WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.280 Well, again, good morning, everyone, and thank you very much for the invitation to be here. 00:00:05.940 --> 00:00:10.099 It's some years since I was last on this platform, and I must say you're looking really good. 00:00:10.759 --> 00:00:15.460 Lovely to see so many of you, young and old, and thank you very much for the chance to be back. 00:00:15.560 --> 00:00:22.839 Margaret and I live in Oxford, as we've mentioned, but my sister-in-law, Margaret's sister, and her husband live in Collington, just down the road. 00:00:23.420 --> 00:00:27.719 So we're often north of the border, and it's a great pleasure to be back in Edinburgh. 00:00:28.699 --> 00:00:35.460 You'll see that we're looking this morning at living in God's household from the verses which we had read to us. 00:00:35.519 --> 00:00:41.299 So let's turn to those verses again, chapter 3 of 1 Timothy, verses 14 to 16. 00:00:41.780 --> 00:00:44.420 And a warm welcome to those of you who are listening online as well. 00:00:44.539 --> 00:00:48.980 We are glad to have you as part of our fellowship and worship this morning. 00:00:48.979 --> 00:01:01.699 Well, one book which has captured a lot of attention in the last few months is this book you'll see on screen, The Lonely Church by Noreen Noreen Hertz. 00:01:01.700 --> 00:01:11.820 And it's a book which, as the title implies, demonstrates that loneliness and isolation have become something of a disease of our time. 00:01:12.659 --> 00:01:17.140 In fact, she mentions the many issues which have led to this sense of isolation for many people. 00:01:18.359 --> 00:01:21.300 A larger percentage of people are living on their own, for one thing. 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:25.980 Then there is this kind of fracture that occurs when you live in a city sometimes. 00:01:25.980 --> 00:01:33.460 She mentions some of the social and economic policies, of course, but also at the very basic level of living. 00:01:33.620 --> 00:01:36.460 We now carry out what is called contactless commerce. 00:01:36.900 --> 00:01:38.120 So you do your shopping online. 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:39.840 You know, you don't chat to people in the shop. 00:01:39.939 --> 00:01:42.200 You don't chat to the checkout person. 00:01:43.020 --> 00:01:44.460 Everything's done remotely. 00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:50.480 She talks about the general feeling of isolation and the lack of community and support. 00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:54.040 And this seems to be affecting people of all ages, young and old. 00:01:54.600 --> 00:01:59.180 In the book, it quotes people in the age group 16 to 24. 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:04.520 40% of them say that they feel lonely often or always. 00:02:05.340 --> 00:02:15.680 And at the other end of the spectrum, pensioners, again, the same percentage, 40% of pensioners say that their primary companion is the television set or a pet. 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:26.180 In fact, even in Japan, apparently, there's a group of older women who now go out and carry out crimes which are sufficiently serious to put them into prison. 00:02:26.480 --> 00:02:34.240 Because that is a place of community and care and support that they don't get if they're living on their own in their flats in Tokyo. 00:02:36.040 --> 00:02:40.159 Astonishingly, this challenge of loneliness can also affect our health. 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:47.280 There is a greater incidence of heart disease and dementia for people who experience this extended loneliness. 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:52.400 It can also impact your immune system. 00:02:53.079 --> 00:03:00.819 You have a 30% greater chance of dying prematurely if you have this long-term experience of isolation. 00:03:00.819 --> 00:03:06.680 Well, it's no wonder if that is the fact, this lonely century in which we're living. 00:03:07.139 --> 00:03:17.780 It's no wonder that people who are encouraging our churches to engage in mission underline that there is one dominant theme that we especially need to emphasize, and that is the Christian theme of community. 00:03:17.780 --> 00:03:29.979 If we were to live, as the New Testament describes Christians living together as a household, as a family, as a community, then this would be radically counter-cultural. 00:03:29.979 --> 00:03:38.780 And indeed, it would be deeply attractive in this world of social isolation and this century of loneliness. 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:49.780 Well, in this series that we have here at Brunsfield in 1 Timothy, that may already have emerged, that Paul is trying to give instructions and guidance on how Christians should live together. 00:03:49.780 --> 00:04:00.420 And you'll see he explains his purpose in verse 15 right at the beginning, so that you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household. 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:03.800 And that's really what this whole letter is about. 00:04:04.039 --> 00:04:13.539 And in just a couple of verses that we're now going to look at, he develops that with some phrases which are incredibly pregnant with important truth. 00:04:13.979 --> 00:04:16.980 In fact, there are three things we're just going to concentrate on in the next few minutes. 