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Mr. Guido has been writing and
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over 40 years. Now, for the first time, they are
presented in text form for your enjoyment and
edification.
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The Book of First Timothy :
Message Twenty Three
By Dr. Michael
Guido, D.D.
A woman became
ill and was taken to the hospital. Her friends asked
how she was getting along and were told, "She's
improving." They called the next day and were
given the same information. This went on for several
days, but one night they were told, "She's
dead." Asked a friend, "Doctor, what did
she die of - improvements?" I wonder if this
isn't true of some churches? Some have really died
because of "improvements." They have a
scholarly ministry, but not a spiritual ministry;
good musicians, but not godly musicians; paying
members, but not praying members; a new theology from
man, but not the never-dying truth from God. If
someone should place a tombstone over that kind of a
church today, it could be stated that it had
spiritually died of "improvements." But
let's turn to 1st
Timothy 3:15 and get a glimpse of "the church of
the living God."
Let's look at
the figure. What's the church? Is it a building?
That's what many people think of when they hear or
see the word "church." But that's not the
church. What's the church? A body of believers. The
church in the Bible always refers to people. The
Bible says, "Christ loved the church, and gave
Himself for it." He gave Himself for men, not
material; for believers, not buildings; for people,
not places. Wherever Christians congregate in the
name of Christ to study the Scriptures and to observe
the ordinances, there's the church, "the house
of God."
Let's look at
the founding. The Bible says, "Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ: According as He hath chosen us in
Him before the foundation of the world." Where
did the plan of the church originate? In the mind of
God. When did it originate? Before the foundation of
the world. That's why there's a difference between
the church and a club. The church is of God, but a
club is of man. The church was planned by God,
purchased by Christ and is peopled by Christians.
Let's look at
the foundation. It's written in 1st
Corinthians 3:11, "For other foundation can no
man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus
Christ." Paul said in Ephesians 2:19 and 20,
"Ye are... fellow-citizens with the saints, and
of the household of God; and are built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ
Himself being the chief cornerstone." Christ is
the chief cornerstone. Upon Him and His atoning work
the church is built. But the apostles and prophets
and all believers are incorporated into this glorious
building as living stones.
Let's look at
the fellowship. No Christian can build the church.
Only Christ can. He said, "I will build My
church." The church is built by Christ as men
and women receive Him as Savior. It's written in Acts
2:47, "And the Lord added to the church daily
such as should be saved," which means,
"those who were being saved." And there's
no fellowship like the fellowship of the saved. It's
the sweetest and the most satisfying. A man had to
pass a certain church on his way to work. He heard
many people speak with glowing terms of the east
window, but he couldn't understand it. To him it
seemed dirty and dull. But one day he entered the
building, and then he saw and understood. The
beauties of the window were seen only when one was
"in." If you can't understand why we speak
so happily of the Christian life, it's because you're
not "in." Come in, and you'll understand.
Let's look at
the function. It's written in 1st
Timothy 3:15, "the church of the living God, the
pillar and ground of the truth." As Christians
we have the truth. But it's our function to hold it
forth. I don't think I ever saw as many pigeons in
one place as I did when I stood in front of the
cathedral in Milan, Italy. They were flying and
fluttering all around the folk who were feeding them.
I stood in their midst and the pigeons came to me as
I held out my hands. But when they saw I had no food,
they flew to those who did. All around you are folk
who are hungry and without hope. Are you standing
there empty-handed, or are you holding forth the word
of the Lord?
copyright 2000 Guido Evangelistic
Association
All Scripture verses are
quoted from the New King James Version.
Click here to go
to the next message in this Sower Scripture Study on
the book of First Timothy.
This series of messages on the
books of the Bible were originally written for
broadcast on Dr. Guido's radio program, "The
Sower." They are collected and reprinted here
for your enjoyment and spiritual edification.
