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May turn in your Bibles to 1 
Timothy chapter 1. 1 Timothy chapter 1. Last week we introduced the book, 
we looked at the bigger picture, specifically the life and ministry 
of the Apostle Paul, and when he wrote these particular letters. 
1 Timothy, Titus, and 2 Timothy. Remember it was after the first 
Roman imprisonment, which occurred around between 60 and 62. The Apostle was released, he 
embarked on ministry, He went to Ephesus, he left Timothy there, 
he went to Crete, he left Titus there, Paul then goes to Macedonia 
and he writes those men. He writes 1st Timothy and he 
writes Titus around AD 63 or 64. He is then arrested again. and put into prison in a second 
Roman imprisonment, and there he writes the book of Hebrews, 
and he writes 2 Timothy. That's the last letter that the 
Apostle Paul wrote. So we just tried to look at some 
of those overarching things last week, and then some of the major 
themes that we find. in this first epistle of Paul 
to Timothy. Tonight we're gonna look at verses 
one and two, the author, recipients, and the greeting that the apostle 
gives in this letter. But I do want to read the chapter 
so our minds are in tune with the context, so I'll begin in 
verse one. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, 
by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ 
our hope. To Timothy, a true son in the 
faith, grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus 
Christ our Lord. As I urged you when I went into 
Macedonia, remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that 
they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless 
genealogies which cause disputes rather than godly edification 
which is in faith. Now the purpose of the commandment 
is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere 
faith. from which some, having strayed, 
have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the 
law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which 
they affirm. But we know that the law is good, 
if one uses it lawfully, knowing this, that the law is not made 
for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, 
for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane. for 
murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for 
fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, 
and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, 
according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was 
committed to my trust. And I thank Christ Jesus, our 
Lord, who has enabled me, because he counted me faithful, putting 
me into the ministry, Although I was formerly a blasphemer, 
a persecutor, and an insolent man, but I obtained mercy because 
I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was 
exceedingly abundant with faith and love which are in Christ 
Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance 
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom 
I am chief. However, for this reason, I obtained 
mercy. that in me first, Jesus Christ 
might show all long suffering as a pattern to those who are 
going to believe on him for everlasting life. Now to the King eternal, 
immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory 
forever and ever. Amen. This charge I commit to 
you, son Timothy. according to the prophecies previously 
made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 
having faith and a good conscience, which some, having rejected, 
concerning the faith, have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus 
and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they may learn 
not to blaspheme. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, 
thank you for this, your word. Thank you that you have given 
us the living word that appeals or that applies to the Church 
of Christ. And we pray now the Spirit would guide us and direct 
us and lead us into all truth and that we would understand 
the things that you have for us. Again, forgive us for our 
sin. Illumine our minds and our hearts 
by your Spirit and cause us, God in heaven, to rejoice in 
the blessed fact that Christ is our Lord, that He's our Savior, 
and that He has given His life on our behalf. And we pray in 
Jesus' name. Amen. Well, as I said, we're 
going to pick up verses 1 and 2 this evening, and I know that 
oftentimes we read these epistles and we just sort of run right 
past these greetings. It sounds so much similar to 
what we find in all of the other letters, but they're very instructive 
for us. What Paul does here, in many 
ways, sets the foundation for what is to follow in this epistle. of First Timothy. So, as I said, 
we're going to look at, first of all, the author of the letter, 
secondly, the recipients of the letter, and thirdly, the greeting 
contained in this section. First of all, the author. We 
know it is Paul. He identifies himself there. 
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ. Remember that this is the same 
man who was a persecutor of the church. He indicates that. He 
intimates that. He reveals that in verse 13. 
