The House of God
Category: Church, Ministry & Spiritual Gifts
Key Passage: 1 Timothy 3:14-15
Speaker: Paul Chisgar
Date: November 18, 2024
First Timothy chapter number three. And for just a bit tonight, the house of God—just let that be the title for tonight: the house of God. First Timothy chapter number three.
1 Timothy chapter number 3. If you stay awake the whole service along, Brother Garrett will go ahead and shave his head off. So we’re good to go on that. 1 Timothy 3. We’re going to start verse number 14. Verse number 14. If you would please, would you please stand as we read God’s word together: 1 Timothy 3 and verse number 14. By the way, aren’t you glad we have God’s word?
All the philosophy, all the up and down, the changing and going, really cattywamp us. We got the truth right here. I’m so glad for that, and praise the Lord for the Bible. Look at verse number 14, if we would please, there. He says, “These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly. But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”
Just for a bit tonight, the house of God. Would you pray with me that God would speak to hearts about it? Father, thank you, Lord, for this house of God, Your house. Thank you, Lord, how You have worked over the years. It’s all You, Lord. Praise You for it.
Father, we look forward to the days ahead what You’re going to do. I pray that You would use this local church in a great way for Your glory. Lord, to help a whole lot of people. And, Lord, souls to not be burning in hell forever to be with You. Marriages to be helped. Children to grow up in the nurture and admonition of You, Lord. Father, Jesus, You use this church in a great way and a multitude of ways.
And we’ll thank You for use tonight to that end. And we’ll thank You what You do. Jesus, and we ask, amen. Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.
The book of Timothy is really God speaking through Apostle Paul. He’s the older preacher for years and years. He’s speaking to Timothy, his son in the faith, and Timothy was in the ministry also. The book of Timothy, really both books, are a lot about the church, the operation of the church, the way the church ought to be, and just much about the church. In fact, this chapter three here is very much about the church offices.
Look back in verse number one here of chapter number three. And talking to this young preacher, you look this way: the church order. He starts verse one: “This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.” By the way, if that bishop runs like it ought to be, it’ll be work. It’s a good work, though.
Verse number 8, he changes over to not just the pastor, the bishop. Bishop means overseer, but now to the deacons. He says, “Likewise must the deacons be grave”—that is, worthy of honor, able to handle honor—“not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre,” and on and on. He talks about the deacons for a bit.
And then verse number 14, he says, “Now these sayings, I’m telling you, I’m writing about these sayings, hoping to come to these shortly. But if I tarry long, if I can’t come right away and be with you, Timothy, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church.”
I don’t do it every Sunday morning, but I’ll do it fairly often. I heard this from Jimmy Teter, where it started, but a lot of times I’ll say, “Good to have you in the house of the Lord on the Lord’s day.” I say that on purpose. People are losing that. This is the Lord’s house. The house of God on the Lord’s day is a special thing. And the church is the house of God. Amen.
I think about… I don’t necessarily like everything they promoted or didn’t promote, whatever, but the Waltons—I like just the theme song. I’ve been putting it on YouTube sometimes, just the Walton theme song and listening to it. You know that little theme song? Somebody can hum it out there. I’ll try it, but I’ll mess it all up. There you go. Brother Ted’s got it going there. That’s it, though. He’s got it.
And then, you know, that last little bit, they’re all gathered around the house, the whole family. And then they kind of take that, you know, just a shot right there, a photographic shot of it. Well, the family of God ought to gather at the house of God. That’s God’s plan.
You say, why do you go to church? Because of Jesus. He saved my soul. I’m one of His children, and His children ought to go to the house of God. That’s God’s plan. The church is so precious—His children, His church is so precious. Acts 20:28: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, to feed all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” The church is precious to the Lord. It’s His house.
You know, it seems like every parent has to get older, especially moms, but you know what? They want everybody to be back home. They just like that.
