From ccrlist at tulip.org Sat Oct 14 21:25:48 2006 From: ccrlist at tulip.org (ccrlist@tulip.org) Date: Sat Oct 14 21:25:51 2006 Subject: [Ccrlist] Sermon for October 15th Message-ID: <002101c6eff8$d8899160$1901a8c0@tantrim> WARNING: THIS PRODUCT MOVES WHEN USED ?2006 May be distributed in its entirety for free A sermon on 1 John 2:18-29 by Pastor Bryan Duty Christ Covenant Reformed Church Reynoldsburg, Ohio October 15, 2006 Have you ever been in a place where you felt that you did not belong? When I went to NYC I enjoyed the trip, but was ready to come home. If I was a New Yorker I would have wanted to stay because I belonged there. The same is true of Christians. If someone is a true believer they will come home to the church and realize that they belong. Previously, through John, the Lord has told us not to love the world. If one loves the world the love of the Father is not in him. The world is passing away. John makes the logical jump from the passing world to the last hour. The last hour is crunch time. It is like cramming for finals or playing a sudden-death overtime in football. The times call for us to raise the battle cry and be about Kingdom work and not just fiddle around rearranging chairs on the sinking Titanic as Tim told us last week. We are to continue in Christ. Because the spirit of antichrist is at work, some in the church will deny Christ. However, we are to continue in the battle with the double-edged sword of His word and the anointing we have received from His Spirit. 1 John 2:18-29 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us- eternal life. 26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything- and is true and is no lie, just as it has taught you- abide in him. 28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. The first thing you should know from this Scripture is to Continue in Christ knowing that the spirit of antichrist is at work in the church. There is a contrast between truth and error. The interesting thing is that the antichrist is not some force outside of the church, but is within the church. How about that? John writes, They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us. John has been giving tests for a genuine Christian. He began with the moral test. Then, he moved to the test of love. Now, he is concerned that God?s little children think the right things about God. We would call this the doctrinal test. Any particular Christian may score higher on morality, or love, or theology in a test, but each is important. A moral person without love or good theology is just a good person that doesn?t glorify God. A loving person may point to love, but also doesn?t necessarily glorify God. A person with good theology that is devoid of love and morals doesn?t glorify God either. It is the combination of morals, love, and theology that give the best picture of Christ. Many want to know just who the antichrist is or who it will be. This is like looking for a thorn in a thorn bush. There are many and there will be many. John does not want us to get bogged down in a witch hunt, but mainly wants us to beware of influences which can tippy-toe into our lives and lead us away from God?s Son. It is this very attitude of spirit that had caused people whom his hearers had known as friends to leave the congregations. 1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. John makes it clear that those who leave the church were never really believers in the first place. He is not describing a reshuffling of the saints, but those who leave the church and never come back. He doesn?t want God?s true children to be disillusioned. Jesus Himself said that the weeds and the wheat will grow together. This tells us that there will be unbelievers who will look very much like Christians. There will also be Christians who look very much like unbelievers. True believers will remain with Christ and His church. They are characterized by two things. First, they have been anointed by the Holy One. Second, they know the truth about Christ. The Spirit of the risen Christ lives in the true children of God. They have the inner testimony of His presence. They also know and worship Him as God. They do not know everything, but they do know the truth that Jesus is God and the only hope for sinners. I like the term Gospel Reformation. A person can be reformed in thinking and be completely lost. Yet, a person who is reformed in thinking and transformed by the Gospel of grace does glorify and live for God, even in the face of the discouragement produced by the antichrist. My Sister-In-Law was telling me about the worst flight she was ever on. Severe thunderstorms had temporarily closed O?Hare to which she was flying. The plane was routed way out over Lake Michigan and was thrown around. Finally, the plane was cleared for landing and the pilot approached the runway. A wind gust flew into the plane causing the wings to go up and down like a see-saw. The worst part was that as she looked out the window the plane was only a few feet off the ground and she just knew the wings were going to slam into the tarmac. The pilot managed to gain control of the plane and bring it to a safe landing. She said that at that time, you could hear a pin drop. She was in tears as she met her husband in the