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e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e welcome to everyone it's good to be in the house of our again on this Lord's day for our call to worship you can turn to Psalm 87 Psalm 87 and I'll begin reading in verse one a Psalm of the sons of Kora a song his foundation is in the Holy mountains the lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob glorious things are spoken of you oh city of God say I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know me behold o philistia entire with Ethiopia this one was born there and of Zion it will be said this one and that one were born in her and the most high himself shall establish her the Lord will record when he registers the peoples this one was born there sayah both the singers and the players on instruments say all my Springs are in you amen we'll please turn to number 403 43 we'll stand as we sing together are spoken C Our God he be broken for for hisone all the with Sal for smile all of [Music] etal sons and daugh and all Fe of the Nevers to see the and fire for Glory and the is [Music] all the through PR of let the world I will glory in thy name the world all Tre [Music] the our gracious God and Holy Father we thank you for the Lord's day we thank you for the privilege to gather again on this evening to come before our great and glorious God even Father Son and Holy Spirit we thank you for your salvation we thank you for the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and his perfect life of obedience his death on the cross his resurrection again the third day and that Ascension on high and God we praise you that he lives to make intercession for us we thank you that he is our Advocate with the father we look forward to his return again in glory to judge the living and the dead God we ask that you would be pleased to bless us this evening evening you would instill in our hearts that right reverence for you that we would understand your majesty and your glory that we would approach you with that awe that is that is uh appropriate for the creature and as well may it be mingled with great joy with rejoicing with gratitude and Thanksgiving for your grace to us in the gospel of our Salvation we extol thee we bless thee and we pray that you would be in this place tonight and as well we confess our sins as we are mindful of our remaining coruption you've called us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and to make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts you've called us to live in a manner consistent with the gospel and yet we confess our remaining corruption we confess that we don't always live as we ought and we take refuge in that fountain that is open for sin and uncleanness not that we can go out and continue in sin but when we do sin let us always be mindful that we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous we Rejoice that you are our father that you pity us and that you protect us and as well that you chasen us because we desperately need these things such to keep us in line and we ask as well for any and all who've come here tonight we ask for other Sinners throughout this Earth that are still dead in their trespasses and sins that you would awaken them through the proclamation of your truth that you would show them their great need before a thce holy God and that that you would set Christ before them in all of his offices to save needy Sinners we ask that you would be gracious as well to our children our young people that they by Grace would remember their creator and their youth we Rejoice at this uh New Birth of Olivia we just pray for Ashley and for Kristoff that they would have great rejoicing and they would just indeed see the stewardship that is theirs and bringing up these little ones in the training and admonition of the Lord we thank you as well God for the other ladies that are pregnant we just pray that they would be healthy and well that you would watch over each one of them we think specifically tonight of Katie and her being overdue we just pray that all would go well there that you would give her and the baby health and that we would soon hear of a healthy birth as well God we pray for our sister churches in this community we thank you that we're not alone here in chilak we pray for your blessing upon the free reform church you would look with favor upon pastor coopman and his Elders there and may they make much of Christ in that local church as well God we pray for the church in sui the brethren in Armstrong for the work in dren the churches in sigua toek and as well God there in Elder we thank you for the the brethren in Africa as well as in kisimu and God may you bless those men cause them to be faithful to labor in the word and Doctrine and to preach Christ and him crucified and resurrected and Lord bless the sit uh situation there in Myanmar our Hearts go out to our dear brother Peter we pray that you would give him physical healing give him spiritual strength and vitality and perseverance and Grace God this man has great needs and many things that he has uh to undertake and certainly it is difficult even to read about the the stress that this brother's under often times with the physical ailments often times with the opposition and bombs exploding and people dying God help him and uphold him and use him for your glory and may you be able to get or may they be able to get those children safely to the bigger city and God be merciful throughout the Earth we know that brothers and sisters throughout the this world suffer for the cause of God and Truth we thank you for their example we thank you for their perseverance and we pray that they would know The Nearness of God as their good that you would sustain and encourage them in the midst of Affliction and trial and hardship and build us up in our Most Holy Faith here in Canada we thank you for what we do currently possess God we do pray that if things get uh different or change you would help us to courageously persevere to be faithful to the word of God to the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ and may you give us the grace and the ability to shine as lights in this crooked and perverse generation and give us the courage to hold forth your word of Truth and we do pray for our government leaders we just uh pray that you would have mercy upon us that they would be restrained uh we have that wonderful statement in the Book of Proverbs that the king's heart is in the hand of God and Lord we trust that and we pray for your your restraint over them as well father we pray that you'd even redeem some and if it is your will to remove others from those places of great influence when they wield that power for for wickedness and for for evil we ask that in your wrath you would remember Mercy that you would bless your church in this particular country and may your gospel go forth conquering and to conquer