And you think about the Lord on the Lord’s Day, and He wants His children to gather back at the house on the Lord’s Day. You say, “Well, I would make the Lord’s Day special for all His children to be in His house.” Think about the Lord on Sunday morning as churches are gathering all over, and they’re gathering in the name of the Lord at the Lord’s house. Just think how God feels about that. When my children are right there in my house, that’s special. That’s God’s plan.
Children, why do you go to church? Well, I’m a child of God. Not only that, but I’m an obedient—try to be an obedient child. Look over in Hebrews 10. You’ll know the verse. It’s the classic verse we use about going to church, but it’s a wonderful verse. And it’s God’s plan. Hebrews 10. Look in verse number 25 right there, Hebrews 10:25. When you find that, say amen, please. Look at that. He says, “Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together.” I think the Lord, of course, He did know in His foreknowledge that there would be YouTube and all the other stuff. And I understand some people can’t come here. But listen, YouTube is not obeying, because the Bible says, “Not forsaking the assembling.” It doesn’t say, “Not forsaking the assembly around YouTube.” He says, “Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together.” That’s God’s plan.
In a day and time where so many churches are having Sunday morning—they may have three services—but you’re only supposed to come to one on Sunday morning, then Sunday night. Sometimes, you know, a small group or every other Sunday night, Wednesday night, the youth group, and all that stuff. And in a day and time where they’re kind of pushing church down, they don’t have church that often. What does God say in His word right there? Look at it again: “Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” As we get closer to Jesus coming back, we don’t need church less; we need church more.
You say, “Are you tempted to give up on Sunday night, Wednesday night when nobody comes?” Yeah, maybe when I’m in the flesh. When I’m in the word, we need it even more today. That’s God’s plan. It’s the house of God. And by the way, in the book of Acts, they met daily, three times a week. We’re closer to when Jesus comes back than they were. That’s God’s plan.
Obedient children. Now, you say, “Well, how do I choose the church?” By the way, praise the Lord, you’ve chosen the church. There are just a couple thoughts about that. Number one: because of what they believe. If I’m looking for a church, I’m going to find out where they stand on it. Are they using the right Bible? Do they have a King James Bible, or do they have one that’s been messed with by these modern guys, you know? I mean, I want to find out: Do they believe in eternal security? Do they believe you can lose your salvation? Do they stand on anything? Are they going to preach against abortion or not? I mean, the doctrine—doctrine ought to be the glue that holds us together. By the way, I’m a Christian, first of all, by the blood of Jesus Christ, but after that, I’m a Baptist. You say, “Why?” Because it’s the closest thing I can find in the Bible. You know, what would you be if you weren’t a Baptist? I’d be ashamed. I’m joking a little bit, or maybe not a little bit, you know. No, I go to a church. I want to find out what they stand for. What do they believe? It ought to be the thing. That’s what I’m looking for in a church. See? The doctrine ought to be the glue that holds us together.
Why do you go to Rutherford County Baptist Church? Well, I’m a child of God. I want to be an obedient child, and I’m going to go somewhere that stands for what I believe God stands for. Yeah. I’m for having friends—we’re about to get to that in a second here in the house of God. That’s wonderful. But, friend, you can go to the YMCA and make friends. They’re called kind of social clubs out there. It was just friends. No, I go there because they’re believing what I believe the Bible teaches. Doctrine ought to be the glue that holds us together. See?
Because I’m a child of God, and God taught us these things from His Word. That’s why I’m going to church. But then let me say this: It’s so often true that the church family—so often you’ll hear this, you’ll hear people say this, and it’s a biblical thing, we’ll look at it—but they’ll say, “You know, honestly, I’m closer to my church family than my blood family.” It becomes friends and family.
Look, if you will, look over in Matthew chapter number 12. Matthew chapter number 12. You say, “I thought I was the only one like that.” And by the way, I’m not trying to put down blood family. But how can two walk together except they be agreed? Look what Jesus says over here, Matthew chapter 12. And look in verse number 46. Matthew 12 and verse number 46.
