Evening. First Timothy chapter three verse 14. In chapters two and three, Paul has been giving instructions to Timothy very briefly again. Timothy traveled with Paul on his second and third missionary journeys and maybe to some extent beyond. He not only traveled with Paul, but once he had been with Paul a while, Paul sent him on errands to deliver letters that Paul had written to check on various ministries.

And then eventually, he left him or sent him to Ephesus, to the church that was there, to oversee that ministry. Now, this was no small ministry that Timothy was overseeing, yet being a a rather young man, maybe in his late twenties, thirties by this point in his life. It was still quite quite the great responsibility that Paul had laid, that the Lord had laid upon his shoulders to take over this ministry there in Ephesus. It had become a hub of Christianity in what was called Asia in the Bible, what we would call Western Turkey. There were seven churches there in surrounding cities and towns that are mentioned in the book of Revelation, and a couple beyond those as well, all kind of connected in some form or fashion directly or indirectly to the church at Ephesus which was on the coast.

And so Timothy had quite the responsibility. The apostle Paul felt the burden of that with him, and rather than just kind of leaving him to figure it all out on his own, the law Lord and Paul wanted to Paul wanted to help him out and therefore, he wrote this letter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to give instructions and directions and encouragement to Timothy in ministry there. And of course, indirectly also to us, so we can also follow the instructions given to Timothy. We can follow in our church as well as they did there. So in chapter two and three, we see his instructions concerning prayer.

One of the vital parts of worship is prayer. Sometimes I feel like it's relegated to third place in the church, you know. Maybe preaching is the first or in other churches in particular, maybe singing is first and then preaching, and then then prayer gets in there and and, you know, maybe a close or distant third. But Paul, he's addressing to Timothy what is to be practiced in the church, the first thing he mentions is what? The first thing he mentions is prayer because prayer is vital and prayer is important.

Normally here, when we pray, we have one person lead in prayer and everybody else quietly follows along in their heart with their own prayers or in prayer with the person who is praying. That is generally how we have practiced public prayer in the Baptist churches that I have been to. I did go to a church in North Carolina with my my uncle one time. They had a blue Southern Gospel Bluegrass Quartet, and they traveled to all these churches out in the middle of nowhere in North Carolina and and somebody said, we're we're in this church. It's kind of packed, little church all packed and the pastor asked so and so to lead in prayer And, he really meant lead in prayer because the minute he started praying, everybody started praying out loud, very passionately all at once.

So it's just this big, huge and it really caught me by surprise. I think I was only a teenager maybe at the time because I had never heard that. I don't know that that is always the best would always be the best way to pray publicly in church. However, it was a was a neat experience to hear all those people praying all at once. I'm not telling you to do that, okay?

But but prayer is important. And if you're not praying out loud while somebody's leading in prayer, we need to be praying where? In our hearts with them because it isn't a speech. When when when I or somebody else is leading in prayer, it isn't a speech we're giving. We're talking to who?

We're talking to God. And it's something we all ought to be doing really united as one when when it is public prayer in the church. And so he gives instructions concerning prayer. See, it's not going to be a short lesson. I wouldn't plan on spending more than thirty seconds on that one.

And then instructions to men and women in the church and then instructions to the servant leadership, to the bishops, and to the deacons in the church. And then he closes out what is designated as chapter three in our Bible. Remember, the chapters weren't originally here. They were added later. But this does kind of end a section of the letter with verses 14 through 16 of chapter three.

So let's read verses 14 through 16 of chapter three. These things, write I unto thee. So you can see how Paul shifts. He's instructing this and instruction in this and instruction in that, and then he kind of he's kind of wrapping up this paragraph of his letter. These things write I unto thee hoping to come unto thee shortly, but if I tarry long that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

So we'll stop there for a moment. So, as Paul wraps up this paragraph, this section of instructions to Timothy, He's not done yet, by the way, but he's he's wrapping up this section. He explains himself as to why he has written all of these somewhat, you know, detailed instructions concerning the appointment of of bishops and deacons and other and other things in the church. Why did he take the time to do this? Timothy was aware probably, and he mentions it at the beginning of the book of his plan to come visit him shortly.

So why why send why send the letter? Okay? So Paul sent this letter to Timothy with these instructions so that if he should be delayed in coming, that he, Timothy, might apply these things in earnest. So Paul didn't want to wait till he got there. He felt like these things were were needful because Timothy was going to be helping to the churches to to to appoint bishops and pastors and deacons and to structure the worship of the church and the practice of the church and that needed to be done sooner rather than what?

Rather than later. So Paul said, well, I'm coming, but, you know, I might not get there as quickly as I would like. So thus I have written you this letter so that you can begin to apply these things now in earnest In your church, but also in instructing the pastors, elders, bishops, whatever, deacons of other churches as well. Timothy needed this this information and and it is ultimately not from Paul, it's from from the Holy Spirit. It's from it's from the Lord.

