, but to instead fully 
trust in Christ. 

803
00:47:09,360 --> 00:47:11,360
I know what some of you do 
because I've done it in my life.

804
00:47:12,520 --> 00:47:14,880
Or you take inventory of your 
life and you say, you know what 

805
00:47:15,840 --> 00:47:17,600
man, I've really blown it this 
time. 

806
00:47:19,560 --> 00:47:22,560
I just don't know if God's going
to forgive me of this. 

807
00:47:23,560 --> 00:47:25,680
And you know why you think like 
that? 

808
00:47:26,080 --> 00:47:27,960
Because what you're doing, 
you're putting yourself in the 

809
00:47:27,960 --> 00:47:29,760
position of God. 
What you're really saying, if I 

810
00:47:29,760 --> 00:47:33,440
was God, I wouldn't forgive me. 
Aren't you thankful today that 

811
00:47:33,440 --> 00:47:36,840
you're not God? 
Let me say that again. 

812
00:47:36,840 --> 00:47:38,720
Aren't you thankful today that 
you're not God? 

813
00:47:42,440 --> 00:47:50,160
God can and he does forgive. 
According to our example today, 

814
00:47:50,680 --> 00:47:54,360
the worst, those sinners, Paul 
was the worst until I was born. 

815
00:47:54,360 --> 00:48:00,040
He's now second worst. 
I stand here before you today to

816
00:48:00,040 --> 00:48:05,640
say, as he has said, if God can 
forgive me of all the vile and 

817
00:48:05,640 --> 00:48:07,920
wicked things that I have done 
and I have thought in my 

818
00:48:07,920 --> 00:48:12,200
lifetime, there's not a person 
under the sound of my voice in 

819
00:48:12,200 --> 00:48:16,760
this room today who He will not 
forgive if you repent of your 

820
00:48:16,760 --> 00:48:18,680
sin and you turn to Christ this 
very day. 

821
00:48:19,400 --> 00:48:22,280
Paul teaching those who are 
following him to fully trust not

822
00:48:22,280 --> 00:48:25,040
only in the atoning work of 
Christ, but also in the ability 

823
00:48:25,040 --> 00:48:28,640
of Christ to do exactly what he 
said that he can do. 

824
00:48:29,240 --> 00:48:35,200
And what is that? 
That is to save all who call 

825
00:48:35,480 --> 00:48:41,760
upon His name. 
Stop gauging the magnitude of 

826
00:48:41,760 --> 00:48:48,760
your wickedness by your sin. 
Look to the ultimate sacrifice 

827
00:48:48,760 --> 00:48:52,920
of Jesus Christ that relieves 
you and frees you from that sin.

828
00:48:53,720 --> 00:48:59,160
Effective leader will constantly
be reminding others to do just 

829
00:48:59,160 --> 00:49:03,080
that. 
Trust in Christ, reminding them 

830
00:49:04,040 --> 00:49:10,960
what John said in his gospel as 
he penned the words of Jesus in 

831
00:49:11,080 --> 00:49:14,440
John 638 where he says, For I 
have come down from heaven not 

832
00:49:14,440 --> 00:49:16,680
to do my will, but to do the 
will of him who sent me. 

833
00:49:17,560 --> 00:49:19,960
This is the will of him who sent
me, that I shall lose none of 

834
00:49:19,960 --> 00:49:22,600
all he has given me, but raise 
them up at the last day. 

835
00:49:23,160 --> 00:49:26,480
For my Father's will is that 
everyone who looks to the Son 

836
00:49:26,760 --> 00:49:29,200
and believes in Him shall have 
eternal life. 

837
00:49:29,200 --> 00:49:34,960
And I will raise them up at the 
last day, even the worst of 

838
00:49:34,960 --> 00:49:38,280
sinners who fully trust in 
Christ. 

839
00:49:39,000 --> 00:49:45,440
Paul being an effective 
Christian leader by teaching us 

840
00:49:46,560 --> 00:49:49,720
to be people who are trusting 
Christ in every situation, His 

841
00:49:49,720 --> 00:49:55,560
atonement, his ability, we moved
to the 4th trade of an effective

842
00:49:55,560 --> 00:50:00,120
Christian leader today. 
He says in verse 16. 

