1 Timothy 5:1-16 Taking Care of Widows

Scripture: Mark Esola

Intro:

The Title for this is taking care of widows

A secondary title could be Respect Your Elders

Paul gives us a blueprint for taking care of the widows in the church, but at the same time he reemphasizes the 4th commandment in Ex 20 where God tells us to honor our father and mother

In Paul’s day women had no rights

They couldn’t vote, couldn’t take anyone to court

They were uneducated and so their testimony wasn’t accepted in court, they couldn’t own property

This left many women and families destitute when the husband died

This left a dilemma for the church

We saw the beginning of that in Acts 6 when the widows were being neglected in the distribution of food

This necessitated Deacons being appointed to care for the needs

Paul builds on this and instructs Timothy on what to do and what qualifies a widow for church support

Today we are going to see the role the church plays in caring for widows

Encourage Your Elderly vs. 1-2

Our first approach to taking care of Widows is to encourage the Elderly

Treat Old Men as Fathers

Titus 2:2 ESV

Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

Treat Older Women as Mothers

Titus 2:3 ESV

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,

Younger as Siblings

Honor Older Widows vs. 3-10

The second way that we take care of our widows is to Honor the Older Widows

Exodus 22:22–23 ESV

You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry,

vs. 4, 8 Family Care of Widows

Family first to care for widow

A return for parenting

Zechariah 7:10 ESV

do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.”

vs. 5-7 Qualifications for Widows

Left all alone

Hope set on God

Consistent in prayer

vs. 9-10 Requirements for Church Supported Widows

Above 60

Wife of one husband

Reputation for Good Works

Instructions for Younger Widows vs. 11-16

The final way that we take care of our widows is to hold younger widows to certain standards

vs. 11-13 Desire to Marry

Younger widows are qualified for church care as Elders because they still desire to marry

Passions draw them away

These passions aren’t just sexual

They are to have babies

They are for companionship & security

Many unmarried women are so hungry for marriage and companionship that they don’t conduct themselves in a godly way in regard to relationships.

Abandon former faith

These passions can be so strong that they abandon their former faith

Idlers and Gossips

Ephesians 4:29 ESV

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

vs. 14 Manage Household

Titus 2:4–5 ESV

and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

vs. 16 Care for Relatives