And so I'm sure Timothy began to implement those things in the church. And thus, Paul reminds Timothy of the importance of his conduct and leadership of the called out assembly. The call called out assembly is just the what the Greek word for church means. Ecclesia is the Greek word that's translated church here, also called the house of God. But the word ecclesia means called out, ecc means out, and lacea means assembly.

Okay? So the church is a called out assembly. In earlier translations in the King James, William Tyndale's translation, in most cases, doesn't use the word church, he uses the word congregation because it is it's not the the church when you say church, we kinda think about the building. Okay? Congregation, you think about the what?

About the people. And it's not about the building, it's about the people. Okay? The people that assemble here on Sundays, on Wednesdays for the children, on Thursdays for bible study, at various other times and sometimes at various other places like Remy's for lunch yesterday. So so the church, the congregation, the called out assembly.

He calls it the called out assembly or the church of the what? Of the living God. This is a designation mentioned both in the old and the New Testament. For Jesus, for the trinity, father, son, and holy spirit, is the only true and what? Living God.

In contrast to the gods of the Amorites and the gods of the Perizzites and the gods of the Amorites and the gods of the Sidonians and the gods of Egypt. They were dead gods. Not meaning that they had once been alive and now dead, but meaning that they had what? Never been alive. They were just statues made out of stone.

They had never truly lived. They were conjured up in the minds of men. They were carved into statues. They were carved into frescoes on buildings. They were they were painted, in places, but they weren't.

They were not alive. They were dead. But we serve the true and what? And living God. In the city of Ephesus, they worship the great goddess Diana.

Diana was represented probably by a meteorite. At least that's what they think. They found a meteorite. They built a cult, a pagan cult around the worship of the goddess represented by the meteorite. They built an impressive temple to worship the meteorite.

And that's all it was. It was just a what? It was just a stone. That's just a rock. That's all it was.

But we don't we don't worship a rock. We don't we don't worship a God who lives in in buildings made by the hand of man. We we worship the true and living God who rules and reigns. We worship the living God who also lives where? In our hearts.

We serve the true and living God who came to Earth as a living human being and then died on the cross and then did what? Rose again from the dead. Why? Because he is the living God. And while they worship dead lifeless pieces of stone, we we serve the true and the living God who gave himself for us, who is the maker of all that is and the judge of all that is.

In contrast to the others who worship Diana, those priests strolled around in impressive garments, were respected by the people of Ephesus, made a big show of who they were. That wasn't Timothy's job. His job was to conduct the affairs of the true and living God in worshiping him and pointing other people to the truth of Jesus Christ because Jesus didn't stroll around in impressive robes in great splendor. No, he he lived a humble life. He was born in a stable and he died on a what?

And he died on a cross. We're not called to pick up our robes of glorious colors and follow him. We're called to pick up our what? Our cross. Our cross and follow him as we serve the living God, as his chosen people, as his temple, as his body, his church, his called out assembly.

What an honor and great responsibility had been given to Timothy that he should have, such an important role in the ministry of the living God. He reminds him that the church in Christ, as it is founded upon the truth of the gospel, is itself to the world a pillar and ground or support, to the truth. He finishes verse 15, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. We are told in Jude to contend for the faith. It says in Acts two forty two, they continued in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and prayer and breaking of bread.

It is vital that the church remains true to the doctrine of Christ. And where do we find that, by the way? We find it where? Here in the word of God, the Bible, that he has given to us, preserved for us, that we might know it and that we might share it, and that the church may stay firmly grounded in its doctrine. Because if they do not remain in the doctrine of the word of God, if they go astray, if they do not practice and declare the truth, then it will go wanting or lacking in the world.

That is a great responsibility that we have been given to contend for the faith, to stay true to the faith, to make sure that what we teach is grounded upon the apostle doctrine found in the word of God recorded for us, and that we do not compromise it. We do not replace the commandments of God with the traditions of men as has was done before Jesus came and has been done since since Jesus came. Thus was the responsibility laid upon the shoulders of Timothy and those who ministered with him in Ephesus as it is laid upon us here. He goes on to to delve further into that that glorious truth that is the foundation of the church and of the gospel and of our life in Christ. Verse 16.

And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. This should be without controvert. There should be no controversy here, Paul says. This is the this is the found these are the fundamentals. Okay?

There shouldn't be any okay. When is the rapture gonna happen? Is it before the tribulation? Is it after the trip? Is it in the middle of the tribulation?

Okay. You know, exactly how, you know, should we dress or appear or what? When should we have our service times? Or it there's a little bit of controversy maybe there over certain things. There should not be any controversy over this.

