Healthy Churches Honor Godliness

Healthy Churches Act as a Family and We Honor Godliness.

1 Timothy 5:1–16 HCSB

Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and with all propriety, the younger women as sisters. Support widows who are genuinely widows. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must learn to practice godliness toward their own family first and to repay their parents, for this pleases God. The real widow, left all alone, has put her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers; however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. Command this also, so they won’t be blamed. But if anyone does not provide for his own, that is his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. No widow should be placed on the official support list unless she is at least 60 years old, has been the wife of one husband, and is well known for good works —that is, if she has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints’ feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to every good work. But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry and will therefore receive condemnation because they have renounced their original pledge. At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips and busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t say. Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us. For some have already turned away to follow Satan. If any believing woman has widows in her family, she should help them, and the church should not be burdened, so that it can help those who are genuinely widows.

Prayer

Opener: This week I met with a some staff from Grace Polaris and we all looked at this passage.

It is a passage that reads different for everyone because we all find ourselves in it from one angle or another.

You are a widow, caring for a widow, a family memeber neglecting a widow, a church looking to serve widows. Depending on your position, you may read right over the point. As I think we almost did.

Hidden inside this passage is a subtle spiritual gifts test.

Some of us saw rules, regulations and requirements and we got all excited to honor God by serving exactly the way it said.

Others, took a more administrative position. We must organize, calculate rations, develop a registration process and update the website!

Some may have been more than annoyed that there are any requirements at all. You red it and thought, If I have it, you got it! Just give it and stop with all the rules and planning.

But all of those gifts are important especially to this cause.

God loves those that are largely overlooked by society.

Do it right and all the world will see our love for God and God’s love for people.

Get it wrong, and it’ll be worse for you than an unbeliever in the day of judgment.

As we met Wednesday morning looking at the text you heard people with a variety of those gifts sharing their notes.

Most of us went the route of a church looking to organize and distribute goods as though that was the priority of the passage.

Finally Dana, their women’s ministry director shared. They have several widows of all kinds and she shared that this passage is one of great hope to those who are true widows because it is a comfort.

A Women becomes a wife, then a mom, then an empty-nester then a widow.

This passage helps a widow find purpose and meaning, be honored and maintain dignity.

When you re-read the passage then it makes sense and it is in-stride with Paul’s purpose or the letter in the first place.

1 Timothy 1:5 HCSB

Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.

The Widow, the Family, and the church are all to have these in mind when handling the passage.

Healthy churches love like family

Before Paul gets into the families responsibilities He reminds timothy how the church should treat one another.

1 Timothy 5:1–2 “Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and with all propriety, the younger women as sisters.”

The goal of every church memeber should be to serve one another with honor dignity and respect.

Paul speaks firmly to families of widows.

1 Timothy 5:3–4 “Support widows who are genuinely widows. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must learn to practice godliness toward their own family first and to repay their parents, for this pleases God.”

James 1:27 “Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

1 Timothy 5:7–8 “Command this also, so they won’t be blamed. But if anyone does not provide for his own, that is his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

Put up or shut up.

Churches are not banks. We always have limited funds and so we have to make hard choices. Paul is saying stop neglecting your responsibilities throwing it on the church instead.

Mark 7:10–11 “For Moses said: Honor your father and your mother; and Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death. But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit you might have received from me is Corban’ ” (that is, a gift committed to the temple),”

The Jewish leaders were giving money dog eared for special events which was just their extravagant lifestyle.

Jesus said you are steeling from the elderly.

Similar to the wealthy woman that shops at the thrift store because she likes the deals not realizing that is all the poor woman can afford.

We are the first responders to our parents and and grandparents we are all they have. they have invested i us and now is our time to return the favor.

God is interested in how we live out our faith.

If we love, we care. If we do not care, we do not love.

Christ in the middle (Rejected and abandoned he can empathize)

Paul moves then from the family to the widow in verse 5-6

1 Timothy 5:5–6 “The real widow, left all alone, has put her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers; however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.”

Paul tells timothy here is what you are looking for:

One who is dependent on the Lord for her provisions.

She prays day and night because she recognizes her need and who it is that can provide for that.

She trusts not in her self but fully on the Lord.

Avoid the self-indulgent (sexually driven to prosper)

She is relying in wrong ways to provide

She is rejecting God’s ways for the ways of this world.

Look for widows who want to be more like Mother Teresa than Blanche from Golden Girls

CARE should be given to those who are in true need.

It is worth pointing out that how we care varies from church to church. Our church is designed to be people empowered. Not organizational top down. We don’t have a food pantry. but we have people who have pantries. We don’t have second hand clothes but we have people who will give you the shirt off their backs.

The goal of the church should be to help with resources not hold on to them.

Illustration: Kroger, Suddenly they lost track of the goal to give it not keep it.

We must give, but give according to who is truly in need and who is enrolled.

Illustration: When helping is hurting (Remember the aim is love)

(11-15)

Who is true, real, genuine widow?

Its someone who is enrolled. What does that mean?

Acts 6:1 HCSB

In those days, as the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.

for them it meant daily meals organized and distributed for us it can mean having a widow over for dinner.

How did someone get on the distribution list?

Be these things and you can be enrolled.

According to verse 9-10 there are 3 qualifications and some previous experience required.

Over 60 years old

Wife of one Husband (elder qualification)

Stellar Reputation

Beyond those qualities she is also to have these previous experience in order to enroll

1 Timothy 5:10 “and is well known for good works —that is, if she has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints’ feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to every good work.”

Then she can be enrolled?

Luke 2:36–37 HCSB

There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and was a widow for 84 years. She did not leave the temple complex, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers.

A widow with as much ministry experience as Paul listed and the conduct she demonstrates should be so valued and cherished in the church.

Illustration Alestar Begg. You have served so well to get this place where you are extremely valuable to the church. Stop moving off to Florida.

The program were faithful women who put the Lord above all else, were servant-hearted, and devoted to the gospel were given responsibilities in the church and cared for by the church. Like Anna it was all they wanted.

Imagine: 10 widows like that.

Not looking to slow down but to speed up.

Who aren’t digging wells but they are praying,

they aren’t changing church policy but they are willing to change a diaper.

They can still go out, so they go to nursing homes to read and set with other women who may not know Jesus.

They can send encouraging cards to younger moms

Those are true widows. Who want to serve and we need to serve them

Younger widows need cared for to but in different ways.

1 Timothy 5:11–15 “But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry and will therefore receive condemnation because they have renounced their original pledge. At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips and busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t say. Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us. For some have already turned away to follow Satan.”

Old age ain’t for the weak. If thrown into it to early it can overwhelm you.

Closing

Can we say we love God if we do not love people?

Can we claim faith if we do not share our lives and serve those in need?

If you are a widow here today, God loves you and so do we.

You are of great value to God and there is tremendous ways for you to connect into the church and find purpose, love and support.

Never stop seeking to serve and pursue godliness.