The Church and the Message.
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If you have a bible this morning I want you to open up to 1 Timothy 3. Pray with me.
If you are new to us, or if you are following along with us we are making our way through the pastoral epistles in a series titled, “God’s play book for the church.” And what I am trying to do and hopefully what you see is we are going through these 3 books to see what we need to add, what we need to keep doing, or what we need to get rid of when it comes to God’s plan for the church.
Now the text we are in today I could argue with you that everything said by Paul to Timothy here in these three verses involves all the teaching in this book, and the reason for this very letter. With that being said before I dive into the text this morning what I want you to see as our main idea is this....
God calls the church to live a certain way because of who Jesus Christ is.
God calls the church to live a certain way because of who Jesus Christ is.
Listen to word this morning starting in verse 14…
1 Timothy 3:14–16 (ESV)
14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. 16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:
He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.
Paul had this desire to come and be with Timothy, to be with the people at Ephesus whom he loved whom he ministered to a few years prior. But Paul knowing if he did not come if he was delayed wanted to make sure they knew how to live in God’s house.
Several takeaways for you today about the church and its message the first is this…
The Church is the household of God.
The Church is the household of God.
Now the church is more than just a building its a people. If you are a believer you make up the body of the church, now we gather as the church together to worship the Lord. But the church is not as valued as it should be. In fact one scholar of the church. Mark Dever said this…
For too many Christians today, the doctrine of the church is like a decoration on the front of a building. Maybe it's pretty, maybe it's not, but finally it's unimportant because it bears no weight.
Yet nothing could be further from the truth. The doctrine of the church is of the utmost importance. It is the most visible part of Christian theology, and it is vitally connected with every other part.
One man said.. Unfortunately, Dever's assessment seems all too accurate. The church appears to be irrelevant or optional for many professing Christians today. After all, why bother with the Sunday morning crowds?
Or I would would add why bother with the Sunday morning people, or pastor..
another man said.. We can simply download the latest sermon from our favorite pastor or author and--voila!-we can have church in the comfort of our own home. But is this really what God intended?
I would saw no Hebrews 10:24-25
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Its important to gather together in God’s house with Gods people..
Another man would say.. Many professing Christians may be surprised to hear that Scripture gives us a much higher view of the church. Christ founded the church (Matt 16:18-19), He died for the church (Eph 5:25), and He identifies intimately with it (Acts 9:4-5). He even calls the church His own bride (John 3:29) or His body (Eph 5:30). The current passage we are in today , 1 Timothy 3:14-16, also speaks to the high value God places on the church. God has given His people the privilege and responsibility of living in accord with and upholding the truth of the gospel.
So as Christians making up God’s church, Paul says we are to behave in a certain way. And up until this point we have learned that Paul loves order in the church. And I am not talking about Paul Winslow here even though he does.
Remember he has defined what the church should look like through the first three chapters and will continue through the next three. But he wants Timothy and those who read this letter to behave a certain way, because of who Jesus is.
Now Paul says, believers should behave a certain way because the church belongs to God. The church is not just a gathering of like minded people with certain life goals. Its the church of the living God. We dont worship a dead God we worship a God who is alive this is what makes what we believe different we serve and worship a living God, and Paul reminds of that very thing.
And the amazing thing about the church unlike the Old Testament times is that the church is not in Rome its not in Jerusalem its with his people. Its with his people.
In fact 2 Cor 6:16
16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
WE are the dwelling place for God. We are his tabernacle if you are a believer in Christ God lives in you, and in another place it says.. If you need reminder of that in Eph 2:22
22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
One man said.. The church, the corporate body of Christ followers, is the place where God lives and dwells and manifests His presence. Consider how significant this makes our weekly gatherings: the church gathers and the Lord, the living God, is among us. We are His house, worshiping in His presence, listening to His Word, and partaking of the elements at His table. How awesome is the privilege of being the dwelling place of God's presence!