Although, I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent 
man." Remember that Saul of Tarsus was no friend of the Christian 
church. Saul of Tarsus tried to destroy the church. Saul of 
Tarsus was exceeding past his contemporaries. He had a rage, 
and he had a vehemence, and he had a hatred, and a contempt 
for the church of the Lord Jesus. We can see that in the book of 
Acts in chapter 9. You may turn there. So we look 
at the author here. We want to look at his conversion 
and at his commission. His conversion is indicated in 
chapter 9 of the book of Acts. Notice in verses 1 and 2. This 
is Paul, this is Saul rather, prior to meeting the Lord Jesus 
Christ. Now the time frame here is probably 
not long after the ascension of our Lord Jesus. Notice in 
Acts chapter 9 verse 1, Then Saul, still breathing threats 
and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high 
priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, 
so that if he found any who were of the way, whether men or women, 
he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. So this is what Paul 
was prior to his conversion. When we meet this Paul in 1st 
Timothy chapter 1 verse 1, he has quite a history. When he 
says what he says in chapter 1 verse 15 about him having been 
the chief sinner, we need to listen to what he has to say. 
We need to realize that the grace that is available, the grace 
that is effectual, the grace that is powerful to save us all 
of Tarsus is the same grace we preach in the cross of our Lord 
Jesus right now. If you are not a Christian, if 
you believe you are too sinful, certainly Paul the Apostle ought 
to set things straight. If God is pleased to save someone 
who was trying to destroy his son's church, certainly God is 
pleased to save all manner of sinner, all manner of wicked 
man or woman. So the Apostle was a man of rage 
directed against the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Continuing 
in the narrative, we see his conversion to the Lord Jesus. Notice in verse 3. As he journeyed 
he came near Damascus and suddenly a light shone around him from 
heaven. Then he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 
Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Don't you love that? When 
Saul persecutes the church of Christ, Christ identifies so 
much so with his people that he says, you are persecuting 
me. Christ is in union with his church. When his church is persecuted, 
It is Him, it is He that is the target in this rage. And so Paul, 
or Saul, says, Who are you, Lord? Then the Lord said, I am Jesus, 
whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against 
the goats. So he, trembling and astonished, 
said, Lord, what do you want me to do? Then the Lord said 
to him, Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what 
you must do. And the men who journeyed with 
him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no one. Then 
Saul arose from the ground, And when his eyes were opened, he 
saw no one. But they led him by the hand, and brought him 
into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither 
ate nor drank." So this is the one who is authoring, writing 
to Timothy in 1 Timothy chapter 1. He is Paul the Apostle. He mentions, the name Paul should 
cause us to reflect upon this conversion account. But then 
he indicates specifically his commission. And this is important 
for what follows. His commission. He mentions three 
things here. First, his office. In 1 Timothy 
1.1, he says he is an apostle. An apostle designates one who 
is sent with authority, and he is working on behalf of the one 
sending. So in other words, this word 
apostle does mean sent one, but it carries the idea that he has 
the authority of the one sending him. More often than not, in 
the New Testament, the word apostle is used to that inner circle 
of Jesus' special representatives who are tasked with being the 
foundation stones of the Church. The word is used in a couple 
of contexts in sort of a little-a-apostle manner, but traditionally, or 
most of the time, or the majority time, in the New Testament, the 
word apostle designates one who is sent with the authority of 
Christ And he functions on behalf of the one sending him. So that 
is something we need to understand. And when we compare New Testament 
passages, we understand that for Paul, his apostleship indicated, 
first of all, his appointment by Christ. His appointment by 
Christ and the power and the authority for this particular 
office. I think you'll see why this makes 
sense in just a moment. But just looking at this term, 
apostle, that Paul applies to himself. Secondly, it refers 
to his having been an eyewitness to the resurrected Christ. That 
was crucial in the selection of a replacement for Judas according 
to Acts 1. They must have been able to witness 
the resurrection of Christ. Well, certainly when Jesus comes 
to Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus, the apostle has 
in fact seen the resurrected Christ. Thirdly, the apostle 
highlights his role as a foundation stone of the church along with 
the other apostles. Notice in Ephesians 2, for instance, 
Ephesians chapter 2, having been built on the foundation of the 
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief 
cornerstone. Fourthly, this idea of being 
an apostle indicates his role as a primary leader in the church, 
again, alongside of the other apostles. When Paul specifies 
the gifts given by the ascended Christ to the church, he begins 
with apostles. Apostles in the New Testament 
church, to use a conventional term, they were the main men. They were the big cheeses. They 
were the ones that were the leaders in the early church. The apostles 
had the authority given to them by Christ to function in this 
foundational role, this foundational capacity, and Paul recognized 
that. And fifthly, with reference to 
his own apostolic calling, he realized that his particular 
audience was the Gentiles. Paul was the apostle sent by 
Christ to the Gentiles to preach and teach to them the gospel 
of free and sovereign grace. So that is his office. Secondly, 
he indicates his master. He says, Paul, an apostle of 
Jesus Christ. The idea here is that Jesus is 
his owner. Jesus possesses him. Jesus uses Paul. Paul, rather, belongs to Jesus. Remember the idea of Apostle. 
