The High & Holy Importance of Proper Church Function

Well, grab your Bibles turn off your mechanical electronic devices and turn to first Timothy first Timothy chapter 3, you don't get those alerts while the pastor is preaching this term off this turn it off. It's okay I'll take it up like in school again. I've never done that one will do that one day to shock your body I be remiss if I did not say thank you for the many ways many of you have shown kindness to me this last month when October comes around and you can start getting cards and letters and some of them you have gifts in them saying thank you for being our pastor fight lives this happening in our remembrance pastor appreciation month like we need more of those, but you appreciate your pastor and you show it. That's biblical so I appreciate you being biblical but you been gracious and I thank you so much for your kindness toward me, and in doing that if you didn't do anything.

I didn't expect you to see your good to arrive.

First Timothy chapter 3 were talking about beautifying the bride well were talking about it because God is Artie talked about it through the sovereign superintending of God. God used this early apostle the apostle Paul to write most of our New Testament and one of those books is first Timothy and in that book to Timothy. He gives Timothy the instructions on how to fashion and function in the local church because it's very, very, let me give 1/3 one very important that the church do things right that we do things in the church, God's way by God's power for God's glory. Can I remind you this morning. This ain't your church.

It is not my church is Christ's church and we are the under shepherds. We are the stewards of another's property in particular that falls on me and then on to the elders who work alongside me but it's all of our responsibility to reaffirm and realign ourselves with God's way to fashion and to function in the local church and that's what Paul's talking to Timothy about Ellis liquid look at the text as we come to first Timothy chapter 3 verses 14 through 16.

And can I just say to you I use this text to a significant degree in last year's true church conference so got a lot of work in this already and I think I missed.

I don't mean I missed it in that I preached heresy because what I thought was true to the balance of biblical truth, I think it just came to being in these this last week, meditating on the text how it ought to be unfolded before us. First Timothy three verse 14, Paul writes to Timothy and says I'm writing these things to you hoping to come to you before long, but in case I'm delayed I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth by common confession great is the mystery of godliness. He he was revealed in the flesh was vindicated in the spirit seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world taken up into glory what comes to your mind when you think of these two words true religion true religion other than blue jean company. There is actually a clothing apparel company that calls themselves true religion but a fact I was out in Las Vegas keeping grandchildren data tradeshow this last summer and there was a building outside of the hotel where we were staying. That was advertising on marijuana or auto they have different words. I'm not up on all the stuff but advertising marijuana and they called himself some sort of church. The church of something so we see in today's age, there there just brazenly asked their say were going to take our lust, our indulgences are pleasures our viewpoint and call it our own church, our own religion. I think that's the idea. Go back to the clothing company that calls himself true religion is like where the authentic thing you where are clothing and you make a statement about your authentic self. Because in this post Christian culture that we have called America today.

We have now become secularized your worship here, religion is you you worship yourself. Now you're all about your own self-actualization in your own self-fulfillment your own self message. If you will, to the world all about me now.

But however it's used it. It has the idea. This is the authentic thing true religion.

This is the real thing. Through the ages.

If you asked somebody what's true religion, they would say what our system that we've adopted in our religious practice. It's it's the truth think it's the authentic thing you have to follow our laws. If you want to know God and be pleasing to God and be blessed by God. Yet, to follow follow our ceremonies.

