A Healthy & Holy Church
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Intro
Intro
As we move toward the end of the letter we get a series of charges about how to keep the church healthy & holy.
You may be tempted to think that because these are “rapid fire” topics that they are less important, but don’t be caught out. This is very much in-keeping with the theme of the whole letter.
The whole letter has been about how Timothy should order and teach the church in Ephesus. And we have seen before how Paul has given specific instructions about things like defending doctrine, prayer, choosing leaders and in the previous passage quite specific instructions about supporting widows in need.
You might ask “Why is it important for us to spend several months preaching though this letter?”
1. It’s all God’s word, so it is all good for us to hear and be shaped by it!
2. We get off track and get deceived about how churches are to be run. Sometimes we start to think Church should be run like a business, or a charity, or the local council, etc. Worst of all, we can fall into being self-centred thinking of the church like a service provider; It’s there to give me good service, so I’ll show up when it suits me, and if I don’t like the service I’m getting, I’ll go somewhere else! This letter helps us reset our bad attitudes and see what a healthy church should look like.
3. We’re in the process of appointing more Elders in the church, and the body of the church has a role to play in endorsing and encouraging those who fit the bill. How will you endorse potential Elders if you don’t know what elders should be? How will you encourage elder candidates if you don’t know what to encourage them in? This book very clearly tells us what church leadership should be like. And equips all of you to wisely assist in the appointment of new leaders. If you will be one of those leaders, this letter tells you what the qualifications and job description is.
Our passage today, like the rest of the letter, gives us guidance on how to have a healthy and holy church.
This passage could be in some sense described as “healthy living” in Church. It is about the stuff we do in the course of our life together to keep healthy and stave off illness.
You have a healthy diet and treat your body well so that you can be have a good quality of life and be long lived.
You wash your hands before cooking so you don’t make people sick.
If you’re feeling sick you might take medicine or a remedy to get back to full health.
Today’s passage is not about core mission of church, or the glorious unfolding of the Gospel across the pages of history, but getting “healthy living” right in the church helps us pursue our mission, it provides the environment for the effects of the Gospel to take shape.
So what is our first facet of healthy living as a church?
Honour the Elders
Honour the Elders
5:17-21
Let’s acknowledge the awkwardness this. I am an elder, and the only one we have at the moment, and I’m about to give you instructions on how you should treat me!
But,
these are divine commands, not my personal preferences
you need to know how to treat church leadership whether it be here or somewhere else.
If the teachers of the church won’t teach what God’s word says, then what good are they?
So lets acknowledge the awkwardness, and push in:
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”
Elders to be “honoured”. Honour the widows (material support), double honour the Elders.
This word honour has a double meaning, it does mean showing respect and reverence. But it also is associated with monetary value for something.
We see this in the previous passage where widows are honoured by both the way they are treated and cared for, as well as an assumed monetary support like a pension for those in need.
Paul lifts the same concept up to apply it to church leaders.
It is entirely appropriate to pay elders who take on the bulk of the preaching & teaching. It’s a hard job and it takes alot of time.
Takes two principles directly from the OT. explain the ideas.
An ox was the tractor of the ancient world, tourque & power. So they would use an ox to drive their milling or grinding wheels. God’s standard of justice says, “The ox is labouring for the creation of something good, and it should share in the fruits of the labours” If so with the ox, how much more with men, and men who do such heavy work!
The standard of justice is that you don’t hold onto wages or underpay people. You pay a fair price and you pay your bills quickly, especially when it is someone who is reliant on your for their livelihood. How much more should you pay Elders fairly and regularly.
Like the Levite priests, who lived off the tithe of God’s people some Elders will live off the gifts of the church.
Paul liked to try and keep the financial burden off new missionary work, a wise pattern. Followed even today.
Not hard and fast rule, but it should be our standard mode of operation to reward good work. Some Elders are self funded and so relieve the church of the burden, but we should be willing to pay the teachers well.
These days it is often assumed that you should go out and hire a pastor to work for the church. The reason the church has a tradition of doing this is because of verses like these.
This verse has lead to some distinctions between “ruling” and “teaching” elders. But all elders must be able to teach.
The one who get the “double honour” are those who do their job well, and especially those who
It may look easy at times, “all you gotta do is stand up and talk for 30 or 40 minutes” - but ask any wife of a man who has just preached, and she will tell you of the great effort and time expended to do it in a way that is pleasing to the Lord.
All going well we should have a cohort of elders, some of whom get financial remuneration so that they can apply themselves to the labour of preaching and teaching.
But,
What if it’s not going well? What it there’s issues with the elders?
Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.
The OT & NT are not divorced. They go together, but as Paul said to timothy in ch 1 “the law is good if one uses it lawfully”
Here we have a great example of going back to the OT law for the standard of justice.
two or more witnesses for a “crime”
Hopefully if the Elder has any of the Spirit within him, when confronted over a sin, he will confess no matter how many witnesses.
The sinner should be rebuked. And positions of public authority should get public rebukes. We will not excuse or cover up sin!
So that the rest may stand in fear. Fear God!
We may rebuke for a sin that is “fleeting” or disqualifying sin will result in removal from office, and if repentance is not forthcoming, excommunication.
But to protect people, particularly leadership, from spurious cases they need multiple witnesses.
Our law courts operate this way (or should)
“A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
This is not only for elders, every case should be decided this way, but because of the temptation to try and sabotage leaders who are going to inevitably rub people up the wrong way, Paul lays out a clear standard of justice.
Theses words fit right in with Matthew 18, where Jesus lays out the principles of Church discipline. Church discipline is a foreign concept to many moderns, but it is because of the neglect of this that much of the church is in such a bad state.
Sometimes it is appropriate to “hold court” in church where we deal with church matters.
Much less messy to pick the right Elders in the first place, but sometimes sin is hidden or only happens later on.
These rules help prevent manipulation by people with nefarious intent and miscarriage of justice.
What about if they did it but they get away with it? Just remember, it is more important to let the guilty go free, than to punish the innocent. But, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay says the LORD!”
These rules help us to be fair minded, no matter if we like the people being accused or not. Timothy is reminded to be fair to everyone:
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.
“Innocent until proven guilty”
Heavenly charge! Calling heavenly court as witness!
No partiality! No favorites.
A Healthy & Holy Church treats is elders with honour, and fairness.
Wisdom for Life
Wisdom for Life
5:22-25
A few short wise commands:
Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.
(No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)
The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.
Sins always get found out.
Better to own up and repent, than to have it show up later!
But sometimes sins are hidden for a time and
A Healthy & Holy Church keeps away from sin and displays good works.
Godly Slaves and Slave-masters
Godly Slaves and Slave-masters
6:1-2
Gotta deal with this! The Bible allows for slavery (not kidnapping!)
Slavery under Torah
Not an endorsement of abusing people or perpetual generational enslavement.
How do newly converted Christian slaves and slave owners behave?
God gives limits and commands on this front.
Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.
Treat them with honour, like widows and elders!
For the sake of Jesus!
If God has you providentially in a place of difficulty, don’t sin to escape the sin of others. Bear the yoke with godly endurance.
Ungodly spouse
Ungodly civil government
Business situations where you’re bound by contract.
Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things.
When master & slave are Christian, doesn’t give reason to treat each other with less honour, instead give more!
Timothy to teach and urge these things. Not just peices of Good advice, they lead to a healthy and holy church!
A Healthy & Holy Church respects and honours those in authority over us.
So What?
So What?
A Healthy & Holy Church treats is elders with honour, and fairness.
A Healthy & Holy Church keeps away from sin and displays good works.
A Healthy & Holy Church respects and honours those in authority over us.
