The Message Of Godliness Revealed In Christ Series

THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL

I TIMOTHY 3:14-16

DORN RIDGE JUNE 29, 2013

If you would like to hear an audio MP3 of this message you can listen to it at: http://chirb.it/rf2114

INTRODUCTION:

1.) In the closing verses of 1 Timothy 3, Paul speaks to Timothy about “the greatness of the mystery of Godliness.”

2.) All through the Old Testament Era the plan of God and how he would make man acceptable in his presence was largely a mystery.

A.) Even though the Scripture, and Old Testament prophecy had proclaimed of the coming of Christ, until he came, and offered himself as a sacrifice for sin, God’s plan was a mystery.

aa.) But praise God, what had been a mystery, through Jesus Christ is revealed.

ab.) As our own nation has been formed, Leaders of this country had come to experience the Love of God through Jesus Christ.

aba.) some of these men also had the desire that Jesus would be made known to this new nation.

3.) 146 years ago tomorrow Canada became a nation. One of the things that had made Canada so great was an awareness and desire for the Christ and the Gospel to spread throughout the land.

A.) A former premier of New Brunswick, and one of the Fathers of Confederation was Sir Leonard Tilley. Tilley was a Christian man who began his day with prayer and the reading of the Word of God each day.

B.) One day Tilley was reading Psalm 72: ““He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth…Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.” (Psalm 72:8,18-19).

ba.) Tilley felt this scripture speaking of the Dominion of God from sea to sea should be a motto for Canada.

bb.) Having presented the idea to government Sir John A. Macdonald wrote a letter to Queen Victoria stating that it was the intent of this nation to have that as a motto.

bba.) Canada wanted Jesus Christ to be King of Kings, and Lord of Lords within our nation.

4.) Today as we look at the revelation of the mystery of Godliness, we see of God’s desire that Jesus Christ would go from sea to sea of the entire world.

I.) HE (GOD) APPEARED IN THE BODY.

1.) Part of the mystery of the Gospel was that God could become flesh.

A.) There have been many theories, and writings on God become Flesh.

B.) Regardless of any theories that man has put forward, the reality is that there is not a man alive who can comprehend how that the God who is above all of creation and who has created everything that is in the world could ever become part of the very creation He had created.

C.) But understand it or not, we accept the prophecy given in Isaiah that a virgin should conceive and give birth to a son and that he shall be called Immanuel: God with us.

ca.) When Jesus was born that prophecy was fulfilled, and the God who had created all things became part of the very creation he had made.

cb.) Matt. 1:22-23

cc.) That was the beginning of God’s mystery of Godliness revealed to man.

II.) HE WAS VINDICATED BY THE SPIRIT.

1.) Every part of the life and ministry of Jesus was in and through the fullness of the Holy Spirit of God.

A.) The Day Jesus stood up and probably for the first time in his home town synagogue proclaimed the Word of God the people of Nazareth were excited at his message, and thrilled with his words, until one part of his sermon.

aa.) When Jesus came to the part of his message where he told the congregation that He was full of the Holy Spirit of God, and that this very day the prophecy of Isaiah he was reading from was being fulfilled in their very sight, they turned on him.

ab.) Luke 4:14, 17-22

aba.) “ Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

abb.) That was the turning point. At first they were excited about the words Jesus had said. But then after the initial excitement they began to think on who Jesus was. When they asked is this not Joseph's son, they were in fact saying Who does he think he is. He is not a priest, nor a Pharisee, or teacher of the law. What gives him the right as a carpenter, or carpenter's son any claim to be the fulfillment of this passage of Scripture?

abc.) Once they considered this, they rejected it, and took him to the edge of the city to kill him, but Scripture records he passed through the crowd.