This is Jesus, while He yet talked to the people. “Behold, His mother and His brethren stood without, desiring to speak with Him.” Then one said to Him, “Behold, Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with Thee.” But He answered and said to him that told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brethren?” And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples and said, “Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother and sister and mother.”
Friend, it’s a biblical thing. Hey, those that are doing the will of God, those are the people I’m very close to. And the church family, it becomes very dear and precious. And you fellowship, you enjoy, you laugh together, you cry together, you share prayer requests together. That’s God’s plan.
Take someone who is, maybe they’re coming out of a very, very sinful home life, and they get saved, and they’re going to grow up in the Lord. How are they going to find good friends? The house of God—brother, children of God, the obedient children of God—come together, and we believe the same thing, the doctrines that glue that hold us together, and we get in there, and man, you become a church family.
Isn’t the church family an awesome thing? It’s a wonderful thing. Man, we have such sweet fellowship. We’re all a little different, but it’s an awesome thing to have church family. It’s God’s plan. And for God’s children, not making light of your family. By the way, if you have a family that’s going the direction of ours, living for the Lord, praise the Lord, you’re very blessed. That’s like a double blessing. I’m not trying to make light of that at all. Man, lift your hands and head up to the Lord and say, “Thank you, God.” That’s a blessing.
That’s God’s plan. The house of God, the house of God, the church is the house of God. There are just a couple points tonight. The house of God is a great house. It’s a great house. Look over in Second Timothy—you’re there already. Look in chapter number two. Second Timothy chapter number two. Excuse me, you’re in First Timothy. Go over to Second Timothy chapter number two. 2 Timothy, as some would say, kind of like 2 Corinthians. 2 Timothy chapter number two. And look in verse number 19. Second Timothy 2, look in verse number 19: “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
He’s talking about salvation in that verse number 19 there. He knows who it is. Foundation is Jesus Christ. They got the seal of the Holy Spirit. I ought to depart from iniquity. But in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; some to honor and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these—watch this—from these iniquities, if he purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master’s use, prepared unto every good work.
Now here’s what I’m getting at. In a great house with a lot of kids, if you will, there are some kids that are good kids, and some that are not so good. Some vessels of honor—man, they represent the Lord well. They’ll go to work, and they have a clean mouth, and they’re not talking dirty, and they’re not going out at lunch to places you ought not to go to, and they have a good attitude at work. They’re a vessel of gold, a vessel of honor. But yet, even in a great house, you’re going to have somebody that was in church on Sunday, and then Monday they’re going to go, and they’re going to be saying things they ought not to say. And at lunchtime, they’re going to go where they ought not to go, and things. They’re not a vessel to honor. The honest, simple truth is there’s a vessel of dishonor. And I say that in a great house: Don’t get too shook up when you see that.
Now, it’s not right, and we’ll do our best to prevent that. But don’t get like that: “Well, there’s hypocrites at church. I’m not going to go to church anymore.” There are hypocrites at your job. They tear the boss apart, and the boss comes up, and they say, “Hey, how you doing?” right there. There are hypocrites at Walmart. There are hypocrites at Publix. There are hypocrites at Kroger. There are hypocrites everywhere you go. And they’re going to be in church, too. It’s a great house. There are vessels of honor. Praise the Lord, we have so many good Christians around here, and I’m so thankful for that. Man, just precious people. But there’s going to be some vessels of dishonor. Don’t let that knock you off your saddle, if you will.
This term is used so much in our day and time, and I’m not saying some of this doesn’t happen, but you’ll hear this term “church hurt.” How many ever heard that term? Boy, you hear it, you talk to anybody, and here’s the thing: it’s almost like if they mention church hurt, then they have an excuse to disobey God’s word. Let me say that again. It seemed like if they mention church hurt, then they have the excuse to disobey God’s word when He said, “Go to church.” Come on now. I’ve been hurt in church. If you’ve ever been hurt in church, would you raise your hand? Praise the Lord, you’re still here. Yeah. Friend, I’m not promoting hurting someone in church. I hate that when it happens, and we’ll do all we can to prevent that. But that doesn’t make it a right excuse for me to get out of church. It’s like a code word in our day and time: “Well, I don’t have to go to church tomorrow because I got hurt.” Did you get hurt at Walmart? Did eBay or Amazon do you wrong? You still shop there?
