Portraits of the Church (1) - The Church of the Living God

Now, we're going to begin our worship today singing in Psalm number 57.

Psalm 57, that's in the Scottish Psalter version.

That's on page 288.

We're singing verses 5 to 11.

Be thou exalted very high above the heavens, O God.

Let thou thy glory be advanced o'er all the earth abroad.

My souls bow down, for they a net have laid my steps to snare

into the pit which they have digged, for me they fallen are.

My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed, O God, I'll sing and praise.

My glory wake, wake, psaltery harp, myself I'll early raise.

To the end of the psalm from verse 5, and we'll stand to sing.

Be thou exalted very high above the heavens, O God.

Let thou thy glory be advanced o'er all the earth abroad.

My soul's burden, for they a net have laid my steps to snare.

into the pit which they have digged, for me they fallen are.

My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed, O God, I'll sing and praise.

My glory wake, wake, sultry harp, myself I'll early raise.

I'll praise thee among the people, Lord.

Among nations sing with I.

For great to heaven thy mercy is, thy truth is to the sky.

O Lord, exalted be thy name above the heavens to stand.

Do thou thy glory far and land above the sea and land.

Now we're going to call on the Lord in prayer.

Let's all join together in prayer.

Our eternal and gracious God,

you have reminded us in these words we have been singing in your praise,

that we exist to glorify your name,

that you gather us together in such a way as this,

to exalt you and to lift up your holy name and worship.

We know, Lord, that this is our great privilege to be able to do so

and to recognize that we, O Lord, have this incumbent upon us,

that we should glorify you and enjoy you as the chief end of our creation.

We thank you today, O Lord, that you have brought us into being

and sustained us in our being from day to day.

The Word tells us that it is in you we live and move and have our being.

And we give thanks for the recognition of this, Lord,

as you reveal yourself to us and as you come to draw our minds in your Word

to that great teaching about your eternal existence

and about your relationship with your people and with the creation itself.

And we thank you today that we gather here to worship you

in a way that willingly would give to you the praise

and the honor and the glory that is due to you.

We thank you for your Word to guide us,

for your Word to teach us, Lord, about those great issues of this life and of eternity,

especially of these matters of eternal salvation for your own people.

The eternal life that you lay out for us in your Word

that we find deposited especially in the Lord Jesus Christ, your Son.

We thank you today, Lord, that we come in His name.

And we thank you, Lord, our Father, that you sent Him as your Son into this world

so that He might take the sin of His people and die the death that they deserve,

that death which we all deserve,

but also as a great atonement for the sin of your people.

And we thank you today that we can come expectantly,

believing that you are here

and believing that you have delight in blessing your Word to your people.

And, Lord, we ask that your blessing today will be known by us,

that our hearts will truly be quickened and gladdened,

like the heart of the psalmist in whose words we have read

and in whose words we find such a great challenge for ourselves

to have our hearts lifted up and quickened

at the thought of coming into your presence.

We pray, Lord, today for each of us here

and for our life as a congregation.

We pray, O Lord, that you would bless us in this week that we have entered

when so many activities are anticipated by us.

We pray that you would guide us and bless us through these,

each and every one of them,

services of worship,

other meetings in association with the congregation,

with the young people, and with others alike.

We pray, Lord, in anticipation of the induction this coming Friday

that you would bless this occasion.

We pray that you would bless Mr. MacLeod

as he anticipates preaching and presiding over the service.

We pray especially for Calimurdo and for his family

as they come to join us

and as we anticipate him becoming our assistant minister.

We thank you, Lord, for the prospect.

We pray that you would grant your blessing to them as a family.

We pray that as they settle among us

and as the children settle into school,

we ask, O Lord, that you would bless them

with this new chapter beginning in their lives.

And we ask that you would make yourself known to them

and give them peace in their hearts

as they take this step into a new chapter in their experience.

