Now, we're going to begin our worship today singing in Psalm number 57.
Psalm 57, that's in the Scottish Psalter version.
That's on page 288.
We're singing verses 5 to 11.
Be thou exalted very high above the heavens, O God.
Let thou thy glory be advanced o'er all the earth abroad.
My souls bow down, for they a net have laid my steps to snare
into the pit which they have digged, for me they fallen are.
My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed, O God, I'll sing and praise.
My glory wake, wake, psaltery harp, myself I'll early raise.
To the end of the psalm from verse 5, and we'll stand to sing.
Be thou exalted very high above the heavens, O God.
Let thou thy glory be advanced o'er all the earth abroad.
My soul's burden, for they a net have laid my steps to snare.
into the pit which they have digged, for me they fallen are.
My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed, O God, I'll sing and praise.
My glory wake, wake, sultry harp, myself I'll early raise.
I'll praise thee among the people, Lord.
Among nations sing with I.
For great to heaven thy mercy is, thy truth is to the sky.
O Lord, exalted be thy name above the heavens to stand.
Do thou thy glory far and land above the sea and land.
Now we're going to call on the Lord in prayer.
Let's all join together in prayer.
Our eternal and gracious God,
you have reminded us in these words we have been singing in your praise,
that we exist to glorify your name,
that you gather us together in such a way as this,
to exalt you and to lift up your holy name and worship.
We know, Lord, that this is our great privilege to be able to do so
and to recognize that we, O Lord, have this incumbent upon us,
that we should glorify you and enjoy you as the chief end of our creation.
We thank you today, O Lord, that you have brought us into being
and sustained us in our being from day to day.
The Word tells us that it is in you we live and move and have our being.
And we give thanks for the recognition of this, Lord,
as you reveal yourself to us and as you come to draw our minds in your Word
to that great teaching about your eternal existence
and about your relationship with your people and with the creation itself.
And we thank you today that we gather here to worship you
in a way that willingly would give to you the praise
and the honor and the glory that is due to you.
We thank you for your Word to guide us,
for your Word to teach us, Lord, about those great issues of this life and of eternity,
especially of these matters of eternal salvation for your own people.
The eternal life that you lay out for us in your Word
that we find deposited especially in the Lord Jesus Christ, your Son.
We thank you today, Lord, that we come in His name.
And we thank you, Lord, our Father, that you sent Him as your Son into this world
so that He might take the sin of His people and die the death that they deserve,
that death which we all deserve,
but also as a great atonement for the sin of your people.
And we thank you today that we can come expectantly,
believing that you are here
and believing that you have delight in blessing your Word to your people.
And, Lord, we ask that your blessing today will be known by us,
that our hearts will truly be quickened and gladdened,
like the heart of the psalmist in whose words we have read
and in whose words we find such a great challenge for ourselves
to have our hearts lifted up and quickened
at the thought of coming into your presence.
We pray, Lord, today for each of us here
and for our life as a congregation.
We pray, O Lord, that you would bless us in this week that we have entered
when so many activities are anticipated by us.
We pray that you would guide us and bless us through these,
each and every one of them,
services of worship,
other meetings in association with the congregation,
with the young people, and with others alike.
We pray, Lord, in anticipation of the induction this coming Friday
that you would bless this occasion.
We pray that you would bless Mr. MacLeod
as he anticipates preaching and presiding over the service.
We pray especially for Calimurdo and for his family
as they come to join us
and as we anticipate him becoming our assistant minister.
We thank you, Lord, for the prospect.
We pray that you would grant your blessing to them as a family.
We pray that as they settle among us
and as the children settle into school,
we ask, O Lord, that you would bless them
with this new chapter beginning in their lives.
And we ask that you would make yourself known to them
and give them peace in their hearts
as they take this step into a new chapter in their experience.
And we pray in anticipation, Lord, of their presence with us
and of Calimurdo's ministry and Johan as well
that a great blessing will follow
and that we will see further steps taken by us
under his ministry as a congregation
into further avenues of service for the Lord.
We pray your blessing for the North East congregation
that he has left.
We ask, O Lord, that you would grant your blessing to them
through the gospel as they continue to serve you
and testify to you there.
We thank you for their willingness
to part with their minister,
though we know that this was a great wrench for them.
Nevertheless, Lord, you have in the past so many times
blessed such things to congregations and to individuals,
and we pray that that will be so for them.
We pray your blessing too for our young people
and our children today asking as we come
to the end of the Sunday school session
and as we come to the prize giving later,
Lord, we pray your blessing to follow these months
of teaching and of fellowship
and of being together in the various classes
and activities that they have engaged in.
We ask, Lord, for each and every family,
as well as the children themselves,
that you bless them in their homes as parents
and grant, Lord, that they may continue
to flourish under the gospel.
And we ask that as we give thanks
for their participation in the congregation
and for their being so much a part
of the congregation's life,
Lord, that you would continue
to lay your good hand of blessing upon them.
