20b) 1 Timothy Sermon - God's Instructions for Widows
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Join me in turning to 1 Timothy Chapter 5 verse 3. Today we turn our attention to Paul’s instruction to Timothy on the topic of widows. Today we will look at the relationship between the church and the widows of the early church.
We see in scripture that God has commanded and instructed that God’s people have a responsibility to care for those that were not able to care for themselves. Those found themselves at the mercy of society to eat and survive. Two groups that repeated instructs his people who would find themselves in this type of situation would be the orphans and the widows.
In the writings of Moses as God is giving commands for how they were to treat each other socially we find God’s command that they must not be mistreated.
Exodus 22:22 (CSB)
22 “You must not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.
God demanded that the people treat widows with justice as he would take it into his own hands.
Deuteronomy 10:18 (CSB)
18 He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the resident alien, giving him food and clothing.
and
19 ‘The one who denies justice to a resident alien, a fatherless child, or a widow is cursed.’ And all the people will say, ‘Amen!’
We also have many narratives and accounts about widows.
We have the account of the widow that gives her two small coins and is praised for her sacrificial giving.
There is the parable of the persistent widow in explaining the truth about prayer.
Then we have the call of the first deacons. As one group of widows was being neglected in the daily distribution of bread. The apostles call the church together to find seven men filled with the holy spirit to go out and to lead in the care and provision of these widows.
Over and over again God reveals in his word that widows were no only part of the community but they were an integral part of it. They were very vulnerable to be taken advantage of and neglected and we see in the letter from Paul to Timothy that more instruction was needed for the church.
There is a layer of correction and encouragement that Paul is giving Timothy as he leads. So today we turn to his teaching on the relationship between the church, families, and widows.
3 Support widows who are genuinely in need. 4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn to practice godliness toward their own family first and to repay their parents, for this pleases God. 5 The widow who is truly in need and left all alone has put her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers; 6 however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. 7 Command this also, so that they will be above reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his own family, especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 9 No widow is to be enrolled on the list for support unless she is at least sixty years old, has been the wife of one husband, 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. 11 But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry 12 and will therefore receive condemnation because they have renounced their original pledge. 13 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. 14 Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us. 15 For some have already turned away to follow Satan. 16 If any believing woman has widows in her family, let her help them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it can help widows in genuine need.
Paul instructs Timothy on the relationship between widows, the church, and family.
He starts with the responsibility of the church to Widows in need.
Responsibility of the Church to Widows in Need
Responsibility of the Church to Widows in Need
3 Support widows who are genuinely in need.
There are three things to look at here in order to understand this command. Who are the widows? What does he mean by support? and Why is there this characterization of “genuinely in need”?
The word used here literally means lacking a husband. It is commonly translated as widow and is used figuratively to mean what we think it means. A woman who’s husband had died. It had a larger use in Greek literature and could describe any woman who has found herself bereft of her husband. Though the primary use is widows who have had a husband pass away the principle Paul is speaking of here could extend to broader group of women in need, but for today we will focus on women who’s husbands have passed away.
He speaks of supporting or other translations use the word honor. It means to support or care for a person and includes that idea of placing a value. To Timothy it would communicate to care for these women who were unable to financially support themselves.
Paul reiterates the situation with the statement to support widows who are in genuine need or really widows. He repeats the word for widow twice here. So he cannot be making just a simple distinction of a woman who has lost their husband. That would seen to be pretty clear. So who would be a widow who is truly a widow?
It was a much different world back then. Today we really can’t imagine a person having nothing at all to eat. With credit and debt a person can live well past the money they have in the bank account. Here there were women who’s husband would pass away and leave them with nothing. And what ever they did have, when it was gone it was gone. They found themselves at the mercy of the community that they lived in.
God gave instruction to the Israelites to live in a way that would provide for women in this situation. And they were to be cared for by the provision of the community.
For example, During harvest the harvesters were commanded not to harvest to the edges of the field. That was to be left for the widows, the orphans, and other that had no way of getting food. They were told that when they has completed the harvest they were not to go back and get anything you forgot.
19 “When you reap the harvest in your field, and you forget a sheaf in the field, do not go back to get it. It is to be left for the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you knock down the fruit from your olive tree, do not go over the branches again. What remains will be for the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow. 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not glean what is left. What remains will be for the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow.
We also see that a portion of the tithe was to be available for widows as well.
12 “When you have finished paying all the tenth of your produce in the third year, the year of the tenth, you are to give it to the Levites, resident aliens, fatherless children, and widows, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.
We are familiar with the widow Naomi and her daughter Ruth’s story in the book of Ruth. We see Ruth who would go to gather from the crops of Boaz in order to have food to eat.
It was not uncommon for a woman to find themselves in a situation where all they had left was hope that God would provide for her.