airport. Sometimes it feels like that in the church. We experience turbulence that seems like all will come crashing down. Yet our sovereign Lord is in control and is bringing His beloved church home safe. The second thing you should know from this text is to continue in Christ, even as some in the church will deny Him. The unveiling of the chief heresy of the antichrists is dealt with. 1 John 2:22-23 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. The antichrist and those influenced by that spirit are those who deny that Jesus is the Christ. They deny the Father and the son. If they deny Jesus, they do not have the Father either. This text shows the inseparable link between the Father and the Son. 1. Jesus is the one and only person who can forgive your sin. He is the only way one can get to Heaven or have a relationship with God. Jesus is God. 2. Jesus and the Father are so closely linked that if one denies the God the Father they deny God the Son. If they deny God the Son, they deny God the Father. Unfortunately, there have been some in history and to the present day who deny the Bible?s teaching about Jesus. They have mixed truth and error. The Gnostics of John?s day believed that Jesus came from the highest God and became divine at the time of His baptism and lost divinity at His crucifixion. Today there are groups who deny the divinity of Christ. The ?quest for the historical Jesu? is nothing more than humanism applied to the Bible. We must believe the Bible?s teaching that Jesus is part of the Trinity and that He is God as is the Father and the Spirit. Either we must take the teaching of Scripture, or throw out the whole Bible. The Bible itself testifies that words are not to be added or taken away: Proverbs 30:5-6 Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 6 Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. Revelation 22:18-21 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. Jesus must be acknowledged as Scripture acknowledges him in the Gospel. To deny is to disown or refuse. It is far more than struggling with belief. It is an emphatic and purposeful denial. Those who abide with Christ and do not deny Him can say what Scripture says about Jesus. Matthew 1:21-23 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). John 10:30-33 I and the Father are one." 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?" 33 The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God." The Bible clearly states that those who do not believe that Jesus is God and all that Scripture says about Him are liars. It?s that simple. It acts as a warning label. My daughters each received a scooter from their grandparents for their birthdays. As I was looking at them I noticed a warning label stuck to the top of the handlebar. I chuckled when I read it. It reads, ?WARNING: THIS PRODUCT MOVES WHEN USED.? Would anyone expect a scooter that didn?t move? Would a parent look to purchase a scooter that doesn?t move thinking it would be safer? Would a kid want a scooter to place in a corner of the room to admire? Would someone analyze the scooter and deem that it is merely metal and urethane, and thus not a scooter? Absolutely not! But people do this with the Bible and with Jesus. Take Him at His word. Jesus moves when used. If He sits in a corner of your life unused and uninteresting, take Him out for a test ride because He moves when used. The third thing you should know about this passage is to continue in Christ knowing that the battle is fought with the Word and the Spirit. The person who abides in Christ will not turn against Christ and His church. 1 John 2:24 - 3:1 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us- eternal life. 26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything- and is true and is no lie, just as it has taught you- abide in him. 28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. There is much talk about abiding in this last section of chapter 2. Abiding is not departing, nor is it merely continuing to be present. It is a maintaining of unbroken fellowship. The word for abide or remain in this section it is used seven times. * If people abide in Christ they would not fall away (vs. 19) * The truth of the Gospel from the Holy One (Christ) abides in true believer (twice in vs. 24) * You abide in the Son and the Father (vs. 24) * The anointing you received abides in you (vs. 27) * Little children abide in Christ (vs. 27, 28) John 15 gives a good illustration of abiding. If we belong to Christ we will continue in Him as the branches are connected to the vine and thereby receive life and the ability to live. There is a marked contrast between those who deny Christ and those who remain with Him. The true children of God abide while phonies will deny. John gives the contrast as follows. Spirit of the antichrist Spirit of Christ Leave the church (faith) Remain in the church (faith) Deny that Jesus is God Continually convinced ?Jesus is the Messiah Does not know the truth Know and practice the truth with their lives The weapons that believers have with which to fight against the spirit of the antichrist as well as this world?s system are God?s Word and His Spirit. The word is that which they have heard from the beginning. Scripture testifies of itself, that it