Remember those who have given of their time
to teach in the Sunday school,
to look after the creche and the tweenies.
Lord, we pray for them too
and give thanks for their service.
We give thanks for their willingness
and for their talents used in this way.
And we ask, O Lord,
that we may appreciate more and more
all who give of their time so willingly
to help in the different ways
in which the life of the congregation
is manifest in our community.
Remember us now, we pray,
as we continue here in your presence today.
We ask that you would bless your word to us.
We pray that you'd open up our minds
so that we will understand further
the things of your salvation
and of your kingdom.
We pray for the world at large
in which we live.
We pray today for our own communities.
We pray for our schools
as they come to the end of another session.
We give thanks for the education of our children.
We pray for the teachers
and for the head teachers.
We pray for the education authority.
We pray for all who are involved, Lord,
in the instruction that our children receive
by way of support teaching
and by way of other services
that are given in our schools.
Lord, we pray that we may give thanks
to thee constantly
for the provision that you continue
to make for us.
We ask, too, that you would bless
our nation at this time.
Lord, we acknowledge so much
that has been done
and is done in departure from your ways,
things which we know are offensive to you.
We ask, O Lord, that you'd be merciful to us.
We ask that you'd grant to us
through your Holy Spirit
a spirit of repentance in all our hearts
so as to turn to the Lord
and pray for ourselves as a people,
for our governments
and for those in authority
in different ways,
in places of influence
and authority in our land.
Be pleased to bless us, we pray,
and in your pity remember us,
though we deserve not any mercy from you.
Bless the world in which we live.
Bless the troubled spots of the world
in Yemen, in Ukraine,
in different places where war rages,
where terrorism is rife.
Bless the people of Afghanistan
in the wake of this terrible earthquake,
having so few resources.
O Lord, our God,
provide for them, we pray.
Grant at this time
that you'd show your compassion
and your love in providing for them.
Help us to open our hearts
and to open our resources
to send them relief.
O Lord, we ask that you would
continue with us here.
Bless us and hear our prayer
and pardon our sins
for Jesus' sake.
Amen.
Let's continue our worship singing again
in Psalm 40 this time.
Psalm 40 and sing Psalms on page 50.
Singing verses 1 to 5.
I waited long upon the Lord.
He heard my cry and turned to me.
He raised me from the slimy pit
and from the mire
He pulled me free.
He set my feet on solid rock,
a place to stand both firm and broad.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a joyful hymn of praise to God.
Psalm 40 verses 1 to 5 to God's praise.
I waited long upon the Lord.
He heard my cry and turned to me.
He raised me from the slimy pit
and from the mire.
He pulled me free.
He set my feet on solid rock,
a place to stand both firm and broad.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a joyful hymn of praise to God.
Many will look with godly fear,
and on the Lord alone rely.
Blessed are they who trust the Lord,
who shall not proud and gods that lie.
The wonders you have done, O Lord,
how many and how great they are.
Your plans for us are far beyond.
God's word is now,
our heart to now,
our Lord declare.
Now reading of Scripture,
God's word is today in the book of Acts.
The book of Acts in chapter 19.
We're going to read from verse 21
through to the end of the chapter.
Acts chapter 19 at verse 21.
Now after these events,
Paul resolved in the spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia
and go to Jerusalem,
saying,
After I have been there,
I must also see Rome.
And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers,
Timothy and Erastus,
he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the way.
For a man named Demetrius,
a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis,
brought no little business to the craftsmen.
These he gathered together with the workmen in similar trades and said,
Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.
And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus,
but in almost all of Asia,
this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people,
saying that gods made with hands are not gods.
And there is danger,
not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute,
but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis
may be counted as nothing,
that she may even be deposed from her magnificence,
she whom all Asia and the world worship.
When they heard this,
they were enraged and were crying out,
Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.
So the city was filled with confusion,
and they rushed together into the theatre,
dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus,
Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel.
But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd,
the disciples would not let him.
And some, even some of the Asiarchs,
who were friends of his,
sent to him and were urging him
not to venture into the theatre.
Now some cried out one thing, some another,
for the assembly was in confusion,
and most of them did not know
why they had come together.
Some of the crowd prompted Alexander,
whom the Jews had put forward,
and Alexander, motioning with his hand,
wanted to make a defense to the crowd.
But when they recognized that he was a Jew,
for about two hours they all cried out with one voice,
Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.
And when the town clerk had quietened the crowd,
he said,
Men of Ephesus,
who is there who does not know
that the city of the Ephesians
is temple keeper of the great Artemis,
and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?
Seeing then that these things cannot be denied,
you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.
For you have brought these men here
who are neither sacrilegious
nor blasphemers of our goddess.
If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him
have a complaint against anyone,
the courts are open,
and there are proconsuls.
Let them bring charges against one another.
But if you seek anything further,
it shall be settled in the regular assembly.
