in order to help me this afternoon,
and grant you prayerful attention. I'll direct you to the portion
of God's Word read, the first epistle of Paul the Apostle to
Timothy, chapter one, and we'll read again at the beginning of
the chapter. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment
of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope,
unto Timothy, my own son in the faith, grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. It is particularly
to the second half of the second verse that I wish to draw your
attention this afternoon. Grace, mercy and peace from God
our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. In seeking to open up these words
this afternoon, we want firstly to say something regarding Paul,
the one who is writing, the one whose desire is expressed in
our text, grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus
Christ our Lord. Secondly, we want to say something
regarding Paul's desire for Timothy, grace, mercy, and peace. Thirdly, to notice the source
of grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and finally to
notice the channel by which grace, mercy and peace come unto us,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Firstly, the writer of these
words, the one whose desire is expressed in our text, Paul,
an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Saviour
and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope, the apostle, describes
in this chapter his life in a very few words. What a life, who was
before a blasphemer, a persecutor and injurious. Paul was a sinner,
the chief of sinners, but for many years of his life he went
on not knowing that he was a sinner. He thought that he was righteous,
as he tells us in writing to the Philippians, that he was
a Pharisee of the Pharisees, was touching the Lord blameless,
Oh, friends, what a righteousness that dear man had in his own
eyes. But there came that day in his
life when he was in a moment convinced of sin and made to
realise that he was a blasphemer, a persecutor and injurious. Oh, friends, what a fall, what
a change. What a day that was in the Apostle's
life, when his life turned upside down, completely turned around. That as he tells the Philippians
those things that he counted gain, he now counted his loss
as done and dross. Ah, friends, that expression,
so strong, done. or that which you would not want
to bring into the house, that which, if it came into the house
on your shoes, you would want to remove as quickly as possible,
to be as far removed from as it is possible to be, that which
is utterly distasteful, that which is hated, that which revolts
us. Oh, that's how the apostle was
brought to see what he was and what he was striving after according
to the flesh. It was done. It was nothing to
be thrown away. He counted it as utterly worthless,
something detestable. Oh, that he might know the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ exceeding abundant. Oh, friends, have you
known that change in your life? Oh, have you got this before
in your life? Who was before a blasphemer? You see, when God works in a
soul, there is a complete change. A day in your life when a change
is made, Now, I speak of a day, friends, oh, we do not all have
a Damascus Road experience. Now, we may not be able to look
back this afternoon and pinpoint a moment today, but, ah, friends,
have you got a before? Oh, can you say with Murray McShane,
there was a day when Jehovah said, Ken, you meant nothing
to you, but a day when Jesus was made precious. Oh, friends,
can you look back and see how your life has been changed? Whether
it has been instantly as the Apostle Paul or whether it's
been over a course of weeks, months, years. A realisation
that you are a blasphemer, a persecutor, injurious. A realisation that
all your righteousness, your chapel going, your Bible reading,
your attempts of prayer, the clothes that you wear, the conversation
you keep are as nothing. All your righteousness are as
filthy rags. Oh, friends, the Apostle doesn't
use too strong language, does he? Blasphemer, persecutory,
injurious. But Paul, you were perfect. Paul,
you were touching the Lord righteous. Oh, friends, a sinner who's convinced
of his sin will never think, as the hymn writer says, they
can be laid to law. Oh, if the Apostle Paul was here
this afternoon, he would assure you of this one thing. He was
not exaggerating. when he described his former
life in these words, a blasphemer, a persecutor, an injurious, but
I obtain mercy. Oh, friends, this blessed but,
which appears so often in the writings of the Apostle Paul,
we find it, oh, so beautifully put there in Ephesians chapter
two. Oh, dead in trespassing and sins, children of wrath even
as others, but God. Oh, for that great love wherewith
he loved us. Oh, friends, the apostle knew, you see, where
this change came from, but I obtained mercy. God's but, God's work
of grace. Oh, friends, he who convinced
of sin, he who appeared to the apostle Paul there on the Damascus
road and turned all his righteousnesses into blasphemy, persecution,
and injuries. Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou
persecutest. Ah, friends, this is not injurious
against his fellow men, but this is injurious against Jesus Christ,
the blessed Son of God in our nature, the Word made flesh.
