Sermon Tone Analysis

Well we are at the tail end of Chapter 3 of 1st Timothy.

We have recently looked at the expectations God has for us as we assemble, roles for men and women, and Bishops and Deacons.

Today, we will look at the key verse of this entire epistle, verse 15, and then will look at an amazing contrast of Truth and Apostasy.

Let's Pray.

Read 1 Tim 3:14-16, 4:1-5

Verses 14-15 "These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; 15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."

1. "These things" I write to you...when Paul says these things, no doubt is he talking about Chapters 2 and 3, but really all of the epistle.

There are such rich instructions for Timothy and us today regarding how we should be operating the Church and how we should be conducting our lives.

2. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever...none of this is antiquated...all is relevant for us today.

3. Paul continues, "I hope to come to you shortly"...

4. Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus, and desired to visit with him again.

Keep in mind, this was one of Paul's last epistles written about 3-5 years prior to Paul's death and we cannot say for sure if Paul made ever made it back to Ephesus to visit with Timothy.

5. Timothy was dear to Paul, a close companion and brother...his spiritual son in the faith, and it's so great when we are able to be with a close brother or sister again after years apart.

It does our hearts good to have sweet fellowship.

Fellowship is the Greek word koinōnia and it's the best of friendships.

A friendship that is grounded in Christ, and one that you have confidence will last into eternity.

Paul and Timothy had this type of communion.

6.

My Christian travels have taken me to California, the Philippines, Maryland, and now Indiana.

I have met many wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ that I don't get to see, except for Facebook.

Paul didn't have Facebook, or a cell phone, so he and Timothy were really cut off, except for letters or seeing one another in person.

Imagine being Timothy, being away from your family, left on an important assignment in a foreign city, and even your Spiritual father in the faith, Paul, had to depart on a different assignment.

Then, one day you get a letter from Paul...how impactful must this have been?

7. And, Paul writes with the intent to guide you and instruct you on how you should conduct yourself, and the churches you are overseeing.

Guidance, being poured into and discipled by a loving spiritual mentor is an amazing privilege and gift.

There are not enough spiritual mentors discipling other Christians...if you have the opportunity to disciple or be discipled, be appreciative of this gift and the time spent with your spiritual mentor.

verse 15

1. Paul continues now in Verse 15 which is the key verse of this whole epistle...highlighting to us the intent and purpose of Paul writing to Timothy.

2. "I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself..."

3.

This epistle provides instructions on how one ought to behave in the household of God...

4. Paul just described expectations for men and women, and Overseers and Deacons in the church.

Some scholars think there is a shift here, where now and moving forward through this epistle, Paul's focus is upon Christians in general...

5. Notice what Paul entitles the Church... "house of God", "church of the living God", "pillar and ground of the truth."

This is a difficult verse because there is a literal sense and a more personal and intimate sense of interpretation here.

6.

In a literal sense, we get a picture of God's physical house, the church, with it's architectural pillars and ground or foundation.

This is a God's house- the house of the truth; and Paul is writing to Timothy and us to provide practical wisdom and guidance on how we should conduct ourselves when we gather to worship and learn and receive from His word.

7. What associations do you imagine when you hear "house of God?"

8.

I get a picture of an older Christian scolding someone for what they perceive as an irreverent act.

"Have some respect!

This is the House of GOD!

We don't laugh here, and carry on...this is a place of worship!"

9.

You will never hear me scold someone for enjoying good fellowship, even if they are a bit excited.

10.

On a little side-note, I want to mention that it is good to respect the House of God, but there is a line crossed when too much reverence is given to physical church buildings, holy sites, and relics.

I remember being in Israel and watching people almost lose their minds upon walking into certain churches, seeing relics, or even the empty tomb.

No doubt, these places are special, but do not worship anything in this earth, otherwise it's idolatry.

11.

The Israelites fell into this trap many times.

2 Ki 18:4 tells us how king Hezekiah reformed Israel of idolatry, "He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan."

12.

The original intent of bronze serpant on a pole was good... Moses fashioned the pole per God's instructions in Num 21 and any of the Israelites that were bit by serpents in the wilderness just had to look upon the pole to be healed.