And we pray in anticipation, Lord, of their presence with us

and of Calimurdo's ministry and Johan as well

that a great blessing will follow

and that we will see further steps taken by us

under his ministry as a congregation

into further avenues of service for the Lord.

We pray your blessing for the North East congregation

that he has left.

We ask, O Lord, that you would grant your blessing to them

through the gospel as they continue to serve you

and testify to you there.

We thank you for their willingness

to part with their minister,

though we know that this was a great wrench for them.

Nevertheless, Lord, you have in the past so many times

blessed such things to congregations and to individuals,

and we pray that that will be so for them.

We pray your blessing too for our young people

and our children today asking as we come

to the end of the Sunday school session

and as we come to the prize giving later,

Lord, we pray your blessing to follow these months

of teaching and of fellowship

and of being together in the various classes

and activities that they have engaged in.

We ask, Lord, for each and every family,

as well as the children themselves,

that you bless them in their homes as parents

and grant, Lord, that they may continue

to flourish under the gospel.

And we ask that as we give thanks

for their participation in the congregation

and for their being so much a part

of the congregation's life,

Lord, that you would continue

to lay your good hand of blessing upon them.

Remember those who have given of their time

to teach in the Sunday school,

to look after the creche and the tweenies.

Lord, we pray for them too

and give thanks for their service.

We give thanks for their willingness

and for their talents used in this way.

And we ask, O Lord,

that we may appreciate more and more

all who give of their time so willingly

to help in the different ways

in which the life of the congregation

is manifest in our community.

Remember us now, we pray,

as we continue here in your presence today.

We ask that you would bless your word to us.

We pray that you'd open up our minds

so that we will understand further

the things of your salvation

and of your kingdom.

We pray for the world at large

in which we live.

We pray today for our own communities.

We pray for our schools

as they come to the end of another session.

We give thanks for the education of our children.

We pray for the teachers

and for the head teachers.

We pray for the education authority.

We pray for all who are involved, Lord,

in the instruction that our children receive

by way of support teaching

and by way of other services

that are given in our schools.

Lord, we pray that we may give thanks

to thee constantly

for the provision that you continue

to make for us.

We ask, too, that you would bless

our nation at this time.

Lord, we acknowledge so much

that has been done

and is done in departure from your ways,

things which we know are offensive to you.

We ask, O Lord, that you'd be merciful to us.

We ask that you'd grant to us

through your Holy Spirit

a spirit of repentance in all our hearts

so as to turn to the Lord

and pray for ourselves as a people,

for our governments

and for those in authority

in different ways,

in places of influence

and authority in our land.

Be pleased to bless us, we pray,

and in your pity remember us,

though we deserve not any mercy from you.

Bless the world in which we live.

Bless the troubled spots of the world

in Yemen, in Ukraine,

in different places where war rages,

where terrorism is rife.

Bless the people of Afghanistan

in the wake of this terrible earthquake,

having so few resources.

O Lord, our God,

provide for them, we pray.

Grant at this time

that you'd show your compassion

and your love in providing for them.

Help us to open our hearts

and to open our resources

to send them relief.

O Lord, we ask that you would

continue with us here.

Bless us and hear our prayer

and pardon our sins

for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Let's continue our worship singing again

in Psalm 40 this time.

Psalm 40 and sing Psalms on page 50.

Singing verses 1 to 5.

I waited long upon the Lord.

He heard my cry and turned to me.

He raised me from the slimy pit

and from the mire

He pulled me free.

He set my feet on solid rock,

a place to stand both firm and broad.

He put a new song in my mouth,

a joyful hymn of praise to God.

Psalm 40 verses 1 to 5 to God's praise.

Psalms 40:1–5

I waited long upon the Lord.

I waited long upon the Lord.

He heard my cry and turned to me.

He raised me from the slimy pit

and from the mire.

He pulled me free.

He set my feet on solid rock,

a place to stand both firm and broad.

He put a new song in my mouth,

a joyful hymn of praise to God.

Many will look with godly fear,

and on the Lord alone rely.