Oh, Jesus, whom thou persecutest. Ah, friends, what depth and injurious. But it was the grace of God that
brought Paul to see himself in such light. It was the grace
of God that emptied the apostle Paul and took away all his righteousness,
and made all his fancied meekness as nothing but filthy rags. And
it was the grace of God which, when he convinces of sin, doesn't
leave a sinner in such a place, but is pleased to bring them
to Jesus Christ, as we have in our text, the Lord Jesus Christ,
which is our hope. and that glorious hope raised
up in the Apostle's life. Hope of eternal life through
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Oh, as he describes the gospel,
hear a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Oh, that light shone. Our friends,
the Apostle Paul received that grace into his soul. He was raised
up to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Our friends,
he knew those blessings in Christ Jesus. He beheld the glory of
God in the face of Jesus Christ. And it was as described in our
text, grace, mercy, and peace. But oh, where the Lord calls
a sinner by grace, There's a going on, there's a following on. Our
friends, that was the beginning upon the Damascus road, but here
many years later, and we cannot be entirely sure when the apostle
wrote this epistle, but it is genuinely agreed that he is an
older man. And certainly when he wrote the
second epistle, he appears to be at the end of his life. Our
friends, he writes to the Philippians, and he's in a straight betwixt
two, having a desire to depart to be with Christ, which is far
better. But there's still that which would hold him back. But
when he comes to the second epistle of Timothy, oh, he's ready to
be offered. The time of his departure is
at hand. The taplings are loosed. The cords are loosed. There's
a crown laid up for him, and he's looking for it. with expectation. And in between, oh, friends of
Damascus Road experience and Paul the Aged, putting his house
in order, writing to Timothy, his son in the faith, writing
to Titus, settling the church before he is to be taken from
them. He has passed through a lot. And you can read his description
of what he passed through in writing to the Corinthians. Oh,
he was stoned and left for dead. Oh, friends, how he was shipwrecked,
how he spent nights in the deep, how he was scourged for the sake
of the gospel. Oh, friends, the Apostle Paul,
you know what every disciple knows. In this world, you shall
have tribulation. But there was something that
sustained the Apostle Paul. How be it for this cause I obtain
mercy. that in me first Jesus Christ
might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should
hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. To the King, eternal,
immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory
for ever and ever. Amen. Now, friends, what is the
apostle saying? He's saying this. Oh, that grace,
that mercy, that peace, which I first knew on the Damascus
road, They've had to sustain me until now. The long suffering
of God. I've got an old nature. That hasn't changed. I need daily
grace, daily mercy. But all he who called me has
remained faithful. He who called me is still the
same, the Alpha and the Omega. And as he has begun a good work,
so he will perform it to the day of Jesus Christ. My mind
just went, as you were singing, to those beautiful words of John
Newton. Oh, friends, he preaches the
same gospel as the Apostle Paul, amazing grace. Oh, friends, it
was grace in the beginning. But what does he say? T'was grace
that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed. Through
many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come. It was grace
that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home. That's what the Lord's people
have to be taught. It's grace in the beginning,
it's grace in the middle, and it's grace that will complete
the work and have all the praise. And that's what the Apostle Paul
had proved over his life. As he passed through those experiences
in his ministry, he'd been brought back time and time again to the
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what did he prove it to be?
Exceeding abundant. Exceeding abundant. I sin abounded,
he said. Grace did much more abound. There
has been a sufficiency of grace. When the Apostle Paul is tried
by that thorn in the flesh, he had to prove the truth of what
the Lord said. My grace is sufficient for thee.
My strength is made perfect in thy weakness. Grace hasn't let
me down, Paul would say. Grace has been sufficient. It
hasn't run out. I expect grace to see me safely
home. I expect grace to bring me safe
across the river and to crown the work with praise. Henceforth
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. Now, friends,
why do I lay this emphasis this afternoon in coming to our text? Because here is the aged Paul. Here is the experienced Paul.
Here is the battle-wounded Paul. Here is a Paul whose ministry
has been tried. And he writes to his son in the
faith. He writes to Timothy. Oh, friends, he knows what Timothy
needs. And what does Timothy need? Grace, mercy, and peace. Oh, friends, the secret of Paul's
ministry. This was the secret of Paul's
religion. This describes everything that the apostle had received
from the hand of his gracious saviour, the Lord and saviour
Jesus Christ. Everything that he had received
from his father in heaven, grace, mercy and peace. It's as though
he says to Timothy, it's been sufficient for me, it'll be sufficient
for you. It's what has kept me, it will
keep you. It's what has satisfied me, it will satisfy you. It's
what's brought me through, it will bring you through. Grace,
mercy, and peace. Friends, it's as though the apostle
can desire nothing more for his son in the faith. As he goes
on, he begins immediately to open up the instruction. He makes
this wish, if I may put it that way. He expresses his desire,
his longing for his son Timothy in the faith. And then he gets
straight down to the purpose of the letter, to begin to warn
him about the errors, the divisions, the trouble that he may expect
to face in the ministry, to instruct him how he should behave himself
in the Church of God. to discharge to him those faithful
instructions that he should know how to continue when he's gone. Oh, this is all the Lord's servants
need. Oh, friends, grace, mercy, and
peace. Oh, is that what you feel to
need this afternoon? Do you need to be reminded of
it? Oh, friends, I feel, if I can just speak for myself for a moment,
we need to be reminded of it. How often we think we need something
else. If only I had this or that or
another. A bit more support in the church.