Okay? If you can't agree to this, then we're in what? We're in big trouble. Okay? We're in big trouble if we can't agree to this.

Okay? Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed in the world, received up into glory. You see, the foundation of that in this word that we preach, the written word is the living word, Jesus Christ. As I think I read this for you, like, last week or the week before, I can't remember, but I love the first few verses of first John.

It's one of my favorite passages in the Bible. As John writes that which was from the beginning which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life. For the life was manifested, revealed. In who? In Jesus.

For that life was manifest and we have seen it and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which was with the father and was manifested unto us. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that you also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son, Jesus Jesus Christ. And so I I love that that passage. The the mystery of godliness. What is Paul talking about?

Paul elaborates in the truth of which he speaks calling the mystery of godliness which he uses throughout his epistles, his letters, to refer to the gospel and the church and the new birth. Something that was hidden, a mystery, something that was hidden in times past but has now been revealed more fully in the what? In the present. So the mystery is now revealed which was somewhat hidden, though we see hints of it in the Old Testament. It is now burst forth before our eyes in the person of Jesus Christ and in the gospel and in the church in the New Testament.

Romans eleven twenty five, these are Paul likes to use this word mystery and he likes to use it in reference to the church and our our our salvation in Christ. Romans eleven twenty five, for I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits that blindness' part happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles become in. He's talking about the church age in which we live. Israel rejected him. They were put on a shelf until, until the finish of the church age, the age of grace, when Christ will return to take, his bride to be with him and will turn his attention back to, the nation of Israel in particular.

Romans sixteen twenty five, now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began. Ephesians three nine, and make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ. Ephesians five thirty two, this is a great mystery but I speak concerning what? Christ and the church. And there he is he is using marriage between a man and a woman as a metaphor between our before our our relationship as the church to who?

To Christ. And so he says that I speak of the mystery, the great mystery concerning Christ and the church, which was not fully revealed in the Old Testament because it was mainly just about one small group of people being who? Israel. And now God came to Israel. Now God made a covenant with Israel.

But see, when we get to Jesus Christ, he didn't just die for the sins of Israel, he died for the sins of the of the world. And now, we're on we're part of a new covenant through the blood of who? Through the blood of Jesus Christ. It doesn't require priests to intercede for us. There's no veil because the veil has been torn, what, in two.

And this is the mystery of which he speaks and he speaks of it often in his letters. It was a mystery particularly to the Jews who just assumed that it was all about them. And even even the the some of the disciples after the ascension of Christ struggled with realizing that it wasn't just for them, but it was also for also for the whole world. That's that's why we have the story of Cornelius in Acts 10 to drive home that point. The gospel, the mystery of godliness, a powerful life changing gospel which results in the conversion of those who receive it by faith, both Jew and Gentile alike.

A gospel which is centered around the person of Jesus Christ who in himself was a mystery. In Isaiah seven fourteen, it spoke of his birth. He would be born of a what? A virgin. In Isaiah nine six six, it said that a child would be born, a son would be given.

He is that child and that son who will be called the mighty God. In Micah five two, it tells us where he would be born in Bethlehem. In Isaiah 53, it tells us a great deal about his life, his ministry, his death, even of his of his resurrection. And yet to the Jews, it remained a what? A mystery.

They were looking for the Messiah, but they didn't seem to be fully understanding who it was they were looking for. And when he came, they didn't they didn't recognizing him recognize him. They were looking for a great political leader to run out the Romans. They weren't looking for the king of kings and Lord of lords to conquer sin and Satan, which is what they needed most. And not just them, but but all of us.

He speaks concerning Christ and his ministry here because that that is he is the basis of our faith, of our of our church. He is the the cornerstone. It says here, he speaks of him as number one, God manifest in the what? God revealed in human flesh. We read in Sunday school this morning how John warned them that if someone comes and does not believe that Jesus has come in the flesh, they are not speaking on behalf of God.

They are an antichrist speaking on behalf of the evil one. The first tenant of the gospel is Jesus came in the flesh. And it says, and he became flesh and dwelt among us in John one fourteen. And we beheld his glory, the glory of the father full of grace and truth. We call that the incarnation, God in human flesh.

Not God in apparition form. Not a human who was indwelt by the spirit, but God in human flesh. The God man, Jesus Christ. The one upon whom Thomas looked after his resurrection and said, my Lord and my God, the deity of Christ. Number two, it says he was justified in the spirit.

At his baptism, a voice spoke from heaven said, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And the spirit of God descended upon him in the likeness of a what? A dove. It was the spirit that led him into the wilderness to vanquish, to conquer, to overcome the temptation of Satan in the wilderness. It was the spirit who led him in the performance of miracles and he was quickened by the spirit, it says in the book of Peter.

And before he went back to heaven, what did he say? He said, it's expedient for you that I go back to heaven because if I go back to heaven, I'll send the what? The comforter. Who's the comforter? The holy spirit.