It’s a great house. There are some vessels of honor, and there are some vessels of dishonor. It’s a great house. It’s a big one. By the way, He didn’t come to call the righteous, but He came to call the lost, the sinners. Amen. Pray what we’re saying sinners, but we’re still messed up. By the way, that person—well, you know, they’re doing this. You’ve got problems too, friend. Isn’t it always amazing to me—this is a little side note—don’t you judge? Really? Who’s judging right now? You understand where I’m coming from? Did you get that? And I’m not advocating church hurt, but it’s a great house. It’s going to happen. It’s just part of it. But it’s still God’s plan. It’s still right. It’s still healthy. It’s the way we grow, and we get love and nourishment and fellowship and preaching, and we agree on the doctrine of all this. That’s God’s plan. Yeah.
Let me say this. Go over to 1 Corinthians chapter number 12, please. First Corinthians chapter number 12. Just a couple thoughts about the house of God. By the way, what a privilege we get to have a part in the house of God. Just think about that. Think about that. We are serving in God’s house. That’s pretty amazing. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 12. Look at verse number 4, if you would please. Verse number 4, 1 Corinthians 12, verse number 4: “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.” Let’s just talk about that for a minute here. You know God’s children in God’s house? We’re gifted differently. It’s the same Spirit, but we’re wired differently. We’re so very, very different.
You know, it’s interesting talking about where’s Brother Garrett? Where is Brother Garrett? There he is, Brother Garrett back there. His dad, the accident—some of you knew about it yesterday and then today and whatnot and all this. But it’s interesting to watch when someone hears about it: the mercy showers. Oh. By the way, when you fall—and we all fall, you don’t get hurt or sick or whatever—you don’t want to be around a prophet; you want to be around a mercy shower. But it’s just interesting watching different reactions. Some are just, man, empathetic: “Oh, my goodness, wow. He broke his femur, the biggest bone in the body. How painful it is.” And they feel it. And then some want to know about the tree stand. You want to say, “You’re going to fall one day, but…” And then that’s more the prophet side. And then there’s exhortation; they just want to encourage. And just in the church next Sunday, we’re going to talk about the building and all that. There’s going to be someone here that has a gift of giving, and they’re going to be so concerned about the building. And they’re not going to hear anything else but the numbers. And not because they’re all about money for themselves; they’re all about meeting the need. They’re all about the need being met. They’re wired a little different. Then there’s going to be someone gifted with faith: “We can do it. We can do it. Forty million dollars, we can do it. God’s able,” you know. They got the gift of faith.
And then there’s the gift of ruling. You know, if you walk in the room and there are about, you know, 20 different jobs to be done, someone with the gifts of ministry, they just like to work in the shadows; they’re just going to walk in and they’re going to start doing things. And someone with the gifts of helps are going to try to find the leader, and they’ll read the leader’s mind real quick and catch his vision and help get it done. And then there’s a ruler. He’s going to come in there. He’s going to say, “Hey, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that.” We get organized; we get the job done. Not a right or wrong. You can get much done if you get a lot of people doing different things. But we’re wired a little different. We have different spiritual gifts. And so I have to allow my other brothers and sisters, the other children of God, to be different to me. I’m glad we’re not all gifted the same way. We would be an odd church. Everybody’s got to be a little different. Everybody’s going to view things different. The gift of hospitality—they don’t care anything about anybody else; “How are the visitors doing?” you know. They didn’t even shake my hand because they were going 100 miles an hour to shake the visitors’ hands. And you’ve got to let them be wired like that. We’re all a little different, friend. And that’s okay. That’s what makes it a wonderful, wonderful strength used together to accomplish much for God.
