Men and Worship

As we are going through 1 Timothy, we need to remember what the context is in which Paul is addressing Timothy. He is giving Timothy instruction on how prayer is to be conducted within the church. What should their church service look like.

1 Timothy 2:8

Why does Paul qualify with “Men?”

Men Must Lead Spiritually

(Main Point)

If you are a husband or a father, you are intrinsically the leader of your household. The question is, are you a good one?

Men are to be at the forefront worshipping God, as an example to those whom they are called to lead.

You men who are married.

You show your wives that in your marriage, worship is at the center. God is at the center.

To you who will get married.

You learn to be a good leader, by submitting yourself under the staff of the good shepherd.

Learning what it looks like to lead with meekness and courageousness, the way that Jesus is leading you.

To you who are Fathers.

Teach your children how to worship, and what it looks like to devote yourself to a holy God.

What Does It Look Like To Lead Spiritually?

This instruction is for the culmination. Not the beginning, but the end, this is what Paul shows in 1 Timothy.

Paul desires me, hands raised in church in prayer and worship to God.

But how we act in church, how we lead in church. It must first begin in the home. (That is why an elder must first know how to manage his household)

Prayer and worship is an outpouring of the change that is taking place within us. An outpouring of who we are.

Who we are will be demonstrated first within the walls of our homes.

Leading Your Wives Spiritually

Ephesians 5:25-27

Christ loved the church. So what did He do? How did He show His love?

He gave up himself up for her. Through His life Jesus purified His bride.

You husbands, are called to purify your wives.

How do we do that? (v.26)

Washing her with the word.

Some say that’s what Jesus did, not us. Yeah but in v.28, your called to do the same thing.

You men are the spiritual head of your family.

You must be doing devotions with your wife, praying with your wife.

Giving preference to your wife over yourself.

Making sure that God is the center of your household.

You must make sure church is a priority in your household.

You don’t skip church for the football game.

You don’t skip church becasue your kids have sporting events that conflict with church.

If you do, your showing your wife and children that the things of this world are a higher priority than God.

The telos of your marriage is this: That you might present her to God on that day without spot or wrinkle, having done everything to lead her well.

Leading Your Children Spiritually

Proverbs 1:8

Proverbs 1:8–9 ESV

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.

Both parents are involved not just the mother, fathers must be giving their children instruction.

Becasue fathers work hard to provide for the family, allot of the teaching and training will be in the mothers hands.

But you are the head of the household. You must be involved.

When you get home, you don’t just get to “veg out” in front of the TV.

Take some time to recover, then spend time with your kids.

Talk with your wife to understand what’s going on in their lives, and come up with a plan with your wife on the next step in raising these image bearers of God.

If your a grandfather, take time with the grand kids. Pass on the wisdom to them that you have gained throughout the years.

Our kids stand on our shoulders just as we stand on the shoulder of those who have gone before us.

You must grasp the time you have, to train them well.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Teach your kids who God is, and to love Him.

When you sit down, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, when you rise.

All the time!

Do we sit down at the dinner table anymore?

When we do, is our discussion about God?

When you take you child fishing.

When your doing yard work together.

Are we holding fast to whatever time God has given us with our kids or grand kids, to tell them of the glories of God.

We must give them the foundation that they need to stand for Christ!

We have great programs within the churches

VBS, Awana, Youth Group

These are tools to assist in the spiritual growth and development of our children.

But they do not replace the household.

Your job as parents, as grandparents; is to train your children. They are watching what you do, and the way you live.

Are you training them to live for Christ by the what you teach them through passive instruction (them watching you), and through direct instruction (doing family worship together).

On your hand and frontlets between your eyes.

Whatever you do, all your actions.

Whatever you see, and what you think about.

On the gates of your house

Let the word of God fill your home.

Let your children know who is the Lord of this house, and who you worship there.

God desires every man should pray, it begins here in the household, then it moves into the church. Then Paul moves to say with lifted hold hands.

Lifting

What is the most common form of prayer we do?

Hands folded.

I think this is becasue kids to often will be poking their neighbors or goofing off.

Our posture of prayer matters.

There are times to be on our knees, when we are bringing prayers contrition.

There are also times where we are to have our hands raised, in praise of God.

Psalm 141:2

Psalm 141:2 ESV

Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

Lifting our hands, this is a posture offering ourselves as a sacrifice unto God.

David is making a statement of “let my life be a living sacrifice. I give myself.”

Psalm 63:3-4

Psalm 63:3–4 ESV

Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.

I will bless the Lord, to His name will I lift my hands.

Men we are to be leading examples for our families of what it looks like to be a living sacrifice.

What it looks like to give ourselves over to God.

We see this being done in prayer by going to God as our source of strength.

We also see our posture communicating what we believe, demonstrating that we are giving ourselves to the Lord.

Holy Hands

What type of hands?

Holy hands

Holiness is that what is set apart. What is different from the world.

As Godly men are we leading with purity of action.

What does it look like to have holy hands?

Without Anger

Isaiah 1:14-17

God hates the people worshipping Him, why?

Their hands aren’t pure.

Their prayers aren’t being heard.

(v.15) When they spread their hands, God is hiding His eyes from them.

When we come and offer our praise to God, is there hatred in our hearts?

If their is, our hands are covered in blood.

No one likes a hypocrite.

If you are burdened by anger, hatred. You may be able to fool the rest of the world, but God is not fooled, and neither are those in your home.

Quarreling

The second sense of the word dia-lo-gis-moss is to bicker and to fight.

This would mean, don’t come to worship while quarreling.

However the greatest use of the word dia-lo-gis-moss is to judge and have evil intentions.

I disagree with the translators with the ESV here.

The KJV translates it as doubting.

That is to say that their thoughts were evil for doubting.

When we come, in order to have hands that are set apart to do the work of Christ, we cannot doubt God. But when we pray, we must be men of faith.

Wrap up

Men you are to be leading your families in worship.

This begins with the way you lead at home.

When you come to worship God, it is to offer yourself as a sacrifice.

To do this, you cannot have anger in your hearts, or doubt the goodness of God.