He won't just be with you, he'll be what? He'll be in you. So he was manifest in the flesh. He was justified by the spirit who testified of who he was. He was seen or testified by angels.

When did that when was he first testified by angels? Well, I guess you'd have to go back to the day when a young lady met an angel named who? Gabriel, who told her that she would have a son and that he should be called Jesus, that he would be the son of the most the most highest, and he would reign from the throne of his father David. And then we move to Luke chapter two. And as Jesus was being born in a stable and placed in a manger, there were angels in the fields declaring his birth to the shepherds that night.

At his resurrection, who was sitting on the stone waiting for the women and the disciples to come? Angels. Angels declaring that Jesus had what? Risen again. He is not here for he is risen.

At his ascension in Acts chapter one, he went back into heaven and the disciples were all standing here looking, wow. Wow. Has he come where did he go? Is he coming back? I don't know what's going on here.

And then he looked around and was like, woah. There's two men standing here. They hadn't been there just a moment ago. They just appeared. There they were.

Who were they? They were angels telling them to they needed to get back and get busy and quit standing there looking up. And because one day, Jesus Christ was gonna come back in like manner as he had ascended up into heaven, they needed to get busy about the business that he had left them to. So we see several instances where he was seen or testified of by angels. He was preached and proclaimed not just unto the Jews but also to the what?

To the Gentiles. That's part of the mystery, the mystery. God in human flesh, that's a mystery, isn't it? You explain that. Bet you can't.

You have to accept it by faith. Justified by the spirit, seen of angels. I don't know how many angels you've seen today. I haven't seen too many that I was aware of. Preached and proclaimed unto that was a great mystery to the Jews as I mentioned earlier.

The Gentiles? You mean the Gentile? You know, those pagan wicked people who didn't wanna have any interest in God, they made up all their own gods. They did all their corrupt, terrible, wicked things. Those Gentiles?

Yeah. God sent them to those Gentiles. Go ye therefore and teach what? All nations. Okay?

Proclaim the gospel to all peoples, to every creature. He told them when the Holy Spirit comes and empowers you to be witnesses, you shall be so in Jerusalem and all Judea, Samaria, and unto the, what? Uttermost part of the earth. All part of God's plan of which Paul is calling here a mystery. But now that mystery has been what?

Revealed and come to fruition in the person of Jesus Christ and in the called out of assembly of believers to whom Timothy ministered and led. Romans one, okay, preached on the Gentiles, believed on in the world. What is that? That emphasizes not only was he preached, but he was what? He was received.

They preached it and, wow, guess what? The Gentiles, what happened? They received him and he changed them. He changed them. They weren't the wicked, idol worshiping, corrupt, nasty people that they were before.

They were changed. Not changed by by giving them a list of dos and don'ts, by by forcing them into circumcision, into joining the the synagogue. No. They were changed from the inside, what, out as they believed. As Peter stood there before the house of Cornelius and he preached Jesus Christ.

And as he preached and they heard and they believed, they received the Holy Spirit right then and there. And Peter was astounded. What? Should we baptize them? I mean, obviously, they've they've been saved just like just like us, of which Peter later testified at the council in Jerusalem.

These these Gentiles, they look. This happened to Cornelius. He received the Holy Spirit the same as we. As Paul wrote in Romans one sixteen, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to, what, Everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek. I like this passage too.

Paul's testifying to, I think, Agrippa in Caesarea before he gets sent off to Rome. He's speaking of the Lord's calling him on the ministry, delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by the faith that is in me. That Paul did. And he carried the gospel to cities like where was Timothy? Ephesus.

And Gentiles heard and Gentiles believed and Gentiles were saved and churches were founded and the gospel went forth and churches popped up all around in the towns surrounding surrounding Ephesus where Timothy was ministering. The power of the gospel of Jesus Christ who was then received up into glory where he ever lives to make what? Intercession for all who come to him in faith and repentance, and from whence he will one day return. This is the minis mystery of godliness. This is the cornerstone of Christian doctrine.

And it is a wonderful mystery indeed. And one which not should not be run from ever, but one which should be embraced and declared without shame and without hesitation. For it is the power of God unto salvation. He is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes in him. Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, thank you, Lord, for the reminder in your word, the concise description here in one verse of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the truth that sets us free, and the truth that the world needs to hear and see in God's children that Jesus Christ changes lives, that the gospel is powerful, that the church is real. Lord, may we be the salt and light that we ought to be. May we grow in our faith and in Jesus Christ, our savior. And, Lord, we pray for those who do not yet know you, for you are the power of God to salvation in their life also. If they will believe, may we do our part to be the messengers of the gospel of Jesus Christ to them.

In Jesus' name we do pray. Amen.