For we are really in danger
of being charged with rioting today,
since there is no cause that we can give
to justify this commotion.
And when he had said these things,
he dismissed the assembly.
And that forms the background
to the text we're going to look at later
from 1 Timothy.
We'll sing once again to his praise
before we turn to that passage,
and this time in Psalm 122.
Psalm 122, again in St. Psalms, page 169.
To the Lord's house they were calling,
and with joy I went with them.
Now at last our feet are standing
in your gate, Jerusalem.
See, Jerusalem like a city
built compactly, close and strong.
That is where the tribes assemble,
tribes which to the Lord belong.
And so on, we'll sing the whole
of the Psalm, these verses,
To the Lord's house they were calling.
To the Lord's house they were calling,
and with joy I went with them.
Now at last our feet are standing
in your gates, Jerusalem.
See, Jerusalem like a city
built compactly, close and strong.
That is where the tribes assemble,
tribes which to the Lord belong.
To the Lord's name praise they offer,
as for Israel decreed.
There are set the thrones for judgment,
thrones of David's royal seed.
Pray for Zion's peace and safety.
May your friends securely dwell.
Peace within your walls continue.
Strength within your citadel.
For the sake of friends and brothers,
peace be in you, I will say.
For the sake of our God's temple,
I seek your prosperity.
Now if you turn with me please
to the first letter of Paul to Timothy,
and chapter 3.
We're looking today at verse 15.
First Timothy chapter 3,
and we'll read from verse 14.
Verse 14.
I hope to come to see you soon,
but I'm writing these things to you,
so that if I delay,
you may know how one ought to behave
in the household of God,
which is the church of the living God,
a pillar and buttress of truth.
Great indeed, we confess,
is the mystery of godliness.
He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.
But especially these words you find
today in verse 15,
a description of the church,
which we have as the church
of the living God.
God willing,
we're going to begin
a series of studies
on the church,
but scripture portraits
of the church
as the title we've given
to the series.
I don't know how long
it'll last for.
God willing,
probably something like
10 or 12 studies
because we're following
the passages in the Bible
that give us portraits
of the church.
In other words,
descriptions such as
the description you find
in this verse itself.
In fact,
there are three descriptions
of the church in this verse.
The one we're looking at today
is the church of the living God.
You can see also
that it's called
the household of God.
And thirdly,
it's called a pillar
and buttress of truth.
And these three descriptions,
each of them,
very picturesque.
They set out by way
of a portrait of the church,
certain things that are
so true of the church
that we need to know
and appreciate for ourselves.
And to have a biblical view
and understanding
of the church
is a truly important matter
for us.
There are so many different views
of the church,
what the church is,
what the church should be like,
what the church should be doing.
Currently across our society
and throughout the world,
it's really extremely important
for ourselves
that we know
what the Bible says
about the church,
that we keep to the biblical picture
the church gives us
or descriptions
that the Bible gives us,
rather,
of the church
so that we have
in our understanding
a biblical view of the church,
a view of the church
that is indeed
as God has set it out
for us
in the Scriptures.
And so we're going to examine
these various descriptions
that you find.
You have descriptions
like the body of Christ,
the bride of Christ.
These three descriptions
you find in this passage itself.
God's people are called
the light of the world,
a city set on a hill.
And so we're going to see
various descriptions like that
that are very much
portraits of the church.
And we'll see some of the teaching
that's built into these descriptions
so that we can come
and appreciate ourselves
what it means to belong
to the church,
how important it is
to belong to the church,
what are the advantages
of belonging to the church.
And today we're looking
at the church
as the church
of the living God.
And there are two things
within that
that stand out.
First of all,
the word church itself.
And then now it's described
as the church
of the living God.
So there's the word church.
And then our second point
will be the church
as it's described,
the church of the living God.
Now the word church
is, as you know,
frequently found
throughout the New Testament.
But you must never think
of the church
in terms of a building
or a structure.
I know we do speak
of the church
in those terms,
but it's so important
that we actually
always think of the church
as people,
not mortar,
not buildings,
not bricks and stone,
though we describe
the church,
are you going to church?
The church is the people.
What is Stornoway Free Church?
Stornoway Free Church
is not this building.
This is the building
in which Stornoway Free Church
regularly meets
in order to come together
to worship God.
So that's the very foundational
matter for us,
firstly, to remember.
The New Testament
never uses,
as far as I'm aware,
the New Testament
never uses the word church
for any building,
such as the building
in which we are today
gathered to worship the Lord.
Throughout the New Testament,
you actually have
the word church used
for the people
that are, as we'll see,
called by God
to exist in the world
as His own
worshiping,
believing people.
So when we say to people,
are you coming to church with me?
If they think that the church
means the building,
you have to say to them,
well, what I mean is,
are you coming to gather
with us the church
in the building
in which we regularly worship?
Because we can get into
so many wrong ideas
if we just confine
our thinking of the church
and what the word church means
to a building
or a structure of that kind.
