1. How is a leader to be careful about his attitudes towards members of his

flock?

2. What particular needs do you think widows have?

3. What is the main point made by Paul here?

C. Comment:

First, note something that is not so obvious as it seems. The leader is to recognise differences of various age groups and shouldn't treat everyone the same. Men and women older than him should be respected as father and mother figures respectively. Younger men and women are to be treated as brothers and sisters. Each group requires love to be shown in different ways: the older group require respect while, with young women, there needs to be care to maintain purity.

Second, Paul moves on to deal with the need of widows in the congregation. In this he recognises the “weaker sex” have a greater need to be looked after, when left after a bereavement. The widower would be more likely as a family leader to look after himself, whereas the widow has need of care, provision and protection, and if they have no family, the church is to provide that. However, if there are children and grandchildren then they, the family, have the duty of caring for the elderly widow. In a day when social services seek to provide much care for the needy, when the nuclear family hardly exists, we see how far we have strayed from Paul's exhortation. Perhaps more than any time previously, we are failing our elderly in this respect.

D. Application:

1. In the Bible the elderly are honoured and respected. Do we do that?

2. People of different ages and conditions have different needs.

Chapter: 1 Tim 5

Passage: 1 Tim 5:9-16

A. Find Out:

1. What was required to be “put on the list”? v.9,10

2. What is a temptation for younger widows? v.11

3. What would they be thus doing? v.12

4. What also might happen? v.13

5. So what does Paul counsel? v.14

6. What responsibility does he repeat? v.16

B. Think:

1. How are the requirements for the widows' list a guide for wives?

2. What is the heart of what Paul is saying to young widows?

3. How may self-centred desire over-ride the will of God?

C. Comment:

We need to read the passage carefully, bearing in mind that “all Scripture is God inspired” (2 Timothy 3:16 ) and this IS scripture!

First of all Paul distinguishes between widows who are in real need and worthy of care, protection and support by the church, and those who are not worthy of this. Perhaps if we consider those not worthy, with what is more difficult to understand, that will help us catch the sense of what Paul is saying.

In v.11 Paul is not saying that ALL young widows will let self-centred desires over-ride the will of God, but just that it is a possible temptation. Paul's view is that young women should not go looking for a husband but should just rest in God's will for them, and IF it is His will for them to be remarried, then allow Him to bring a new husband to them. The freedom of young widows also provides the temptation to become an aimless, unfruitful person, filling in your time with wrong talk. OK, says Paul, be open to the Lord to give you another husband who will help you to have a new sense of fulfilment, but remember it's a matter of attitude; will you go looking, or will you leave it to the Lord?

D. Application:

1. Allowing God to bring His will to us is difficult when we have strong

yearning, but we must let Him do it.

2. Have I died to self? (see Romans 6:2,7,11)

Chapter: 1 Tim 5

Passage: 1 Tim 5:15-20

A. Find Out:

1. What do elders do generally? v.17a

2. What do some do specifically? v.17c

3. How are they to be treated? v.17b

4. What Scriptural backing is there for that? v.18

5. What care is to be taken over an elder? v.19

6. Yet how are they to be dealt with? v.20

B. Think:

1. What are Paul's instructions about the care of an elder?

2. What does he say about respect for an elder?

3. What does he say about the responsibility of an elder?

C. Comment:

Remember Paul has just been writing about the physical care of elderly widows. The emphasis is on physical provision, thus when Paul continues here, it is about physical provision for elders. He uses the word “Honour” but the two Scriptural references are clearly in respect of tangible physical provision.

Let's first observe the activities of an elder: he directs the affairs of the church, he gets the direction of the church from the Lord, he oversees the life of the church in the light of that divinely given guidance. Some elders will preach and teach, but the implication is that not necessarily all will. The key activity is catching the sense of direction, and having the wisdom and authority to implement it.

Then Paul says how to respond to these men: first provide for them (so that they can be free to pursue their calling), second respect them (so don't say anything lightly against them), but finally deal with them if they sin (for they are God's representatives on one hand but not above discipline on the other). Thus we have the PART PLAYED by elders, the PROVISION for elders, the PROTECTION of elders, and PUBLIC REBUKE for elders in these verses.

D. Application:

1. Elders carry heavy responsibilities and need all the love, care and

protection of the flock.

2. Elders are answerable to God.

Chapter: 1 Thess 5

Passage: 1 Thess 5:21-25

A. Find Out:

1. How was Timothy to follow Paul's instructions? v.21

2. What was Timothy to do? v.22a

3. Why? v.22b

4. What did Paul counsel and why? v.23

5. How are sins sometimes different? v.24

6. How are good deeds similar? v.25

B. Think:

1. How can the minister be “tainted” by others?

2. How was human frailty seen to be a part of Timothy's life?

3. What is Paul inferring in the last two verses?

C. Comment:

We see Paul continuing to instruct and encourage young Timothy in the way he should lead the church. First, Paul gives a very strong exhortation to Timothy, as if to emphasise the responsibility, to follow all that he has been saying. This has been divinely inspired wisdom and as such must be followed.

