Being Human In Church

There are four kinds of church members: the tired, tireless, tiresome and retired.

Unknown

This anonymous quote sure sums it up, right?

Tired

Tireless

Tiresome

Just Retired.

In today’s Christian community— we meet all of these types, don’t we?

Outlaws, inlaws, upwards, downwards, introverts, extroverts, all sorts of backgrounds, experiences, opinions, personalities— generations. How can they all come together?

How can we really experience the dream that God has for us as His people here on earth for such a time as this?

Primary Text: 1 Timothy 5:1-2, 17-22,

Very practical in nature— Paul is setting up instructions on how to relate to each person in the church.

Baked into this is an overall description of how a church community is actually a “family”.

In fact: I want this to be our Big Idea for today:

Big Idea: The strength of a church lies not in its programs but in its relationships; how we treat each other as family how we honor those who lead, and create an environment for spiritual growth.

Treat each other as family

Honor those who lead and mentor us

Create an environment for growth

I. The church as family (1 Timothy 5:1-2)

1 Timothy 5:1 NIV

1 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers,

1 Timothy 5:2 NIV

2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

A. Church/Family Dynamics

Ephesians 2:19 NIV

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,

Treat older men as fathers

The word here for “rebuke” isn’t actually the usual word used. This word Paul uses has a much more aggressive tone: “To Strike our at”. This kind of refers to ‘verbally assaulting’. Confronting people is in fact part of the charge that Timothy is given— see some earlier passages—we as your pastors and mentors are indeed called to correct and confront you at times— nobody likes that part of the job— but this word is not that same word— This means to lash out. That’s not what any older man deserves. What he is implying is actually to confront the sin— but with respect and an exhortation. A love for him, even if he is wrong. Exhorting here is a word that implies “coaching” or “mentoring” him in the truth.

Treat younger men as brothers

Brothers are partners, they are friends, they are counterparts and equals. They may not receive quite the same type of honor or “benefit” of doubt as the older men do- but they deserve a camaraderie. Sometimes these younger men need encouragement and wisdom from those who are older. In the right tone, advice and exhortation can be life changing!

Treat older women as mothers

In verse 2 we see the female counterpart relationships:

I love the imagery here— regardless of what your relationships might be — women older than you deserve the respect and honor due the older men as well. They represent something in your life— even if you have poor relationships with your own biological mother. Timothy is a younger man— He’s going to accept a little mothering from the older ladies in the church at Ephesus. We should appreciate it, and honor them too.

Treat younger women as sisters

These younger women are to be seen as “sisters”. They are to be treated with absolute purity. That is very important. There is an ethic here that we, in our post-modern culture have forgotten and perhaps even disregarded. Not just for a young pastor, like Timothy— but for everyone. Each one of us needs to make sure that our conduct and relationship to any younger woman is absolutely pure, and completely above reproach.

The bible teaches us that there is no room for any deviation from the way that Christ himself would interact with these people. There is not space anytime for saying something flirtatious, or overly personal and provocative. A man of God will not do these things— he guards against that--and is true and Christlike in the way he interacts with younger women. As Sisters.

Now- step back from this for a moment and consider everyone in our church community. They are to be treated according to these standards— these standards are all based in the designations we would give our family.

No wonder the enemy, the devil, seeks first to destroy the family. That’s where all the basis starts for our relationships. Your relational life, both good and bad, can most frequently be traced back to your family. This means the way you have been in relationship to these people: Fathers, Mothers, Brothers, Sisters— in your family — will affect how you relate with those around you today. Are you aware of those systems and patterns in your life?

There is a quality of the relationships within the church:

Our relationships should have sincere respect, genuine love, faithful partnership, and absolute purity.

Romans 12:10 NIV

10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

 This echos the characteristics that we found back in Chapter 3 with lasting influence (Owen’s message), as well as that great verse 12—

1 Timothy 4:12 NIV

12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

The next section here we will actually skip over to get through quickly— but I want you to look at least at verse 3:

1 Timothy 5:3 NIV

3 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.