843
00:50:01,200 --> 00:50:07,200
But for that very reason I was 
shown mercy, so that in me the 

844
00:50:07,200 --> 00:50:10,960
worst of sinners. 
Christ Jesus might display his 

845
00:50:10,960 --> 00:50:15,400
unlimited patience as an example
for those who would believe on 

846
00:50:15,400 --> 00:50:21,840
Him and receive eternal life. 
Paul begins talking about this 

847
00:50:22,160 --> 00:50:26,480
fourth trait, which is the fact 
that he has been transformed. 

848
00:50:26,640 --> 00:50:28,600
He begins talking about. 
This. 

849
00:50:29,640 --> 00:50:32,640
By letting us know that this 
transformation that he has 

850
00:50:32,640 --> 00:50:36,200
actually experienced in his life
through Christ, it is a 

851
00:50:36,200 --> 00:50:40,600
compelling transformation. 
Paul, as he wrote in 2nd 

852
00:50:40,600 --> 00:50:43,960
Corinthians 517, he said if 
we're in Christ, we're in new 

853
00:50:43,960 --> 00:50:46,600
creation. 
All the old is gone. 

854
00:50:46,600 --> 00:50:50,360
Behold, all things have been 
made new, not some things, all 

855
00:50:50,360 --> 00:50:55,280
thing. 
And this is a supernatural 

856
00:50:55,280 --> 00:50:59,720
transformation that is only done
by God through Christ. 

857
00:51:02,360 --> 00:51:04,600
And it is a compelling 
transformation. 

858
00:51:05,080 --> 00:51:07,040
Watch how Paul actually worded 
that. 

859
00:51:07,040 --> 00:51:10,240
He said, But for that very 
reason, the fact that I am the 

860
00:51:10,240 --> 00:51:14,120
worst of sinners, who was once a
blasphemer, A persecutor, and a 

861
00:51:14,120 --> 00:51:18,600
violent man, and I have been 
saved simply because Christ came

862
00:51:18,600 --> 00:51:25,000
into this world to save Sinner. 
Of which I am the worst, and he 

863
00:51:25,000 --> 00:51:28,000
says, and the reason that he 
saved me and he showed to me 

864
00:51:28,000 --> 00:51:32,080
mercy, He who's the worst of 
sinners. 

865
00:51:34,200 --> 00:51:36,680
So Christ Jesus might display 
His unlimited patience as an 

866
00:51:36,680 --> 00:51:39,960
example for those who would 
believe on Him and receive 

867
00:51:40,000 --> 00:51:44,640
eternal life He. 
Says, because God has 

868
00:51:44,640 --> 00:51:50,160
transformed me through the 
gospel, let that be an example 

869
00:51:50,160 --> 00:51:56,240
to all of you that he can as 
well transform you and it just 

870
00:51:56,240 --> 00:51:58,320
ought to compel you. 
When you see the worst of 

871
00:51:58,320 --> 00:52:02,280
sinners being transparent, 
telling you exactly who he once 

872
00:52:02,280 --> 00:52:06,960
was and now who he is in Christ.
It ought to compel you to say, I

873
00:52:06,960 --> 00:52:10,520
need that kind of transformation
in my life. 

874
00:52:10,720 --> 00:52:13,320
Now don't be that person who 
sits back and says, well, I need

875
00:52:13,320 --> 00:52:15,080
that kind of transformation in 
my life. 

876
00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:17,520
But man, there's no way that God
could ever save me because I've 

877
00:52:17,520 --> 00:52:21,160
been too awful. 
Paul is taking that away from 

878
00:52:21,160 --> 00:52:24,040
you right here. 
He's saying there's no one who's

879
00:52:24,040 --> 00:52:28,920
been as awful as me, and let 
this serve for you as an example

880
00:52:28,920 --> 00:52:31,800
of God's patience. 
If God was patient with me, 

881
00:52:31,880 --> 00:52:35,280
bringing me to salvation, he's 
also been patient with you, 

882
00:52:35,480 --> 00:52:38,440
bringing you to salvation. 
And you were here this very 

883
00:52:38,440 --> 00:52:42,000
morning to hear the gospel 
message and to believe that 

884
00:52:42,000 --> 00:52:45,240
message and to turn from your 
sin so that your life will be 

885
00:52:45,240 --> 00:52:48,640
transformed just as He has 
transformed my life. 

