1st Timothy Series - Honor, Respect, and Contentment

                                       

Honor, Respect, and Contentment

1 Tim. 5:1-8

  Paul knew the scripture spoke of honoring those who were their elders.  “Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged. Fear your God. I am the Lord.” (Lev. 19:32)

And in teaching Timothy to respect the elders of Ephesus, as well as those who were his age, he needed to understand the fear of God that he must have in order to stand forthright, get all wisdom, understanding, insight, and knowledge in leading these people. So let’s read the first portion of scripture.  “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.” 

Paul had had Timothy with him for a few years by now, and he knew that Timothy understood the value of his heritage, and the culture in Ephesus. But of most importance was the fear of God in honoring His Word. Timothy would be respected by the elders and others as he showed respect to the wisdom, knowledge of God’s word, and the understanding of the experience that came with those who have lived and served God. He had been brought up in the faith by a godly grandmother, and mother. “I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.” ( 2 Tim. 1:5)

It was this heritage that Paul says to honor in the elders of the church in Ephesus. Timothy was not to be rash in his rebuking or correction of those who were his senior. The scriptures themselves would be sufficient for the correction needed in guiding the church. Timothy was to treat the elders like fathers, for the fifth commandment was explicit about the treatment of parents. “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (Duet. 20:5)

Next, Timothy was also to honor the women both old and young as if they were his mother and sister, respectively. In all of this, Jesus' admonition and commandment to love others as he had loved them (Jn. 13:34) was to be instituted in Timothy’s life, not only as a command, but as a safeguard as well in his ministry. All things were to be done in absolute purity, especially when it came to being in the company of young women. Timothy was to guard himself from even the appearance of indiscretion or impropriety. Timothy’s intentions were to be honorable towards the young women within his congregation. He needed to be above reproach and suspicion of impurity.

Application - I am now one of those who are the elderly in my church. And I have to say that I am respected and honored by my pastor and those in the congregation. But the widows and less fortunate are  in many places whether in the church or in a convalescent facility. As a younger man, I would frequently visit those homes of the elderly that needed assistance. And I was usually greeted with a wonderful smile and asked to spend some time visiting, reading the Word of God, or praying with them for their physical needs. This is the training young pastors (men or women) need to remember. 

For there was a time in our world that honor and respect were done without forethought amongst the elderly. But with the hustle and bustle of our busy world and the increasing depravity of sin in the world, there is the dishonor of those who have lived and experienced a long life. Today, we put our elderly in a nursing home, or assisted living, and then forget about them and their needs, out of sight out of mind.  

Go to a convalescent home where the elderly are placed in a chair or mobile device (wheel chair) and left to stare into a television or out a window for hours. Or there are those who don’t eat well or healthy meals, live in soiled clothing, and haven’t had proper hygiene. It is still the church’s responsibility and the responsibility of the families to care for the elderly among us. How would God use you to meet the needs of the elderly. 

As for the impropriety among the young men and women, it should never be in the church (the body of Christ). Proverbs has much to say about honoring God with our bodies, hearts, and minds. “My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. (Proverbs 4:20-26)

Paul continues as he addresses the contentious treatment about widows, especially between races. Let’s look at the next portion of scripture, “Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.”

Before Paul was converted from Saul to Paul, the early church was dealing with the contentious atmosphere in the church when it came to fairness in the taking care of widows, especially those who were of differing races. “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.” (Acts 6:1)

Paul probably knew of this from the other apostles and disciples. Ephesus, being a metropolitan city, would have had many ethnic groups in the church. Timothy was to make sure that each was treated justly when it came to their care. It is possible that the widow and grandmother were among the first converts to christianity in Ephesus, for in Timothy’s own hometown in Lystra (Acts 16:1-3), it was his own grandmother who was the first convert to Christianity in his family. 

Paul’s advice and admonition was to have the families of the widows take the responsibility for the care of the widows if at all possible. Paul had probably used this teaching in other churches as well. He considered them worse than the pagans if they didn’t take care of their own family members. Again, the commandment to honor the father and mother was still to be upheld with greatest integrity and responsibility. Paul wanted the church to honor God in all ways, especially the family unit for this pleased God and it was one of the commandments with a promise attached of long life. 

Then, Paul exhorts Timothy on the widows who are truly in need, those with no family or home. “The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.”

These older women were to be a pillar amongst the younger women. They were to help in the training of the younger women in godliness. They were expected to live in the hope and expectation of God’s provision, and pray without ceasing to their Father in heaven just as Jesus had taught to the disciples, (Luke 18:1-8a). The widow would be dependent on God, and He would reward them with provision and justice “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isa 41:10)

 But then Paul warns Timothy about the widow who seeked pleasure instead of God, in living a dead life, both spiritually and physically. There is no hope for those who crave the world over God, no matter how dire their life circumstances are. “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” (Titus 2:11-12)

Application - Again I don’t need to go over the treatment of the elderly, but I would like to address the need of beseeching God with our needs and living a godly life even in the latter parts of our lives. 

First, God tells us to ask him in prayer. “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” “Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.” “pray without ceasing.”  (Mark 11:24, Matthew 7:7, Phil. 4:6, 1 Chr. 16:11, 1 Thes. 5:17)  God is not silent when it comes to the needs of His children. “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken…Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart…Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” (Ps. 62:6,8, 37:3-4,7) 

I rest on these verses almost everyday. For it is in the confidence and reassurance that My God listens to my heart’s cry and provides for my well being in a place where he can attend to my needs.

Lastly, Paul exhorts Timothy to give these instructions to the church in Ephesus. Let’s look at the last portion of the text, “Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

Paul knows the alluring power of the sinful nature to be greedy and selfish, to horde and retain their wealth and prosperity for themselves. Paul would have heard and told the parable Jesus had told of the rich farmer.  “Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”  Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:14-21)

Paul knew life was much more than earthly riches that can corrupt the soul with greed and pride. He wanted Timothy to make it perfectly clear that those who have family are not to ignore or ostracize them, but to attend to their needs as well as their own. 

Application - Again, it is the responsibility of the believer to help and take care of those who are unable, especially if they are members of your family. 

Paul didn’t mix words when calling those who see the need of their own family, and then walk away. He compared them to the unbeliever, even worse they have denied the faith. Jesus had told the disciples and every believer that we are his disciples. “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35.) Jesus told us a parable about the kingdom of God in the end times, “...’Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’...” (Matt. 25:31-46)

Jesus was serious about the needs of others, eternally serious. For those who neglected the needs of others were ejected into hell’s fire, and those who tended to the needs of others were welcomed into the Kingdom of God.

In a world where we daily hear of the homelessness that besets our country, especially in the metropolitan cities and the increasing surge of the immigration of migrants across the borders of the world. We have a great task and it is not the task of one agency or organization. The needs of the homeless and transient world is huge, and Jesus told us we would always have the poor with us, “You will always have the poor among you.” (Matt. 26:11) And as in the parable, we are not to overlook those in need, especially in the church.

This takes discretion and discernment. For we are to be wise in what we do with what God has given to us. I find I need discernment to separate the needy from the greedy. It is disheartening to give someone something only to see them toss it in a dumpster because it wasn’t something they wanted. Or over hear the recipient of clothing or personal needs only to hear words of discontent and displeasure over the gifts. Regardless of the reactions and words of the recipients, it is still our responsibility as if we were doing it for Jesus himself.

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation (JD Farag). Please, Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis