Shabbat Shalom. Open our Bibles to this famous letter that Shaul Paul wrote to a younger brother by the name of Timothy. And today we're going to conclude with 1 Timothy chapter 3, amazing verses that are found right in the middle of the letter that Paul, Shaul, wrote to Timothy. Let me read 1 Timothy chapter 3, verse 14, 15, and 16. These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly. But if I tarry long, the Darmist 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. And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness.

God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. Amazing passage. I had the opportunity to speak about this passage quite a few times and I always enjoyed when the thought comes before us of the mystery of godliness. Indeed, it is great, and really the theme of this particular message today is great is the mystery. In Hebrew we call it sod. Great is the mystery of godliness. Well, beloved brothers and sisters, we are right in the middle of the epistle that Paul wrote to younger brother Timothy. Paul left Timothy in the city of Ephesus.

In chapter 1 and verse 3, he said, I besought thee to abide still in Ephesus. When I went into Macedonia that thou mightest charge some, that they teach no other doctrine. Timothy was left in the city of Ephesus. Paul was going to Macedonia and he continued on in the ministry and he wrote this whole letter to this younger brother. It was a personal letter that Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit of God, took it and had made it not only for Timothy on his own, but for the whole city of Ephesus, meaning the believers there. And it is for you and I today, those that belong to Yeshua, the Messiah.

So I want you to notice how many things that he was still instructing Timothy to teach the brothers and sisters at the city of Ephesus. But right in the middle, he want Timothy to get a hold of what is known to be the mystery of godliness. The mystery is the fact that God entered humanity and provided for humanity salvation that you and I will have eternal relationship with the living God. And so he began, first of all, you notice with those words in verse 14, these things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly. What things is Paul speaking about? Well, he's speaking about all the things that he's instructing Timothy concerning the importance of holding on to the truths that Paul received through the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, for the present day of the church age.

You notice that he used the word these things again and again in his letter. Just turn to chapter 4, and in verse 6, he's saying there, Thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things. Thou shalt be a good minister of Yeshua, the Messiah, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine. And again, he used this expression in verse 11. These things commend and teach. What things? Paul again and again saying to younger brother Timothy who was left at Ephesus, he said, Timothy, the things that I teach and presented before you, that Yeshua, the glorified Mashiach, revealed to me from heaven concerning the present day dispensation.

Teach that. Minister that to the brothers and sisters. Instruct these believers about the things that I have taught you. You're going to see in the second letter that he was telling him how important it is to continue on and sharing the simple truths that the Apostle Paul received from the glorified Messiah. Now I want you to notice that in these verses 15 and 16, there are three descriptions that he gives Timothy about the church. You and I would call it Kehillah, the body of Mashiach. The word church means ecclesia, called out once. And he now presenting before Timothy three pictures of what the church is. The church is not a building, not cement and blocks and wood and drywall.

But the church, the assembly, are literal individuals that came to trust in Yeshua, the Messiah. And together, they are making up the church, the called out ones. The first thing is found in 1 Timothy 3, 15a. But if I tarry long, Timothy, that you will know how you ought to behave. And here's the first picture. in the house of god here's the first thing that paul presents before timothy the house of god in hebrew we call it bait elohim bait is house god is elohim and paul is saying timothy listen you need to know how you timothy and all the believers ought to behave in the beta elohim in the house of God.

Now when you think about it Paul being Jewish Timothy being Jewish when he think about the house of God immediately he make reference to the temple in the city of Jerusalem. That was the house of God as far as our nation are concerned. But you see the house of God right now in the city of Jerusalem when Paul wrote it's about 65, 66 AD. The temple in Jerusalem still existed it was still standing because it was not destroyed until titus at 70 a.d came and destroyed it but our people of israel did not accept the mashiach and that house as yeshua said it will become desolate in 70 a.d this house will be destroyed totally by the romans and up till And today, nearly 2,000 years, this house is still not built.

