Mystery: 1 Timothy 3:14-16

1 Timothy - Lasting Instruction: Mystery: 1 Timothy 3:14-16 Pastor John Weathersby Sunday February 10, 2019 Paul is laying out the plan for the Church, reveled to him by Christ, followed by us today. In this letter, Paul says to Timothy, I’m passing on to you a deposit of faith, to carry down and make available to all people - be faithful, guard it, protect it and share it. In fact, later Paul will say the following: 1 Timothy 6:20–21 (ESV) 20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you. Perhaps when we think about God, we think there is a secret knowledge. Like the best seller, The Secret that sold 5.25 million copies in less than 6 months. Everyone want’s there to be a secret, perhaps like Tom Brady’s whose wife and her chanting stones and positive energy? Maybe we think it’s hidden, there is some secret that if we just knew… I went to type a search into Google and just typed the word “secret” here were the top 3 results: Secret lives of the super rich Secret rituals Secret rituals of the oto You’ll find videos of uber weird secret rituals - there is a weird, dark, and often evil world around us that we can tend for forget about - but, Christian you have access to God’s own plan for the universe, and today Paul will point to the mystery of God’s salvation, future facing salvific plan, and show the way to God’s plan of redemption. Across history people have thought surely there is some secret, some knowledge that if I could get at it I would know everything and reach success pinnacle. Paul writes to young Pastor Timothy who lived among a people without shortage of teachers trying to bring them secret knowledge about God. And shares encouragement with Timothy, lets look at what he says: 1 Timothy 3:14–16 (ESV) The Mystery of Godliness 14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 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 the truth. Across the last several verses in chapter 3, Paul has outlined the organization of the Church, what Pastors and Elders are to be. He’s given the severity of the situation which demands God’s structure be followed from Timothy’s generation and all future generations from that point forward - Pau’s teaching is to be lasting. Paul was concerned by the conduct among the members of the church was a concern to Paul, and nearly all of chapters 2 and 3, call the members of the church to an exemplary conduct, Holy behavior. Prayer 2:1-8, modest dress 2:9/10, Biblical Church order (2:11-15, as well as Godly Elder and Deacons 3:1-13 - The church is a living witness of God’s goodness in a dark and dying world. Prayer: 1 Timothy 2:1-8 (ESV) Pray for All People 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; Modest Dress: 1 Timothy 2:9-10 (ESV) 9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. Biblical Church Order: 1 Timothy 2:11-15 (ESV) 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. Godly Elder and Deacons: 1 Timothy 3:1-13 (ESV) Qualifications for Overseers 1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer[a] must be above reproach, the husband of one wife,[b] sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. Qualifications for Deacons 8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. We cannot forget that the church isn’t ours to edit, is ours to live out. As benefactors of Jesus sacrificial death, we live as Jesus’ church - Paul gives the pattern in these books as lasting instruction. Paul gives some reason(s) for this exemplary conduct: 1 Timothy 2:3–4 (ESV) 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Our conduct draws people to God. It shows the power of God and worth of God and goodness of God that His people are willing to be different, to sacrifice some freedom, and are content with the same. Further beyond conduct, Paul reveals to Timothy - 1) The church is the Church of the Living God- sometimes I think we as believers don’t live as though our God does to, but that he’s a concept confined to old books 2) The Church is a pillar and butters of the truth - how is truth delivered through the church excited feelings and music? No, the Word. This is why Paul is communicating this great importance of the church as lasting instruction. The church regenerates people by the Word, defends truth and spreads truth through it’s study and knowledge, God doesn’t come from heaven or send his angles to make his truth known - rather he sends pastors appointed for those works, and through the church reiterates people through the study of His word, across their entire life nourishes people through the word and strengthens them and brings them to perfection - and so the church is the pillar of truth, without a solid church the plan of God for seeking, saving, and regenerating people falls to the ground. Is the mission of the church important still today - you bet! Is the church more than a way to excite people to gather together and sing? What if we realized people didn’t want bible study, but that really they just liked the singing could we stop there and still be the church, no. So drifting towards life talks, moving away from opening the Bible, this is all anti-church, and what Paul trusted Timothy to stand firmly against - we too should know our Bibles to notice anti-church because it’s prevailing today. Paul specifically said this is: “irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’” flea from it! It detracts from God and inflates men, it hacks away at the pillar of the church, and it weakens the Word enriched experience and life-sustaining knowledge of truth that the living Church of God is to be nourished by it’s evil. 16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: Paul mentions the mystery of godliness - he doesn’t mean a mystery like some kind of knowledge that needs to be hunted down that we have yet to uncover, he means a more exciting mystery. Meaning that Jesus is the revealed hidden plan of salvation, it’s a great mystery of godliness that can be attained in Jesus. Such as Matthew 13:11 reveals the mystery of the Kingdom is an open secret. This he said fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy, they hear but not now, see but not get it, because their hearts