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May I turn in your Bibles to 
1 Timothy chapter 5, as we continue our study in the pastoral epistles. 1 Timothy chapter 5, our focus 
this evening is on the Lord's concern for widows, specifically 
the church's role. That is found in verses 9 to 
16. But I do want to begin reading 
in chapter 5 at verse 1. 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 
is good and acceptable before God. Now, she who is really a 
widow and left alone trusts in God and continues in supplications 
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, if 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 learn to be 
idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle, 
but also gossips and busybodies, 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 the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, 
especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the 
scripture says, you shall not muzzle an ox while it treads 
out the grain, and the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not 
receive an accusation against an elder, except from two or 
three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke 
in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear." I charge 
you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that 
you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with 
partiality. Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, 
nor share in other people's sins. Keep yourself pure. No longer 
drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake 
and your frequent infirmities. Some men's sins are clearly evident, 
preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later. 
Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those 
that are otherwise cannot be hidden. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, we ask now for the Spirit 
of God to minister to our hearts and our minds. Give us grace 
to receive these things. Give us grace to see your concern, 
to see your character, your kindness, your mercy, as you look upon 
those who are needy in this world, and you prescribe a method, a 
means by which they may be taken care of. Thank you, Father, that 
you speak to each and every area in your household. Give us grace 
as adopted sons and daughters to put these things into practice. Give us grace to imitate your 
heart, your mind, your love for those in need. And we ask this 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, after dealing with 
Timothy with reference to himself in chapter 4, in the main, he 
exhorts Timothy on the necessity of being a good minister of Jesus 
Christ. In chapter 5, he now deals with 
various relations that affect or that find their mark in the 
church of Christ. In verses 1 and 2, he gives Timothy 
some instruction. Do not rebuke an older man, rather 
exhort him as a father. Do not rebuke younger men, but 
exhort them as brothers. Do not rebuke older women, but 
exhort them as mothers. Do not rebuke younger women, 
but exhort them as sisters, and do so with all purity. In verses 3 to 16, he deals now 
with the place of widows in the church. And in verses 3 to 8, 
the primary emphasis and the primary responsibility, something 
that he'll reiterate in verse 16, is upon the family. the family 
is the first line of defense in caring for a widow. Now obviously 
if the widow is cared for in terms of financial, her husband 
left her in a position where she doesn't need that, well then 
this doesn't apply. And this text does not speak 
to the garden variety care that we ought to provide for any widow. 
If a widow has what she needs in terms of financial resources, 
we still love them, we visit them, we care for them, we tend 
to them, we're kind to them, all those sorts of things. James 
says that pure and undefiled religion in the sight of God 
and the Father is this, to visit widows and orphans in their distress 
and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. Verse 3 indicates 
what is at stake in the ensuing discussion. When he says honor 
widows, he doesn't just mean to esteem them and to respect 
them. He means to make sure that they 
have financial resources. He uses the same statement in 
verse 17 with reference to the elders. Let the elders who rule 
well be counted worthy of double honor." Again, it's not esteem 
and respect. It's not, wow, there's the minister, 
there's the right reverend doctor. That's not what's in view. The 
idea here is remuneration, paying the ox. When he's treading out 
the grain, let him eat. He ought to be able to make a 
living, not be rich, but not starve either as he's tending 
to person's souls. And so the idea here is honor 
widows who are really widows. Make sure that they have the 
financial support and the financial resources that they need so that 
they can eat, so that they can be clothed, and so that they 
can have shelter. That is the point. In verses 
3 to 16, as a whole, the family, as I've already maintained, is 
directed first in verses 3 to 8. That famous text of verse 
8, 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 those who are householders 
ought to take care of widows. By implication, They ought to 
take care of their wives. They ought to take care of their 
children. God is big on hard work. God is pro-diligence. God is pro-you doing all that 
you can do to make sure that the people you're responsible 
for get to eat. and they get to wear clothes, 
and they get to have shelter. This is absolutely imperative 
as householders under God. So the church is now given her 
responsibility in verses 9 to 16. And that we will look at 
under three considerations. First, the presence of a widow's 
