A ministry of…
Author: Dr. Roger Pascoe, President,
Email: [email protected]
I. Strengthening Expository Preaching: Preaching Doctrine, Part 3
In this section, we have been dealing with the subject of preaching doctrine under five headings…
A. Some factors in our contemporary culture that impact the preaching of doctrine (NPJ 50, Winter 2024).
B. Three important steps in preaching doctrine (NPJ 51, Spring 2024).
C. Some specific examples of the application of doctrine in preaching (NPJ 51, Spring 2024).
D. Helpful hints for preaching doctrine.
E. Some concluding reminders about preaching doctrine.
We have already covered sections A, B, and C (as noted). In this edition we will cover Section D…
D. Helpful Hints For Preaching Doctrine
D1. Design Your Church Services With Thematic Unity. Try to ensure that the hymns and songs, Scripture readings, testimonies, prayers etc. all coalesce to underscore the subject of your message. We do not sing in church in order to solely express our emotions (although music does do that), but to express truth about and to God from our worshipping hearts and minds. So, try to make every aspect of the service focus on the truth you are expounding in your message so that it is repeated and reinforced different ways. This is good instruction and good worship. Many music directors (worship leaders) don’t understand that the music portion of a church service should be as instructional, motivational, and illustrative as the sermon itself.
D2. Preach Through Entire Books Of The Bible. When you preach through entire books of the Bible the doctrinal teaching element will be taught within the real-life context of the original readers (real people + real circumstances = real theology). Then you can transition from their circumstances, problems, questions to the contemporary circumstances, problems, and questions of your congregation (collectively and individually) - every ancient circumstance, problem, and question has some sort of contemporary equivalent.
D3. Break Out Detailed Treatment of Doctrines Into Other Teaching Formats. Often the complete unpacking of a doctrine cannot be completed satisfactorily or fully in a Sunday morning worship service. I have found that a very acceptable way to extend your teaching on a particular doctrine is to devote your evening service (if you have one) to more of a lecture-style teaching service focused on that particular doctrine.
If you don’t have an evening service, you can expand your Sunday morning teaching at the mid-week prayer meeting or some other suitable venue. Sometimes I have spent several weeks on one doctrine. For example, in the Sunday morning service you may be preaching on the doctrine of election in Ephesians 1:3-6. You may deal with the broad-brush explanation and application of this text in a forty-minute sermon (as I outlined previously in NPJ 49, Fall 2023). Then, in the evening service you could follow that up with a series of lectures as follows:
a) How did the doctrine of election develop historically?
b) Why is there a need for election? (total depravity).
c) When did God extend his electing call? (in eternity past, before the foundation of the world).
d) What is the mystery and wonder of election?
e) Whose decision is election? (Arminian vs. Calvinist position).
f) What about evangelism and election?
Try to make this kind of teaching interactive with discussion, handouts etc. Be sure to examine the false teachings associated with the doctrine so that your people are aware when they hear them.
If you don’t have Sunday evening services, perhaps you have small groups in your church that meet during the week, or you might conduct a special series of lectures at a designated time. If you use the small group format, obviously you can’t be present at each small group. So, you could design a study series for them including:
a) Questions for them to address which flow out of the sermon.
b) Issues and aspects of the subject that you didn’t have time to develop on Sunday morning.
c) More specific application.
D4. Use The Christian Calendar And Confessions For Doctrinal Preaching.
a) The Christian Calendar.
You can easily bring in doctrinal sermons around the seasons of the Christian year (See William Carl, Preaching Christian Doctrine, 74-88). For example…
Harvest-time. This is a wonderful time of year to offer thanksgiving to God for his provision.
Advent. This season proclaims the first coming of the Savior and looks on to his second coming.
Christmas. At this time, we focus on the incarnation of Christ and his birth as foretold by the prophets.
Epiphany. This celebrates the unveiling of Christ, the revelation of God in his earthly ministry, his deity and his humanity, his mission and his message.