You have to be under the teaching of our pre-*our holy man are men you have to go to our shrine are to our temple like the Islamist go to Mecca and on and on we could go what they mean is, if you don't do these things if you follow these things then you'll be pleasing to God you be acceptable to acceptable God, and you'll be blessed by God. This is true religion. What does God say, here's a powerful verse to consider Proverbs 1412 there is a way which seems right to a man, but the ends is the way of death in there that's so true. I have no doubt Melissa was going to have no doubt that I could build a church with thousands and thousands of thousands of people in it, much larger than us if I would compromise actually go apostate and appeal to men's natural inclinations of what religion ought to be. If I gave you what your fallen thinking and falling desires naturally wanted in religion I could pack the building at a lot of people do that today with a Christian façade on because men naturally want some rules are some laws give me a hoop jumper to give me a few ceremonies give me something I can perform in my ability to make me feel like I please, God, I'm close to God, and I'll be blessed by God, give me a formula give me a system because one with that perspective. Atomic because that is what seems right to a man in eternal loss and eternal death. So were talking about what's true religion. What really does get you to God what really does please God. What really does put you in the sphere are in the place of receiving the blessings of God. What is true religion. Let's unpack this text and will talk about that all right now though I'm going to revisit the concept of true religion. A few moments we got to get ourselves in the flow of the context and this is what's hard to do sometimes because when you come to the Scripture that's got such rich rich truth in it, especially about the person of Christ. It's easy and I think perhaps forgivable to just get all caught up in Christ and missed the flow of what he say he's talking to the church a local church and he's talking about. Here's how you ought to conduct yourselves in the church is talking about is the high and holy importance of proper local church conduct our new local church properly. That's our time behind holy importance of proper church function. That's what he saying that's what all this is about. If you miss that you missed what Paul is trying to get across.

So as you might want to develop some of the other glorious themes in this text.

Don't forget to reconnect to the purpose for that. Paul gave them to start with the help the church grasp why so high and holy, that she do her job right now in verse 15 he writes, but in case Timothy I'm delayed I'm writing this letter to you so that one will know how else to conduct himself in the house of God, the words there are things we can know things that are of high importance things God has told us in his word. In this case in the immediate context things in this letter from Paul to Timothy and then things in the balance of the scriptures that teach us so that we can know how we as a local church are to conduct ourselves. We remind ourselves that the entire tea of the Bible and in unveiled fashion.

The entirety of the New Testament is centered in the listen to me Jesus Christ and his church. Everything listen to everything that ever has happened in the universe and in time and space history eternity past through time to eternity future.

Everything is to the end of honoring Jesus Christ and to the good of this church. You are the apple of God's eye.

I don't care what they're doing in Russia or Syria or China or Washington DC you listening every thing is being superintended by the divine hand of Almighty God, to the end of honoring Christ and doing good for Mr. Sato. That's all true. We just wait around till it all shuts down and see what tests he would have you just wait around till it all gets done in your safe.

Christ exalted his church glorified with him. So Paul says, I'm writing to everything that you might know why you're here in this local church. While we are here in our local church is how we ought to conduct ourselves as remind ourselves that when the New Testament opens, we see the baby Jesus is, to save his church.

Matthew 120 and 21 the angel as a kid appearing to Joseph who don't know what to do about his wife being pregnant with his child.

Or she was pregnant of the Holy Spirit. So God says that when you consider this to hold an angel the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife for the child who's been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit and she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

And here's what it's all about Joseph. He will say note the particular notion here is people from their sins. And I'm remind you, dear friend. He didn't fail.

He did, he is he will say is people from their sin. Jesus never fails.