Do you think that way.. That this is God’s place and it an honor to worship him together. Paul says that Gods household is a pillar and a buttress of the truth.
Now if you remember in one of my sermons previously i referred to Ephesus having one of the 7 wonders of the world a Temple there, and scholars believe that this would have had over 100 pillars to hold it up to make it strong. And Paul uses the language here because these people would have understood the importance of a pillar. Because it holds things up.
If you don’t know what a buttress is I had to look it up myself this week its a projecting support of stone or brick built against a wall, a source of defense or support. And Paul says the church is to be that kind of pillar. He will talk about that reason more as we continue in this book.
This is a church we want to be one that has a true foundation of God and his word and having proper structure, biblical leaders, and people who want to follow the Lord faithfully, and we do that because we know this is God’s house. This place does not belong to us..
And we have reason to behave properly, in the house of the living God standing up for the truth, because of who Jesus is. I want to hammer that part home for you in the rest of the sermon today today..
I love what Paul says here.. Great indeed we confess is the mystery of godliness.
Next point I have for you this morning is this.
Jesus is the definition of greatness.
Jesus is the definition of greatness.
I know I have said this in a pervious sermon but the goat conversation in a lot of circles seems to get a little out of hand and the conversation of greatness has been one that has existed before the great athletes of this day.
Paul again knowing the audience he is writing to he says Great indeed and he says that because Artemis of Ephesus was often called great you see that in the book of Acts, and Paul using that term would be powerful in the context he is in.. One man said.. And in calling the church to confess so extensive a claim—“Great is the mystery of godliness”—it would be quite appropriate for Paul to intentionally hijack the pagan rhetoric to rewrite this bit of the local religious story in terms of the gospel-promise of a new mode of existence, in Christ.
For the Christian maybe the terminology should not be Jesus is the goat, The greatest of all time though he is.. Because Jesus is something better than what we could define as the goat he is the lamb. He is his own greatness. And ill touch on that more later. And the next few words is why I only wanted to preach these few verses today.
Jesus is the mystery of Godliness. Paul says its a mystery because until he came that is Jesus he was not fully reviled. The prophets spoke about him, but no one knew how great Jesus would truly be until he came he witnessed and he left this earth. So his greatness is seen through his coming and through his life and ministry.
And I want you to see that greatness first hand today.
I wanted to see if Audrey could fit all these points on the bulletin this week so here are several more. Might break a record today or tie a record today with points the next is this...
Jesus is God in the flesh.
Jesus is God in the flesh.
If you remember from our study in John in chapter 1 It said this..
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus is God in the flesh, but don’t mistake the fact that Jesus has been with God for all of eternity and is God. Never ceasing to be God. He is the second person of the Trinity. And he and he alone did in the flesh what you and I could never do by living a perfect life in the flesh and as we know dying on the cross in the flesh.
And Jesus is so great that he took on flesh and became the God man. 100 percent man, 100 percent God. Remember from Phil 2:7-8
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Jesus born of the virgin Mary. Truly Human, Truly Lived and Jesus lived so he could die.. Jesus is so great and he came in the flesh next.
Jesus is vindicated by the Spirit.
Jesus is vindicated by the Spirit.
What does it mean to be vindicated by the Spirit? It can mean being justified. Jesus greatness was reviled to us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Really you see this all over the new testament Scriptures, but im going to give you two of those examples.
16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
In this text we see the very Spirit of God, The Holy Spirit descending on Jesus Christ. Proving that he is the very son of God. When we went through the gospel of John together we saw the amazing signs that testified that Jesus was the very son of God and he did that through the power of the Holy Spirit.
In Romans 1:4 we see the climax of the Spirits power.. It says
4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
Jesus Christ was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s witness shows and declares the greatness of Jesus Christ. And the good news for you and I if we are saved is the same Spirit that raised Jesus living in us guiding us through this life and the Holy Spirit will be raising us up on the last day.
another point…
Jesus was seen by angels.
Jesus was seen by angels.
We see angels often tied to Jesus in the scriptures.