Easter. This is arguably the highlight of the Christian calendar…
It starts with Lent and Holy Week - Christ’s kingly entrance to Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the passion of Gethsemane.
Then, the cross - his betrayal and rejection, the sinfulness of humanity, his death and burial, the atonement, the love of God – followed by the resurrection – the fact of the resurrection, the proofs of the resurrection, the implications of the resurrection (God's acceptance of his sacrifice; the ultimate evidence of Christ’s deity etc.).
Then, the ascension – Christ’s reception into glory, his position at God's right hand, the hope of his second coming, his high-priestly intercession for us now before the throne of God.
Pentecost focuses on the coming and doctrine of the Holy Spirit (“another Comforter”), the doctrine of the Trinity, the establishment of the church (the body of Christ; bride of Christ etc.).
Post-Pentecost is the opportunity to teach about the Christian life and growth, missions etc.
As William Carl explains: “It should be obvious by now that we do not really preach the church year, but Christ, for every season points to him, to some aspect of his person and work...When we preach the Christian year doctrinally, we are not merely preaching a set of doctrines, but the story of Christ...If we can learn to preach Christ with that in mind, the doctrines of the church year will come alive with new fervor and excitement” (William Carl, 81).
b) Christian Confessions, Creeds, and Constitutions.
You can preach doctrinal sermons based on certain creeds (e.g. the apostles’ creed) which you may recite together as a church. Or, you can preach your way through your church statement of faith.
c) Christian Ordinances.
Be sure to preach solidly theological messages at communion services and baptisms. In my pastoral ministry I used to run a separate series of messages specifically for communion services (e.g. “The Centrality of the Cross” – see my series at https://bible.org/byauthor/26214/roger_pascoe), which taught the doctrine of the atonement from different perspectives.
D5. Correlate Current Events To Doctrinal Preaching. These might be current events in the life of the church or in world history. If you have a significant or tragic death in the life of the church, you may wish to deal with (1) the biblical teaching on the death of a believer; or (2) God’s providential ways with us in suffering and death.
Similarly, if some outstanding world event takes place (such as natural disasters, political affairs, wars, terrorism etc.), you may decide that it is a suitable time to preach on associated biblical doctrines (such as the Lord’s return or God’s sovereignty). In these circumstances, be sure to address the questions that your people will naturally be asking.
D6. Don’t Confuse Your Audience With Theological Language. If you use theological terms, always be sure to define them or express them in other words so that no one wonders what you are talking about. Many of the terms we use are familiar only to those who have learned the language of our subculture. And even then, many of the terms we use are “academic” terms which the average lay person will not understand. For example, the doctrines of penal substitution, or vicarious suffering, or justification, or the hypostatic union of Christ’s natures (human and divine).
Not only will the use of these terms lose your audience, but you will come off looking very pompous and intellectually disconnected from everyone else. Whenever you do need to use a theological term, be sure to explain it.
D7. Challenges Of Preaching Doctrine Topically. I don’t recommend that you preach doctrine topically in your Sunday morning services – that is, by starting with the doctrine and finding all the texts that speak to that doctrine. There are several risks attached to this approach:
a) You run the risk of giving a seminary lecture on systematic theology – and, in the process, losing the attention and interest of your audience.
b) You will have too much material for you or your audience to get your hands around in a typical church service.
c) You will be preaching on a doctrine rather than the Word as it is written to real people at a real place for a real reason to achieve a real result.
So, I recommend that you preach a passage of Scripture as it is written in context so that your focus is not on a doctrine but on a text which is doctrinal in content. Even if you do want to teach doctrine topically, I still recommend that you anchor your message in one primary text, while referring to others for support. This has several benefits:
a) It enables your audience to be engaged with a particular text that they can go back to and remember.
b) It keeps your audience from losing track of where you are in your message and what you are talking about.
c) It enables you to exposit a text in its context, logically and persuasively.
d) You have to have a starting point (where do you begin with a doctrinal issue?) and there is no better place than with a representative text.
e) It is much easier for you to study and preach a text than a topic that may have a wide-ranging Scriptural basis.