So when the New Testament opens Christ comes there since very few things that enthralled me with joy like the incarnation. Obviously, the crucifixion barely resurrection is the centerpiece of the redemptive work of Christ but just a matter time before that's going to happen once he's come. I mean, when Jesus appears rather it's all when Jesus appears. It took a few moments, please go to get it all done. So, just that that when Jesus comes the whole universe is pregnant with anticipation of all, he's about to get done at all that he's about to get done is to the end of saving his church. Then when the New Testament closes he has banished all sin and ungodliness purified and cleaned up the old physical RAM remade it as a new heaven and a new earth, and there he is, and that eternal state in the new heaven and a new earth with his glorified bride, the church, so now were in the agent between those two things, and now he is building his church. Somehow, someway, in the perfect are the perfection of divine providence. He's commissioned you and his commission to me to join him in this building of his church. As Paul writes to Timothy, he tells Timothy, this is really important stuff. Timothy do it right right so God has ordained in his word how the church is to be fashion rationed and how the church is the function of distant brief running review. Three. Chapter 3 already, Paul has told Timothy about Paul's teaching and how he now has to tirelessly worked to eradicate false doctrine that creaks in the church. Some you probably get tired of me talking about that. We just will have to get over it because continuously every letter Paul wrote in the New Testament. He's dealing with false doctrine. It sneaks into the church. That's when your pastor's primary job is to keep praying to keep preaching the word to keep discerning dear some air coming in there. Here's some air over there. It's his job to take the rod of the shepherd and drive the wolves away, you bet you better not get yourself under pastor who didn't have an iron wheel against false doctrine, so the first thing out of the gate. He's is Timothy check out this false doctrine stuff get rid of it get out of church EMP to talk to Timothy about the importance of preaching the gospel of course that remains constant throughout the pastor's ministry. He tells Timothy to keep fighting the good fight that's preaching the gospel in correcting the error in the church. He talks about how we out to be a prayer for church and the things we also pray for sinners and praying for the loss to be saved. Another stock out there and say let's keep praying for God to save the law. Your your daughters your sons your grandchildren your your family members your work associate young people your classmates pray for God to save the law then they spent six is significant and pointed amount of instruction on women in the church on their roles and their conduct in my can I say you no matter what you're hearing in the evangelical Baptist Southern Baptist world today. God's plan and God's design for women in the roles has not evolved this nonsense, we keep hearing about. We gotta keep shaped, reshaping, rethinking, re-changing things in the church because the culture demands and I do say this pointedly and clearly not don't mean this to be humorous that culture can go to hell because that's where they're headed.

Here's my point. Why would we want to receive guidance and help to build Christchurch from a culture that's under God's condemnation. Think about that.

We don't need the outside help. Thank you but no thank you, why try so hard to get only standards God that Paul then writes to Timothy and talks exhaustively about the calling of the qualifications of church pastors and then last time in three sessions we saw him talking about the qualifications and the role of church deacons and then he comes a something of a summary fashion here. Then we have versus 14 through 16 and so just looking at this we remind ourselves today of the dire need for pastors, church leaders, good churchmen to last themselves to the Scriptures and continually repent of any and all worldly notions that are being brought into the church and returned the church to being thoroughly biblical, i.e., Paul's words Timothy returned to being how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God returned to being biblical pulses. I want you to know how to function as a local church I'm giving you these instructions.

The high and holy importance of the church functioning properly. Now, that's all. Introduction I in our outline the high and holy nature of the church so one of the key things Paul brings out to Timothy here is you got understand what you're overseeing Timothy. I want to remind you that this isn't just a social club with a religious connotation attached to this in a six sided society or Bible study organized to help people get to heaven, though the church service about that. This is a grand divine scheme of Almighty God and you Timothy are the overseer you need to grasp the nature of this great thing this awesome entity.

The very church of God you're overseeing so he breaks it down in several phrases in verse 15, the first of all, he says I want you to conduct yourself right in the church because it is literally the household of God.

Timothy you are about the management of God's household.

As I said earlier, we are household stewards in the days of biblical writing. Many of the wealthier homes had slaves in the highest slave in the home was considered the household steward. He was responsible for everything under his master. All the other slaves.

The material wealth. The physical properties even the finances but he must manage them according to his master's wheel and that's what Timothy is supposed to be and that's what I'm supposed to be in a general sense, all of us pastors are held accountable for the conduct of the household. They are responsible for Hebrews 36 reminds us, but Christ was a faithful son over his house. I love that phrase not to preach there for an hour Jesus came and did exactly what was best for his house, his children, his church, he performed the role that only he could perform. And he performed it perfectly. He did his job because it's his house and he says, whose house we are variances we are if we hold fast our confidence in the boast of our hope firm until the end, so it's his house, and we must conduct ourselves according to his room, then elaborate still further, not only the household of God is attempting want you to get this it's the church of the living God, not in this context. That was a radical fall because when you went into the primary flow of Jewish thinking on whether you went into the Greek and Roman mythologies and pagan idolatries of the day, everybody viewed the temple of God is a material place.

