Wesley Word – September 7, 2022

Carolyn Lemaster   -   September 7, 2022

To go along with service on: Sunday, September 11th

Experiencing Grace

Exploring Truth

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Chief of Sinners

During September, we will have stand-alone sermons, not a series, based on the lectionary readings. In October, we are going to be in a series called Promises talking about our membership vows of Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Service, and Witness. That series will end on All Saints’ Sunday, November 6th. Our annual stewardship campaign will also be tied into the Promises series.

This week’s text is from the First Epistle of Paul to Timothy. Timothy was a young protege of Paul’s whom he installed as the pastor at the church in Ephesus. The two epistles to Timothy along with the epistle to Titus, pastor at Crete, form what are known as the Pastoral Epistles. They are called the Pastoral Epistles because they are Paul’s instruction and encouragement to pastors who served under him, Timothy, and Titus. We are used to Paul being often very grumpy in his letters but in the Pastorals, Paul takes on an encouraging, almost fatherly, tone.

In this text, we see Paul’s great humility. Paul knew that it was only by God’s grace and God’s power that he was an apostle. Paul knew that he did not do anything to deserve his ministry. In fact, Paul knew that quite the opposite was true. You may remember that Paul was originally a persecutor of the early Christians, but he had a conversion experience on the road to Damascus. Paul refers to himself as the chief of sinners, in the King James Version. The Greek word is “protos,” from which we get our English word prototype, and it can mean the first in either time or position. So, Paul is saying that not only is he a sinner saved by God’s grace, but that he is the worst sinner, the head sinner, if you will. But of course, Paul says that that’s the whole reason Christ came into the world, to save sinners. Even the chief of sinners.

New Testament in a Year: https://wesleyonline.org/biblereading/

  • September 7        2 Corinthians 9:1-15
  • September 8        2 Corinthians 10:1-18
  • September 9        2 Corinthians 11:1-15
  • September 10    2 Corinthians 11:16-33
  • September 11    2 Corinthians 12:1-10
  • September 12    2 Corinthians 12:11-21
  • September 13    2 Corinthians 13:1-14
  • September 14    Galatians 1:1-24

 

Expressing Love: Family/Mission Activity

Chances are you’re getting more than you deserve. Much more. And not just because you’re living in America. But especially if you’re a Christ-follower. As Christians we are getting way more than we deserve. Paul was amazed at all that God had given him that he didn’t deserve. But then again, isn’t that the case with everyone who connects with God through Jesus Christ?

Do you ever take an inventory of your life and say, “Wow, I really don’t deserve this!” Not because it’s not nice, clean, or new but because of your past sins? Or maybe your sins are not so far in the past. Maybe you saw something yesterday and you were green with envy, which is a sin. Not all of our sins are like another, we are all very different people, yet we are all the same as we all LOVE Jesus! Grace was poured out on Paul just like grace is poured out on us every single day. To repent our sins and ask forgiveness from God for our past is what being a Christ follower is all about. Being a follower of Christ is a lot like the Holy Trinity. You can’t really be a follower of Christ if you do not repent and the Holy Trinity is made up of 3 parts not just 1 or 2. Jesus Christ was sent to us by the Father knowing full well we are human and born sinners, knowing that even though His only son died for us so we may live our life in Christ, we would still continue to sin, for no other reason than we are human, not perfect like His Son.

Sit this week, sit quietly, and write down or make a list of things you have thought you don’t deserve. Once you are done, rip that list up, because GOD loves you.

Announcements

  • Wesley Family Hour – Doughnuts are coming back! Not only that, we are announcing a new and improved fellowship time in the Fellowship Hall during the Sunday school hour between the 9am and 11am services beginning September 11th. We are calling this “Wesley Family Hour.” There will be doughnuts and coffee and other goodies and an opportunity for fellowship and conversation. There will also be discussion starters on the tables for those who want to dig deeper. From time to time, we may also have special programs or projects for us to work on together. We hope this will bring our Wesley Family closer together, come and join us.
  • WOW (Wesley on Wednesdays) will begin on September 14th at 6:00 p.m. There will be 3 adult classes offered as well as programming for the youth and children. The evening will start with fellowship, dessert, and refreshments with a small devotion on CS Lewis writings to follow. Mike Ruby will be doing a men’s Bible study, Janet Perrenoud will be doing a study on a CS Lewis book (this will go along with the small devotion), and our Stephen Ministers will be offering a class on Christian Caregiving.