So what's going to happen? Is there any house of God? Does God no longer dwell among his people? So Paul told Timothy, listen. Now in the present day dispensation, the house of God is no longer going to be in this temple in Yerushalayim, Beit HaMikdash, which is soon going to be destroyed. But the house of God is a composition of all true believers who have accepted that Yeshua is the Messiah. And so he began, and I would like just to illustrate for you, how do we get to be part of this house? How does a person become part of this house, But it's no longer a physical house, it is a spiritual house.

And in this house, everyone that is truly a child of God, he belongs to this house. Turn with me to Ephesians chapter 2. And remember, because Shaul Paul writing to Timothy, Timothy was left at Ephesus. The condition of Ephesus had decayed, had declined. And Timothy was called to instruct the believers how they ought to maintain their living in the house of God. And so in chapter 2 of the book of Ephesians, and in verse 19, look what Paul wrote to the Ephesians. It says, Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers, and you are no longer foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, namely the Jewish saints, the Jewish believers, and of the household of God.

Well, you see what happened. The Gentile believers, who were so far from the knowledge of the true and living God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob now when they have embraced Yeshua the Messiah they now became of the household of God they are part and parcel with the Jewish believers part of the household of God now how do you get into this household? you see when we get married and then the Lord provides for us children we are together now having a household which is a husband and a wife and the children. Then the grandchildren come and then the great-grandchildren. They're the household that belong to certain family and their names.

But in the case of us today, we become part of the household of God through faith in Yeshua the Messiah. Every one of us who have accepted Yeshua the Messiah, we are called sons and daughters of the Father.

you remember what John said in John chapter 1 and verse 11 and 12 as many as receive him to them he gave the right to be called the children of God even to them who believed on his name which were born not of the flesh not of the will of men but of the will of God God is the one that have opened the heart of an individual and work it out in such a way that this man or woman will accept Yeshua the Messiah and this person become a child of God you remember what Nicodemus, Nakdimon we call him in Hebrew had to be told by Yeshua in John chapter 3 except a man

be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God that which is born of the flesh is flesh that which is born of the spirit is spirit you must be born again you cannot enter into this house because of your background you cannot enter into this house even if you are Jewish you can say well I was born Jewish my parents are Jewish my grandparents are Jewish I'm a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob which is a privilege but that still doesn't put you into this household of God one need to enter into the house of God to become part of the house of God by faith accepting what Yeshua the Messiah have done for

us and he become part of this household of God and that's why Paul is saying to Timothy now I want you to know how you are to behave in the house of God and the house of God is a composition of all true believers And I'm emphasizing true believers because you cannot say I'm a believer and not truly accept Yeshua the Messiah.

You cannot say my parents were believers and then enter into this household. No, you must be born again in Hebrew, lehivaled mechadash, to be born from heaven, to be born from above. And so he's saying the first picture to Timothy. Timothy, listen, the church, the ecclesia, is a household. You remember, Timothy, when we were younger, you might say, we went to the temple in Yerushalayim, there was the house of God. Now, that house is no longer going to be in existence. It's going to be reestablished in a future day when Israel as a nation is going to be restored. But in a meanwhile, the house of God are all true believers in Yeshua HaMashiach.

turn to Hebrews chapter 3 again the writer write to Hebrew believers and he explained it in such a way he's speaking about Moshe who was faithful it says in verse 5 and Moses Moshe verily he was faithful in all his house he was as a servant faithful in verse 5 for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after. You see, Moses was a faithful servant, and Moses' house was the house of Israel, Beit Yisrael. All the people of Israel, all our nation that were led by Moshe from Egypt to the promised land, they were part of the Beit Yisrael, the house of Israel, the house of God.

But notice what he says in verse 6. But the Mashiach, the Messiah. He's not only a servant that was faithful in his house. He's a son over his own house. And our brothers and sisters, look at this. Look how clear the scripture is. He says, whose house are we? We are the house of the Messiah. We are the house of God. Of course, we're not talking about bricks and stone and cement. He's speaking about individuals who became believers in Yeshua, the Messiah. We are the house of God, as it says here in verse 6, whose house are we, since we hold fast in confidence and rejoice in the hope firm unto the end.