Blessed are they who trust the Lord,

who shall not proud and gods that lie.

The wonders you have done, O Lord,

how many and how great they are.

Your plans for us are far beyond.

God's word is now,

our heart to now,

our Lord declare.

Now reading of Scripture,

God's word is today in the book of Acts.

The book of Acts in chapter 19.

We're going to read from verse 21

through to the end of the chapter.

Acts chapter 19 at verse 21.

Acts 19 · chapter mention

Now after these events,

Paul resolved in the spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia

and go to Jerusalem,

saying,

After I have been there,

I must also see Rome.

And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers,

Timothy and Erastus,

he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the way.

For a man named Demetrius,

a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis,

brought no little business to the craftsmen.

These he gathered together with the workmen in similar trades and said,

Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.

And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus,

but in almost all of Asia,

this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people,

saying that gods made with hands are not gods.

And there is danger,

not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute,

but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis

may be counted as nothing,

that she may even be deposed from her magnificence,

she whom all Asia and the world worship.

When they heard this,

they were enraged and were crying out,

Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.

So the city was filled with confusion,

and they rushed together into the theatre,

dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus,

Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel.

But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd,

the disciples would not let him.

And some, even some of the Asiarchs,

who were friends of his,

sent to him and were urging him

not to venture into the theatre.

Now some cried out one thing, some another,

for the assembly was in confusion,

and most of them did not know

why they had come together.

Some of the crowd prompted Alexander,

whom the Jews had put forward,

and Alexander, motioning with his hand,

wanted to make a defense to the crowd.

But when they recognized that he was a Jew,

for about two hours they all cried out with one voice,

Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.

And when the town clerk had quietened the crowd,

he said,

Men of Ephesus,

who is there who does not know

that the city of the Ephesians

is temple keeper of the great Artemis,

and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?

Seeing then that these things cannot be denied,

you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.

For you have brought these men here

who are neither sacrilegious

nor blasphemers of our goddess.

If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him

have a complaint against anyone,

the courts are open,

and there are proconsuls.

Let them bring charges against one another.

But if you seek anything further,

it shall be settled in the regular assembly.

For we are really in danger

of being charged with rioting today,

since there is no cause that we can give

to justify this commotion.

And when he had said these things,

he dismissed the assembly.

And that forms the background

to the text we're going to look at later

from 1 Timothy.

We'll sing once again to his praise

before we turn to that passage,

and this time in Psalm 122.

Psalm 122, again in St. Psalms, page 169.

To the Lord's house they were calling,

and with joy I went with them.

Now at last our feet are standing

in your gate, Jerusalem.

See, Jerusalem like a city

built compactly, close and strong.

That is where the tribes assemble,

tribes which to the Lord belong.

And so on, we'll sing the whole

of the Psalm, these verses,

To the Lord's house they were calling.

To the Lord's house they were calling,

and with joy I went with them.

Now at last our feet are standing

in your gates, Jerusalem.

See, Jerusalem like a city

built compactly, close and strong.

That is where the tribes assemble,

tribes which to the Lord belong.

To the Lord's name praise they offer,

as for Israel decreed.

There are set the thrones for judgment,

thrones of David's royal seed.

Pray for Zion's peace and safety.

May your friends securely dwell.

Peace within your walls continue.

Strength within your citadel.

For the sake of friends and brothers,

peace be in you, I will say.

For the sake of our God's temple,

I seek your prosperity.

Now if you turn with me please

to the first letter of Paul to Timothy,

and chapter 3.

We're looking today at verse 15.

First Timothy chapter 3,

1 Timothy 3 · chapter mention

and we'll read from verse 14.

Verse 14.

Verse 14.

Verse 14.

Verse 14.

Verse 14.

Verse 14.

I hope to come to see you soon,

but I'm writing these things to you,

so that if I delay,

you may know how one ought to behave

in the household of God,

which is the church of the living God,

a pillar and buttress of truth.

Great indeed, we confess,

is the mystery of godliness.