He comes with the authority of the one sending him. And in this 
case, it is Jesus Christ the Lord. And all of this then leads 
to this statement, by the commandment of God our Savior, and the Lord 
Jesus Christ, our hope. And I think that it is here that 
we need to understand the nature of Paul's introduction. Paul 
isn't boasting. Paul isn't, you know, got paul.com. He's not blogging about what 
a great guy he is. What's one of the problems that 
Timothy is facing in Ephesus? He is facing those who desire 
to be teachers of the law. He is facing false teachers, 
men who want to preach, men who want to teach, but men who have 
not been authorized to do so either by Christ or his church. And so it is crucial for the 
Apostle Paul to introduce himself in this way. Again, not to boast, 
not to be proud, not to say, look, I'm the right Reverend 
Paul. Here's all the initials after my name. No, he says, an 
apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior 
and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is opposite of the false 
teachers. They are self-appointed men. 
They are self-willed men. They are men who have taken upon 
their own shoulders and their own responsibility something 
never having been entrusted to them by God the Lord. Such is 
not the case with the apostle He is an apostle by the commandment 
of God. He is an apostle by the commandment 
of the Lord Jesus, our hope. He does something similar in 
the book of Galatians. Remember again, Galatians is 
a very polemic epistle. Paul comes out of the chute fighting 
for the truth of the gospel. He highlights the reality of 
his apostolic calling in Galatians 1. He says, Paul an apostle, 
notice, not from men nor through man but through Jesus Christ 
and God the Father who raised him from the dead. Paul is not 
a self-willed man. Paul is not a self-appointed 
man. Paul is not even appointed by 
his peers, but rather it is God Most High, it is the Lord Christ 
Almighty who has initiated, or who has called Paul to this apostolic 
ministry. So the opposition, or what Paul 
states here, serves to highlight the great difference between 
him and the false teachers. The instruction that he gives 
to the church comes from the Lord. The opponents who challenge 
Paul are in fact challenging the Father and the Son in this 
particular situation. And notice the way that the Apostle 
equates the Son with the Father. Paul is called by the commandment 
of God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope. So the 
Father and the Son, in unity, for the good of the Church, for 
the benefit of the people of God, and for the advancement 
of the gospel of free and sovereign grace, have commanded Paul to 
this apostolic ministry. The Church should listen to him. not to these self-willed men. 
The church should listen to the one who comes as a result of 
the commandment of God the Father, or God our Savior, and the Lord 
Jesus Christ our hope. They ought not to turn an ear 
to those men who are self-willed. They ought not to turn an ear 
to a man that goes online and purchases a diploma, or purchases 
a license to preach. That's simply not godly ethics 
on behalf of the church. We ought to have men that the 
church recognizes are fit and qualified according to 1 Timothy 
3 and Titus chapter 1, 1 Peter 5, certain portions of the book 
of Acts. We ought to make sure that men 
fit those qualifications It is on that basis that we know that 
they are sent from God, not in the same manner that the Apostle 
Paul was. The apostolic ministry ceased 
at the death of the apostles. It is not continuing. It is not 
perpetual. Rather, the eldership and the 
diaconate continue, but the principle stays the same. We do not fall 
prey to self-willed men. We do not listen to men who appoint 
themselves to gospel ministry, but rather we look for those 
men that have the seal of approval from the living God and from 
the Lord Jesus Christ. George Knight says, it is with 
this awareness of authority as Christ Jesus spokesman that Paul 
writes, therefore, He places this designation of himself at 
the beginning of the letter to express the authority by which 
he writes. So we're sure on this. He's not 
boasted. He's not proud. He's not paultheawesomeguy.com. This isn't his blog where he 
celebrates himself. This isn't his blog where he 
parades himself. I read something funny today. 