In other words, all true believers compose the house of God. These are living stones, not bricks, but living stones. True, sincere believers who have accepted Yeshua the Messiah. This is so precious. One more verse I want to read. Again, you notice every Hebrew apostle who understood the teaching of Yeshua the Messiah presented these to early believers. 1 Peter 1, verse 12, it says, Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves, but unto us, they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven. Now notice in these next verses, and you can see how he's building about the precious truth concerning the person of Yeshua it says in verse 15 but as he which has called you is holy so be holy in all manner of conversation and go all the way down he says in verse 21 who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God seen ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently and here is the way to get into the house of God verse 23 being born again not of corruptible seed but of the incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever notice again how does a person enter into this household of God he or she must be born again not of corruptible seed what is that corruptible seed well when we were born to our parents we have inherited a sin nature a corruptible seed that came ultimately from our forefather Adam, but when we have accepted the Mashiach Yeshua, we are now born again, not of corruptible seed, but by the Spirit of God.

2 Corinthians 5, 17 says, they that are in the Mashiach Yeshua are new creation. All things are passed away all become new look at the next chapter 2 of 1st Peter and notice what he's saying to them there in verse 5 ye also are living stones and you are building up to a spiritual house a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Yeshua the Messiah Notice he's saying, now we are living stones, not dead stones. See, the house of God is not made out of dead stones and bricks and cement that we're meeting and building, but it's made out of a living stone. Every one of us who truly belong to Yeshua the Messiah, we are living stones.

And we are to offer up, notice he says, spiritual sacrifices. Not physical, but spiritual sacrifices. And we became, according to verse 5 of 1 Peter chapter 2, a spiritual house. So Paul says to Timothy, Timothy, you left at Ephesus. You instruct the brothers and sisters to understand that they are now to offer spiritual sacrifices. They are the household of God. And there they can worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. Now, I'm no longer talking about physical house, but spiritual house. That's the first picture. Secondly, I want you to notice in verse 15, not only that the church is the house of God, the believers are the house of God, but then he says, which is the church of the living God, the assembly of the living God.

You know, the God of Israel and the God of our Father, the God of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, is a living God. He's not a dead God. And again, remember that Timothy was in Ephesus where there was a worship of dead idols. In contrast, he's saying to Timothy, Listen, the believers are the called out and they belong to the living God. Notice he used the word the church. Every time you read the word church, we don't like sometimes to use the word church because when we remember the word church, we always have a negative attitude because we know very bad things happen in the so-called name of the professing church.

But really, it's translated more appropriately, assembly. Individuals that are assembled by God from everywhere in the world, from among Israel, our Jewish people, from among the Gentiles, and together they are making what is known to be as the assembly. And you see what he's saying, it's not only that the believers are the house of God, but they also have been called out from all the nations of the world. They've been called from above. God has spoken through the Spirit of God and opened our hearts and show us that we need to be brought in. He has called us out of this world, out from among our people Israel to be redeemed and to make that ecclesia, called out once.

Now that word in Hebrew, kehila or ada, it's a gathered ones, those who are gathered. Imagine what God has done. When you think about you and I today, we are not better than others who are neighbors to us or any place else in the world. And for one reason or another, God in His goodness and in His graciousness opened our eyes and called us out. He did not want us to remain away from him. He called us out. He brought us to himself. And Paul illustrates this in verse 15b. The assembly is the called out ones. God have called you. God have called me. He has spoken to us through the spirit of God, through the scriptures, through his word.

And he says, don't remain there in this world. Because this world is heading to eternal destruction. I'm going to judge this world one day. And I'm calling you out. You leave this world. Come out and follow me. And follow my son, Yeshua the Messiah. He called out individuals out of the world to be brought to himself. And you notice how he's using this expression, the assembly of the living God. You know, we don't worship a dead idol. We worship a living God, Elohim Chaim. Every time when we read the scripture, he speaks to us. This is a living word. The word of God is powerful.

He's sharper than two-edged sword. He's convicting individuals and showing to them that they are sinners. And if they will not turn to Yeshua the Messiah, they will die in their sins. And that's why that word is so important. The assembly, the ecclesia, they called out once to worship the true and the living God. Now, the word assembly is mentioned in the New Testament and applies sometimes to one group, another time to another group, and another time to another group. And we must really see the context in order to understand it. For example, at times the assembly or the called out ones apply specifically to all believers in Yeshua, the Messiah, in the present day dispensation.