00:04:16.980 --> 00:04:22.759 And these are God's family, God's truth, and God's gospel. 00:04:23.400 --> 00:04:24.379 Here's the first. 00:04:25.060 --> 00:04:28.360 It is belonging to God's family. 00:04:29.020 --> 00:04:33.620 We've already read verse 15, and you'll see how Paul describes the church. 00:04:33.740 --> 00:04:36.460 He says it is God's household. 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:40.200 It's a word which can sometimes mean a physical building, a house. 00:04:40.200 --> 00:04:46.200 But here, and throughout chapter 3, actually, it's referring to the people who are in the house. 00:04:46.199 --> 00:04:48.719 It is the family of God. 00:04:49.279 --> 00:04:56.079 So wherever God's people meet together, whether it's in a grand cathedral in some western city, 00:04:56.079 --> 00:05:04.099 or whether it's meeting on a hill in an African village, all such believers belong to the one father. 00:05:04.360 --> 00:05:05.939 They have brothers and sisters. 00:05:06.099 --> 00:05:08.639 They are part of God's one family. 00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:16.139 And the church in Ephesus, which Timothy was looking after, probably wasn't any kind of mega church. 00:05:16.680 --> 00:05:20.259 It was relatively small, maybe smaller than we are here at Brunsfield. 00:05:20.599 --> 00:05:23.699 It was just an ordinary, small, young congregation. 00:05:24.500 --> 00:05:29.959 And yet, can you imagine the encouragement when they hear this letter being read? 00:05:30.039 --> 00:05:31.979 You are God's own family. 00:05:32.379 --> 00:05:33.439 You belong to him. 00:05:33.959 --> 00:05:35.360 You belong to one another. 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:36.879 That is your identity. 00:05:38.120 --> 00:05:41.199 Now, as I've implied, and in fact, Lorena Hertz says in her book, 00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:47.420 the idea of belonging is something we find a little bit more demanding in the western culture like ours. 00:05:47.520 --> 00:05:55.240 In other words, to look at my life in relation to the church family is not necessarily my first instinct. 00:05:55.240 --> 00:06:00.720 I remember a little illustration which Paula Gooda gave a while back in one of her books, 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:06.939 where she is a lovely family illustration, where one of her young daughters was going to a playgroup or a nursery, 00:06:07.480 --> 00:06:10.060 and she was asked to draw a picture of herself. 00:06:10.660 --> 00:06:16.280 And she was working away, and she took much longer than all the other children to draw this picture of herself. 00:06:16.279 --> 00:06:24.039 And in fact, on the sheet of paper, she drew her mother, Paula, and her father, and her sister, and herself. 00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:27.879 So Paula said to her, well, you drew us all. 00:06:27.919 --> 00:06:28.559 That's nice. 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:31.019 But you only needed to draw you. 00:06:32.119 --> 00:06:35.719 And her daughter replied, well, this is me, me and my family. 00:06:35.720 --> 00:06:42.440 And Paula Gooda says she saw herself almost entirely in terms of her family. 00:06:43.140 --> 00:06:51.260 So instead of being the isolated self, she, at that stage, was already thinking, I am part of this community, this family. 00:06:52.060 --> 00:06:59.340 And that is exactly how Paul, when he's writing to these believers or writing to Timothy, underlines the point. 00:06:59.500 --> 00:07:01.440 You'll get to chapter five in a week or two. 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:07.060 And that's where Paul says to Timothy, you know, the older men, they're fathers. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:09.120 The older women in the church, they're mothers. 00:07:09.719 --> 00:07:12.040 Young men, young women, your brothers and sisters. 00:07:12.139 --> 00:07:13.839 In other words, don't just treat them as family. 00:07:14.259 --> 00:07:16.480 Treat them as close family. 00:07:17.139 --> 00:07:18.420 God's household. 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:24.279 Sometimes, I think, in the evangelical world in which many of us live, 00:07:24.779 --> 00:07:28.199 we have slightly overemphasized the nuclear family. 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:30.579 You know, 2.5 children and a Labrador. 00:07:30.579 --> 00:07:34.740 The idea that this is the unit that really matters. 00:07:35.379 --> 00:07:36.539 Of course, that does. 00:07:36.620 --> 00:07:39.279 We need to nurture and care for nuclear families. 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:43.479 But whether you're a nuclear family or whether you're a married couple or whether you're single, 00:07:44.120 --> 00:07:46.620 you're part of this wider family. 00:07:47.000 --> 00:07:53.180 And there's a lot of wisdom, a lot of stuff being written about the importance of our families having porous boundaries 00:07:53.180 --> 00:07:54.779 so that we welcome in others. 00:07:55.360 --> 00:07:59.579 We demonstrate the kind of community that a household ought to demonstrate. 00:07:59.579 --> 00:08:01.479 We share one another's lives. 