Welcome to Bible Baptist Church's Sunday Sermon featuring the preaching from the Word of God by Pastor Sean Magoon. Our sincere hope and prayer is that this message will encourage you to search the Scriptures daily, for they are the whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith, and life. Now with this week's message, here is Pastor Sean. All right, the mystery of godliness, 1 Timothy 3.16. Three pastors got together for coffee one day and found all their churches had the problem of bat infestation. I got so mad, said one, I took a shotgun and fired at them and made holes in the ceiling, but it did nothing to the bats. I tried trapping them alive, said the second pastor, but then I drove 50 miles before releasing them, but they beat me back to the church. I haven't had any more problems, said the third. What did you do, asked the others amazed. He said, I simply baptized and confirmed them. He said, I haven't seen him since. Obviously, that was not a Baptist church. Amen. Anyway, listen, if you ask the average person on the street, why is the church important? What kind of answers do you think you would get? Lots, I'm sure, ranging all the way from laughter to anger. Let me just go through a scenario of them. Those who laugh think the church is irrelevant. Others see the church as a museum, merely preserving things from the past, but now it's out of touch with reality, with the modern world. Others see the church as political. It's some powerful voting block to oppose the erosion of immorality and preserve the family. Others, though, they see the church merely as a social institution. It helps meet physical needs of the poor and the emotional needs of the lonely and distraught. But others are angry. Tell me, they've been what? Hurt by the church, right? Or because they view the church as a bunch of right-wing nuts You ever heard of wingnut? Right-wing nuts who keep them from doing whatever's right in their own eyes, which we usually call chaos or anarchy. Okay? Now, there's other things from laughter to anger. There's other things in between there. But here's the thing. Why is the church important? Because the most significant event in human history was when the living God came from heaven and took on human flesh and lived among us as the Lord Jesus Christ to bear our sins on the cross. And since he has ascended to heaven, the church now reveals him on earth, even as he revealed God when he was on earth. That's the whole point of today's sermon. The church is important because it reveals Christ in and to the world, even as Christ, when he was here, revealed the Father in human flesh to the world. Are you with me? I love that apocryphal story. They say that when Jesus ascended and he went into heaven, the angel said, Lord, that was awesome what you did. Now what? He said, well, he said, I've left everything in the hands of 11 men. And the angel said, but Lord, what if they fail? He said, I have no plan B. Actually, he didn't say that. He said, they can't fail because my spirit's in them. Amen. That's, that's the point. How can we, how can we fail? All right. Verse 16 is a Christ centered hymn or creed. It says confession. I'll read it confession. Great indeed, we confess, or without controversy, the word is, or in other words, it's undeniable. There's no mistake about it. It's without question is what the word means. Confession, they call it a creed. And so what they did is they had these old songs that were written in the form of doctrine, in the form of songs. And so it was something they sang. And before we dive into its six lines, I want us just to think about the context here of 1st Timothy. He lays out the qualifications of elders and deacons. And what's he saying? Who can lead the church? And he says, these are the men who are going to lead the church, these elders. And who's going to assist them? These deacons. And this is what their lives should what? Look like. Who can lead the church? And then the second question really comes out of that point is, yeah, but which way did they go? So, who can lead the church? And the second question is, where are they what? Where are they leading us? Well, the answer isn't where, the answer is, who are they leading us to exactly? They're leading us to who? to Jesus. That's what verse 16 is all about. Paul, he's caught up, and he says, look, let me give you these three metaphors of what the church is like. That's the whole point in verses 14 through 16. He's saying, look, I hope to come to you soon, but God may wreck my plans. God may interrupt my schedule, Timothy. God has a way of doing that, amen? And he's saying, in case I'm delayed, I want you to know how the church should conduct herself, itself. Notice, this is what the church should be like. And he gives instructions of what the church is to be like. But he mentions these three metaphors that they ought to behave in the household of God. And then he says, notice that, in the household of God, in verse 15, which is the church of the living God, that's the second thing. And then thirdly, it's a metaphor of a pillar and buttress, or your text may say foundation, it's more the idea of a support. of the truth. Those three metaphors, let's unpack them quickly. All right. Simply, the church is to be like a family. All right. In which our relationships should reflect Christ to the world. We should love one another. Amen. They'll know you're all, they'll all know you're my disciples by, by your, by, by your reform beliefs. Is that what he said? No, you got the right doctrine. You can cross your T's and dot the I's. You're a Christian. That's not