is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Many read the Bible but do not perceive its truth. The Spirit of God is needed to illumine the readers of Scripture, that they may seek the help of God to understand AND live what is contained in Scripture. John says that the children of God have an anointing that remains with them. 28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. One can not practice the truth who does not know what it is, and even ?knowing? it is no guarantee that one will practice it. I read about a man near retirement age who ?knew? the truth, but didn?t practice the truth. He had been out of work for a few years and unable to find a job. What did he do? He decided to rob a bank. He went to the teller and asked for cash in an envelope. She slipped him 4 20?s and he was on his way. He walked over to a guard and handed him the money. When asked why he did it his reply was that it would tide him over until he was old enough to collect social security. He only need three years and that is just what the judge gave him. Though he was a nice bank robber, he became imprisoned. Jesus said that you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free. Is temptation holding you back from a free and joyous relationship with your God? Temptation is real and beyond your power to overcome it. Your only hope is the word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. Knowing the truth is important. Taking the next step and living it is crucial for freedom, joy, and glorifying God. Feelings and experiences are part of your walk, but are not the measuring tape. J.I. packer gives a good perspective. It is not as we strain after feelings and experiences, of whatever sort, but as we seek God Himself, looking to Him as our Father, prizing His fellowship, and finding in ourselves an increasing concern to know and please Him, that the reality of the Spirit?s ministry becomes visible in our lives. (Knowing God p. 200) Little children, I pray that we will want God more and more and that His ministry will be more and more visible in our lives. John encourages you to look at your life and take three tests. Are you living a moral life? Are you growing in the love of God and man? Are you growing in a knowledge and practice of the truth as found in Scripture? As you examine your life, continue in Christ knowing that the spirit of the antichrist is found inside the walls of the church. Continue in Christ and know that some who appear to be members will deny Him. Continue in Christ as you fight the battle with God?s Word and His Spirit. Amen -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.408 / Virus Database: 268.13.4/475 - Release Date: 10/13/2006 From ccrlist at tulip.org Sat Oct 14 21:33:34 2006 From: ccrlist at tulip.org (ccrlist@tulip.org) Date: Sat Oct 14 21:38:15 2006 Subject: [Ccrlist] Sermon October 8th 2006 Message-ID: <002c01c6eff9$ee1e5be0$1901a8c0@tantrim> Christ the Reason (By RE Tim Ling) 1 Timothy 1:1-2; 1:12-17; 3:14-16; 6:20-21 Series Introduction I am planning to preach a 5-sermon series on First Timothy ? a book that my parents found inspiration for my name. I?ve decided to call this series ?The Good, The Bad, The Ugly?! The reason for this title should become evident as we look at the types of pastors, teachers and Christians who existed in the time of the Apostle Paul ? these folks are still found in our day and age. Some of you may have heard the anecdote of how banks teach their tellers to identify counterfeit or fake money by letting them handle lots of genuine money, so that they are so ?in tune? to the ?real stuff? that the ?fake stuff? will ?jump right out? at them! I would think that the banks should also train their tellers to become very familiar with handling counterfeit notes as well ? so they will also be really good at doing their job of catching the counterfeits! The Scriptures, including First Timothy, talk about both the true and the false ? be it God, leaders, teachers, doctrine or Christian life. Because the Scriptures lay out both truth and falsehood, it is important for the Christian to carefully study and consider both sides ? holding on to the truth and rejecting the false. In this sermon, I want us to first consider the ?real stuff? of the Christian faith. Background to Paul Some background to First Timothy: This book was written by Paul some time between AD 48 and 64, and it is not certain from where Paul wrote the book. Some scholars say that Paul was in Macedonia, based on 1 Tim. 1:3, although that is not a sure thing. 