list. Paul says, do not let a widow 
under 60 years old be taken into the number. What it seems to 
indicate is that the church had an official list, whether it 
was paper, a Word document, whatever it was, it was a formal arrangement 
with the widow that they would provide care for them. So the 
presence of a widow's list first. Secondly, the qualified or older 
widows, verses 9b and 10. And then thirdly, the unqualified 
or the younger widows in verses 11 to 15. And then he makes the 
summary statement again in verse 16 to wrap up the entire argument 
and put the onus again on the family primarily. but when the 
family is not able to, or there is the absence of family, then 
the church must step in to provide honor, that means financial support, 
for widows within the Church of the Living God. Now note first 
the presence of this list. Do not let a widow under 60 years 
old be taken into the number. All of the rules, all of the 
qualifications, all of the specifications that are laid out here indicates 
that if we are going to permanently and regularly support someone, 
they must meet these qualifications. That does not mean that we can't 
help a widow who doesn't meet the qualifications. Paul is not 
saying, turn away somebody, unless they've done this, unless they've 
done that, send them out into the cold. No, there may be times 
and instances and seasons and places where the church does 
step in to a younger widow. or to an unqualified widow. But all things being equal in 
terms of regular ongoing support, when the church pledges that 
they will be there to make sure that the lady has food, then 
she must be fulfilling these particular qualifications. The 
verb use means to be enrolled, to write down on a list. The 
context makes it clear that the list is a record of those widows 
who receive ongoing support from the church. Now some say that 
the widows were expected to do stuff for this. In other words, 
they would do jobs around the church. They would do certain 
functions within the church. In fact, some of the apostolic 
fathers, the early church documents indicated that there was a a 
class of widows that would do certain things. Whether that's 
precisely what the apostle means or not, the idea I think is clear, 
that you do not provide ongoing regular support for a widow unless 
these qualifications are met. Now, 60 at this particular time 
was not like 60 today. 60 in this particular context 
was probably near the end of her life. She probably didn't 
have a lot of strength and energy. It wasn't the case that we'd 
say, take the ladder out there and clip the hedges in order 
to get your honor. That's probably not what's in 
view. She's an older lady now at the end of her life and so 
the honor is probably just to make sure that she is receiving 
those things that she has need for. If she can do some odd jobs, 
great. That's a good thing. That's a 
blessing. But the point is that the Apostle 
prescribes that when the church steps in, there are qualifications 
to be met. And that brings us to consider, 
secondly, the qualified or older widows. And he breaks this down 
into three sections. Her age, her marital fidelity, 
and her good works. And as we move through this, 
I want you to ask the question, if Paul mandates that a widow 
has performed like this in order to be honored by the church, 
what should we say about those people who just show up at our 
door and say, give me? How many times does the church 
assume the posture of an ATM? and just give money away to people 
who are unqualified. You say, well that sounds vicious, 
that sounds unkind, that sounds harsh, that sounds apostolic. You see, we are given these resources 
as stewards under God and we are to use them responsibly. We are not supposed to support 
somebody's drug habit. We are not supposed to support 
somebody's addiction to alcohol. We are not supposed to support 
somebody who is too lazy to go out and find a job. The church 
is not that sort of a benevolent organization. The church looks 
for people that meet certain criteria so that it manages its 
funds and its resources in a responsible manner under God. That's what 
Paul specifies. Do not let a widow, and here 
it is, under 60 years old, be taken into the number. The idea 
is probably clear. She's past the age of remarriage. What's Paul's encouragement to 
younger widows? Go get married. But for this 
class of widows at this particular age, marriage is probably not 
an option. She is an elderly woman. She 
probably doesn't have the energy anymore to be married to some 
man and he sat along some fellow. You know, whatever the case may 
be, she's at a place in her life where she's probably not going 
to be married. So he says, do not let a widow 
under 60 years old be taken into the number. That might need to 
be adjusted because of life spans and all that sort of thing now. 
But there is a specified age. Notice, her marital fidelity. And not unless... Here's the 
qualifications. This is important. You've got 
to see this. Just like elders shouldn't be 
brought into the office unless. Just like deacons should not 
be brought into the office unless. So shouldn't widows be brought 
onto the list unless. Again, this doesn't mean we can't 
give a one-time or a few-time gift to a particular widow. It 
doesn't mean we can't take an unqualified widow and do some 
things to alleviate her problems and issues. It doesn't mean we 
can't offer aid to a younger widow who's in a particularly 
difficult season of life. But when we engage in a permanent 
arrangement with a particular widow, she must be 60 and she 
must have been a one-man woman. That's what the text specifies. 