886
00:52:50,480 --> 00:52:53,640
Wasn't it amazing when we read 
the Bible instead of just 

887
00:52:53,640 --> 00:52:57,560
reading the Bible? 
We see what he's really getting 

888
00:52:57,560 --> 00:53:00,000
at here. 
We put it in the right 

889
00:53:00,000 --> 00:53:02,680
perspective that this is a real 
man, a real leader in the 

890
00:53:02,680 --> 00:53:07,760
church, writing to real people. 
We struggle with the real things

891
00:53:07,760 --> 00:53:12,880
that we all struggle with. 
To all of us. 

892
00:53:12,880 --> 00:53:15,360
He's saying this as an effective
Christian leader. 

893
00:53:17,680 --> 00:53:22,640
If God can transform me, and He 
did, he can transform you in 

894
00:53:22,640 --> 00:53:25,960
Christ as well. 
In fact, that's what He came to 

895
00:53:25,960 --> 00:53:28,760
do to save sinners, of whom I am
the very worst. 

896
00:53:29,360 --> 00:53:33,880
And if he can save the worst, he
can save you and he can save 

897
00:53:33,880 --> 00:53:37,360
you, and he can save you and he 
can save you and he can save you

898
00:53:37,520 --> 00:53:40,440
and he can save you and you and 
you, and you, and you, and you, 

899
00:53:40,440 --> 00:53:41,800
and you, and you, and you and 
you and you. 

900
00:53:43,840 --> 00:53:46,160
He can save all who repent and 
turn to Christ by faith, 

901
00:53:46,160 --> 00:53:52,800
trusting in Him. 
Oh, this should compel us to 

902
00:53:52,800 --> 00:53:54,600
desire that transformation 
today. 

903
00:53:55,400 --> 00:53:58,160
Hear the words of the apostle 
Paul that I was transformed by 

904
00:53:58,160 --> 00:54:01,600
the grace of God, the patience 
of God. 

905
00:54:01,600 --> 00:54:06,440
And he too has been patient with
you so that you can hear the 

906
00:54:06,440 --> 00:54:10,880
same message today and believe 
on Christ as Lord and Savior, 

907
00:54:10,880 --> 00:54:14,320
resulting in eternal life for 
you, just as it resulted in 

908
00:54:14,320 --> 00:54:17,440
eternal life for me. 
He says, But for that very 

909
00:54:17,440 --> 00:54:19,800
reason, I was shown mercy, so 
that in me the worst of sinners 

910
00:54:19,800 --> 00:54:23,360
Christ Jesus might display is 
unlimited patience as an example

911
00:54:23,360 --> 00:54:25,720
for those who would believe on 
Him and receive eternal life. 

912
00:54:25,720 --> 00:54:32,280
I'm so thankful for God's 
unlimited patience in my life. 

913
00:54:34,320 --> 00:54:37,400
Oh, how many times I have looked
back on my life and I've asked 

914
00:54:37,400 --> 00:54:40,120
this question, God, why didn't 
you just kill me and sentence me

915
00:54:40,120 --> 00:54:43,760
to hell? 
Because that's what I deserve. 

916
00:54:45,520 --> 00:54:47,840
Why didn't you just let me die 
in my sin? 

917
00:54:50,360 --> 00:54:54,120
Why would you so graciously, 
lovingly and kindly and 

918
00:54:54,120 --> 00:55:00,000
mercifully rescue me? 
Well, the answer is this. 

919
00:55:01,320 --> 00:55:07,000
So that others would see that if
he can rescue Kirk Hall and he 

920
00:55:07,000 --> 00:55:10,720
can be patient with Kirk Hall, 
he can rescue me. 

921
00:55:11,320 --> 00:55:16,120
He can save me. 
One effective leader will speak 

922
00:55:16,120 --> 00:55:19,680
of this compelling 
transformation so that others 

923
00:55:20,280 --> 00:55:22,440
will be compelled to follow 
Christ. 

924
00:55:24,680 --> 00:55:29,880
Galatians chapter 1 verses 13 
through 24 and rather lengthy 

925
00:55:29,880 --> 00:55:33,560
portion of scripture. 
Apostle Paul gives us a 

926
00:55:33,560 --> 00:55:36,320
description of what happened in 
his life and I want to read it 

927
00:55:36,320 --> 00:55:39,760
with you if that's OK. 
He says where you have heard of 

928
00:55:39,760 --> 00:55:44,200
my previous way of life and 
Judaism, how I and intensely 

929
00:55:44,920 --> 00:55:47,320
persecuted the Church of God and
tried to destroy it. 

