Family Matters (Part 1)

1 Timothy 5:1-16

Living Together as God’s Church

1 and 2 Timothy - different from other letters of Paul.

It is likely, as in the case of the letter to the Corinthians, that Paul had received a letter from Timothy, with questions and concerns for the ministry to the Church in Ephesus.

Focused on the leadership of the Church, on the roles of men and women in the church, and on the ministry of training up the church in godliness.

All rooted in truths that are found and consistent with the other letters of Paul.

For the sake of time - only focusing on the first 2 verses this week - then 3-16 next week - on the care of widows.

What’s at heart here is our life together as the family of God, how we speak to one another, and how we care for each other

We are the Family of God (1-2)

What we once were - Eph 2:1ff

vs. Dead in trespasses and sins

vs. 3 Children of wrath

vs 12 - separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants of promise

What we are now: Justified and adopted by grace in Christ

Those whom God justifies -

Justification - to be declared right, just, in the eyes of God.

But how can sinners be made righteous? Not by our own righteousness, but by pardoning our sins, and accepting us as righteous for the sake of Christ alone.

Applying the righteousness of Christ to us Receiving and resting in Christ.

The justified also receive the grace of adoption

Counted among the number and enjoying the liberties and privileges of the children of God

Eph 1:5 We have been predestined unto adoption of children by Jesus Christ himself…

Jn 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

Having his name put upon them

Rev 3:12 he writes his name upon us, a new name Having access to the throne of grace…

Eph 3:12 we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

Are pitied, protected, provided for, and even chastened by God as by a Father - yet never cast off.

God is our Father, Christ is our Elder Brother, and we are united in him as brothers and sister in the Lord

The family is the first Church

Adam, Eve, and their children

Noah and his wife and children in the Ark

Abraham and Sarah, and their descendants

We are called to be the family of God

We gather in His house, we feed at His table, we receive His blessing, we even begin to take on family traits - we start to look and sound like one another.

Treating one another as family.

Do not harshly rebuke (verbally abuse)

The literal sense of the Greek term is to beat something or someone with the fists.

I’ve seen videos of “pastors” who speak to their congregation like this.

There are times when the pastor will need to teach, rebuke, correct, and train men and women, young and old, within the congregation, but the teaching and correction should be through words of encouragement - not a tongue-lashing.

A general principle of operation in the church

We are to encourage and bless one another as the household of God, building each other up in the word.

We receive grace from God, to give grace to others.

The grace you have in Christ is to be the grace you show to one another.

A Family gathers at the table

One of the things that holds a family together is sitting at the table together, talking with each other, and encouraging one another.

This is one of the blessings of the Lord’s Table - it is a family meal, it is for the household of God.

We are encouraged (corrected, lovingly rebuked, and trained up in it) by the word

In it we remember what brought us together, the sacrifice, death and resurrection, of Jesus

By God’s grace we are justified through faith, and included as sons and daughters at the table.

In it we consider our part of the family, and are renewed in our witness to the world and our love for one another.