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:06.000 We provide the support and the community we so much need. 00:08:06.620 --> 00:08:09.459 And Margaret and I, when we had our three daughters at home when they were small, 00:08:10.120 --> 00:08:17.879 we were so thankful in the church of which we were a part that several older people really became part of our family, 00:08:17.879 --> 00:08:18.680 one in particular. 00:08:18.680 --> 00:08:24.300 And not only was that great support and encouragement to us, but our children had another model, 00:08:24.779 --> 00:08:26.800 other models of Christian living. 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:29.800 They engaged with a wider cross-section of people. 00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:33.899 It hugely strengthened us and our families in our Christian lives and service. 00:08:34.759 --> 00:08:38.080 I remember Margaret coming home after she had cancer surgery, 00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:44.200 and she was interviewed by their follow-up staff as to whether she was part of any kind of support network. 00:08:44.300 --> 00:08:45.960 And Margaret said, yes, we're members of a church. 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:50.240 And the nurse, interestingly, said, well, we always find that when people are members of a church, 00:08:50.400 --> 00:08:51.920 they're well cared for. 00:08:52.300 --> 00:08:53.460 Now, it's simple, isn't it? 00:08:53.460 --> 00:09:04.240 It's nice to hear that from a secular institution, but it also demonstrates how significant it is that we live in the church family. 00:09:04.680 --> 00:09:12.740 Remember, Paul's writing to the local church in the ways which strengthen this idea of household and family and belonging 00:09:12.740 --> 00:09:17.639 when we're living in a world with increasing levels of fracture and isolation. 00:09:18.340 --> 00:09:22.700 Here's something which Curtis de Young wrote in a very penetrating book. 00:09:22.700 --> 00:09:24.160 Sorry, I should have put this up earlier. 00:09:25.259 --> 00:09:36.540 In the household of faith, our relationship with God takes priority over our relatedness to family, race, culture, nation, gender, 00:09:36.640 --> 00:09:38.420 or any other group we belong to. 00:09:38.840 --> 00:09:42.460 This reordering also transforms how we relate to each other. 00:09:42.840 --> 00:09:46.700 The concept of family was reconstrued in the household of God. 00:09:46.700 --> 00:09:55.160 The terms sister, brother, mother, father, friend, and neighbor were all reinterpreted and redefined by Jesus. 00:09:55.920 --> 00:10:02.560 Peoples of all cultures, races, languages, nations, tribes, and clans reside in the household of faith. 00:10:03.080 --> 00:10:08.360 That's a very expansive description of what it means to belong to God's family, 00:10:08.460 --> 00:10:11.120 and so it should be often in our congregations. 00:10:11.220 --> 00:10:14.580 I'm sure it expresses itself in many ways here at Brunsfield. 00:10:14.580 --> 00:10:17.700 Then there's another little phrase that goes on in verse 15. 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:18.360 Here it is. 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:21.420 The church of the living God. 00:10:21.660 --> 00:10:24.920 God's household, which is the church of the living God. 00:10:25.259 --> 00:10:33.120 So we are a family, as he's established, united across all kinds of barriers because it is God's church. 00:10:33.740 --> 00:10:34.840 So Paul's writing to Timothy. 00:10:34.920 --> 00:10:36.740 Timothy, this is not your church. 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:39.820 This is not my church, Paul's church. 00:10:39.820 --> 00:10:43.780 This isn't a Baptist church or a Brethren church or an Episcopalian church. 00:10:43.920 --> 00:10:47.860 This is God's church, he deliberately emphasizes. 00:10:48.360 --> 00:10:51.340 And more than that, of course, that means it's God's home. 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:55.140 And Paul has already written to the Ephesians to say this. 00:10:55.220 --> 00:10:57.180 Do you remember how he wrote in Ephesians 2? 00:10:57.179 --> 00:11:04.839 In him, you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by his spirit. 00:11:06.099 --> 00:11:10.459 So for Timothy's congregation, it was really important that they got this message. 00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:11.259 This is the dwelling place. 00:11:11.259 --> 00:11:13.059 You are the dwelling place of God. 00:11:13.359 --> 00:11:15.099 You're not only God's family. 00:11:15.319 --> 00:11:16.639 You're his dwelling place. 00:11:16.739 --> 00:11:18.179 You're his residence. 00:11:18.179 --> 00:11:24.179 Because a lot of the Christians, some of the Christians, at least, in Ephesus would have come from a Jewish background. 00:11:24.699 --> 00:11:29.120 And they would always have thought, of course, the dwelling place of God is in Jerusalem, in the temple. 00:11:29.739 --> 00:11:35.339 And Paul has to say to them, not only in 1 Timothy, but in Ephesians, no, no, no, no, no. 00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:36.639 It's not in the temple. 00:11:36.939 --> 00:11:37.519 It's you. 00:11:37.659 --> 00:11:39.159 You're God's dwelling place. 00:11:39.819 --> 00:11:43.740 Probably the majority of Christians in Ephesus actually were from a Gentile background. 00:11:43.740 --> 00:11:52.779 And I think in your series already, it was being mentioned that down the road from the local church was this massive temple to Artemis. 