Please turn with me to 1 Timothy 3 - starting at verse 14.  We  are looking at The Essentials of the Church - what is essential for us as a congregation if we’re to fulfill God’s mission for us of living and sharing the Gospel in the world - beginning right here in Merced.  Together we have looked at the essentials of love, faith, Godly men, Godly women, Godly leadership.  This morning we’re coming to The Essential of The Gospel.  Let’s say that together, “The essential of the Gospel.”

In 1 Timothy Paul is writing to Timothy who is the pastor of the church of Ephesus.  About 500 BC - Heraclitus - the great Greek philosopher - who a native of Ephesus - where Timothy is pastoring - Heraclitus once said, “The only constant is change.”  Have you heard that?

To get us focused this morning on the essential of the Gospel and the relevance of all this for us - I’d like to have us think about that word “change.”  To do that we’ve got a short quiz to see how observant you all are.  These are pictures that have a slight change.  The question is, “What has been changed?”  See how many of these you can get.

What’s changed here?  Right.  President Kennedy was assassinated so he probably wasn’t at the swearing in of President Johnson.

How about this?  Right.  As far as we know Mick Jagger was never a Beetle.

This one should be easier?  Right.  No Snakes at In-N-Out.  Unless its one of those off the menu items.

Next.  Right.  The Canadian Flag.  As far as we know we're still part of the United States.

This is pretty easy.  Right?  Its a watch for left handed people.

Change.  Remember this?  We want change.  Transformers.  Change into a truck.

What word are we thinking about?  Change.

A while back I read this statement about change:  “When you understand that you can change the world, your life will never be the same again.”  Let’s try that together:  “When you understand that you can change the world, your life will never be the same again.”

Keep that statement in mind as we go through what Paul writes here.

1 Timothy 3 - starting at verse 14:  I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am 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.

Let’s pause and understand the significance of what Paul is saying.

Paul is in Macedonia.  Timothy is in Ephesus.  As much as Paul would like to go to Ephesus - it may be a while until he gets there.  He wants to go there.  He has deep feelings for the believers there.  These are people that he’s spent a lot of life and ministry with.  But, he’s been hung up in Macedonia.

So, Paul writes this letter to Timothy.  “I may not make it to Ephesus.  But, in the mean time it’s essential that you know how you’re to be conducting yourselves in the church.  You need to understand how essential it is - how crucial it is - that you live out what it means to be the church there in Ephesus.”

In verses 14 and 15 Paul focuses Who We Are.  Let’s say that together, “Who we are.”  Who we are as God’s church - God’s congregation. 

Three truths:  First, We are the household of God.  Let’s try that together,  “We are the household of God.” 

In Hebrews 3 - it says that Moses served in the Tabernacle in the wilderness.

Have you ever thought about how impressive that would have been?  2 million plus people in a massive spread out camp - arranged by tribe.  Imagine the area that would have covered - the logistics involved - the organization necessary.

In the center of this huge mass of God’s people - in the center is the Tabernacle - an enclosure with its altar for blood sacrifice and the Holy of Holies with its veil and mystique.  An ornate - holy - complex for worship and intercession between God and His people.  A cloud showing the presence of God by day and a fire at night.

As this huge mass of people would look towards the center of their camp there was to be a realization of awe and respect.  God dwells there in that place.  The presence of the Holy Almighty God - Yahweh - Elohim - God is there - in that Tabernacle.  God’s tent.  In a sense - God’s house.

In Hebrews 3 - verse 6 - it says that while Moses served in the Tabernacle - in Jesus, “we are His house.” (Hebrews 3:1-6)

We are the household God.  That’s incredible.  Isn’t it?  God dwells with us.  We dwell with God.  That’s not about location.  Its about relationship.  There’s an astounding intimacy in that truth.

Paul wrote about that truth to the Ephesians - in Ephesians 1:4 - Paul writes:  Just as He - God - chose us in Him - Jesus - before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.  (Ephesians 1:4-6)     

Before the foundation of the world - God chose you.  That’s a mind stretcher isn’t it?

Before anything in this universe was a universe God chose you to be His - to send Jesus to the cross for you - for you to have a relationship with Him - even - as Paul writes - that we should be holy and blameless before Him. 