If you do preach doctrine topically, be sure to interpret each passage you use in its context, exposit each text accurately and clearly, and support your doctrinal assertions with Scripture.
II. Strengthening Biblical Leadership:
Order In The Church, Part 6, 1 Timothy 4:1-6:2
We are studying 1 Timothy, which, as we have noted before, is divided into five charges (points of instruction) as follows:
A. A charge concerning pastoral responsibility (1:3-20): “Wage the good warfare.”
B. A charge concerning public worship (2:1-15): “The men should pray…the women should learn quietly.”
C. A charge concerning pastoral leadership (3:1-16): “How one ought to behave in the house of God.”
D. A charge concerning personal devotion (4:1-6:2): “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.”
E. A charge concerning pastoral motives (6:3-21): “Keep the commandment unstained…guard the deposit entrusted to you.”
In the previous five editions of this Journal (NPJ 47, 48, 49, 50, 51), I covered charges “A” to “C.” Today we come to charge “D.”
D. A Charge Concerning Personal Devotion (4:1-6:2):
“Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching” (4:16). This section of the epistle addresses practical pastoral issues. First, the pastoral challenge of dealing with those who will “depart from the faith” (4:1-16) – i.e. apostates. Second, the pastoral challenge of maintaining proper relationships within the various groups in the church (5:1-6:2). I will deal with these challenges under the following four headings…
D1. Expose demonic teachings (4:1-6). In contrast to the standard of conduct, character, and confession that the church should display (3:14-16), Timothy must be aware that everything will not always carry on as it should in the church, for “the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith” (4:1a). This warning had been communicated by the explicit prophecy of the Holy Spirit, that certain persons would arise whose character and conduct will contradict and conflict with that of the true church. To be forewarned is to be forearmed!
1. Who are these false teachers (4:1-2)? Essentially the Holy Spirit predicted that these deceivers are apostates, people who once professed faith in the gospel but who consciously and purposely “depart from” those basic truths that the true church confesses (3:14-16), namely, “the faith.”
Those who depart from the truth, as revealed by Spirit of God, will inevitably devote themselves to “deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (4:1b). They become deceived by the heretical doctrines which are taught by evil spirits, whose master is Satan himself. Such evil spirits conduct their deceitful work “through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared” (4:2). As to the people who propagate these demonic teachings, they are hypocritical liars whose consciences are dead, seared as with a hot iron.
2. What do they teach (4:3-5)? As to some of their false teachings, they “forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth” (4:3). Those who “believe and know the truth” should not submit to such false teachings. It’s one thing to voluntarily refrain from marriage or from eating certain foods; it’s another thing to demand it. These ascetic demands about celibacy and dietary restrictions deceive people into adopting them in order to attain a higher spirituality, so those who depart from the faith (4:1) are teaching, But, Paul quickly reminds us, that God himself instituted marriage and created foods for our benefit, “for everything created by God is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer” (4:4-5). To not eat certain foods is to imply that such foods are not good. Rather, we should partake of them with a prayer of thanksgiving to God for his creative goodness and bounty towards us.
3. How are we protected against their deceitful teachings (4:6)? We are protected by the faithful ministry of “good servants of Christ Jesus” who “point out such things to the brothers and sisters” (4:6a). Good servants of Christ Jesus are those who have been “trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine” (4:6b) and are thus able to expose false teaching and promote the truth to the people of God so that they are forewarned and able to identify false teaching and stand against it with the truth.
