Introduction:
A. One day a man passed by an enclosure at the zoo and noticed that in the enclosure was both a large lion and an active monkey.
1. The man said to the zoo keeper, “How well does that work having both a lion and a monkey in the same cage? The zoo keeper said, “It works ok for the most part.”
2. The man asked, “Do they ever not get along?” “Every once in a while,” said the zoo keeper.
3. “What happens then?” asked the man. The zoo keeper replied, “We just get a new monkey.”
B. Sadly, a similar thing happens in relationships inside and outside the church.
1. People can get on each other’s nerves and get crossways with each other, and before you know it, they either part company or they devour each other.
2. In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he wrote: But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another. (Gal. 5:15)
3. When the church is not the loving environment that it should be, and relationships become fragmented, then we often just get a new monkey.
4. The new monkey may be a new preacher, a new friend, or a new church.
C. Linus from the Peanuts declared: “I love mankind…It’s people I can’t stand!!”
1. Maybe you’ve heard someone say, “I love the church…it’s the people I can’t stand.”
2. At some point in our experience, most of us, members and preachers alike, may feel that way or may make such a declaration.
3. People and ministry are tough because we are all imperfect, and part of the role of church leaders is to help the church family get along with each other.
4. Listen to the way Eugene Peterson described the challenge of ministry.
“Sundays are easy. The auditorium is clean and orderly, the symbolism is clear, and the people are polite. I know what I am doing: I am going to lead this people in worship, proclaim God’s word to them, and celebrate the supper. I have had time to prepare my words and spirit. And the people are ready, arriving dressed up and expectant. Centuries of tradition converge in this Sunday singing of hymns, exposition of scripture, offering of prayers, and eating and drinking of the Lord. I love doing this. I wake up early Sunday mornings, the adrenaline pumping into my veins.
But after the sun goes down on Sundays, the clarity diffuses. From Monday to Saturday, an unaccountably unruly people track mud through the holy places, leaving a mess. The order of worship gives way to the disorder of argument and doubt, bodies in pain and emotions in confusion, misbehaving children and misdirected parents…The vision of myself as minister, so clear in Lord’s Day worship, is now blurred and distorted as it is reflected back from the eyes of people who view me as pawn to their egos. The affirmations I experience in Sunday greetings are now precarious in the slippery mud of put-downs and fault-finding.”
5. Because all people are imperfect and because the church is made up of people, then there are going to be problems.
a. That’s why Paul gave Timothy thorough instructions about how to minister among a fellowship of flawed saints.
b. This is such an important lesson because we need to be prepared to receive and offer loving guidance and correction.
D. Up to this point in 1 Timothy, Paul has had a lot to say about doctrine and important issues related to the function of the church.
1. But here in the 5th chapter, Paul focuses on how to minister to the specific needs of particular groups of people within the church.
a. In verses 1-2, he explains how to admonish men and women of various ages.
b. In verses 3-16, he describes how to honor and provide for widows (we will explore this in next week’s sermon).
c. In verses 17-18, he instructs how to doubly honor elders who are worthy.
d. In verses 19-22, he explains how to rebuke elders who are sinning.
e. In verses 23-25, he provides final instructions about respecting and rebuking.
2. The body of Christ contains people of all ages, abilities, and levels of maturity.
3. Paul’s instructions to Timothy in this chapter suggest that being aware of this diversity will help us to respect, and when necessary, to rebuke the saints in a way that glorifies God and strengthens the church.
I. First, Paul Addressed How to Treat People of Different Ages and Genders
A. There are going to be times when we have to approach brothers and sisters in Christ for the purpose of correction.
1. For most of us, rebuking others is so distasteful that we avoid it altogether, and yet it is a responsibility that we must uphold.
2. Consider how many people would have been saved from sorrow and shipwreck, if someone had only spoken a loving word of warning in time.
3. So, the question is not “should we?” rebuke or warn, but “how should we?” rebuke or warn.
4. When we need to offer a warning or a rebuke there are many things we must keep in mind, including: what we are going to say, how we are going to say it, and who is the person we are going to say it to.
5. Let’s look quickly at how to approach the various members of the church family.
6. Paul wrote: Don’t rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters with all purity. (1 Tim. 5:1-2)
7. We will notice that Paul frames all the church relationships in the context of family relationships.
B. First, Treat Older Men as Fathers
1. Paul wrote: Don’t rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father (1 Tim. 5:1)
2. I like the way the NIV renders it: Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father.
3. The word used here for “older” is one of the words we translate “elder,” but Paul isn’t using the term in this context to describe the person in the elder’s role, but simply an older man.
