A Leadership Manual (12)

Our role in helping the needy...

Each and every church has their own dynamics. Last week we looked at age demographics within a church and how we are supposed to treat people within in the church family.

1 Timothy 5:1–2 NLT

1 Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers. 2 Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.

After Paul addressed how we interact with each other within the church, he deals with a pressing issue from within the church in Ephesus.

Widows...

As we look at our Scripture today, I’d like to include our calling to take care of the needy.

By using the word,

Needy...

I am by no means singling anybody out, but there could be a good chance that each of us could be in a place where we are in need. Far be it from any of us to think that we are immune from trials, and when we are in need, God will give somebody an opportunity to minister.

Today’s Scripture is a little lengthy today, so let’s break it up into two sections. Let’s read

1 Timothy 5:3–8 NLT

3 Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. 4 But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God. 5 Now a true widow, a woman who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. She prays night and day, asking God for his help. 6 But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives. 7 Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism. 8 But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.

They had

No social programs...

As we look back to the 1st century, and it wasn’t just 1st century Ephesus, but even in Jerusalem there was an issue where some widows were being taken care of and others seemed to be neglected.

Paul spells out some different scenarios on who qualified for help from within the church and who should take care of other widows in need.

I don’t want to get too political today, but this wasn’t just a church issue, it was an issue of society.

We pay taxes, and I’m sure that many feel that we pay too many taxes. We know that income tax was set in place for a certain purpose but has carried on. Whether we like paying taxes or not, we like driving on roads that have been maintained. We like having police forces who keep us safe from harm. When an emergency comes up, we like being able to go to a doctor, or to a hospital where we can get help.

In some cases we might feel that wait times are too long, that we don’t make enough money from our pensions, disability, or social services, these services weren’t available for those who attended the church in Ephesus. For a widow, life could be almost unbearable. If she had young children, who would help and for older women, it was hard to find any employment to make the ends meet.

This was the conundrum that the early church found itself in. They knew that it was God who could supply all of our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus, and yet if they helped everybody in need it would become an arduous task.

James 1:27 NIV

27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

As a church, we have times when we ask the church to give towards benevolence. We don’t have a set budget saying that we as a church have $3000 set aside for needs that come up, but as a church family when a need comes up, we will do whatever is in our power to help. Many of you have donated to Food bank, and others of you have given to needs that have been presented. If we ask God to give us opportunities to minister to others, He will bring people that are in need.

In my first church, while we were between Lead Pastors, I served in the role of interim Pastor. A family came into town that had issues with their vehicle. They needed about $300. I didn’t know them, but I felt compelled to help. There was a nagging question that I had,

“Is this legit or am I being taken?”

I don’t know the answer to this day, but God gave me a peace in my heart that He was calling us to give and He would take care of whether or not the money was being used wisely or not. It was God’s money, and when it had left our hands, He was able to take care of it.

We know that there is nothing too hard for the Lord.

Ephesians 3:20 NIV

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

Unfortunately, as a church, we can’t fully meet the need of each and every person that has a need. This can make us think that if we can’t help the need entirely, we shouldn’t do anything. It’s God alone has the ability to answer completely. In the same way, if we can meet the need in our own strength, why do we need to ask for God’s help. This is where faith comes in, if we do what we believe God is calling us to do, He can take care of the rest.

There were two kinds of widows:

Widows without family...

and

Widows with family...

What was Paul’s advice to Timothy?

Help widows without families and have the widows with children and Grandchildren to take care of them.

In our society today, we expect the Government to take care of those who can’t help themselves. Many think it’s not their responsibility.

Two things:

When God calls us to help, we need to help...

and

God calls us to help our families who are in need...

This might not be the answer that we want to hear, but I was saving up for that car… I wanted a new fishing rod… Can’t the Government do something… Why should I take care of my mom?

It’s obvious to me that sometimes we are unable to help parents or Grandparents who are in need. Not every situation is the same, and it’s not wise to paint every circumstance with the same brush. As far as it depends upon us, if we have the ability to do good, if we don’t do it, it’s sin.

Not widow related, but a cousin of mine used to call up my Dad and ask for some help because he was going through a hard time. Strange thing, my dad was going through a hard time as well. The problem was that my cousin could have worked. he had a drug addiction that had taken control of his life and he would tell whatever story he thought could get him what his body was craving.