This section then goes on to explain the responsibility Timothy should take regarding the body of Christ caring for and making sure these individuals are provided for. This is very important— and we are still doing this today. With those who are in need within our church— or even extending out into the community, we try to provide helpful resources.

This chapter 5 text gives us remarkable wisdom in how we are to care for those who are in need. We can’t unpack it all today— but I want you to know that I believe this is a call that God may have specifically placed on us here at Walnut Creek Mennonite Church. We are a caring, helping, rescuing congregation— historically that is who we have been. I think we should press into that even more in the future. Some of the wisdom in this section helps us to differentiate and discern how to help people— That is one of the greatest honors of my job— being our representative to help those who may need something specific. We all give our financial resources, time and our expertise and experience to care for people that God brings to us.

Now the next section I want to cover introduces us to the leadership of the church community:

II. Leaders that are trustworthy (1 Timothy 5:17-18)

1 Timothy 5:17 NIV

17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

There is an interchangeable term here: Elder, Pastor, Overseer, Bishop. All refer to those who are leading in the church.

Paul identifies those who are ruling well, and those who labor in teaching and in preaching.

There is a recognition of faithful service.

   - Those who rule well

   - Those who labor in teaching and preaching God’s Word to the people.

We labor here to provide excellence in teaching and laboring in God’s word.

The concept is very old— Paul uses an OT example from Deuteronomy:

1 Timothy 5:18 NIV

18 For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.”

Supporting pastors financially frees them to serve as shepherds.

This isn’t as much about getting a paycheck, as it is the church community providing for my household and my future, which frees a pastor to be fully committed to the work of God.

We don’t work technically FOR you— but we work for God — hopefully for your benefit and for the work of the Kingdom here at Walnut Creek Mennonite.

Hebrews 13:17 NIV

17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

We have a Board of Directors who manage a budget— with plans and provisions to care for the needs of our community, for the advancement of the gospel here and abroad, and to provide the structure for the gatherings we call “The church”.

Then Paul reemphasizes the importance of sound methods in dealing with the Church leaders:

1 Timothy 5:19 NIV

19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.

This is a protection that encourages us to assume the best— unless there is ample support for an accusation of sin and wrong doing. Your pastors and elders, board of director meetings

1 Timothy 5:20 NIV

20 But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning.

Church leaders deserve protection from unfair accusations, but when proven guilty of sin, they must face public accountability for the sake of the church's health.

The final section we will cover today, Paul encourages Timothy in ways that the health of the church can be maintained:

III. An environment to grow in! (1 Timothy 5:21-22)

1 Timothy 5:21 NIV

21 I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.

 This means that a Christlike community values every person. 

No favoritism based upon any exterior factor such as age, gender, race, wealth, etc.

It also means that there is an Equal application of principles of leadership and accountability.

WCMC seeks God’s wisdom in establishing consistent standards and transparent processes.

If you have questions about anything at the church and how we do things— we are always open to a meeting or an email to talk about things.

What does this mean to me?

Each member of the Christian community has both a:

Personal Responsibility:

Treating others as family, Showing proper respect, Maintaining purity, Supporting leadership

Corporate Responsibility:

Protecting unity, Promoting health, Preserving our testimony, Practicing accountability

Participating in church focuses on:

Respect, Relating, and Restoring

Colossians 3:16 NIV

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Christians in community must again show the world, not merely family values, but the bond of the love of Christ.

Edmund Clowney

Finding strength in the Church:

This week, identify one older and one younger person in our church family. Commit to treating them as Scripture commands - with the same care you'd show your biological parents or siblings."

Is there a person that has a need that you might help? Look around— it’s not only financial, it may be emotional, spiritual, or some other physical way to be present with them.

Choose one church leader to specifically encourage through a note, email, or conversation, expressing gratitude for their faithful service.

Lord, help us build a church family that reflects Your heart - where relationships are pure, leaders are both honored and accountable, and Your name is glorified through our unity. Give us courage to apply these truths beginning today. Amen.