The house of God was a physical building somewhere. This is our pulses, Timothy Timothy, remind yourself what were about is far far greater and more glorious thing than any of the other religions ever came up with where the church recklessly and God's called out and called together ones of the living God. That's what he views that even if you go back in the Old Testament, those who are truly spiritually enlightened understood that the physical temple in the physical furnishings in the temple were emblems of God's dwelling or God's fellowship with the people because the only true habitation of God was with his children, not a building can't contain God in the building is temple's dwelling place is just people, but with the understanding they had in the Old Testament, they still just saw a shadowy shooting grasp it fully, but now here in the New Testament is been brought forth in the full daylight, first Peter 25 reminds us you are living stone's being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

You folks, it's not physical stones. We are all God's building were all living stones, and as the Bible says he being the chief cornerstone. We all fit him.

So here is the clear teaching that the habitation of God is his people. Specifically, the individuals that make up his church, and I mean in this context is because Paul was writing to a local church.

We are he is called out once those he saved those he has indwelt those he has gathered together into local congregation and he will keep us the Bible promises he will grow us are is God drawing you, he will grow us and one day he will glorify us together with himself.

We are God's church and we bear the name of the church of the living God. We are a living congregation of saints pervaded by the living God, which is .0 Timothy, we must conduct ourselves properly.

This is not to be plagued with visiting trivial staff. Make sure the church functions right.

He builds on that verse 15 he said this, the pillar and support of the truth. Think about it. The church is the pillar I got like a abeam holding up a structure and support like a foundation stone that everything the rest of the building stands on Jesus, God's truth depends upon God's local churches can elaborate on that mother not necessarily evil. God's truth does not depend upon the denominational organization, whether it be the American Baptist convention on the church of Christ denomination or the Southern Baptist convention. Read the rest of their helpful at times and God at times, but God is ordain his truth does not rest upon and is not depend upon man-made organizations to help missions of the girls that means those things can come or go in the 18th century, blaming godly men like George Whitfield Daniel rolling in others storm the European continent and in the early 13 colonies preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and Satan seeing people say, by the tens of thousands literally the hundreds of thousands and they came out of the old Church of England, the Anglican church which was dead double dog bed graveyard bed. They were being becoming born again and I tried to reform it, but it would reform so it was left behind and they started new movements and Baptist work and Methodist grew out of that anomaly. So there's always times when God's going to take men's organizations and let them fight often start something more sounded more true and more.

Right.

So get over your idolatry of men's systems to help churches and missions. Those come and go with the local churches will be here until glorification day.

Those are the pillar and support of the truth know you so you ask yourself where else would the God of truth, reveal and proclaim his truth other than the place of his dwelling is the exclusive calling and mission of the church to maintain an exhibit the truth of God before the world.

Remember Jesus Christ himself said, I am away. I am the truth.

No one comes to the father except by me. Christ was the truth in the world during his incarnation, listen, and his people gathered in local churches possess his truth in the world. Now, after his ascension, but Christ is still in the world. Standing forth is true, but in all mind-boggling things he's ordained IRS to be the vessels from which is truth would go for the local church. My friend, you need to sober up. You need to listen up a few of you need to set up God's call use of severe young people who told you you could coast and play in it like a bunch of juvenile delinquency do you get 2728 get married who told you that there's important stuff to do for God when we get these foolish mindsets. IT will be God and not from this book but not in that world. So the whole floor. The contents is Timothy do you see how important this is. Make sure we conduct ourselves right in the household of God.

If the local church is scripturally and spiritually.

Right then. She is rightfully supporting God's truth and she is rightfully the pillar that holds how the truth for all the world to see.

You might ask yourself why when the pastor talks about missions and we talk about missions all a lot. Why when the pastor exhorts us about our missions commitment every year why we always preach the word local church preach the word local church preach the word local church because it's the only thing God gives support and proclaim his treatment were nothing else, saying other things are wrong they are at best secondary work of God in his church.

