Never forget the significance of church.
This passage has several wonderful reminders:
1. Relationships
Our fundamental identity is family.
The Church is a family. A network of relationships.
Paul and Timothy’s relationship was significant. It was, Father/Son, Discipleship, and a Ministry Partnership. Reminds us that relationships and discipleship are part of the DNA of church relationships.
2. Proper Conduct in the Church.
This was not merely instruction to Timothy, but also a reminder to the church to support their pastor as he leads the toward God’s Design.
This letter teaches us:
How we are to interact with one another.
How we are to behave
How to conduct ourselves.
This letter is a
Guidebook for Church
Structure and Behavior
Theological Foundation
& Practical Application
3. What is the Church? (v. 15c)
The word “church” (ekklesia) means: gathering.
So fundamentally, church is a gathering.
An in-person, physical gathering.
• The Household of God
God’s Possession
It’s God’s church.
He owns it.
He designed it
He rules it
He has the right to define every detail.
• It’s a Household
a family
with the structure of a family
• It’s the Dwelling place of God.
• The pillar and support of the truth.
Pillars are the columns that support the top of the building. It’s an architectural term.
As the church, we are to hold Jesus High and put Him on display.
Support - the foundation - God’s Word
The Truth is found in the Word.
What is your real, actual, practical, daily commitment to the Word? Are you committed to:
Hearing
Reading
Studying
Memorizing (Psalm 119:11)
Meditating (Joshua 1:8)
Verse 16 - the central truth:
4. Mystery Made Known
The Central Truth of the Church
Common Confession - this is what we believe.
The Center Circle
• He who was manifested in the flesh,
The glorious God, who created everything, became a man in Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:24 – He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree,
• Vindicated by the Spirit
The resurrection was the vindication of Jesus Christ by the Spirit of God.
• Seen by Angels (or Messengers)
Angels were messengers and accompanied Jesus through His life. They were present at the birth, in the wilderness, strengthening Him before the cross, and were witnesses of the Risen Lord. Angels were messengers of Jesus.
The Apostles were His first earthly messengers. Their testimony, their proclamation would take that message around the world.
• Proclaimed Among the Nations
After having seen the resurrected Christ
The apostles took that message to the world.
• Believed On In the World
From the very beginning the gospel was believed. John, the first disciple to arrive at the empty tomb, believed. There probably hasn’t been day go by without someone somewhere believe in the gospel.
• Taken Up In Glory
This short hymn - this gospel song
It’s about the glory of God.
These six short phrases summarize the central truth of the Bible.
The Central message of the church.
The Big Question:
What’s the Central Truth of your life?
What is it that everything else really revolves around? What drives you? What is the goal?
Is the gospel really the central truth of your life?
When was the last time you invited someone to come to church?
When did you last tell someone about how Jesus Christ changed your life?
(Those two things are connected)
We need to re-center | re-calibrate our lives on the Central Truth. To Jesus
Whatever your profession
The Gospel must be your obsession
May we all constantly re-center our lives around the Gospel.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Rob
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