930
00:55:48,120 --> 00:55:51,560
I was advancing in Judaism 
beyond many of my own age among 

931
00:55:51,560 --> 00:55:54,200
my people, and was extremely 
zealous for the traditions of my

932
00:55:54,200 --> 00:55:58,560
father. 
But when God, who set me apart 

933
00:55:58,560 --> 00:56:02,200
from my mother's womb and called
me by His grace, was pleased to 

934
00:56:02,200 --> 00:56:05,000
reveal His Son and me so that I 
might preach Him among the 

935
00:56:05,000 --> 00:56:08,320
Gentiles, my immediate response 
was not to consult any human 

936
00:56:08,320 --> 00:56:10,760
being. 
I did not go up to Jerusalem to 

937
00:56:10,760 --> 00:56:13,480
see those who were apostles 
before I was, but I went into 

938
00:56:13,480 --> 00:56:16,400
Arabia. 
Later I returned to Damascus, 

939
00:56:16,840 --> 00:56:19,800
Paul going to Arabia, being 
taught by Jesus himself there in

940
00:56:19,800 --> 00:56:21,960
verse 18 it says. 
Then after three years I went up

941
00:56:21,960 --> 00:56:25,120
to Jerusalem to get acquainted 
with Cephas, that's Peter, and 

942
00:56:25,120 --> 00:56:28,880
stayed with him 15 days. 
And I saw none of the other 

943
00:56:28,880 --> 00:56:30,640
apostles, only James, the Lord's
brother. 

944
00:56:31,640 --> 00:56:34,600
I assure you before God that 
what I'm writing you is no lie. 

945
00:56:35,680 --> 00:56:37,280
Then I went to Syria and 
Cilicia. 

946
00:56:37,880 --> 00:56:40,800
I was personally unknown to the 
churches of Judea that are in 

947
00:56:40,800 --> 00:56:42,960
Christ. 
They only heard the report. 

948
00:56:44,480 --> 00:56:47,760
The man who formally persecuted 
us is now preaching the faith he

949
00:56:47,760 --> 00:56:53,320
once tried to destroy. 
And they praised God because of 

950
00:56:53,320 --> 00:56:55,000
me. 
How do you see how this 

951
00:56:55,000 --> 00:56:58,480
transformation is compelling? 
These people heard of Paul. 

952
00:56:59,080 --> 00:57:01,720
They knew him when he was still 
referred to as Saul, the 

953
00:57:01,720 --> 00:57:05,120
persecutor of the church. 
And he said they, they they had 

954
00:57:05,120 --> 00:57:07,920
no other way of knowing me other
than by mouth. 

955
00:57:07,920 --> 00:57:11,680
And what they heard by mouth was
this, this vile, wicked 

956
00:57:11,680 --> 00:57:15,360
persecutor of the church and 
blasphemer and violent man. 

957
00:57:15,440 --> 00:57:20,800
He has been transformed. 
And if he can be transformed, 

958
00:57:20,880 --> 00:57:26,240
anyone can be transformed. 
What a compelling 

959
00:57:27,280 --> 00:57:30,880
transformation. 
An effective leader will always 

960
00:57:30,880 --> 00:57:37,120
speak of that transformation, 
not that he has something to 

961
00:57:37,120 --> 00:57:42,480
offer, that he has any wisdom of
himself. 

962
00:57:45,240 --> 00:57:48,960
So he will always speak of the 
transformation and live that 

963
00:57:48,960 --> 00:57:51,920
transformed life that only the 
gospel bring. 

964
00:57:55,280 --> 00:57:59,840
You see, this compelling 
transformation before can be a 

965
00:57:59,840 --> 00:58:02,280
compelling transformation. 
It has to be a complete 

966
00:58:02,680 --> 00:58:07,560
transformation. 
They noticed that the man who 

967
00:58:07,560 --> 00:58:10,400
formally persecuted us is now 
preaching the faith he once 

968
00:58:10,400 --> 00:58:13,360
tried to destroy. 
That is the exact opposite. 

969
00:58:13,360 --> 00:58:18,440
That is what we call repentance.
He was a persecutor of the 

970
00:58:18,440 --> 00:58:21,000
Church. 
And a violent man toward the 

971
00:58:21,000 --> 00:58:22,720
church and a blasphemer toward 
God. 

972
00:58:22,840 --> 00:58:27,600
And now he has turned 180°. 
And the message and the people 

973
00:58:27,600 --> 00:58:31,200
who preached the message that he
once persecuted, he's now 

974
00:58:31,200 --> 00:58:36,120
preaching the same message. 
All glory and honor and praise 

975
00:58:36,120 --> 00:58:42,520
be unto Jesus Christ our. 
Lord an effective leader. 