Now, the word that's used
in the New Testament
mostly for the church
is the word in Greek,
ekklesia.
And you can tell
from the sound of that word,
it's very closely related
to the word ecclesiastic,
which we use as an English word
to describe some things
to do with the church
or a person belonging
to the church.
You can find the same
in different languages.
The word in Gaelic
is Eglish.
The word in French
is l'eglise.
You can see how like
that is to ekklesia.
And the ekklesia
in the New Testament,
the word for translated church
is a word that literally means
the ones called out.
And you can see immediately
that refers to people.
It refers to people
that have been called out by God
to be His people.
Different ways in which
being called out is described.
But that's really
what essentially it means.
They are called out
and we can see now
where they're called out from.
Well, you remember
that Jesus said of His disciples
that they were not of the world
that He had called them
out of the world.
And that's the same idea
you find in the word ecclesiastic,
as the called out ones.
You today are the called out people.
You are called out
from the world around you
so that they are aware today
that you are gathered here today
as a worshiping people.
You are actually different
in that respect
to the world
that does not worship God.
You are called out by God
to be a distinct group of people
in the world
that are associated
with the worship of God,
associated with believing in God,
and all that that entails.
You are separated
from the world
in that way.
But not only does God
call His people
out from the world,
and we'll see
in the course of our studies
some of what that actually means
in practice,
they are called out
from the world,
but they are also
called together.
They are the called out ones,
but they are called together,
to be together
as a group
that actually
have the name of God
or something associated
with God
and His worship
attached to them.
God never calls anyone
or any people
out from a situation
without calling them
into a new situation.
We read in Psalm 40,
He took me,
said the psalmist,
out of a fearful,
slimy pit.
But He didn't just say,
He took me out of the pit,
He then placed my feet
upon a rock.
Think back to the Old Testament
where the people of Israel
gathered there in Egypt
as slaves in Egypt
and burdened
by the persecutors in Egypt,
and God came
and rescued them
from that situation.
He called them out
under the leadership of Moses
from that situation
in Egypt.
Now, that's a picture for you,
really,
of God calling His people
out of a certain situation,
but He didn't just
call them out of there
and leave them scattered
any old way
without organization,
without order.
He called them out
and He called them together.
Under Moses,
He called them together
to be a people
that were following
the ways of the Lord,
although sadly,
like ourselves,
they failed
in many respects
in that regard.
But this is what they were.
They were no longer
in Egypt.
They had been called
out of that place.
They had been called
out of that situation.
And these circumstances
and called together
to be the Lord's people,
to have the Lord's name
and to be in covenant
with the Lord
who rescued them.
That's what we are
engaged in today.
That's why we're called out
and called together.
Now, being called out
and called together,
which really amounts
to the same thing
in essence
in terms of the result of it,
it has both
challenge
and privilege,
privilege
and challenge
attached to being
called out
and called together
to be the people
of God.
If we take these
in turn,
you can see something
of the privilege
of it
and something
of the challenge
of it as well.
The privilege,
you could say,
is the privilege
of being,
as 1 Peter puts it,
called out of darkness
into His marvelous light.
This is what's happening
all the way through
the letters of the New Testament,
whether it's Paul
or Peter,
whether it's to Timothy
or to a church
that you find them written,
this is constantly
the emphasis
that these people of God
that are being written to
are people that have been
called out by God
out of the world
to be the people of God,
to be together,
the people of God
and the witnesses of God
called out of darkness
into His marvelous light.
And it's only after
you come out of darkness
that you realize
that you were in darkness,
spiritually and morally,
I'm saying,
because it's as the Lord
opens our hearts,
as the Lord gives us
a true understanding
of ourselves
and of Himself
and of what life is like
and what salvation is,
it's only then
that we begin to realize
as God works in our hearts,
as God individually comes
and as we get to grips
with His truth
through His own Spirit
working in us.
It's then that we realize
that we thought
we were actually
in the light,
we thought that we were
in the clear,
we thought you understood
things properly
until God says,
no, I'm calling you
out of darkness,
out of spiritual darkness.
And in Ephesians,
we'll come to refer
to Ephesians in a minute,
but in Ephesians,
Paul actually says
to the Ephesians
not only that they were
in darkness,
but that they were darkness.
You were once darkness,
but now you are light
in the Lord.
You were once darkness.
That's what they were.
That's what they were constituted
as, as fallen,
sinful human beings
like we all are
until God comes
and rescues us
and brings us
to see the light
as we often have it put
and brings us
into the light.
So there's the first aspect
of the privilege,
called out of darkness
into His marvelous light.
Or take another way
of describing it,
as Paul wrote
to the Corinthians,
God, he says,
has called you
into the fellowship
of His Son.
That's Jesus Christ.
To have fellowship
in the New Testament
sense of it
means much more
than just knowing
somebody casually
or having an acquaintance
with someone.
Fellowship in the New Testament
really is all about sharing.