And not unless she has been the wife of one man. This is not 
a condemnation of remarriage. Paul's going to counsel remarriage. It is similar to what we find 
in the qualifications for the elders. The elders were to be 
the husband of one woman. There we saw that marital fidelity, 
sexual faithfulness, That is what is in view. This woman has 
maintained integrity. This woman has been faithful 
in the realm of domestic piety. She has done all that is expected 
of her. The Apostle gives an age, highlights 
marital faithfulness, and describes the kinds of good works that 
she had to have practiced. The idea, as I said, is similar 
here to 1 Timothy 3, 2 and Titus 1, 6. It's not a condemnation 
of remarriage. It is a condemnation of godlessness 
within marriage or infidelity. And I think the argument is very 
clear and something that it would be good for society to consider 
making a priority today. What's the point if an elder 
or if a deacon or if a widow can't maintain fidelity in their 
married life? in that most basic social construct, 
then why would we reward them? Then why would we give them office 
in the church? Why would we put their names 
on the list when they betrayed that most fundamental covenantal 
conviction that all men everywhere are supposed to live according 
to? You see, you do not find throughout 
the pages of Holy Scripture any sort of an imbalance with reference 
to sexual fidelity. God demands faithfulness. God demands purity. God says 
within the context of this covenant, you protect it, you fight for 
it. There is a commandment that regulates it, you shall not commit 
adultery. This is big with God. He who 
is faithful in little will be faithful in much. A man who has 
such indiscretions, a man who cannot be trusted in that basic 
elemental place, ought not to be trusted in other places. This 
seems to be the emphasis in Holy Scripture with reference to this 
whole issue. So you need to be 60, you need 
to have been a one-man woman, and thirdly, you need to have 
engaged in good works. Well reported! for good works. Verse 10. In other words, everybody 
knows about it. Not everybody in China, but everybody 
in that particular church. When that lady's name comes up, 
people don't say, wait a minute, why would she ever be considered? 
No, when that woman's name comes up, everybody says, of course 
she should be put on the list. Of course we ought to look after 
her. She is well reported for good works. And let me just head 
something off at the past. It's interesting. And you need 
to think about this as we move through these good works. Do 
you know what Paul's counsel to younger widows is? Live in 
such a way so that when you're 60, you can make it on the list. 
Right? What is a young widow counseled 
to do? Get married, have children, and 
manage a home. What are older widows who are on the list? What have they done? They've 
been married, they've had children, they've maintained the home. 
Paul's counsel to the younger women is to get married and do 
what you're supposed to do, so that when you hit the age of 
60, if your husband happens to pass and you need financial support, 
it will be a no-brainer, we will put you on the list. Now notice 
what he says in verse 10. Well reported for good works. 
And then he gives some illustrations. If she has brought up children, 
that might be a moot point. You say, well if she's brought 
up children, well then those children should be there to look 
after her, right? They could have died. It happens 
that children sometimes die before their aged parents. But I think 
the idea here is that she has pursued and has shown herself 
faithful in this area of domestic piety. She's a one-man woman. 
She has brought up her children well. She has taught them. She 
has educated them. She has brought them up in the 
training and admonition of the Lord. She has pointed them to 
the Savior. Secondly, if she has lodged strangers, 
hospitality. She is open, she is kind, she 
is loving, she is not tight-fisted when it comes to sharing and 
giving. She is evidence that she's a sharer and a giver. Why 
would we put a widow on the list who hasn't demonstrated this 
kind of a mindset or this kind of a heart to others, who has 
not practiced Christianity at the garden variety level? And 
may I say to the young ladies here, this is what you ought 
to be shooting for. This is a description of what 
a godly woman looks like. Not just so you can make it on 
the list when your husband's dropped dead and you hit 60, 
but because this honors God. This is what the Lord says. This 
is what He smiles upon. This is what pleases Him. What am I supposed to do to please 
the Lord as a young woman in Jesus Christ? You're supposed 
to do this. Because this is a description 
of what she has already done. This isn't a list of job descriptions. 
This isn't what she's supposed to do in order to be placed on 
the list. It is retroactive. It is what 
she has done and her faithfulness has evidenced itself and she 
has now commended herself to the church and is placed on the 
list. She is not tight-fisted. She 
has lodged strangers. We need to be careful. Some guy 
shows up at your house and he looks like he's killing some 
people and he says, I need a place to sleep. No, come on in. Well, 
you know, we gotta be careful, right? You gotta exercise a little 
bit of discernment. He's got swords and guns and 
all those sorts of things. Come on in. Wait a minute. Check 
with your husband first. Your husband may need to get 
his sword and his guns and deal with that guy first. But you 
see the point. Probably the point as we compare 
John's epistles, I think it's the second epistle. They're traveling 
itinerant missionaries. A man comes to your house and 
says, I've been preaching the gospel and he chased me out of town. 