In Matthew chapter 16 and verse 18, Peter was told by Yeshua, Upon this rock, I will build my assembly. I'm going to build it. And upon your confession, Peter, that I am the Mashiach, the Messiah, the son of the living God, I'm going to build this assembly. It was future. It was yet to come. On the other hand, if you will read Acts chapter 7 and verse 38, Stephen was referring to the past history about our people Israel who were in the wilderness. And he said the assembly was led by the Lord in the wilderness. But the assembly that he was speaking about there is in relationship to the past history of our nation Israel who were led by the Lord through the wilderness before they entered into the promised land.

But then there is another time where the word assembly is used in Acts chapter 19, verse 32, verse 39, verse 41. This time, it's applied to the pagan worshippers in the city of Ephesus. They were also called an assembly, but they were pagan. They didn't believe in God. They didn't believe in Yeshua the Messiah. They believed in the Diana, this false goddess. And they worshipped her. So you must understand wherever you take the word assembly, you have to know where the context is. And what does it speak about? It speaks a time about Israel historically. It speaks a time about the pagan Ephesians in the city of Ephesus. And it speaks a time about the called out ones who became believers in Yeshua the Messiah.

Don't mix them up, because someone told me years ago, he says, you see, it says in Acts chapter 7, the word assembly, we are the assembly just like they were the assembly. Well, you've got to distinguish the context. Stephen was speaking to the Sanhedrin about the history of the people of Israel. Paul was accused by the assembly of the pagans in the city of Ephesus. And here he is talking about totally other assembly. Those that were called out by the Lord as believers in Yeshua the Messiah. The assembly of the living God. Now, I want to read two portions here to see how this assembly and who are those that belong to this assembly.

First of all, go to Romans chapter 11. Paul is writing to the Romans believers. He says, some of the people who belong to this assembly are from among the nation of Israel. He says in verse 1, I say then, has God cast away his people? God forbid, for I am also an Israeli, and I am of the seed of Abraham, and I am of the tribe of Binyamin. God has not cast away his people which he foreknew. What do you not that the scripture had said about Elijah? And he began to talk to him about Elijah. And how even when Israel had gone astray, there was always a remnant who trusted God in the history of our people.

So then he says in verse 5, Just the same like in the time of Elijah, when Israel had gone astray and Elijah was told by the Lord that God kept 7,000 men who did not worship Baal, Then he says in verse 5, just like then, even so now at this time, in this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election, again called out one, of grace. From among Israel, there is a remnant from among the Jewish people that God had elected and brought them out from among the nation and made them part of what is known to be the assembly, the ecclesia. There is that remnant.

And you know, those of us that are Jewish here, from the time that Paul wrote as a Jew to Timothy as a Jew, And you and I today, we are part of this remnant called out once from among our nation Israel. And we are participating in that which is called the house of God. The believers of this present day dispensation. Now, another interesting verse. We are told about the Gentile believers. In Acts chapter 15, Paul spoke to the leadership in Israel. All the apostles were there. And notice what he says in verse 13. And after they have held their peace, the James. He says, men and brethren, listen to me, hearken unto me.

Simon has declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, the goyim. To take out, he was again called out, of them people for his name. And to disagree the words of the prophets as it is written, After this, I will return and I will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down. See, the apostles needed themselves to sort things out. because it was a transitional period. A new era had began. Israel had not accepted as a nation the Mashiach, so those apostles didn't know how to handle those things. What are you teaching us, Lord? What do you tell us? Well, James was wise enough to say to the believers in Jerusalem, he says, look, God is now picking up from among the Gentiles a people for himself and after this period of time he will restore the tabernacles of David which is fallen down and so the church the called out one coming from two groups group number one Jewish people, Israelis, Hebrews group number two goyim, Gentiles from among the nations of the world And all together, we are called out from the world, from the nation of Israel, and we are considered to be the assembly, not the dead God, but the assembly of the living God.

