1 Tim 5 - Not All the Same

Introduction

“That’s not fair!” Anybody who has spent more than a few minutes with children has heard this phrase. This is a sentiment that is cultivated long into adulthood.

It was cultivated in the 80’s with values clarification – who deserves to occupy the lifeboat or the storm shelter if there is not room for all? Following the Civil Rights movement, the answer promoted was affirmative action for those who had been victims of discrimination. Critical Race Theory has morphed into a critical theory of oppressed and oppressor. This is why so many are siding with Palestinians; they view them as the oppressed. Last month there were clashes between LGBT demonstrators and Palestinian demonstrators because each considered their group to be the most oppressed. The answer proposed is an initiative labeled DEI – diversity, equity and inclusion, which supposedly brings fairness to those on the edges.

Fairness seems to be understood as more benefits to me and more sacrifice by others.

There have been times when one President promised “read my lips, no new taxes” and another promised “no new taxes on anyone earning less than $400K. Then government policies and inflation during both tenures reduces the spending power of all on essentials like dairy, fuel and rent.

Since “fairness” is so flexible, perhaps what is necessary is that we would die to self and choose to honor others.

TRANSITION: Today’s text indicates some of the “others” that we are called to honor.

Healthy Churches Remember both genders and all ages (1 Tim 5:1-2)

There must be room in our theology for both old and young, both male and female in the family. Choosing to honor the young is why we invest resources, strength and passion in both VBS and Summer Camp.

Encourage, not rebuke (1 Tim 5:1)

This word rebuke is embedded with the primary sense of ‘strike at’ (since Homer’s 5 volume Opera including Iliad and Odyssey that some of us were required to read in school.)[i]

Do NOT attack an older person--They’ve seen stuff! I read recently of a senior who was in the drive through lane and the young whipper snapper behind was in a love affair with her horn. Rather than get out and return fire, he decided to pay for her order as well as his own when he got to the first window. When the cashier told her that her order had been paid for she was embarrassed for her rude treatment and waived apologetically to the rear view mirror of the Senior in front of her. When he got to the pick-up window, He presented both receipts and drove off with her food.

2. A much better option is to encourage. This word encourage is the same word used to describe the Holy Spirit in John 16:7

In all Purity (1 Tim 5:2)

The issue of purity is concern for the reputation of the other. Whenever we interact with the opposite sex, we are never to never extort. We must be mindful of power dynamics and avoid seeking personal advantage.

TRANSITION: The chapter goes on to describe a particular group within the body that stereotypically is lacking in wealth, power, or influence.

Healthy Churches Share in the Care for Widows (1 Tim 5:3-16)

Widows and orphans were protected classes ever since Deut 24, but the oracles of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and others indicate this wasn’t always done fairly. Then in Acts 6 the New Testament Church was moved to deal specifically with neglect of widows.

I can guarantee you that widows and orphans are top priority when our elders consider benevolence requests.

Widows and their Families

Children, grandchildren, and relatives: Their is a principle of family first. Those with widows in their family hold primary obligation. But this is not one-sided, because widows have abilities that they can also offer to the larger family.

Widows in families take care of each other.

Widows and the Church

Left all alone - Elijah and Elisha both performed miracles for widows without income from children. Elijah made a bottomless flour pot and Elisha caused a source of cooking oil to provide for a second widow.

God does NOT leave widows or the fatherless all alone.

Yet there seems to be a huge warning against idle gossiping busybodies. V.10 gives a great list of things widows can contribute to the body, while the body contributes to her livelihood.

I’ve known some widows who were a recurring burden to their local church, and I know others who were (and are) a blessing to their church and their overseers by the contribution of their prayer, time, availability, and experience in loving ways.

e.g. as we prepared for VBS last Wednesday I was impressed at the picture of the body at work. I observed young ones whose age is in single digits, and I noticed some whose age is measured in decades. My heart was filled with those from both intact and fractured families laboring side by side in order for children of our county to hear the Gospel of Christ.

TRANSITION: Paul doesn’t only advise on those who receivefrom the church, but also those who belong to and oversee the local church.

Healthy Churches Respect Overseers (1 Tim 5:17-20)

Respect, not revere. I am always mindful that my feet of clay are between my body and any pedestal I am placed upon. At our Elders meeting just last Monday we reminded each other of the danger of presuming that one person speaks for God.

The word elders (lit overseers) was not used in a vacuum. If I were to stand out on the corner of KS-177 and US-50 with a sign that read “stop elder abuse” most English speakers would interpret that to mean be nice to people older than you. Some would read that as a political statement. And Pastors would honk their horns and give a big thumbs up.

Likewise in the first century the word translated as elders was loaded with a preconceived meaning. That meaning was experienced males in positions of influence.

So today we read the title pastor and to many in our world that is a gender inclusive title. But the word as Paul used it, and as we use it here at FHCC is pre-loaded with experienced masculinity.

In the previous chapter Paul stretched the edges of the experience expectation by saying age did not disqualify Timothy. But he reminds not to go youth crazy by reigning in with 3:6 (not a recent convert) and v.22 of this chapter (do not be hasty with laying on of hands).