When you date a narcissist, you never have to wonder what they're 
thinking about. That's kind of an interesting statement. Blogs 
and Facebook and Twitter and all that sort of thing seem to 
be a beautiful vehicle for the narcissistic tendency that affects 
us in our generation. Paul's not a narcissist. He's 
not in love with himself. He's not the guy that says, hey 
everybody, I'm an apostle by the will of the Father, by the 
commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our 
hope. No, he is out of the chute in this scenario where he has 
stationed Timothy to do battle with false teachers. He wants 
both Timothy and he wants the church to realize that what he 
speaks comes from God, comes from the Lord Christ, and therefore 
the church is to take heed. That's the purpose. Now notice, 
secondly, the recipients. I mentioned two. I know it says 
to Timothy there, but it's a private letter to Timothy, it's also 
a public letter to the church. Go to the last verse in 1 Timothy 
chapter 6 at verse 21. By professing it, some have strayed 
concerning the faith. Grace be with you. It's a plural noun. Grace be 
with you, all of the brothers and sisters in the church. So 
yes, it's a private letter to Timothy to be sure, but with 
the specific intent and purpose that the church would hear it 
read, the church would learn its contents, the church would 
be benefited and blessed by this epistle to Timothy. So it is a public letter to the 
church, but primarily it is a letter to Timothy. Now just a few things 
about Timothy as we glean the New Testament. It's always nice 
to sort of understand who this Timothy is. After all, there's 
a book of the Bible with his name. Now Timothy didn't write 
it. It's the first epistle of Paul to Timothy, but who is this 
man Timothy? A couple things in terms of his 
identity. He resided in Lystra. More than 
likely was a convert of the Apostle Paul. Remember the first missionary 
journey, Paul went to the churches of Southern Galatia. Lystra was 
one of those places. Timothy lived there. Perhaps 
Timothy heard the gospel through the Apostles preaching and it's 
at that time that he believed and was saved. Paul often refers 
to him as my son, as he does here, my true son in the faith. That could be indicative of the 
reality that it was through Paul's preaching that Timothy came to 
know the Lord Jesus Christ. We know as well he had a Jewish 
mother and a Greek father. Timothy was the one that Paul 
had circumcised because they went into certain regions and 
everybody knew that he had a Greek father. And so Paul, not wanting 
to offend Jews, had Timothy circumcised. Third, he was taught the Old 
Testament from his youth, according to 2 Timothy 1.5 and 2 Timothy 
3.14 and 15. He had the influence of a godly 
mom. He had the influence of a godly grandmother. He understood, 
or he was at least taught or schooled in the Old Testament 
scriptures, so that when Paul comes to Lystra, and brings the 
truth of the gospel, the Spirit applies that to young Timothy, 
and he sees the Messiah that Paul preaches is this one whom 
the Old Testament had spoken concerning. And then after he 
is converted, Paul goes into Macedonia in the book of Acts, 
in Acts chapter 16, and there he hears about Timothy. He hears 
good reports concerning this young man, and it says that Paul 
wanted him to go. I've always thought about that, 
I've always mused on that, I've always marveled at that reality. 
What kind of men do Paul like? It's the kind of men we ought 
to try and be like. If we were in that particular 
time, if we were in that particular season or situation, would Paul 
say, I want you to go with me on this missionary journey. He 
was named by Paul in several of the greetings in Paul's epistles. 