976
00:58:44,200 --> 00:58:49,000
We'll be a transformed leader. 
He'll be completely transformed 

977
00:58:49,920 --> 00:58:54,320
from Violet blasphemer to a true
worshipper and a follower of 

978
00:58:54,320 --> 00:58:56,040
Christ. 
Watch what happens next in this 

979
00:58:56,040 --> 00:59:01,760
text, verse 17. 
The Apostle Paul has a moment 

980
00:59:01,760 --> 00:59:05,520
here, as we all ought to have 
moments when we think back on 

981
00:59:05,520 --> 00:59:07,560
what we once were apart from 
Christ. 

982
00:59:08,960 --> 00:59:11,760
He says I was a blasphemer and a
persecutor of the church and a 

983
00:59:11,760 --> 00:59:14,280
violent man. 
I am the worst of sinners and 

984
00:59:14,280 --> 00:59:16,280
apart from God's grace I am 
nothing. 

985
00:59:16,280 --> 00:59:21,520
You know what he doesn't do? 
He doesn't say, oh, we look at 

986
00:59:21,520 --> 00:59:25,760
me now. 
No, he breaks, breaks into a 

987
00:59:25,760 --> 00:59:29,640
doxology unto the Lord now, to 
the King eternal now. 

988
00:59:30,880 --> 00:59:34,320
Because of all of this, now 
here's my response to him. 

989
00:59:34,400 --> 00:59:38,280
He is King, eternal, immortal, 
invisible, the only God, and to 

990
00:59:38,280 --> 00:59:41,080
him be honor and glory, forever 
and ever. 

991
00:59:41,360 --> 00:59:44,480
Amen. 
Because he has been totally and 

992
00:59:44,480 --> 00:59:48,600
completely transformed from a 
blasphemer and a persecutor and 

993
00:59:48,600 --> 00:59:50,520
a man who did violence to the 
church. 

994
00:59:50,640 --> 00:59:55,920
Now he is a true worshipper. 
Falling on his face. 

995
00:59:57,480 --> 01:00:00,720
I'm saying it's you, King. 
It was done at all. 

996
01:00:02,440 --> 01:00:08,360
It is you, O God, King, eternal,
immortal, invisible, the only 

997
01:00:08,360 --> 01:00:12,520
one true God. 
Honor and glory to you forever 

998
01:00:12,600 --> 01:00:14,160
and ever. 
Amen. 

999
01:00:14,160 --> 01:00:18,920
We see that complete 
transformation, that violent 

1000
01:00:19,560 --> 01:00:25,920
blasphemer transformed into a 
true worshipper of the one true 

1001
01:00:25,920 --> 01:00:31,280
God, King, eternal, immortal, 
invisible, his entire life 

1002
01:00:31,280 --> 01:00:35,800
transformed for his glory and 
for his praise. 

1003
01:00:37,440 --> 01:00:46,040
Acts chapter 22, verse 3. 
It says this Paul giving an 

1004
01:00:46,040 --> 01:00:48,240
account of himself. 
He said, I am a Jew, born of 

1005
01:00:48,240 --> 01:00:52,200
Tarsus and Cilicia, but brought 
up in this city. 

1006
01:00:52,200 --> 01:00:55,360
I studied under Gamma Liu and 
was thoroughly trained in the 

1007
01:00:55,360 --> 01:00:58,800
law of our ancestors. 
I was just as zealous for God as

1008
01:00:58,800 --> 01:01:02,120
any of you are today. 
I persecuted the followers of 

1009
01:01:02,120 --> 01:01:05,080
this way to their death, resting
both men and women, throwing 

1010
01:01:05,080 --> 01:01:09,280
them into prison as the high 
priest and all the council can 

1011
01:01:09,280 --> 01:01:12,840
themselves testify. 
I even obtained letters from 

1012
01:01:12,840 --> 01:01:15,880
them to their to their 
associates in Damascus and went 

1013
01:01:15,880 --> 01:01:19,160
there to bring these people as 
prisoners to Jerusalem to be 

1014
01:01:19,160 --> 01:01:21,720
punished. 
About noon, as I came near 

1015
01:01:21,720 --> 01:01:24,640
Damascus, suddenly a bright 
light from heaven flashed around

1016
01:01:24,640 --> 01:01:27,640
me, and I fell to the ground, 
and I heard a voice say to me, 

1017
01:01:27,640 --> 01:01:30,040
Saul, Saul, why do you persecute
me? 