Well, be warm and filled. I hope you find a place. No, 
come on in. Sit and eat. Doesn't Jesus commend this in 
Matthew chapter 10? The one who gives a cup of cold 
water? The one who shows hospitality? 
The one who shows kindness? The one who shows love? She has 
lodged strangers. Thirdly, if she has washed the 
saints' feet. Some in the church have adopted 
this as a rite, or a ritual, or a practice. Some in the church, 
taking John 13 as their cue, has made this, or have made this, 
as sort of another sacrament. That's not it at all. The idea 
of washing a stranger, or washing someone's feet, a saint's feet, 
when they come in, in the Eastern world, they're dirty and dusty, 
and this was a sign of respect and love and courtesy. Remember 
when Jesus goes into the house of that woman, which was a sinner. 
What does she do? She washes his feet. She takes 
her hair and wipes them down. And that Pharisee says, if he 
knew what manner of woman this is, he would never let her do 
this. And Jesus says, I came to your 
house, or actually she came into the house of the Pharisee. I 
came into your house and you didn't give me this courtesy. 
You didn't afford me the basic decency of foot washing. But 
this woman has not stopped washing my feet. This is a sign of respect, 
a sign of courtesy, and a means by which you alleviate the difficulties 
and distress of another. You see the list? I want you 
to get this, because I think at times people treat the church 
like it's a bank. You probably don't know this, but they do. 
They call, or they show up, and they say, give me. Give me. Give 
me. Give me. Give me. And guilt manipulation 
goes a long way with guys like me. He could guilt me into anything. I'd give you my house. I'd give 
you my car. Yeah, I'm sorry. Here, take it. Guilt manipulation is not foundational 
to the way God says we are to operate. Principle. obedience, 
scripture. If a woman has not done this, 
she's not going to be on the list. You say, well that's not 
fair. Actually say, I need to obey 
God and do what He says, so that if I'm in such a situation, I'll 
be looked after. if she has brought up children, 
if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' 
feet, if she has relieved the afflicted. This is a description 
of Tabitha. The woman was full of good works 
and charitable deeds, which she did. Do you think When she needed 
to get on the list, anybody said, wait a minute, not her. No, of 
course her. Put her on the list. She's a 
woman full of good deeds and charity. She has been kind. She 
has been faithful. She has alleviated those in distress. And then Paul summarizes at the 
end, if she has diligently followed every good work. So you see that 
five items that she must be, in addition to being age 60, 
in addition to being a widow that is really a widow. That 
means she doesn't have family. Somebody asked, what if they 
have family and the family doesn't cough up? What if a widow actually 
has a well-heeled son or a well-heeled daughter and they're not giving 
to her for support? If they're Christians, they should 
be disciplined. If they're Christians, they should 
be taken care of by their churches. If they're not Christians, that's 
a tough one. And the church may need to step 
in and help and assist. We can't make a deadbeat give 
what he ought to give any more than they can make us give what 
we don't have to give. So there are certain things that 
are not covered in this passage. It's not as if we get this internalized 
and we'll have everything down. No, these are guidelines and 
principles and helps that we need to make sure that we are 
aware of. But as I've said, if this criteria is given for widows, 
should the church just give away money to anyone? George Knight 
says, in short, the widow to be put on the list is an elderly, 
faithful, and godly Christian for whom the church should regularly 
and faithfully care, and to whom the church could entrust, if 
this need arises, tasks she has already performed. So that's 
the older, the qualified widows. Now notice thirdly, the unqualified 
or younger widows, verses 11 to 15. Now when we read through 
this, Paul seems to have not an axe to grind, but he doesn't 
play around. He doesn't mess around. Probably 
this was an issue in Ephesus. Probably this was an issue happening 
in the Roman Empire as a whole. Notice, verse 11, refuse the 
younger widows, those under 60, For, when they have begun to 
grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry." They desire 
sexual relations. Now, in and of itself, that's 
not necessarily evil because Paul will counsel remarriage. But outside of a covenantal context, 
and possibly to unbelievers, the Apostle says when they grow 
wanton, it is against Christ. In other words, if they live 
according to their pleasures, if they live according to their 
desires, if they live in an unchecked, unregulated manner, then it will 
be against Christ to the effect that their lives will not evidence 
faithfulness. to the Lord of Glory Most High. Their desire is a real one, and 
therefore Paul counsels them to remarriage. The desire is 
a real one, and therefore younger widows would be tempted to succumb 
to it. And so Paul, being wise, gives 
us an antidote to get married. Isn't that what he does in 1 
Corinthians 7? People wrongly conclude that in 1 Corinthians 
7 Paul says, you shouldn't get married. Paul does counsel marriage 
in 1 Corinthians 7. It's good to not touch a woman. That's fine. But he acknowledges 
in verse 7 that it's a gift. Not everybody's been given that 
gift. The Roman priesthood making people have a gift that they 
don't necessarily have has proved to be fatal. It is wrong. But in 1 Corinthians chapter 
7, the Apostle does say that widows ought to remarry only 
in the Lord. There's no tension. There's no 
conflict whatsoever. But as he says in this particular 
instance, she grows wanton. I think the ESV renders it. Their passions draw them away 
from Christ. That's a good rendering as well. 