If only I had a few more who perhaps could supply my need. If only I had somebody else to
come alongside me and help me in the work. But our friends,
grace, mercy and peace. If we have grace, mercy and peace
this afternoon, we have everything that we need for time and for
eternity. And it will bring us through
the worst. And it will bring us safely home. And this is what
we need at the beginning of our ministry. If like Timothy and
Paul, we are called to that work. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
by the commandment of God our Saviour. But he who calls us
to that work, gives grace, mercy and peace. and he will not stint
in grace, mercy, and peace, and he'll give it to the end. And
to all his people, all his disciples, church members, all those perhaps
deacons or whatever the Lord may have called you to by his
grace, where he's given grace, mercy, and peace. The gifts of
God are without repentance. You'll have to prove them sufficient.
Our friends, they will bring you through. And so the apostle
desires for Timothy grace, mercy, and peace. The point I wanted to emphasize is
this. Oh friends, the note of experience in our Texas afternoon. The note of experience. You know,
when I was ill, I received letters from various people. I do not
say this now against anybody, but our friends, There were letters
which came with a note of experience. They knew what they were talking
about. They'd perhaps been in the same place. They'd passed
through the same thing. Our friends, there was something
in their letters. They knew what they desired for you because
they knew what you needed. Well, friends, in our text this
afternoon, here is a note of experience in this letter. The Apostle Paul knew what he
needed. He knew what he'd have to depend upon. He knew how he'd
come, thus far. And it was this grace, mercy
and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. When
we are young in the way, when we sit out, our friends, we do
not know what's best for us. We do not know what we need.
We're found, perhaps, like the apostle. Oh, friends, we're still
learners. However far we go on in the course,
many of you are much further on than me. But, oh, friends,
we're still learners, aren't we? The apostle still thought
it would be best if God removed the thorn in the flesh. So he
prayed three times that the Lord would remove it. I'll be better,
Lord. It'll be better for me. If that thorn was removed, I'll
be a better preacher, a better servant, a better apostle. But
no. The Lord knew best, my grace
is sufficient for thee, Paul. My strength is made perfect in
thy weakness. Friends, the Apostle had to prove,
with grace sufficient, with the strength of God promised, sometimes
it's better to have the thorn. Sometimes it's better to be kept
in that place, low place, empty of self, but proving grace, mercy,
and peace never run out. Oh, the Apostle Paul, no. By hard experience, by gracious
experience, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, this was all
his son in the faith needed, grace, mercy, and peace. Well, friends, secondly, we want
to come to consider a little more closely what is grace, mercy,
and peace? What is it that the Apostle Paul
desired for his son Timothy? What is it that each one of the
Lord's people need this afternoon as described in these three words? And what is it that you as a
church and your pastor need through another year as described here,
grace, mercy, and peace? Well, friends, grace. Here we have the beginning. Oh,
God's free gift. poor sinners, grace, as some
have said, God's unmerited favour. Now, my friends, that which we
do not deserve, that which we have not merited. And the apostle
Paul, you see, had to come to realise that everything he received
was grace. Oh, it's not until we feel ourselves
to be blasphemer, a persecutor, an injurious, that we'll realise
that everything we receive is grace, because we do not deserve
it. Our friends, we've done nothing
to deserve the fact that God should bestow upon us anything.
We are unworthy that God should even look upon us, that God should
even think upon us. Worthy only to be cast out of
his sight, to have lost eternity. The blackness of darkness and
the place where the worm dies not, where the fire is not quenched.
Our friends, that's all we can say that we deserve. By our sins
deserving hell. But the hymn writer says, I'm
not despaired for who can tell why, because he's a God of grace. Our friends, a God who bestows
free, unmerited favour, without money and without price. And
oh, I want to just go a step further. Our friends, it's not
that we do not merit it, but we don't deserve it. Now what's
the difference, you know? You may have a child that is
a good child. They may not have done something
to perhaps have earned their pocket money, but they've been
good. They haven't done anything wrong. But then you may have
a child who has been utterly bad. Our friends, there's a difference
between those three children. Now, none of us merited grace. Our friends, none of us merit
the love of God. Oh, we cannot do anything. that
would earn anything they would deserve, anything they can purchase.
We have no means. But our friends, neither of any
of us have been good and kept ourselves unspotted from the
world. No, friends, we've all been as those who have actively
rebelled, sinned against the God of grace. Our friends, we
are utterly undeserving, undeserving. It's not just that we are beggars.