He was manifested in the flesh,

vindicated by the Spirit,

seen by angels,

proclaimed among the nations,

believed on in the world,

taken up in glory.

But especially these words you find

today in verse 15,

a description of the church,

which we have as the church

of the living God.

God willing,

we're going to begin

a series of studies

on the church,

but scripture portraits

of the church

as the title we've given

to the series.

I don't know how long

it'll last for.

God willing,

probably something like

10 or 12 studies

because we're following

the passages in the Bible

that give us portraits

of the church.

In other words,

descriptions such as

the description you find

in this verse itself.

In fact,

there are three descriptions

of the church in this verse.

The one we're looking at today

is the church of the living God.

You can see also

that it's called

the household of God.

And thirdly,

it's called a pillar

and buttress of truth.

And these three descriptions,

each of them,

very picturesque.

They set out by way

of a portrait of the church,

certain things that are

so true of the church

that we need to know

and appreciate for ourselves.

And to have a biblical view

and understanding

of the church

is a truly important matter

for us.

There are so many different views

of the church,

what the church is,

what the church should be like,

what the church should be doing.

Currently across our society

and throughout the world,

it's really extremely important

for ourselves

that we know

what the Bible says

about the church,

that we keep to the biblical picture

the church gives us

or descriptions

that the Bible gives us,

rather,

of the church

so that we have

in our understanding

a biblical view of the church,

a view of the church

that is indeed

as God has set it out

for us

in the Scriptures.

And so we're going to examine

these various descriptions

that you find.

You have descriptions

like the body of Christ,

the bride of Christ.

These three descriptions

you find in this passage itself.

God's people are called

the light of the world,

a city set on a hill.

And so we're going to see

various descriptions like that

that are very much

portraits of the church.

And we'll see some of the teaching

that's built into these descriptions

so that we can come

and appreciate ourselves

what it means to belong

to the church,

how important it is

to belong to the church,

what are the advantages

of belonging to the church.

And today we're looking

at the church

as the church

of the living God.

And there are two things

within that

that stand out.

First of all,

the word church itself.

And then now it's described

as the church

of the living God.

So there's the word church.

And then our second point

will be the church

as it's described,

the church of the living God.

Now the word church

is, as you know,

frequently found

throughout the New Testament.

But you must never think

of the church

in terms of a building

or a structure.

I know we do speak

of the church

in those terms,

but it's so important

that we actually

always think of the church

as people,

not mortar,

not buildings,

not bricks and stone,

though we describe

the church,

are you going to church?

The church is the people.

What is Stornoway Free Church?

Stornoway Free Church

is not this building.

This is the building

in which Stornoway Free Church

regularly meets

in order to come together

to worship God.

So that's the very foundational

matter for us,

firstly, to remember.

The New Testament

never uses,

as far as I'm aware,

the New Testament

never uses the word church

for any building,

such as the building

in which we are today

gathered to worship the Lord.

Throughout the New Testament,

you actually have

the word church used

for the people

that are, as we'll see,

called by God

to exist in the world

as His own

worshiping,

believing people.

So when we say to people,

are you coming to church with me?

If they think that the church

means the building,

you have to say to them,

well, what I mean is,

are you coming to gather

with us the church

in the building

in which we regularly worship?

Because we can get into

so many wrong ideas

if we just confine

our thinking of the church

and what the word church means

to a building

or a structure of that kind.

Now, the word that's used

in the New Testament

mostly for the church

is the word in Greek,

ekklesia.

And you can tell

from the sound of that word,

it's very closely related

to the word ecclesiastic,

which we use as an English word

to describe some things

to do with the church

or a person belonging

to the church.

You can find the same

in different languages.

The word in Gaelic

is Eglish.

The word in French

is l'eglise.

You can see how like

that is to ekklesia.

And the ekklesia

in the New Testament,

the word for translated church

is a word that literally means

the ones called out.

And you can see immediately

that refers to people.

It refers to people

that have been called out by God

to be His people.

Different ways in which

being called out is described.