We see them at Jesus birth.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
The angels sang praises to God at the birth of Jesus Christ. I would have to love to hear that kind of praising wouldn’t you?
We see the angels minister to Jesus when he was tempted by Satan.
matthew 4:11
11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
We see angels after the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”
Here we see some of the some of the greatest words in all of scripture he is not here, he has risen he is alive. The angels testified to that very truth. and finally we see them at the ascension of Jesus back to heaven Acts 1:9-11
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
The angels proclaimed dont keep staring dont keep looking up he will come back to you as he went up. Jesus came in human flesh, he was vindicated by the Spirit and he was seen by angels. Next point.
Jesus is proclaimed and believed among the nations.
Jesus is proclaimed and believed among the nations.
This started with the disciples( been enjoying studying acts on Wednesdays because we have seen the gospel grow going into the the nations and these disciples proclaimed about Jesus seeing people come to know Jesus by faith over and over again.
Friends you know why we support missionaries because the Lord is great. Because the mystery has been made known to us. But for us we need to be people who take the gospel to our workplaces, to our neighbors to our families. Listen to this..
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Jesus left us with the great Commission but you need to make it your mission to take the gospel to where you are. Because Christ is truly great. People all over the world are coming to faith in Jesus Christ dont you want to be apart of that yourselves.
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
proclaim the good news of Jesus so people people will believe.
Finally we see this..
Jesus was taken up in glory.
Jesus was taken up in glory.
Jesus has ascended to heaven.
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
Jesus is back to where he belongs in heaven. Ruling and reigning until he returns. His ascension shows that everything he did in this life pleased the father. And like I told you earlier it means that you and I can have eternal life, and be taken with him as well.
So what do we do with all this information, all this scripture today. Well as always the scripture deserves a response. One man said.. These truths about Christ and the gospel should radically change the way we live and the way our churches function.
Another man said.. God has called every single local church to be a pillar and support of the truth in a world running away from that truth. There are far too many churches that are slowly drifting away from the truth and accommodating themselves to the world.
But this is not what God has called his church to do. A church might muddle along without faithful elders and deacons for a time. But that is not a long-term strategy for survival but rather a short-term situation until God's order can be restored and maintained in God's house. And that order involves qualified elders leading, qualified deacons serving, and a believing congregation holding fast to the mystery of godliness.
So I just gave you more points then I have ever done, and I wanted to do that today, because sometimes its just nice to pause and see how great God is, and the many things he has done and will continue to do, and we need to always understand that. I cover so much information every week that we quickly forget sometimes what did he just say...
So just to recap for us.. The church is the household of God. Its his house we are apart of it only by faith in Christ, and his house is called to be a pillar a foundation a place where the gospel is preached and lived out.
Jesus is God in the flesh. The Spirit testifies to that very truth, and so do the angels, and so we do we, because he is in heaven because of what he has done and who he is.
You might say today I want to be apart of God’s household. I want to come back to what I said earlier when I said Jesus is more than the goat he is the lamb, and being the lamb he was slaughtered made low sacrificed so he could glorify God and save sinners. Save people like you and I, people who are dead in their sins, but because he lived that perfect life coming in the flesh, showing the works of God, testifying his goodness, praised by the angles, and though he was slaughtered on the cross lying in the tomb for three days he is alive he is in heaven and if you believe in him by faith you can have eternal life. Have God living in you, the power of the Holy Spirit now in you, and you can belong to the household of God.
So if you believe that truth… Dont you want to live the way he calls the church to live because of who Jesus Christ is.
Dont you want to as we already learned live loving and guarding the gospel? Sharing your testimony seeing the testimonies of the saints in the scriptures so you can live a life of faithfulness? Dont you want to be a church that prays and proclaims to all people to the God that can save all people? Dont you want to live in the role he has called you to bring glory to him, and don’t you want the church to operate with elders and deacons and members serving the church faithfully where they are called to.
If you want that lets be that church that does that together let us pray…