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:57.720 And again, Paul would be saying, where does God live? 00:11:57.860 --> 00:12:00.639 And they think, what, is he down in that huge temple? 00:12:00.860 --> 00:12:03.419 No, he's certainly not in that massive temple. 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:05.519 God lives in you. 00:12:05.680 --> 00:12:07.360 You are the dwelling place. 00:12:07.700 --> 00:12:12.279 You are the real temple of the living God, not some dumb idol. 00:12:12.279 --> 00:12:16.379 Calvin makes the point in a lot of his writing. 00:12:16.819 --> 00:12:19.919 There are good reasons why God should call the church his house. 00:12:20.779 --> 00:12:28.980 For not only has he received us as his sons and daughters by the grace of adoption, but he himself dwells in the midst of us. 00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:32.519 So the local church is his home. 00:12:33.699 --> 00:12:35.240 Hard to believe sometimes. 00:12:36.100 --> 00:12:36.919 But it's true. 00:12:37.220 --> 00:12:38.980 And it's important we recognize it. 00:12:38.980 --> 00:12:42.399 The local church is God's family and God's residence. 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:51.139 And I think we can say that being part of a local church means that that can often be the focal point for our experience of God himself. 00:12:51.480 --> 00:12:53.740 This is, after all, where he's living. 00:12:53.740 --> 00:13:03.940 The church is the place where we have the special opportunity to know God's presence, to hear his word, to enjoy being part of his family. 00:13:03.940 --> 00:13:18.460 There's quite a lot of discussion around the world at the moment, as you know, and also in our country, in the UK and in Scotland too, I know, which relates to how the church should be operating in these days. 00:13:18.580 --> 00:13:28.240 I think we can be hugely thankful for the technology which has allowed us to sustain all kinds of ministry during the last year or two. 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:33.299 And those of you online, we're so glad you're part of what's happening with us this morning. 00:13:33.299 --> 00:13:44.240 What's developing from that is that sometimes people are developing hybrid models where they can sustain some online presence for people who can never get to church for a variety of reasons. 00:13:44.479 --> 00:13:53.279 Or people who are in countries where they have to keep their heads down in terms of safety and security and can often tap into church community in that way. 00:13:53.279 --> 00:14:01.000 But by and large, I think we want to work hard around the world to find ways of bringing the family back together again, as you are here. 00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:04.600 Now, small groups are very often the way in which that's done. 00:14:04.659 --> 00:14:08.019 In other words, we don't want to remain just a cyber church. 00:14:08.159 --> 00:14:13.100 I've quoted from Lonely Century, which talks about contactless commerce. 00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:16.299 It's difficult to have contactless fellowship, isn't it? 00:14:16.319 --> 00:14:17.659 And contactless worship. 00:14:17.659 --> 00:14:23.360 So we should pray and think carefully about how we can engage as we come out of the pandemic. 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:32.299 God's people, as his family, learn together, pray together, suffer and rejoice together, break bread together. 00:14:33.299 --> 00:14:39.279 Hebrews reminds us, the book of Hebrews, don't give up meeting together, especially since the Lord's coming. 00:14:40.219 --> 00:14:42.879 And one final quote, and that is from Martin Luther. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:47.980 At home, in my house, there is no warmth or vigor in me. 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:55.220 But in the church, when the multitude is gathered together, a fire is kindled in my heart and it breaks its way through. 00:14:55.460 --> 00:15:01.879 Belonging to God's family is a really, really significant thing, especially in a culture like ours. 00:15:02.039 --> 00:15:04.379 But that's how God has designed us to live. 00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:09.399 Second thing that we're going to look at is upholding God's truth. 00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:12.080 Because verse 15 carries on like this. 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:19.200 God's household, the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. 00:15:20.360 --> 00:15:24.879 The local church as the foundation of truth, using the NIV translation. 00:15:25.180 --> 00:15:26.500 Now, is that right? 00:15:27.139 --> 00:15:30.960 When you first read it, you think, hasn't Paul got it slightly the wrong way around? 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:43.800 Because actually, again, he wrote to the Ephesians in Ephesians chapter 2, that the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, by which he means on what they taught. 00:15:44.180 --> 00:15:47.379 We are founded on the teaching of apostles and prophets. 00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:48.940 And that is exactly right. 00:15:48.940 --> 00:16:02.600 But as he writes to Timothy and is writing about the local church, he also underlines that the job of our churches is to preserve and to propagate the truth. 