It’s a house of God, and God has gifted His children differently. Isn’t it amazing how they just come out differently? You know what I’m talking about? My mom—there are three of us boys, me and my brother. I have a sister who is older than a brother, than a younger brother. But my older brother and I were 18 months apart. And one of us grew up without ever taking shoes off, and the other one grew up never putting shoes on. If you ever wanted to wear Sarah got hers from, then you understand what I’m talking about. It’s just we’re wired differently. See? And God’s children are wired differently. We’re gifted differently. And we’ve got to allow for that. It’s all part of it.
Go back over there, if you would, please. First Corinthians 12, go back over there. And we read verse number four, verse number four. Look at verse number five: “There are diversities of administrations, but the same Lord.” That’s different, different ways to serve the Lord and different ministries, but the same Lord. “And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.”
You know, this is a good thing, but our church is really becoming—and I feel like the last couple of years, a couple of years, the last couple of years—what about that? Last couple of years, our church has really changed a little bit in that. We’ve always been somewhat this, but even more, just a multi-ministry church. And so many people doing so many different things. We have the Sunday school. We have nursery, praise the Lord for those nursery workers. We have bus ministry. What a wonderful ministry. We have ushers. We have the visitation ministry. We have Rutherford County Christian School. We have a radio ministry now. We have a jail ministry. We have Love in Action. By the way, if you’re sick in the hospital, you’ll appreciate that ministry. Blankets of Love making the quilts, choir and music and special music. And the musicians over here, we have the nursing home ministry, Brother Tim. We have the Rutherford County Coalition. We have the lawn and maintenance ministry. We have ladies’ and men’s fellowship. We have the missions department. We have Vacation Bible School. We have camps. We have yard sales. I shouldn’t have mentioned that right there. We have the tent ministry. We have the tent ministry. We praise the Lord for that, man. Praise the Lord for those broken backs—I mean the tent ministry. And we have media ministry. By the way, if you are sick and shut in, praise the Lord for that, the YouTube and all that. But I’m just saying, I’ve just listed about 21 different ways. And here are a couple of thoughts about that: It’s a wonderful thing. I think God can really use that in a great way in the years ahead. And everybody kind of gets focused on their ministry. And that’s understandable; it’s your ministry. But you think about it: If I have this one thing—and we’ll just say each ministry is a rope and you lasso it—you’ve got 20 different ministries pulling 20 different ways. You’re probably not going to have a microphone that’s going to work very long, you know. Man, you’re going to have a messed-up thing. And praise the Lord for all the different ministries, that’s exactly right. Friend, it’s a wonderful thing. It’s a great thing. But you get all 20 ministries—and I’m not saying we’re not—but when we get all 20 ministries pulling the same direction, the same way, under the umbrella of the church to promote Jesus and have the preeminence in the church, you get all 20 ministries pulling the same way. Wow, you can pull them the same way. It’s a wonderful thing. But if each ministry is, “Well, my ministry, my ministry, my…” No, no. Jesus first, the church, and pull the same direction—unity in the Spirit, that’s what we want. Boy, you get so much done. What a wonderful thing. By the way, if you get each minister trying to say, “My ministry, my ministry,” you know, boy, no. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. It’s a good thing. But you don’t want a family around the dining room table fighting, you know. You don’t want to say, “Man, we’re here with Dad, Jesus.” That’s a wonderful thing. Come night at the table. You know one thing: I like it when families sing together. Something about that family, especially if you get mom and dad, yes, but you get about four or five kids. And think of the Marshall family. Brother Adam knows them. Some of you, and the Epley family, different ones. And boy, you get that family, the Hart family—always sang at Fairhaven’s and perhaps down there. But you get that family, that family harmony. It’s just something a little extra special, sweet about it. And boy, you get a family of God, and everybody’s fulfilling their role, it’s right. Everybody’s fulfilling their role, pulling the same direction for Jesus and for His church. Everybody’s going the same direction. Wow, you’ve got some harmony there. By that, that’s when the Spirit of God begins to work in great ways. Unity is what God wants. It’s a wonderful thing. It’s a pleasant thing, according to Psalm 133, I think it is.
