We Are God’s Household

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We Are God’s Household

Hello, everybody! How are you doing? Are you ready to get into God’s word? Amen, glad to hear that. I am too. I’m Jeff, one of the pastors here, and it’s my privilege to take us into God’s word today. Thank you for coming, whether you’re with me live, watching online, or at the Moon Campus or classic venue. It’s good to be together and hear what God has in store for us, and I pray we listen.

As you think about your family—your immediate family or family of origin—how many of you would say you have a fairly normal family? Not many hands went up, it seems. Even if you don’t think your family is typical, you might after hearing about some I researched this week. There’s the family living in a house built at an angle—not photoshopped, not post-tornado, just how they like it. Or the California woman with over 500 cats. That’s normal, right?

Then there’s Valentina Vaselva, in the Guinness Book of World Records for 69 children from 27 pregnancies—not that big a deal, really. I complained about sharing a bathroom with my brother; imagine their Froot Loops consumption! Or Hale Lima, who birthed nonuplets—nine kids, five girls and four boys. That’s an unusual household! We’re talking about households today, specifically God’s household, and I’ll take you to 1 Timothy 3 to explore this.

1. Conduct Yourself in a Worthy Manner

The first point is to conduct yourself in a worthy manner. If we’re to live as God’s household, this is key. In my family growing up, we had standards—ask to be excused from dinner with “May I please be excused,” give a firm handshake when meeting someone, and no sugared cereal like Frosted Flakes or Captain Crunch. I had a deprived childhood! Even now, I feel guilty sneaking Froot Loops at a hotel—three references already show how deprived I was. We only got Rice Krispies, maybe Cheerios on special occasions, with extra sugar sneaked on top.

The point? We had family standards, and God’s household has them too. Back to 1 Timothy 3:14, Paul wrote, “I am writing you these instructions so that if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household.” Paul, writing from Macedonia to Timothy in Ephesus, couldn’t visit but emphasized the church as God’s household. This matters today too, as we often prefer isolation, doing our own thing. But the church isn’t like that—it’s a household needing unity, communication, and shared responsibility. Isolation hinders fellowship, but Paul’s instructions, from earlier chapters on avoiding false teachers and extending grace, guide us to thrive together.

2. Be the Pillar of Truth

The second point is to be the pillar of truth. In 1 Timothy 3:15, Paul says, “The church is God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” This surprises me—who’d think the church, not just Jesus or God’s word, is the pillar? The truth here is the gospel: Jesus came, lived sinlessly, died, rose, ascended, and will return. We’re to uphold and proclaim this.

This role is critical as the truth faces attacks—competing ideologies, relativism, individualism, atheism, apathy—all undermining it. People dismiss the church as irrelevant or harmful due to its “narrow views,” but it’s the opposite. The church, when faithful, protects truth, challenging personal indulgence. We must teach, defend, and live the gospel. Teaching the whole word, even the convicting parts, and defending it against distortion are vital. But living it—showing belief through action—outweighs arguments, countering hypocrisy’s damage. This is our duty.

3. Embrace the Mystery of Godliness

The third point is to embrace the mystery of godliness. In 1 Timothy 3:16, Paul says, “Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” This isn’t an unknowable concept or secret to unlock—it’s the gospel’s truth applied to us.

The mystery is God’s grace—why He’d love us enough to die for our sins and give us His benefits, despite our unworthiness. It boggles the mind, part of His plan from the start. We should stand in awe, but not stop there. Many seek an Easter joy boost and leave, but it’s about experiencing this mystery. It must be shared, especially for those unaware. Without the gospel, the church is just moral teaching or good deeds—stripped of its transformative power. We’ve been fasting for this, and with Easter next week, we must proclaim it boldly, not hoard it selfishly.

Closing: Living as God’s Household

This metaphor reminds us of our responsibility—to care for each other and reach out, living as the church He calls us to be. It’s a privilege, and as we celebrate 50 years at Pathway, let’s align individually to experience God’s fullness collectively. I pray we fast, pray for souls, and commit to this calling in Jesus’ name. Amen.

SERMON DETAILS

Speaker: Jeff McNicol
Series: We Are
Sermon Title: We Are God’s Household
Date: Apr 13, 2025

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

• 1 Timothy 3:14–16

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