We’re not second class citizens in God’s creation.  We’re not accidental members of Jesus’ church.  We didn’t just happen to be here this morning.  We have the privilege of being chosen by the sovereign God of creation to be His - to be one in Christ - all of us together - to live out God’s great purposes for each one of us.

Hang on to that.

And it gets better.  In Ephesians Paul writes that God - our Heavenly Father - because He loves us - God has determined that we should be His children.

God adopts us.  Places us into the position of being His sons and daughters.  The Greek and  Roman understanding of “adoption” was much more that just a legality - placing a child into a home.  To the people Paul is writing to “adoption” means that you are made to be a son or daughter without any distinction from those who are natural born sons or daughters.  Our family relationship with God  is that close.

Hang on to that.

Because God - our Heavenly Father - loves you - He has determined that you should be his child.  Isn’t that incredible?

The church isn’t an organization - or a building - or a religion - its a people - a household - a family.  God is our Father.  We’re siblings in Jesus.  Made to be intimately and integrally related to each other by our Father who dwells with us.

Second:  We are the Church of the living God.  Let’s say that together, “We are the Church of the living God.”

Solomon - was chosen by God to build the great Temple - immense - impressive.  On the day that Temple was dedicated - Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord - before all the people - the assembly of Israel.  Solomon spread out his hands towards heaven - and he said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath…  Behold heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built.” (1 Kings 8:22,23,27)

We worship on Sundays in this building at 9:30 a.m.  Sometimes we get caught up into thinking that this is God’s place - like He just hangs out here waiting for us to show up.  We’re tempted to put God in a box - limited by our doctrine - our theology - our tradition.  To limit Him by our experiences - our expectations - our needs - what we think should be happening in our lives.  Ever done that?

What can contain the living God?  What could ever limit Him?

God is not some impersonal - powerless - deity of our creation.  We’re not curators of a museum built in Christ’s honor.  We’re not guardians of a tradition or perpetuators of a philosophy.

Paul said to the people in Athens, “In Him we live and move and exist…” (Acts 17:28)  Ever sing the song “breathe”?  “This is the air I breathe.  Your very presence living in me.”

Every human being has life because God has graciously given it to us.  God is at the heart of life.  He reigns over it.  That’s the God that we serve.

We’ve been touched by the living God - indwelt by Him who is life.  We live because Jesus lives.  We’re a Divine fellowship whose birth and sustenance is the life of our Savior and Lord. 

When we gather on Sundays - we’re here to celebrate the presence of the living God in our lives.  God Who permeates us and is transforming us - healing us - restoring us - empowering and enlivening us.  God Who is using us in His world.

We’re here to celebrate and worship Him  To lift up His name in praise.  To glorify Him.  To testify of Who He is and what He is about doing in His world.

We are the church of the living God.

Third:  We are the pillar and support of the truth.  Let’s try that together, “We are the pillar and support of the truth.”

Years before Paul wrote to Timothy a meteor had fallen in the area near what became the city of Ephesus.  The meteor seemed to have the form of a woman so the people called the meteor Diana.  This meteor that looked like a women became an object of worship.

Then the Ephesians built the Temple of Diana which looked something like this.  The Temple of Diana was this immense structure that is considered to be one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world.  Its listed along with famous places like the Great Pyramid of Giza and The Colossus of Rhodes.

The Temple of Diana was immense.  It was impressive - something to see - a tourist destination.  Pilgrims from all over the world came to worship - to engage in sexual immorality with the prostitutes there - male and female - to spend their money on souvenirs and idols to take home.

The temple was a repository for the greatest works of art  It was integral to the life blood of the city.  The priests of the temple controlled the wealth of the city.  Seven times it had been destroyed by fire.  Each time it had been rebuilt - larger - more imposing than before. 

Holding up this massive complex were huge - prominent - ornate - stone pillars.

That image of the Temple of Diana was probably an image that Paul had in mind as he wrote to Timothy.  An image that would have been very familiar to the Ephesians.  Paul contrasting what was supporting an immoral empty pagan religion and Ephesian culture - contrasting all that with the church.

Paul writes that we are “the pillar” that upholds the truth of the Gospel in the world.

Second - Paul writes that we are the “support of the truth.”  That word “support” in Greek is a word that means “a bulwark” - a solid wall built for defense - to provide security.  Think immovable permanence. 