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:09.740 Our responsibility is to support, to bolster, to safeguard the truth. 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:12.899 There are different translations of this verse. 00:16:13.019 --> 00:16:20.560 Some say the support and bulwark of the church, the pillar and support, the backbone and support, the pillar and buttress. 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:30.799 All of those phrases are trying to say that the local church is responsible now to defend the truth, uphold the truth, proclaim the truth. 00:16:31.500 --> 00:16:36.679 Of course, he's already mentioned in 1 Timothy. 00:16:36.979 --> 00:16:42.519 You've probably, if you've been here for the series, noticed it already and there's more of it coming up in the next chapter or two. 00:16:43.000 --> 00:16:45.019 He's spoken about the false teachers. 00:16:45.019 --> 00:16:54.860 Early on in chapter one, he's really worried that the local church in Ephesus could be in big trouble because of those who are teaching false truth. 00:16:55.139 --> 00:16:57.659 And so he says they've abandoned the truth. 00:16:58.159 --> 00:17:03.939 So it's really important that in our responsibility in the church, we uphold it and we keep it safe. 00:17:04.180 --> 00:17:14.379 And this is important not just for our own well-being as a local church, but also for what we proclaim out there in Edinburgh and beyond. 00:17:15.019 --> 00:17:22.180 And I wonder if you've heard the story of, it's a true story, I think, of a multi-story building in the city. 00:17:22.660 --> 00:17:29.259 And cracks appeared on the 42nd floor of this relatively new building. 00:17:30.119 --> 00:17:36.559 And so the managing director called the architect and said, we need to meet because there's a problem on the 42nd floor. 00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:44.519 So he arrived at the managing director, arrived at this huge block and went out, took the lift up to the 42nd floor, but couldn't find the architect anywhere. 00:17:45.019 --> 00:17:51.400 So he waited around and eventually he found the architect down in the basement. 00:17:52.180 --> 00:17:55.059 And he said to the architect, the problem's on the 42nd floor. 00:17:55.519 --> 00:18:02.220 And the architect said, well, there may be a problem up there, but the real problem is not on the 42nd floor. 00:18:02.339 --> 00:18:03.220 It's here in the basement. 00:18:03.220 --> 00:18:08.360 And they discovered that a caretaker was building a garage at home. 00:18:08.359 --> 00:18:19.279 And so he was chiseling out a brick every other day, putting it in his bag and walking off out of the, this is from the basement, and walking off. 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:27.919 And so every several years, of course, as you do that, taking a brick at a time, it's no wonder at all that cracks appeared on the 42nd floor. 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:46.740 The point that Paul is making, of course, is that the health of the church, the health of the whole building, depends on maintaining the foundation of truth, which we've been given from the apostles and the prophets, making sure that we're guarding and upholding God's word. 00:18:46.740 --> 00:18:50.880 And if we don't do that in churches, it can have catastrophic results. 00:18:51.120 --> 00:18:52.660 It is in our country, I'm afraid. 00:18:53.519 --> 00:19:02.220 The situation in the UK is not encouraging in terms of the number of churches which are giving up on the truth of God's word. 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:08.940 So it's vital for our health, but it's also vital for our proclamation, what we are saying to the world around. 00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:11.859 And here's a picture we took just a couple of weeks ago. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:13.900 We were down in Exeter, where we used to live. 00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:15.779 And that's Exeter Cathedral. 00:19:15.779 --> 00:19:19.859 It's fantastic architecture, wonderful pillars. 00:19:20.639 --> 00:19:27.700 And then in addition to that, there's the fan vaulting, which you can just see at the top there, that's holding the roof together. 00:19:28.539 --> 00:19:34.000 And I thought of this because here's something that John Stott wrote about the verse that we're looking at. 00:19:34.700 --> 00:19:43.399 The purpose of pillars is not only to hold the roof firm, but to thrust it high so that it can be clearly seen even from a distance. 00:19:43.400 --> 00:19:50.280 Just so the church holds the truth aloft so that it is to be seen and admired by the world. 00:19:51.019 --> 00:20:03.400 Indeed, as pillars lift a building high while remaining themselves unseen, so the church's function is not to advertise itself, but to advertise and display the truth. 00:20:03.400 --> 00:20:05.940 So that's the second theme. 00:20:05.940 --> 00:20:13.160 Not only belong to God's family, but also, and vitally important, upholding God's truth. 00:20:13.160 --> 00:20:17.900 And like the church in Ephesus, the situation for us is exactly the same. 00:20:17.980 --> 00:20:22.340 There are plenty of false teachers in the churches in our country and around the world. 