Dealing with Difficulty Through Grace (Part 1): 1 Timothy 1:2-7 by Dr. Rod Mattoon

Scripture

• 1 Timothy 1:2–7

About this sermon

In his book “Faithful Unto Death” Myron Augsburger states that in the city of Venice, the Inquisition was very active. Records indicate there were 35 court trials of Anabaptists in the city during the sixteenth century. One of the trials involved a young man named Algerius who was from Naples. He was won to Christ by a man named Padua from Switzerland. Padua showed Algerius that salvation was not in the church, it was in Jesus Christ. Algerius hungered for the Scriptures and grew immensely in the Lord. He was a strong witness for Christ at the university he attended. He was arrested for his faith in Christ and tortured so that he would recant his decision. He refused to do so. He was taken to the stake, stripped to his waist and boiling oil was poured over his head and bare body. Rubbing his hand over his face in pain, he came away with the skin and hair. The crowd that witnessed his execution was hushed by his agony. They watched in silence as the fire was lit and the flames flared upward from the burning oil. Within minutes, he was in the hands of Jesus. His body was burned until it disintegrated into ashes. Before he was executed, he wrote from prison this letter of his faith in God that continues to echo through the halls of time to Christians today. It speaks of the peace that he enjoyed while he was going through the fires of torment and persecution. Here is a portion of that letter: I will tell the world of an incredible thing. I have found infinite sweetness in the bowels of the lion. Who will in any way believe what I relate? Who can believe it? In a dark hole I have found pleasure. In a place of bitterness and death, rest and hope of salvation. In the abyss or depths of hell...joy. Where others weep, I have laughed. In a state of misery I have had a very great delight. In a lonely corner, I have had most glorious company. And in the severest bond, great rest. All these things, my fellow brethren in Jesus Christ, the gracious hand of God has given me. How could this young man write such a letter? Paul answers that question here. He found grace, mercy, and peace which are essential gifts from the Lord that enable any Christian to deal with difficulties in life. These three blessings, these three gifts from God play a vital role in spiritual survival, as well as being able to minister to other people. In this message we will look at God’s gift of grace and how it enables us to deal with difficulties in our lives. This 30-minute message was preached on Sunday morning, October 2, 2022, at Lincoln Land Baptist Church.

Topics

• Grace