Well good morning. I will be in first Timothy chapter 5 today. First Timothy, chapter 5.
Beginning in verse one, but before I do that, this little introduction. For everyone and review of where we've been in the book of First Timothy.
So we've heard. That in the past. So Paul wrote this letter to Timothy. To remain in Ephesus.
He had given him instruction to remain in Ephesus. And to stand for the truth of God.
Stand for the gospel. Stand for the proper functioning of the church. Stand for proper roles of the men and women.
There at the church. You know, like I said, stand for. Doctrine, resist false doctrine, all these sorts of things.
And take a look at first Timothy 3.
This really is the key verse of the book. First Timothy 3 verse 14 these things I write to you though I hope to come to you shortly but if I am delayed I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God.
Which is the Church of the Living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. So, Tim, so Paul is writing this to Timothy so that they would know, he would know how they ought to conduct themselves, how this church should function.
And it's called here the house of God. The house of God. I'm going to talk a little bit about that today.
So we've seen Paul. Giving direction to Timothy and we've gone through this. How you know the proper teaching of the Word of God.
Prayer, the role of prayer in the life of the assembly. The roles of men and women. Developing leadership, setting up proper prerequisites for leadership in the church.
Standing against false teaching. And he also talked to Timothy personally about his personal walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.
All these things, Paul, is. Writing to Timothy about. And all of these are very important.
No.
And then in chapter 5 he begins another section. About how we function, how our relationships one to another and our responsibilities.
One to another. So that's where we're going to be here today. Chapter 5, how we ought to treat each other and the church's role.
And responsibility for the Lord's people, for the needs of the Lord's people. That's what we're going to be talking about today.
In chapter 5, we're given guidelines for the honor and support of widows. In our midst.
The assembly has a duty. To the to the widows. And we're going to talk about that, what it teaches here.
And it seems like we have more widows in our midst than I remember ever. Been here for 20 years.
I don't remember this many widows, so. Hopefully this is applicable to us and appropriate message for us today.
So take a look at first Timothy.
Verse chapter 5. I'm going to go ahead and read. I'll read a few passes of the section here.
First Timothy fibers one. Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers.
Older women as mothers. Younger women as sisters with all purity. Honor widows who are really widows.
But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents.
For this as good and acceptable before God. Now she who is really a widow and left alone trusts in God and continues in supplication and prayers night and day.
But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives. And these things command that they may be blameless.
But if anyone does not provide for his own and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse.
Than an unbeliever. Do not let a widow under 60 years old be taken into the number and not unless she has been the wife of one man.
Well, reported for good works. She has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints feet.
If she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.
But refuse the younger widows. For when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry, having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith.
And besides, they learned to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle, but also gossips.
And busy bodies saying things which they ought not. Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house.
Give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some have already turned aside after Satan.
If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them and do not let the church be burdened.
That it may relieve those who are really widows. Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word.
We thank you that it gives us instruction. Help us, Lord, as a assembly that desires to follow you, desires to be faithful in our calling, help us to learn what you have for us here this morning.
We thank you and we praise you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
So back there in verse one. It's says something that you may notice. Maybe you did when I read it.
I'll read it again. Do not rebuke an older man. But exhort him as a father.
Younger men as the brothers, older women as mothers younger women as sisters with all Purity. What do you notice there?
How are we supposed to treat each other? Like family. We are a family. And how do we talk to each other?
How do we relate to each other? Like family, like brothers, like mothers. Like sisters like fathers.
We are a family. You know, the men, we just had a breakfast. This yesterday morning and we passed the mic around and we were sharing with each other what we're thankful for and so many were thankful for.
Of the family of God for the assembly, for the church. We're brought into a family. So wonderful thing.
There's there's a You know, certainly there is comfort and joy from having. Biological fame.
And, you know, when tragedy, you know, Aaron lost her father, I lost my mother this year.
You know, there's certain comfort that you can get from the biological family. But there's nothing like the comfort.
That you receive from the spiritual family. The the family that he's brought us into. We all share the same father.
We all share the same heavenly father. We are the family of God. And you know, like I read here in First, Timothy, 3 15.
You know, Paul, he calls the church the house of God. What do you find in a house?