It's not just that we have no money, no price to bring, but
we have actively gone against Him. Oh, this gracious God who
has grace towards sinners. Oh, the depth of this which God
bestows upon His people, grace, to the most undeserving, to the
least expected. And that's the emphasis of Paul
in this chapter. Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners, of whom I'm chief, the chief of sinners.
Oh, the very worst of sinners, blasphemer, persecutor, injurious. No, friends, one who would touch
God himself. No, you do not blaspheme against
men. You blaspheme against God. You take the name of God in vain.
You trample the name of God. God. is the centre, the one that
is aimed at in blasphemy, at enmity with God. Now, friends,
a persecutor, a persecutor of the Lord's people, he that toucheth
the Lord's people, touches God. They are the apple of his eye,
and oh, injurious. It's already said, oh, that emphasis,
we believe because of what the Apostle Paul was convinced of
on the Damascus Road, Jesus. Oh, thou persecutest. Ah, friends,
that is where we are by nature, at enmity with God. God hates
us. We are actively opposed to God. Oh, but the wonder is, God has
mercy upon such. grace upon such, he saves such. He sends his own dear Son, the
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, into this world, the eternal
Son sent forth from the bosom of the Father, the Word, that
he should be made flesh, that he should humble himself and
make himself of no reputation and be found in fashion as a
man and become obedient unto death, even the cursed death
of the cross. and that there upon Calvary's
trees should suffer the just and the unjust, the punishment
that was due unto our sins, that the sinner might be set free,
that the sinner's debt might be discharged, that death might
be abolished, that, for instance, our precious righteousness might
be brought in, that the Lord's people might stand complete in
Him, crowned with glory and with honour, no condemnation, God
that justifies, Christ that died. Ah, friends, the wonders of his
grace. The wonder that he should bring us. Oh, bestow that grace
upon us. Oh, as we quoted the hymn of
Newton, Amazing Grace. How precious did that grace appear,
the hour I first believed. Oh, friends, this is salvation,
you see. Saving grace, it's salvation. and the communication of that
salvation unto us. Oh, that Jesus Christ has come
into the world to save sinners and to save you, you, the very
worst of sinners, the chief of sinners. When the Lord Jesus
Christ is manifest to us as our salvation, as our sin bearer,
as our saviour, as all we need, prophet, priest and king, Our
friends, it's grace. Then we enter into that mystery
of which the Apostle Paul speaks, for you know the grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ, though he was rich, yet for your sakes
he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be made rich.
Our friends, that's grace. That God should take a beggar
from the dunghill and set him among princes, that he should
take a sinner Put him among the sons and daughters and call him
my son, my daughter. God should be pleased to make
that way whereby sinners may be reconciled to him and he reconciled
to us. Grace. Our friends, except we
know this grace, where are we this afternoon? But this is where
the Lord begins the work. He that hath begun a good work
in you. Our friend's grace, as the apostle Paul knew it there,
as he was convinced of sin and brought to Jesus' precious blood. To see the secret love of God,
as the hymn writer says, oh, in that glorious salvation that
God has provided. Jesus Christ has worked out and
the Holy Spirit has applied. brings the Apostle Paul to marvel
in that grace, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ exceeding abundant. Grace in the beginning. Oh, friends,
once in him, once justified, once saved, the Lord's people
can never be lost. Oh, friends, the beginning, we
don't want to give you any thought this afternoon that there's any
uncertainty after the beginning. Ah, friends, where there's a
beginning, there's that certainty. He which hath begun a good work
in you will perform it to the day of Jesus Christ. If this
afternoon you know something of this grace, oh, if it's amazing
grace, in your experience then, ah, friends, you cannot be lost. You cannot be lost. The work
of grace cannot be destroyed. You are eternally safe. A blessed
doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. But the Apostle
Paul continues, oh, mercy, mercy. What is this mercy? Well, friends, it's obviously distinct from
grace. And I take it like this. Oh, the Apostle Paul speaks of
that long suffering of God. Oh, friends, he speaks of that
which he had received as he went on in the journey, a sinner saved
by grace. However, what did he need? He
needed God's mercy. He needed God's mercy in those
moments of persecution, in those moments of trouble. Oh, he needed
that mercy as he was found shipwrecked and at sea. He needed that mercy
as he laid there, discarded by man as dead, stoned. God had mercy. Oh, friends, he
needed that mercy to continue. He needed that mercy to stand
bold and fearless upon Mars Hill and declare to those Athenians
the gospel of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Our friends, he
needed that mercy to continue with him that when all men forsook
him, as we read of in the second epistle of Timothy, oh, he should
be unable to stand, to stand there. And when he was called
to give answer, my first answer, no man stood with me. But all
men forsook me. I pray God that it may not be