1018
01:01:30,880 --> 01:01:32,520
Who are you, Lord? 
I asked. 

1019
01:01:33,240 --> 01:01:37,200
I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you 
were persecuting, He replied. 

1020
01:01:37,880 --> 01:01:40,440
My companions saw the light, but
they did not understand the 

1021
01:01:40,440 --> 01:01:42,440
voice of him who was speaking to
me. 

1022
01:01:43,160 --> 01:01:49,640
What shall I do, Lord, I ask. 
Get up, the Lord said, would go 

1023
01:01:49,640 --> 01:01:52,640
into Damascus, and there you 
would be told all that you have 

1024
01:01:52,640 --> 01:01:59,200
been assigned to do. 
My companions led me by the hand

1025
01:01:59,200 --> 01:02:01,360
into Damascus because the 
brilliance of the light had 

1026
01:02:01,360 --> 01:02:05,160
blinded me. 
A man named Ananias came to see 

1027
01:02:05,160 --> 01:02:07,440
me. 
He was a devout observer of the 

1028
01:02:07,440 --> 01:02:10,000
law and highly respected by all 
the Jews living there. 

1029
01:02:10,560 --> 01:02:13,000
And he stood beside me and said,
Brother Saul received your 

1030
01:02:13,000 --> 01:02:16,280
sight, and at that very moment I
was able to see him. 

1031
01:02:16,960 --> 01:02:21,680
And then he said, The God of our
ancestors has chosen you to know

1032
01:02:21,680 --> 01:02:25,960
his will and to see the 
righteous, 1 and to hear words 

1033
01:02:25,960 --> 01:02:29,240
from his mouth. 
You will be witness to all 

1034
01:02:29,240 --> 01:02:34,360
people of what you have seen and
have heard. 

1035
01:02:36,360 --> 01:02:44,320
Or what grace is this, that God 
would completely transform a man

1036
01:02:46,680 --> 01:02:51,240
simply by encountering the Lord 
Jesus Christ? 

1037
01:02:52,840 --> 01:02:57,760
We see this example of that kind
of transformation, a man who was

1038
01:02:57,760 --> 01:03:03,880
on his way to Damascus to arrest
more Christians and bring them 

1039
01:03:03,880 --> 01:03:07,120
back to Jerusalem to be tortured
and even killed. 

1040
01:03:09,960 --> 01:03:13,120
And Jesus could have, with that 
same light that he blinded him 

1041
01:03:13,120 --> 01:03:16,520
with, struck him dead on that 
road right in front of all of 

1042
01:03:16,520 --> 01:03:23,360
his companions. 
God had a different desire, and 

1043
01:03:23,360 --> 01:03:25,960
his desire was to transform him 
completely. 

1044
01:03:27,520 --> 01:03:31,800
Take a blasphemer and the 
persecutor, the wicked and vile 

1045
01:03:31,800 --> 01:03:38,480
and violent man, to use him for 
the will of God and the glory of

1046
01:03:38,480 --> 01:03:40,640
the gospel of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

1047
01:03:41,440 --> 01:03:45,040
A once totally sinful blind man,
spiritually dead. 

1048
01:03:49,680 --> 01:03:53,720
He receives Christ and he's 
completely transformed. 

1049
01:03:55,320 --> 01:03:59,600
Paul in writing this letter, 
when he gets to that part, can't

1050
01:03:59,600 --> 01:04:03,640
help fall on his knees and 
praise and adoration for the 

1051
01:04:03,640 --> 01:04:09,640
king who rescued him, lover of 
his soul, who did not let him 

1052
01:04:09,640 --> 01:04:16,600
die in his sin, but who paid the
penalty for his death on the 

1053
01:04:16,600 --> 01:04:21,560
cross so that he could be saved.
Or the 4th trade in the final 

1054
01:04:21,560 --> 01:04:24,400
trait that we will see today of 
the effect of Christian leaders.

1055
01:04:24,400 --> 01:04:29,880
It's obvious, isn't it? 
They will be transformed, and 

1056
01:04:29,880 --> 01:04:33,280
they will be transformed because
they have truly encountered the 

1057
01:04:33,280 --> 01:04:39,080
Lord Jesus Christ. 
He has truly transformed them. 