So he was a close companion. In fact, Paul refers to him in 
Romans 16.21 as my fellow worker. And in many of the epistles written 
to the churches, Paul and Timothy. Timothy is right there alongside 
of the Apostle. 2 Corinthians 1.1, Philippians 
1.1. Colossians 1.1, 1st Thessalonians 
and 2nd Thessalonians 1.1. And then according to Hebrews 
chapter 13, Timothy himself spent a little bit of time in prison, 
was ultimately released, and as far as we know, went on to 
minister. But in terms of his character, In terms of his character, 
that's his identity, that's who he is, that's where he's from, 
that's who his mother was, that's who his grandmother was, that's 
who his father was. But in terms of his character, 
he was a recipient of the grace of God. 1 Timothy chapter 6, 
verse 12. 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 12. the good fight of faith. Lay 
hold on eternal life, to which you were also called, and have 
confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." 
Timothy knew the grace of God. He knew the effectual calling 
of God. He knew the ordo salutis experientially. It wasn't just something he preached 
about. It wasn't just something he wrote about. It wasn't just 
something he taught others about, but Timothy himself had known. 
the saving power of the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. Secondly, 
he was a true son in the faith to Paul, and he had a genuine 
faith. Notice in 2 Timothy 1.5, 2 Timothy 
1.5, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in 
you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother 
Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. Therefore, I remind 
you to stir up the gift of God which is in you, through the 
laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit 
of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Back 
in 1 Timothy 1-2. To Timothy, a true son in the 
faith. Now some of the commentators 
make this observation. The true son-ness refers to legitimacy. They speculate that the Jews 
would have always treated Timothy as an illegitimate man, because 
he had a Jewish mom and he had a Greek father. Therefore, his 
being would be somewhat illegitimate. Now, there might be some credence 
to that, but I think that Paul's concern here is not only to reveal 
his authority, he's an apostle by the commandment of God, our 
Savior, by the commandment of the Lord Jesus, our hope, but 
Timothy is my true son. Timothy is the legitimate one 
in Ephesus. Timothy Church is the one you 
ought to listen to. Don't listen to those verse 7 
guys who have a desire to be teachers of the law. Don't listen 
to those guys who want to talk about genealogies ad nauseum. Don't listen to those men who 
want to speculate about myths. Rather, listen to my true son 
in the faith. Listen to Timothy. So in this 
introductory statement, Paul is not only showing and highlighting 
his own apostolic authority, but he is also showing and highlighting 
Timothy's authority as Paul's designee for the particular task 
of combating heresy and refuting error in Ephesus. In other words, 
church, listen to Timothy. Pay attention to him. He is my 
representative. If Christ has sent the Apostle 
Paul, Paul has sent Timothy. He has stationed him there to 
wage the good warfare. And as a result, the Church of 
Christ ought to pay close attention. As well, the opponents better 
watch it. They better watch it. You don't 
mess with God's man. You don't mess with the mouthpiece 
of the living and true God. You do not mess with Paul, who 
is stationed in his position by the commandment of God our 
Savior and the Lord Jesus our hope. And you don't mess with 
Timothy, who is a true son in the faith of the Apostle Paul. And then he was highly esteemed 
by Paul. I've already mentioned that Paul 
wanted him to go. But notice what Paul speaks or 
says of Timothy in 1 Corinthians chapter 4. 1 Corinthians chapter 
4. Notice in verse 17, well verse 
16, Therefore I urge you imitate me. For this reason I have sent 
Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, 
who will remind you of my ways in Christ as I teach everywhere 
in every church. That is some glowing terminology 
applied by the Apostle to this man. He is my beloved and faithful 
son in the Lord. Does it make you want to meet 
Timothy? I mean, most reformed guys want to meet Paul, right? 
Who's your hero? Ask somebody that's reformed. 
