Conduct: Family Care (Widows)
Life as the church: Book of 1Timothy • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 1:04:17
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Limited resources
Limited resources
The church has limited resources and must be a good steward of those resources. Our passage today will look at a general principle regarding those resources. Our focus is on widows which has always been important to God.
God’s direction on care (Deu14:29; Act6:1;Jm1:27)
Deuteronomy 14:29 (NASB95)
29 “The Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance among you, and the alien, the orphan and the widow who are in your town, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do. (emphasis mine)
(expand briefly)
And then what we see in Act’s
Acts 6:1 (NASB95)
1 Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. (emphasis mine)
(emphasis briefly)
and then what James said
James 1:27 (NASB95)
27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (emphasis mine)
(Encourage briefly)
Paul’s charge (1Tim1:3)
Precious resources for:
Church has it’s limitations
The family members have their obligations
Even widows have some responsibility too
It will be in little different order this morning but basically covering those areas.
Conduct: Family Care (Widows):
Care by their families (1Tim5:3-5, 8)
Care by the church (1Tim5:9-10, 16)
Care for themselves (1Tim5:11-15)
Care by their families
Care by their families
From the beginning of the church, the church had concern for “believing” widows (Act6:1) following the care that Israel had for the widows too. Our first point is to look at family care.
3 Honor widows who are widows indeed;
First there is honor (1Tim5:3; Exo20:12; Eph6:2-3)
Honor to the widows that are widow’s indeed. Paul will expand on “indeed” as we go on this morning, but now look at honor.
This honor is a command as seen in (Exo20:12)
12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.
Honor commanded in the commandments and regarding family conduct by Paul too to the church at Ephesus
2 Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.
From honor to practiced piety (1Tim5:4)
4 but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.
Piety (noun): the quality of being religious or reverent. a belief or point of view that is accepted with unthinking conventional reverence.
Practiced piety is honor in practice towards parents, now in our case widow’s.
Practiced piety is a way to pay back, give back, to make some return to your parents. Think of the sacrifices that parents make for their children, so now is opportunity for the children to give back by practiced piety to the parents (in our case the widow).
Next is the proven faith widow (1Tim5:5)
1 Timothy 5:5 (NASB95)
5 Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day. (Emphasis mine)
To the one who has no family (children, grandchildren)
One with proven faith by fixed hope and continual entreaties and prayers (expand; what an example, joy to have these people)
Don’t be a person who denies faith (1Tim5:8)
1 Timothy 5:8 (NASB95)
8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (Emphasis mine)
Worse than an unbeliever when we do not take care of our own
Now for a time such as it was then, there were circumstances different than today, there was no social security, aid society, etc. it was the family so this was a very serious charge and it should be taken seriously today to honor our father and mother (widow’s).
Even the unbelievers then had instructions to care for their own “Every man should take care of his own family.” - Cicero (Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman lawyer, writer, and orator. He is famous for his orations on politics and society, as well as serving as a high-ranking consul.
(Transition) With these instructions and the stern warning would we dare do any less for our family?
Care by the church
Care by the church
Paul gives some qualifications for a widow who is to be, or could be cared for, by the church.
9 A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man, 10 having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work.
Widows put on the list (1Tim5:9; Lk3:36-37; Act9:36-47)
Not less than sixty years old
Most women at this age would not apt to remarry in that day.
The term “put on the list” is a term that is used is very similar to the wording as to enrollment of soldiers. They were to be servants to the Lord
A couple of biblical examples are Anna (Lk2:36-37) or Dorcas and her friends in Act9:36-47); look at the description of Anna.
Luke 2:36–37 (NASB95)
36 And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. (Emphasis mine)
Been the wife of one man
Some link this to the qualifications for Elder, Deacon, one marriage, not divorced.
We know that faithfulness to one’s marriage is important to God
Has reputation for good works (Mt5:16)
Seen works, like Jesus mentioned in (Mt5:16)
16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Brought up children
Children of her own, or could be raising children of others, or orphans and many commentators believe. I would lean towards the later vs. the former for they would have had to die to have her added to the list.
Shown hospitality to strangers
This was a common practice (Heb13:2; Act16:15)
With Lydia the seller of purple who took Paul in.
Then there was the Hebrew writer who said this
2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Served the saints, distressed and has devoted self to good works (Lk7:44-46, 2:36-37)
There is Anna again who was devoted to to good works as we looked at in Lk2:36-37.
And another beautiful example found here
44 Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 “You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.
46 “You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.
Limited resources of the church, need to be burdened by those who are truly widows (1Tim5:16)
16 If any woman who is a believer has dependent widows, she must assist them and the church must not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are widows indeed.
True widows are not looking for a hand out but a hand up, to serve other people, to serve the church.
(Transition) -Limited resources and if we are honest there are many out there who like to use the church while they refuse to work or use their own resources. When it comes to family care (Widows) we are not talking about temporary care we are talking long term care, so let’s see what Paul has to say.
Care for themselves
Care for themselves
Widows in their distress (Jm1:27) is not talking about a widow in grief at death of husband, but long term distress. There are those (younger widows) that Paul now addresses on how to care for them.
Younger are to be refused (1Tim5:11-13)
11 But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married, 12 thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous pledge.
13 At the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention.
Refused to be put on the list, natural tendencies is attraction, hope to get married. And there is nothing wrong with that at all.
Refused to be put on the list for those on the list have a pledge to stay a widow and not marry and to serve the church.
Refused to be put on the list because they learn to be idle, too much time on their hands, and while the are serving from house to house they can become gossips and busybodies.
Younger are to be encouraged to marry (1Tim5:14-15; Tit2:4-5, 8; Php3:18-19)
1 Timothy 5:14–15 (NASB95)
14 Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach; 15 for some have already turned aside to follow Satan. (Emphasis mine)
Some have turned from commitment to the follow Satan by being busybodies, by gossip and by desiring men (which itself is not bad)
why would a young widow want to remain that way when there is still opportunity to marry and bear children?
The young widow who is encouraged to marry, bear children and keep house (rule, manage the affairs of the house) with the love and support, and trust of her husband (consider reading Pro31:10-31) or maybe another passage we can take a minute to look at
4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.
and a few verses later
8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.
What is said, what is done, matters, the young widow just like everyone else can be turned away and say or do things that are not God’s desire
18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.
How a Christian wife (here starting as a young widow who marries to have a family fulling the command of (Gen1:28) who manage their homes are a great witness.
In love, in deeds, in purity
In hospitality, in reputation and in service to the body (the church)
(Conclusion/Application)
Caring for widows is a mark of pure and undefiled religion
It is a to give back to those who gave for you when you do it for parents or grandparents
16 Any Christian woman who has widows in her family is responsible for them. They shouldn’t be dumped on the church. The church has its hands full already with widows who need help.
May we remember the church has limited resources and we have some personal responsibilities to care for our own.
To the true widows who are left alone, trusting in God who meet the qualifications that Paul laid out, then those should be taken care of by the church.
(Invitation slide - The gospel) What we do have as the church is the gospel (expand, explain, extol and encourage) (Song) (Prayer)