Next we see Paul warning Timothy to be careful in his ministry, not to inadvertently identify himself with other people's sins. When laying on hands to pray for some one, identification is part of that act.

Next comes a beautiful bit of “parental care”: look after yourself, says Paul. I know you have stomach upsets (perhaps because of the tension of ministry?) so take a little wine to help your digestion. Note Paul doesn't say pray harder, try to relax or whatever else. For this situation a little physical help is counselled. Let's not always be too super-spiritual and miss simple physical helps along the way.

Finally Paul infers that Timothy would do well to ensure good works are the mark of his life. Bad deeds are sometimes obvious, sometimes not, but good deeds are almost always obvious. Let them be seen says Paul.

D. Application:

1. When we pray for other people we can share in what they have been

doing. Be careful.

2. A simple physical help is sometimes all that is needed.

Chapter: 1 Tim 6

Passage: 1 Tim 6:1,2

A. Find Out:

1. Who does Paul speak about now? v.1a

2. How should they think of their masters? v.1b

3. Why? v.1c

4. What's the danger of having a Christian master? v.2a

5. How instead are servants to respond to them? v.2b

6. Why? v.2c

B. Think:

1. How may God's name and Christian teaching be slandered by attitudes

and actions of Christian employees?

2. What therefore, in practical terms, should be the attitude or action of a

Christian employee towards their employer?

C. Comment:

In New Testament times there were still slaves and masters, but we can change that to employers and employees as we seek to see how the principles may apply to us today.

First, Paul requires respect for employers, and note he doesn't say, “ IF they are good employers”. The danger in modern life is to see the abuse of employees by employers and speak unkindly and unpleasantly about them. For the Christian though, that grieves the Spirit of God within. Masters were far more abusive of slaves than modern day employers, so we have no excuse. Respect the employer, says Paul, and you will break the heart of slavery, which is abject submission. Don't rail against it but rise up to have something much greater: God inspired respect!

Not only that, he continues, be careful if you have a Christian employer, that you don't demean them in any way because you think of them as brothers in Christ (which they are) and esteem them less as an employer. They are still that, so maintain respect.

D. Application:

1. It is too easy to speak ill of employers, but that is not the way of Christ.

2. Respect cannot be demanded of you, but it can be given by you.

Determine to give it.

Chapter: 1 Tim 6

Passage: 1 Tim 6:3-5

A. Find Out:

1. What errors do some fall into? v.3

2. What is the attitude of the false teacher? v.4a

3. Where is his interest? v.4b

4. What does this result in? v.4c,5a

5. What has happened to men of corrupt mind? v.5b

6. Why do they pursue godliness? v.5c

B. Think:

1. How is study shown not necessarily to be good?

2. What sort of study is wrong?

3. Why is it wrong?

C. Comment:

Paul is very much aware of those who have gone astray and left the true faith for various forms of error. We have seen this already in 1:3-6, 1:19 ,20, 4:1-3, and 4:7. It is clearly a problem area that he wants Timothy to be aware of, and we need exactly the same warnings for today.

Note first the NATURE of these false teachings: they are contrary to the teachings of Jesus, they are contrary to the teachings of God in Scripture, they are unclear and debatable (controversial), and they are all about meaning of words rather than about truth and life.

Second, note the RESULTS of these teachings: they simply stir up trouble between people. Instead of bringing peace and joy and unity, they bring upset, disharmony and division.

Third, note the PEOPLE affected: people of corrupt mind, people whose minds have been distorted, who have had the truth stolen from them and replaced with untrue beliefs, people who have been led to believe that the truths of the Gospel (as they see it) are there to bring them financial or material gain. Yes, the worker is to be paid ( 5:18 ) but that is not to be the focus for teaching. Beware wrong teaching!

D. Application:

1. Error is that which is contrary to the truth found in the Bible.

2. Error quenches life and simply brings division and brings upset . We

need to reject such teaching that comes to us.

Chapter: 1 Tim 6

Passage: 1 Tim 6:6-10

A. Find Out:

1. What is great gain? v.6

2. What should we remember? v.7

3. With what should we be content? v.8

4. What does wanting to be rich produce? v.9

5. What is the love of money? v.10a

6. What has happened to some people? v.10b

B. Think:

1. What desire is being warned against here?

2. Why?

3. What attitude is Paul advising?

C. Comment:

Before we say anything else we need to note that this passage doesn't say it is wrong to be rich! What Paul is speaking about here is heart desire.

First, note the DESIRE WARNED AGAINST: to get rich, to get and have lots of money. It is the desire that will be the motivating force that can throw you off course. Christians so often concentrate on external acts that they denounce, but Jesus warned that it was what went on inside a person that was all-important.

Second, note the CONSEQUENCES WARNED AGAINST: because internal desires soon turn into outward actions, it soon produces a letting go of the faith to concentrate on getting money, and indeed frequently uses wrong methods to get it, which in turn causes hurt and spiritual death.

Third, note the COUNSEL GIVEN: ensure your godliness is accompanied by contentment. Contentment means you are quite happy and at rest with what you have NOW. As long as you have food and clothing, that is enough for life, but to constantly want more and more, leads us to take our eyes off God and put them onto possessions and how to get more and more of them.

D. Application:

1. The inward desire is the thing to be checked! Have I a yearning to get

more, have more, to keep up with everyone else?

2. Contentment means I rest in what I have now. This means I am free

from the stress of constantly wanting more and more.

Chapter: 1 Tim 6

Passage: 1 Tim 6:11-16

A. Find Out:

1. What is Timothy to pursue? v.11

2. What command does Paul give? v.12,14

3. How is God described? v.13,15,16

4. When did Timothy make confession? v.12

5. When did Jesus make confession? v.13

6. When will Jesus return? v.14,15

B. Think:

1. For what purpose does Paul make reference to God twice here?

2. How does Paul use a reminder of Timothy's past?

3. What is the main point of this passage?

C. Comment:

Paul has just been warning about those who go astray from the faith to chase after material possessions. So, he says to Timothy, run from all that in your own life, and fill it instead with the good things that God gives to believers. Then, as if to go on from there and firmly seal this exhortation, Paul charges Timothy in all seriousness to really go on in faith. First, he challenges him to fight for the faith, which means to actively and aggressively pursue the Christian life. Second, he says enter into that eternal life which became yours when you testified to your salvation at your baptism (that's probably when that would have been).

In bringing this charge to Timothy, Paul refers to God in different ways. First of all (v.13) he refers to the Lord as witness to what he is saying, and he reminds Timothy that it is the Lord who gives life, and who therefore is the provider of the eternal life that Timothy was experiencing then and there. Second, (v.15,16) he refers to God in a closing anthem of praise: God who is supreme ruler, God who is unending, God who is mysterious and cannot be approached. This wonderful God is worthy of our praise AND our obedience; this is the implication.

D. Application:

1. We need a reminder from time to time to go on in the faith.

2. God is Lord of all. Worship and obey Him.

Chapter: 1 Tim 6

Passage: Tim 6:17-20

A. Find Out:

1. What shouldn't the rich do and why? v.17a

2. What should they do? v.17b

3. What was Timothy to command them? v.18

4. What would be the result? v.19

5. What was Timothy first to do? v.20a

6. What was he also to do? v.20b

B. Think:

1. How can the rich have a wrong goal and what can it lead to?

2. What approach to life may they have instead which is likely to be better

for them?

3. What, from this passage, appear to be the two main worries Paul has for

the church there?

C. Comment:

Paul recaps in closing, two particular areas that need Timothy's attention. First, obviously, there were in the church there in Ephesus , people who were well off, who were possibly business men, but members of the church. These particularly needed Timothy's help in overcoming the dangers of being a rich Christian.

Successful business people have to have drive in the world, and it is very easy for them, even if Christians, to have an attitude of arrogance, of self achievement and self determination. They may also put their trust in their wealth. Both are dangers to overcome. The way to deal with it, Paul counsels, is to have a generous heart, doing good and blessing others.

Finally Paul reminds Timothy to hang on to what God has given him and to reject the speculative intellectualism that was there. Some had fallen into that and had lost the true flow of life that comes from knowing the Lord. Timothy, as a leader, had to resist the temptation to go the same way.

D. Application:

1. Possession of wealth and many goods needs us to pay particular

attention to our attitudes.

2. Life comes from knowing God, not from intellectualism.

RECAP: "The Elderly, Elders & Teaching" 1 Timothy 5 & 6

SUMMARY :

In these final chapters of this letter we have seen Paul teaching:

- right attitudes towards the elderly in the congregation

- looking after elderly widows

- respect for elders

- respect for employers

- false teachings and love of money

- Timothy fulfilling his ministry

COMMENT :

The thought in the previous chapter about being an example to those who were older in the church, now triggers off thoughts about general attitudes and respect for the elderly. How we been challenged over our care and respect for elderly widows, and for elders? That should trigger off thoughts about respect for those over you in the world, as well as those in the church. Do we respect others?

Finally the need for godliness with contentment to overcome love of money is touched upon. Do we have that? Paul finishes with a charge to Timothy go all out for God, fulfilling his ministry. Can we receive the same challenge?

LESSONS?

1. We should respect and care for the elderly.

2. We should respect our employer.

3. Error brings division and upset.

4. Godliness with contentment is our goal.

5. The faith needs pursuing.

PRAY :

Ask the Lord to deepen your relationship with Him and help you rest in His provision.

PART 4 : "Be faithful!"

In the first Part of the second Letter comes the challenge to be faithful in the face of opposition. Paul gives the example of his own life to illustrate all he has been saying. Can we take the challenge?