Who do we normally say? Paul, right? No, you guys don't? I like Jabez. Yeah, Jabez is 
great. He prayed a good prayer. Most 
reformed people like Paul. Not that we don't like Jabez, 
but when we get to heaven, we want to meet Jesus to be sure. 
And if we have the desire to meet men, Paul is usually right 
at the top of the list. I want to meet Timothy too. I 
mean, Paul speaks in glowing terms of this man. Turn over 
to Philippians 2 for a moment. Philippians chapter 2, just so 
you can get a feel for what this man is and what he's like as 
we study the book that bears his name. Philippians chapter 
2 verse 19, But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to 
you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your 
state. For I have no one like-minded who will sincerely care for your 
state. For all seek their own, not the 
things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character, 
that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. 
Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how 
it goes with me, but I trust in the Lord that I myself shall 
also come shortly." Paul says, I have no one like-minded who 
will sincerely care for your state. The obvious implication 
is that Timothy is like-minded. Timothy will care for your state. 
He says, you know his proven character, that as a son with 
his father, he served with me in the gospel. Timothy is a faithful 
man. He's a godly man. He's a righteous 
man. He's been called by the grace 
of God. He's believed the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is preaching 
the truth. Church in Ephesus, you need to 
pay attention to him. Do not give attention, do not 
give ear to these false teachers who want to lead you astray, 
who want to make money off of you, or whatever it is that they're 
in for. This is Paul's point in 1 Timothy 1, verse 2. And then finally, the greetings. 
The greetings that he specifies to Timothy. Grace, mercy, and 
peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. Again, 
if you compare the epistles of the Apostle Paul, the 13, the 
book of Hebrews starts off differently. Not everybody accepts Pauline 
authorship of the book of Hebrews, by the way. I actually do. Cam does. And if you're right, 
you will too. I'm just kidding. That was terrible. 
That was terrible. But the 13 epistles that start 
off the same, the same terms are used. Without exception, 
grace and peace. The only time that Paul inserts 
mercy is in 1 and 2 Timothy. You wonder why did Timothy need 
mercy? I think all of us need mercy. 
I don't know, but it is interesting. Most of the epistles are all 
the same in terms of the grace and the peace that is wished 
upon the people, the recipients. Timothy, 1st and 2nd Timothy, 
also mercy is conveyed upon him. There are some differences along 
the way as well, like I think in Thessalonians, we don't have 
a reference to God our Savior. So there's little sort of stylistic 
changes in all of that. But by and large, the epistles 
start off the same. And I think instead of glossing 
over it and saying, yeah, of course, grace, mercy, and peace, 
we need to understand how vital how crucial and how absolutely 
necessary grace, mercy, and peace are in the Christian life. Right? This isn't just a Christian literary 
convention. Now the epistles of Paul bear 
similarity to the epistles that were written in the Roman Empire 
at the time. If you and I write a letter, it's going to look 
somewhat similar to a letter that your neighbor writes. He's 
not a Christian. You are a Christian. There are 
certain conventions. You say, dear whoever. You put 
the date. You put the address. There's 
a certain format that we use that is accepted. Well, the same 
was true in this particular era, in this particular generation. 
Paul writes letters that bear similarities to the letters that 
the pagans were writing to each other. But it's distinctly Christian, 
to be sure. The content is gospel-saturated. The content is gospel-oriented. But in these greetings that the 
Apostle uses, this grace, mercy, and peace, this isn't just sort 
of a salad before the steak. Let's just eat this so I can 
get to the steak. Let's just get rid of the soup so I can 
get right to what I want to eat. You know, you go to a buffet. 
Who goes to the salad or the soup at a buffet? It's a buffet. You don't go there. You go for 
the meat. That's not how it's to be viewed here. I think what 
Paul is conveying, both to Timothy as the private individual and 
recipient of the letter, and to the church that is involved 
in this letter as well, Paul highlights these essential ingredients 
for Christian faith. In other words, when we speak 
about the cross, when we speak about the gospel, when Timothy 
engages in the good warfare, when he fights the good fight, 
he doesn't do it in his own strength. He doesn't do it in his own might. 
