Shining through the Cracks

“In accordance with the Gospel of glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted” (1Tim 1:11)

It’s over. Everything is ruined. And what’s worse, I’m the one who ruined it. Ever been there? Ever taken that disgusting and depressing look back at your own life and seen nothing but a dumpster of destruction, most of it self-inflicted? If your world was a little league game, someone should have used the mercy rule. It’s painfully obvious that it’s “Goodnight. Game over. Drive home safely.” 

If that’s you, meet my friend Paul. A few years back, everybody knew him as Saul of Tarsus. One of the rising stars of Judaism. He was so fired up about his religion that he was going to rid the planet of a pesky sect of people claiming that a radical Rabbi from the boondocks. He cheered when his buddies spilled the blood of a Jesus follower named Stephen. He became a one-man wrecking crew against this so-called Way. Arresting some. Torturing some. Even murdering others. 

But Jesus transforms Saul the murderer into Paul the missionary. God’s grace flips the script in a wacky way that is almost unbelievable. In a letter to his protege Timothy, the former Pharisee describes this radical transformation as “in accordance with the Gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted” (v11). The beauty of Paul’s story is how incredibly Christ used him despite his sordid history. Someone did institute the mercy rule for the terrorist from Tarsus. That Someone was Jesus. He also used the grace rule, drenching His newest apostle in His descending, one-way love just at the point he didn’t deserve it. So just when you and I think we’re useless, we’re the most useful. The Gospel allows God’s glory to shine through our brokenness.

Tim has had a front row seat to watch Jesus work in and through the man he knows as his spiritual dad (1Tim 1:2). He hopped aboard the Gospel party wagon during Paul’s second expedition around the Mediterranean Rim at a tour stop in Lystra (Acts 16:1-5). Talk about perfect timing. That was right before God threw the doors of Europe open to the message of Christ for the very first time (Acts 16:9-10). If you think the Beatles’ invasion of the U.S. was something, check out what went down in these first cities when the Gospel came to town. 

Philippi (Acts 16:12-40). 

Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9). 

Berea (Acts 17:10-15). 

Athens (Acts 17:16-34). 

Corinth (Acts 18:1-17).

Chances are Tim was part of Paul’s team when he rolled into the massive Asian seaport of Ephesus and set up shop for three years (Acts 20:13). Now several years later, the apostle has left his righthand man to pastor the growing megachurch there while he takes the message of Jesus to Macedonia once again (1Tim 1:3). Paul just can’t stop telling everyone he meets everywhere he goes about “the Gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted” (v11). Jesus took His adversary and made him His apostle. So, do you still think you’re useless?

Paul will talk your ear off about “the Gospel of glory” (v11). So just what exactly is the Gospel? For a lot of us who grew up in the church, the term has become more familiar than the Jello salad your aunt brought to every potluck in the fellowship hall. “Gospel” is the Greek word euaggelion, which literally means “good message” or “beautiful announcement.” Back in the day, a messenger would hustle back from the war with the announcement that the home team has gotten the W in battle. That’s why some folks translate it as good news. But it’s not just good, it’s GRRRRRREAT!!! Jesus has personally just put the smack down on our sin for the win. Yeah, that qualifies as GREAT NEWS!!!

You did hear all about it, didn’t you? It’s such GREAT NEWS, we really can’t hear about it enough. Jesus did for us what we could never dream of doing for ourselves. According to God’s standard, we’re supposed to live a perfect life. When we didn’t, Christ did it for us. As a result of our rebellion, we were supposed to die. Instead Jesus died on the cross in our place. We desperately need new life, but there’s no way as the walking dead that we can climb out of the grave on our own. Once again, the Son of God walks out of the cemetery for us. And if that’s not awesome enough, Jesus declares that there’s absolutely nothing we have to do to STAY in God’s kingdom. I told you it was GREAT NEWS!!! 

Compare that with the crap the team of spiritual hucksters have been peddling to Ephesian believers. According to their counterfeit gospel that says we have to work to stay saved. Jesus may have gotten us in, but we have to do everything we can to stay there. Their gospel garbage isn’t GREAT news. It’s not even okay news. What they’re selling is awful news. Just as it’s impossible to get into God’s kingdom without Jesus help, there’s no way we can stay in without Him. See, I told it wasn’t such good news.

This incredible announcement of Christ’s victory on our behalf is a dazzling reflection of God’s own goodness. Paul describes it as “the Gospel of glory” (v11). The Greek word for “glory” (Gr. doxa) absolutely sparkles in meaning. Think radiance, brilliance, splendor, and majesty. It’s what Bill Murray and the boys in “Stripes” like to call the ol’ razzle dazzle. God’s glory is spectacular. It’s jaw-dropping. The former Pharisee should know. The resurrected Jesus literally blindsided him with the brilliance of His glory when Paul was on one of his infamous search-and-destroy missions to Damascus. “Since I could not see because of the brightness (Gr. doxa) of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus” (Acts 22:11). The glory of Christ shocks us and drops us to our knees. Glory will do that to you.

Make no mistake just Whose news this is. It’s God’s Gospel. He’s the Author. It was His idea. He came up with something so wild, so crazy that nobody else in the universe could have dream up this ridiculous plan. His Good News totally shocks the angels (1Pet 1:12). The false teachers didn’t cook it up. Paul didn't make it up. It’s God’s Gospel. He holds the copyright. As the saying goes, it’s often imitated but never duplicated. It’s His and His alone. But the awesome thing is that He’s not stinging with His message. God is ready to share it with anyone willing to put their faith in Jesus. Did I mention this is GREAT NEWS?!?!?!?

If this isn’t crazy enough already, guess who Jesus personally drafted as His number one spokesperson to non-Jews. If you said “Paul,” you win the prize! The apostle tells Tim how our Savior has “entrusted” (v11) with this blockbuster news. When Paul made a trip to the home office in Jerusalem, church leaders “saw that I had been entrusted with the Gospel” to non-Jews while Peter had similar marching orders to tell Jewish people that Jesus is Messiah (Gal 2:7). God believed in what He could do through Paul, not because of anything Paul brought to the table. God believed in what He could do through him because of God’s own faithfulness. Remember, Jesus is faithful even when we’re not (2Tim 2:13).

Jesus handpicked the former terrorist despite his sorted history. Or maybe BECAUSE of it! Paul’s brokenness provides cracks for God’s Gospel to shine through. That’s exactly what he wrote to the Corinthians about. “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2Cor 4:7). It’s NOT about the jar. It’s about Jesus. It’s about letting His Gospel shine in and through us. The Gospel allows God’s glory to shine through our brokenness.

So what about you? If Christ can use Paul, why can’t He use you? Maybe you think your long list of mistakes disqualifies you from serving Jesus. Think again. How does your resume stack up to the apostle’s? Persecuted any Christians lately? Hunted down Jesus’ followers in your spare time? Tortured them? Murdered them? Didn’t think so. On the other hand, we all have our stuff. We all have our failures. We all have our mistakes. But let Jesus glow through the cracks. You see, the Gospel allows God’s glory to shine through our brokenness.