This was a picture of the cross and sin on the cross, and how we just have to look upon Jesus in faith to be healed.

Later this pole became an idolatrous relic, being worshiped over God.

13.

We must be careful not to fall into worshipping church buildings or any 'thing' of this world.

14.

One other fallacy is to think God physically dwells at the church.

You can call it 'God's house', but God doesn't live there.

That may seem like a silly statement, but I have witnessed people act differently when they enter a church...as though all of the sudden they have entered into the presence of God.

15.

Acts 7:48-50 Stephen, just prior to being martyred said, "...the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: [Quoting Isaiah 66:1-2] 49 'Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool.

What house will you build for Me? says the Lord..."

16.

Paul, gave a similar message in Acts 17:23-24, to the people of Athens, "God...does not dwell in temples made with hands."

17.

There is no problem with being respectful towards the church, just be careful that you do not pay too much homage to a building made by mankind.

18. Ok, so we just talked about the House of God in a literal sense, but, contextually, we can also extract a more personal and intimate interpretation.

The house of God has a familial feeling.

19.

In this same chapter, Paul instructed that the Bishop and the Deacon must rule their own house well speaking about their "family."

So, in this sense, the 'house of God' is not so much the physical structure, but the household or family of God.

Paul is giving us family rules or the rules of the household.

20.

In my house, we have certain rules like chores, kindness, respect, being a peacemaker, etc. God has rules for His family as well.

Rules for the leaders, rules for the servants.

21.

It's silly to think that these instructions only apply on Sundays or whenever you gather together with fellow believers at the physical church building.

These are instructions for us in how we are to conduct our lives...

22. Think back on the list on the qualifications for Bishops and Deacons...In Chapter 3, we looked at character qualifications of the Bishop and Deacons, and many are centered on how they behave outside the church in determining their fitness to serve in the church.

23.

What is the House of God?

Is it just a building...our church?

Or, is the House of God much more personal and intimate?

24. 1 Cor 3:16 "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"

25. 1 Cor 6:19 "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?"

26.

When you are saved, the Holy Spirit who was beside you and drawing you to truth, now resides in you.

You become God's house...the temple of the living God.

27.

This is why we must have good conduct, and what happens when we don't?

When we sin?

The Holy Spirit grieves, especially since He in dwells us and we just dragged Him through that sin.

Eph 4:30 states, "...do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."

28.

And, this intimate and personal idea continues here in 1 Tim 3:15 with the word "Church" as accompanied by "church of the living God."

29.

The word Church in Greek is the ekklēsia def.

"an assembly" or "a congregation."

It is not a word for a physical structure, but a group of "called out people."

So, when Paul talks about the church, again, he is talking about the people, not the building.

30.

We just discussed how the Holy Spirit in dwells us...we are the church of the living God.

31.

The church is the people, not the building.

Have you ever been in an empty church sanctuary?

Without the people, it feels lifeless.

The people, the spirit-filled people are what make the sanctuary special.

When we gather, no matter if it is at the church, on a beach, or in a home...the gathering is the church.

32.

Paul writes so we may know how to behave in the household of God, and this household is the called out assembly of believers who are the pillar and ground of the truth.

33.

The Pillar and Ground is the idea of a support and foundation.

Think about how columns and a strong foundation bear the weight of a roof.

And, very much Christians bear the truth of the Gospel, the truth of Jesus.

34.

Christians are the salt that preserves the world, the light that dispels darkness, and the pillar and support of the truth.

35.

We are the message bearers of the Gospel in this world, truth hangs upon our words and how we conduct our lives, so praise God that He inspired Paul to write this epistle so that we know what God's expectations are for conduct.

36.

Just as I feel praise for God, in appreciation of how He has communicated to us, as we look at this next verse, I think Paul is also bursting into spontaneous praise.

continue to verse 16

Verse 16 "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory."

1.

In verse 16 Paul now proclaims the truth that the Church, the assembly of believers, uphold...

2. The truth is 1st "without controversy..." "without controversy" is one word in Greek- def.