D2. Exercise godliness (4:7-12). Good servants of Christ Jesus “have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths” (4:7a). They thoroughly shun and refute these fables that are promoted by “certain persons” (1:3-4), for in Paul’s view they are a waste of time and thoroughly unholy occupations. On the positive side, however, the “good servant of Christ Jesus” must “train (himself) for godliness (4:7b). Rather than wasting time and effort on useless talk and pursuits, godliness must be the goal and standard for the servant of God. Though physical exercise has some temporal, limited value, “godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (4:8). Godliness puts God at the center of our aspirations and goals and is valuable physically and spiritually, for time and eternity. By way of a final endorsement of such a life, Paul puts his apostolic seal of approval on what he has just said: “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance” (4:9).
“For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God” (4:10a). The goal of serving God - seeking to be more like him, striving to be more like him – is the entire focus of our lives. Our motivation to faithful ministry for God is that “our hope is set on the living God” (4:10b). We serve the “living” God, not a non-existent, dead god that those who have departed from the faith worship. No, we serve “the living God who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe” (4:10c). God is the only Savior for all people (John 3:16). There is no other Savior, no other hope, no other substitute for our sins. But not all people receive him as their Savior (John 1:10-11); in fact, most people refuse him. Thus, he is the actual Savior only of those who believe (John 1:12-13).
“Command and teach these things” (4:11), that is the theological truths that Paul has just been describing. What Paul has been teaching, Timothy is to command others to believe by teaching them the truth. Since Timothy was relatively young, Paul seems to caution him and encourage him saying, “Let no one despise you for your youth” (4:12a). I take this to be a word of caution to Timothy to behave with such maturity and spirituality that others would not disregard him or his teaching. Rather he is to “set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (4:12b). This could also be taken as a word of caution to the church not to engage in a critical attitude toward Timothy just because he was young.
D3. Employ your gift (4:13-16). In Paul’s absence and as his representative, Timothy is to employ his gift in several ways. First, a positive injunction: “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to the exhortation, to the teaching” (4:13). Public reading of the Scriptures is an essential component of a church service and must not be neglected, which could easily happen if Timothy did not take heed to this.
Following the reading of the Scriptures (and presumably based on what was read) the sermon is to provide both “the exhortation” (encouragement and admonition) and “the teaching” (formal instruction as to the meaning of the text read) for the congregation. These duties would be Timothy’s responsibility.
Second, a negative injunction: “Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given to you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you” (4:14). God bestows certain spiritual gifts on his servants, which gifts are to be recognized by the elders of the church. Such was the case here in Ephesus when the elders officially and publicly affirmed Timothy’s gift by the laying on of their hands.
The exhortation to employ his spiritual gift is further enhanced by two groups of admonition…
1. The admonition to constant and complete devotion to the ministry: “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress” (4:15).
The emphasis here is on complete absorption in the pastoral ministry to which you are called: (1) The public reading, the exhortation, and the teaching of Scripture (4:13); (2) The development and practice of your gift (4:14); and (3) The dedication to and immersion in the ministry such that “all may see your progress” (4:15). Our congregations are watching our progress as we grow in the Lord, in the truth, and in the pastoral vocation. The most important thing that we should want them to notice is our dedication to the Lord and our dedication to his service.
2. The admonition to constant and complete self-examination. “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching” (4:16a).
Notice that Paul stresses the “person” (“yourself”) before the “message” (“the teaching”). He does this again in 2 Timothy 2:15. It is very important for those of us in ministry to understand that before we can preach right doctrine we must first be right in ourselves spiritually, morally, and relationally. To that end we must pay close attention to ourselves – our thoughts, our actions, our desires etc. This personal preparation should be a daily discipline in every Christian, particularly in the life of a pastor. You cannot maintain moral purity and power without a daily quiet time with God in the preparation of your soul.
“Persevere in these things, for in doing so you will save both yourself and your hearers” (4:16b). Perseverance “in” the pursuit of these things is directly connected to the practical “working out” of our own salvation and helping our congregation to do the same (see Phil. 2:12), through the constant pursuit of holiness and devotion to the things of God, which salvation is realized now and most fully in the eschaton.