If we do not conduct ourselves properly in this local church are local churches are not conducting themselves properly then we fail in our only true mission shone forth God's truth. The church and again I mean the local church is one old divine said is the mother of all the saints, regenerating them rearing them and training them throughout their whole lives. There's been a movement that I referred to it a few times another one. These little errors that comes in packaged in a a good-looking packet in the air that came floating through was you know to really save your children to really be pleasing to God, you and three or four other good families can just get together and have you just up a home church, and y'all can just be so set apart impure in an godly and righteous that all sounds good. There's only one problem that God has not ordained that to work that way you watch I watch these movements come and go, come and go, come and go, come and go. And that's what they're going to keep doing all these new little nuances and niches and notions come and go. Can you tell you what has been here for 2000 years. Sound glory of God focused, Christ honoring Bible saturated local churches. I know that was loud, but I had to call. Is it not true brothers and sisters, is it not emphatically proven over and over in the annals of time and in the history of the church that if the church fails to hear me. If the local church fails, i.e., if the pulpit is weak at the preaching of the word is not strong, then the true thoughts conceived the pillar in support of an eye. Then when the truth falls in the church it falls in the culture and analyzing errors in superstitions and all forms of corruption multiply, metastasize while Paul tells Timothy mother of the things Timothy keep fighting the good fight just too much on the line you want to know why America is going to hail because the churches have failed.

It all starts there you will know why the churches have failed because the pulpit has failed you not going to clean up America by voting and another politician we need churches and pastors who are faithful, so getting back the flow of Paul's instruction to Timothy because of these things. This is the household of God.

Because of these things the church of the living God. Because of these things, the pillar in support of the truth. Because of these we must conduct ourselves properly in God's local church.

You see, the church is his palace. He is the great King and one considers the divine nature of God's church.

How foolish we are to try to add the things of the world to the church to improve the churches greatness or the blasphemy she must avoid all worldliness and cling only to the truth in all of her fashion or structure and in all of her function now as we come to this, we have to remind ourselves of the error of Roman Catholicism and some of the groups put the church at Rome has advances error more than any other that is she takes this statement. The church is the pillar and support of the truth and she goes a couple steps to fall.

Roman Catholics take that to mean so, the head of the church, the Pope for the Mr. you gotta go to level infinitely higher than the Pope fun picture Jesus Christ with the site ahead of the church, the Pope therefore can give us the truth because the church is the tendency for the true so he can come out and speak ex cathedra speak for God and give us new Dr. new truth and as sentries unfold. We keep getting new stuff from the Pope because the church is the pillar in support of the church and he's head of the church.

That's a ridiculous un-biblical and extra biblical excess and interpretation that is not what Paul is saying to Timothy, you see truth is not given by the church. The church is entrusted with the truth. The church is the holder in the dispenser of truth is the theater and the conduit through which the truth flows out as John MacArthur said, quote the church does not invent the truth and it offers it only at the cost of judgment.

So, as the church walks in the truth, then God and God's truth is seen and it is marveled over again back to the flow of the letter Timothy. This is why I'm writing you might know how to conduct yourself properly in the local church. There is so much on the line when you consider the nature of the church Roman to not only got two points by the they are little lengthy but only have to so don't you grow weary in well doing, you listen hard as I promise you I'm going preach hard the high and holy mystery unveiled.

Actually, I would like to change that hide holy mystery vets entrusted to you. You could say a high holy mystery vets unveiled and entrusted to you that is entrusted to the church if you want to add that all that be a little bit clear the high and holy mystery unveiled a and entrusted to the church so another reason why I Timothy you must conduct yourself properly in the local church that we come to verse 16 and the apostle rights and here's where a lot of guys just fly off to Mars literally leave our universe and go to another one and they shouldn't believe that they should interpret this in the flow of the letter. Verse 16 by common confession greatest mist regarding the phrase common confession here. First of all means everybody gets this everybody agrees on this.

What is everybody Paul. What does everybody agree on that is what all Christians agree on what we all agree that the way God makes a man truly godly was a mystery to us until he showed us.

We another which we never figured it out had gone.

We all agree on that we could never come up with the plan of salvation ourselves to just submit it was a mystery.

We all agree that the common confession greatest a mystery of godliness. He says here in the text, not the word godliness here is a word that means piety, which has the idea of a devout fulfillment of our duties to God. So here's what he say great, and we could say was the mystery of godliness because now it's unveils not mystery more. Remember, a mystery in the Bible is something that was once concealed, but is now revealed and what positivity great is this mystery that was concealed in God. Now it's unveiled and were all beginning to grasp it and the word is great is the mystery of godliness or pocket greatest the mystery of how one becomes truly devout and honoring and following God exit the word godliness is a word that's a compound word in the original, because from two Greek words, one Greek word is good ones worship so godliness could be translated. Good work great is the mystery of those who are good worshipers.