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:27.279 But also, we're living in a culture which is increasingly post-truth, as it's called. 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:34.920 Increasingly cynical about the idea of any big story which we talk about in terms of the truth of the Christian faith. 00:20:35.559 --> 00:20:42.599 And that's why, as God's household, we are called to be the pillar and the foundation of truth. 00:20:43.619 --> 00:20:49.180 I recently read a speech by the incoming Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance. 00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:56.320 And he was speaking about the biggest threats which our churches face all around the world, the evangelical community. 00:20:56.759 --> 00:20:58.140 I don't know what you think it might be. 00:20:58.220 --> 00:20:59.080 This is what he said. 00:20:59.980 --> 00:21:05.220 The biggest crisis is the growing lack of biblical literacy worldwide. 00:21:05.539 --> 00:21:09.620 Beyond all theological differences, financial problems, and political questions, he said, 00:21:09.900 --> 00:21:14.700 our biggest problem is that Bible knowledge is fading away. 00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:16.920 And it's serious. 00:21:16.920 --> 00:21:23.640 It's not only in the countries I've mentioned when Alistair was talking to me, in Africa, Asia, Latin America. 00:21:23.940 --> 00:21:29.400 There's great growth, but very often limited Bible knowledge and Bible teaching. 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:31.460 And that's being addressed through various agencies. 00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:36.500 But also, in our part of the world, in the West, it's not so much to do with resources. 00:21:36.759 --> 00:21:39.920 So plenty of Bibles and plenty of access to Bible teaching. 00:21:40.060 --> 00:21:42.519 But it's attitude which matters. 00:21:42.519 --> 00:21:48.480 The Bible Society and the Evangelical Alliance carried out a survey some years ago called Taking the Pulse. 00:21:49.139 --> 00:21:56.720 And they discovered that 70% of Christians did not read the Bible outside of a church service. 00:21:57.279 --> 00:22:03.559 That's a large majority of Christians who are not becoming familiar with what the Word of God says. 00:22:03.559 --> 00:22:11.279 And a neglect of the Bible is deadly serious for our health, just as isolation is deadly serious. 00:22:11.980 --> 00:22:15.799 Do you remember how Paul underlined his mission, his vision? 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:19.119 He gave all his energies, he says, teaching everyone with all wisdom, 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:22.299 so that we represent everyone mature in Christ. 00:22:22.539 --> 00:22:28.679 To this end I labour, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. 00:22:28.680 --> 00:22:32.660 So let's keep committed to God's Word. 00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:37.380 It's great that you, in this church, you have a lovely team of Bible teachers. 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:42.220 We need to encourage them and pray for them, as well as give thanks to God for them. 00:22:42.220 --> 00:22:51.539 We are really needing to uphold the truth, allowing that to become part of us as well as God's people. 00:22:51.539 --> 00:22:59.859 Belonging to God's family, upholding God's truth, and finally, living and proclaiming God's gospel. 00:23:00.759 --> 00:23:02.399 Here we come to verse 16. 00:23:02.639 --> 00:23:08.579 Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great. 00:23:10.440 --> 00:23:14.599 Well, first of all, when Paul used the idea of the mystery, very often in the New Testament, 00:23:14.599 --> 00:23:19.759 this is simply a way of explaining something about God's purposes and work of salvation, 00:23:20.099 --> 00:23:26.379 something previously hidden, which has now been revealed and now fulfilled in Jesus Christ. 00:23:27.159 --> 00:23:31.500 And in this instance, it's the mystery of the gospel that he's talking about. 00:23:31.559 --> 00:23:35.099 But he says here, the mystery from which true godliness springs, 00:23:35.159 --> 00:23:38.439 or many translations say the mystery of godliness. 00:23:38.440 --> 00:23:45.380 In other words, what Paul is now going to say implies this is how you should live a godly life. 00:23:45.460 --> 00:23:46.900 This is how you should be a disciple. 00:23:47.660 --> 00:23:52.900 And I must confess that when I was reading this and thinking about how best to explain it this morning, 00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:57.080 I thought, well, what you'd expect if he said this is the mystery of godliness is, you know, 00:23:57.779 --> 00:24:03.799 here are the top 10 tips for being a successful Christian, a successful disciple. 00:24:03.980 --> 00:24:08.100 You know, the mystery of godliness, here it comes, like the books you can buy. 00:24:08.099 --> 00:24:10.259 You know, the six top tips. 00:24:10.419 --> 00:24:11.959 Well, that doesn't happen. 00:24:12.519 --> 00:24:14.539 And instead, what does he write? 00:24:15.559 --> 00:24:17.019 He begins with he. 00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:20.119 There it is, beautiful little poem. 