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INTRODUCTION
2008 Preaching: Timely Truths that Transform Us. We are spending month talking about
Us. We have talked about living the “one another” and unity. Now today I want us to step back
and see how Christ sees us. TEXT.
The Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy gives us three illustrious and magnificent descriptions of the church of Jesus Christ. Paul wanted to
visit Timothy, was delayed, so writes this letter giving practical theology for church life - “Church 101.” And almost
in the center of the book, is one verse that majestically describes divine nature of the church. Why the church is so essential. We
can be encouraged by examining 1 Tim. 3:15. TITLE. Read TEXT.
1. The Household of God
- A picture of a divine family. A family united by the blood of Jesus.
- v. 16 who hold the common confession about Christ. Christ is the tie that binds. Through Christ we are placed
in God’s very household - church.
- The people of the church are “the household of God,” the very dwelling place of God. In the OT
God’s presence was in buildings: the Tabernacle then the Temple. In the NT with the coming of the Holy Spirit at
Pentecost, God lives in His covenant people, the believers of Jesus. Not buildings, but the believers. We people are
“the household of God.”
- In the early church, when this was written and for the 3 centuries, they didn’t have church buildings, they meet
in houses - a gathering of people in a house, the people were the household. They understood this better than we - they
met in their living rooms, courtyards.
ILLUS: Today, in our culture, we meet in separate buildings and we name them churches. We spend a lot of money on
buildings to make attractive and useful. They are a testimony, a witness of us, I trust a good witness.
- BUT - in NT theology, these buildings are not FBC, we the people are FBC, the buildings are only where FBC meets
together.
- You and I as a believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19), and we together are
“the household of God.”
- Eph. 2:19 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and
are of God’s household.”
- Paul wants Timothy, a young pastor to know that the flock of Christians that he oversees are a majestic group - the
very household of God.
- Do we too, see how majestic we are? God lives in each believer and together we are a divine family united by the blood
of Jesus Christ, “the household of God”
- CHORUS: “I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God...”
2. The Church of the Living God
- Picture of a divine assembly. “church” = assembly, called out ones.
- Called out from the world to be a separated assembly of believers in Jesus, called out by the living God. 28 times in
Bible “living God.”
- God is alive and at work in our world and in His church.
- With the living God, we the church is also living - we are alive, active, vibrant, and growing. Alive & active in
love with God and service to God.
QUOTE: Song “The Church Triumphant” - Gaither song
- “church” is singular - one church, one living God. We may be in different locations,
denominations, but all believers are in one church.
QUOTE: Read one of Spurgeon’s sermons from Sept. 14, 1856: “there is one great denomination to which
every believer must belong...We may be called different names…in different folds, yet there is only one flock and
one Shepherd” (Spurgeon’s Expository Encyclopedia. Book 5, p. 94, 95)
- We are a part of something really big - universal church. Existed for nearly 2000 years, in countless places in the
world. Made of people from different nations, tribes, languages, colors: a diverse but divine assembly.
- We are part of One Church lead by One Living God. We need not fear the onslaughts of Satan, or his puppets of men. God
is living, powerfully at work in His church. He provides all we need: Jesus said: “I will build my church,
and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Matt. 16:18)
ILLUS: 10 Predictions no matter who wins the Election
- God is alive and at work. Please let Him work mightly in the church.
- No matter politics, financial markets, our own personal and church crises: we as a part of something big, and as a
local church are a majestic ministry - “the household of God, the church of the living God.”
3. The Pillar and Support of Truth
- This is a picture of a divine mission, a divine purpose: to hold up and defend the truth - God’s truth, the
gospel truth.
ILLUS: NT building construction - the public buildings had massive stone pillars holding up massive roofs - pillars
were sturdy, decorative, many still stand today. In Ephesus, the Temple of Dianna, one of the 7 wonders of the
ancient world had 127 pillars, each 60 ft tall - massive, majestic (Slide)
- “pillar” Timothy understood importance of pillars - good word picture. Just as pillars of a
building holds up the roof, the church holds up truth
- The truth of course: The Word of God Psalm 119:160 “The sum of Your Word is Truth.” The person of
Jesus Christ Eph. 4:21 “truth is in Jesus”
- The church is the institution ordained by God to communicate God’s truth centered on the gospel of Christ to the
world in this dispensation.
- As the pillar the church is to stand tall, straight - declaring God’s word.
- Also “support” of truth: “NIV foundation; NKJV ground”
- The word “support” = the stay, the bulwark: something raised to defend, steadfast and firm. It is
not the foundation: that is the apostles and prophets - the Scriptures, cornerstone is Jesus Eph. 2:19-22. The
church is the defender of the truth in a world: the island of light in a dark pagan world, the place of the one living
God in a world of many dead idols.
- Paul looked ahead, we can look back at 2000 years of church history.
- The church, in spite of our problems, divisions - the true church is still strong and true. The gospel is still going
out, Bible is still held high. We are testimony of that. In our community I trust we are “the pillar...”
- Then when you realize that every true local church is a pillar - imagine how many there are in the world, and how
strong we are together. The Church Triumphant is alive and well.
ILLUS: However, there are many false “churches” out there, many false beliefs. Liberalism comes in many
shades to accommodate pluralism and inclusivism - the truth is watered down and redefined. A new one is the
emerging church, post-conservative and post-evangelical. It is simply old liberalism dressed up in new age
mysticism. Tries not to focus on doctrine but on experience with Jesus. Jesus is seen as the ultimate therapist.
One emerging leader David Tomlinson: “Post-evangelicals are less inclined to look for truth in propositional
statements and old moral certitudes and more likely to seek it in symbols, ambiguities and situational
judgments” (Why not, 73) Thus, the church is not a pillar but a pillager of truth, nor is a defender but a
denier of truth.
Spurgeon’s sermon 152 years addressed a problem back then that sure fits today. He warns his listeners/us
“there are too many who would guide your minds into ‘the non-doctrine scheme’ and feed you with
that which is vague and visionary instead of that which is substantial and true“ (p. 104).
- The Bible is the truth, Jesus is the truth - that is what we are to communicate and defend. If we do, we are the true
church, empowered by God, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and focused on Jesus Christ.
QUOTE: “The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord, she is His new creation by water and the
word; From heaven He came and sought her to be His holy bride; with His own blood He bought her, and for her life
He died.”
- How high does our church stand as a pillar in our communities? Do we boldly proclaim the authority of the Word of God
without apology? Do we lift high the name of Jesus in our worship, in our walk and witness?
APPLICATION
The application is “so that you know how one ought to conduct himself” There is right behavior for believers.
The household of God needs habits that honors God. The church of the living God needs to have the character and lifestyle that
celebrates and loves God. The church as the pillar and support of the truth must have the piety and the strength to promote and
practice the truth God.
Is our church a great testimony of what a true Bible believing, Christ-centered, God honoring church is? Do we actually practice
what we preach?
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