Sharing in
or sharing with
or sharing out.
And what Paul is saying
to the Corinthians is,
this is your great privilege.
God has called you
into the sharing
of His Son,
sharing life together
in His Son.
He has called you
into the fellowship
of His Son,
Jesus Christ.
There is no greater privilege.
There is no greater privilege
than to be called
to be joined to Christ,
to have fellowship
with Jesus Christ,
to know the Savior
personally for ourselves.
That's what God
calls us to.
But He calls us to that
just not only individually,
but to be a people
who together enjoy
what it means
to be in fellowship
with Christ,
who help one another
through the experience
of the life
that Jesus gives us.
And the difficulties
that we face,
the challenges,
as we'll see in a minute,
of living like that
in obedience to Him
in this world.
But that's our great privilege.
He has called us
out of darkness
into His marvelous light.
He has called us
into the fellowship
of His own Son.
Now today,
I have to ask myself,
you're preaching
this gospel,
you're preaching
these truths
to these people,
is this what is
true of yourself?
And of course,
I have to analyze that
for myself,
but you have to do that too.
Because being called out
by God
to be together
a covenant people,
which we are here today,
is not the same thing
as to know Jesus
saving me for ourselves.
And within the covenant
people of God,
within the called out
people of God,
there exist people
who are born again,
and there exist people
who have the privileges
of the gospel,
but who are not born again,
who still don't know Jesus
as their own Savior.
That's why I'm saying
that's why it's incumbent
upon us,
as those who are called
to preach the gospel,
to set before you
that very important distinction,
the great privilege
of belonging to the church,
of being within
the covenant body
of the church,
being a member
in that sense
of the covenant people
of God.
You have to then
ask yourself,
but do I know Jesus
for myself?
Have I come
to embrace Him,
to welcome Him,
to receive Him
into my own life?
As I hear
all these things
about Him
and about what
His church is
and what His church
is like
and what God
has described
His church as,
it's for you
and for me today
to look at our
relationship
to Christ,
to Jesus
and to make sure
that you know Him,
that you know Him
personally,
that you know Him
savingly,
that you know Him
in such a way
as enjoys the privilege
of being called
out of darkness
to be joined
to Christ Himself.
But of course,
that means
there's a challenge
as well
along with the privilege.
It's always like that,
isn't it?
I don't know
if you can think
of any privilege
that you have
in this life
that doesn't have
a challenge
associated with it
or along with it.
Certainly the case
in the Christian life
and the challenges
must never obscure
the magnificence
of the privilege.
That's not why
they're highlighted
for us
but so that,
as Jesus did say
to the disciples,
we will have
a realistic view
of what a Christian is
and what a Christian life
is like.
It's not to put us off.
It's not so that we'll say,
well, that's not for me
but it's to say,
well, that is for me
but I have to recognize
that there's a challenge
in following Jesus.
That it's not
the easiest life
at many times
but nevertheless
it's one
that's above all others
a privileged life.
There's the challenge
of living
as the light
of the world
as Jesus described
in the Sermon
on the Mount
to His disciples,
to His listeners.
You are the light
of the world.
A city that is set
on a hill
cannot be hid.
Let your light
so shine
before people
so that they may
see your good works
and give glory
to your Father
who is in heaven.
Now, that's a great challenge
and it's something
that I'm sure
we all have to accept
of ourselves
we fall short of
and we all have to confess
to some degree or other
that our light
is not as bright
as it could be
or should be,
that we are not
even as a congregation
together
shining with the clarity
that we ought to have
as we are placed
by God
in our community
in order to be
His covenant people
but nevertheless
it's something
that we recognize
by the grace of God
we are called to do
and we are called
to be
the light of the world
and we are called
to proclaim
as Peter put it
in association
we called out of darkness
into His marvelous light
the words before that
were that you might
proclaim
the excellencies
of the one
who has called you
that's why we exist
as a called out people
to proclaim
and it's not just
proclaiming
in the sense of preaching
Peter was talking there
not just to those
who preached the gospel
but to the church
that was then scattered
and under persecution
and he was trying
to encourage them
with this letter
and not to turn away
from the Lord