Notice he goes on to say they cast off their pledge, having 
condemnation because they cast off their first faith. This is 
a difficult clause. In some respects this is a difficult 
passage. This is somehow not as exciting 
and thrilling as Jesus walking on the sea, is it? Not somehow 
as exciting as Jesus saying to Peter, come! And Peter's stepping 
off of that boat and walking in the water and then sinking 
and being yanked out of the water. But this is the kind of stuff 
that defines Christian churches. The way that we deal with or 
don't deal with widows is everything. Because in this whole thing is 
God's concern for widows. It is the Lord who commands this. Honor widows who are really widows. Reflects Exodus 22, where God 
mandates to the children of Israel that they take care of their 
widows. If they don't, then God will come at them with a sword. 
This reflects Deuteronomy 27. I already alluded to that. Why 
do you think that Israel was cast out of the land? One of 
the reasons was, is that they didn't care for their widows. 
You think Christ would remove the lampstand from a church if 
she didn't care for her widows? I do. He's going to dispossess 
a nation from their land. He's going to take a lampstand 
from his people. He says, "...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." This means, one, she either breaks 
her pledge to her first husband by remarrying. I don't think 
that's what's in view. I know there was a time when 
my wife and I were younger and I would say, oh honey, if I die, 
don't remarry. The thought of you being with 
another man just destroys me. Now I say, as soon as I'm dead 
and I'm buried, find a fella. Find somebody. You need that, 
right? We've let culture saturate our 
minds with these ideals of romantic marriage. Do you know that first 
and foremost it's a covenant of companionship to assist and 
aid one another? A man needs a helpmate to be 
alongside of him so that he can successfully fulfill what God 
the Lord has called him to. A woman needs a man to provide 
for her. was sharing with a couple of 
the brethren yesterday. I remember reading something 
in Rashtuni. He said it was common at the grave site in the Puritan 
era for a widow to be proposed to. We say, well, that just seems 
weird. That seems odd. No, it doesn't. 
A widow in that situation could die. She didn't have food. She 
didn't have skills. She didn't have abilities. So 
a godly man would come and say, look, I want to marry you. You 
choose your love and then you love your choice. We got it all 
backwards. We have to have all the stars 
and all the fireworks and all of that. No, you find a woman, 
you find a man, you say I do, and then you love that person 
and you carry out your covenantal obligations to them till death 
do you part. It's a disposable age we live 
in. I don't like her anymore. I'm 
going to get rid of her. I don't like him anymore. I'm going to get 
rid of her. That's not the prescription in the Scripture. In this instance, 
remarriage is not only not condemned, it is actually commanded by the 
Apostle. So that's not it. It could be 
that she abandons the faith by marrying an unbeliever. The text 
could go that way. Having condemnation because they 
have cast off their first faith. Either through sexual immorality 
or marrying a man that is an unbeliever. She has cast off 
the faith. Or it could be that she has cast 
off this pledge that she has made to the church that she will 
remain celibate insofar as she is on the widow's list. So Paul 
heading that off says, don't even put them on the list to 
begin with. If they're under 60, here's the antidote. They 
need to get married. Notice what happens, verse 13. And besides, they learn to be 
idle. wandering about from house to 
house, and not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, 
saying things which they ought not. Now ladies, I want to encourage 
you that this is not a sin confined to the feminine sex. There are 
men who are idle, there are men who are busybodies, and there 
are certainly men who gossip. But this seems to be a specific 
temptation for these younger widows. That if they are being 
supported by the church, which Paul is saying not to, if they 
are supported by the church, and they have their needs met, 
they've got time on their hands, so what do they do? They go from 
house to house, they engage in a busy body lifestyle, and they 
gossip. Paul says, I don't want them 
to do that. It's far better to be married 
and chasing children than gossiping about the church. It is far better 
to manage the household and to be busy. You know what one of 
the biggest antidotes and the biggest helps for your holiness 
is? Be busy. Get up in the morning and work 
until you go to sleep at night. It ought to be that you so structure 
your day that you don't have windows of time to sin. Do you 
know what people who have too much time and too much money 
on their hands typically do? Sin. If you're busy, you'll still 
sin, but you may not sin as much. You see the apostles watching. 