Not that long ago, I was feeling a little overwhelmed with the hardship that many were facing. I reached out to see what the government could do. Aside from Social Services, there wasn’t anything.

We, as a church, are going to see people that will fall between the cracks. I believe that we are going to see needs increase. Families won’t be able to help and some won’t be willing, and God is going to give us opportunities to serve.

There may be times when we cry out,

Lord I believe, Help my unbelief!

God’s grace will be sufficient in those times. When we are weak, in Christ we are strong.

God calls us to serve. He calls us to give. He calls us to be willing. This is true, albeit, God doesn’t call the church to do what He has called families to do. Let’s be careful not to expect others to do what God has called us to do.

Have you ever felt guilty for not helping somebody out. Two words come to mind:

Conviction and Condemnation...

Some people may ask for help and condemn you when you won’t help. We have had an individual come and exchange blessing for benevolence, and yet when the benevolence came to an end, the judgment of God was hurled at us. Let’s not be duped by someone’s schemes to try to get us to provide, what only God can provide.

As Paul addresses the needs of widows, he believes that we need to help those who can’t help themselves. He also believes that we shouldn’t enable people. When we give with the purpose of helping but somebody is using us so that they can continue to sin, sometimes showing that we love them means that we have to say, “No!” to giving.

Worse than an unbeliever...

1 Timothy 5:8 NLT

8 But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.

We need to be careful how we interpret this verse. If we misinterpret this verse, it can cause a lot of condemnation.

There is a difference between can’t and won’t. If someone has the means and the ability to help out a relative or a family member of their basic needs, I’m not talking about wants, they worse than an unbeliever, since unbelievers will care for the needs of others.

1 John 3:16–18 NIV

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Let’s read the next few verses and see

What it takes to qualify…

1 Timothy 5:9–16 NLT

9 A widow who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least sixty years old and was faithful to her husband. 10 She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers and served other believers humbly? Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good? 11 The younger widows should not be on the list, because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they will want to remarry. 12 Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge. 13 And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t. 14 So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them. 15 For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan. 16 If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone.

What are the

Qualifications for the widows list...

Let’s remember, these widows had no means to support themselves.

1. Age

At least sixty.

2. Faithful to their husband...

Did they care for their husband? Were they faithful to their marriage covenant?

This was important to Paul, because he didn’t want to put somebody on the list that was planning on living with someone else while receiving help from the church.

3. She must be well respected...

for the good she has done.

Has she been a giver or a taker? What kind of a mother was she? Was she selfish or hospitable? Did she wash the feet of other believers? I’m not sure if we’ll put that on our qualifications for benevolence, but that shows that she walked in humility, and that pleases the Lord.

Who doesn’t qualify and why?

Paul didn’t permit younger widows to be on the list. In the verses that we read, Paul had his reasons. He wasn’t making excuses. Obviously, some widows had a desire to remarry, so Paul encouraged them to get married and raise a family well. This would prevent the devil from accusing them.

Others who could work had become lazy and went around spreading gossip.

You’ve maybe heard the saying,

Idle hands are...

the devil’s workshop.

I usually don’t use the Living Bible, but it paraphrases Proverbs 16:27 like this:

Idle hands are the devil’s workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece. TLB

I believe that as a church today, we are called to help people in need. I also believe that someone who is in need by choice and not by circumstance, should do their best to work. We aren’t called to enable people to be lazy, but we are called to lift up the fallen, to care for the broken, and to help people to be able to thrive.

It’s no secret that we can’t help everybody, but we can help somebody. It’s God who provides bread for the eater, and sometimes He uses us.

Maybe you have heard some say,

You have to help, you’re a church...

and yet the same person refuses to do anything to help their own situation. I have experienced several over the years those who would hitch hike across Canada and expect churches to pay for their trip.

In verse 16, Paul makes it clear, that we have a personal obligation so that the church can take care of those who have nobody to help.

1 Timothy 5:16 NLT

16 If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone.

What should we do about it?

I believe this is biblical. If we have the ability to help, let’s do our part personally. If we have a close relative that needs help, if God calls you or me to give, let’s obey Him. As a church, let’s not look the other way, when God is calling us to help, but personally if we are called to help, it’s sin if we neglect and expect someone else to do what we are called to do.

One more thing. Let’s pay attention to condemnation and conviction. Satan will condemn you if you won’t help, but the Holy Spirit’s role is to convict so that we can do God’s work.

Let’s pray!