what he said. He said, they'll know you're my disciples by your love for one another. But here's the problem. Americans tend to be very individualistic and goal-oriented, which influences our view of the church. We tend to see the church as an organization rather than an organism. And organizations, you know, they have clearly defined goals, and they offer programs in line with those goals that meet our needs, and so we like efficiency, and we say, hey, if people like our programs, then they'll what? They'll come, so we have all these programs to try to attract people in, because we can really, we can help you to know what to do with your kids. We can help you to know what to do with your marriage. We can tell you how to prosper in your business. But notice, Paul doesn't give 15 guidelines to godliness. He doesn't give 20 hints to holiness. Instead, he tells us about Jesus. What do you mean? Well, not a procedure, not a process, not a program, but a person. Here's the problem. Many folks are looking for a manual. A manual on how to raise kids, be a better spouse, how to live successfully. I say forget the manuals. We have Emmanuel. God with us. That's what he says in verse 16. In the person and work of his son. Okay. Secondly, this is the church of the living God. God's alive? You mean he's not dead? The unbeliever comes in here. Would they see any evidence that God's alive among us? You say, yeah, we got a loud mouth preacher that gets up there and shouts and jumps around and dances. The unbeliever has to know that God's alive. No, in you, not just who, me. I love what the one guy said. He said, I'm paid to be good, but you're good for nothing. Anyway, this is supposed to be a joke. It's not good, I know. But if the unbeliever came in here, would they say, hey, God is truly in this place. He lives among you. He lives in you. All right. So he's the living God with whom we're to fellowship daily. He's not some dead idol that we give lip service to once a week. Listen, Christian, more important than our size as a church or how many times we meet during the week or the building we meet in. Oh, can I say it? We lost our building. Oh, no. Jesus is not on the throne anymore. Really? You're sentimental about the building, I get it, okay? But guess what? When you die, what are you taking to heaven with you but your birthday suit? You came into the world, what? You're leaving, what? I love a Christmas party, because it's the only time of the year that you can covet and steal. No, the gifts, right? You get the point, right? But I love it for a third reason, not just coveting and stealing. No, listen, it's the time of the year that reminds me, in the end, all the toys go back in the box. The end of the game of life. And what do you go to heaven with? Your birthday suit. In the end, you have to let go of how much? I told my father-in-law last night, I've been reading this book about living life backwards. Starting from the end and coming back to where I am. In the end, I'm gonna meet God face to face. I should be living like that, what? Now. In light of that day. I'm to remember my creator in the days of my youth. You say, that's long gone, Sean. You're 57. Forget it. If you're older than me, guess what? Remember your creator. Why doesn't he just say, remember God? Because God created me. Creation, that doctrine, is really what? Yeah, six days. You better stop. Six 24-hour days, Pastor. You totally miss what? You totally miss Christology when you focus just on the hours. Should we focus on the hours? Yes, we should talk about it. We've got to mention it. We've got to get to the six hours of the six days, literal 24 hour days of creation. Yes. But don't don't forget all scripture is pointing us not to, you know, just time is pointing us to who the one in holds all time. Who's that? Jesus Christ. Yes. And that whole Genesis 1, 2, and 3, this is all not in my notes by the way, Revelation 20, 21, and 22, the whole thing of creation points us to eschatology in the end, where God who creates things, he means them to go to an end, a destination. There's a wedding in the beginning, Adam and Eve. There's a wedding in the end, the bride comes down out of what? Heaven, adorned for her what? Bridegroom. Who's that? Tell me. Jesus. Amen. That's how we got to read the Bible. WWW, a wedding and a wedding and in between it's warfare. Okay, you get it, right? Okay, so the church is what? A family. Do we live like that? The church is the church of a living God. Interesting. Okay. And thirdly, the church is a buttress, a pillar and buttress or support of the truth. Now, here's what's interesting. In one sense, the truth doesn't ultimately depend on us, but on God, on Christ, on the Spirit. Okay. So God's word is true whether or not we believe it or we proclaim it. And why? Ephesians 2, 19 through 20, it says that the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. So the church doesn't create the truth. The truth creates the church. We're not Roman Catholic. Amen? It's not that the Pope says something and it becomes a word of God. It's that the Spirit of God speaks the word, and that word of God gives us what? Life. Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God. Peter says you're born again through this what? Incorruptible seed, this Word of God that was preached. So my point is we don't make reality, it's the reality of God's Word that creates us, regenerates us. as Christians. And yet in another sense, Christian, listen, if there were no church, there'd be no witness. There'd be no one to contend for the faith. Once for all, deliver the saints, Jude 3. There'd be no one to guard the truth against error, against sin, against false teaching, and there'd be no one to pass it on to the next generation. John Stott said it like this, as pillars lift a building high, so the church's function is not to advertise itself, but to display the truth. So what's he saying? God has appointed the community of believers, the local church, to hold the truth that he's revealed to man in his word, to hold it firm, that's the buttress part, and to hold it high, to hold it forth as a pillar. I find this fascinating. I was reading, sometimes I read things after my sermon, I think, why in the world didn't I put that in my notes, right? But this is what Mount says about it. I love what he said, that Jesus is the only foundation. He said, the truth doesn't rest upon us or have its basis in the church. The opposite is true. It's upon the foundation of Christ that the church is built. Jesus said, on this rock, I will build my church, not on Peter. It was upon himself that Peter was confessing, Matthew 16, 18. Listen, that is why we're Protestants and not Catholic. Can I hear an amen? All right. Am I bashing the Catholic Church? No, I'm just saying this is what we've got to come back to. Are there lots we can agree with the Catholics on? Yes. We agree with them that Jesus Christ is the only Lord and Savior. We agree with them that there's a Trinity. We agree that life is sacred. Let's agree where we can. But we are not Roman Catholic. See, the point of it is it's not the pillar, but a pillar. your text should say, and the foundation is better translated bulwark or buttress, indicating that which supports or holds up the truth does not depend upon the church for its validity. The truth is by definition that which corresponds to reality. Reality is, in this case, is what God did in Christ to reconcile the world to himself. The church, however, is a pillar and buttress to the truth in the sense that it supports and defends it against the assaults of false teachers. So that's the whole point he's getting at. There were some people that said the resurrection was what? Spiritualized or passed. And he's saying, no, we got to defend the truth against these false teachers. And notice that he says that God uses the truth, that's his word, to regenerate, to transform people's lives. It's not man's wisdom. What do we have today? A lot of people are replacing the Bible with man's wisdom. What's that? Now, we have to talk about this. I want to really go into this whole thing of science thing, right? I almost got into it today and I was believed on in the world. But the idea that science and faith are two opposite things and that if you have faith, you have to throw out science, I would say that's a lie, not true science. Okay? God's word doesn't contradict his world. And the only way I can really understand his world is by his word. But if I go to the world first, and I listen to all these lies, and then I come and say, oh, you see, it must have been millions and gazillions of years. Then what? Then I've totally misread the world by, and the word, by going to the world first to try to figure it out. So what happened in the 1800s, here's what happened in the Enlightenment. It was really the Endarkenment, I'd call it. Faith was objective before then. It was fact. What we believed in was truth. The Bible was like math. Two plus two never equaled three or five. Amen? But what happened was, in the 1800s, we said, well, let's create our own reality. Man is the measure of all things, not God and His Word. Who is God and what is God? So they threw out the Bible. If you throw out the standard, then you can make the ruler say whatever you want it to say. It's not 12 inches anymore the foot. You know what I mean? That's what happened. We threw out the standard. And now the object of our faith is not God's word, it's whatever we want it to be. Are you with me? So faith was not objective anymore. In fact, faith then became what? Subjective in this feeling realm. Are you with me? That's the problem. We threw out God and his standard. And when we did that, where's the end? Tell me. Chaos, destruction, and what? What I'm saying is profound, it's not in my notes, but look, are you ready? Not man's wisdom, psychology, okay? Not man's opinions, man-made rules or regs or, you know, enlightenment, all that. Not man's innovations, slick marketing techniques, and definitely not man's possessions, right? I used to be under someone who believed in the golden rule, one of the wealthiest fat cats in Oregon. You know what his golden rule was? He who has the gold what? Rules. Yikes. Money will what? Money, it doesn't have to, but it can change a person. And often it what? Does. It corrupts? Yeah. People see it as power. One guy said, well, he said, money's the answer to everything. I said, that's what Solomon said, too. That's why he said, vanity of vanities, everything is what? Vanity. All right, so let's go through what can we learn, all that for an introduction. You say, that's the longest introduction I've ever heard. All right. Six lines of the hymn, really quick. What can we learn from this ancient hymn? It's a confession. The whole point is how do these truths produce godliness? Great is the mystery of what? Godliness. How do these truths about Jesus, about Jesus, they're actually pointing us to Jesus, not just about him. How can this confession make us like Christ? That's the whole point. Well, we've got his incarnation first line. Notice what it says. He, the text may say God or who. God is not in some manuscripts, don't say that, many of them, and the older ones, but he