to keep looking to Him
to draw their strength
from Him
to be encouraged in Him
so that you proclaim
the excellencies
you manifest
you show clear evidence
of who your Lord is
the way you live
you proclaim His excellencies
the features
of the Lord's own person
and the Lord's work
in your salvation
that's the church
not a building
the ecclesia
the called out
and called together people
who as such
have a great privilege
and who have challenges
that they must meet
in the grace
and in the strength
of God
who promises
to give you strength
in order to face
the challenges
so that's the church
but then you see
it's the church
of the living God
and this is really
another interesting aspect
of the description
or the portrait
that we read
in the Ephesians
and Timothy
was left
as you can see
in fact from
chapter 1
and verse 3 there
Timothy was left
by Paul
for some time
at Ephesus
he says
I urged
when I was going
to Macedonia
you to remain
at Ephesus
that you may charge
certain persons
not to teach
any different doctrine
and then in chapter 4
you find immediately
after the description
here of the church
Paul is telling Timothy
well look
these days are going
to come
the Spirit has
specifically mentioned
this
some will depart
from the faith
devoting themselves
to deceitful spirits
and so on
and he was wanting
Timothy to be
very much aware
that this was coming
and to be prepared
for that
and especially
to be prepared
through the truth
of God
for himself
and to know
the church of God
and what it was
and why it was
the way God
had described
and in the book
of Acts
as we read
Ephesus
was the place
where the great
statue of Artemis
which sometimes
is called Diana
used to be
the name
in the older
translations
Diana
but the Greek
name would be
Artemis
that's how the ESV
has retained
the name
the same thing
Diana
the Artemis
of the Ephesians
and we read
there about
the riot
or the near
riot
that took
place
after those
who were
losing their
trade
because people
who were
associated
with producing
things for the
paganistic worship
of Ephesus
they were losing
work because people
were turning to the
Lord
and there wasn't
the same demand
for these artifacts
and so they saw
that they were
being deprived
of a part of
their income
at least
so they tried
to organize
a protest
and a riot
things which
we're not
ourselves
unfamiliar with
and now
age sadly
but they were
quietened
eventually
and they came
to actually
listen to
Alexander
who gave
advice to
the crowd
that's the
context
in which
Timothy
was actually
working
as a gospel
worker
as a preacher
of the gospel
as a companion
of Paul the
Apostle
that's the
background to
what he's
saying to
Timothy
in terms
of his
ministry
in 1 Timothy
and as you
think about
that background
think about
the challenge
that that
actually
that provided
here is
this whole
Ephesian city
virtually
coming out
in protest
and saying
great is
Artemis
of the
Ephesians
a massive
crowd swell
of opposition
to the gospel
and yet that's
where Paul is
saying
that's where
the church
of God
is placed
that's where
you
Timothy
have to
minister
the gospel
to these
people
that have
turned to
the Lord
and come
to know
the Lord
that's your
business
to actually
tell them
about Jesus
and tell them
about the
great difference
between
this Artemis
of the
Ephesians
and the
church that
you belong
to
what is the
great difference
well
in Ephesians
there
in Acts
rather
we read
that the
description
was that
this place
this temple
of Diana
or of Artemis
was the place
where
the memory
to
and the
statue
of Artemis
was actually
kept
and they were
the custodians
if you like
of this image
of Artemis
and that was
their great
privilege
as they saw
it to be
as the
pagan people
of Ephesus
they were
chosen
they saw
it in terms
of Artemis
their idol
to have
been the
people who
were chosen
to look
after this
great statue
the one
of the
wonders
of the
world
and here
is Paul
saying to
Timothy
here is
your privilege
and the
privilege of
you Christians
in Ephesus
or wherever
that the
church you
belong to
is the
church of
the living
God
there is
not a
statue
that is
meaningless
and cold
and hopeless
it is the
living God
there is
not a
temple
as made
with human
hands
in which
Artemis
or this
figure of
Artemis
has been
deposited
and carefully
looked after
and worshipped
and idolized
you are the
church of
the living
God
and instead
of a
cold
statue
in your
midst
you have
God
himself
you have
the living
God
that's why
you are
described
as
that's why
he is
describing
them as
the church
of the
living
God
now you
think of
yourselves
today
as the
church of
God
as we
said in
the early
part
of our
study
but you
are the
church of
the living
God
the church
of the
living
God
because
the living
God
himself
has chosen
to live