and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we can turn with me again in your hym books to 446 446 we'll stand as we sing [Music] together my heart be all to be sa my my day my my and now my true I the me my [Music] true and I will [Music] my soul Shel [Music] my th heav power of my [Music] heart and the holy wor My [Music] Heart Heaven my viory [Music] heart you can turn with me in your Bible to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 28 for our scripture reading this evening Deuteronomy chapter 28 as we worked our way through the Book of Leviticus we saw that it ended with a chapter dealing with curses blessings and curses we see the same thing here in the book of Deuteronomy it's a covenant document and basically what God through Moses does is remind the children of of Israel how he had redeemed them from the land of Egypt from bondage and that they are in Covenant with him and the basics of the Covenant is that if they obey they go into the land and they do what they're supposed to do they will be blessed but if they go into the land and they don't do what they are supposed to do and they follow the previous inhabitants of the land then they will be cursed in Deuteronomy 28 the accent falls upon the curses and certainly uh there is blessings to begin with but then the rest of the chapter deals with the curses involved with Covenant breaking and the subsequent history from this point on shows that God means business in other words when they are exiled when the Assyrians come and and destroy the northern kingdom in the 8th Century BC that's consistent with what we find here in Deuteronomy 28 and in then in the the 6th Century BC when the Babylonians come and destroy the southern Kingdom again it's consistent with what God had told them and God had in fact warned them remember that the old Covenant was a covenant of Works go into the land do what you're supposed to you'll be blessed go into the land don't do what you're supposed to and you'll be cursed we ought to bless God that we live in the New Covenant which is in fact a Covenant of Grace wherein Jesus has fulfilled those obligations laid upon him by the father for our Salvation well I want to read first uh Deuteronomy chapter 28 uh from verse 1 to verse 37 we'll split the chapter in half so beginning in verse one now it shall come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God to observe carefully all his Commandments which I command you today that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth and all these blessing shall come upon you and overtake you because you o obey the voice of the Lord your God blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the country blessed shall be the fruit of your body the produce of your ground and the incre increased of your herds the increase of your cattle and The Offspring of your flocks blessing shall be your basket and your kneading Bowl blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out the Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways the Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand and he will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you the Lord will establish you as a holy people to himself just as he has sworn to you if you keep the Commandments of the Lord your God and walk in his ways then all peoples of the Earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord and they shall be afraid of you and the Lord will grant you plenty of goods in the fruit of your body in the increase of your livestock and in the produce of your ground in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you the Lord will open to you his good good treasure uh uh the Lord will open to you his good treasure the Heavens to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the works of your hand you shall lend to many nations but you shall not borrow and the Lord will make you the head and not the tail you shall be above only and not beneath if you heed the Commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today and are careful to observe them so you shall not turn aside from any of The Words which I command you this day to the right or the left to go after other gods to serve them but it shall come to pass if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God to observe carefully all his Commandments and his statutes which I command you today that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you cursed shall you be in the city and cursed shall you be in the country cursed shall be your basket and your kneading Bowl cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your l the increase of your cattle and The Offspring of your flocks cursed shall you be when you come in and cursed shall you be when you go out the Lord will send on you cursing confusion and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken me the Lord will make the plague cling to you until he has consumed you from the land which you are going to possess the Lord will strike you with with consumption with fever with inflammation with severe burning with the sword with scorching and with mildew they shall pursue you until you perish and your Heavens which are over your head shall be bronze and the Earth which is under you shall be Iron the Lord will change the rain of your land to powder and dust from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed the Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them and you shall become Troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth your carcasses shall be for uh be food for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth and no one shall frighten them away the Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt with tumors with the scab and with the itch from which you cannot be healed the Lord will strike you with Madness and blindness and confusion of heart and you shall grope at Noonday as a blind man gropes in darkness you shall not prosper in your ways you shall be only oppressed and plundered continually and no one shall save you you shall betro a wife but another man shall lie with her you shall build a house but you shall not dwell in it you shall plant a Vineyard but you shall not gather its grapes your Ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes but you shall not eat of it your donkey shall be violently taken away from before you and shall not be restored to you your sheep shall be given to your enemies and you shall have no one to rescue them your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people and your eyes shall look and fail with longing for them all day long and there shall be no strength in your hand a nation whom you have not known shall eat the fruit of your land and the produce of your labor and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually so you shall be driven mad because of the sight which your eyes see the Lord will strike you in the knees and on the legs with severe boils which cannot be