1058
01:04:40,000 --> 01:04:46,200
That transformation will be 
compelling to others, and it 

1059
01:04:46,200 --> 01:04:49,440
will be complete as long as the 
apostle Paul lived. 

1060
01:04:49,440 --> 01:04:52,640
He lived all of his days to 
bring glory and honor and praise

1061
01:04:52,640 --> 01:04:55,920
to God and to bring others to 
faith through the gospel message

1062
01:04:55,920 --> 01:05:02,200
that he preached. 
And he did it with honor for God

1063
01:05:03,760 --> 01:05:09,520
because of the glory of God, 
seeing it as a privilege that he

1064
01:05:09,520 --> 01:05:16,120
would ever be counted worthy to 
live and to even suffer for the 

1065
01:05:16,120 --> 01:05:20,760
Lord Jesus Christ. 
What an effective Christian 

1066
01:05:20,760 --> 01:05:23,160
leader. 
As I told you when we started 

1067
01:05:23,160 --> 01:05:25,080
this morning, you're all leaders
to some degree. 

1068
01:05:26,320 --> 01:05:29,200
If you're in Christ, you're a 
Christian leader. 

1069
01:05:30,240 --> 01:05:32,680
If you are doing it 
ineffectively, you are leading 

1070
01:05:32,680 --> 01:05:35,400
people to get the wrong idea 
about Christ, maybe even members

1071
01:05:35,400 --> 01:05:38,800
of your own home, maybe those 
you work with. 

1072
01:05:41,560 --> 01:05:46,360
But if you're doing it 
effectively, you'll be thankful 

1073
01:05:46,360 --> 01:05:50,400
and they'll see it. 
You'll be transparent about who 

1074
01:05:50,400 --> 01:05:52,960
you once were and how much you 
need Christ, and they'll see it.

1075
01:05:54,640 --> 01:05:56,360
You'll be trusting. 
You'll be trusting in everything

1076
01:05:56,360 --> 01:05:59,320
that Jesus did on the cross and 
nothing that you have done. 

1077
01:06:00,640 --> 01:06:04,160
You'll see that you'll be 
transformed. 

1078
01:06:04,760 --> 01:06:06,160
Why? 
Because if you're in Christ, 

1079
01:06:06,440 --> 01:06:10,160
you're a new creation. 
You are transformed and they 

1080
01:06:10,200 --> 01:06:14,440
will see it. 
They will desire the same 

1081
01:06:14,440 --> 01:06:16,600
transformation when they see 
you. 

1082
01:06:17,440 --> 01:06:22,960
The worst of sinners receiving 
grace and mercy and forgiveness.

1083
01:06:24,040 --> 01:06:29,280
They will ask you about that 
hope that you have, the only 

1084
01:06:29,280 --> 01:06:33,440
hope that can save sinners. 
So whether your dad leading your

1085
01:06:33,440 --> 01:06:39,000
home, your mom teaching her 
children you're a Bible study 

1086
01:06:39,000 --> 01:06:41,960
leader or reach group leader in 
this church, you're one of our 

1087
01:06:41,960 --> 01:06:43,440
pastors. 
You're one of our elders. 

1088
01:06:43,440 --> 01:06:49,080
Whoever you are, you can settle 
for being a mediocre leader. 

1089
01:06:52,840 --> 01:06:57,200
You can see the example of the 
life of Paul, what an effective 

1090
01:06:57,200 --> 01:07:03,880
Christian leader he was, and 
watch this even 2000 years 

1091
01:07:03,880 --> 01:07:11,280
later, still is. 
May we desire to be leaders who 

1092
01:07:11,280 --> 01:07:14,400
lead in that way. 
Perhaps you're here today and 

1093
01:07:14,400 --> 01:07:17,800
you're an unbeliever. 
I would encourage you to look to

1094
01:07:17,800 --> 01:07:20,000
the honesty and the transparency
of Paul today. 

1095
01:07:21,120 --> 01:07:24,680
You've made excuse after excuse,
week after week after week, and 

1096
01:07:24,680 --> 01:07:27,320
hearing the gospel that God 
could never save you because 

1097
01:07:27,320 --> 01:07:33,760
you've been too bad. 
Oh, you might have been bad, but

1098
01:07:33,760 --> 01:07:37,040
you're not the worst of sinners.
And through the apostle Paul and

1099
01:07:37,040 --> 01:07:40,920
his leadership, God raised him 
up to show you that if He can be

1100
01:07:40,920 --> 01:07:44,920
patient with Paul, the worst of 
sinners, and exercise His grace 

1101
01:07:45,040 --> 01:07:49,480
and His mercy upon him, He can 
do the same for you today. 