laid to their charge, notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened
me. That by me the preaching might
be fully known and that all the Gentiles might hear. And I was
delivered out of the mouth of the lion. Our friends, mercy. We find you see these two things
joined together. In that beautiful word in Jeremiah,
it's put like this. Yea, I have loved thee with an
everlasting love. Therefore, with lovingkindness
I draw thee. Friends, where there is that
everlasting love made known in grace, there will be the lovingkindness
that follows on. Friends, where we know a God
of grace, where our hope this afternoon is in the Lord Jesus
Christ alone, then we'll prove that he is a God of mercy. He
does not leave his people. That's the wonder, you see, having
a God of grace. Oh, Jesus Christ, your Saviour,
this afternoon, all the promises of yea and amen in him. He says,
I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee. I'll be within all places
with us wherever thou goest. Ah, friends, we have that blessed
certainty, the Apostle Paul rested upon, my God shall supply all
your need, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Ah,
friends, if we have grace, we must also have mercy. If we have grace, we must also
have mercy. And we'll need mercy. My friends,
we'll need mercy to continue. Mercy that will spread those
everlasting arms under our fainting head. Mercy that will strengthen
us. Mercy that will pity us in all our need when the way is
too hard for us will refresh us. And mercy which will daily
see our need and supply for all our circumstances. mercy which
will surround us. This word here is the word that
is often used by the translators of the Old Testament into the
Greek, to translate that word, which in the Hebrew is often
found in the Old Testament translators loving kindness, as we've quoted
it, there for loving kindness I draw thee. But you'll find
if you trace that word through, That word is translated in so
many ways in the Old Testament. It speaks of covenant love. It speaks of steadfast love.
It speaks of loving kindness, of tender mercies, of great compassion. Oh, friends, it's a word which
cannot really be defined in all its fullness. It describes everything
that God bestows upon his people in their wilderness journey here
below. Now, friends, on the one side, he's chasing in rod, and
on the other side, Oh, his looks of love, the kiss of his mouth,
his love which is sweeter than wine. Oh, friends, all his dealings
with us, various, at times, apparently cross and contrarious. The old
nature cannot understand them. Oh, but as we look back, the
new man of grace says, as for God, his way is perfect. All
the way, the Lord leads us. All the way, he brings us. Through trials and through troubles,
through darkness, through light and through joy and times of
rejoicing. Our friends, he is mercy towards us. The psalmist
sums it up like this, goodness and mercy have followed me all
the days of my life. And I'll dwell in the house of
the Lord forever. Our friends, he was expecting, you see, the
goodness and mercy which had followed him wouldn't give up,
wouldn't give out. Why? Because of relationship,
the Lord is my shepherd. Oh, friends, that was the ground
of the Psalmist's hope. The goodness and mercy which
had followed him wouldn't give out because that was a relationship
which couldn't be broken. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall
not want. Oh, friends, because the promise
runs. He will love us to the end. Jesus,
having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto
the end. I've kept. Lost none, he said. None shall
pluck them from the strength of my hands. And all the while
he lives, and all the while he is our shepherd. Therefore, goodness
and mercy must follow us all the days of our life. And the
Apostle Paul had proved it. Our friend's mercy had never
given out. God's goodness had never given out. Oh, the testimony
of all the saints in the word of God, the testimony of the
Lord's people down through the ages. And I trust your testimony
here on this anniversary occasion is His mercy over another year. It hasn't given out. The promise
hasn't failed. The cruise of oil hasn't run
out. The barrel of meal hasn't wasted.
He supplied your needs. He's been long suffering with
your sins. Our friend's been long suffering with your backslidings
and all your failings. He hasn't cut you off. He hasn't
told you to leave his employ. But now he's had mercy. Our friend's
abundant mercy. And he's the same God, and he
doesn't change. But he abides faithfully, cannot
deny himself. And so as he has begun, and as
he is bestowed mercy thus far, So it will continue to be the
God of mercy, to supply, to provide, to bring you safely through. Peace, grace, mercy, and peace. Oh, you see, friends, grace,
it brings peace. And mercy brings peace. The retrospect,
oh, friends, looking back, As the hymn writer says, he that
hath helped me hitherto. Oh, it brings this peace, you
see, will help me all my journey through. And give me daily cause
to raise for each other needs is to his praise. Ah, friends,
you see, can you look back this afternoon and say, goodness and
mercy have followed you. Oh, since he first began with
you, he's remained faithful, despite all your unfaithfulness.
He supplied your every need. He hasn't cut you off in your
sins, but oft as your sins have got the bitter for you, he said,
look to me, behold my servant, come once more to the fountain
open for sin and for uncleanness. Ah, friends, can you look back
this afternoon and find that peace in his mercy and that peace
in his grace? Oh, joy and peace in believing.