But that's really

what essentially it means.

They are called out

and we can see now

where they're called out from.

Well, you remember

that Jesus said of His disciples

that they were not of the world

that He had called them

out of the world.

And that's the same idea

you find in the word ecclesiastic,

as the called out ones.

You today are the called out people.

You are called out

from the world around you

so that they are aware today

that you are gathered here today

as a worshiping people.

You are actually different

in that respect

to the world

that does not worship God.

You are called out by God

to be a distinct group of people

in the world

that are associated

with the worship of God,

associated with believing in God,

and all that that entails.

You are separated

from the world

in that way.

But not only does God

call His people

out from the world,

and we'll see

in the course of our studies

some of what that actually means

in practice,

they are called out

from the world,

but they are also

called together.

They are the called out ones,

but they are called together,

to be together

as a group

that actually

have the name of God

or something associated

with God

and His worship

attached to them.

God never calls anyone

or any people

out from a situation

without calling them

into a new situation.

We read in Psalm 40,

He took me,

said the psalmist,

out of a fearful,

slimy pit.

But He didn't just say,

He took me out of the pit,

He then placed my feet

upon a rock.

Think back to the Old Testament

where the people of Israel

gathered there in Egypt

as slaves in Egypt

and burdened

by the persecutors in Egypt,

and God came

and rescued them

from that situation.

He called them out

under the leadership of Moses

from that situation

in Egypt.

Now, that's a picture for you,

really,

of God calling His people

out of a certain situation,

but He didn't just

call them out of there

and leave them scattered

any old way

without organization,

without order.

He called them out

and He called them together.

Under Moses,

He called them together

to be a people

that were following

the ways of the Lord,

although sadly,

like ourselves,

they failed

in many respects

in that regard.

But this is what they were.

They were no longer

in Egypt.

They had been called

out of that place.

They had been called

out of that situation.

And these circumstances

and called together

to be the Lord's people,

to have the Lord's name

and to be in covenant

with the Lord

who rescued them.

That's what we are

engaged in today.

That's why we're called out

and called together.

Now, being called out

and called together,

which really amounts

to the same thing

in essence

in terms of the result of it,

it has both

challenge

and privilege,

privilege

and challenge

attached to being

called out

and called together

to be the people

of God.

If we take these

in turn,

you can see something

of the privilege

of it

and something

of the challenge

of it as well.

The privilege,

you could say,

is the privilege

of being,

as 1 Peter puts it,

called out of darkness

into His marvelous light.

This is what's happening

all the way through

the letters of the New Testament,

whether it's Paul

or Peter,

whether it's to Timothy

or to a church

that you find them written,

this is constantly

the emphasis

that these people of God

that are being written to

are people that have been

called out by God

out of the world

to be the people of God,

to be together,

the people of God

and the witnesses of God

called out of darkness

into His marvelous light.

And it's only after

you come out of darkness

that you realize

that you were in darkness,

spiritually and morally,

I'm saying,

because it's as the Lord

opens our hearts,

as the Lord gives us

a true understanding

of ourselves

and of Himself

and of what life is like

and what salvation is,

it's only then

that we begin to realize

as God works in our hearts,

as God individually comes

and as we get to grips

with His truth

through His own Spirit

working in us.

It's then that we realize

that we thought

we were actually

in the light,

we thought that we were

in the clear,

we thought you understood

things properly

until God says,

no, I'm calling you

out of darkness,

out of spiritual darkness.

And in Ephesians,

we'll come to refer

to Ephesians in a minute,

but in Ephesians,

Paul actually says

to the Ephesians

not only that they were

in darkness,

but that they were darkness.

You were once darkness,

but now you are light

in the Lord.

You were once darkness.

That's what they were.

That's what they were constituted

as, as fallen,

sinful human beings

like we all are

until God comes

and rescues us

and brings us

to see the light

as we often have it put

and brings us

into the light.

So there's the first aspect

of the privilege,

called out of darkness

into His marvelous light.