1102
01:07:51,920 --> 01:07:57,240
Repent of your sin and cry out 
to Jesus desperately to save you

1103
01:07:57,240 --> 01:07:59,720
from the wrath and the hell that
you deserve. 

1104
01:08:00,440 --> 01:08:05,400
Trust in Jesus Christ today as 
Lord and Savior and be saved. 

1105
01:08:06,400 --> 01:08:12,200
Stop making excuses and 
inventing clauses that God does 

1106
01:08:12,200 --> 01:08:15,800
not state. 
You are not too far gone. 

1107
01:08:15,920 --> 01:08:17,800
In fact, you were brought here 
today. 

1108
01:08:17,920 --> 01:08:21,200
You are hearing my voice today 
because God wants you to know 

1109
01:08:21,279 --> 01:08:24,640
there is still hope for you, and
that hope is in Christ. 

1110
01:08:24,640 --> 01:08:27,000
Turn to Christ today and be 
saved. 

1111
01:08:27,000 --> 01:08:28,920
Let's pray together. 
Father, in the name of Jesus, we

1112
01:08:28,920 --> 01:08:32,479
thank you for your word. 
We thank you for all the lessons

1113
01:08:32,479 --> 01:08:36,120
that you give us. 
But as we have discovered today,

1114
01:08:36,120 --> 01:08:40,720
we are all leaders to some 
capacity, and You have entrusted

1115
01:08:40,720 --> 01:08:44,920
us with that as Christians. 
May we do it effectively, may we

1116
01:08:44,920 --> 01:08:48,279
do it for Your glory, and we do 
it according to Your word. 

1117
01:08:49,319 --> 01:08:51,680
Lord, I pray for the soul who's 
here today does not know Christ.

1118
01:08:52,840 --> 01:08:54,880
Whether they know it or whether 
they don't know it at this time,

1119
01:08:54,880 --> 01:08:57,120
they are completely dependent 
upon Your mercy. 

1120
01:08:57,120 --> 01:08:59,240
They are not dependent upon a 
message from a preacher. 

1121
01:08:59,359 --> 01:09:01,720
It has already gone out. 
I've done what I can do. 

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I've done what I've been 
entrusted to do. 

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01:09:04,880 --> 01:09:08,359
Lord, they are dependent upon 
Your mercy, and I pray that You 

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01:09:08,359 --> 01:09:10,479
would have mercy on them, 
drawing them unto Yourself 

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01:09:10,479 --> 01:09:12,840
today, out of darkness and into 
Your marvelous light as You have

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01:09:12,840 --> 01:09:15,200
revealed the gospel to them. 
May they see their sin. 

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01:09:16,840 --> 01:09:21,560
May You by Your grace give them 
faith to believe and strength to

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01:09:21,560 --> 01:09:24,200
repent. 
By Your Spirit may they follow 

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01:09:24,200 --> 01:09:27,279
Christ all their days. 
From this point forward, we pray

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01:09:27,279 --> 01:09:30,479
and we ask these things in the 
mighty name of Jesus, Amen. 

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01:09:39,520 --> 01:09:41,840
Once again, we like to thank you
for joining us online this 

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01:09:41,840 --> 01:09:43,680
morning. 
We pray that if you have any 

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01:09:43,680 --> 01:09:46,920
questions about the sermon today
or perhaps you would like more 

1134
01:09:46,920 --> 01:09:50,479
information on how to know Jesus
as your Lord and Savior, please 

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01:09:50,479 --> 01:09:53,640
click on the QR code there on 
the screen and it will give you 

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01:09:53,640 --> 01:09:55,080
all the information that you 
need. 

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01:09:55,800 --> 01:09:58,720
Also, if you have any prayer 
requests or would like to talk 

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01:09:58,720 --> 01:10:01,520
to a pastor, we would love to 
hear from you. 

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01:10:02,120 --> 01:10:05,440
And again, May God bless you as 
you seek Him and His will for 

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01:10:05,440 --> 01:10:28,000
your life. 
You've been listening to Key 

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01:10:28,000 --> 01:10:30,760
Life Fellowships Pulpit Ministry
podcast. 

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01:10:31,160 --> 01:10:34,320
Join us each week for more 
teaching from God's Word.