The importance of continuous persistence in these important personal duties and disciplines is noticeable by the number of times Paul repeats these injunctions: (1) “To this end we toil and strive” (4:10); (2) “Command and teach these things” (4:11); (3) “devote yourself…” (4:13); (4) “Do not neglect…” (4:14); (5) “Practice these things…” (4:15); and (6) “Persevere in these things…” (4:16). Let us pay attention!
D4. Esteem others (5:1-6:2). Now the focus turns to Timothy’s relationship to and treatment of various demographic groups in the church…
1. Older and younger men and women (5:1-2). This is a general statement as to the appropriate way for a pastor to relate to people in the congregation, grouped by their sex and age. “Do not rebuke an older man sharply but exhort him as a father, young men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity” (5:1-2).
In general, the pastor should address and relate to others in the church as he would a family member, for that is what the church is. An older man who needs some sort of pastoral admonition (that seems to be the implication), should be addressed with respect and grace as you would address your own father, and with a view to his encouragement. Similarly, the pastor should address younger men as brothers, older women as mothers and younger women as sisters. “In all purity” would seem most appropriately applied to the pastor’s relationship to the younger women. If this is practiced it would avoid gossip and sexual temptation.
2. Widows (5:3-16). The pastor’s relationship and obligations to widows are dealt with at some length as a separate category. Evidently this was a significant issue in Ephesus.
a) The qualifications of genuine widows and their care (5:3-8). “Honor widows who are truly widows” (5:3).
While the term “honor” could simply mean “respect,” it seems from the context that it refers more to financial aid from the church. But there is a qualification: Where there are close relatives (“children or grandchildren”) who are able to support such widows, they are “to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God” (5:4). It is their duty to “pay back” their parents and in so doing relieve the church of that obligation.
The widow who is “truly a widow” is one who is “left all alone” (5:5a), without family, companionship, or support. This one “has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayer night and day” (5:5b). Though she has no one else to voice her needs to, she makes them known continuously to God in prayer (compare Anna in Luke 2:36-38).
“But she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives” (5:6). Such a widow is not dependent on God but is spiritually dead, having turned her back on God and spending her time on self-indulgent pleasures.
“Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach” (5:7). Timothy is to teach these things to his congregation so that they can accurately assess the needs of those who are genuine widows, do their duty towards their own relatives, and thus be blameless in this matter. “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (5:8). Evidently, this situation existed at Ephesus, where some in the church did not provide financial support to their parents or to other members of their household in general, instead passing on that responsibility to the church. The one who fails in this obligation “has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” This refusal to do what is right and proper for a Christian is the practical denial of the faith. What an indictment! If you profess faith in Christ, then show it in your practice.
b) Further qualifications for genuine widows and their care (5:9-10). “Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality, if she has washed the feet of the saints, if she has cared for the afflicted, and if she has devoted herself to every good work” (5:9-10).
Evidently, the church at that time assessed widows as to their need and those who qualified were enrolled on a list and, presumably, ministered to regularly by the church.
The first qualification mentioned here has to do with their age and character. First, “not less than sixty years of age” (5:9a) It isn’t clear why sixty is the qualifying age. We can only speculate that, perhaps, those younger than sixty could work and support themselves, whereas those older than sixty would more than likely need support. In our culture today, it would seem appropriate to apply these qualifications in the light of our current circumstances rather than those that were appropriate in first century.
The second qualification has to do with her fidelity in marriage: “Having been the wife of one husband” (5:9b). I think it is proper to interpret this as a requirement of marital faithfulness, just as we did for the husband in 1 Timothy 3:2 (“the husband of one wife”). As a devoted, faithful Christian wife, she will have “a reputation for good works” some of which are listed here:
(i) “If she has brought up children.” This is the greatest work that a mother can do, if she is able to bear children (see 1 Tim. 2:15).
(ii) “If she has shown hospitality.” Hospitality is a duty of all Christians (Heb. 13:2; 1 Pet. 4:9; Rom. 12:13), but the responsibility for this work usually falls to the wife to provide food, lodging, care etc.