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:25.240 He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the spirit, was seen by angels, 00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:30.259 was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up into glory. 00:24:30.259 --> 00:24:40.099 So the mystery of godliness, how you become like the Lord Jesus, is Jesus himself, he is saying. 00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:41.759 And we know this is true. 00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:43.500 I mean, how do you live a godly life? 00:24:43.559 --> 00:24:45.900 How do you live as God calls you to live? 00:24:46.119 --> 00:24:53.559 How do you live to avoid self-centeredness or to defeat sin or to live for God in a broken world? 00:24:53.640 --> 00:24:54.599 How can we do it? 00:24:54.599 --> 00:24:57.039 Well, it's only because of Jesus. 00:24:57.799 --> 00:24:59.740 It's only because of what Jesus has done. 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:04.059 It's only because of the gospel, which has changed us and is changing us. 00:25:04.759 --> 00:25:09.980 So Paul introduces it as great is the mystery of godliness. 00:25:10.759 --> 00:25:14.699 And some people think there's a little echo here of the story in Acts 19. 00:25:14.819 --> 00:25:16.279 I don't know if you remember that story. 00:25:16.839 --> 00:25:18.399 Paul was there in Ephesus. 00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:24.640 And there was a huge amount of disorder because he was challenging some of the local beliefs, 00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:34.120 not least those who believed in the temple at Artemis, Diana and all of the godlets that were there in Ephesus. 00:25:35.120 --> 00:25:38.600 And when their religion was challenged by Paul, do you remember what they said? 00:25:38.660 --> 00:25:39.620 Here it is on the screen. 00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:45.960 They were furious and began shouting, great is Artemis of the Ephesians. 00:25:45.960 --> 00:25:50.299 So now Paul is saying, well, you think that's an impressive temple? 00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:55.039 You think that Artemis is special, special goddess? 00:25:55.319 --> 00:25:56.519 Well, listen to this. 00:25:57.160 --> 00:26:03.779 Great is the mystery of godliness, which he now declares in Jesus, the Lord of glory. 00:26:04.759 --> 00:26:09.340 He's probably quoting from a hymn or a well-known creed or confession. 00:26:09.500 --> 00:26:10.299 It's quite short. 00:26:10.380 --> 00:26:14.079 It's only six lines, so it may not be a complete confession of faith. 00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:17.559 But it's a very succinct summary of Jesus. 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:23.599 It's rather like the hymn in Philippians 2, which talks about Jesus from before he came into the world, 00:26:23.659 --> 00:26:27.960 all the way through his life to when he then was brought into glory. 00:26:28.579 --> 00:26:31.759 There have been all kinds of attempts to explain how this song goes together. 00:26:31.839 --> 00:26:33.379 And I won't bore you with that. 00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:35.639 You can find it in almost all of the commentaries. 00:26:35.640 --> 00:26:41.080 But what's really clear about this is how Christocentric this is. 00:26:41.280 --> 00:26:42.880 It's all about Jesus. 00:26:43.020 --> 00:26:45.440 It's entirely focused on him. 00:26:46.420 --> 00:26:52.440 And Paul is quoting this song to underline that what really matters in the household of God, 00:26:52.660 --> 00:26:57.860 what really matters if we're going to become like Jesus, is the gospel itself. 00:26:58.860 --> 00:27:00.500 We can see this in the lines of the song. 00:27:00.500 --> 00:27:03.339 I'm just going to bang them up as quick bullet points. 00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:04.559 Incarnation. 00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:08.059 He appeared in the flesh, in the body. 00:27:08.819 --> 00:27:12.380 Jesus became human without ceasing to be God. 00:27:12.440 --> 00:27:19.140 And this is part of the amazing mystery that's now revealed to us that God has stepped into our world in the person of Jesus, 00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:22.380 the one mediator between God and man. 00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:23.460 It's really important. 00:27:23.460 --> 00:27:27.960 And we're going to have the chance to talk more about it as Christmas comes, of course. 00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:32.779 That when we're talking about the Christian faith to friends at work or in our family or whatever, 00:27:32.779 --> 00:27:39.620 we don't simply say Jesus lives in my heart, although that's really important, our subjective experience of the Lord. 00:27:39.940 --> 00:27:48.579 But we also give witness to this objective reality that God in Jesus Christ came to this world. 00:27:48.819 --> 00:27:50.840 He reveals to us what God is like. 00:27:50.839 --> 00:27:57.439 He is the one who provided salvation for us, appearing in the flesh fully man, fully God. 00:27:58.339 --> 00:27:59.619 And then vindication. 00:28:00.959 --> 00:28:10.480 Paul goes on in the song, or at least he quotes the song, because of Jesus saving death, he was vindicated by the spirit, Paul tells us in Romans, through the resurrection. 