Eager to Honor (vv.17-18)

Paul quotes 2 Scriptures: Muzzling the Ox refers back to Deuteronomy 25:4. Worthy of his wages points back to Matt 10:10 and Luke 10:7. I believe these quotes are one example of how the New Testament came together. The writers of the Epistles already had great respect for the Hebrew Scriptures and the Gospels and were contributing to the same great tradition. I found this chart of the times that one Bible book refers to another Bible book, which shows how the interconnection must be more than human effort.

Because this is a supernatural book, it has supernatural impact. One of those desired impacts is that each one of us would consider our elders worthy of a second helping of honor!

There is a specific application in these verses to wages, but for those who lead us without financial recompense, the need for honor is magnified even more. You have blessed me innumerable times with gifts that I truly appreciate. Others have honored us with meat, produce, eggs, meals and sweets. Some have provided access to your vehicle or lodging. Some have shared clippings from your flower bed or mailed a card of appreciation. I want us to be equally eager to honor those who sacrifice their time and energy without financial reward.

Slow to Criticize (v.19)

We will always have misunderstandings with more than one side of the story.

V.19 presents a difficulty. To avoid slander on one hand we shouldn’t gossip about another, on the other hand any perception I have needs to be supported by 1 or 2 others before making a charge.

Blatant errors will not lack in evidence. 1 Cor 3:13 promises that the light of truth and fire of testing reveals hidden works. This principle is also in vv.24-25 of today’s chapter.

Provide a sinner with enough rope and he or she will eventually hang himself.

4. We cannot deny the truth, but we also cannot take pleasure in revealing the sins and errors of others. 1Cor 13:6 says that love rejoices in truth, but does NOT rejoice in the act or exposure of doing wrong.

Time and Purpose of Public Rebuke (v.20)

When revelation of wrong-doing is released to the public before it is given to the authorities, I question the motive of the one bringing accusation. Is it for the fame of the reporter or the good of the accused?

Who are “those who persist”? Anyone with habitual sin, or leaders who show no repentance?

I believe some jump to “presence of all” before giving the principles of Matthew 18 an opportunity to bring about the desired repentance. Their “concern” for the rest makes the unrepentant leader an acceptable cost.

Public rebuke is never to make the accuser appear more holy, it is to allow the life-changing glory of the Gospel to work in the body.

TRANSITION: In the final verses of the chapter, Paul turns from our interactions with others and get very personal with Timothy

Healthy Christians Prioritize Self-Care (1 Tim 5:21-25)

Prioritize, not idolize

Relational Health (vv.21-22)

Relate to his family (v.8 is true for ALL of us)

Relate to his community (introversion is increasingly gaining understanding) [Hermit, Recluse. Loner]

In a democratic republic we have obligation to care enough about our community to get involved: to vote, to volunteer, to voice the truth. Some of those listening to my voice have volunteered to be placed on the ballot, the least the rest of us can do is ensure that we are registered and shoe up to cast an informed ballot.

Last week we saw that an untrained reaction to falsehood is to either fight our neighbors or be frightened into silence, but a trained response is to permit God’s Word and prayer to fortify our witness in word and deed.

Relate to his church. – as some of us learned in Adult Discipleship a couple weeks ago from the book of Philemon, when Onesimus became part of the family of God it changed the relationship between himself and Philemon (his boss, more accurately his owner)

Physical Health (v.23)

“make use of”, not “drink”. Drink (πίνω) as in to consume is used another 70x, but here the purpose is medicinal, not pleasure.

Timothy apparently had a recurring problem with digestion (literally στόμαχος) that hindered his participation in ministry.

Jesus commanded his disciples in Mark 6:31 “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while” but that is no excuse for laziness!

Paul commands Timothy to use alcohol medicinally, but that is no excuse for you to go on a bender! “Use a little wine” is part of a longer sentence and your beer will do nothing for Timothy’s stomach.

My health requires supplements to keep hypertension and glucose within range. Your health may require anxiety or depression boosts for your brain chemistry. You may need flexors or blockers to avoid inflammation in your systems.

5. There is no shame in leveraging chemistry to help your physical body become healthier to excel in ministry to others. Listen closely because “health” and “ministry to others” is going to preclude a LOT of extreme choices.

TRANSITION: Paul gives instruction to Timothy personally, because it is near impossible for unhealthy individuals to gather as a healthy church. I cannot say much about another believer’s obligation to you, but I can say on the authority of today’s chapter that you have a responsibility before God to give attention to your own spiritual health and to give honor to both widows and overseers.

Conclusion:

We’ve been down on ground level with most of the sermon today, looking at individual words and the implications for us.

After I read the text on Monday, I identified 3 things I believe each listener would be better if they take away from this text.

We must honor and care for each other

We must respect the leaders God has entrusted to us

We must each guard our own ministry to others.

Response Song #................................. “title”

[i]Arndt, William, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, and F. Wilbur Gingrich. 2000. In A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., 377. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.