He doesn't do it in his own power. Paul's wish or Paul's prayer 
or Paul's greeting conveys to him those essential elements 
necessary for his Christian life as a man of God. He needs grace. He needs the soteriological or 
salvation-oriented benefits that come from God Most High, that 
are mediated through the Lord Jesus Christ. Timothy always 
stands in need of grace. He needs mercy. He needs that 
pity, he needs that compassion, he needs that kindness, he needs 
that heart of God toward him in this fight. Now certain commentators 
suspect that Timothy, because of some of the things that Paul 
told him, had a bit of a, he gravitated toward perhaps a melancholy 
spirit, perhaps he had some timidity, perhaps he had some fear of man. 
Some of the statements that Paul urges upon Timothy seem to go 
that way, seem to indicate that maybe Timothy at times felt like 
he was young and inexperienced, felt like at times that he wasn't 
fit for the task. And so a man like that needs 
the smile of God Most High upon him in his ministry. And so when 
Paul says grace and mercy, he wants Timothy to have every resource 
necessary so that he can wage the good warfare, so that he 
can shut the mouth of false teachers, and so that he can propagate 
the truth to the church in Ephesus. And then he speaks of peace, 
grace, mercy, and peace from God, our Father, and Jesus Christ, 
our Lord. That third ingredient is necessary, 
grace and mercy, and that brings peace. Peace ultimately that we have 
through justification by faith. Romans 5.1, therefore having 
been justified by faith, we have peace with God. And when we have 
peace with God, we're enabled to have peace with men. John 
Murray on Romans 5 says, peace of heart and mind proceeds from 
peace with God and is the reflection in our consciousness of the relation 
established by justification. When Paul says grace, mercy, 
and peace, he's not talking about some sort of a manufactured peace. He's speaking about the peace 
that flows from our relationship to God through Christ by justification 
in faith alone. In Psalm, with reference to grace, 
mercy, and peace, George Knight again says, with these three 
terms then, Paul greets Timothy in the church, grace, God's ongoing 
forgiveness, and enabling. Mercy, God's sympathy and concern. Peace, God's tranquility and 
stability within and among them as individuals and as a Christian 
community. So real practically, how does 
the church go forward? The church goes forward with 
grace, with mercy, with peace. You see, if you don't have grace 
and mercy and peace, you don't have good annual general meetings. If you don't have grace and mercy 
and peace, you don't have joy on the Sabbath day. If you don't 
have grace and mercy and peace, you don't generally see conversions. You don't generally see growth 
and grace on the part of the people of God. You see, the church 
is unique. We don't just put in a formula 
and out comes the product. We don't just put everything 
in the right place and then expect the right result. Rather, we 
need great big doses of grace and mercy and peace in order 
to facilitate the growth of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
This isn't some cheap wish. This isn't some Christian literary 
convention. Rather, it is Paul's prayer that 
not only Timothy, but the church in Ephesus would understand and 
would receive this ongoing forgiveness and enabling. They would receive 
the sympathy and concern of God, and they would receive tranquility 
and stability within and among them as individuals and as a 
Christian community. And Paul indicates the source 
of this grace, mercy, and peace. And in doing so, he shows or 
demonstrates a high Christology from God, our Father, and Jesus 
Christ, our Lord. The Father and the Son, governed 
by the same preposition connected by a chi, indicates that for 
Paul, Jesus is God. He's on par with the Father. 