Surrounding the city of Ephesus was a wall - 10½ feet thick with six fortified gates.  An impenatrable fortress.  An army coming against that fortress - that bulwark - would have had to change direction - change plans - lay seige - go around - admit defeat.

The Gospel is not politically correct.  It’s offensive.  Some have tried to soften the Gospel to make it more politically correct - less offensive - another of the world’s “faith traditions.”  But, the Gospel is not something that adds to the world’s knowledge.  It’s not a part of the world’s continuing enlightenment.  It’s not the best of many religious paths.  Its not a supplement to other faiths.

The Gospel is the truth.  The truth that mankind is desperate to hear.  The truth about who we are and who God is.  It demands change - rejection or acceptance of Jesus. 

We are the church - the household of the living God - the pillar and support of the truth.  When the household of God - when the Church of the living God - boldly stands immovable upholding the truth of the Gospel then the world must change.

We are God’s instrument of change in the world.  Say that with me, “We are God’s instrument of change in the world.”  Who are we?  “We are God’s instrument of change in the world.”

Verse 16 focuses on What We Confess.  Let’s say that together, “What we confess.”  What is the truth that we pillar and bulwark?

Verse 16 - Paul writes, By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness. 

There are great mysteries in life.  Is there a purpose to life?  Is this all there is?  People spends lifetimes and fortunes trying to come to grips with all that.  In the Old Testament people wondered where God was going in history.  With all the sacrifices and prophecies they knew God had something better coming.  But it was mystery to them.

In Scripture - a mystery is something that only God knows and only God understands.  We can take all the theology classes - earn umpteen degrees - philosophize and analyze and look crosswise - and yet we’ll never figure out what God knows unless God reveals to us what He knows.

As a believer in Jesus we know that history is “His-story” - right? - Jesus’ story.  God at work using all of His creation to focus on Jesus.  God is at work using all the events of history - past - present - future - working all that together - to focus on Jesus.  To offer to us His gift of a restored relationship - salvation - which comes only through Jesus Christ.  That godliness only comes through Jesus Christ.

God has revealed all that to us - His people - His church.

God has made known to us what it means to live out that relationship - in Jesus - what it means to live in godliness.    His wisdom - His perspective on life - and His insight - how God’s wisdom applies to the circumstance of our lives - how life works and where God is going in life - all of which is a mystery to those who don’t know God.  They may see it or hear it.  But they don’t understand it.

Paul writes that this is our common confession.  Common because we - the church - we all agree on this.  Confession because Who Jesus is and what it means to have life in Him - His Gospel - is what we together believe and declare to the world.

Verse 16 is probably one of the earliest belief statements of the Church - the Gospel in a nutshell.  A first century declaration written by our brothers and sisters in Christ that was probably circulating around the different congregations and read out loud as a common confession of faith.

That’s common.  Here we are some 2,000 years later making the same confession of our faith - believing the same Gospel that they did.

Walk with me through what’s being confessed here.  There’s a depth of truth contained in just these few brief words.  We’ll just hit the highlights.

He - Jesus - who was revealed in the flesh - meaning that Jesus was born.  God came to be in the flesh and live among men.

He was vindicated in the Spirit - which took place at Jesus’ baptism.  You’ll recall that the Holy Spirit came down as a dove and God said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)  God declaring that Jesus is the Messiah - the Christ - the Savior of mankind.

Jesus was seen by angels - the angels that were at the empty tomb.  We believe that Jesus was crucified to death - taking our place - paying the penalty for our sins - and Jesus is resurrected - alive.

He was proclaimed among the nations - at Pentecost - the Gospel was shared with men and women from all over the Roman world.  The Gospel spread out from there - to Jews and Greeks - like the Greeks here in Ephesus - and beyond - even to some far off places like Armenia - or Merced.

We believe that Gospel is for everyone.  The purpose of the church is to take Gospel - by how we live and what we say - to take that Gospel to all peoples.

Jesus was believed on in the world - which is the response to the Gospel.  People didn’t just hear - they responded.  People are coming to salvation. 

Which is to say that knowing Jesus should change how we do life.  We’re not just hearers of the word.  But doers.  Responders who’s lives are being changed by God.  And we’re followers of Jesus who are teaching others to follow Jesus.