A family. You find a family and that's what we are. Take a look at Matthew 12 the Lord Jesus had something to say about this Matthew 12
This may have sounded like a shock.
When he said this. In Matthew 12 Verse 46.
Matthew, 1246.
While he was still talking to the multitudes. Behold, his mother and brother stood outside seeking to speak with him.
Then one said to him, look. Your mother and your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak with you.
But he answered and said to the one who told him, Who is my mother and who are my brothers?
And he stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said, Here. Are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.
He calls us to be part of the family of God. And the Lord Jesus, he says, you're my brother, you're my sister, you're my mother.
If you are in the family of God. And it's not necessarily by blood. It's by being born of the spirit.
How do you enter into this family? Maybe you read this and you say, oh boy, I would love to be in that family.
How do I get into that family? Well, the Lord Jesus, he says, whoever does the will of my Father in heaven.
Is my brother and sister and mother. What's the will of the father? What's the will of the father?
How do we get into this family? John 6. John 6 John 6 verse 40. The Lord specifically says here in John 6 verse 40, and this is the will of him who sent me.
You want to know what the will of the father is? How do you join this family? And this is the will of him who sent me that everyone who sees the sun and believes in him may have everlasting life.
Now we'll raise him up on the last day. That's how he joined the family. Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's the will of the Father. And then take a look at another. Verse here quickly
Verse 2627. Says do not labor for the food which perishes but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you because God the Father has sent set his seal on him.
Then they asked of him What shall we do that we may work the works of God? What do we need to do?
What do I need to do? This, Jesus answered, said to them, This is the work of God that you believe in Him, That's if you're not part of the family, that's how you become part of the family.
By believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. He died on the cross. He paid the penalty that we deserve.
Because of our sin. And so now when we believe in him, we can be forgiven, we can be given new life.
He is our heavenly father. We're adopted in the family of God. What a wonderful thing.
Here together as his people in the church. We represent that, the family of God.
We are family. The Lord he says in Psalm 68. The Lord. Puts the solitary into a family, some 68.
What a blessing.
You know, the world, those that are alone. Doesn't there's not there's no hope
There's really no hope.
Some, 68.
Verse 4. Sing to God sing praises to his name extol him who rides on the clouds by his name yah and rejoice before him father of the fatherless, a defender of widows.
Is God in His holy habitation, God sets the solitary in families. Again, we see that same thing about he defends the widows.
We're going to talk about that. He is the father of the fatherless. He's a defender of widows and he sets the solitary in families.
What a wonderful blessing. So. We are to be good to each other. Look out for each other.
We're a family.
Back there in First Timothy. Verse 5. You know, Paul says in Galatians, he says, do good.
To those especially those with the household of faith. Do good to those in the household of faith, especially those.
So here we are told, how do we treat each other? And, and specifically, Paul is talking about, as a, you know, Timothy, as a leader in the church, how he ought to address people, but this goes for everyone.
This goes for everyone, how we talk to each other. How we treat each other. Verse one, First Timothy, 5 1.
Do not rebuke an older man.
But exhort him as a father. Now that word rebuke, that's a very strong word.
It's almost like strike. You know, verbally pound someone. Verbally, verbally pummel them.
You know, don't come at them with a lot of strong words. And fight, you know, fighting.
No, don't do that. That's what he's saying. Don't do that.
No. An older man exhort him as a father. How do you talk to your father? You know, with respect.
You give deference. To your father. You encourage him. You know, I think about you know, as we grow up, we see, you know, older men in the chapel.
We see these men. Who have served the Lord for years and years. And they were reading, they knew scripture and we're sharing the gospel with people and I was in my diapers.
Right? I was still in my diaper. John was preaching the gospel in the jungles of Columbia.
When I was in diapers. Right? So we owe the older ones respect. Younger man, it says, do not, okay, sorry, do not rebuke an older man but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers.
So younger men we look at each other as peers and maybe there's a different way that we interact with each other but we're peers, we're brothers.
Older women as mothers again. Respect. We respect the older women. As our mothers.
So here's an example of how we can respect. You know, the older ones is let them go first through the doorway. Right.
Let them get in the line for the potluck. Don't take all the last of the chicken if they're right behind you wanting a piece, so you give deference to people.
Hold the door. Hold the door for people, for older people. The younger man, you can just slam the door on them.