So, Paul is saying to Timothy, number one, the assembly or the church is called the house of God. Number two, the assembly or the church of the living God is a called out individuals who make one body of believers in this present day dispensation. Now, number three, and this time it's verse 15c. He adds another thing. He says the assembly is the pillar and ground of the truth. It is interesting, two words here. You notice it says pillar and ground of the truth. In Hebrew we call it amud, it's a pillar. And ground you would say mechonein, it's that which is the foundation of the truth.

The assembly, the believers, are the pillar and the ground of truth. Where will the world learn truth? Where will the world learn about the truth of what God is doing today? The real thing today, even among our own people, you're going to go to certain rabbis and you will tell them, tell me about the truth for me today. Well, definitely will tell you, well, believe in the God of Israel, and it is 100% correct. But it's not the whole truth. One can say, I believe in God, and be lost because it's not enough to say, I believe in God. Who is going to deal with the problem that you have, the problem of sin?

The only one that can deal with the problem of sin is the Mashiach, the Messiah. And so the assembly of believers are the one that can present before the Lord the pillar, the amud, the post, and the ground of the truth. That's what you and I are responsible to present before the world today. We have such a responsibility, beloved brothers and sisters. You remember what Yeshua said in John 14? I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one come to the Father but by me. People are trying to find salvation through religious system, through all sort of things that they do and they don't do.

They try to be right with God and it does not work unless one turns his heart to Yeshua the Messiah. It does not avail. You ask anyone in the world today, they all believe in God. But that doesn't save a person if one rejects what God has offered. When God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish but have an everlasting life, one must accept what the Lord has taught us in His Word. And so the church, the assembly, is not only the house of God, it's not only the assembly of the living God, it is the pillar, the amud, and the ground of the truth.

You know, we have a foundation to stand upon because of the fact that we know what Yeshua has done for us. But the world has not that kind of foundation. That's why, again, if you ask a person who believes in any other so-called God, you ask him, tell me, if you're going to die today, do you know where you're going to spend eternity? Well, he will scratch his head. You're going to say, I hope I've done enough good deeds so God will accept me or I hope I've lived a life which is pretty decent and I hope God will accept me and let me go to heaven but we know very well beloved brothers and sisters that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death God is going to judge a sinner because God is holy and he cannot look upon sin and because all have sinned you and I he sent the darling of his bosom he had only one son and he sent him down to this world and he was punished and he was judged the just one for me and for you the unjust one in order to bring us to God and that's why there is no other way to find truth unless it is found in the person of Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah.

But it was so interesting that it came to my mind as I was preparing for this message. See, Paul pointed to the assembly as the column and the support of the truth. It's like those two pillars that hold on the truth of the Word of God. We have such a responsibility to understand that we as believers are to teach truth. To teach the emet that is found in the word of God. Turn with me to 1 Kings chapter 7. When the king Shlomo, HaMelech Shlomo, when he built the temple in Yerushalayim. Many years ago, God told him to have in the front of the temple two pillars.

it says here in 1st King chapter 7 verse 15 for he cast two pillars of brass of 18 cubits it was a very high pillar and a line of 12 cubits did compass either of them about so when Solomon when Shlomo built the temple he had those two pillars but you know what he gave them names when you want to come into the temple of Shlomo the temple of Solomon you got to bypass those two huge pillars if you go down in 1st Kings chapter 7 verse 21 you will notice that it says and he set up the pillars the Amudim in the porch of the temple and he set up the right pillar and he called it by the name of Yachin.

And he set up the left pillar and he called the name thereof Boaz. And upon the top of the pillar was a lily work. So was the work of the pillars finished. One of them is called Yachin and the other one is called Boaz. These are, by the way, two Hebrew names. The word yachin simply means established. Jehovah have established. The word boaz, you know from the story of Ruth, means in him there is strength. In other words, these two pillars are really a representation or picture of the coming Mashiach, the Messiah, who is on the one hand establishing all things for God and for mankind and that in him there is power, there is strength.