Or take another way

of describing it,

as Paul wrote

to the Corinthians,

God, he says,

has called you

into the fellowship

of His Son.

That's Jesus Christ.

To have fellowship

in the New Testament

sense of it

means much more

than just knowing

somebody casually

or having an acquaintance

with someone.

Fellowship in the New Testament

really is all about sharing.

Sharing in

or sharing with

or sharing out.

And what Paul is saying

to the Corinthians is,

this is your great privilege.

God has called you

into the sharing

of His Son,

sharing life together

in His Son.

He has called you

into the fellowship

of His Son,

Jesus Christ.

There is no greater privilege.

There is no greater privilege

than to be called

to be joined to Christ,

to have fellowship

with Jesus Christ,

to know the Savior

personally for ourselves.

That's what God

calls us to.

But He calls us to that

just not only individually,

but to be a people

who together enjoy

what it means

to be in fellowship

with Christ,

who help one another

through the experience

of the life

that Jesus gives us.

And the difficulties

that we face,

the challenges,

as we'll see in a minute,

of living like that

in obedience to Him

in this world.

But that's our great privilege.

He has called us

out of darkness

into His marvelous light.

He has called us

into the fellowship

of His own Son.

Now today,

I have to ask myself,

you're preaching

this gospel,

you're preaching

these truths

to these people,

is this what is

true of yourself?

And of course,

I have to analyze that

for myself,

but you have to do that too.

Because being called out

by God

to be together

a covenant people,

which we are here today,

is not the same thing

as to know Jesus

saving me for ourselves.

And within the covenant

people of God,

within the called out

people of God,

there exist people

who are born again,

and there exist people

who have the privileges

of the gospel,

but who are not born again,

who still don't know Jesus

as their own Savior.

That's why I'm saying

that's why it's incumbent

upon us,

as those who are called

to preach the gospel,

to set before you

that very important distinction,

the great privilege

of belonging to the church,

of being within

the covenant body

of the church,

being a member

in that sense

of the covenant people

of God.

You have to then

ask yourself,

but do I know Jesus

for myself?

Have I come

to embrace Him,

to welcome Him,

to receive Him

into my own life?

As I hear

all these things

about Him

and about what

His church is

and what His church

is like

and what God

has described

His church as,

it's for you

and for me today

to look at our

relationship

to Christ,

to Jesus

and to make sure

that you know Him,

that you know Him

personally,

that you know Him

savingly,

that you know Him

in such a way

as enjoys the privilege

of being called

out of darkness

to be joined

to Christ Himself.

But of course,

that means

there's a challenge

as well

along with the privilege.

It's always like that,

isn't it?

I don't know

if you can think

of any privilege

that you have

in this life

that doesn't have

a challenge

associated with it

or along with it.

Certainly the case

in the Christian life

and the challenges

must never obscure

the magnificence

of the privilege.

That's not why

they're highlighted

for us

but so that,

as Jesus did say

to the disciples,

we will have

a realistic view

of what a Christian is

and what a Christian life

is like.

It's not to put us off.

It's not so that we'll say,

well, that's not for me

but it's to say,

well, that is for me

but I have to recognize

that there's a challenge

in following Jesus.

That it's not

the easiest life

at many times

but nevertheless

it's one

that's above all others

a privileged life.

There's the challenge

of living

as the light

of the world

as Jesus described

in the Sermon

on the Mount

to His disciples,

to His listeners.

You are the light

of the world.

A city that is set

on a hill

cannot be hid.

Let your light

so shine

before people

so that they may

see your good works

and give glory

to your Father

who is in heaven.