(iii) “If she has washed the feet of the saints.” As one who provides hospitality, she would perform the task usually assigned to slaves, washing the feet of her visitors after they had walked on the dusty roads.
(iv) “If she has cared for the afflicted.” This may have been a further act of hospitality, but more than likely it is larger in scope, including visitation of the sick and shut-ins, giving words of encouragement, and extending compassion for the hardships and burdens of others.
(v) “If she has devoted herself to every good work” (5:10). As if the preceding list were not enough, Paul adds this catch-all category: “Every good work.”
c) The treatment of young widows (5:11-15). “But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith” (5:11-12).
Younger widows who become disgruntled with their widowhood rebel against Christ may even marry an unbeliever in order to satisfy their passions. In so doing, they “incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith” in Christ. Such younger widows should not be enrolled in the list for financial support of the church.
There is another reason behind the apostle’s instruction. If the church provided financial support such that these younger widows did not need to work, they may become lazy and develop divisive habits,: “Besides that they learn to be lazy, going from house to house, and not only lazy but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they should not say” (5:13). This is another practical reason for the church to withhold financial support to younger widows.
To counteract this danger, Paul gives his directive: “I would have the younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander” (5:14). Paul is not against the younger widows remarrying, but, unlike those in 5:11-12), they must marry “in the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:39). By keeping occupied with raising children and managing the household they would not give the devil any opportunity to accuse them of bad habits like laziness and gossiping. Presumably referring back to those younger widows who were lazy and busybodies and who had turned away from the Lord (5:11-13), Paul gives his justification for this directive: “For some have already strayed after Satan” (5:15).
d) One final instruction is given for the support and care of genuine widows: “If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her take care of them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows” (5:16).
The apostle has already addressed the case of Christian family members in general taking care of widowed relatives (5:4, 8), so this directive concerning “any believing woman” must be something different. Perhaps Paul is thinking of the case where the wife is a Christian but not the husband (hence, “any believing woman”) or the case where a Christian woman is herself a widow and has the means to care for a widowed relative. Whichever woman he is referring to, they too are responsible to care for their widowed relatives and not cast that burden on the church, so that the church can use its resources to care for those who are “truly widows.”
3. Elders (5:17-25).
a) Elders who rule well (5:17-18). “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching” (5:17).
All elders have a governing responsibility over the church, but some evidently are more gifted in this than others. To be worthy of “double” honor seems to indicate that they should be afforded respect for who they are and for fulfilling their leadership function “well.” In addition, Paul singles out those who “labor in preaching and teaching.” While all elders must be able to teach the Word, some are more gifted in this area than others and are to be honored for this, not only in the sense of respect but also in the sense of giving them financial support to enable them to exercise their gift. This financial aspect is made clear in the following verse, “For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and ‘The laborer deserves his wages’” (5:18; quoted from Deuteronomy 25:18). Just as genuine widows are to be “honored” (5:3) through financial support, so are elders to be granted proper recognition, including compensation.
b) Elders who are accused of wrongdoing (5:19-22). “Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses” (5:19).
Instead of honoring their elders, there may be a tendency by some in the congregation to bring charges against an elder. To protect both himself and the elder so charged, Timothy must only consider such accusations if they are affirmed by at least two or three witnesses. It is so easy in church leadership to act hastily or without evidence, only to find that the accusations are false.
If it is proven that the elder in question is actually guilty of the accusation and continuing to practice that sin, then the counsel is, “As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear” (5:20). They are to be rebuked publicly with a view to warning and deterring the rest of the elders (as well as the congregation as a whole) from such behavior.
Impartiality in such cases is paramount: “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality” (5:21). Timothy and all church leaders are duty bound to carry out this process with absolute impartiality (so that no undue favor is afforded anyone because of their position or influence in the church) and in the full consciousness that God and the holy angels are witnesses to what is being done. This should cause church leaders to judge such matters fairly and judiciously.
c) The appointment of elders (5:22-25). “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure” (5:22).
