Transformative Grace: The Before-Because Narrative

In this sermon from Rev. Benjamin Kandt, part of NewCity Orlando’s Preach Your Heart Out series, we are invited to reflect on the profound mercy and patience of God shown in the life of the Apostle Paul. Preaching from 1 Timothy 1:12–17, Rev. Kandt highlights Paul's personal testimony as a model of God's transforming grace. Once a persecutor of the church, Paul becomes a prime example of someone radically changed by the gospel—demonstrating that no one is beyond the reach of Christ’s love.

Rev. Kandt explores how this passage stirs us to humility and gratitude, reminding us that the Christian life is not grounded in merit but in mercy. Paul's response—worshiping God as King eternal—becomes a call for us to do the same: to live lives shaped by grace and to proclaim that same grace to a world in need of redemption. This message is both deeply personal and widely applicable, encouraging listeners to anchor their confidence in the unshakable faithfulness of God.