He's not a little G God. He's not a beginner God. He's not an assistant God. No, 
grace, mercy, and peace flow from both the father and the 
son to the recipients by God's grace, by God's mercy. So brethren, verses 1 and 2 demonstrate 
for us, hopefully clearly, the authority of the Apostle Paul. William Mount says there was 
trouble in the Ephesian church. People were turning away from 
Paul's gospel and were following other leaders in their heretical 
teaching. Therefore, Paul begins on a note of authority. He wants 
to make sure that his readership understands. He wants to make 
sure that the church understands that he is who he is by the commandment 
of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope. Secondly, 
as I've already mentioned, the Christology. Paul has a high 
developed and very blessed view of the Lord Jesus Christ. He 
is an apostle of Christ. He is an apostle by the commandment 
of the Father and of the Son. And this grace, mercy, and peace 
flows from the Father and the Son as well. For Paul, Jesus 
Christ is God. For Paul, God Almighty is triune. He is the Father, the Son, and 
the Holy Spirit. One in essence, one in substance, 
but three in person, and they are all equal in power and in 
glory. The apostle was conspicuously 
Trinitarian. Thirdly, this brief greeting 
teaches us what ministers of the gospel and what churches 
need. Churches need grace, churches 
need mercy, and churches need peace. If we have that, we have 
everything, right? I just read about a church that's 
building a new sanctuary, I don't know, it was in the millions, 
millions of dollars. I'm not gonna say one way or 
the other on that, but I'd rather have grace, mercy, and peace 
flowing from God the Father and God the Son into our small group 
than any million dollar building that is out there. That's what 
the church needs, grace, mercy, and peace. We don't need the 
latest programs. We don't need the latest innovations. 
We don't need the latest gurus to tell us how to operate. We 
just need to pray to God to supply us with grace, mercy, and peace. 
That ought to mark our prayer life. That ought to mark our 
corporate prayer life. That ought to be something that 
comes out in our requests before the living and the true God. 
Pastors, ministers of the gospel. Timothy, remember, is a man of 
God. Paul does not say, you know, Timothy, what you really need 
is a leadership conference. What you really need is to read 
this latest book. Timothy, what you really need 
is to spend some time on a mountain, and I want you to just learn 
every effective way to manage the people of God. No, Timothy, 
you know what you need? as a preacher, as a pastor, as 
one who stands in a pulpit, as one who refutes heretics, and 
as one who feeds the sheep of Christ, Timothy, what you need 
is grace and mercy and peace. That's what the church needs. That's what her ministers need. That's what unbelievers need. You see, when grace and mercy 
and peace are flowing to the church from the Father and the 
Son, When the pastors are benefiting from that threefold blessing. 
When the people of God are benefiting from that threefold blessing. 
What happens to the congregation? There is peace that characterizes 
the body. There is joy when they gather 
together on the Sabbath. The preacher is able to proclaim 
the gospel without having to worry about all of the factions, 
and all of the contentions, and all of the problems, and all 
of the difficulties. He knows freedom, he knows liberty, 
and he preaches the cross with the hope that God Most High will 
spill that grace over onto unbelievers. We'll spill that mercy over onto 
unbelievers. We'll give them that peace of 
God which surpasses all understanding that comes as a result of having 
been justified by faith. When the church is trafficking 
in grace and mercy and peace, not only the pastor benefits, 
not only the members benefit, but unbelievers benefit. They 
come to a place where the cross is proclaimed and by the grace 
of God They meet Jesus. That's why we ought to pray grace, 
mercy, and peace from God, our Father, and Jesus Christ, our 
Lord. Well, let us pray. Father, we 
thank you for your word and we thank you for these two brief 
verses and the way they function in this wonderful epistle. And 
we pray that you would just cause us to reflect upon these truths, 
cause us to realize what the church stands in need of, and 
what pastors stand in need of. It's not more innovation. It's 
not more technique. It's not more management. It's 
grace, mercy, and peace. And we know that you are the 
source of these blessings. So we cry out to you to supply 
what we desperately need. And for any here tonight that 
do not know the Lord Jesus, we pray that they would understand 
grace and mercy and peace in an experiential way. We pray 
that you'd open their hearts and cause them to believe on 
the Lord Jesus Christ, to know concerning his life, his death, 
his resurrection, to look and live by your grace and for your 
glory. Go with us now, Father, cause 
your peace to be upon us, cause your grace and mercy to run through 
our lives and help us to be a blessing to others with whom we come into 
contact. And we ask in the name of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, amen.