Ah, friends, when we get a touch of that grace, amazing grace,
and everything's right between your soul and God, no longer
any separation, no longer any frowns, but the love of God in
Jesus Christ your Lord. Ah, friends, it's peace, it's
peace. Oh, do you know something of
this peace? Ah, friends, have you tasted this peace and you
long for it again this afternoon? It's essential, you know. It's
where our religion must come, to those points where there is
no condemnation. When we come into Romans 8 verse
1, our friends, it's peace, and nothing to disturb that peace.
Oh, no things present, nor things to come. In the heights above
and the depths beneath. Principalities and powers, oh
friends, none of those things can disturb that peace. No condemnation. And our friends, his mercy is
continued. It brings peace to the Lord's
people. They can say with that, with
a dear hymn writer, he that has made my heaven secure, will here
all good provide. While Christ is rich, I can't
be poor, what can I want beside? Our friends, that's peace. Not when we just repeat the words.
but when we know them as the experience of our soul, it's
peace, it's rest in Jesus Christ. And of course, ultimately, friends,
grace and mercy, oh, they are conspiring to one end, that we
should be brought at last into that land of eternal peace, brought
into that place where nothing shall disturb us anymore, brought
into that rest that remains for the people of God. Friends, do
you look this afternoon for that peace? Is that where your hope
is? Is that where your aspiration
is? As a shipwrecked sailor, waiting for the Lord, more than
they that watch for the morning. Friends, you long to be at rest,
you long to be at peace. Perhaps you sometimes fear you're
going to make shipwreck, you won't get there, but grace and
mercy will bring you at last into that everlasting peace,
they're certain. They cannot be separated. Grace,
mercy, and peace. Grace, mercy, and peace. Now, friends, here is, you see,
the beginning of your religion. And here is the end of your religion.
And here is everything in between. Grace, mercy, and peace. Everything
you need to bring you safely through.
And it all comes from God, our Father, Jesus Christ, our Lord. where it's given in the beginning,
it will continue to be given. Friends, the supply doesn't run
out. And the hand that gives, the heart which has bestowed
doesn't change. Friends, the gifts of God are
already quoted without repentance. If once we've known grace, it
must be mercy and peace. Friends, they must continue.
It's a stream which ever flows and a stream which is full and
a stream which is free and a stream which assures the supply of the
Lord's people and the Lord's servants with everything they
will have need of for the journey and everything that will make
an abundant entrance into glory certain, grace, mercy and peace. And the apostle would have to
prove it. The apostle knew Oh, without grace, mercy and peace,
he had no hope. But the apostle approved the
sweetness of grace, mercy and peace. And he proved the safety
of depending upon grace, mercy and peace. And he had that expectation
of grace, mercy and peace that couldn't be taken away from him.
And so he desires for Timothy and for Titus grace, mercy and
peace. Oh, he knew by experience what
they might pass through. the discouragements, the persecutions,
the divisions, the trouble in the church, all the enemies within,
not just the enemies without, but those who would divide the
Church of Christ, those who would seek to get at the Lord's servants,
those who would seek to bring down at the elders and the deacons
and bring disgrace, those who would get in with those questions
which do nothing but engender strife. Oh, but the Apostle Paul
says, Timothy, Titus, grace, mercy and peace. If the Lord
gives you grace, mercy and peace, you'll be brought through as
a good soldier of Jesus Christ. You'll get your battle scars.
You'll be wounded, sore wounded at times, but you'll stand at
last victorious through him who's bestowed grace, mercy and peace. Oh, you see, friends, the apostle
desired for Timothy what had sustained him. He desired for
his son in the faith what had blessed him. Oh, do you know the value of
grace, mercy, and peace this afternoon? Is it your desire
for yourself? Lord, give grace, mercy, and
peace. Is it your desire as a church? Lord, give grace, mercy, and
peace. Then we'll be brought through another year. Is it your
desire for those who watch over, the little ones in the way? Grace,
mercy and peace. Is this a gift that you would
give to those that you love if you could? Is it what you pray
for them at the throne of grace? Grace, mercy and peace, knowing
that if they have this, if the Lord should bestow upon us grace,
mercy and peace, then everything is well. It is well. Everything will be well. eternally
well, grace, mercy, and peace. The world wouldn't think much
of this. The world doesn't think much of this. Oh, they say, I
want something tangible. Give me a house, give me a car,
give me 1,000 pounds in the bank, whatever it may be. But oh, you
see, the Lord's people are bought to realise with grace, mercy,
and peace. Have a blank check from the bank
of heaven, if I can put it that way. Our friends have a promise
of all their needs supplied. They have a promise of strength
sufficient and grace sufficient to bring them safely through.