It makes sense that Paul’s counsel regarding the judgement of sinning elders be followed by counsel on appointing elders. Before appointing anyone to such an important position and function, church leaders are well advised to take time to conduct a full evaluation of potential elder candidates in order to ensure that they do not find out later that the persons they have appointed are guilty of practicing sin and, thus, unwittingly they become partakers in their sin by endorsing them as elders. Furthermore, to be qualified to rebuke sinning elders and to appoint new elders, Timoth, along with all church leaders, must keep themselves pure.
By way of a parenthetic comment (5:23), Paul gives Timothy some fatherly advice concerning the treatment of a health issue. It seems that Timothy must have suffered from some sort of stomach or digestion problem (perhaps due to his somewhat nervous disposition) for which wine was the best antidote in those days. I take this counsel as being for medicinal purposes. While this does not ban drinking wine as a beverage, I personally recommend abstinence.
Returning to the subject of appointing elders and the danger of being too hasty in that process, Paul passes on to Timothy some principles for discerning the character of men who are being considered for that position. “The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgement, but the sins of others appear later” (5:24). Through the investigation process (5:22), some men’s sins are easily discernible before they are appointed as an elder, but other men’s sins are hidden and do not become apparent until later. Hence, the need for careful investigation before appointing elders so that this embarrassment does not occur.
Similarly, “good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden” (5:25). On the negative side, the investigation process is designed to expose any sin that might invalidate a man’s candidacy to be an elder. On the positive side, the investigation process is designed to expose “good works” which would affirm a man for an eldership position.
4. Slaves (6:1-2). In addition to older and younger men and women (5:1-2), widows (5:3-16), and elders (5:17-25), Timothy would have to give guidance to slaves in the church. Though slaves were afforded a newfound freedom in the church, they must not abuse that freedom, especially as it relates to their relationship to their employers.
a) The relationship of slaves to their non-Christian masters. “Let all who are under the yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled” (6:1).
Though slave owners in that culture at that time had ownership rights and powers over their slaves, Christian slaves were to respond to their masters with honor and respect. By so doing Christian slaves would not bring shame or dishonor on God’s name nor on the Christian teaching of the church. To act rebelliously (because of the oppression they suffered at the hands of non-Christian masters) would bring shame on their Christian testimony.
b) The relationship of slaves to their Christian masters. “Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers” (6:2a).
It’s so easy, even today, for a Christian employee to think that they can take advantage of their Christian employer because of their relationship in the Lord. Such would have been the temptation for 1st century slaves as well - hence, the instruction here. “Rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved” (6:2b). Having a Christian employer is a privilege and should motivate us to give them an even higher level of service precisely because they are “believers and beloved.”
Finally, Paul urges Timothy to “teach and urge these things” (6:2c) – i.e. these timely, wise, and insightful instructions for slaves.
III. Sermon Outlines
Title: Learning from Jesus: Follow The Leader (Mark 8:34-38)
Subject: The Cost of Discipleship
Theme: True discipleship demands total allegiance to Jesus Christ no matter what the cost.
Point I: The decision for discipleship is voluntary (8:34a).
It’s voluntary because following Jesus Christ is…
1. … a matter of choice – “If anyone …” (8:34a).
2. … a matter of desire – “… desires to come after me” (8:34b).
Point II: The conditions of discipleship are compulsory (8:34b-d).
True discipleship demands…
1. … self denial – “deny himself” (8:34b).
2. … self-sacrifice – “take up his cross” (8:34c).
3. … self-dedication – “follow me” (8:34d).
Point III: The implications of discipleship are extraordinary (8:35-38).
The implications for discipleship are extraordinary when you understand that…
1. … life is paradoxical – “whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (8:35).
2. … the soul is invaluable – “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?” (8:36-37).
3. … judgement is inevitable – “For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father and the holy angels” (8:38).
English (US) · 