In other words greatest the mystery of how one becomes a true worshiper of God as one would say that we thought it was taking the sacrifices to the temple.

We thought it was through bringing her ties and offerings.

We thought is that was through keeping the law of God, and behold, when God unveils it's got nothing to fear that now we become people who are genuine, true worshipers of God in a way we never dreamed it could possibly happen now to go a step further. True religion that might be the phrase I would use here pulses greatest the mystery of those who find embrace walk-in true religion will of of the Church of Christ right of the badness right of the Episcopalians right of Roman Catholics right of the other Hindus right of Islamists) is true religion sister Timothy greatest the mystery what it really is me and have come up with thousands of things they call true religion and God said I'm about to show you what is our minds. When he showed us the great thing we could've never figured what's the authentic true religion that causes us to know God be in unison with God. Obey God and receive the blessings of God. What is true religion well, where does he go that last section of verse 16 he thoroughly, emphatically, gloriously unveils the person of Jesus Christ if you're helped by the Holy Spirit. The lot is daunting in your understanding.

It's not a way to get to God.

It's not a system to get to God.

It's not ceremonies that gives to God is not moral uprightness or cleanness that get us to God the way to God is you is not a plan it's a man that does have spent generations being a little sloppy, at least with telling people the plan of salvation when really they need to be more thundering the man of salvation because all of us, all the all the folks in Ephesus who are familiar with Judaism and works idolatry from their pagan culture was on the edge of their seat waiting for what Timothy was going to tell him.

Paul wrote all the sudden Paul writes to Timothy greatest the Mr. Gollancz Nelson here comes. I hope I got the right eyes are culpable across Roxie's.

I hope I jump to the right is all about that particular the right sacraments and ceremonies opens on the right church about baptized by the right mode sprinkling or merchant which one is it where is the way and politics. And Paul writes he sees it's the way you walk in true religion is be in him and him it's all about Jesus just read it real quick. He the first word every since.

Here's the mysteries unveiled. Here's how you walk in true religion is how you know got a get blessed by God talks about Jesus what Paul we we love Jesus but habitable get there. He said that's where your messed up. You don't get the mystery is not a way it's person he was revealed the flesh.

This Jesus was vindicated by the spirit that Jesus saying by the angels that Jesus proclaimed among the nations that Jesus believed on in the world that's Jesus taken up into glory. That's Jesus right there. That's why so many times I close the service knows that something like this.

Your flesh would love for me to give you something to do right now, go here. Go there walked on here walk over there right her hand put your hand up the car don't like to check the box. What about the Rape your flesh would love to do something so you can feel like I did that. Listen to me child. God listen to me on your deathbed.

If I happen to be there and I say do you know your say don't tell me I did that. Tell me, I know him.

I know I don't care if you're Roman Catholic and you did all the things the code you do I'll give you an Episcopalian ended all the things I told you to do. I don't care for an Assembly of God or Pentecostal did all the things I tell you to do. I don't have your men badness and did all the things I tell you how to do you know how displeased Timothy completely shipwrecked on Christ and stranded on omnipotent.

Nothing else is no good to appear how we going to walk in to the true religion.

The one true religion him. He just leaves us with him. I preached of the book of Isaiah. Years ago I loved preached food again fixes of putting it right but I think I did preach truth but the whole theme of the book of Isaiah is the servant of God. What Isaiah says is God called Israel to be her search his servant Israel, the nation Israel was to be right with God, to obey God and shine God sliding God's truth to the nations of the world, but Israel radically fail.