11 Abandon your fatherless; I will preserve them; let your widows trust in me.
In the early church we have the story of Tabitha who passed away and we see the response of the widows to her passing.
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was always doing good works and acts of charity. 37 About that time she became sick and died. After washing her, they placed her in a room upstairs. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him who urged him, “Don’t delay in coming with us.” 39 Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. And all the widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them.
Can you imagine living in a time that providing just a single outfit could make a difference in a persons life. This showed the dire need that some found themselves in.
He clarifies on whom he is defining here by talking about those that would not be “genuinely widows” by discussing the responsibility of a family to women who have lost their husbands.
Responsibility of the Family to Widows in Need
Responsibility of the Family to Widows in Need
4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn to practice godliness toward their own family first and to repay their parents, for this pleases God. 5 The widow who is truly in need and left all alone has put her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers; 6 however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. 7 Command this also, so that they will be above reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his own family, especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
A woman’s family had a responsibility care for a woman in absence of the husband. In the community of the religious and the Greek world as well. In the Greek world it wasn’t just a moral obligation but also legal one. A person could lose their civil rights for not taking care of their parents.
It was a sign of gratitude for the children to support their parents in their later years after they raised them in their younger years.
We see Jesus sharply rebuke the Pharisees due to their crafty ways of getting out of this obligation.
6 He answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines human commands. 8 Abandoning the command of God, you hold on to human tradition.” 9 He also said to them, “You have a fine way of invalidating God’s command in order to set up your tradition! 10 For Moses said: Honor your father and your mother; and Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death. 11 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit you might have received from me is corban’ ” (that is, an offering devoted to God), 12 “you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. 13 You nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other similar things.”
Basically they, “devoted” all of their wealth to God, thus excusing them from supporting their parents which is a failure of the 5th commandment to honor your mother and father.
This was to be first and an act of godliness that pleased God. The care of parents or widows was not to be a burden but an act that pleased God.
So Paul is defining a true widow first as one who is really without anyone to support them.
5 The widow who is truly in need and left all alone has put her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers;
She is to be a woman seeking God for here support and if they were truly in need, it was the responsibility of the church to care for these women.
She is to be a believer as she has put her hope in the lord. This is not saying that a non-believer is to be neglected by believers but Paul is speaking of women who the church would be responsible for financial caring for. These women were to be believers and they were to be Godly believers. When all has been taken away they trust in the lord with prayers and petitions.
The women who were supported by the church had to also live in a selfless way.
6 however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.
Paul raps up his clarification for those that are truly in need with a command to the family and widows who had family that could support them with.
7 Command this also, so that they will be above reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his own family, especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Any man who did not care for the broader category of his family, and especially his own physical household then Paul says they are worse than an unbeliever since they did not care for their parents even though those outside the church would care for their parents.
There is an obligation for the church to care for those widows who find themselves in true need. This was more than just a handout once in a while. The church was to take these women into the care of the church. But the church was to only care for those that were truly in need. Widows that proved to be truly widows.
Responsibilities of Widows to the Church
Responsibilities of Widows to the Church
In verse 9 Paul changes topic and addresses another group of women.
9 No widow is to be enrolled on the list for support unless she is at least sixty years old, has been the wife of one husband, 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.
During the early church, it is found in extrabiblical writings an order of widows or a group of widows who served in an official capacity in the church. We see qualifications for these women to be qualified to serve in the church in a similar fashion to those of elders and deacons.
These women were widows who were met three qualifications.
The first was a woman who was at least 60 years of age. This is the first clue that this passage is speaking of a different group group of women. It would be heartless to have a true widow that was complete dependent on God and the the church to wait for her 60th birthday to receive any help. Widows of any age could be in need of church support but only those that are over 60 were to be “put on the list”
The second qualification was that they were to be the wife of one husband. This is the mirror phase of the qualification of elders. This is literally a one man woman. He will encourage younger widows to get married in the next passage so he is not talking about a woman who is remarried but a woman who has faithfully committed herself to her husband.
The third, she is to be known for good works. This is a woman who is an example in her ministry to women in the church. She must have brought up children either her own or others. She has shown hospitality, which means she has a home or some way to open her house to traveling Christians.
She has washed feet of the saints. It was common to wash feet as people came into a home. It was usually a task for a servant but this woman would have the humility to do it for a guest in her home following the example of Jesus washing the disciples feet.
She would have a compassionate heart for helping the afflicted. Those that are in need of care.
She is to be devoted to the good works that God has for her. They would have been examples of what Paul writes to Titus.
3 In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not slaves to excessive drinking. They are to teach what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, workers at home, kind, and in submission to their husbands, so that God’s word will not be slandered.