A couple more thoughts. Look at this. Look back over there. We’re in 1st Timothy 3:15. We’re back over there real quickly here. We’ll get a couple more thoughts. We’re going to go home. Ms. Meyer hasn’t yawned again either, so we’re doing pretty good there, you know. But she says, “Man, I feel like I’m in the spotlight. He’s watching me now.” I’m teasing. Wrong time, wrong spot, you know, that’s all it is. But look at verse number 15, 1st Timothy 3:15, look at it: “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the…” What are the next two words? You notice how God kind of promotes it? He emphasizes: It’s a living God. You know, we have a living God taking care of this church. Just kind of emphasis: Hey, you have a God that’s living, and He’s watching over His bride. It’s His bride. It’s a living God. What a wonderful, wonderful thing. We’ve got great people, really do. Great church center, great people, great deacons, great—well, I wouldn’t say a decent pastor every once in a while, you know. But, you know, that’s not the thing. Hey, the big thing is we have a living God. That’s the big thing. And the church of a living God. Yeah. That’s God’s plan.
How is this church? Think about ours—we’re not big. How in the world do we have that land of 13 acres, prime commercial real estate? You know what? The real estate agent made a mistake. We didn’t do it, of course, but he wanted to list that, I think, for $11.6 million. How does a church our size possess that, and it’s paid for? We serve a living God. And it’s just wonderful to watch the living God provide for His church. That’s what He’s promoting. It’s a living God. He’s not dead. He’s very active and alive in His church. That’s what He’s promoting: the Church of the Living God. Praise the Lord for that. What a wonderful, wonderful thing. By the way, I don’t want to sow discord among the brethren, because it’s the Church of the Living God. I fear—I don’t want to drop little seeds of discontentment. I don’t want to—Lord, was that statement that I just made? Was I sowing seeds? And I hope not. I want to do that. Proverbs 6: “These six things doth the Lord hate, yes, seven are an abomination to Him.” You know of them, probably: a lying tongue, and all… What’s the seventh thing? Abomination? “He that soweth discord among the brethren.” I don’t want to do that.
But the living God… You know, I really think this—I really think, you know, the first time the word “church” is mentioned in the Bible—look over it. Look over in Matthew chapter number 16. Look over Matthew 16. We got one more truth after this. It won’t be very long. Maybe 45 minutes? No, it won’t be that long. But just this last point underneath the Church of the Living God.
Matthew 16:18, you know the verse. “And I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock”—watch the rock—“thou art the Son of the living God.” You’re the Messiah. You save. “Upon this rock, I will build My church.” First time “church” is mentioned, all about right there. “I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” A gate doesn’t attack anyone. A gate’s there; someone’s attacking it, either trying to get out or get in. That’s what a gate does. And the Bible is there talking about the Church of the Living God, promoting the message “Jesus saves” all across this old world, and a church is trying to win souls. He says, “The gates of hell shall not prevail.” You’ll get somebody saved somewhere. That’s what He’s saying. God uses that church to promote the gospel, the Great Commission. Oh, why? Because it’s a church of a living God. And God says, “If I get a church that’s promoting the gospel, God said, ‘I’m a living God. I’m going to take care of that church right there.’” That’s God’s plan.
Wonderful thing. Back over here, 1 Timothy 3. Look in verse number 15. Last point, we’ve got to go home. Look at this thing. Verse number 15: “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God.” Help me out. Would you finish it up? Here we go: “The pillar and ground of the truth.” That’s pretty amazing. The church is to be the pillar.