was manifested in the flesh. So the mystery previously kept secret, now being revealed, alright? What's that whole point with mystery, musterion? We could talk about this, but I'll just say this. In that day, they had the mystery religions. And for you to be indoctrinated into our religion, you had to go through our what? Indoctrination class, and we told you the secrets that nobody else knows. Sound familiar? We can put you in holy underwear and baptize you. Who does that? The Mormons, right? So Paul is saying this isn't some secret, this was a mystery, but now God's made it known. In what way? That the invisible God has now become visible. He chose to make himself visible in the person of his son. That's what the word manifested means. It implies that he pre-existed before, but now he's what? Been made known. So behind this mystery, is another mystery, the Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God in three persons. You say, explain it. Ha, ha, ha, ha. Right? Okay? So, God the Son becomes the God-man. That man should be made in God's image, that was a wonder. But that God should take on man's image is a greater wonder. And here's the question. Why did God, who was in heaven, God the Son, why did he lovingly condescend so low to adopt the human nature in its weakened post-fall condition? Was Jesus sinful? No. But he took on a what? Limited what? Body. That was subject to what? Death. Charles Wesley tells us we just sung it mild he lays his glory by born that man no more may Born to raise the sons of earth and then I love that line born to give us Whenever I'm in the stores or whatever. I want to shout. Did you hear that? Did you hear what he said second birth? Because people just saying this stuff and they don't even think about it he's talking about born a Again, yeah. So Jesus takes on our flesh that he might take on our sins on the cross and so satisfy the wrath of God against us for our sins. God the Son became a man. Why? So that sinners will be made the sons of God. He stooped that we might be lifted up. That's the whole point. He didn't just appear in a physical body. The body he appeared in was whipped and beaten and crucified, died, and was buried. Well, how is that a mystery of godliness? Well, now that God has been manifested in the flesh, with confidence I can draw near to the throne of grace. Question, has God ennobled our fallen nature by becoming one of us? Then why would I want to defile my spirit and body in any way, shape, or form? Hey, has God enriched us with His grace by humbling Himself to become a man, a servant, even a suffering servant who dies on a cross? Well, then is there any form of service I won't stoop to for you as my brothers and sisters? You see the application? Has He in every way been tempted as we are yet without sin? Then may we never give in to the lie that Jesus doesn't understand or care about my struggles in this life. He's been in the thick of it, hasn't He? He's been where you are and worse, okay? But Thomas Watson said, what will it profit us that Christ has been born into the world unless he's born in our what? Hearts. What would it profit us that he, Jesus, was united to our nature unless he is united to our persons? But the father didn't leave his son in the grave. Second line of the hymn speaks of vindication or justification. He was vindicated by, or it reads, justified in the Spirit. So when Jesus came to earth, He didn't come as a mighty king, He didn't come revealing God's splendor, He takes on the form of a lowly servant. And thus the ministry of the Holy Spirit was to declare that Jesus was the righteous one, and He attested to Jesus' deity, that He's God. And we see this when he's baptized. He's identifying himself with sinners by subjecting himself to baptism. The Spirit comes down vindicating him, descends on him like a what? A dove. See, here's a question. This is pro-practical. Christian, listen. How do I know for sure that Jesus is God in the flesh? How do I know for sure that he'll forgive my sins, that God will forgive my sins and make me right with himself? Because after Jesus humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross, he bores people's sins. After that, the Holy Spirit declared Jesus to be the Son of God by raising him from the dead. Romans 1.4. Listen, Christianity stands or falls on the resurrection. No resurrection, I would not be here today. Why? What's the point? Right? Why does it stand or fall on the resurrection, Christianity? If Jesus had been a sinner, then he would have had to die for his own sins. And God the Father would not have raised him from the dead. But the fact that God rose him from the dead proves that Jesus is the righteous one. All right, question. Application. How is Christ's vindication by the Spirit? Or justification in the Spirit? How is this mystery of godliness? Well, has the Father justified the claims of his son? Jesus claimed to be God. Did the father prove that he was? Yeah, by raising him from the? Ah, and so the father has justified, also justified those who trust in his son. He was raised for our justification. Romans 4 25. I love Paul's question. Listen to this. Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Well, who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died, more than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us, Romans 8, 33 and 34. Listen, will Jesus condemn you if he's praying for you? Listen, you will not condemn anybody who you're praying for, amen? You can't. Neither can he. That's why we sing when Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within upward. I look and see him there who made an end of all my sin because the sinless savior died. My sinful soul is counted free for God. The just is satisfied to look on him and pardon me. Amen. Listen, are you in Christ today? If so, then God fully accepts you in his son in Jesus. Yes, the world thinks you're crazy for being a Christian. True. But you're no longer a slave of sin like the world or of Satan. You're now a child of God. And since you're his child, you're made a joint heir with Jesus. Everything that belongs to Jesus, you will inherit. Now, if you don't have a lot that ought to make you smile. Amen. Really? All right, the Son was manifested in the flesh, He was vindicated by the Spirit, and third line speaks of observation. He was seen by the angels or observed by the angels. Question, people ask, well, is this referring to his conception where the angel showed up when he was conceived, you know, and announced it to, you know, Zechariah and Mary, et cetera. Or is this talking about his intercession, you know, his temptation when they came and ministered to him after the temptation or his intercession in the garden of Gethsemane where they ministered to him there because he was weak. After praying is he talking about his resurrection when they showed up instead of why are you looking for the living among the dead? Or is it talking about his ascension when they said hey, he's gonna return just as he went up the answer is all that is From the time that he was conceived to the whole time when he was taken up, he ascended up into heaven, the angels were fixated on the Savior. Why? Listen. Maybe because they had never seen a man without sin since Adam in the Garden of Eden. Okay? But they had definitely never seen God become man. Amen? The angels were caught up with Jesus because here's the first time that God becomes a man. And Peter tells us that angels long to look into our salvation, 1 Peter 1.12. Okay, now there's a whole sermon right there. Why are angels so interested in our salvation and especially in the Savior? Let me give four reasons and we'll go to our next point. First, are they amazed that God could love people who so grievously sinned against Him and were therefore so deserving of nothing but His wrath? Listen, there's no salvation for fallen angels. You can read it in Jude 6, you can read it in 2 Peter 2. Secondly though, perhaps they're interested out of amazement at the peace and joy of those who receive salvation. Could it be that angels in heaven who've never sinned and never needed mercy find themselves wishing they could experience the joy that comes from such mercy? At least one hymn writer seemed to think so. This is how he wrote. I love this. When I sing redemption's story, the angels will unfold their wings for angels never knew the joy that my salvation brings. So, are they interested because God's love for us sinners? Are they interested because of the joy we experience? Well, thirdly, perhaps angels are amazed that the prince of glory, the eternal son of God, would stoop so low to take to himself the humanity of sinners and in that humanity suffer the hostility of sinners and die on a cross. Maybe so. But fourth, I think we can definitely say this, angels are deeply interested in the Savior and salvation because they're always interested in that which brings glory to God. No one brought glory to God like who? Jesus. Nothing, not all creation, not all history, nothing brings more glory to God than the work of His Son in saving us. He's conquered sin and Satan and his demons and even death. Okay, well how is Christ being seen by angels and messengers of God in this? Listen, this application is simple. If God's mighty, immortal, faithful angels stand in awe of the Redeemer and our redemption, how much more should we, who are weak and dying and sinful, stand in awe? If angels who have never experienced salvation are so interested, intensely interested in salvation, how much greater should be our interest in it? Listen, we've been redeemed. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a what? Salvation. Christian, listen, do you desire to learn more about your salvation? Do you eagerly grasp every opportunity to study God's word? It's a good question. to worship with his people? Are you like David? I was glad when they said to me, let's go in the house of the Lord. No, I don't want to go to church. I said, how's it go? You know, he'd say, well, people played hooky today. I hate looking at church like school. I never want to come in that case. I didn't like school, by the way. It's kind of, you know, like some people don't like the dentist, you know, or the doctor. Really, are you doing everything you can to advance the kingdom of God? Listen, here's what I love. There are hundreds, if not thousands of books on what? Angels. If people come to you and they're interested in angels, from this text, as well as the rest of the Bible, you can tell them what angels only wish they knew. They're longing to look into our what? salvation because of the Savior seen by angels fourth line speaks of the proclamation of Christ he was proclaimed among the nations now this is amazing he who was despised and rejected stricken smitten and afflicted began to be proclaimed to all the world yeah William Temple said it this way the church is the only cooperative society in the world that exists for the benefit of its non-members Saints are not selfish There's jokes about shellfish, I won't even say it. But the point of it is, is if a saint is selfish, it's an oxymoron. It's like saying government intelligence. Or hospital food. Or plastic silverware. They