But the older ones, you give way. If you're coming through the hallway and it's tight space, you let them let them go first.
That's how we show. Respect to the older ones among us. And so we treat the older women as mothers.
How do you talk to your mother? How do you treat your mother? Verse. 2, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters.
With all purity. Young man, if there's any in here, yes. Do not look at young women as potential conquests.
Right? Look at them as sisters. They are your sister. When you get married You're going to take a vow to forsake all others.
And remain true to her as long as the 2 of you shall live. The only way to view other women When you're married is as sisters.
That's the only way to view other women. Is sisters. So get used to it now. You treat young women as sisters with all.
Purity.
Now, now in the chapter we focus on more specifically in a certain group in the chapel and a certain group in the assembly.
We talk generally about how to treat each other. But now he's narrowing in on a particular group of people.
Verse 3, First Timothy 3. The Widows.
Honor widows who are really widows. Now what does that mean? Really widows. It seems like if you're a widow you're a widow, right?
What does that mean, really a widow? And so we're going to talk about that. What does that say?
What does that mean? And really the Bible has a lot to say about widows. Has a lot to say about it.
I believe that God is a special place and it's hard for widows. Take a look, orphans and widows.
Take a look at Exodus 22. It's all through scripture. All through scripture, there are specific a teaching and instruction.
Towards widows and it's revealing the heart of God. It says Exodus 22.
Verse 22.
You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry.
And my wrath will become hot and I will kill you with the sword your wives and your wives shall be widows and your children fatherless.
God takes this seriously. About how we treat the widows. Another verse quickly, Deuteronomy 24.
Deuteronomy 24 verse 9 verse 17
Deuteronomy, 2417, he says, you shall not pervert justice. Do the stranger or the fatherless.
Nor take a widow's garment as a pledge. So now let's say that you lent money to someone.
You lent money to someone and they would give you a garment as a pledge. I'll pay you back at some point.
It's like a deposit on a loan, you will get. When they pay you back, I'll give you your clothes back.
But in the case of a widow, you don't do that. You don't do that.
You don't take their garment as a pledge. You let them have everything they need, you lend them money.
It says in verse 18, but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there therefore I command you to do this thing 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. And it goes on about the olive trees and the grapes.
Same thing. You leave some behind for the fatherless for the widow. Now we know that if you read the book of Ruth You'd recognize this because she followed along and gleaned in the field the leftovers that was left.
It was specifically left for her. And her mother-in-law.
So God has a special place and he makes provision for widows. Take a look at Luke 7.
Luke 7. Our Lord Jesus. How did he treat widows?
Luke 7 11
Now what happened the day after that he went into a city called N and many of his disciples went with him and a large crowd.
And when he came near, the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out.
The only son of his mother.
And she was a widow in a large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her. And said to her, do not weep.
Then he came and touched the open coffin and those who carried him stood still. And he said, young man, I say to you, arise.
So he who was dead sat up and began to speak and he presented him to his mother. Then fear came upon all and they glorified God saying a great prophet has written up among us has risen up among us and God has visited his people.
Learned compassion. You know, how often you walking through the street and you see You know, a body being brought out because someone had died.
But the Lord thought about. The mother. The Lord thought about the widow. The only son.
She would be left destitute. She would be left without any resources. A widow and no sons.
He had mercy on her and he healed this man. And presented him to her. The Lord cares.
And we ought to care. About the needs of those around us. As we read an Exodus 22 he will judge.
He will judge. How a society treats its most helpless and vulnerable. You think about an orphan and a widow, what can they do for you?
Nothing. The world may look at lives and say, well, you don't you don't bring anything to to the table so your life is meaningless.
That's not true. Each life is unique and precious and has intrinsic value. When I was in high school, we were taught moral relativity.
So, you know, well, you know, some cultures have different values and we have these values.
But who are we to judge? We learned about certain tribes and Eskimo tribes that you know as people got older they weren't able to holder weight, they were a burden to feed and they couldn't do any work or help so they would just leave out in the in the wasteland to freeze to death.
Well, who are we to judge? Right? No, I'm sorry. That's not how we treat.
The most helpless and vulnerable among us. Do we value life? Now I'll tell you, one of the reasons why we have so many shootings we hear about.