4. To sharply rebuke an older man would be disrespectful, so Paul admonished Timothy to appeal to him as if he were his father.
5. An older person should be respected because they have lived more of life than those who are younger, yet if they are wrong, we must show them their error, but we must do so with the gentleness and respect we would show our own father.
C. Second, Treat Younger Men as Brothers
1. Paul wrote: Exhort…younger men as brothers. (vs 1b)
2. The NIV inserted the word “treat” - “Treat younger men as brothers.” (vs 1b)
3. If a male is the same age or younger, then we should relate to them as a brother, as opposed to a father.
4. Brothers can be approached as equals and peers, but that doesn’t mean we should be needlessly offensive or abrasive with them just because they aren’t older.
5. We should treat them as we would a loving brother.
D. Third, Treat Older Women as Mothers
1. Paul wrote: Exhort…older women as mothers. (vs 2)
2. Older women, too, must be approached with special consideration, like the older men.
3. We should use the same tenderness, respect, love that we would show our own mothers.
4. This doesn’t prohibit direct communication, nor does it compromise the Word of God.
E. Fourth, Treat Younger Women as Sisters
1. Paul wrote, Exhort…younger women as sisters with all purity. (2b)
2. How should a brother treat his little sister? He should treat her gently, recognizing that she bruises easier than his rowdy friends.
3. And he should keep his relationship with her pure, avoiding any sensuality.
4. Of course, this aspect of purity needs to be involved in any encounters that people have with those of the opposite sex, and even those of the same sex, because some people struggle with same sex attraction.
F. So, there we have it: we should treat people in church as fathers, brothers, mothers and sisters.
1. Again, notice that these are family terms.
2. Notice also that “coworker, boss, underling, employee, or associate” are nowhere to be found in this passage.
3. Paul’s point seems clear enough - the church is not a corporation, it is a family.
4. It is a family whose members need each other, especially in the area of loving correction and encouragement.
II. Second, Paul Addressed How to Treat Worthy Elders
A. In verses 17 and 18, Paul addressed the welfare of those who serve as elders: 17 The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain, and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.” (1 Tim. 5:17-18)
1. Paul obviously has the office of elder in mind here because he specifically mentions two of the roles of elders - leading and feeding.
2. All elders are involved in these roles to some degree or another, but some will give all their time to both of these roles, and they are the ones who are worthy of double honor.
3. Some have translated the phrase “double honor” as “generous pay.”
a. Christian leaders who do their job well should be paid high respect, honor and appreciation by those they serve.
b. But in addition to being paid with respect, honor and appreciation, elders can be paid money.
4. We know that Paul is also talking directly about money because of the quotes he included.
a. He quoted the OT law to prove his point “Do not muzzle the ox” (Deut 25:4)
b. The picture employed is an old one:
1. Often oxen were used to tread out the grain on a threshing floor.
2. The animal was attached by poles to a large millstone.
3. As it walked around the millstone, its hooves trampled the grain, separating the kernels from the chaff.
4. At the same time, the millstone ground the grain into flour.
5. Muzzling the ox would prevent it from eating while it was working, but that was considered cruel and unusual punishment.
5. Paul then added a statement from Jesus, “the laborer deserves his wages.” (Lk 10:7)
a. It is God’s plan that the needs of his servants should be met by their local churches.
b. Paul said it this way in 1 Cor 9:14, “The Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.”
C. But the other side of the coin is this: A Christian leader must never serve simply to earn money.
1. Paul also warned us to watch out for those who see godliness as a means to financial gain. (1 Tim 6:5)
2. Ministers and elders alike can be supported financially by the church to do ministry, but their motivation must be to serve and not just to make money.
3. In summary, elders who serve well are worthy of honor, respect and financial support if they need it.
III. Third, Paul Addressed How To Treat Sinning Elders
A. Paul wrote: 19 Don’t accept an accusation against an elder unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. 20 Publicly rebuke those who sin, so that the rest will be afraid. (1 Tim. 5:19-20)
1. Even elders stumble, and some persist in sinful behavior.
2. When that happens, proper, spiritual confrontation is in order.
3. Paul drew on an OT principle requiring that the sin be confirmed by two or three witnesses (Dt 19:15).
a. Why is this an important principle? Because it weeds out groundless rumors and malicious confrontation.
b. Elders and ministers can be unpopular with the congregation for many reasons - sometimes just for preaching the truth.
c. So, before action can be taken against a leader, there must be sufficient and reliable evidence against him.
