Bible Reading
1 Timothy 1:12-17 “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. 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. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
[42:54]Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
[58:37]John 11:1-44 “Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, 'Lord, he whom you love is ill.' But when Jesus heard it he said, 'This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.' Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, 'Let us go to Judea again.' The disciples said to him, 'Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?' Jesus answered, 'Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.' After saying these things, he said to them, 'Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.' The disciples said to him, 'Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.' Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, 'Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.' So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with him.' Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.' Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.' Martha said to him, 'I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.' Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?' She said to him, 'Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.' When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, 'The Teacher is here and is calling for you.' And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.' When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, 'Where have you laid him?' They said to him, 'Lord, come and see.' Jesus wept. So the Jews said, 'See how he loved him!' But some of them said, 'Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?' Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, 'Take away the stone.' Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, 'Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.' Jesus said to her, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?' So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, 'Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.' When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come out.' The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Unbind him, and let him go.”
[01:10:52]Observation questions
- What three words does Paul use to describe his life before receiving mercy, and what do these words reveal about the seriousness of his opposition to Christ? [43:00]
- According to 1 Timothy 1:12-14, what actions does Christ take toward Paul, and what qualities overflow in Paul’s life through grace?
- What does Paul call the gospel message in verse 15, and what two truths about Jesus’ mission are contained in that statement? [01:00:47]
- In verse 16, what reason does Paul give for receiving mercy, and who is meant to benefit from his example?
Interpretation questions
- Why does Paul’s description of himself as a blasphemer show that Jesus is more than a wise teacher or prophet? [43:42]
- Paul says he acted ignorantly in unbelief, yet he does not treat ignorance as an excuse. How can ignorance explain why someone needs mercy without making that person innocent? [49:24]
- What does it mean that Christ appointed Paul to service and, by grace, made him faithful, rather than finding Paul faithful first and rewarding him? How does this shape the way a believer understands Christian service? [54:24]
- Paul calls himself the foremost sinner without comparing his record to everyone else’s. How does this reflect the difference between true repentance and self-righteous comparison? [01:06:36]
Application questions
- Where are you tempted to minimize sin—either your own sin or someone else’s—by saying it came from ignorance, good intentions, or sincerity? How does Paul’s need for mercy reshape the way you see that situation? [50:05]
- Is there an area of service, obedience, or ministry where you feel too weak, disqualified, or inconsistent to be useful to God? How does Paul’s story encourage you to depend on Christ’s strength rather than your past record? [51:38]
- Grace brings not only faith but also love for Christ. What “lesser love” most competes for your heart’s attention, comfort, or satisfaction right now? What could it look like this week to treasure Christ more deeply in that area? [58:48]
- When you think about your need for forgiveness, do you tend to compare yourself with others, hide your sin, or come honestly before God for mercy? What would humble, gospel-shaped repentance look like in a specific relationship or struggle this week? [01:07:10]
- Who in your life seems too far from God, too hardened, or too tangled in sin to change? How does Paul’s life move you to pray with greater hope and patience for that person? [01:08:08]
- How has Jesus brought you from death to life or changed the direction of your life? What is one simple way you could share that testimony so that attention goes not mainly to your past, but to Christ’s mercy and power? [01:13:41]