Oh, if grace, mercy and peace are ours this afternoon, then
what are we to fear? If grace, mercy and peace have
been yours over the past year, they'll be yours over the coming
year. And you have no need to fear, but you will be brought
safely through. grace, mercy, and peace. Now friends, where does this
grace, mercy, and peace come from? Oh, the Apostle Paul wouldn't
have Timothy looking to him for grace, mercy, and peace. No,
he tells Timothy where grace, mercy, and peace must come from,
from God our Father. God our Father. This is the source
of grace, mercy, and peace. And there's two beautiful things
here to encourage you this afternoon. The first is this. The source
of grace, mercy, and peace is God. The God that we read of,
to the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God,
be honor and glory forever and ever. Now, friends, God, an inexhaustible
store, an inexhaustible source. He is the God who created the
heavens and the earth. The God who fills the immensity
of space and time. Friends, no searching, no getting
to the bottom, no getting to the end of this store because
it comes from God. You see, friends, here is a sufficiency.
When God says, my grace is sufficient for thee, friends, he means that
it's a source of grace that you cannot get to the end of because
it comes forth from God. The source of this grace, mercy,
and peace is God. Our friends, there is a source,
there is a reserve, there is a store that you will never get
to the end of. No, not even as a chief of sinners. Our friends, not even all the
wanderings of your heart, the worst backsliding, you'll never
get to the end of grace, mercy and peace from God. He is able. He is able. to sustain, able to keep, able
to supply all your needs because he is God. Now, if he came forth
from man, the best of men, our friends, their stores run low.
And that's why we're so foolish, depending on man. Going forth
in the strength of man, cease from man, whose breath is in
his nostrils. The old thieves break in and
steal. The rich lose their wealth. The strong lose their strength.
but here is a helper. Oh, you'll never get to the end
of his grace, mercy, and peace. He is always the same, unchangeable,
an exhaustive store. But the second thing we read
is this, relationship, our father. Oh, grace, mercy, and peace from
God, our father. You know, all of the comfort
that is found for the Lord's people in the word of God comes
through relationship. union with Christ. Now friends,
that relationship which God brings his people into, as he is our
father and we are his sons and daughters, everything flows through
relationship. That 23rd Psalm. Now friends,
the secret to that Psalm is, as we've already said in the
opening words, the Lord is my shepherd. Relationship. And because
of the relationship, all the blessings of that Psalm flow
from that relationship. And oh, here is a precious relationship,
our father, our father. The God who says, how shall I
put thee among the children? But oh, for him it's grace, mercy,
and peace. He takes sinners, takes enemies,
takes those who hate him, and he puts them amongst the children.
He makes them his sons and daughters. He brings them into relationship.
He brought them into relationship in eternity past as he elected
them and put them in Christ, made Christ their covenant head. They should be mine in the day
that I make up my jewels. Our friends united to Christ,
engrafted into him, that relationship, all that depends upon vital union
with him. So close that the Apostle Paul
would say, it is not me that liveth, but Christ that liveth
in me. And the life that I now live, I live by the faith of
the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. And our
friends, united to Christ. So closely united, you see, he
is the root and we are the branches. He is the head and we are the
body. And through that union, we are the sons and daughters
of God. He is people. Now you see, friends,
the ground of relationship, what does that speak? It speaks of
his willingness to give grace, mercy, and peace. As Jesus speaks
of him, oh, a good father doesn't withhold from his children. He
knows how to give good gifts. Oh, a good father doesn't give
his children, instead of food, a rock or a scorpion to eat. No, he gives them the best of
food. Oh, how much more so? my Heavenly Father, your Heavenly
Father. Oh, give it to them that ask
of you. Give those good gifts. Our friends, He is our Father.
We have no fear, you see, that He will not give grace, mercy,
and peace. If we're one of His children
this afternoon, we can expect grace, mercy, and peace because
He is our Father. It's not just that there is an
exhaustive store But our friends, that exhaustive story's made
ours through this relationship. And we find here the two things
that a poor, tried child of God needs. Joseph Hart puts it so
beautifully in that hymn, come ye sinners, poor and wretched,
weak and wounded, sick and sore, Jesus ready stands to save you. Full of pity, joined with power.
He is able, he is willing, doubt no more. Oh, friends, there,
Joseph Hart repeats in various different ways those two truths.
He is able. He is willing. And here we find
the ability and the willingness. Now, friends, the ability is
this, an exhaustive store, grace, mercy, and peace from God. Grace,
mercy, and peace you can never get to the end of. And he's willing
to bestow it. Oh, because you are his children.
and he is your father, and he will not withhold grace, mercy,
and peace, but he'll give and give freely. Grace, mercy, and
peace from God our father. Oh, how does this come to us?