4. What if an elder, or any other church member, persists in sin after being properly confronted? That’s where church discipline comes in.
a. Here in vs 20, Paul highlights the public exposure of sin, but that’s not the first stage of discipline.
b. Jesus taught that we first must approach the person privately, then with witnesses, and then finally it should be brought before the church. (Mt 18:15-17)
c. The goal of church discipline is to restore, not repel the person.
d. Paul points out that the public rebuke has a double value: first, it may sober the sinner into the consideration of his ways, and second, it may make others be more careful so that they won’t have to suffer that kind of disgrace and humiliation.
e. The threat of public rebuke is not a bad thing if it keeps a person in the right way.
B. A wise and loving leadership will practice church discipline because the church must never give the impression that it is ignoring or condoning sin.
1. Unfortunately, many churches don’t practice church discipline at all.
2. Some churches that practice church discipline, do so much too late, and only for the most horrendous sins.
3. Persistent sins of all kinds need to be addressed, not just the ones that we consider big sins.
4. We shouldn’t focus only on drunkenness and sexual immorality and ignore greed and envy.
5. Of course, we should keep in mind that sin includes not only doing what we should not do, but also not doing what we should be doing.
6. To fail to give of my time, talent and treasure, is just as wrong as telling a lie, or stealing from my neighbor.
7. This doesn’t mean that we should act like the church police or always be on a “witch hunt,” but it does mean that we love each other enough to address the shortcomings we see in each other in a way that encourages change and growth.
IV. Final Instructions about Respecting and Rebuking
A. Paul finished this section with some final instructions about respecting and rebuking: 21 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing out of favoritism. 22 Don’t be too quick to appoint anyone as an elder, and don’t share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. 23 Don’t continue drinking only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. 24 Some people’s sins are obvious, preceding them to judgment, but the sins of others surface later. 25 Likewise, good works are obvious, and those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden. (1 Tim. 5:21-25)
1. First, Paul pointed out that everything must be carried out without partiality or favoritism.
a. We can tell how important it is to not show favoritism by how strongly Paul framed the command – He said, “I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels” – that should get Timothy’s attention and ours as well!
b. Our personal feelings for or against someone must never be allowed to affect our obedience to the word of God.
c. Making friends is natural and we all feel closer to some people than we do to others.
d. Even Jesus had His 12 disciples and also had His inner circle of 3.
e. We may find ourselves more favorably inclined toward some elders, ministers or members, then we do the rest.
f. When this is the case, we may be predisposed to believe the best of that elder, minister or member that we like, and think the worst of the elder, minister, or member we don’t like.
g. Paul charged Timothy not to get caught in that trap – he must not show bias, partiality or favoritism.
h. Nothing does more harm to a church community than for some to be treated as if they can do no wrong, and others to be treated as if they can do no right.
i. Our God does not show favoritism (Acts 10:34) and neither should we (James 2:1, 9).
2. Second, Timothy is warned not to be too quick to appoint anyone as an elder.
a. A more literal translation says: “Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily.”
b. Most commentators understood this as a caution against putting in a person into a place of leadership to hastily by ordaining them with the laying on of hands.
c. Anyone who is responsible for allowing unqualified men to become part of the eldership will share in the blame for the problems they cause.
4. Paul’s final point in the chapter is that God knows everything.
a. Some sins are obvious, others are hidden.
b. In the same way, some good deeds are obvious and some are hidden.
c. But nothing is hidden from God.
d. We must do our best to know what is happening in our own lives and the lives of others, but God knows it all and he will judge everything in the end.
Conclusion:
A. Let’s conclude with a few questions for personal reflection and application:
1. Am I giving respect and honor to those who deserve it?
2. Am I setting an example worthy of respect?
3. Am I treating the members of the church as fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters?
4. Am I rebuking and correcting with love, humility and gentleness when necessary?
5. Do I presently need rebuking for anything I am doing or anything I am failing to do?
Resources:
• 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, Commentary by David Roper, Truth For Today Commentary
• Respecting and Rebuking the Saints, Sermon by David Owens
• Charles Swindoll’s “Insights For Living” Radio Program Study Guide on 1 Timothy