in and
among
his people
that's
what makes
it an
immense
privilege
as well
as a
great
challenge
to ourselves
to live
to his
glory
but he's
the church
we are
the church
of the
living
God
in contrast
Paul is
saying here
to those
of Ephesus
who gloried
in Artemis
and in the
worship
and pagan
religion
of Artemis
and remember
how
Jesus
taught
about
the
coming
of the
Holy
Spirit
after he
himself
had gone
back
to heaven
and in
John's
gospel
especially
he taught
the
disciples
of
some
of
the
aspects
of that
and what
that would
actually
result
in
and
in
John
chapter
14
we have
really
remarkable
words
about
how
God
would
come
to live
in his
people
through
the
Holy
Spirit
how
he
would
come
to
make
his
people
his
home
just
remind
you
of
what
that
says
in
John
14
and
beginning
at
verse
15
if
you
love
me
you
will
keep
my
commandments
and
I
will
ask
the
father
and
he
will
give
you
another
helper
to
be
with
you
forever
even
the
spirit
of
truth
spirit
with a
capital
S
the
Holy
Spirit
whom
the
world
cannot
receive
because
it
neither
sees
him
nor
knows
him
you
know
him
for
he
dwells
with
you
and
will
be
in
you
but
then
he
says
I
will
not
leave
you
as
orphans
I
will
come
to
you
later
on
he
then
says
whoever
has
my
commandments
and
keeps
them
here
is
who
loves
me
and
he
who
loves
me
will
be
loved
by
my
father
and
I
will
love
him
and
manifest
myself
to
him
and
Judas
not
Judas
Iscariot
but
he
said
to
him
other
Judas
said
Lord
how
is
it
that
you
will
manifest
yourself
to
us
and
not
to
the
world
Jesus
said
if
anyone
loves
me
he
will
keep
my
word
and
my
father
will
love
him
and
we
will
come
and
make
our
home
with
him
you
see
the
remarkable
thing
that's
happening
there
in
that
passage
Jesus
is
teaching
about
the
coming
of
the
Holy
Spirit
which
happened
as
recorded
in
Acts
2
at
the
day
of
Pentecost
but
in
the
coming
of
the
Holy
Spirit
you
have
more
than
the
Holy
Spirit
himself
the
third
person
of
the
triune
God
because
Jesus
is
saying
I
will
come
again
to
you
I'm
not
going
to
leave
you
as
orphans
and
he's
also
saying
my
father
will
love
you
and
than
the
fact
that
the
living
God
has
made
a
house
for
himself
in
his
covenant
people
and
that
today
the
three
persons
of
the
Godhead
the
Father
the
Son
and
the
Holy
Spirit
have
come
to
take
up
residence
in
his
own
church
as
the
church
of
the
living
God
what
conclusions
should
we draw
from
that
well
first
of
all
that
our
life
must
be
one
of
living
in
awe
and
reverence
for
this
God
we're
in
the
presence
of
God
indeed
the
Lord's
people
are
the
home
that
God
is
building
for
himself
he
is
using
them
as
taking
them
as
his
dwelling
place
and
that
means
we
learn
just
like
the
Old
Testament
had
to
learn
in
regard
to
the
temple
and
the
holy
of
holies
in
the
temple
because
God
was
there
because
the
presence
of
God
was
manifested
there
you
had
to
watch
your
step
you
had
to
be
very
careful
how
you
behaved
and
this
is
one
of
the
descriptions
here
we'll
see
next
time
or
one
of
the
next
times
behave
how
you
ought
to
behave
in
the
household
of
God
which
is
the
church
of
the
living
God
the
fact
that
the
living
God
lives
among
us
means
we
have
to
respect
that
presence
and
it's
not
just
respecting
that
presence
as
we
are
gathered
here
on
the
Lord's
day
or
at
other
times
when
we
come
together
individually
it's
true
of
us
as
well
because
God
lives
in
the
heart
of
each
of
his
people
and
as
we
come
to
realize
that
to
give
him
all
the
reverence
and
the
awe
and
the
love
and
the
respect
that's
due
to
him
now
some
people
have
an
idea
that
that's
really
an
enemy
of
rejoicing
and
of
joy
that
all
these
things
about
respect
and
awe
and
reverence
and
holiness
that
these
things
are
really
contrary
to
are
not
really
at
all
in
step
with
what
the
Bible
is
saying
about
rejoicing
and
joy
and
experiencing
all of
those
issues
as well
in our
hearts
it's
not
like
that
reverence
for
God
is
no
enemy
of
rejoicing
awe
and
respect
for
God
includes
love
for
God
and
love
for
God
is
not
an
enemy
of
knowing
the
joy
and
the
rejoicing
and
the
gladness
of
heart
of
being
a
Christian
of
belonging
to
the
church
of
being
privileged
to
know
that
this
is
the
church
of
the
living
God
you know
the
better
we
know
God
some
people
might
think
the
better
we
know
God
the
closer
we
would
be
to
God
the
more
awe
and
respect
we
would
have
for
him
the
more
joy
would
go
out
of
our
lives
that's
what
the
world
will
tell
you
that's
what
caricatures
of
the
church
will
tell
you
don't
want
to
belong
to
these
people
who
believe
the
Bible
you
want
to
belong
to
these
people
who
really
live
a
very
dude
and
negative
and
a
very
narrow
focused
life
well
is it
narrow
focused
really
to
know
God
as
the
living
God
is it
narrow
focused
to
have
your
mind
opened
to
all
the
prospects
of
eternity
with
God
is that
a
narrow
way
of