healed and from the sole of your foot to the top of your head the Lord will bring you and and the King whom you set over you to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known and there you Shall Serve other gods wood and stone and you shall become an astonishment a proverb and a byword among all nations where the Lord will drive you so as we continue in the chapter and there indicated Exile would be the ultimate result of God's judgment upon the children of Israel already mentioned the Assyrians in the uh 8th Century BC the Babylonians in the 6th Century BC and then the Romans in the 1st Century ad our brother Mark read the all of that discourse or part of it this morning that was Jesus prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem in ad70 and that is precisely what occurred it happened within the generation that Jesus had told and we see that in history if you read the historian Josephus uh it's very similar to what you find there in Matthew 24 and so the Roman army surrounded Jerusalem and sacked the the city and destroyed the temple so God's word is sure it's a sure word of blessing but it's also a sure word of cursing and for those Jews that received this on the plains of Moab saying and swearing that they would be faithful to all that God had commanded them as soon as they go well it didn't even take to getting into the land but they depart from God and they ultimately reap the curses associated with the Covenant but in the midst of all that you see God's grace in fact when we get to chapter 30 we see something of a Jeremiah 31 prophecy concerning the New Covenant we often go to Jeremiah 31 as a prophecy of the New Covenant where God says that he will uh forgive us of our sins write his law Upon Our Hearts all those blessed things well that's already on the plains of Moab in Deuteronomy 30 so God knows that the children of Israel are going to apostatize he knows that there's going to be judgment via Assyria and Babylon and and ultimately the Romans he knows all that and he prophesies or tells through Moses the blessings of the New Covenant that Covenant of Grace where Jesus for Jesus rather was a covenant of Works he was obliged to do all that the father gave him and he does that for us men and for our Salvation so we ought to bless God for what the writer to the book of Hebrews says in Hebrews chapter 7 and 8 he says that Jesus is the shity of a better Covenant let us not flatten the distinction between the old and the new Covenant I think that's symptomatic of poed Baptist approaches to ecclesiology and I think it's faulty I think that if we flatten out the distinctives we don't listen to the Apostle who says it's a better Covenant built on better promises that affords a better hope why because Jesus is the shity Jesus lived Jesus died Jesus was raised again so that by grace through faith in him we have everlasting life that ought to encourage us and that's the reason for the Gratitude in response to God's grace that meets us in our misery to elevate us out of that condition well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for the Old Testament and how it points us to our Lord Jesus Christ even passages like these we know that Christ was made a curse for us the very curses of the Covenant fell upon him as he went to the cross on our behalf we stand in awe and we are amazed at the grace of God Almighty in and through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ may this encourage us may it cause us as we sing as we pray as we consider Holy scripture to do so with great earnestness and with great joy and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well for our final hymn we can stand and sing 19a Psalm 19a as in Alpha and we'll sing stanas 6 to9 so that should be on the right hand of the page 19a we'll stand and sing stanzas 6 to9 [Music] of God is true and eternal of and right [Music] of the [Music] sh your ser [Music] in your and oh you are to fre you can turn in your Bibles to the book of First Timothy 1 Timothy chapter 3 our text is 14 uh verses 14 to 16 i' mentioned that we're going to do some messages on ecclesiology specifically the Lord supper and Psalm singing and things like that but I just wanted to lay the foundation of the groundwork with a reminder concerning the regulative principle of worship you've all heard this particular sermon I preached it I think in 2021 so if it sounds a bit Coy along the way know that that was the background um I have here assemblies assemble and congregations congregate that was certainly a covid reference remember they told us you're not supposed to assemble together you're not supposed to congregate the Theologian and chief for British Columbia Bonnie Henry herself said well you know Christians you don't really actually need to get together to worship oh well thank you for that John Calvin I'm glad that we have you to guide us and to teach us on how we're supposed to worship Our God so I want to consider the regulative principle of worship this evening specifically verses 14 to 16 but I'll read the chapter beginning in verse one this is a faithful saying if a man desires the position of a bishop he desires a good work a bishop then must be blameless the husband of one wife temperate sober minded of good behavior hospitable able to teach not given to Wine not violent not greedy for money but gentle not quarrelsome not Covetous one who rules his own house well having his children in submission with all reverence for if a man does not know how to rule his own house how will he take care of the Church of God not a novice lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil likewise de deacons must be reverent not double tonged not given to much wine not greedy for money holding the mystery of the Faith with a pure conscience but let these also first be tested then let them serve as deacons being found blameless likewise their wives must be reverent not slanderers temperate faithful in all things let deacons be the husbands of one wife ruling their children in their houses own houses well for those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus these things I write to you though I hope to come to you shortly but if I am delayed I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God which is the Church of the Living God the pillar and ground of the truth and with controversy great is the mystery of godliness God was manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit seen by Angels preached among the Gentiles believed on in the world received up in glory amen well let us pray our gracious God and Father we know that the church is the house of the living and true God we thank you for uh membership here we thank you that you've adopted us as Sons through our Lord Jesus Christ that in love you predestinated us unto adoption as Sons we rejoice in your loving kindness and in your goodness we rejoice in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ we know