It's amazing when I was thinking about that. These are so vividly because everything in the temple speaks about Yeshua the Messiah. The ark speaks about his holiness. The tables speak about what he provided is spreading for the people of God. The menorah that we have before us speaks about the fullness of the Spirit of God resided on the person of Yeshua the Messiah. The labor speaks of his cleansing power. The altar speaks of his sacrifice that he died for our sins and became a sacrifice for us. Everything speaks of Yeshua, of Jesus, the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of this world. And these two pillars represent Yachin and Boaz, represent the person of Yeshua, the Messiah, who would come to this world to provide redemption.

And here we can see how precious when Paul is saying, listen, if I tarry long that you may know how you ought to behave in, number one, the house of God, number two, the assembly of the living God, number three, the pillar and the ground of the truth. Now, one more thought for your consideration. Where do you think Timothy was? He was in Ephesus. What happened in Ephesus? Have you ever been in Ephesus? I've had the privilege to be quite a few times in Ephesus. And Ephesus was a pagan city. There's an amazing temple built to this woman by the name of Diana. And if you would read historically about the temple that was built there, there was about 127 or 129 pillars all around the temple of Diana.

And while the people were going to worship Diana, going through those pillars into this temple, worshipping a false goddess, the believers in Yeshua, the Messiah, became themselves pillars and a ground of the truth of the Word of God. You and I, because of what the Lord have instructed us through His Word, we became a part of the assembly of the ecclesia, which is the pillar and the ground of the truth. When you're going to go to the temple of Diana, you will go to a false goddess. You're going to come to worship Yeshua the Messiah. You're going to come and you will learn about the true and living God.

The God who is alive and well. The God of our Father through the person of Yeshua the Messiah. So here, interesting, those three pictures that Paul presents before Timothy and ultimately before you and I. The assembly is the house of God. The assembly is the called out one. The assembly is the pillar and the ground of the truth. As Yeshua said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one come to the Father but by me. And I trust all of us today can say I belong to Yeshua. I am part of the household of God. I am part of the ecclesia and I am part of the pillar and the ground of the truth.

There's so much false that is going on today. Millions run after all kind of man-made religious system. People trying to be right with God and they tell them do this and keep this and do that and you will find you will be right with God and He does not satisfy the need of the soul. The only one that can satisfy the heart and meet our need is the person of Yeshua the Messiah who said, I am the way. You want to go to heaven? You want to find your way to God? Come through me. I am the truth. You want to know the truth concerning who God is and who you are read it in my word I am the truth you want to have life eternal you know brothers and sisters we are living here only for a season it doesn't take too long and we are all getting older and we are all one by one going to have to leave this scene where will we spend eternity do you have everlasting life John 20 31 these things were written that you believe that Yeshua HaMashiach is the Son of God and that believing you might have life.

He that has the Son has life. He that hath not the Son of God hath not life, but the wrath of God abides on him. You cannot buy this. You cannot keep all the things that you can keep. You're still going to be lost in your transgressions and sins. The only way to receive life is through the person of Yeshua, the Messiah, who says, I came to this world that I might give life. We were dead in trespasses and sins, but now we became alive by faith in Yeshua, the Messiah. Wonderful truth to understand. Now quickly, and here's the last verse, 1 Timothy 3.16. This is really the top, the tower, is the sevenfold mystery of godliness.

It's like a song. Like a shir in Hebrew And without controversy Great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in flesh Justified in spirit Seen of angels Preached unto the Gentiles Believed on in the world Received up into glory Now let me quickly make some remark here This is what you call the seven-fold mystery of godliness. Look what Paul is saying to Timothy. First of all, without controversy. Timothy, this is without a doubt. This is without or being beyond all any questions. There is nothing to debate about this. Without to debate, without any shadow. So in Hebrew, we say, vadai, vadai, vadai. For sure, for sure, there is nothing that we can change here.

This is a sure thing. Timothy. And then he gave him that sevenfold mystery of godliness. Notice he used the word, great is the mystery of godliness. Now when he said to him this expression, Paul remembered what happened in Acts chapter 19. Because when Paul went to the city of Ephesus and when he told them that Yeshua is the Messiah and all the idols that they have could not avail for them, they were angry with him. And they were shouting, great is Diana of the Ephesians. Paul said to Timothy, great is the mystery. Not great is Diana of the Ephesians, who is merely a goddess who the Ephesians worshipped, who was an idol.