It's beautiful. Pastor, I'm struggling. I don't 
know how to deal with this sin. Get a job. Go work for 14 hours 
and be so tired that when your head hits the pillow, you don't 
have time to lust. You just fall asleep. Oh, pastor, 
I'm struggling and... Go get a job! But there's nothing 
out there, something out there. I guarantee you, if you're willing 
to work in Canada or in America, you can find a job. You may not 
like it, it may not be 70 or 80 or 100 thousand dollars, it 
may not have all the benefits and the perks that you think 
you want, but if you're out there waving a sign and you're doing 
an honest day's work, that's legit! Oh, but that's beneath 
me. No, it isn't. What is beneath 
you is sin. Any lawful employment is righteous 
employment. Work hard. Wave the sign better 
than anyone else. Ascend the corporate ladder. 
If you start off there and you become the CEO, praise God. So 
many of our problems are self-inflicted because we're proud and arrogant 
and lazy. Well, that doesn't sound very 
nice. I'm sorry. This is what Paul is saying. 
This is what he says to the younger widows. Besides, they learn to 
be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only 
idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought 
not. That's pretty hardcore. What pastor would ever say that 
to people? Look, ladies, here's what I hear 
that you've been doing. And I don't like it, because 
it dishonors God. Here's what you need to do, verse 
14, therefore I desire that the younger widows marry. Now remember the larger context 
and consider what Paul is doing. He's a genius. What's one of 
the problems facing the church in Ephesus? 1 Timothy chapter 
4. Now the Spirit expressly says, 
verse 1, that in latter times some will depart from the faith, 
giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking 
lies and hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a 
hot iron, forbidding to marry. Paul says that is a demon's doctrine. I am telling you under the authority 
of God Most High, by the power of the Holy Spirit, as a young 
widow, here is the antidote for a happy, whole and healthy life. 
Go find a fellow. Go find a man and marry him. 
Now I realize it's not always that easy, but that's the point 
in essence. Get married. That's a great remedy. It's a good thing. Do you see 
the dignity of marriage? Do you see how wonderful it is? 
It's not just a social convention. It is commanded and instituted 
by God most high. I love what Calvin says. Now, 
we disapprove of the tyrannical law about celibacy, chiefly for 
two reasons. First, they pretend that it is 
meritorious worship before God. Celibacy is a meritorious worship 
of God. He says, no it isn't. That is 
pretend. There is nothing holy in a man 
taking a vow of celibacy. The man has the gift of celibacy. He doesn't need to take a vow. 
He's just celibate. But to engage in a pretend vow 
or to make this statement, to somehow put oneself over everyone 
else as if it's godlier to be single, is just wrong. And then 
he says, secondly, by rashness in vowing they plunge souls into 
destruction. You don't heap that burden upon 
somebody. You don't make somebody swear 
a vow of celibacy if they don't have the gift of celibacy. That 
is absolute insanity. So Paul's demand, command, recommendation, 
wish, desire, whatever you want to say. He's an apostle under 
inspiration of the Spirit. His antidote to these ladies 
in Ephesus and by extension to us. Therefore, I desire that 
the younger widows marry. What should they do then? They 
should bear children. They should manage the house. 