it is the apple of your eye we know that the lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the Dwelling Places of Jacob so God please bless us Now guide us by the Holy Spirit forgive us of all of our sin and unrighteousness cleanse Us in that precious blood of the lamb and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well as I said we have in the scriptures what we call in reformed theology the regular principle of worship and basically what that means is that God is the one who determines what we do in the public worship of God I know that seems odd it should just be all up to us and a democratic process we like 15minute sermons we like encounter groups we like therapy well it's not up to us we're not to be Innovative we're not to be creative we're rather to be obedient when it comes to God's word and God's worship and Paul H has set forth that principle here and elsewhere in the New Testament but it reflects what we see in the Old Testament as well so tonight I want to look first at the nature of the church in verses 14 and 15 and then secondly the confession of the church in verse 16 the church basically exists to make known the glory of God In the Flesh our Lord Jesus Christ and and that's sort of the connection so Paul wants Timothy to conduct himself in a specific way in the church and then he emphasizes the the mystery of of godliness there in verse 16 so we exist not for our own sake we exist not for our own Comfort We Exist rather to make known that blessed god father Son and Holy Spirit with a specific emphasis upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ Our Lord so let's look first at the nature of the church under three considerations first the apostles plan for Ministry in verse 14 second the apostles purpose for Timothy in verse 15a and then thirdly the apostles portrayal of the church in verse 15b but notice his plan for Ministry in verse 14 it's kind of interesting and it's kind of nice and it's kind of wonderful to have the book of Acts to basically give us the background to the various Epistles that we find in the New Testament imagine if we went from Matthew Mark Luke and John the gospel narratives of Our Lord right to the Book of Romans and then we moved on to First and 2 Corinthians and then we read Galatians and Ephesians and Philippians and Colossians and we continued on through thessalonica and we got to these Pastoral Epistles to Timothy and to Titus we'd like them and they would be the god breathed word and they would be most beneficial but we might scratch our heads and and kind of Wonder well where did these Corinthians come from where did these Galatians come from where did these Ephesians come from well the book of Acts functions as a link the book of Acts functions as a link between the gospel records and the Epistles of the New Testament the book of Acts records for us us what the apostles do in light of obedience to the Lord's uh Great Commission go therefore make disciples baptize those disciples and then teach those disciples well the book of Acts focuses primarily on that emphasis in the life of the church up until about chapter 11 and 12 you've got the emphasis upon the Apostle Peter and then from chapters 13 to chapter 28 you have the emphasis upon the Apostle Paul and in the emphasis upon the Apostle Paul you'll see three missionary Journeys and he goes to the various cities that are named here in these new testament Epistles and here remember T Timothy is in Ephesus Paul went to Ephesus according to Acts 19 in fact we can associate that third missionary journey with Ephesus he spent about three years there he rented the school of tyrannis and and from that school he taught the word of the Lord to all who were in Asia Minor and so we have the historical data we have the historical background we have not only the announcement of his travel plans there but we also see it played out in the book of Acts now I believe that first and second Timothy and Titus came after the conclusion of Acts I think acts ends at around ad60 to 62 with Paul in his first Roman imprisonment I believe that Paul was released from that first Roman imprisonment and it's then that he goes again on more missionary Enterprise and he Enga uh he writes the letters of first and second Timothy and Titus and I would argue that he wrot writes Hebrews at that time as well though that's a bit of a debatable subject I think the last epistle well the last epistle is second Timothy so he writes First Timothy and Titus around the same time so in verse 14 he announces his plans he says these things I write to you though I hope to come to you shortly the Apostle stationed Timothy there in Ephesus notice in chapter 1 to combat error to combat heresy notice in 1 Timothy 1:3 as I urged you when I went into Macedonia remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other Doctrine and then he gives sort of a list of the things that they were engaged in that was a departure from the truth of God's word and then notice in 1 Timothy 1:18 this charge I commit to you son Timothy according to the prophecies previously made concerning you that by them you may wage the good Warfare having faith and a good conscience which some uh which some having rejected concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck of whom our himonas and D Ander whom I deliver to Satan that they may not learn or that they may learn not to blaspheme so here specifically in verse 14 of chapter three he says these things I write to you though I hope to come to you shortly and so the Apostle is announcing to Timothy his plan to hopefully visit him there in Ephesus and then notice what he goes on to say in verse 15a in terms of his purpose for Timothy he says but if I am delay and that's a good sort of qualifier if you're Paul right when you read the book of Acts does everybody just open their arms to the great Apostle and welcome him in no they don't the Believers do they love him they weep at the thought of him being persecuted or oppressed or or harassed but the World At Large doesn't like Paul the unbelieving Jews hate him they want to they want to hun him down they they arrest him they ultimately deliver him up to the civil magistrate he actually gets a pretty fair Jake at the hands of the civil magistrate in the Roman Empire at that time now later on when he writes second Timothy he knows that he's going to die and he does die apparently according to history he had his head chopped off and that because he was a Christian believer because he was ultimately a martyr for the faith but in this particular instance he says but if I am delayed if the unbelieving Jews or the Roman Empire or some other person or group gets in my way I I could possibly be delayed so here's why I'm writing to you Timothy remember this morning we saw John's thesis statement in John 2030 and 31 you see Paul's in the Book of Romans in 1116 and 17 I'm not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation well here he gives the specific purpose as to write why he writes First Timothy notice but if I am delayed I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God now the things that he writes notice these things verse vers 14 he goes on to say in verse 15 but if I am delate I I write so the implication is I I write these things well what are these things I would suggest it's the entirety of the letter the necessity of corporate prayer in Chapter 2 veres 1 to 7 so things that preceded this statement and then things that follow this statement so in other words I'm writing this letter to you Timothy so that you know how you ought now the ought there is not it's kind of a strong recommendation it's a bit of a suggestion no the oughtness there contains Divine necessity other words you ought to obey God you must obey God there is a necessity laid upon you to do what God says and again Timothy would have never questioned well Paul what if I don't want to do what God says would have never entered the mind of the Apostle Paul to say to Timothy you just go right ahead and you find out those felt needs there in Ephesus and you cater your worship services to whatever it is they want remember many years ago that was the strategy in the church growth movement the person that wanted to plant a church in a particular neighborhood before they did that they would go survey the neighborhood they'd ask them what are you looking for in a church well I like 15 minute sermons if that I don't like a lot of theology I don't like I don't like a lot of law I don't like a lot of commands I like feeli goody I like do goody and then they would tailor the church that they planted in that Community with reference to that survey well that's not what Paul is doing Timothy find out whatever it is makes those Ephesians tick and you make sure that your church reflects that specifically no I write these things so that you may obey God so in the context of this epistle the various things that Paul deals with again necessity of corporate prayer chapter 2 veres 1 to7 the directions for women in corporate worship modesty 29 to1 and exclusion from leadership in 22-5 now before you say well that seems barbaric that seems Antiquated that's God breathed it is God who designed that men lead in the home and Men lead in the church again if we have a problem with that we have a problem ultimately with God so he tells them notice again the language in 1 Timothy 2 this is a place of departure churches do not hold to this notice in 2:12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man but to be in silence I don't know how you could be clearer I really don't and and just in case he's not clear when he starts to deal with de elders and deacons in 1 Timothy chapter 3 they're obviously men they're they're males they have the male pronoun all those buzzwords that we like to throw around today but then notice the argument verse 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man but to be in silence those who oppose this say well you know there were problems in Ephesus you had pushy women you had this you had that but he doesn't argue from Ephesus he doesn't argue from the culture he argues from creation notice in verse 13 for Adam was formed first then Eve and Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived fell into transgression nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith love and Holiness with self-control so these things that Paul writes to Timothy he wants Timothy to implement in the life and context of the church qualifications for leadership in the church Elders 3: 1-7 and then deacons 3: 8-13 notice no Apostles no prophets no tongue speakers the two abiding offic in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ are elders and deacons that is God's word to us and then as well following we've got the ministerial conduct of Timothy 4: 6-16 and the conduct of Timothy toward various groups of people in the church 51 to 62 the various persons older men older women younger men younger women how is Timothy supposed to conduct himself in terms of ministry with reference to those people and then a final warning concerning false teaching in chapter 6: 3-10 and then instructions for the rich in the church in chapter 6: 17 to9 so Paul says I want to come to visit you Timothy I want to go to Ephesus he liked Timothy he loved Timothy in fact according to acts 16 when he heard about Timothy he wanted Timothy to to join him on the missionary Enterprise I've always thought that's a great Commendation if Paul comes to your town and wants you to go with him you're a good guy uh whatever else anybody may say you got the Apostle Paul wanting to take you with him that's a good thing but then we go back to the text and he says but if I am delayed I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself again the oughtness here is not up for debate it's not a suggestion it is rather the Mandate of God Almighty it is what the Lord calls us to the reason for the conduct necessary is ultimately indicated by what follows and we turn to that now look at his portrayal of the church in verse 15b uh uh first uh verse 15b he says so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God which is the Church of the Living God the pillar and the ground of the truth she calls it first the house of God the last couple of Wednesday nights we've looked at the church a little bit in Matthew's gospel in Matthew chapter 16 Jesus comes into the region of cesaria Philippi and he says who do Man say that I the son of man am disciples say some say John the Baptist and some say one of the prophets uh and then Jesus says but who do you say that I am so Peter confesses Thou Art the Christ the son of the Living God and then Jesus pronouncing pronounces in bless blessed are you Simon bar jonfer Flesh and Blood did not reveal this but my father is in heaven and he says and I say to you you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and The Rock isn't Peter you know Contra Rome the rock is the person of Jesus that Peter just confessed he is the the Christ the the the the the son of the Living God well when we see that passage we see a Son of God building a house for God and that's 2 Samuel chapter 7 God tells David that a Son of God a son of David a Son of God is going to be raised up that will build a house for the name of the Lord when Jesus says that in Matthew's gospel we're to think fruition or fulfillment of davidic Covenant so here the Apostle identifies the church as the house of God now I can just give an illustration and probably end here and we can say Amen in terms of the regulative principle of worship who calls the shots in your house me no if I came over to your house and said you know what Brethren I don't like the couch on that wall could you you know move it over to that wall I really don't like the placement in your kitchen I like my knives over here I like my you'd say you'd look