She fell short of the glory of God. And so we have those glorious prophecies from the prophet Isaiah were God's is okay user you failed one will raise up my own Israel. I'm to raise up my own servant. Another nation know him read Isaiah 53 him Jesus Christ. He's the true servant of God is reviewed. You never did walk-in true religion. You always blew it. Good Southern back if you didn't say religion not of your own accord and strength and ability. God discussed raise up his own true religion Jesus Christ Jesus Christ see that the great mystery is that all sinners in him. He he he. That's what he said is the pronoun he and I think the pronoun he at first part of verse 16 may be the most profound and important pronoun and all the writings of all literature of all the ages in Crete including the Bible. I wish I could just stop you on.

He if I could just open up your skin part, your organs in your flesh, publishing, fat molecules and their two and cut open the marrow of your bone in fillet for the Jesus so you would be overwhelmingly enamored with vanished the foolish notions of even sincere evangelist who said gently, this who walked in here do that and didn't leave you holy with him is if you walk out and I'll get saved in your trusting in any way with coming down and I'll your lost he's found only by faith in his person and in his work is unveiled to us the mystery that the way to know God the way to be near God the way to have a right standing before God and the way to walk, pleasing to God is to walk in him, so that is God looks at you. He sees the righteousness of his son and not you.

It's all in him. Colossians 127, to whom God will to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery and even among the Gentiles. Those people furthest away from God.

The Gentiles, which is Christ in you, him hope of glory. Feathers three.

Parallels here in verse 16. Let's unpack them little bit will be done tous for so he knew was revealed in the flesh. The implication was, he was already in existence. He was already something marvelously wondrously brighter than anybody else who ever existed and became flash became human sleep.

You just hear that and you go home and roast. God became the Jew or Gentile of this day when I heard that this it will help not hurt anything. That's the greatest Mr. Weaver contemplated the tribunal infinitely holy God put on the confinements infirmities the limitations of human form. This would say guys in the Ephesians church are scratching their heads saying this is different. He was revealed in the flesh, he became one of us.

Then it says he was vindicated by the spirit.

The word vindicated their has the concept of approved this righteous so we all know that the flesh is fallen in the flesh is weak. And since the fall of Adam and Eve. The flesh is sinful. The flesh is impotent. The flesh is unholy yet mystery of mysteries of the mysteries of God came from nonhuman flash but was may approve this righteous by the parent Holy Spirit of God became fully man without sin fully man, but totally righteous family. Mama never left his divine holiness. How can that be mystery never figured that out, but that's what got the spirit in Jesus Christ the flesh in the spirit flowed in perfect unison that you and I walk in the Bible tells us that we won't warning warring against the flesh bounces the flesh sets its desire against the spirit to spirit, since it does argue that the place in you and I live in this warfare slowly for living that here because were packaged in this fallen unredeemed humanity that has its own lust and sinful desires, but is not the Nutri was it just the old us and we find within bandwidth until one day we get anybody to God are glorified in that's not true. Jesus, he could put on flesh. The spirit of God sent 100% at home and happy in this flesh body by the was not in my notes, but this is a force out of what you're going to be one that you can have a body forever and is to be perfectly holy, Melissa, to be certain you will never again be selfish, that's big if some of you would you'll never again have an unholy thought. You never again struggle with your pride and on and on we could go Jesus was that way from the beginning marvel of a marvelous miracle of miracles, mystery of mysteries. Jesus lived the perfect spirit filled her spirit controlled life and that God would manifest himself in human form and yet remain holy mystery, now the second parallel here seen by angels and proclaimed among the nation's seen here has a concept of oneself, exposing herself, exhibiting the words he appears he has shown the Angels his glory and his Majesty, his Holiness who he truly is.

So this infinitely holy one.

Ellison, who was wholly comfortable among holy angels and the point is, the Jews of this, they primarily viewed angels are so infinitely wondrously glorious and holy.

No one can conceive. Being in the presence of angels.

So, Paul Rieke said no Jesus is perfectly comfortable in the presence of angels there holy angels.

But he's the holy one, and yet this same one. Look at verse 16.

Again he was proclaimed among the nations that were nations there means the Gentiles, that that's the people who are furthest away from God.

