R sbc
April 2nd 2006
Sunday Morning
Series: Christ The Sum & Substance of the Bible
Sermon # 77
Subject: The Greatest Mystery of All
Text: I Tim. 3-14-15
Intro: The main of this sermon this morning is verse fifteen, but I must make some remarks about the other verse. Paul was encouraging Timothy to act and react. The action he calls upon Timothy was his behavior in the house of God.
In a day when people forget that when this church is assembled in this place it is the house of GOD. As the house of God we must act, properly, reverently, and we must have an attitude of worship while we are gathered.
We also must teach our children that this is a place to sit, listen, evolve ourselves. It is not a place where we talk run, cut up, play it is the Lord’S house. Note that we cannot hear disturbances in the house of GOD but they must be limited.
I love kids and they belong in this house... Jesus said suffer little children to come unto me for such is the kingdom of God. For the most our kids are great. This is the work of parents. Thanks.
Paul gives Timothy the cause of it.... The church belongs to the living GOD, which is the pillar and ground of truth.... That is it is the anchor, it is the foundation, it that which protects, proclaims, which readily sends out.... This is why outside a NT church of Christ there is always the potential for error.
The ground.... the foundation
The truth....... The body of revealed truth...
I.... “THE CLEAR FACT STATED “ Great is the Mystery of Godliness”..vs 15
It is a mystery of greatest magnitude... it is so complex that it is virtually impossible to understand... If it was a great mystery in Paul and Timothy’s day you know it is in ours. The mystery is reveal to some extent, but yet not fully comprehended.
(1.) It is a mystery that must be held by the church and preachers:
1Ti 3:9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
(2.) It is a mystery that was given to the early followers of Christ and they have followed on to us...
Mt 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
a. It is hid from some... Not given to them.
b. It is given to us...
When we think of it, what it should do to us as his people this morning. (1.) It should be one of profound gratitude... Lu 10:24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
(2.) It should be cause us to love the Lord Jesus Christ even more: 1Co 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
II... THE GREAT MYSTERY REVEALED: .VS 15
In these six statement that he makes to Timothy is a wealth of information that most have never heard. Some believe and some believe not. Let us look at it prayerfully, passionately, immediately, and with great hope and blessing in it...
1st. The manifestation of God:
In the Old Testament, many times the Lord would reveal himself in some form or another. Some times it would an angel they thought, but in reality it was Christ. Sometimes in would be in bush as Moses saw it, but it was Christ. Sometimes in wrath he could be seen, but still it was God. Sometimes he would be seen in a protective way, with the three Hebrew Children and Daniel in the Lions den, all of these with theophactic manifestation of Jesus Christ.
John 1-1 and John 1-14
But here were all could see him: “Take on flesh”... what a divine manifestation. God in the flesh. He becomes a baby in the womb of Mary, Mt 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
He becomes a child in the home of Mary and Joseph..Luke 2-46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. vs 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
He becomes a man with a divine mission: Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
2ND. THAT HE WAS JUSTIFIED IN THE SPIRIT: VS 16
The word justified does not mean in this text justified from the law, by grace, because Christ had not broken any law, and needed not to be justified before God but before men. So it was the work of The Holy Spirit to justify Christ.
Matt 3-16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
This is what the Holy Spirit did in the time of his flesh, be verified Christ as God and as the Messiah. Jesus taught this himself when he said: John 16-13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
A. He was justified by the Spirit in his work:: Mt 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you
b. Even in our day he justifies Christ: 1Co 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
3rd. He was seen of angels: vs 16
The work of angels in the ministry of Christ is a subject within itself, so I will briefly share a few things about the work of angels..
A. They announced his birth... Luke 2-10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
B. They announced the sign: Luke 2- 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
C. They ministered to him after his wilderness experience: Matt 4-11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
D. They announced his resurrection: Matt 28-1 ¶ In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
E. They announced his return: Acts 1-11
4th. Preach unto the gentiles... vs 16
What a day it was when it was told through a Jewish priest that Christ the Messiah would Lu 2:32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. Peter was the first of the Apostle to preach Christ to the gentiles...
Acts 10-34 ¶ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Paul made it clear it was his ministry
Christ himself told him in his conversion: Ac 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Ac 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. Ac 13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. Ac 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
5th. Believed on in the world:
a. His disciples after his first miracle:
John 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
b. Many believed on him:
Joh 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him. Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Believing on Christ is not merely believing so you can be saved from hell, but from your sin, not for some pie in the sky by and by, but an abundant life here. To believe on Christ is to believe what is said about, what he did, and what he is doing...
6th. Received up into glory:
We know that when he ascended, that ascended back where he came from. That the Father restored the glory he had before the world was. To be seated in heaven is to be seated in power he claimed when he left here... both in heaven and on earth.
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
Php 2:6-11
It a real and spiritual sense we are seated with him.. Now and one day in reality..Paul said so...Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
If you were not chosen in him, died with him, love by him, then there is no reason to believe that you are seated with him. But if you are called chosen and faithful as Revelation puts it, you are seated right now with him.....