But here, Timothy, great is the mystery of godliness. And he began to give him that wonderful list. By the way, the word godliness can really be said piety. Great is the mystery of godlikeness. Here is a way that we can live in this world in a way that is pleasing to God. Because there was a man who lived in such a way. When all gone astray, there was a man that lived a godly life here in this world. So the first thing of this sevenfold mystery is this great mystery of God likeness, of piety, of living for God. There was one man who lived here in this world for the true and living God.

And by the way, some Bible teachers believe that the next verse where it says God was manifest in the flesh, the word God is not necessarily in the original text, but it simply says He, instead of the word God, He was manifested in flesh. Who is the he? He's speaking about Yeshua the Messiah because he just earlier said of Yeshua, spoke about Yeshua the Messiah throughout the whole chapter. And so what he's really saying, listen Timothy, it's not only that it is a mystery that is now revealed to believers of the way in which one have lived a godly life here in this world but look how it happened he that is God was manifest in flesh he became a man he entered humanity he became like you and I human being sin apart there are many many verses that I can quote for example John 1 verse 1 And in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

All things were made by Him, and without Him nothing was made which was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And then he says in verse 14, And the Word became flesh, and it dwelt among us. See, this is Beit Lechem, where God was born as men through the virgin Miriam, enter humanity it was predicted by the prophets of israel if there will be salvation to the human race god had to enter humanity because all have sinned and god had to come himself to deal with the question of sin in the person of his son the mashiach of israel and he entered to this world Now, I don't know, brothers and sisters, many people ask this question.

How can you fathom that? How can you understand it? Well, I can't. But I read it in the Hebrew Scriptures. When Isaiah was writing, he says, Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bring forth a son, and she shall call his name Emmanuel, God with us. Isaiah continuing, he said unto us, a son is given, a child is born and a son is given and the government will be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called the mighty God, the Father of eternity, the Prince of Peace, Sar Shalom. Well, God had predicted that one day in the fullness of time there will be a man that will be born here into this world and that will be none else but God was manifest in the flesh I cannot grasp it but we accept it because that's the word of God that teaches us how can we understand that God was manifested in the flesh but Paul said great is the mystery of godliness God or he was manifest in the flesh the writer to the Hebrew said that he took upon himself not the nature of angels but he took upon himself the seed of Abraham he became a Hebrew man a Jewish man he was born to our forefathers part of the nation of Israel Galatians 4.4 said in the fullness of time God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the law the Torah He was the only one that can fulfill the Torah to its fullness.

Because all of us have come short of the Torah's expectation. That's why it was necessary for the Messiah to come to fulfill what we could not. And so the second thing is that God was manifest in the flesh. Notice the third thing. In 1 Timothy 3, 16.

he was justified in the spirit it should be really more he was justified in spirit in other words in his humanity he was a just man he was a holy man you know the only one that lived a life that is totally without sin was this man by the name of Yeshua he was justified in spirit whatever he did in his life he always obeyed the father every footstep he took when they blamed him they tried to find anything wrong with him they could not find none he was that holy man undefiled separate from sinners and you and I can learn from him though we are sinners by nature but he was not amazing to

think about you remember when Pilate was going to put him on the cross and his wife said to him have nothing to do with this just man he was the just one he was the holy one he was as it says here justified in spirit not only that the holy spirit led him yes but in his human spirit he was that holy man Peter said he did no sin Paul said he knew no sin and John said in him there was no sin he was the perfect man who became a man of sorrows that was acquainted with grief here in this world that holy man suffered here for your sin and for me God and

men in one.

This is the mystery of godliness. Notice fourthly, not only that he was justified now in spirit but he was seen of angels. Angels saw him at his birth and declared his coming. Angels served him at the time of temptation in the wilderness and ministered unto him. Angels observe him in the garden of Gatshmanim, Gatshmanim, and in strengthening him. Angels throughout the history of the life of Yeshua the Messiah have observed him. They were fascinated with the life of Yeshua the Messiah. Amazing to think of who he was and angels became his servants. You see, God never called angels, my son. Angels are servants of this man.

