Discerning Care
Notes
Transcript
vv. 1-2:
Paul is not telling Timothy that he cannot confront the sin of older church members, he is simply explaining how it should be done.
A properly administered rebuke can be very effective.
A properly administered rebuke can be very effective.
Proverbs 17:10
Proverbs 17:10
Rebuke is more effective for a wise man Than a hundred blows on a fool.
Proverbs 28:23
Proverbs 28:23
He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward Than he who flatters with the tongue.
If an older church member must be confronted about sin, it should be done with respect and honor.
When confronting younger church members, it was to be done with love and encouragement.
We should always strive to maintain appropriate, healthy and loving relationships with the members of the church.
The same applies to the women of the church.
It all boils down to being respectful.
v. 3:
Widows:
When you honor someone, you attach value to them. We should always value our brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those who are truly in need, such as those who are “really widows”
To honor would also be to care for, and it would include meeting all kinds of needs.
The more specific need that Paul had in mind here is financial support, which would be necessary for those who could not provide for daily needs.
The Lord has always demanded care for those who are helpless and vulnerable, especially widows and orphans.
The Lord has always demanded care for those who are helpless and vulnerable, especially widows and orphans.
Deuteronomy 24:19-22
Deuteronomy 24:19-22
“When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean it afterward; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing.
Isaiah 1:17
Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
While a church may not be able to care for every widow in its city, it should certainly care for those who are part of its fellowship.
A church should care for its members.
A church should care for its members.
Galatians 6:10
Galatians 6:10
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Even then, sometimes decisions have to be made.
The reason Paul singles out those who are “really” widows, is because not every widow was without the means of supporting themselves, so a distinction must be made, which Paul will explain.
v. 4:
Since no church can afford to spend resources on those who do not really need it, there must be some scrutiny.
It should be without question that families, not the church, have the first responsibility to care for widows.
Children and grandchildren are indebted to those who have raised them, loved them and cared for them.
Therefore, the godly thing to do is to repay them by caring for their needs as much as possible, when they are no longer able to do it themselves.
Paul says that it is “good and acceptable”. In other words, it’s what God expects.
Honor your father and mother still applies.
Honor your father and mother still applies.
Exodus 20:12
Exodus 20:12
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
God’s family structure is the basis of how His church is organized.
Therefore, strong godly families help to create a strong church, but broken families lead to broken churches.
When a family does as it should, it frees up church resources to help those who truly need it.
The church should always exercise love with discernment, which requires wisdom.
The church should always exercise love with discernment, which requires wisdom.
Philippians 1:9-10
Philippians 1:9-10
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
James 1:5
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
v. 5:
The Christian widow in need will place her hope and trust in the Lord. She will plead with Him.
This is a description of the widow that the church should be supporting.
She is one who has dedicated herself to the Lord.
She gives herself to continual prayer, and God will use the church to answer those prayers.
Anna is an example of the type of widow described.
Anna is an example of the type of widow described.
Luke 2:37
Luke 2:37
and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
vv. 6-7:
We are given another example, this time of a contrasting lifestyle.
The widow described here is no Christian, and is therefore not a part of the fellowship.
A self indulgent lifestyle, living only for pleasure, proves that a person is spiritually dead.
People like this are yet another reason that discretion is required on the part of the church.
The church is under no obligation to assist in a person’s sinful lifestyle.
v. 8:
Family members who will not help care for their own widows are in direct opposition to the Word of God.
They have ignored the principle of love.
Family members who won’t help have ignored Jesus’ principle of love.
Family members who won’t help have ignored Jesus’ principle of love.
John 13:35
John 13:35
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Even many non-believers naturally fulfill this duty, so a believer who has both the command and the power of God to carry it out, but do not, are worse than the pagans.
vv. 9-10:
Sixty was considered retirement age in the New Testament.
A women of this age would have fulfilled her duty and raised her children.
They would have the time and maturity to devote their lives to the Lord.
A woman of this age was not likely to remarry and take on that commitment again.
This is why 60 was the age that was commanded for being “taken into the number”.
To be taken into the number is akin to being put on the list.
That she must be the wife of one man does not exclude those who had re-married. It refers to being totally committed to her husband.
To be put on the list, they should have been faithful to the Lord, which would be evident in their works.
All of these things which are listed would be evidence of their salvation, unlike the self-indulgent widow mentioned earlier.
vv. 11-15:
The younger widows were those who were still of child bearing age, and Paul gives the reasons for reusing them.
It would be easy for them to be lead astray. Being supported by the church would leave too much idle time on their hands.
The best solution for these younger widows would be to remarry.
That way, the need to fulfill family obligations would allow far less opportunity for sin to creep in.
Paul makes the observation that this has already happened to some.
v. 16:
Again, this type of discretion is necessary. The resources of any congregation are finite.
Therefore it needs to be stressed that if family can care for those in need, they need to do so.
This way, the church can divert its resources to where they are really needed.
