The Distinctive Role Of Women Series

Introduction:

A. In Psalm 119:103, David wrote: How sweet your word is to my taste - sweeter than honey in my mouth.

1. The Word of God is sweet indeed, and nourishing too, but scooping a hand full of honey from a bee’s nest can be dangerous and painful.

2. And whenever a preacher dips his hand into the sticky topic of the women’s role in the church, he takes the chance of stirring up a bee’s nest of controversy.

3. I hope and pray that we can receive the nourishment that God intends for us to receive from today’s section of 1 Timothy 2 without undue conflict or misunderstanding.

B. Unfortunately, many people approach the relationship between men and women as a battle of the sexes, but that was not God’s intention when He created us male and female.

1. God created us to be two distinct parts that compliment and complete each other.

2. If we could do an openminded, unbiased, comprehensive study of Scripture concerning God’s intentions for men and women, then we would be able to conclude that God created men and women with equal value, but with different roles.

a. But it is hard for us to be openminded and unbiased because of our own personal desires and the effect of our communities and the culture around us.

3. I believe the truth of God’s Word reveals the following about the roles of men and women: One thing the Bible reveals is that God has created both men and women in His image.

a. The Bible says: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Gen. 1:27).

b. Men and women are equally valued in God’s sight, because both reflect God’s image.

4. Another thing the Bible makes clear is that all who are in Christ are equal in value and spiritual benefits.

a. The Bible says: 26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:26-28)

b. Paul’s point here is that one’s gender or race or societal status does not restrict them from oneness in Christ.

c. A person’s gender or race doesn’t exclude them from salvation nor from spiritual benefits.

5. Another thing the Bible reveals is that God highly values women and that they have always played an important role in what God accomplishes in the world.

a. Eve, was the first wife and mother of the human race (Gen. 2:18-24, 3:16, 4:1-2).

b. Deborah, was a judge in Israel (Judges 4:1-9).

c. Ruth, was a noble person and her son was the grandfather of King David (Ruth 4:13-22).

d. It was Esther whom God used to save God’s people from Haman’s evil plan (Esther).

e. Consider the impact of the mothers of Moses and Samuel, and Mary, the mother of Jesus.

f. Consider all the women who helped Jesus and the disciples (Mark 15:41).

g. Consider all the women who were at Jesus’ cross & tomb (John 19:25; Luke 24:9-10).

h. The first person to witness the resurrected Jesus was Mary Magdalene (Luke 20:10-18).

i. Think of the many women whom were commended in Scripture for their service and support of the church, and the many women who had churches meeting at their homes.

j. From all these examples, we can clearly see that God values women and that they have always played an important role in what God accomplishes in the world.

6. A final thing the Bible makes clear, is that as a compliment to the important and distinctive role of women, God has always assigned the role of primary spiritual leadership to men.

a. This is called the principle of male spiritual leadership and it is God’s plan for humankind.

b. The very order of the creation of male and female suggests important truths about male spiritual leadership. (Gen. 2)

1. God could have created both the man and the woman simultaneously, or He could have created the woman before the man.

2. The fact that God chose neither of those options, but instead created the man before the woman carries special significance.

3. The difference in sequence and source in creation of male and female suggests a functional difference in status between two equals.

4. Adam’s status as “first-created” suggests similar implications as with his “firstborn” successors – that is, that responsibility for family leadership fell upon Adam; family headship was on his shoulders.

c. In the Patriarchal Age of the Old Testament, men were always the spiritual leaders of families and offered the sacrifices to God – Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob led their families.