And as it says here, he was seen, it's more like he was observed by the angels. At his birth in Luke 2, verse 10. At his trials, at Matthew chapter 4. At the Garden of Gethsemane, Luke chapter 22. angels have seen and observed him. Wonderful to see that. Look at number five now. He was preached unto the Gentiles. Look at us. Some of us are Jewish people. Some of us Gentiles. The very fact that you are saved today is because somebody preached the message of the gospel to you and I around the world. And you remember how it all began? It began in Judea and Jerusalem, where the early believers were told by the Lord in Acts chapter 1, Ye shall be my witnesses.

Beginning in Jerusalem, and then Judea, and then Samaria, the Shomron, and then to the uttermost part of this earth. And many, many of the Gentile world heard the message. Not only our Jewish world, thank God that we heard the message, But the Goyim, the nations of the world, they have heard the message. It was preached to them. No one can say, I didn't hear the message. You remember what Paul said in Romans 1.16, I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes. To the Jew first, but then also to the Gentiles, also to the Goyim.

And you and I are proof today that the Gentiles did hear the message. It was preached unto them. It was preached indeed unto the Gentile world. And then notice it says not only that it was preached, but notice number six. But it was believed, the message of the person of Yeshua in the world. Of course, there are many who don't believe. But thank God for those who believe in Yeshua, the Messiah. One of the verses that every believer ought to memorize is John, Yohanan, chapter 3 and verse 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him, he or she shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

And I trust all of us can say today, I believe. I believe that Yeshua is the Mashiach. He died for me. He paid a price for me. I believe. Many did believe in the past. Many do believe today. Many will believe tomorrow. But we all have individually to have this understanding that I personally have to believe. Not because of my wife, my husband, my mother, my father. But as many as received him, the many as believed him, To them he gave the right to be called sons and daughters of God. The jailer in Acts chapter 16 asked Paul, What must I do to be saved? Paul said to him, Believe on the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach, and you shall be saved.

Salvation coming simply by faith. it's not by works of righteousness that we have done but simply believing Yeshua the Messiah who is the Messiah of Israel even historically Israel, our people had to believe God's word in order to be delivered from bondage they had to believe they couldn't say I'm a Hebrew, I'm Israeli, I'm Jewish but they had to believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob We today have to believe in Yeshua HaMashiach who loved us and gave himself for us. And then finally, beloved brothers and sisters, he was received up into glory. Look at that. That's so precious at the end. And here's the conclusion.

It says he was received up into glory. Other translations say he received in glory. not only up to glory but in glory the word glory comes from the Hebrew word kavod when we talk about somebody who has a lot of weight it means that he has kavod he has honor, he has glory he has power well what do you think God has done when Yeshua finished the work God was so pleased with him he was so satisfied with the work that Yeshua have done it. He says, I'm going to give you a place and I'm going to situate you at my right hand. Psalm 110 said, sit down at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

And he took Yeshua and he placed him at the pinnacle of the universe. And if you read Revelation chapter 5, we read that there is a throne. And next to the throne of God, there was the Lamb, Yeshua the Messiah, whom God has situated Him and exalted Him and placed Him there in the pinnacle of the universe. And beloved brothers and sisters, the only one that God is satisfied with is Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, His Son, who paid the price for the sin of the world. It says in Philippians chapter 2, Therefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, the name of Yeshua, the name of Jesus, Yeshua HaMashiach, every knee shall bow.

Every tongue will confess that Yeshua the Messiah is Adon, he is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. And you and I are so privileged to know him today. And you know, if somebody doesn't know him, listen, you're either going to meet him at the foot of the cross, at the foot of the tree. Or you're going to have to meet him at the great white throne judgment. It's your choice. We all have to make sure in our own hearts that we have bowed our knees before Yeshua, the Messiah, who is this darling of God's bosom. The Mashiach of Israel, the Savior of this world, who was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory.

May the Lord encourage our hearts and to appreciate where we belong and to whom we belong. We belong to Yeshua who loved us and gave himself for us.