Gratitude, Humility, and Worship (1 Timothy 1:12-17)

By matthewbroadway

Sometimes we pastors slip into entitlement and pride. For example:

We feel like people should appreciate us more.
We feel like our ministry should be more fruitful.
We feel like we should have a larger platform.
We become over-confident in our own abilities.
We rely on our own strength.
We take credit for things that God has done.

Now, you might never reveal any of these attitudes to others. You may only harbor them secretly, internally, barely visible even to yourself. But they are still dishonoring to God and corrosive for your soul.

So, if you have slipped into entitlement and pride, let this week’s passage reset your attitude to gratitude, humility, and worship.

First, reset your attitude from entitled to grateful. Paul wrote:

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:12-14)

Paul had a fruitful ministry and a prominent place among the apostles. Yet, instead of feeling entitled, he was grateful. Why? Because he remembered who he used to be.

We slip into an attitude of entitlement when we forget who we used to be and who we would be apart from Jesus’ intervention.

Without Jesus, we would have no strength for living the Christian life, much less doing Christian ministry.
Without Jesus, we would have no right to embark in Christian service.
Without Jesus, we would still be in our sins.

What did Paul bring to his relationship with Jesus? Blaspheme, persecution, and insolent opposition. What did Jesus bring to his relationship with Paul? Mercy, grace, and love. Our relationship with Jesus is similar. We did not bring moral uprightness and ministerial excellence to Jesus. We brought our sin and folly. Yet he gives us mercy, grace, and love.

Every day we get to live as Christians is an undeserved gift. Every act of ministry in Jesus’ name is a profound privilege. So, let’s be grateful this week.

Second, reset your attitude from pride to humility. Paul goes on:

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

Pastor, your people do not need to see you as a display of the perfect pastor. They need to see you as a display of Jesus’ perfect patience.

Christ Jesus did not come to elevate the excellent. He came to save the sinful. We are not pastors because God held auditions and we won the part. We are pastors because God gave us mercy. We are a living display of God’s perfect patience, so our fellow sinners believe in Jesus too.

Note that Paul does not write, “I was the foremost.” He wrote, “I am the foremost.” With all the salvation, mercy, and patience Paul had received—and the incredibly powerful ministry he was able to carry out as an apostle—he still saw himself as the worst sinner he knew.

Let’s embrace this humble honesty about our sin and continual need for Jesus’ mercy and patience this week.

Third, reset your attitude to worship. Paul concludes this section with this:

To the king of the ages, the immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)

When we slip into entitlement and pride, we slip out of worship. When we reset our attitudes to gratitude and humility, worship is possible again.

You cannot worship God while you feel entitled to what you have and pride about yourself. Worship comes from grateful, humble recognition of God’s glory in contrast with your lowliness. Otherwise, you will preach, pray, and serve to honor and glorify yourself rather than “the king of the ages.”

As you rest from yesterday’s labor and get moving into a new week of ministry, be grateful and humble. Worship the king of ages, the immortal, invisible, the only God. Let all your work be done to honor and glorify him.