Finally, Jesus was taken up in glory.  Jesus’ work on earth was completed and He ascended to heaven.  Which means that He intercedes for us - God continues to forgive us.  And, Jesus is coming back.  We believe that when Jesus comes back there’s going to be judgment that will lead to God’s wrath poured out on those who haven’t accepted God’s offer of salvation in Jesus.  And Jesus’ return will mean - those of us who have accepted God’s offer of salvation in Jesus - we’re going to enter into what is our great hope of eternity with God.

Jesus is the Savior - crucified - resurrected - returning.  Jesus Whom we need to trust as our Savior - giving all of who we are to Him.

Before we go on let’s read this confession out loud together - joining our siblings from the household of the living God - pillaring and bulwarking the truth.  Can we commonly confess this together?

By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness:

He who was revealed in the flesh,

Was vindicated in the Spirit,

Seen by angels,

Proclaimed among the nations,

Believed on in the world,

Taken up in glory.

Who are we?  “We are God’s instrument of change in the world.”   What do we confess?  God’s message of change.  God’s truth - the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Live as the Church - confess the Gospel - and the world must change.

Taking what Paul writes one step further I’d like to have us go back and think about that one word we started with.  Remember what that word was?  Change. 

As you’re watching this short video clip think about the essential of the Gospel and change.

(Video:  “Change”)

Heraclitus of Ephesus said, “The only constant in change.”  The world is constantly changing.  Our need for the Gospel does not.  The Gospel causes change.  People need to know the essential of the Gospel - that they change towards God.

Sin is a horror - a bondage and corruption in this life which weighs down our hearts - burdens our souls - tears at the fabric of humanity - destroys our homes and society - corrupts the Church - robs us of the ability to be whom God has created us to be.  And, waiting ahead is judgment and eternal separation from God.  But, we have the opportunity - the privilege - of sharing the one message that can bring real change to all that.

When Paul writes about the “mystery of godliness” he’s talking about being able to live life in wholeness - living life as God intends for us to live it.  That’s what all this is about.  The secret of living life with God - drawing on His wisdom and power and forgiveness.  Living in purity and calmness and courage and confidence in the midst of whatever comes.

Not another faltering religion to lead us in hopeless darkness.  But real answers found in the person of Jesus Christ.  That’s what’s offered to us even today.  Offered to us to receive as we respond to the Gospel.  Given to us to share with others - so that God can bring real change in their lives.

God used dust to form Adam.  A rib to form Eve.  When the Israelites were trapped with their backs to the sea Moses stretched out his staff and the waters parted.  Samson struck down a thousand oppressors of Israel with the jawbone of a donkey.  At the blast of trumpets and a war cry Joshua watched the walls of Jericho crumble.  With torches and empty jars Gideon and 300 men defeated an army of 100,000.  David chose 5 smooth stones from a stream and with them struck down Goliath.  5,000 were fed with 5 loaves and 2 fishes.  If God can use such small things to change the course of history certainly He can use us.

What was that statement we were keeping in mind?  “When you understand that you can change the world, your life will never be the same again.”

You are God’s instrument of change in the world.  That realization should change how you conduct yourself as a member of the household of the living God.

You may be changing diapers - answering the phone - teaching a class - driving a car - listening to a teacher drone on and on - hassling with a landlord - cutting a lawn - shopping at Save Mart - Frolfing - or any other of hundreds of the routine daily things of life.  You are God’s instrument of change in the world.

Say this with me, “I am God’s instrument of change in the world.”  Hang onto that.  Let it sink into the core of how you see yourself.

We exist here together - not as an organization - not out of obligation - not as a building.  We are the church.  You are the church.  People who are flawed - imperfect - broken - bruised.  People are the church.

We are united - relentless - on a mission to be second.  Second to what God has planned for us.   A mission to grow - to grow into the person God wants us to be - to reach beyond these walls - beyond clichés - beyond stereotypes - a mission to love everyone regardless - a mission to go make disciples of all nations.

That’s why we’re here.  Our church doesn’t exist for us.  God’s congregation exists for the world.  After all, it is His Gospel that is the essential.  We exist to change the world because He is changing us.

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