Because we don't value life. That's why. Because we're raising a generation that does not value life.
Each life is unique and precious. The church has a duty to provide for the widows. In our midst and those with needs.
But in first Timothy 5, Paul gives some wisdom and guidance on how to carry this out.
There's some discernment required when it comes to providing for those in need. And and he gives us some guidance here.
There were tremendous needs in Timothy's day. Of and this was a huge issue in Ephesus.
You think the book of First Timothy all of the different topics. That are in here all the things that Paul addresses, he spends a lot of time on widows.
There's a reason, there's a reason. This was a huge issue. Why were there so many widows?
Well just generally that that society women were married much younger and they were married to older men. May the women were young teens.
The men were in their twentys maybe 10 years difference maybe even more So naturally the men would die before the women.
Because they were just older. That's one reason. But there may have been some persecution happening. There may have been some Martyrs, some of the men may have died.
For their faith. And Paul may have been responsible. For that like we read in Acts 9. You know, Act 7, 8, 9.
He was responsible for the death of some of those. Maybe that's maybe that was something that was on his heart.
As he thought about this topic.
And also, if you were to leave the Jewish faith, you'd be cast out of the synagogue.
The Jew the synagogue may have had some resources for widows. But if you were a Christian you were cut off from those resources.
Often Jewish families would reject Christian family members. If a, if a woman became a Christian and her family were Jewish.
And she was a widow. They would have nothing to do with her. So this was a serious.
Issue. There were people that really had needs.
So it says here. Verse 3. First Timothy 5 3 honor widows who are really Widows.
Is to hold in esteem but also there's There's a idea here. Widows is to provide financial support.
In that word, honor widows who are really widows. Now, some versions say truly widows or widows indeed.
Discernment was required to determine who truly needed help and that's what he means by that. They're the
Really widows. They really had needs. And he talks about that, specifically what that means, what that looks like.
Verse 3 and 4. I actually just go on to 4. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home.
Now, I'm sorry, I'll finish the verse. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents.
For this is good and acceptable before God. So the first responsibility. The responsibility first falls on the family, the children of the widow.
And that's what he's saying here. He's saying, here's a woman that has children, it's their responsibility to take care of the widow.
And when it's says let them talking about the children. Let them first learn to show piety.
Pieties. Rel is your belief in practice. If you're, you say you're a believer and you love people, then be faithful in what the people that God has put in your life.
And if he's put a, if your mother is a widow, then take care of her.
Make sure her needs are met. That first falls on the family. And then it says. They first learned to show PIDI at home and to repay their parents.
So you think about it, if you're a We're all children, right? We all were children.
Our parents took care of us. They, they sacrificed. They paid for things over our lives.
They nurtured us. Bottas clothes, everything we needed, food. Now it's time to pay them back.
It's time to pay them back. Now, for my kids, I keep a running total of what they owe me.
Yeah. So they'll do a special job, you know, maybe I'll pay him $20.
They did a special job for me. And they'll say, well, Dad, you owe me 20 bucks.
I said, well, you owe me 20,000, so.
But yeah, I mean, that's we ought to have that acknowledgement. That our parents, all the sacrifices they did for us, it's time for us to step up and help them.
Verse 5.
Well actually before that the end of verse 4 it says for this is good and acceptable before God. This is good and acceptable.
You want to know what pleases God? Right there. Taking care of. Your mother or your father, who is a widow.
Verse 5. Now she who is really a widow and left alone, that left alone is desolate without anyone, no family.
No, no kids, no husband obviously or wife. A loan. Completely alone. Now, and that's one of the criteria.
When does the church step in to help? Well, here's a widow that's alone.
Now she who is really a widow and left alone trust in God and continues in supplication and prayers night.
And day. So no family to support them. Is in complete dependence upon God. You know, it says trust God or hope.
Is in God their hope is in God. They really have no where else to go. But God. And then they are devoted.
To the Lord Jesus because they continue. In supplications and prayers night and day.
They're involved. They're praying for the Lord's people. Praying for the assembly.
They're a reliable, dedicated servant for the Lord. Spend spends her time before the throne of grace, praying.
That's, that's a widow that the church. Would be responsible for. And and can rejoice in.