1 Tim. 1:3 does imply that Paul was recently in Ephesus. However, it is clear that Paul was not in prison when he wrote it. This book really is a letter (also known as ?epistle?), which, together with the books of Second Timothy and Titus, are known as the Pastoral Epistles because they are devoted to the duties of those who are called to lead the church. However, it would be wrong to think that this letter applies only to elders and deacons. The benediction at the end of this book, ?Grace be with you?, is also found in 2 Timothy and Titus ? and the word ?you? is, in each case, plural as in ?Grace be with all of you?. This letter would have been read by Timothy to the church in Ephesus for the benefit of all the saints there, and for all time. There were really good reasons for this letter. First ? God ordained it and inspired Paul to write it! Second reason -- the apostles, including Paul, were acutely aware that their generation would shortly pass away, and they had to ?pass-the-baton? to the generation of church leaders that would follow. There was a need to train these new church leaders, a practice that continues today. For example, the PCA has Covenant Seminary to train Reformed pastors, and Pastor Bryan went to the Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida to be trained as a pastor. One of the missionaries whom we support, Pastor Satoshi Kawachi, is teaching in a seminary in Senegal to train local pastors in the doctrines of grace. Third good reason for this letter ? the apostles had to identify false teachers and false teachings that were coming into the church ? and then to remove them. The visible church was growing by leaps and bounds, and many pagans were coming into the church. While many had true conversions, there was also a large group of unregenerate pagans who started calling themselves Christians because it was the ?in thing? to do. Once in the church, these pagans started to infiltrate the ranks of the church leaders and teachers, and began the process of ?syncretism? ? the melding of pagan beliefs into Christian doctrine. Some of these have come down into our age ? the worship of the mother goddess in the veneration of the Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church, and the ?divine gibberish? of the charismatic movement in the Protestant Church. We continue this process of identifying false teachers and false teachings through the careful examination of our church elders and deacons, as well as the careful exercise of church discipline over false teachers. Fourth reason for this letter ? the new Christians were spiritually immature, and the apostles were acutely aware of the need to guide them on the road of sanctification ? of how to live the Christian life. Background to Timothy Now, a bit about Timothy: He was born to a Greek father and a Jewish mother, Eunice, and lived in Lystra (in modern day Turkey). We are told that he had a godly grandmother, Lois, and was brought up in the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:15). Paul meets Timothy during his first missionary journey (AD 45 ? 48), and decides to bring him along. Timothy was trusted by Paul, and was left in Ephesus to work with the church there as Paul continued to Macedonia. We have a sense from this book that Timothy was perceived as: q Young in age and maturity (Chapter 4:12), q Weak physically (Chapter 5:23), and q Impressionable to the ways of the world (Chapter 6:11) Paul in this letter goes out of his way to reaffirm Timothy and his authority over the church in Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3, 18; 4:6). That?s a brief background to this book. Main Message Now on to the main message of our text today, and I?ll start off with this question: ?Why do you come to church on Sundays? ? Have you ever sat down, and wondered, ?What are my reasons for going to church, or being a Christian?? In our day, Sunday is just like any other day ? many businesses stay open to cater to the shopper, the children?s sports leagues are in full swing and the golf courses cater to folks, the majority of whom don?t esteem the Lord?s day, nor do they want to be anywhere close to a church! Plus, Sunday is just a nice day to sleep in! I?ll commend these folks for at least being honest about not wanting to go church! It has occurred to me that when you look, from a worldly perspective, at the effort to live the Christian life (including going to church!), you?ll view the Christian life as a chore, a burden. Why pick church over more ?pleasurable? activities like sleeping in, shopping, pick-up basketball, TV watching or video gaming? Or, you might be pondering, ?I can get more of the ?warm fuzzies? serving a meal at the homeless shelter, instead of falling asleep listening to Tim preaching this sermon!? Have you felt at times like you have to give up so much worldly pleasures to live the Christian life? The early Christians faced the same dilemma in their day ? you could say they had it worse! Becoming a Christian could spell your doom at the hands of the Roman government! So ? why be a Christian? Yes, friends? why be a Christian and live the Christian life? When the folks in Antioch first coined the term ?Christian? to refer to the followers of Jesus Christ (Acts 11:26), it was not to infer that this was a good thing, but more as a derogatory term ? ?what a loser? was the point of calling the Christians ?Christians!? Such were the concerns of the day for the early church, and Paul wanted to answer that very question through this letter. Yes, giving instructions on good and right living, as well as pointing out the good teachers versus the false teachers is commendable -- but so is rearranging the chairs on the Titanic as it?s sinking ? commendable but useless! There has to be more to the Christian life, to make it worth the hassles of persecution! There has to be a deeper and more profound reason for this Christian faith, and Paul starts out the letter of 1 Timothy by giving us this very reason ? ?Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope (1 Tim. 1:1)?. There it is ? Jesus Christ - the Savior and hope for the Christian. You can live the good life, support the good teachers and oppose the false teachers ? and be equally condemned to hell as non-Christians if all these are apart from Christ. Faith has to be based on a sound, true foundation. The flip side of the true faith is the false or blind faith ? sincere, but sincerely wrong. It?s as good as no faith at all! My advice to those who hold on to a blind faith, such as Buddhism, Islam or agnosticism, is: Don?t invest your time and money with that faith ? because it won?t do you any good or save you at the end. Paul?s faith was in the Messiah ? Jesus Christ. He refers to himself as an apostle (aka envoy or ambassador) of Christ Jesus by the command of God. Paul is saying here that he did not represent himself. His own ideas and views on various matters did not count for anything. It was the Lord Jesus Christ who controlled everything that he did, said and thought. Each instruction which he received came from his King, just as a good ambassador would faithfully obey and represent his leader. But Paul did not just obey Christ because it was his duty to do so. He obeyed because he loved Christ and it was the aim of his life to please Christ. As William Barclay wrote, ?It is always a privilege to do even the humblest and most menial thing for someone whom we love and respect and admire, for someone whom we hero-worship.? My primary commentator mentions that it was no accident that Paul uses the words ?God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope? in verse 1. In addition to making the point that it is God alone who saves us, Paul knew that the Ephesians were aware of the false saviors of the people. The Greeks had a god of healing called Asklepios, who was also known as ?the Savior?. The Romans called their great general, Scipio, ?our hero and our salvation.? And the Roman Emperor of the time, Nero, had taken upon himself the title, ?Governor and Savior of the World.? Paul was reminding his readers, including us today, that any ?savior? apart from Christ Jesus will disappoint you in the end. He was also reminding his readers who were persecuted, discouraged, and feeling that they were in a hopeless situation that Jesus Christ is our ONLY hope ? not a hope that is a vague wish which may, or may not, come to pass. The believer?s hope in Christ is sure and steadfast, because Christ is sure and steadfast. I do believe that Paul knew what was going through the minds of some in the church ? ?where?s the evidence of this hope in Christ?? ? and he goes on to give his testimony to that hope in Chapter 2:12-17. It was common knowledge in the Church at that time that Paul had been a persecutor of Christians until his amazing conversion. Paul shares his testimony in a short but effective manner ? how he was once a blasphemer, a persecutor and a violent man (1 Tim. 1:13). He also calls himself the ?worst of sinners? in 1 Tim. 1:16. But how could this be? Paul WAS the visible example of a righteous man in his day ? a Pharisee. All Pharisees, including Paul, were known for carefully keeping the Law of God, and they knew blasphemy against God when they saw or heard it! God forbid that they would be blasphemers! Therein lies the subtlety of sin, that you may believe yourself righteous when you are not! It was only after God regenerated Paul that his eyes were opened (physically AND spiritually) to the fact that he was staring God the Son in the face but not only had he not recognized God, he was persecuting the followers of God! Paul also saw that his ?righteous? works as a Pharisee were just filthy rags, and that he had NO strength in and of himself to save himself or make himself righteous in God?s eyes. Paul knows, as I remind all of us today, that God solely, exclusively, and actively saved him from the pit of sin and hell. q Chapter 1:12 ? Christ gave the strength that Paul realized he didn?t have to save himself. Christ considered Paul faithful when Paul was unwilling and unable to be faithful to Christ. q Chapter 1:13 & 16 ? Christ showed his unlimited mercy and patience to Paul when Paul was mercilessly persecuting Christians, all the while thinking that he was doing God a favor! q Chapter 1:14 ? God?s grace was poured out on Paul, along with Christ?s faith and love ? note that Paul doesn?t say that his faith and his love was all his own. The phrase in Chapter 1:15 - ?Here is a trustworthy saying ?? occurs 5 times in the Pastoral Epistles (1 Tim. 1:15; 1 Tim. 3:1; 1 Tim. 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:11 and Titus 3:8), and my commentator notes that each of these 5 instances was to identify a key saying ? what follows is highly important. It is reliable. The reason why the message that Paul gave is trustworthy is that it can be traced back to the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ himself! q John 3:17 ? ?For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.? Yes, friends, ?Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners? like Paul, like my namesake, like you, like me! Paul is saying, ?Look at me for a really good example of a ?dirtbag? who has been turned around and saved by Christ miraculously and marvelously! If it can happen to me, it can happen to ANYONE, by God?s grace and mercy!? You are free to deny that Christ came to save sinners, as many in the world do, but you do so at your eternal peril when you face the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God. So? to my earlier question, ?Why do you come to church on Sundays?? I hope that you WON?T answer this question by saying: q ?Because I enjoy the fellowship?, or q ?I?ll feel guilty if I don?t?, or q ?My friends go there,? or q ?Because it?s Christmas!?, or q ?Because it?s Easter!?, or q ?The coffee and snacks are yummy?, or q ?The church building is so big and beautiful?, or q ?The pastor is very charismatic?, or q ?The singing is so awesome?, or q ?I?m playing the piano?, or q ?I?m in the choir?, or q ?I can get lots of practical tips for living the good life?, or q ?It gives me the warm ?fuzzies?, and I feel so warm inside?. Instead of these answers, I hope that we can all say that we come to church to ?learn about that mystery of godliness (Chapter 3:16): ?He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.?? Having recently married, I can already see so much clearer why the marriage relationship is linked to the relationship between Christ and his followers. For example, I would characterize my relationship with my wife as being very comfortable, and the companionship that comes with being very comfortable with Sue, is a joy and reason for living each day. In like manner, are you comfortable being a follower of Christ? Do you have a slavish fear of Christ, or do you derive great peace and assurance of this life and the next as a child in God?s family? Do you derive joy and pleasure to be in a companionship with Christ, or look at it more as a chore? I do hope that you?re very comfortable with Christ as your Savior and Lord, and that your Christian life (including coming to church every week) reflects your enjoyable companionship with your Savior Jesus Christ. As Timothy was instructed by Paul, so also the elders in this church are to teach all of you in the church of the living God (that has been entrusted to our care) this mystery of Christ who is the pillar and foundation of the Church. And? we are to teach you of the practical implications of Christian living in light of our salvation by God, through Christ. Paul acknowledges in Chapter 6:20 (and church history bears this out) that the simple message of our salvation through Jesus Christ by the grace of God is often drowned out by godless chatter and opposing ideas that claim to be ?knowledge? ? they may even have a ring of truth in them. Trust me? the PCA is no different in this regard. As Paul warns the Church in Chapter 6:21, the godless chatter and opposing knowledge mask or hide Jesus Christ and his work to save sinners ? leading many to wander away from the faith. Remember, you don?t have to purposefully aim for a car coming the opposite way on the road to hit it ? you just need to start wandering over into the opposite lane ever so slightly, and before too long, you?re in a head-on crash. Keep your elders honest by being as the Berean church who received the message of Paul with ?great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.? (Acts 17:11) If the primary reason for your coming to church is not to learn and experience the companionship of your spiritual Bridegroom, ask yourself why you?re feeling this way, and talk to the elders about it. Now, I don?t want you to say to yourself, ?Tim says I?m not here for the right reasons, so I?ll just not come to church!? I?m not saying that at all, but I want to warn you that that is how Satan will tempt your sinful nature to react to my gentle exhortation. If you don?t feel so enthusiastic for Christ or sense the assurance of your salvation, do continue to come to church, pray to God about your lack of enthusiasm, and talk to the elders about it. I also want to remind you that even if you do not feel the joy of God?s salvation, that that is all right. If God has saved you, your lack of feeling toward Him will NOT ?un-save? you. As Pastor Max would say, ?It really doesn?t matter what you think about God; it does matter what He thinks about you!? In conclusion, it is with this foundation of ?Christ the reason? for us being Christians, that we will next explore the marks of a good leader and teacher in the church? Bibliography: Bentley, Michael, 1997. Passing on the Truth ? 1 & 2 Timothy simply explained. Evangelical Press, Durham, England. Keener, Craig S., 1993. The IVP Bible Background Commentary ? New Testament. InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois. Zondervan Publishing House, 1993. The Interlinear NASB-NIV Parallel New Testament in Greek and English. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. New York International Bible Society, 1978. New International Version (NIV) Strong, James H., reprinted 1992. Strong?s Exhaustive Concordance. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Places Preached: Christ Covenant Reformed Church, Reynoldsburg, Ohio - Sunday, October 8, 2006 All rights reserved. Permission to copy granted with this notice included. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.408 / Virus Database: 268.13.4/475 - Release Date: 10/13/2006