at me like what's wrong with you and you might even say it and well you should why cuz it's your house and by the same token if you come to my house and you say I don't like the the knives there okay I don't care I'm not going to move the knives for you but you know whatever floats your boat it's the house of God no man no men no anybody can come into the house of God and start moving things around we can't come in and say well we don't like sermons we don't like singing We we want encounter we want therapy we want emotion we want story time we we want you don't have the authority to do that now I realize churches are out there doing that but at some point we got to ask the question are they churches anymore when you get rid of everything God commands and you substitute in his place all the things that you want is it then the house of God or has it become your house again we you could probably end right here and you've got the regulative principle of worship well of course if it's God's house then God gets to call the shots in terms of what we do in his worship it just makes perfect sense so Timothy is told to do these things or to let his conduct uh uh how he ought to conduct himself in the house of God because it is in fact the house of God Calvin says there are good reasons why God bestows this name on the church for not not only has he received us to be his children by the grace of adoption but he also dwelleth in the midst of us and that's again another point the Redemptive work of Christ includes the dwelling of God with his blood bought children we've looked at Ephesians 2:18 and 20 many many times in many many contexts over the last little while so let's turn to Hebrews chapter 12 so in this house of God we find that God dwells with his children in his house there's a great little book out it's a newer book it's a fellow that went to Seminary at the same time as Mike kpatrick Jonathan Landry Cruz and the book is called what happens when we worship I don't know that we think about that what happens when we worship well you know we go and it's kind of boring and it's kind of long and it's kind of loud well from God's perspective and from scriptural perspective there's a lot going on when we worship and I think Hebrews 12 sort of illustrates that in a wonderful way again kind of contrasting the two covenants notice what he says in 12 18 for you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and and that burned with fire into Blackness and darkness and Tempest and the sound of a trumpet in the voice of words so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore for they could not endure what was commanded and if so much as a beast touches the mountain it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow and so terrifying was the sight that Moses said I am exceedingly afraid and and trembling now Brethren all my con uh statements about the old Covenant shouldn't be taken as condemnatory the old Covenant did exactly what God intended it for it to do the the superiority of the New Covenant was always in place by God so it's not like we're picking on the old Covenant but the Apostle is setting forth the old Covenant as the foil by which he presents the glory of the New Covenant and so here at sin you were terrified you you couldn't come near you had to keep your distance because if you got near sin you could quite likely die you see that in the case of naab and Abu they offer up Strange Fire before the Lord Leviticus chapter 10 what does God do oh yeah that's great Innovation creativity I'm all for that no he kills them he kills them because they offered a profane fire of the Lord now notice the contrast but you have come to Mount Zion see the Bible the New Covenant takes old Covenant language and applies it in New Covenant ways when you see you know references to Mount Zion in the New Covenant think Church think Church of Jesus but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the Living God the Heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of angels to the general assembly and Church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven to God the judge of all to the spirits of just men made perfect to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel so you see that's the dynamic involved in corporate worship so do we use those things that God calls us to use in order to invoke that in order to invite that absolutely or do we try and repel that by substituting preaching for Story Time by substituting singing for rock bands by substituting praying for who knows what goes on today in the name of prayer we do not use those means if we want the hope hope for uh results we use the means that God's ordained to facilitate this meeting of God with his people notice in Revelation CH 1 Revelation 1 specifically at verse 12 then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me and having turned I I saw seven golden lampstands those are later identified as the churches and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of God clothed with a garment down to the feet and GED about the chest with a golden band do do you hear that the lampstands are the churches where is Jesus on the Lord's day he's in the midst of the churches he is there there he is communing with us we have that that interaction the the the god of glory and power and majesty and love and grace dains to to to dwell in the midst of his people so going back to 1 Timothy chapter 3 when he says I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God we see this emphasis on Redemptive work of Christ bringing us as adopted Sons and Daughters into the family of God the Redemptive work of Christ includes the dwelling of God with his blood bought children and then the very definition of Ecclesia the the the Greek word for church it highlights the necessity for God's people to gather In God's Presence for God's worship on God's day and this is my note here assemblies assemble and congregations congregate now it's not absolutely crucial that we have a building the church is not the building the church is the people of God but but as I've said before the people of God don't want to get rained on when they're singing praises to God the people of God don't want to feel the the blasts of cold air and snow when they sing their praises to God so buildings aren't essential to church but they're sure nice and helpful for the church to gather together and so for some to suggest that oh no go ahead and close down and just stay at home no part of the whole concept of congregation is congregating the whole concept of assembly is assembling and we need that we need to be with one another and the Practical implication from this is that it's God's house so what is done here is by God's command but notice the Apostle doesn't stop there he goes on to further describe this entity we call church so he says I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God and then notice which is the