life
is
that
something
that
really
would
be an
enemy
of
rejoicing
and
of
joy
of
course
it
isn't
to
belong
to
the
church
of
the
living
God
is
something
in
which
we
ought
to
rejoice
and
find
our
greatest
pleasures
in
contrast
to
the
pleasure
of
the
world
and
there's
all
on
reverence
and
respect
and
love
but
there's
also
along
with
being
a
part
of
a
member
of
the
church
of
the
living
God
there is
secondly
a
concern
for
the
unsaved
as
the
people
of
God
the
church
of
the
living
God
this
congregation
of
the
church
of
God
part
of
what
follows
that
description
is that
we
have a
concern
for
the
unsaved
for
those
who
are
out
there
and
don't
know
Jesus
and
don't
want
to
know
Jesus
most
of
them
many
of
them
well
in
1st
Timothy
you find
in
chapter 2
and verse 4
a description
about
God
himself
saying that
he's urging
for prayers
to be made
for kings
for all in
positions that
we may live
lead a peaceful
and quiet
life
for this
is good
and it is
pleasing in the
sight of
God our
Savior
and then you
follow you find
these words
following
who desires
all people
to be
saved
and to
come to
the knowledge
of the
truth
again
remarkable
words
have you
heard
somebody
saying to
you
well
God's
not
really
interested
in the
likes
of
me
you'll
say
but
this
is
God's
word
he
says
he
desires
all
people
to
be
saved
there's
a whole
lot
of
theology
packed
into
that
a whole
lot
of
difficult
theology
packed
into
that
when
we
realize
that
not
all
people
ultimately
will
be
saved
but
that
does
not
interfere
with
the
emphasis
in
the
text
and
the
emphasis
in
the
text
is
that
for
all
of
us
gathered
here
and
indeed
for
all
people
it
is
the
desire
of
God
that
they
will
be
saved
that
they
will
come
to
know
himself
that
they
will
come
to
the
knowledge
of
the
truth
and
we'll
see
that
part
of
the
description
of
verse
15
relates
to
the
truth
the
church
is
the
pillar
and
buttress
of
truth
what
we
are
to
be
in
the
support
of
God's
truth
in
this
world
in
which
we're
placed
so
there's
the
church
of
the
living
God
in
the
context
of
Ephesus
living
in
contrast
to
the
cult
of
Artemis
and
in
the
context
of
today
the
church
of
the
living
God
has
to
live
in
contrast
to
the
cult
of
the
world
and
the
cults
of
the
world
whether
formal
or
otherwise
because
whatever
form
it
takes
there
is
some
kind
of
Artemis
in
the
heart
of
every
human
being
naturally
that
includes
you
and
me
John
Calvin
described
the
human
heart
and
its
unsaved
state
as
a
factory
of
idols
we
worship
something
or
other
even
if
it's
not
God
and
what
Paul
is
saying
is
the
church
of
the
living
God
is
a
contrast
to
the
cult
in
Ephesus
or
the
cult
of
the
world
it's
a
privilege
of
belonging
to
this
church
of
the
living
God
to
love
him
to
respect
him
to
worship
him
to
serve
him
to
speak
for
him
to
deliver
his
gospel
to
a
needy
world
may
God
bless
these
thoughts
on
his
word
to
us
today
now
we're
going to
conclude
our
service
this
morning
and
our
concluding
words
are from
Psalm
47
Psalm 47
and this
is in the
Scottish
Psalter
page 272
verses 5
to 9
God
is with
shouts
gone up
the
Lord
with
trumpets
sounding
high
sing
praise
to
God
sing
praise
sing
praise
to
our
king
sing
ye
for
God
is
king
of
all
the
earth
with
knowledge
praise
express
God
rules
the
nations
God
sits
on
his
throne
of
holiness
Psalm
47
verses
5
to
9
God
is
with
shouts
gone
up
the
Lord
with
trumpets
out
the
high
sing
praise
to
God
sing
praise
express
praise
to
our
king
singing
for
God
is
king
of
all
the
earth
with
knowledge
praise
express
God
rules
the
nations
God
sits
on
his
throne
of
holiness
the
princes
of
the
people
are
assembled
willingly
in
love
the
God
of
he
in
Abraham
they
who
the
people
be
for
what
the
shields
are
to
defend
the
earth
the
earth
our
only
is
great
to
the
Lord
be
long
he
exalted
greatly
is
now I
won't go
to the
door
this
morning
because
we
want
to
get
to
the
hall
as
quickly
as
possible
for
the
prize
giving
so
please
just
make
your
way
there
as
I
said
you're
all
welcome
to
attend
prize
again
if
you
can
at
all
be
a
great
encouragement
to
the
children
so
we'll
just
pray
and ask
for
a
blessing
and
the
refreshments
and
close
with
the
benediction
our
gracious
and loving
God
we
thank
you
for
belonging
to
your
church
in
this
world
for
the
privileges
and
the
benefits
and
the
pleasures
that
brings
us
we
ask
your
blessing
now
on
the
prize
giving
ceremony
and
on
the
children
especially
as
they
participate
in
it
and
we
give
thanks
for
them
and
we
pray
that
your
blessing
will
rest
upon
us
throughout
this
day
bless
the
food
we
are
to
receive
granted
Lord
we
pray
and
may
the
grace
of
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
the
love
of
God
the
Father
and
the
communion
of
the
Holy
Spirit
be
with
us
now
and
evermore
Amen
TERRUP
more
in
Amen
Those
par
的人
want
to
serve
Она
Mat
lost
as
a