Now, that's a great challenge

and it's something

that I'm sure

we all have to accept

of ourselves

we fall short of

and we all have to confess

to some degree or other

that our light

is not as bright

as it could be

or should be,

that we are not

even as a congregation

together

shining with the clarity

that we ought to have

as we are placed

by God

in our community

in order to be

His covenant people

but nevertheless

it's something

that we recognize

by the grace of God

we are called to do

and we are called

to be

the light of the world

and we are called

to proclaim

as Peter put it

in association

we called out of darkness

into His marvelous light

the words before that

were that you might

proclaim

the excellencies

of the one

who has called you

that's why we exist

as a called out people

to proclaim

and it's not just

proclaiming

in the sense of preaching

Peter was talking there

not just to those

who preached the gospel

but to the church

that was then scattered

and under persecution

and he was trying

to encourage them

with this letter

and not to turn away

from the Lord

to keep looking to Him

to draw their strength

from Him

to be encouraged in Him

so that you proclaim

the excellencies

you manifest

you show clear evidence

of who your Lord is

the way you live

you proclaim His excellencies

the features

of the Lord's own person

and the Lord's work

in your salvation

that's the church

not a building

the ecclesia

the called out

and called together people

who as such

have a great privilege

and who have challenges

that they must meet

in the grace

and in the strength

of God

who promises

to give you strength

in order to face

the challenges

so that's the church

but then you see

it's the church

of the living God

and this is really

another interesting aspect

of the description

or the portrait

that we read

in the Ephesians

and Timothy

was left

as you can see

in fact from

chapter 1

and verse 3 there

Timothy was left

by Paul

for some time

at Ephesus

he says

I urged

when I was going

to Macedonia

you to remain

at Ephesus

that you may charge

certain persons

not to teach

any different doctrine

and then in chapter 4

you find immediately

after the description

here of the church

Paul is telling Timothy

well look

these days are going

to come

the Spirit has

specifically mentioned

this

some will depart

from the faith

devoting themselves

to deceitful spirits

and so on

and so on

and he was wanting

Timothy to be

very much aware

that this was coming

and to be prepared

for that

and especially

to be prepared

through the truth

of God

for himself

and to know

the church of God

and what it was

and why it was

the way God

had described

and in the book

of Acts

as we read

Ephesus

was the place

where the great

statue of Artemis

which sometimes

is called Diana

used to be

the name

in the older

translations

Diana

but the Greek

name would be

Artemis

that's how the ESV

has retained

the name

the same thing

Diana

the Artemis

of the Ephesians

and we read

there about

the riot

or the near

riot

that took

place

after those

who were

losing their

trade

because people

who were

associated

with producing

things for the

paganistic worship

of Ephesus

they were losing

work because people

were turning to the

Lord

and there wasn't

the same demand

for these artifacts

and so they saw

that they were

being deprived

of a part of

their income

at least

so they tried

to organize

a protest

and a riot

things which

we're not

ourselves

unfamiliar with

and now

age sadly

but they were

quietened

eventually

and they came

to actually

listen to

Alexander

who gave

advice to

the crowd

that's the

context

in which

Timothy

was actually

working

as a gospel

worker

as a preacher

of the gospel

as a companion

of Paul the

Apostle

that's the

background to

what he's

saying to

Timothy

in terms

of his

ministry

in 1 Timothy

and as you

think about

that background

think about

the challenge

that that

actually

that provided

here is

this whole

Ephesian city

virtually

coming out

in protest

and saying

great is

Artemis

of the

Ephesians

a massive

crowd swell

of opposition

to the gospel

and yet that's

where Paul is

saying

that's where

the church

of God

is placed

that's where

you

Timothy

have to

minister

the gospel

to these

people

that have

turned to

the Lord

and come

to know

the Lord

that's your

business

to actually

tell them

about Jesus

and tell them

about the

great difference

