“This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of His great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in Him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:15-16
When I return from the grocery store, I have one mission: take as few trips from my car to my apartment as possible. This mission results in me carrying as many grocery bags around my arms and in my hands as possible. Either you completely relate to me or are immediately thinking about the consequences of moving way too many bags from my car to my apartment at once. For those of you who are thinking about the consequences, you are not wrong. While it does not often happen, occasionally, the bags become too heavy and fall to the ground. Most of the time, my groceries survive their fall, but I can think of at least one time where my pasta sauce jar broke open, causing a colossal mess. Whether you can relate to my story, or you are judging my tendency to carry too many bags, the truth is, we all walk around with invisible baggage. We have hurts, disappointments, fears, and more; the difference is that we cannot see this baggage. If we are not careful, this baggage can weigh us down.
The apostle Paul understood the importance of owning the baggage he carried. His baggage was his sinful past. If you read in the book of Acts, you see a picture of the reality of the sin that held him down. He was so far from Christ that he was trying to persecute and kill those who were followers of Christ. Then, Christ changed Paul’s life, and Paul himself became a Christ-follower. Reflecting on his past, Paul wrote, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all” (1 Timothy 1:15). Paul carried a lot of baggage from his past. However, he was not ashamed of his past. He was not afraid to acknowledge it. Why was Paul so willing to acknowledge his past? He knew that it did not disqualify him from running the race God planned for him. It was the same baggage that he carried that God used. He knew that God used him as an example to show that God could use anyone (verse 16). God used his story to reach others who were struggling with baggage of their own.
We all have baggage that we are carrying. While this may make us feel unqualified for ministry, our baggage is often the very thing that God will use to reach others for Christ and minister to them. There is no sin that God cannot redeem, including your sin or baggage. Praise God for His redemption and forgiveness that He freely offers!
The first step in dealing with our baggage is to recognize that we have baggage. We have to bring it to light. Today, our call is to identify what baggage we are carrying. Pull out your notebook or journal and write about the baggage you are carrying today. Commit to telling a trusted friend about the baggage you are carrying. Whether you are carrying fear, disappointment, hurt, or another piece of baggage, admitting the baggage you are carrying is a step towards healing.
Read 1 Timothy 1:12-17(NLT)
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.
This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.
©2024 Sagebrush Church