have gown dull and early see with eyes, beard hear with ears, having closed their eyes and stopped their ears - but the opposite is true of this when we see the mystery, and know God we’re open to truth and the word is illuminated - the mystery is exciting to explore! Look at Matthew 13:11-17. Matthew 13:11-17 (ESV) 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. And so Paul teed up this poetic creed, perhaps popularized in his day confessing that mystery revealed in Jesus: 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. He was manifested in the flesh, Here Paul reveals about the mystery of God, what’s refereed to in Jesus as the hypostatic union, or that Jesus was flesh and divine. That by his own decision and will Jesus “stepped into” or willingly took on the form of man, while not wholly becoming less than God, and bore both attributes, God and man. This is important as people may say that Jesus was a good teacher - well, that’s true but he was ALSO God, as “He” was manifested in the flesh” meaning he wasn’t naturally or previously flesh, he was and remained fully God. Groups or people who offer up “secret” knowledge that deny Jesus divinity aren’t correct and take away from this mystery. Philippians 2:7 (ESV) 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. The one we worship has become flesh like us, he laughs and cries, and communes with us, he walked with us in our time, and we get to see how the character of God would live among people, and it was vastly impactful and inspired further-deeper worship of Him. This is the mystery, this is the deposit. Vindicated by the Spirit, I like how John Calvin discusses this he says: “”he who appeared clothed with human flesh was at the same time declared to the son of God, so that weakness of flesh made no diminution of his glory” Psalm 19:9 (ESV) 9  the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. This Jesus that we announce is indicated by the spirit - His is the utmost to be worshiped, Paul would pronounce Jesus’ life as higher than the Gods of the day and to be worshipped even over Cesar - a high claim for their day where Cesar was NOT to be questioned and was to be held over any household Gods. But despite any consequence (*and there were many) the God of the Bible, His Spirit, and the Christ of salvation are to be worshipped and proclaimed by His Church. This is the mystery, this is the deposit. Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Seen by angles - I love that Paul says this, and here is why: we become complacent with the church. There is one on every corner, of every flavor, you can go to one because you like dancing and twitching and singing, you can go because you want your kids to have a slide and bouncy balls, you can go because they ONLY read the King James, we can forget that in the time of Paul the church was new - it hadn’t spread, and wasn’t available to gentiles across the globe. For the first time even the angels are seeing this plan, this is the Church, which will through people, formerly lost un known to God, people who will be come the living church, spreading His glory through His living word - this is amazing, and as Paul says would be “proclaimed among the nations”. This is the mystery, this is the deposit. Believed on in the world, It is no ordinary miracle when the word of God and salvation in Christ is believed by any single person. This overcomes all obstacles when obedience of faith is achieved in a person who was otherwise unable to be tamed (as Calvin would put it). Nothing appeared less probable but through the mystery of the faith, through the power of God to his glory - the message is believed on in the world. Believe for Paul here isn’t simply they taught it was true, like I believe Abraham Lincoln was a person despite never having met him, but like I trust gravity exists though I cannot directly see it. People believed trustingly with all their might in the message of God’s gospel in Christ, and His church illuminated by His spirit - held up through the power of His word like a pillar in the living church of people. This is the mystery, this is the deposit. Taken up in glory. Jesus, at the conclusion of his earthly mission said, it is finished, He willingly submitted His Spirit, He was resurrected and returned in bodily form, at fish, gave a pronouncement of forgiveness to His disciples and charged them to continue the work - because God would be glorified through forgiven people - and the Church would continue. This is Paul’s mystery he’s trusting to Timothy and the lasting instruction that passes on to us. This is the mystery, this is the deposit. Don’t become complacent with this mystery of faith, it’s the deposit we’re trusted with. It’s amazing and inspires a lifetime of study of the Living Word of God and worship of Him in spirit AND in truth. The point of this passage and this in the Greek 18 word creed that Paul leverages is to show that when people live their lives based on the mystery of God in Jesus Church, and tell their personal story as bent around Jesus own truth, we find ourselves as the living assembly of God that withstand pop culture Gods, as time has shown. Where the Church stands simply on God’s truth found in his Word, and people come to know God’s truth in that way - not through our creativity, they’ll find a solid footing based on God’s plan for life giving, faith. This is why the passage is struck, that even in Pauls’ absence - the church must know how to share a common life, in the mystery of Christ - so the watching world can truly know: 14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 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 the truth. IN a world that says up is down and down is up, then demands you agree - this mystery is truth for life, we’re to cling to it. Pray: Pray through the following questions: • Memorize the Creed of 1 Timothy 3:15 • How does knowing this strengthen Timothy’s faith/my faith • Why do you think Timothy gave this truth to Paul in this way • Read Matthew 13:11-17 1 Timothy 3:15 (ESV) 15 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 the truth. Matthew 13:11-17 (ESV) 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.