don't go together! Jumbo shrimp, you keep going, I know! Or, um... I don't know, I won't be mean, I'll just stop there. Notice though what it says, he was proclaimed not a principle or a movement or a political party or an experience, but a person. He, Jesus, changes his people. Listen, someone said it this way, Christianity is who? Christ. You take out Christ, and what do you have? E-anity. You don't have Christianity, man. So what's the most important message you and I can give to people, men, women, boys and girls, with our life and our lips? You ready? That Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures. That's the most important message to gospel. Listen, the apostles were eager to fulfill Jesus' command to proclaim the gospel to every creature. In fact, they couldn't be shut up. Read the book of Acts. They said, how can we help? We cannot help of what we've seen and what speak about what we've seen and heard. But we have to told not be told to shut up. But to what? Speak up. What's wrong? Why is my question I'm asking, why is motivating people to share the gospel like pulling teeth? I'm not a dentist. I got a friend who's one. But he tells me when you try to pull the teeth and you only get part of it, it's a bad day. OK. Three things I'm gonna mention, why we don't share the gospel. I should say why we won't. Do we fear what others may think or say or do to us? I have a friend who's a firefighter. And I know what he would say if I asked him, why do you go into burning buildings to save people? He would not tell me for the money, amen? How can you pay a person enough to do that? The answer is, he doesn't do it. I don't care what the song said, she work hard for the money. The firefighter's not doing it for the what? The money. He does it because he cares about the people in the what? Listen, if you love God and you love people, that will conquer your what? Fear of what they may think or say or do to you when you tell them about who? Jesus. Do we fear what other people say, think, do to us? Secondly, do we worry about what we will say to people? I don't know enough. Listen, Jesus said, follow me and I will make you fishers of men. Listen, stick close to Jesus and he'll use you to catch people in the net of the what? The gospel. Do I fear other people? Am I worried about what I'm going to say? Thirdly, am I too busy to tell people the good news or the gospel? If you look in the Great Commission, go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature. And he says, go and make disciples of all the what? Nations. That word go is a participle. It implies as you are going. Going where? Where do you go? You kids go to school. Isn't that right, Mellie? You go to school. You go to school. Us adults who aren't retired. I'm just tired. I'm not retired. We go to work. I know everybody goes, what, this time of year? Tell me. Shopping. You go to the gas station, you go to your relatives. As you are going, it implies, make disciples of all the nations, wherever you want. As you go, or wherever you go, the whole wide world is our mission field. Listen, what's the point? Jesus, the Lord of glory, came down to the earth in order to send us into all the earth. Let me illustrate it before we go to our fifth point here. eric little he left edinburgh after the olympic victory in nineteen twenty four and he was there in waverly station first he was going to london and then on to china as a missionary and the crowd gathered uh... to say goodbye to and some were friends and family and folks from his church and and other were people to just were intrigued because he played rugby for scotland and he had won an olympic uh... gold medal and as they gather around he sees the opportunity he dropped the window of his train any shouted to the crowd Christ for the world, for the world needs Christ. Are you did you hear that? Christ for the world, for the world needs Christ. And then he led them in singing all hail the power of Jesus name. Let angels prostrate what fall. Crown him with the royal what died and crown him Lord of all. And then he went on in his journey, and he died in a prison of war camp. And I loved it. I was reading the story about it. He was encouraging people in the prison of war camp, often speaking on 1 Corinthians 13, love, and Matthew 5, and encouraging them to love even their what? Their captors, the people who are holding them in prison. And why did he do that? Because he understood the mystery of godliness. It had burned itself into his soul. He could never be the same again. There wasn't a gold medal minted that could meet the aspiration of his heart to see unbelieving people become followers of Jesus Christ. Interesting. Fifth line speaks of reception of Christ. Notice what it says, he was believed on in the world. Well, how's that a mystery? I mean, come on, Sean, don't people just decide to believe on Jesus? The answer is what? No, faith's a gift from who? It's not of our own doing. Ephesians 2.8, read it. Every Christian is a miracle of God's grace. Do you hear me? It's not decisional regeneration. It's the Spirit giving us life. The apostles preach Jesus, who is the truth. Listen, here's what's amazing to me. They preached repentance, they preached faith, they preached self-denial. That's the exact opposite of what men and women naturally love. People hate the light and won't come to it because they love what? Darkness. Yet people believed. What do you mean? The Puritan Richard Sibbes, he said this, for a proud world to believe in a crucified Savior is a mystery indeed. Amen? Listen, this line is historical and it's prophetical. How