But then it says verse 6. But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she sleeps. Well, that's pretty strong, isn't it?
You know, there's 2 ways. There's a lesson here for all of us. So something terrible happens in your life.
Here's a woman who's whose husband passed away. There's really 2 directions you can go.
You can find your hope in God. And rejoice in him and be involved with the Lord's people and prayer.
There's things you can do. And to to have your hope in him. Or you can collapse into yourself.
And pursue less of this of yourself of the flesh self-indulgent. Maybe this newfound freedom that I have I can pursue.
My loss plunging headfirst into self-destructive lifestyle. That's something that's another way that you could go.
Maybe you're angry. Maybe you're angry at God for what he allowed to happen. Sorrow can turn to anger.
And you can turn your back on God. And you know as a believer, am I immune to this?
No, I'm not. Something tragic happens in your life? What direction do you go?
You turn your back on God because you're angry of what happened? Or do you turn to him?
For hope. And clarity. So the the widow in verse 5 is our example.
To be hoping in God and being involved. In his work. Verse 6 is not our example.
First 6 is we do not want to go that route because
It says it says. But she who lives in pleasure is dead. While she lives. Pursuing Sin full loss in our lives only brings death.
Brings dryness. Out of fellowship with him, out of fellowship with God, experience, not experiencing the abundant life.
Not experiencing that wonderful abiding in Christ. It's The wages of sin is death.
So let's go on. We're running out of time. Verse 7, but these things command that they may be blameless.
Paul's telling Timothy, Timothy, teach these things, command these things. This is the role that the assembly should play in the lives of these women.
There was there was some direction or there was some correction that needed to happen here at this church at this in Ephesus.
Needed direction for the administration of resources to the widows. We did not, the church does not want to subsidize, subsidized a sinful lifestyle.
It's not a good testimony. So, verse 8. Back to those with family, but if anyone does not provide for his own and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
So if you have responsibility to take care of one and you refuse It says you're denying the faith.
Now does that mean that you reject the eternal sonship of the Lord Jesus or something. No, that's not what it means.
It means that you're not living this Christian life. You're basically denying the faith with your actions.
If you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing. And worse than an unbeliever even unbelievers know enough.
To take care of their own. We ought to take care of. Our own.
First 9. But do not let a widow under 60 years old be taken into the number.
It says and not unless she has been the wife of one man. So apparently there was a list of widows that the assembly kept.
These are the widows that are being taken care of. And there were certain criteria how to get on the list.
And so Paul is giving some instruction and all of these widows that we talked about before in verse 5, these would be on the list.
So they kept a list of those that were that the church had taken responsibility for and providing for. This is not the idea of those going into going into an order and being a nun.
That some people take this as that. That's not what this is. So Verse 10. So talking about this this woman that would be in the list.
First 10 well reported for good works has a great reputation for for good works. She has brought up children.
If she has large strangers, hospitable, if she has washed the saints feet met metaphorically and really.
Serving the Lord's people. And if she had relieved the afflicted. I think about we had so many meals provided for us.
That's what you're relieving the afflicted. You know, and Aaron's father passed away.
We had so many meals. Brought to our house. That's what that is, right? Relieving the afflicted.
If she has diligently followed every good work.
But then it goes on. He talks about these younger widows. This is, I think this is where the problem was.
In the assembly because he spends a lot of time talking about this specific issue. They were they were causing a lot of problems in the assembly.
And there were serious consequences for those involved. So Timothy had to step up with this.
Now when it says refuse the younger widows that means don't put them on the list. They're not on the list for widows that would be taken care of because it says But refused the younger widows.
For when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry. Now is it the problem we want to get married?
No, that's not the problem. The problem is that they are turning their back on the Lord.
Says they grow wanton against Christ. Wanton it's their unrestrained. They're unrestrained.
And they want to get married so badly. That they will compromise and marry an unbeliever. That's what he's talking about here.
These younger widows that want to marry so badly they're willing to cast off their faith, cast off.
Obedience to Christ and Mary an unbeliever. That's what he's talking about here.
Having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith.
Verse 13.
And besides, they learned to be idle. So here's the problem. So if the church is subsidizing or helping supporting some of these younger widows that are they have other opportunities.
They learn to be idle.