00:28:11.859 --> 00:28:14.679 And then there's observation, we might say. 00:28:14.759 --> 00:28:17.480 He was seen by the angels, he says. 00:28:17.480 --> 00:28:22.319 And you remember the gospel accounts, the angels saw Jesus when he was born. 00:28:22.819 --> 00:28:23.960 They saw him when he was tempted. 00:28:24.220 --> 00:28:27.980 They saw him when he was raised from death to life. 00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:30.400 They saw when he returned to heaven. 00:28:30.940 --> 00:28:32.480 And then there's proclamation. 00:28:33.180 --> 00:28:35.640 He was preached among the nations. 00:28:36.440 --> 00:28:42.400 I mean, that was already true in Paul's day as the gospel began to ripple out among the nations. 00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:47.740 And that, of course, is what's happening all around the world today, as I implied earlier on this morning. 00:28:48.080 --> 00:28:53.220 And so as we uphold the truth, as we proclaim the gospel, this is happening more and more. 00:28:53.560 --> 00:28:56.180 Jesus is being preached to the nations. 00:28:56.580 --> 00:28:58.840 That leads to affirmation. 00:28:59.000 --> 00:29:01.140 He was believed on in the world. 00:29:01.140 --> 00:29:06.759 And the message to Abraham right back in Genesis, that you'll be the father of many nations. 00:29:06.940 --> 00:29:09.040 Through you all the families of the earth will be blessed. 00:29:09.320 --> 00:29:10.480 That's what's been happening. 00:29:10.600 --> 00:29:21.160 And as the gospel ripples around the world, we are seeing people from every tribe, nation and language surrendering their lives to this Lord Jesus, putting their trust in him. 00:29:21.300 --> 00:29:23.000 And finally, exaltation. 00:29:23.140 --> 00:29:25.180 He was taken up into glory. 00:29:25.180 --> 00:29:30.279 The head that once was crowned with thorns is crowned with glory now. 00:29:30.460 --> 00:29:33.519 A royal diadem adorns the mighty victor's brow. 00:29:34.039 --> 00:29:34.720 He's the Lord. 00:29:35.140 --> 00:29:35.840 He's the king. 00:29:36.259 --> 00:29:39.000 He's the one to whom every knee will bow. 00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:42.660 This is the mystery of godliness, he says. 00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:46.039 And this is what we have to uphold and proclaim. 00:29:46.259 --> 00:29:50.539 This is what we have to live the gospel as well as proclaim it. 00:29:50.539 --> 00:29:55.220 And without Jesus, you can have a religious organization. 00:29:56.299 --> 00:29:57.839 You can have a social club. 00:29:58.879 --> 00:30:00.299 You can have an ethical system. 00:30:01.099 --> 00:30:03.819 But you do not have a church. 00:30:04.139 --> 00:30:07.740 There is no Christianity without Jesus being at the center. 00:30:08.399 --> 00:30:09.639 We need to keep underlining it. 00:30:09.700 --> 00:30:11.399 That's what Paul's done in this little passage. 00:30:12.359 --> 00:30:14.819 That to be a Christian is to be in Christ. 00:30:14.819 --> 00:30:20.279 To be a local church is to be a community with Jesus Christ at the center. 00:30:21.539 --> 00:30:25.339 It was very nice being at the breaking of bread just before this service. 00:30:25.519 --> 00:30:29.180 Where our final hymn was one I haven't sung for many years. 00:30:30.059 --> 00:30:34.259 And actually, as I was preparing, I thought, well, this is a really nice song. 00:30:34.359 --> 00:30:38.859 Because it has the same kind of rhythm as the song that Paul's quoting. 00:30:39.319 --> 00:30:41.399 One day when heaven was filled with his praises. 00:30:41.740 --> 00:30:43.879 One day when sin was as black as could be. 00:30:43.879 --> 00:30:46.079 Jesus came down to be born of a virgin. 00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:47.480 Dwelt among men. 00:30:47.619 --> 00:30:48.960 My example is he. 00:30:49.259 --> 00:30:50.180 And here's the chorus. 00:30:51.359 --> 00:30:54.799 And it's very, very similar to the words that Paul's writing. 00:30:55.259 --> 00:30:56.700 Living, he loved me. 00:30:57.399 --> 00:30:58.759 Dying, he saved me. 00:30:59.119 --> 00:31:01.279 Buried, he carried my sins far away. 00:31:01.779 --> 00:31:04.159 Rising, he justified freely forever. 00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:06.099 One day, he's coming. 00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:07.839 Oh, glorious day. 00:31:07.839 --> 00:31:14.399 So Paul is giving a little gospel in a nutshell as he finishes off this third chapter. 00:31:14.400 --> 00:31:20.560 And it's a reminder that we need to live and proclaim God's gospel. 00:31:20.560 --> 00:31:23.940 Well, there are the three big things, brothers and sisters. 00:31:24.259 --> 00:31:26.519 All in those two or three verses. 00:31:26.519 --> 00:31:29.079 First, we belong to God's family. 00:31:29.079 --> 00:31:36.359 So we want to express true community in every way that we can in this lonely century in which we are living. 00:31:36.940 --> 00:31:40.339 Second, we want to uphold God's truth. 00:31:40.339 --> 00:31:46.339 It's really important that we remain committed to God's word, that we understand it, we read it, we memorize it. 00:31:46.359 --> 00:31:47.500 It becomes part of us. 00:31:47.500 --> 00:31:59.980 And thirdly, we live and proclaim the gospel so that as we do that, Jesus will be preached among the nations and believed on in the world. 00:31:59.980 --> 00:32:01.740 Amen.