so? It's historical and many people trusted in Jesus during his earthly ministry. But there were also those like the centurion at the foot of the cross who said truly this man was the son of God. And even the thief who hung beside Jesus believed. And that very day he was in what? Paradise. And those who believed in, you know, the first eyewitnesses of the resurrection believed. Peter and John and Mary and the others. And nearly 3,000 who believed on the day of Pentecost. And as the church in Jerusalem continue to preach the gospel, Acts tells us the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. And even today, the Lord is still what? Adding to his number. Well, it's not just historical, it's also prophetical, this line is. And how so? As God promised Abraham, Genesis 12, 3, as the psalmist said, Psalm 72, and the prophets predicted, you can see it many places in the Old Testament, so men from every tribe and tongue and language and nation began to worship Christ as their Lord and Savior. Question, how does that, this reception produce godliness? Well, notice the preposition on, the little word, he was believed on in the world. It wasn't that they just believed about Him. Well, I just got a mental ascent. Yeah, I believe Jesus. Nope. It wasn't that they just believed in Him, as people downtown tell me. The higher power, the cosmic Christ, everything is what? God. Everything. You know, I am you and you are me as we are all together. Cuckoo, ca-choo. No, really. No, it's not believed. It's not believed. It's not believed about. It's not even believed in. It's believed on. An abandonment of myself to the Savior. Question. Have you believed on Christ? What do you mean? Here's my question. How much of your life do you trust him with? Well, everything but my money. You smile, you see. Well, everything but my marriage. Really? Everything but my kids? Really? Well, I trust him with everything but my grandkids. I trust him with everything but my health. I trust him with everything but my stuff, my possessions. I trust him with everything except the media. Hello? I trust him with everything except the president, the left would say. I trust him with everything except Pastor Sean Magoon. and Bible Baptist Church. Make mine a pepperoni. Listen, are you ready? God used a ragtag band of fishermen, tax collectors, zealots to spread the gospel. And why? They had been with Jesus. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. They were devoted to prayer. They were armed with a word of God, no matter how weak or uneducated or small or old we are. I keep hearing, we're not, we're not, we're just a small church. We're mostly old people. We can't really do much, little as much when God is in it. Labor not for wealth nor fame. There's a prize and you can win it if you go in Jesus well See you need to read first Samuel 14. What did Jonathan say to his art his sword bearer his armor bearer? He said God can say by little or by many I love that and They took the Philistines that day and the earth what tell me shook Well, you can imagine David. Well, I'm just a little shepherd boy. And Goliath, he's a big, fat warrior, tall and big. And everybody else ran because Goliath was so big they couldn't take him. David said, he's so big I can't miss him. Hey, man, how do you look at it? How do you look at it, Christian? Listen, if we, no matter what our limitations, if we pray and humbly depend upon God, right? Paul says, you know, some planted, some watered, right? He said, but God gave the what? Increase. Planted is preaching probably, and water would be comparable probably to prayer. Listen, if we humbly proclaim the Bible, depending on God in prayer, we declare the gospel, then in God's time and in God's way, he'll make sure that our labor is not in vain. And in heaven, there's gonna be a multitude which no one can count, Revelation 7, 9. And then lastly, the sixth line here, you see it? The exaltation of Christ, he was taken up or received into where? glory so the ascension of Jesus was that point at which he exchanged his lowly earthly condition that he took on temporarily for a heavenly exalted one and glory is referring to that absolute splendor the glory of the Father's presence which Jesus experienced and enjoyed before the world began that's John 17 and 5 but now he's going back to that but he's gay also receiving the reward of his earthly obedience that's why I said for the joy set before him Are you with me? God's what? He's crowning him with glory and honor. He's giving him a name that's what? Above all names because of what he's done. That's what that word glory is meaning. It's a great mystery that came from heaven and now he's returned to heaven. And now as our prophet and our priest and our king, he rules from the father's right hand. And you say, this doesn't make any sense. Why would they put his ascension at the end? It's out of order, isn't it? It's out of order from preached and believed on in the world. Matthew Henry said, it is the crown of his exaltation, that's why. And as the angels promised, one day he will return to earth in the same manner as he ascended, visibly, bodily, in power and glory. And so Jesus said, it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the helper will not come to you. But if I go away, I will send him to you. Listen, Jesus not only lives in us by his spirit, he's also praying for us. He's preparing a place for us in heaven. And one day he's going to come back again. Now listen, how does this confession, this majestic Christ of this confession produce godly conduct in us that Paul's desiring? That's why he's put it