They should be busy. They should do those things which 
will fit them and qualify them for the widow's list in the eventuality 
that they reach the age of 60 without a man so that they need 
the assistance of the church. Live like those godly women. That's Paul's point. to the younger 
widows. She should manage how she should 
give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. The younger 
widows should be too busy taking care of their fellow, taking 
care of their children, taking care of their houses, to gad 
about from house to house in idleness, gossiping, and engaging 
in things that Paul condemns. And the reason that Paul gives 
this instruction is verse 15, for some have already turned 
aside after Satan. It's a terrible thing. They have 
turned aside after Satan. They have grown wanton against 
Christ. They have abandoned the faith. They have actually turned 
aside after Satan. This is wrong. And then as I 
mentioned, verse 16 is a summary concerning the duty towards widows 
in the last statement there. If any believing man or woman 
has widows. If you have the ESV, it doesn't 
indicate man. There is a variant there. If 
any believing man or woman has widows. The variant says, if 
any believing woman. Why would the woman be singled 
out? Because typically the woman in a household does the work. 
All the ladies are going, yeah, that's right. You got it figured 
out, don't you? It's taken me a long time, but 
I've got it figured out. Why would the woman be a dress? 
Because the woman is going to be the primary caregiver of the 
widow that lives in our house. It's a no-brainer. This text tradition, the King 
James, New King James, add man Probably to balance it out with 
what we find in the first section. Either way, the point is, if 
any believing man or woman, if any believer has widows, let 
them relieve them. Back to verses 3 to 8. Who's 
the primary agent responsible for widows? It's the family. It's the people that have been 
cared for by that woman all their lives. Now when she's in need, 
they gladly come to her aid. They don't roll their eyes and 
say, oh come on, you mean I actually have to help my mother? What 
kind of a wretch would ever voice such a thing like that? You mean 
I can't have this because mom needs to eat? I mean, it's terrible, 
isn't it? We should gladly do this. We 
should love our mothers. We should care for them. If they 
have fallen on hard times, if they don't have, you know, financial 
resources, it ought to be no negotiations whatsoever. Come 
on in, mom. We love you. We're going to care 
for you. Notice, if any believing man or woman has widows, let 
them relieve them and do not let the church be burdened. What's 
the implication there? The church can be burdened. If 
the family isn't doing its job and the church has to shoulder 
the load, if they have to pony up dough for ten widows, it could 
possibly damage their ability to sustain themselves in the 
ministry of the gospel. So the family is to pony up the 
dough. so that the church will not be 
burdened. And thus, for the family to care for the widows, they 
are engaged in a double ministry, because they're caring for their 
widows, and they're enabling the church to be able to care 
for other widows. It's a wonderful arrangement, 
and the Church of Christ ought to embrace it. But if there is 
no family, Last statement of verse 16 underscores God's heart 
for His church. That it, the church, may relieve 
those who are really widows. I've already alluded to it. I 
want to close with this. Exodus 22, 22. You shall not 
afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in 
any way and they cry out 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 shall be widows, 
and your children fatherless." In the curse section in Deuteronomy 
27 verse 19, Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due 
the stranger the fatherless, and the widow. And all the people 
shall say, Amen." Acts chapter 6, we considered this several 
weeks ago when we installed our deacons. Now in those days when 
the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint 
against the Hebrews by the Hellenists because their widows were neglected 
in the daily distribution. I've already alluded to James. 
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of God and the Father 
is this, to visit widows and orphans in their distress and 
to keep oneself unspotted from the world. And this text in 1 
Timothy 5, 3 to 16, underscores this reality that God cares for 
the needy. God has compassion. God is kind. And if we've been brought into 
the family of God, and we are participants in the household 
of God, then we must manifest that same sort of compassion, 
that same heart of love, that same heart of kindness and care 
and concern for those needy among us. This is the word of the living 
and true God. May He take these things, seal 
them to our hearts, and as we have cause help us to apply the 
scriptures in each and every situation that faces us as a 
local church that we may do it for his glory and for his honor 
and that we may do it to demonstrate his heart and his manifestation 
of love and kindness to the people that have need in our community. Let us pray. Our Father we thank 
you for your word and we thank you for its instruction in each 
and every area of our lives. And we thank you for this instruction 
concerning the church as the household of God. We do pray 
that you would help us to understand these things, help us to take 
them to heart, and help us, Lord God, to practice what we find 
in Holy Scripture. And we acknowledge, we confess 
our need and our dependence upon your spirit to guide us, to lead 
us, to direct us in these areas. Go with us now. Watch over us 
in this coming week. Again, look with favor upon this 
local body. Look with favor upon your saints. 
And we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.