Church, Pillar of Truth
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Kids? What If I came into your bedroom and just started moving furniture around? Moving your stuff from here to there and making rude remarks about what it looks like?
Everybody, what would you do if I came into your house and started saying “Ooh, that picture shouldn’t go there. If only we could put it over here.
Lets move the couch over there. I don’t like the colors, we’re going to repaint...”
I’m sure you would all be very respectful but clear: “Samuel, we respect you, but you’re not the leader in this household. This is not your house and you don’t get to say how it is arranged.”
And if you said that, you would be completely right!
It is entirely inappropriate to start rearranging someone else’s house or bedroom, perhaps unless you are an interior designer with permission!
It is painfully obvious that the people who’s house it is get to say what their house will look like. And although you may have some well founded decoration or organisation tips, it is not your job to make adjustments.
But that principle applies at church.
Church, as we will soon see, is the “Household of God.” This is God’s household. He bought it with His blood, and he arranges it how he likes. None of us get to barge into church and start rearranging the furniture!
Too many of us think that church can be ordered how we like. We want the music to be our music, we want the vibe to suit our personality, we want sermons to be our preferred length, and don’t get me started with what I want in a good pastor… I want these kinds of ministries and to baptize the kinds of people that i like...
In our me-centered, consumerist age, we are invited to shop around and find exactly what I want, and if you can’t find it, you’re permitted to make an idol to suit exactly what you think you need.
And that seeps into church, many of us are steeped in that worldview, and we accidentally or intentionally can bring those perspectives to church. And you only need to look around to see how much of the wider church is now enslaved to people preferences and whims: Churches pursuing tends rather than Christ, comfort rather than conviction, Excuses rather than Holiness.
Today’s passage is an antidote to that sentiment. It helps us look at church in the light of what it truly is - God’s House.
And as God’s house he get’s to say what goes and what is not on.
And what God’s house is meant to be, is a home for Truth. The Church is to uphold truth, the truth that we have already been confessing this morning, the truth that sets people free! The Way the Truth and the Life!
Join me in the Word to see what Truth God reveals to his Church. There are 3 main parts to our passage today, so let look at the one after another:
Pillar of Truth
Pillar of Truth
v14-15
I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 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.
As we have been saying, Paul wrote so that Timothy could shape church the way it “ought” to be shaped.
Getting a good perspective on truth.
Our Church is the way it is for good reason. We’re never going to have flashy lights and a smoke machine.
We’re never going to have 30 programmes all manner of niches.
The House Hold of God
Church of the Living God
(he ain’t dead)
Pillar and Buttress of Truth
The Chruch “holds up” the Truth in the world. Truth is from God, but the church is Support, the Structure for it in this world.
Isn’t it interesting that Paul wants to focus so much on teaching, doctrine and truth? Obviously we understand how to do church in light of the whole Bible, but we must come to terms with the fact that truth and the fight for truth is integral to Church.
We can’t sit back and just pretend all “Christian” teaching is ok and we’ll all just have our own interpretations and have some happy tolerance. This letter is full of stuff about fighting, teaching, putting a stop to bad teaching, installing good leaders (many of whom will teach).
I cannot stand before you and just says “some people believe this or that.
Because the Church is the Pillar of truth, it needs the truth to ring from it’s walls and to be jelously guarded!
We are not bullies, be are not obstinate, we are open to discuss and be challenged. But we are like the meerkats, on the lookout for sneaky predators, som of which we will soon talk about!
“Gimme practical” - Practical is useless to you if you are not firmly founded in the deep truths of the entirely impractical Gospel of Jesus!
We have to talk about”other” churches and compare, because this is the context we are living in! We’re not lifting ourselves up proudly, we are humble, we seek to improve, but we can also say: “That’s wrong, and that is an affront to God.”
Foundational Truth
Foundational Truth
v16
Paul switches now to give us a summary of that Truth
It is as though he breaks into song!
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.
Possibly a Gospel Hymn.
Not quite a complete confession of Jesus, but pretty close!
What do we confess? What do we Beleive in this place of Truth?
Christ came into the world.
Christ’s mission was vindicated by the spirit in word, deed: death and resurrection!
It was on display for all the world to see, spiritual realm included.
The message of salvation accomplished in the world now goes out to reclaim the nations scattered at Babel. Once rejected in favour of Israel, now all the nations come into true Israel, the Church of the living God.
Each person who hears this message must Believe on Jesus, in this world.
Jesus has ascended and now sits at the right hand of the father!
Now the church spreads throughout the world, where the Spirit established local pillars. It is like God is spreading a massive tent, like a big-top tent. Each Church is another post, upholding this message of truth that goes out, for “for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea!” Is 11:9.
This truth is foundational for Church. We will never stop proclaiming these core doctrines front and center!
If we get distracted focusing on curiosities, we need to come back to here.
How are you in your personal devotion? Does it center around the Gospel, or is it more centered around yer personal wants and desires? Your personal hobby-horses?
This is a great truth, revealed to the world!
Threats to Truth
Threats to Truth
4:1-4
Who are they?
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,
Jesus said:
For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.
What kinds of things do they teach?
who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
Abstinence from Marriage
Food Laws
These were the particular danger in Paul’s day, especially as many Jewish Christians struggled to Shift into New Covenant thinking, and as Greek cults preached messages about the evil of the material world. But we have similar challenges today!
Still food laws!!
Still messing with marriage!
So What?
So What?