in there. It's so profound. It's an example of what the church proclaimed, this mystery of godliness, the past humiliation and the present triumph of Christ is in contrast to all the false teachings about Christ, okay? How should Christians conduct themselves in the world as God's family living a holy life, right? Not merely saying the words, right? Not merely mouthing it, but having a changed life, demonstrates the reality of our faith. Listen, there are fixed beliefs about Christ, His incarnation, amen? His resurrection, you say, what about the crucifixion? It's implied in there, right? His being believed on, seen by angels, believed on and what? Proclaimed and believed on and taken up into glory. His ascension, his exaltation, all of that. It's an appeal for belief. This is the way one person put it. Christians are not merely those who think nice thoughts about a benevolent Jesus. He's the Lord of who? His church. But he's also Lord of what? I remember preaching, and Roger said to me, what's this King of Kings and Lord of Lords mean? I said, that means, I want to say he's the Grand Kahuna. I mean, how do you get across? You know what I'm saying? You got a CEO at work? He's bigger than him. President Trump? Bigger than him. United Nations? Who's at the top of that? Small potatoes. You got King who? Tell me. Jesus. Exactly. And so that's the whole point. We are to be those who commit themselves to the incarnate Son of God, who's now risen and reigning, right? Those, listen, that story about Jesus is to reshape my little story of my life. That's the whole point of this hymn, I think, personally, as I look at it. And so incarnation, we should glorify God with our bodies, shouldn't we? Hands that help, true? Mouths that what? Bless other people. Right? Minds that really think we love God with all our what? Mind. Interesting. Mentioned that last week. Vindication. Pray that we'll be vindicated at Judgment Day. But we should live our lives in such a way even now that we have the assurance of that. Observation. We should join with the angels and the apostles in worshiping God around His throne. Amen? Proclamation. We should testify of the grace of God and his gospel. We should preach the gospel to who? I say every creature. I preach the gospel to my dog. You say Ted needs to be saved? I know he needs to be saved. I'm telling you. He's whining and wanting a treat every time he turns around. Anyway, I could go more into that. I won't. Reception, he was believed on in the world. We should trust him for everything, our salvation now and everything we'll ever need beyond that. And exaltation, we should humbly, what? Be awaiting his return with eager expectation, being patient, and what? And serving him until he comes and being found busy about our father's business like Jesus was. I was thinking about the temple story, when he got lost in the temple. Jesus wasn't lost, but the people were looking for him, thought he was lost. When the Messiah was missing, what a great title for a sermon, amen? And when they found him, they said, son, don't you know, we've been worried about you? And Mary said, we've been looking for you. What, two or three days? And he said, don't you know that I had to be about my father's what? Business, I had to be busy, I had to be in his house. I close with this story, the great composer, whose opera's number among the world's favorites was stricken with cancer in 1922. And he was determined to write a final opera, which some consider his best, called Turandot. And his students implored him to rest and save his strength, but he persisted, and he said this at one point, he said, if I do not finish my music, my students will finish it. Now listen to this, 1924, Puccini was taken to Brussels to be operated on. He died there two days after his surgery, but his students did finish his final work, okay? In 1926, the gala premiere was held in Milan under the baton of Puccini's favorite student, ready? Arturo Toscanini, you ever heard of him? Yeah, and all went brilliantly that evening until they came to the point in the score where the master, Bassini had forced to put down his pen because of his death. And Toscanini, his face wet with tears, stopped the production, put down his baton, turned to his audience and said, thus far the master wrote, but he died. After a few moments, Toscanini's face now wreathed with a smile and he picked up his baton and he cried out, but his disciples finished his work. Listen, our master died, but then he raised from the, and now he's sent to the father and he's left us with the most important task in the world, to preach the gospel to who? Every creature, every man, woman, boy, and girl among the nations, and to do what we must commit ourselves to a living relationship with the living God, amen? And commit ourselves to one another as members of his what? Household, his family. We must commit ourselves to know, to live by and defend God's word of truth. So that we ultimately, like Jesus, do everything to the glory of God the Father. Thank you for listening to this week's message from Bible Baptist Church. If you'd like to contact us, you can reach Pastor Sean at seanmagoon and the number one at yahoo.com. If you'd like to join us for worship on Sunday mornings, we meet beginning at 10 a.m. every Sunday on the second floor of the McMinnville Community Center at 600 Northeast Evans Street in McMinnville, just one block north of the courthouse. Ample parking is available across the street, and we would love to see you this Sunday. From all of us at Bible Baptist Church, we pray that the Lord may bless you this week.