between

this Artemis

of the

Ephesians

and the

church that

you belong

to

what is the

great difference

well

in Ephesians

there

in Acts

rather

we read

that the

description

was that

this place

this temple

of Diana

or of Artemis

was the place

where

the memory

to

and the

statue

of Artemis

was actually

kept

and they were

the custodians

if you like

of this image

of Artemis

and that was

their great

privilege

as they saw

it to be

as the

pagan people

of Ephesus

they were

chosen

they saw

it in terms

of Artemis

their idol

to have

been the

people who

were chosen

to look

after this

great statue

the one

of the

wonders

of the

world

and here

is Paul

saying to

Timothy

here is

your privilege

and the

privilege of

you Christians

in Ephesus

or wherever

that the

church you

belong to

is the

church of

the living

God

there is

not a

statue

that is

meaningless

and cold

and hopeless

it is the

living God

there is

not a

temple

as made

with human

hands

in which

Artemis

or this

figure of

Artemis

has been

deposited

and carefully

looked after

and worshipped

and idolized

you are the

church of

the living

God

and instead

of a

cold

statue

in your

midst

you have

God

himself

you have

the living

God

that's why

you are

described

as

that's why

he is

describing

them as

the church

of the

living

God

now you

think of

yourselves

today

as the

church of

God

as we

said in

the early

part

of our

study

but you

are the

church of

the living

God

the church

of the

living

God

because

the living

God

himself

has chosen

to live

in and

among

his people

that's

what makes

it an

immense

privilege

as well

as a

great

challenge

to ourselves

to live

to his

glory

but he's

the church

we are

the church

of the

living

God

in contrast

Paul is

saying here

to those

of Ephesus

who gloried

in Artemis

and in the

worship

and pagan

religion

of Artemis

and remember

how

Jesus

taught

about

the

coming

of the

Holy

Spirit

after he

himself

had gone

back

to heaven

and in

John's

gospel

especially

he taught

the

disciples

of

some

of

the

aspects

of that

and what

that would

actually

result

in

and

in

John

John 14 · chapter mention

chapter

14

we have

really

remarkable

words

about

how

God

would

come

to live

in his

people

through

the

Holy

Spirit

how

he

would

come

to

make

his

people

his

home

just

remind

you

of

what

that

says

in

John

14

and

beginning

at

verse

15

if

you

love

me

you

will

keep

my

commandments

and

I

will

ask

the

father

and

he

will

give

you

another

helper

to

be

with

you

forever

even

the

spirit

of

truth

spirit

with a

capital

S

the

Holy

Spirit

whom

the

world

cannot

receive

because

it

neither

sees

him

nor

knows

him

you

know

him

for

he

dwells

with

you

and

will

be

in

you

but

then

he

says

I

will

not

leave

you

as

orphans

I

will

come

to

you

later

on

he

then

says

whoever

has

my

commandments

and

keeps

them

here

is

who

loves

me

and

he

who

loves

me

will

be

loved

by

my

father

and

I

will

love

him

and

manifest

myself

to

him

and

Judas

not

Judas

Iscariot

but

he

said

to

him

other

Judas

said

Lord

how

is

it

that

you

will

manifest

yourself

to

us

and

not

to

the

world

Jesus

said

if

anyone

loves

me

he

will

keep

my

word

and

my

father

will

love

him

and

we

will

come

and

make

our

home

with

him

you

see

the

remarkable

thing

that's

happening

there

in

that

passage

Jesus

is

teaching

about

the

coming

of

the

Holy

Spirit

which

happened

as

recorded

in

Acts

2

at

the

day

of

Pentecost

but

in

the

coming

of

the

Holy

Spirit

you

have

more

than

the

Holy

Spirit

himself

the

third

person

of

the

triune

God

because

Jesus

is

saying

I

will

come

again

to

you

I'm

not

going

to

leave

you

as

orphans

and

he's

also

saying

my

father

will

love

you

and

than

the

fact

that

the

living

God

has

made

a

house

for

himself

in

his

covenant

people

and

that

today

the

three

persons

of

the

Godhead

the

Father

the

Son

and

the

Holy

Spirit

have

come

to

take

up

residence

in

his

own

church

as

the

church

of

the

living

God

what

conclusions

should

we draw

from

that

well

first

of

all

that

our

life

must

be

one

of

living

in

awe

and

reverence

for

this

God

we're

in

the

presence

of

God

indeed

the

Lord's

people