October 19 2025

Havasu Christian Church       

10/19/2025

I Timothy 3: 14-16   

“I’m coming to visit!”

INTRO: Paul is planning to come to see Timothy! YAY! I’m sure Timothy was excited to read this! But, travel was a little bit dicey in the first century world. You most often had to walk, or if going a long distance, you might catch a ride in a ship. There were dangers on the road, and the Mediterranean Sea was fickle and unforgiving. One minute, things were fine, a short while later you were throwing cargo overboard hoping not to sink.

      In Paul’s case, there is also threat of arrest and persecution. So, “just in case I can’t make it…” He has some things to say to Timothy by way of reminder.

I Timothy 3: 14-16 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; 

     15   but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. 

     16   By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: 

    He who was revealed in the flesh, 

    Was vindicated in the Spirit, 

    Seen by angels, 

    Proclaimed among the nations, 

    Believed on in the world, 

    Taken up in glory. 

Paul is writing about what it means to be a part of the “Household of God.”

1. The “Household of God” is the Church.
2. It is the Church of the living God.
3. The Church belongs to God!
4. Typically, “Living God” refers to God the Father.
5. This certainly fits, but perhaps it’s speaking of God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
6. The Church after all, is referred to as “the Bride of Christ.”
7. Perhaps this is also expressing the idea that God lives in His People, the Church.
8. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we are “inhabited” by God.
9. I believe Paul here is writing about individual Churches.
10. “This Church is a “Household of God.”
11. I believe that Paul is also writing about the Church, scattered out in the world.
12. We are also a smaller part of the larger “Household of God.”

1. There is a way of proper conduct in God’s Church.
2. We’ve seen much of this in the last two weeks, looking at God’s qualifications for...
3. Elders
4. Deacons
5. The Women connected to them.
6. These are proper ways of living that we should all be striving for.
7. If God expects certain behavior from those who lead in Serving, He’ll be happy to see us living the same way.

1. There are truths to be taught and stood for in God’s Church.
2. The Church is to be a pillar and support of the truth.
3. If you abandon these truths, you can’t be a Christian.
4. If you choose to follow Jesus, these things are non-negotiable.
5. Pillar: Large, 1st century buildings that had a roof had pillars..
6. The technology to build massive, unsupported domes and roofs had not been invented yet.
7. Pillars were a necessity! They held up the roof!
8. Support: Without a proper footing, a pillar will sink!
9. The Church (pillar) that does not stand on the clear footing of truth will fail, just like a pillar with no foundation will fail. 
10. These truths were commonly taught and believed by Christians everywhere.
11. They were commonly confessed….
12. This list of truths is not an exhaustive list…

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

1. These are some “core truths” that Christians should hold up!
2. “He who was revealed in the flesh.”
3. Jesus was literally was born in a human body.
4. He was born a baby, grew up, lived a sinless life, Died a sacrificial death, and was raised from death. 
5. Jesus was “vindicated in the Spirit.”
6. When Jesus came to earth, He left everything that made Him God, behind.

Philippians 2:5–9 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name.

1. The miracles Jesus did were done through the Power of the Holy Spirit, not His own power.
2. If Jesus was a phony, the Holy Spirit would not have worked through Him the way He did.
3. Jesus was “Seen by angels.”
4. The word “Angel” means “Messenger.”
5. This could be referring to Angelic messengers… Angels.
6. Scary and shiny with no wings.
7. It could be that it is referring to human messengers.
8. Jesus was obviously seen by both.
9. Jesus was “proclaimed among the nations.”
10. The fact that Christian men and women went all over the world, at great peril and persecution, is a strong indicator that what they were sharing was the truth!

1 Corinthians 15:3–8 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

4   and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

5   and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

6   After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;

7   then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;

8   and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

1. The Apostle Paul, after an encounter with the risen Lord, traveled all over the Roman world, sharing about Jesus and starting churches.
2. He continued sharing Jesus until he was killed for his faith.
3. Before that, he endured many hardships.

2 Corinthians 11:22–28 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.

23   Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.

24   Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.

25   Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.

26   I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;

27   I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

28   Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.

1. 11 of the 12 Apostles are believed to have been killed for their faith.
2. Countless others died, rather than giving up their faith.
3. Still today, people stand up and are unwilling to deny Jesus, regardless of the consequences.
4. Jesus was and is “Believed on in the world.”
5. This too is a fundamental truth.
6. People’s belief is not proof of truth.
7. People believe some pretty dumb things in our time.
8. In the 1st century, Christianity swept through the world like a fire.
9. It made much more sense than the gentile religions.
10. It was a fulfillment of the Jewish religion.
11. Jesus was “taken up in glory.”

Matthew 28:16–20 But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

1. The 11 Apostles were witnesses of the Ascension of Jesus.
2. What they witnessed changed them!
3. When Jesus was arrested, they all ran and hid.
4. After the resurrection, they were still hiding.
5. After Jesus’ ascension, they waited as Jesus commanded.
6. When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they went out and conquered the world for Christ!
7. You have every right to believe or disbelieve these “core truths” of Christianity.
8. But if you do not believe these truths, don’t call yourself a Christian.

Conclusion: There are many who would call themselves “Christians” but do not believe the things we’ve talked about today.

      If you don’t believe them, why would you even pretend to wear the name Christian?

• Jesus truly did come to this earth as a human baby.
• This is important.
• God came to truly know what it was to be one of us.
• Jesus set aside all the power of being God, and did the miraculous things He did by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
• The only help Jesus had to fight against temptation was His hatred of sin!
• Jesus was seen by MANY witnesses after rising from the dead. 
• Over 500!
• 4 gospels written about His life, including much 1st hand experience.
• The rest of the New Testament speaks to what Jesus did, and said.
• The rest of the New Testament was written so we could know what God expects of His children.
• The truth of Jesus was not only “Proclaimed among the Nations,” it was accepted!
• That’s still happening.
• Jesus Rose from the dead, to never die again!
• He left this earth, but He’s coming back the same way that He left!

Revelation 19:11–16 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Who’s side are you on?