So this one who is comfortable in the celestial glory of angels. The purity and holiness of angels is now godly earth mystery because everything in Jewish teaching and everything in most pagan idolatry to the day said you can't mix the two God found a way to put on human flesh, the holy one who is comfortable in the presence of holy angels, and yet make his name known among the lowest we could centers why well that he might save these fallen sinners, that he might lift them up, that they too might one day be welcome in the presence of angels.

He came from the Angels to take you to the angel's Hebrews 1222 reflects on this. Hebrews 1222 but you have come to Mount Zion figurative language of coming into the true family of God, you come to Malott design into the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem into myriad of angels, one angels because the Jews that's where the caller is that's where God is. That's where purity and holiness is. He says when you come to Jesus Christ in association with holy angels just waiting to get to your final domain your sojourners right now. Then he says, believed on in the world and the nieces taken up in the glory. These are two total opposites to totally separate things to things that are normally at enmity with each other. Two things are normally in the greatest contrast one is heavenly and the others earthly one is a celestial brightness and purity. The other is filled with unnumbered, CN, evil disease, demons, and even death.

While Christ was fit for the holiness of glory is made manifest to this world so that many could believe and be saved. Pulses Timothy to the church right because you've been entrusted with this mystery that nobody else gets the mess up the mystery don't mess up the message of churchman are you list the pastor this morning.

Our proclamation is essential will proclaim things right, but also your conduct is essential.

Proclaim the message right so God's purpose in God's plan was a great mystery unto the day it was unveiled the day he came, lived among us died on the cross for our sins that we might be saved. He rose again last phrase of verse 16, he was taken up in glory.

This was a great mystery mystery of what is it mean to know true religion is to know him is to know him. He, Christ Jesus.

You see, here's the only true godly one.

He is the only true righteous one is the only true religionist who ever lived in Cuba to be true and accepted by God and blessed by God. You have to be in him to be in him be following a path or a plan. You gotta be in him, not present yourself on Judgment Day. God will look at you like you looked at Kane pain said I performed these things God planted these products. I did these things.

I work hard at it as I reject your offer. That's not true religionist not in him. That's in you, pray that prayer I cleaned up my life morally.

I was baptized in the church. I tried edition good things.sys that's in you. I only take people in here that are in him you hear what Jesus said in Matthew 25. When people come before the Lord, in the judgment day in José we cast out demons in your name.

As we did good works in your name to think apart from you never knew you that you did that. Even better off not to than half those things but make sure you're in him is you get in him you will actually do the things, but on the good things that UNESCO suffice for you being in him start ministry. He is the key true religion.

He is true religion. Closing thought there's a threefold aspect to this mystery. And there's a threefold incarnation. Okay threefold aspect of this mystery threefold incarnation number one. The first part I facet of the mystery is that God became man skews the second quickens 519 namely, that God was in Christ God was a God became in God was in Christ. The second aspect of the mystery is God indwelt man. Christ comes into us and lives in us. Colossians 127, whom God will to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you is Christ in you, do you know him. Are you in him. God became man. God indwells men and thoroughly got indwells his local church back in 1824. There are two or three gathered together in my name, there I am in their man just in the collective assembly of the local church so right now true tension is lived out by those who Christ is in them. True religion is lived out by the congregation were Christ will collectively speak.

So God was incarnate in his physical body during his pilgrimage on the earth. God is now incarnate in individual Christians on the earth because the church's body. God is incarnate in the collectivity of his local church here on the earth. Great is this mystery so make sure today to parts. Make sure you're in true religion. Trusting Jesus and him alone. Make sure you are participating in the church conducting itself properly because all this resides on rest on is dependent upon local church there. The distributors of the mysteries of God. The proclaimers of the mysteries of God and performers that we have experience the miracles and the mysteries of God.

Don't be like Galatians 612 we try to make a good showing in the flesh of the event is absolutely only written so I leave you this morning with him. Have you filed the foot of the blood across sale Christ bring all the empty bring bankrupt non-CX religious performances at work covering all that nonsense in late right here in this blood, not trusting anything. I performed or did this video Christ hi trust you take me Christ cleanse me. Christ I believe in you is on your deathbed, please, please, please don't say pastor teacher. I did that say pastor. I know him.

He is the way to God.

He is true