Church of the Living God that language Living God is old testen is and it's always a contrast to the idols of men it's always a contrast to those Idols that have ears but they don't hear they have eyes but they don't see they have mouths but they don't speak they have noses but they don't smell the dead Idols of men are contrasted with the Living God and the Living God dwells amongst his people in his church on the Lord's day as they gather together therefore what we do we do as an oughtness in obedience to him the church is God's special possession it's the Church of the Living God I read at the outset of worship Psalm 87 have you ever pondered this verse the lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob yet had sermons by Puritans who highlighted that corporate worship was more important than private devotions now don't take from that well I'm not going to do my private devotions anymore that's the whole I love apples on Twitter and people will comment why do you hate oranges those things don't match see but the lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the Dwelling Places of Jacob that doesn't mean he hates The Dwelling Places of Jacob it's not that he's opposed to the families that make up Israel there's something about the Gathering of God's people on the Sabbath day when the when the psalmist says I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord think I told you last week Psalms 120 to 134 songs of ascent as they're going to Zion to praise God they're singing the pilgrim songs on their way the lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the Dwelling Places of Jacob Spurgeon makes the observation God Delights in the prayers and Praises of Christian families and individuals but he has a special eye to the Assemblies of the faithful and he has a special delight in their devotions in their Church capacity he's not lying this is true the church is that blessed entity that Christ died to save notice in Ephesians 5:25 Ephesians chap 5 specifically at verse 25 as Paul argues that husbands are to love their wives he says just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her so the church is that entity that Christ gave his life for acts 2028 shepher the Church of God which he purchased with his own blood see I think the church in many respects is fallen on hard times we treat it with you know contempt in some ways or with indifference or an apathy now I suspect that when sermons like this are preached people say well you know what you're a pastor and you got a vested interest in people coming to church I I do I I really do and it's not money it's not boy I'm really encouraged when more PE it's because I I know what makes people grow as Christians if I go to the doctor and he says you know stop ingesting poison go out and run around the street a few times and pick up heavy things and put them down I don't think well you know you're only in this for your own no I think he's got some wisdom and probably I should go run around and pick up heavy things and stop ingesting poison I'm not saying this to build up our roles or or to build up our our finances I'm saying this because Brethren health is connected to the means that God has ordained it really is that simple well I'm really struggling well do you go to church no do you read your Bible no do you pray no I'm surprised you're struggling not of course he's going to struggle so Brethren when it comes to these things I don't have a vested interest in numbers or roles or anything like that but in spiritual health I if you want to be healthy in the Christian Life A good rule of thumb is to use the means that God's ordained for your well-being notice the church is the dwelling place of the Living God not the place of dead idols and then he rounds out this explanation at the end of verse 15 by calling it the pillar and the ground of the truth the Piller and the ground of the truth notice not the place of entertainment not the place of self-help not the place of do goody not the place of whatever it is we want to sacrifice or rather put in the place of corporate worship it is the pillar and ground of the the the truth I don't know that again that's something that we value but if you read the Pastoral Epistles let's just take a quick tour look at 1 Timothy 1:10 1 Timothy 1:10 as he's highlighting a lawful use of the law not the only lawful use of the law but a lawful use of the law notice in 18 we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully what does that imply that those those who use use it unlawfully if you teach justification by law then you're using it unlawfully and then he says knowing this the law is not made for a righteous person excuse me but for the Lawless and insubordinate for the ungodly and for Sinners for the Unholy and profane for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers for manslayers for fornicators for sodomites for kidnappers for liars for perjurers and if there is any other thing what is that is contrary to sound Doctrine look at chapter 4 specifically at verse 6 if you instruct the brethren in these things you will be good a good minister of Jesus Christ nourished in the words of faith and of the good Doctrine which you have carefully followed look at verse 13 till I come give attention to reading to exhortation to Doctrine look at verse 16 take heed to yourself and to the doctrine continue in them for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you notice in chapter six specifically at verse three if anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to Wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which Accords with godliness what what do you think Paul is concerned about in the life of the church therapy encounter emotion feeling he's concerned about the truth of God's word going forth because it is that which upholds the people of God it is that which brings stability to the people of God it is that which is the vehicle of bringing Sinners out of Darkness Into The Marvelous Light notice in 2 Timothy 1: 13 hold fast the pattern of sound Words which you have heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus that good thing which was committed to you keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us notice in Chapter 2 of 2 Timothy at verse 15 be diligent to present yourself approved to God a worker who do does not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of Truth notice in chapter 3: 14- 17 he says but you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of knowing from whom you learned them and that from childhood you have known the holy scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus all scripture is given by inspiration of God it's profitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction and righteousness that the man of God may be complete thoroughly equipped for every good work notice as well in chapter 4 veres 1 to 5 we'll just specifically focus on uh uh