I remember when we got these pillars here, Haines Lumber, Murphysboro. We had them cut them. I mean, they cut them. Brother Frank said he could have done it in his sleep. But we decided to let them do it at the lumber yard. But they cut these pillars in half and got that up there. He’s saying the church is the pillar and ground of the truth. The truth, if you will, the Word of God, is on top of that so people out in the world can see it. I tend to think he’s saying the pillar. By the way, isn’t it wonderful to ride through a neighborhood and see all the churches that are standing right? We have a church a little bit from our house. I’m trying to think of it. Sometimes if you look at just the right angle and right view there, you can see the steeple of it. And it’s across Old Nashville Highway. What is it? Creekmont. Creekmont Baptist Church. I don’t know who is pastoring there now. Creekmont Baptist Church, and it’s kind of hidden in that neighborhood. Sometimes you can see the steeple, and it’s just beautiful. And you see the trees, and then you see something about a church. And if it’s the right kind of church, it’s going to be standing for truth. That’s what he’s saying. It’s the pillar and ground of the truth. Boy, I love to see churches. We went to the Northeast for vacation. I got burned. They need some good churches up there so bad. It increased my prayer life to pray for good pastors and good pastoral life up there. We need it. But all he says, the pillar, and then he says the ground of truth.
I think a little bit that the ground is just everywhere you go, and you have Christians everywhere. They go to church somewhere, but those Christians are just—you look out across the sea of humanity in America, and he said, you get a bunch of good Christians in there that go to church somewhere, and that church is the pillar and ground of truth. America, when it was more of a godly nation, even the world knew what was right or wrong because they knew some godly Christians. They might not be living it, but they knew what the truth was because of churches and the godly Christians that went to those churches. That’s what a church is supposed to be. That’s her job.
Someone said this: They said, “As goes the church, so goes the nation.” Someone said the church—this truth is trying to point out—the church is to be the moral conscience of a nation. Gladstone in England years gone by, he used to say, “Tell me what the young men of England are doing on Sunday, and I will tell you what the future of England will be.”
Alexis de Tocqueville. He is from France. America had arisen and became such a great nation so quickly. And he wanted to find out what made America great. He visited America in 1831, and that was his mission. He came here to find out why or how America is so great. He wrote a book, which was published in 1835, Democracy in America. That was the book. And he’ll notice—I think you’ll recognize some of what he wrote about the greatness in America. Let me read it for you, and we’re done.
“And I sought for the key to the greatness and genius of America in her harbors. It goes on in her fertile fields and boundless forests, in her rich mines and vast world commerce, in her public school system and institutions of learning. I sought for it in her Democratic Congress, in her matchless Constitution. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpit flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good. If America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”
Isn’t it interesting? After visiting America, he didn’t really come to that conclusion until he went into the pulpits of the churches, flaming out righteousness. That’s what God’s talking about: the pillar and ground of truth. The church. How important His church is in a nation.
Would you bow your heads and close your eyes? Or hedge about eyes are closed? I’m going to ask you something a little different. Just a little different. I’m going to ask: Would you pray for your church tonight? I mean, just spend some time praying for your church. Not just this church, but churches across America. Oh, how we need it. How we need it. Would you pray for this church? Would you pray for churches across this land? Then would you pray, “Lord, help me to fulfill my role in this church”? Would you do that?
Let’s all stand. We’ll have a word of prayer. If God’s leading you, maybe come to an old-fashioned altar. You pray for the church, my role in it. Father, thank you for Your goodness. Thank you for the church You have placed here, Lord. Help us to shine brightly for You in this area and around the world. Bless the other churches; give us more good ones across this land. Help us, Father, to fulfill the roles You’ve given us in Your church. We’ll thank You, Lord, for what You do. In Jesus, we pray, amen. Just come spend some time. Lord, would You bless Your church? Churches across this land. What is my role in Your church?
Original File: Pastor Paul Chisgar - ＂The House of God＂ Sunday PM 11⧸17⧸2024 [AnrS3qEz6ho]