A MESSAGE YOU CAN TRUST

TEXT- 1 TIMOTHY 1:15

INTRODUCTION

HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT THERE ARE VERY FEW  PEOPLE OR THINGS YOU CAN TRUST THESE DAYS.

IT HASN’T ALWAYS BEEN THIS WAY.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN A HUSBAND COULD TRUST HIS WIFE OR A WIFE HER HUSBAND, BUT TODAY WE ARE FINDING OUT THAT FEWER HUSBANDS AND WIVES CAN TRUST EACH OTHER.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN YOU COULD TRUST THE POLICE, BUT TODAY MANY OFFICERS ARE JUST AS CORRUPT AS THE CROOKS.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE CITIZENS OF OUR COUNTRY COULD TRUST OUR GOVERNMENT AND THOSE WHO SERVED IN OFFICE, BUT TODAY  THEY CAN’T BE TRUSTED.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN PEOPLE LIVED IN CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITIES AND COULD LEAVE THEIR DOORS AND WINDOWS OPEN TO THEIR HOMES AND THEIR CARS UNLOCKED BECAUSE THEY COULD TRUST THEIR NEIGHBORS, BUT TODAY WE CAN’T TRUST OUR NEIGHBORS.

TODAY THERE ARE MANY CHURCHES WHO CAN’T EVEN TRUST THEIR PASTORS AND MANY PASTORS WHO CAN’T EVEN TRUST THEIR CHURCHES.

EVERY SATURDAY A MEMBER OF ONE PARTICULAR JEWISH TEMPLE WOULD ALWAYS FALL ASLEEP DURING THE RABBI’S SERMON.  HOWEVER, THE RABBI WAS A LITTLE AFRAID TO SAY ANYTHING TO THE PERSON BECAUSE HE WAS THE RICHEST MEMBER IN THE CONGREGATION.  FINALLY THE RABBI COULDN’T TAKE IT ANY LONGER AND  DECIDED HE MUST TALK TO HIM NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT HURT. "WHY," ASKED THE RABBI, "DO YOU FALL ASLEEP WHEN I'M DELIVERING MY MESSAGE?" THE RICH MAN ANSWERED, "WOULD I FALL ASLEEP IF I DIDN'T TRUST YOU?"

THIS MORNING MY TEXT IS FOUND IN 1 TIMOTHY 1:15 AND THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, “A MESSAGE YOU CAN TRUST.”

WHILE THERE ARE VERY FEW THINGS THAT WE CAN REALLY TRUST ANY LONGER, THE ONE ETERNAL CONSTANT THAT MAN HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO TRUST IS THE BIBLE AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE CAN TRUST GOD.

PSALM 56:4, “IN GOD, WHOSE WORD I PRAISE, IN GOD I HAVE PUT MY TRUST; I SHALL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT CAN MERE MAN DO TO ME?”

PAUL SAYS IN OUR TEXT, “IT IS A TRUSTWORTHY STATEMENT, DESERVING FULL ACCEPTANCE, THAT CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS, AMONG WHOM I AM FOREMOST OF ALL.”

AS WE CONSIDER THIS PASSAGE I WOULD LIKE US TO EXAMINE THREE TRUSTWORTHY TRUTHS WE NEED TO ACCEPT.