They don't need to worry about anything that the church is going to provide so I can just Do what I want.
They learn to be idle. Now, idle hands do the devil's work.
They don't have anything to do with their time. If you don't have anything to do with your time, you're more likely to do, get in trouble.
So what do they what did they do here? They wandered from house to house. Not being a blessing.
They weren't wanting wandering from house to house being a blessing. They were wandering house-to-house spreading.
Gossip. The busy bodies it says. So they were gossips, they were busy bodies, busy body is someone who was involved in other people's business.
Gossip can do tremendous damage. To a church, to the unity and love in an assembly.
It can stumble people.
Saying things that they ought not, it says. In verse 13, saying things which they ought not. It's not that they're spreading lies, right?
They're not just saying a bunch of lies. They're saying things that they shouldn't be saying.
Other people's business and private affairs being spread out. It's not a good thing. So after college, I'm almost done here.
After college in Madison I actually went to California. For a couple years and part of that was I was going to be involved in campus ministry.
So I went off to live in California. I lived in a home with a family and they had a bunch of other single men and we were all doing campus work, campus ministry and other things.
You know, when I first got out there, there was this huge church. It was like awesome because all these people I walk in and they're worshiping the Lord like we do here.
Praising the Lord and I was just so like encouraged while all these people they all love the Lord Jesus this is so wonderful enjoying that I was a relatively new believer at the time.
And, So I was rejoicing, I was having a wonderful time. Being with Lord's people.
But then what happened was I would go back to the home and there was person there was maybe a little bitter.
They started telling me all the dirt on all these people. Like, oh, you know, that family over there, well, this and that.
You know, that guy over there, well, he's this and that, you know, and then The next time I go to church, guess what I'm thinking about?
That's what I'm thinking about. All these people. That I thought were in Like I said, I was immature.
But that's what my mind was focused on. And that's what gossip does. It destroys.
It stumbles. Why do people gossip?
They want to feel important. Right? They want it, they're in the know. They want to be in the know.
They're part of the inner circle that knows about people's affairs. They want to feel important.
I think that's why people gossip. Jealous. Jealousy. They perceive that you hold someone in high esteem and they want to bring that person down if you notches, right?
I think that's what I think that's what when I what happened to me. Because maybe I went back to the home and I was talking to these brothers and I was like, hey, Wow, what a great time to worship with Lord's people and Like, whoa, that guy?
Oh, well, you know here, let me tell you about that guy. You know, and like, oh, oh, OK.
I guess he's not so great. That's jealous, You, you hold someone in high esteem and they just want to knock that down.
Bitter and jaded. You know, maybe they're just bitter and jaded and they want you to be bitter and jaded.
They don't like the fact that you're naive and rejoicing, right?
Bring in the the truth things that they shouldn't be saying So, that's. The danger of this and that and Paul is calling it out.
For what it is. Verse 14, therefore I desire that the younger widows marry. So these younger, these younger widows.
They have other options. They don't need the church to come in and support them. They can get remarried.
And they can bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity. To the adversary to speak reproachfully.
Bring. Bring reproach upon the Lord's people. For some have already turned aside after seeing.
So this has been happening. This was happening in the church. There were women that were going off. And becoming a reproach.
And turning aside after Satan. So it needed to stop.
Verse 16. If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them. So again, a believing brother or sister in the Lord and you're responsible for a widow, a mother.
An ant, whoever it is, there's nowhere else for them to go, let them let that responsibility be upon us and do not let the church be burdened.
That they may relieve those who are really widows. There's only so much resources. Right, so first falls on the family and then if there's no other opportunity, no other recourse then the chapel, church.
Is responsible. So. We're a family. We take care of each other.
We watch out for each other. And we have a responsibility. In our actions towards each other. We have a responsibility to those the needs around us, but we also need to be discerning.
About these things.
With that, let's.
Heavenly Father, we thank you. Lord for this passage, we thank you that we can be instructed.
In these things help us learn to be. Willing to serve willing to be responsible for the needs around us.
Give us discernment, Lord, we just thank you and praise you for this. This time together and thank you Lord that we can walk in newness of life that we don't have to go the way of the flesh but Lord we can walk in the spirit and rejoice and know that abundant life.
Heavenly Father, we thank you and praise you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray.
Amen.