There were widows that would devote there lives to the service of the church. These women were to lead other women in godly living and there was a high standard for them to be put on the list.
Responsibility of the Church to Younger Widows
Responsibility of the Church to Younger Widows
The church would be blessed by these women. Paul then gives his instruction on younger widows.
11 But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry 12 and will therefore receive condemnation because they have renounced their original pledge. 13 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. 14 Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us. 15 For some have already turned away to follow Satan.
Here Paul says to refuse to enroll younger women onto the list. This is a very strong word as he is adamant that they are not to be added to this group of widows.
His reason is
11 But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry 12 and will therefore receive condemnation because they have renounced their original pledge.
At the loss of a loved one many can never see themselves married to another man. So it is likely that in their grief that widows could make a vow to serve the church in this way. A vow before God was a serious commitment and was to never be broken.
12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “yes” mean “yes,” and your “no” mean “no,” so that you won’t fall under judgment.
In numbers it warns about rash vows for widows.
9 “Every vow a widow or divorced woman puts herself under is binding on her.
A vow was to be fulfilled
4 When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. 5 Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it.
This was where the 60 year requirement was likely from. A widow was to be refused to make this vow of devotion for the rest of her live to the service of the church. The younger widows were not to be put into a position that they be tempted to break their vow as the grief went away and they desire to be married again. They would either be faced with breaking their vow which was not good or keeping their vow and be constantly burdened by not perusing what they desire.
13 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.
Younger widows were also tempted to the sins of gossip and slander as they could fall into these sins as they are idle from the life that they desire to live.
14 Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us. 15 For some have already turned away to follow Satan.
That were under 60 were encouraged to remarry if they were not called to singleness and able to resist the temptation to follow their desires into sin. So they were to marry and manage their household with their husband. This is a God honoring work. One that is highly praised by God as she fulfills the commands to raise the next generation and to manage the household along with her husband.
The consequence is that by letting these women be enrolled and then if they failed to keep the vows they made they would bring reproach in the church much the same way an elder or deacon would. It brings forth an opportunity for the enemies of God to bring forth accusations against the church.
This was an issue as he notes here that some have already fallen from their vows and followed the ruler of the world.
6 For among them are those who worm their way into households and deceive gullible women overwhelmed by sins and led astray by a variety of passions, 7 always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
This group of women was to be beyond reproach like the church leaders.
Responsibility of Christian Women to Widows in Need
Responsibility of Christian Women to Widows in Need
Paul ends this section with a final summary and group that was to care for widows.
16 If any believing woman has widows in her family, let her help them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it can help widows in genuine need.
The final place for care for widows was the believing women in a widows family. The reason for this was not to keep widows from being helped by the church, but that the church would have the resources to help those widows that were truly in need.
Conclusion
Conclusion
God cares deeply for widows and orphans.
5 God in his holy dwelling is a father of the fatherless and a champion of widows.
He is the champion of widows and the church is to be used by God to care for widows in need and orphans.
How do we take apply these scriptures to us today.
The church in general spends the tithe on many things. Much of which is good in the sight of the Lord but here we have a direct command to care for those who find themselves without the financial ability to care for themselves. Today many widows are taken care of by the care of their husbands after they have passed on. The ability to pass on wealth is much different today then it was back then.
Even so, our reliance on debt and the extreme medical cost that we have in our country 39% of widows carry a debt of $25,000 or more. The church has a responsibility to walk along those that have lost their husband and help with guidance and financial support if they qualify as widow that are genuinely in need.
We also find ourselves in a culture that has 25% of homes as fatherless. This was unheard of at the time of this letter. There will be other Christian women that will be in genuine need that this care would extend to as well.
The second thing we must realize is that the family must rethink some things. From the 50’s to the 80’s the multi-generational family declined greatly. Due to financial independence and the growth of suburbs the trend became to grow up leave the house at 18 and never come back. This trend has been changing due to economic hardships.
Here we see that family was much closer interconnected and there was a care and responsibility to share the home and life together. The family is defined as the generations working together to grow and develop a Godly legacy. Instead we have large numbers of single adult children and single generation families that are struggling to make it through life. With the average debt in our country at about $23,000 not including mortgages, the average family is not just treading water but actually sinking as this number continues to rise. We find ourselves in a time that it is hard to care for our own family let alone include parents and grown children. Maybe we should look to the blessings that would be in a family that lived out life together.
Third. I love this picture of wise women working together in the church to serve in great capacity in the church. I think this is desperately needed today. To have women of great character and devotion that are serving the church in this way.
We try so hard to be independent and to figure it out on our own but we ca rely on each other on past generations to help us along the way.
It is good for us to live in this way. James said this
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Prayer
Communion
Warning
Children, Lost, Sin
19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Prayer
Song
Closing
Blessing/Benediction
20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