verses well verse one notice I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the living in the dead at his appearing in his kingdom preach the word be ready in season and out of season convince rebuke exhort with all longsuffering and teaching for the time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine but according to their own desires they uh because they have itching years they will keep up for themselves teachers and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables But You Be watchful in all things endure afflictions do the work of of an evangelist fulfill your ministry notice in Titus 1 specifically at verse 9 one of the qualifications for The Elder he must hold fast the faithful word as he has been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convict those who contradict notice in chapter 2 verse one but as for you speak the things which are proper for sound Doctrine notice in chapter 2 verse 10 not pilfering but showing all good Fidelity that they may Adorn the doctrine of God our savior in all things kind of a theme in the Pastoral Epistles is isn't there it's the pillar and ground of the truth not entertainment not therapy not en counter session and I'm not condemning you know entertainment therapy or encounter I'm not condemning that I'm condemning it if it usurps the place of God's ordained means in the life and context of the Church of the Living God because it's his house and he demands that certain things be done and that is a perfectly consistent thing that we find not only here in the New Testament but it's certainly an Old Testament emphasis as well so with reference to this statement of the Apostle when he says the pillar and the ground of the truth he ex uh rather he emphasizes that the church's primary task is the propagation and defense of God's truth as we are you know often times reminded as we read scripture it is the truth which the Lord has s uh uh uh designed to advance his cause in this present evil age well I think we want to pick up uh the next section next time and sort of draw out as well some other passages with reference to to the regulative principle of worship so that'll be God willing that Sunday night I just want to end with with two quick emphases again first I want you have Ponder not in some sort of government way but think about it at some point or some time what happens when we worship what is going on here and again Brethren it's not perfect I think that you know well you know I have wandering thoughts at times so therefore it must not be happening no no no we're always going to have wandering thoughts we're always going to have challenges there's that prone to wander prone us to leave the god that we love you know in our hearts but if we read our Bibles and we read passages like like second uh uh Hebrews chapter 12 we we've come to Zion or or we read Revelation chapter 1 and Christ is is there in the midst of the lampstands or when we get the promises of Jesus when the church is exercising discipline according to Matthew chapter 18 he says I I am there with you where where two or three are gathered together see Brethren when we come on the Lord's day something greater is going on than what our nak at I's we are communing with our blessed God and then the second thing that I want to encourage us to ponder and to contemplate is how do we how do we facilitate that I've already mentioned it we do what God commands we don't have the right we don't have the authority we don't have the prerogative to change up what scripture commands to be done in the public worship of God we can't pick and choose and and and and choose to to get rid of stuff and substitute other things and then going forward Brethren I want us to remember that within the regulative principle of worship there's a degree of difference and there's a degree of fallibility and you know we're going to do the best we can in terms of EX Jesus and pro you know proclaiming what what the truth of God's word is but good men disagree I know there's regular principle of churches in our town we all disagree to some you know some degree or other that's always going to be our lot on this side of heaven but at least doctrinally were convinced together that God does get to dictate what we do in public worship I I think that's a good thing I I appreciate even though some differences that Brothers might have when it comes to the implementation of the regulative principle at least the brothers have the implementation of the regulative principle of worship other words we need to ask the question what does God demand what does god require what does God call for In Worship it's it's not up to us it's not up to a committee it's not up to a team it's not up to the Internet it's not up to the Twitter theologen it's up to God most high and there is that necessity on the part of the Church of the Living God to obey to embrace and to do what we're called to do and to understand that when we do that god holds out great blessings to his people when they gather together in his name and I should end with the entrance to the church or the entrance to the house of God it's by grace through faith we didn't just wander in and say you know I want to be a part of the church I mean there is that human level in terms of you know that regard but to actually be a member in the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ not you know free Grace Baptist we got a little routine we got some things that we have to do but in terms of being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ it's by God's grace through faith it's the same emphasis that I brought out this morning in terms of belief in him salvation that's what it is it's to be adopted by God into the family of God and then to receive the benefits and the Privileges associated with that one of the things being corporate worship gathering together with God's people as imperfect as it may be nevertheless singing praises to God calling upon him together hearing from him in his word and going forward in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy spirit so if you're not a Believer here tonight I encourage you to look onto the Lord Jesus Christ in faith because that's the way of access into the household of God well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for this letter of Paul to Timothy and we thank you for the entirety of Holy Scripture and the fact that it does govern the fact that it does command and even demand how we function in the life of Christ's Church we thank you as well for the Supreme uh uh privilege that we have on the the Lord's day knowing that Christ is in the midst of the lampstands may we Ponder this may it strengthen us may it cause us to be glad hearted when it when it's announced to go to the house of the Lord go with us now watch over us in this coming week and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e 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