How does grace, mercy, and peace come to us through Jesus Christ,
our Lord, and Jesus Christ, our Lord? Oh, why does the apostle,
put here, and Jesus Christ our Lord, is it not sufficient from
God our Father, full stop? Ah, friends, when you're overtaken
with a fault, when you prove you cannot keep yourself, when
you find you've got old nature that hasn't changed and still
sins, oh, Timothy, when you fail in the eldership, when you fail
in the pastorate, when you bring dishonour upon the Lord's name,
So all your hope of grace, mercy, and peace may appear to be cut
off, when the marks of grace are very low, when you wonder
whether you can ever be called a son or daughter of God. Ah,
friends, here is the door of mercy. Here is the way set open
where a poor sinner may approach again and again to obtain grace,
mercy, and peace from God through Jesus Christ. Now, our friends,
that's the way that the apostle had to come through Jesus Christ.
And that's the way a poor sinner can come, a backslider, one who
has been overtaken with a fault, one who has failed. Now, our
friends, one who has slipped and fallen, to come again as
a poor sinner and to plead the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
And this is the name the Father loves to hear his people plead,
and all such pleading, he approves and blesses them indeed. Ah,
friends, you see, as we continue on, there's still only one way
to come to God, through Jesus Christ. Ah, to have to come and
plead His grace, His mercy, to have to come and plead His precious
blood, His finished work. Oh, friends, through another
year, you see, it is as John Kent says, off my soul, as sins
assail thee, turn thy eyes to Jesus' blood. He beneath the
Spirit's ceiling stands, thy great high priest with God. And
as we are brought to him, brought to plead his blood, and brought
to look alone to him, the door of this exhausted store again
falls open, as it were, and it's grace, mercy, and peace from
God our Father through Jesus Christ, through Jesus Christ. Our Lord, our Lord. Oh, friends, we need to be kept
in our right place, don't we? Timothy needed to be reminded
he'd only got one master. The church needs to be reminded
Jesus Christ is the head, they are but the body. Oh, friends,
we need to be kept in our right place. Jesus Christ our Lord. Oh, friends, is he your Lord
this afternoon? Is he your captain, is he your head? You see, that's
where the apostle had to be brought to the beginning of the journey.
Lord, what will that have me to do? Immediately the Lord appeared
to him on the Damascus road. Lord, what will that have me
to do? Ah, friends, the apostle was a changed man. He'd got a
new master. He was now under Christ. Lord,
what will that have me to do? And throughout his apostleship,
throughout his ministry, had to keep coming back there. Lord,
what will that have me to do? Timothy, now there's only one
place for you, under Jesus Christ. as the body under the head. Oh,
keep yourself in this place. Keep yourself in submission.
As Jude so beautifully puts it, keep yourself in the love of
God. Ah, friends, remember he is your head. He is your master. Come through him. He won't fail
you. He won't forsake you. The Lord
is my shepherd. And oh, coming through him, the head through
which every member, every joint is supplied. I'll come through
him, to that exhaustless store, to God our Father, and prove
grace, mercy and peace. Grace, mercy and peace sufficient.
Grace, mercy and peace are without end. And grace, mercy and peace
to bring you at last into the presence of your God, your Father,
your Saviour, your Husband, your Lord. Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. And our friends,
the apostle knew where to point Timothy. He knew what Timothy
needed. And this was what he would bow
his knee for, for Timothy. This is what he would bow his
knee for, for Titus. For those who were following
on in the same path as he'd had to walk, to follow on. Oh, as disciples of Jesus Christ,
as preachers of the gospel, as elders in the church, we're not
promised it easy. And often we're tempted and ready
to give up. And often we wonder how the scene will end, whether we'll make shipwreck,
whether we'll make a disgrace. But now it's grace, mercy, and
peace. And as the hymn writer puts it, thy grace suffice the
saints of old. It made them strong, it made
them bold, and it suffices still. Jesus Christ the same yesterday,
today, and forever. Now, our friends, there's nothing
new under the sun. The situation in the church hasn't changed.
The devil still goes about as an adversary, a roaring lion
seeking whom he may devour. The hearts of men have not changed.
Rather, we should not be shocked by the fact that sin rides high
and sin runs down our streets. Because sinners haven't changed.
But neither has the blessed promise to the Lord's people, grace,
mercy and peace. It will be sufficient. And he
which has begun that work will complete it. And he'll provide
everything in between, sustain you through. And as Paul now
stands, monument of grace, mercy and peace, to his honour and
his glory, among the spirits of just men made perfect, and
Timothy and Titus too, so must every disciple of Jesus Christ
at last be brought to glorify forever and ever the God of grace,
mercy and peace. Grace, mercy and peace from God
our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.