1 Timothy 1:12-17

Rev. Ben Coppedge

Of all of Jesus' characteristics that Paul savors most in his old age, it’s his patience. In 1st Timothy 1, Paul shows us what Jesus' patience looked like in his life, why Jesus is patient toward us, and how his patience affords us the privilege of bearing patiently with each other. What's the significance of all this? Author Dane Ortlund put it best: “Given the depths of our sinfulness, the fact that Jesus has not yet cast us off proves that his deepest impulse and delight is patient gentleness. It’s not just that Jesus IS patient. Jesus loves bearing patiently with his sheep, IN our infirmities and weaknesses. Even in his correction of us.

Ben is the campus minister at UGA RUF. He's originally from Marietta and went to UGA. It was during the tail end of his undergrad years that God grabbed a hold of him and brought him to new life in Jesus. During his time in Athens, he also went to grad school, served as an RUF intern, and met Anna—his wife of 10 years now. After finishing the RUF internship, he moved to Philadelphia to attend seminary and begin married life with Anna. Anna and Ben share life and a boatload of chaos with their four "chublets"—Eli (7), Addie (6), Noah (4), and Evangeline (2). Prior to serving RUF students at UGA, they ministered to RUF students for 5 years at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM.