1Timothy 3:14-16 | Godliness: Rooted in the Church, Centered on Christ

Big Idea: Because Christ is the center and source of godliness and He Himself prizes and prioritizes His church, we must prize, prioritize, and submit to Him in His church.

INTRODUCTION

Now, Imagine standing at Victoria Falls. You know one of the seven wonders of the world. (Insert facts)

I had the privilege of going to Zambia, Africa, when I was 16, and during that trip, we stopped by this glorious site. It was absolutely breathtaking. The roar was overwhelming. The beauty was quieting. It pulled my attention away from myself and into something so massive that I felt smaller than I had before in the best way.

And while this was my experience this time, we have all stood before great and beautiful things, people, and moments, only to be distracted… distracted with anxiety about what others think. Worried about being judged. Hearts overwhelmed with fear. Because we cannot stop thinking about ourselves, we miss the joy and beauty before us.

This can happen all too easily in the church. We stand in a place filled with the beauty of Christ and the joy of being joined to the body of Christ, yet we often miss what God is doing in our midst. We miss God Himself because our eyes are turned inward. But not just any kind of inward, inward in such a way that does not consider the heart or thoughts of Christ.

We trade the joy of Christ and the gift of God’s household for the torture of uncharitable perceptions and imagined opinions.

We miss the wonder of grace because our gaze is fixed on that which is not all that impressive, if we are being honest, depressive at times, namely ourselves.

But this passage invites us to look away from ourselves to discover something far more superior than one of the seven wonders of the world, something more superior to ourselves and the opinions of others.

He invites us into deep joy rooted in King Jesus and into a way of life that reflects that joy and His lordship.

Said simply, the verses we are looking at today teach that joy in Jesus and right living in God’s household always go together. The one fuels the other.

FCF

We tend to treat the church casually, treat godliness as optional, and treat Christ lightly. We assume godliness happens by accident. We separate belief from behavior. We reduce Christianity to ideas instead of a life formed by Jesus in community.

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Oh, that God would awaken joy in Christ and joy in belonging to His household so that our lives reflect Jesus, His priorities, and His Lordship in the world.

Prayer

Father, we thank you for your amazing love for us. For your patience with us. It is far too easy to be more amazed at lesser things or, at the very least, distracted by lesser things when we have you. Holy Spirit, open our eyes again to the beauty of Christ. To the beauty of belonging to your household. Mold and shape us by your word and Spirit. And produce in us the godliness this passage calls for. We love you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

As we prepare to read our text, it’s important to know that 1 Timothy is a letter written by Paul the apostle to his disciple Timothy, who is leading the church Paul planted in Ephesus. Timothy was sent to Ephesus because the church had drifted off the path. They had swerved into false doctrine and sinful living.

So Paul sends Timothy to help straighten what is crooked. Timothy is young. The situation is painful. People are resisting. And Timothy needs courage and clarity.

Chapter 3 begins with Paul reestablishing standards for the church’s leaders and their character because they were following leaders who had charisma but no character. They were more fascinated by what the Bible didn’t say than what it does say.

So Paul sets them straight by telling them that in God’s economy, godliness is far more important than a person’s resume or personality.

The verses we are going to look at this morning show us that this is at the very heart of what Paul is seeking to communicate.

He wants Timothy to see that godliness in the household of God matters. And that godliness is not just for the leaders but for all who are in Christ.

But what does this look like? What is root and center of our godliness?

Look with me starting at verse 14.

Hear the word of our God.

1 Timothy 3:14–16 (ESV)

May God bless the preaching and receiving of His word.

So Paul wants Timothy to understand that godliness is not accidental. It is something God produces as His people live together under the Lordship of Christ. And Paul begins with where godliness is formed. Which brings us to our first point.

How God Forms His People

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.

Paul may be delayed in coming to the Ephesians, but he refuses to leave Timothy or the church guessing about what matters most. He has already spent time in his letter addressing urgent needs, and he is going to continue following our verses this morning.

But here, Paul gives them the primary reason for writing. And the very first thing he puts in front of Timothy and the Ephesian Church is how we are meant to live as God’s household.

Paul links our walk with Jesus to biblical community. And not just any community. The local church.

Remember, he is writing to Timothy, who is caring for the local churches in Ephesus. This very chapter deals with the qualification of the leaders God establishes in His church. So godliness is intricately connected to the local church.

This is not an easy concept in our individualistic culture that despises accountability and authority. But King Jesus says the local church matters to Him, so it better matter to us. not just in our attendance, but in our hearts. I love Sundays. It’s a time where we gather together under the banner of Christ to recount God’s mercy, share our burdens, serve each other, and receive the word of Christ.

That said, When we do gather, we need to make sure we are waging war against being consumed with ourselves, but rather fixate our attention on Christ and His people.

Satan would love nothing more than for us to gather together as Christ’s church, only to miss Jesus… only to miss one another…

We must resist the soul-decaying Christ-denying realities of negative perceptions and judgmentalism. But rather put on the soul nourishing balm of thinking charitably of others and looking for ways to be of use to those around us because that is how Christ thinks and because that is what Christ is doing.

We must pursue reconciliation when we’ve been sinned against rather than harbor bitterness. Because we have been forgiven far more by christ than any person who has ever seen against you.

And Rather than isolating ourselves, we must lean into community, not because people are perfect but because God meets us through one another and in the gathering of His people.

Paul says that he is writing to them SO THAT they might know how to behave themselves in the household of God. This doesn’t sound like it’s optional. It actually sounds like Paul views godliness as rooted in community.

Furthermore, when Paul says the household of God, he is not talking about a building. He is talking about family.

He wants Timothy to see the church not as an institution but as people who belong to one another more deeply than any earthly tie.

The church is not a business to run but a family to love, a family shaped by the presence and Lordship of Jesus. Organized by and surrendered to the living God

And when you belong to God’s family, church life is not optional… Because the church is the very thing Christ prizes and prioritizes…

Reminds me of Jesus’ prayer in John 17 when he prays: 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.

It’s not that the world is not important… In fact, one of the major ways God shows His love for the world is by establishing churches that lift up and protect the good news of salvation to all who believe and embody the power and priorities of that message.

But the world is not called His body and His bride, the church is. Thus, if godliness and a Christ-centered life are important to us, then so will His church.

But not just the church. But the truth. Paul calls the church the pillar and buttress/support of the truth.

He is drawing directly from the world Timothy lived in.

Ephesus was home to the great Temple of Artemis, a massive structure apparently held high by 127 towering marble pillars that could be seen for miles. These pillars lifted the temple’s message and intricate design into public view, and its buttresses reinforced the walls so nothing shifted or collapsed under pressure. So when you hear buttress think support.

Paul intentionally uses this imagery to show that the gathered church, not the temple of a false god, is the true structure God has placed in the world to hold His truth high.

Said another way, the church possesses, protects, and proclaims God’s truth in the world.

The church does not create the truth, but it lifts the truth so the world can see it, and protects the truth from distortion, drift, and attack.

When we pray, Your kingdom come your will be done, we are praying that churches would be established where Christ’s kingship would be heard through the preaching of Christ's word and embodied by His people.

Faithful churches put on display the realities of heaven when they walk in His power and His love, and when they proclaim and defend God’s word by enjoying it, speaking it, and submitting to it.

Which means, if we are truly God’s household, we will think more deeply of God’s word, God’s people, and God’s church.

If we are the pillar and support of the truth, then we must prize and prioritize God’s word more fervently than entertainment, preference, pride, or comfort.

One of many ways we can do that is by prioritizing singing to and about Jesus.

In a moment, we are going to read verse 16, and when we do, we are going to see that Paul is likely reciting a worship song sung among God’s people…

And Before we unpack the song, I want us to understand that Paul is not adding a random worship song because he ran out of things to write. No. He is showing us how the early church was formed by God’s word.

They didn’t just hear the truth. They didn’t just proclaim the truth. They didn’t just defend the truth. They sang the truth.

Singing has a way about it that it causes the to saturate our minds and into our hearts. Singing and music is a wonderful gift from God.

And church, we know the power of singing the truths of God. So often my heart is filled as my spirit is lifted by the sound of your voices singing the truths of the gospel, delighting in your Savior, delighting in one another.

In these moments, we are reminded that we are not alone but rather surrounded and dearly loved.

A church becomes what it confesses, and often it confesses best when it sings.

In the same way, I was quieted by the roaring sound of Victoria Falls; each week, we have the opportunity to be stilled before the Almighty. Whether when we are singing, praying, interacting with one another, sitting under God’s word preached or taking communion.

You see, The church does not form itself. God forms His people in community through the truth and that truth is centered on a Person.

That is what the song in verse 16 is all about… Christ Himself. Which leads us to

The Heart of Our Confession and Worship

Paul moves into this confession because godliness does not happen by accident… It is not ultimately centered on our effort… Though our effort is involved. Godliness is grounded in the finished work of Christ.

The church does not invent truth. It receives it and confesses it.

This shared confession stabilizes us when life is confusing. It anchors us when beliefs around us shift.

And because what the church believes determines how the church lives, Paul centers our conduct in the glorious truths concerning Jesus Christ.

Paul begins this confession by saying, Great indeed is the mystery of godliness. Meaning this is something the whole church agrees on. This is truth we confess together.

Maybe you’re wondering, what is the secret to godliness? Paul is about to tell us.

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.

This is the mystery of godliness. Now for us to understand what that means let’s first briefly consider each line.

The song begins with

He was manifested in the flesh. In other words, Jesus became a man. The eternal Son stepped into our world with a real body, entering our weakness, pain, and limitation. This means the gospel is grounded in history and humanity.

Next, we see that Jesus was

Vindicated by the Spirit. This means the Holy Spirit play a major role in the resurrection and public confirmation that Jesus is the righteous Son of God.

Through His resurrection and the Spirit’s power working through Him, Jesus was shown to be who He claimed to be. He accomplished what he sent out to accomplish.

Next, we see that Jesus’s incarnation and victory was

Seen by angels. In other words, the heavenly realm are witnesses of Jesus’s earthly ministry and victory on the cross.

Next, the text says Jesus was

Proclaimed among the nations. The gospel of Christ has never been a private truth. From the beginning, it has moved outward, announced across the world to every people and culture.

Next, we see that Jesus was

Believed on in the world. This message has not only been proclaimed, it has been received. People throughout the globe and in history have responded with faith, demonstrating the power and commitment of Christ to save.

And finally Jesus was

Taken up in glory. Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, reigning in majesty. His exaltation declares His victory and guarantees the hope of His people.

So Jesus came.

He was proven.

He was seen.

He was proclaimed.

He was believed.

He was exalted.

These observations form the foundation of our confession.

But like all true and glorious confessions and songs, it is not meant to simply inform our minds… it is meant to express and ignite our hearts.

Paul is not giving Timothy theology to analyze. He is giving him a Christ to adore. These truths are meant to usher us into worship.

And since that is the case, let us lift our eyes this morning and behold the One at the heart of this glorious and true confession.

Look to our Savior. Let His nearness quiet the noise of your fears and draw your heart back to Him. Look to the One who is worthy of unashamed worship and glad submission.

Look to the One who denied heaven’s throne and took on the form of a servant. Let His humility shatter your pride and free you to serve with joy.

Look to your conquering King whom death could not hold and Satan could not defeat. Let His victory wash over you and strengthen your faith.

Look to the unrivaled ruler whose name will be sung for all eternity. Let His eternal glory lift your eyes beyond the burdens and distractions of this moment.

Look to the One who possesses all beauty, all power, and all wisdom. He alone is worthy of worship, and this is why His glory spreads to the nations like light breaking into darkness, His name resounding across the earth as He is proclaimed among the nations.

Look to the God who is actively changing hearts and transforming lives…

And look to Christ taken up in glory, whose exalted throne declares that every promise is ours in Christ, every enemy defeated, and every hope secured in and by Jesus.

CONCLUSION

So as we take all of this in. Paul has shown us how God forms His people. We are God’s household. We are the pillar and support of the truth. And the truth we uphold is not an idea. It is a Person. It is Jesus Christ, the One worthy of unreservered, unashamed, unending worship and allegiance.

So let us fix our eyes on King Jesus. Let His beauty quiet us. Let the roar of His might steady and strengthen us. Let His kindness draw us. And let His glory compel us to a life, rooted in the church centered on Christ.

Godliness is not about us trying harder. It is about seeing Jesus more clearly and loving Him more dearly. And when we behold Him, when we delight in Him, and when we confess Him together, our very lives become a witness to His glory in the world, this is the mystery of godliness.

PRAYER

COMMUNION MEDITATION

As we come to the Lord’s Table, we are reminded visibly of everything we have just considered. It takes the glory of Christ and places it in our hands.

Communion reminds us that godliness does not begin with our strength. It begins with grace. It begins with a Savior who took on a body so He could give that body for us.

It begins with a Redeemer who shed real blood for real sinners.

It begins with a King who serves us at His own table.

As you take the bread, remember His body, the body of the servant King who came near. The sinless body that was broken because of and for our brokenness.

As you drink the cup, remember His blood, the blood that shouts louder than your shame, louder than your sin, louder than your fear. The blood that was shed for the forgiveness of sin.

And as we eat and drink together, remember this. You belong to the household of God. You are His. Dearly Loved. Welcomed. Forgiven. Brought near through the body and blood of Jesus.

So come. Come with faith. Come with thankfulness. Come with joy.

Come and behold the Christ who appeared for you, died for you, rose for you, reigns for you, and will return for you.

Come and receive again the kindness and faithfulness of God.

Benediction

Hebrews 10:23-25 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 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.