The Wonderful Way God ❤️ Widows

FBC Lenoir City

The Wonderful Way God ❤️ Widows

September 22, 2024 • John Hunn • 1 Timothy 5:3–16

God has cared about widows from the very beginning - The Law (Deuteronomy); The Prophets; The Gospels; and The Epistles. Caring for widows fulfills the 2 Great Commandments AND impacts our evangelism - John 13:34-35

Sadly, many churches discount widows and senior adults as a whole. They are often viewed as a burden to the church. They are largely ignored because they are viewed as no longer a productive part of the church. It’s basically a “What have you done for me lately” mindset. This is not the view of our Lord. This cannot be the view of His Church.

I. The Compassion & Concern of Widows - OT/NT Honoring Widows

The Christmas Widow - Anna in Luke 2:36-38

The Big Reveal included widows - Jesus in Luke 4:14-32 (25-26)

The Corruption of Corban against widows - Mark 7:9-13; 12:38-44

The Double Doom for widows - Luke 7:11-17

The Power of Persistence of the Widow - Luke 18:1-8

The Generous Given widow - Luke 21:1-3

The Second Challenge was about widows (in the early church) - Acts 6:1-7

The Place of Widows (in the early church) - Acts 9:36-43

II. The Attention & Protection of Widows (Respect/Recognition) - I Timothy 5:3-16

Qualified widows - age & faithfulness This is not favoritism Ephesians 6:1-4

The Way Jesus Loves Pastors

September 29, 2024 • John Hunn • 1 Timothy 5:17–25, Ezekiel 5:1–10

I. There is a similar model for supporting Pastors that we saw for supporting Widows: Honoring - 5:3 & 5:17 Providing Protecting Even Correction for both - II. Jesus is the Model Shepherd - He is called: Psalm 23 1 The Good Shepherd in John 10 2 The Chief Shepherd in I Peter 5 3 The Great Shepherd in Hebrews 13 4 Jesus revealed in Matt. 9:36-38 5 Jesus restored Peter in John 21 1. Honor Pastors/Elders/Overseers - 5:17 a. Who rule well - I Peter 5:1-4 b. Who labor in study - II Tim 2:15 2. Provide for Pastors/Elders/Overseers - 5:18 a. Quoting Moses - Deut 25:4 (referencing animals) b. Quoting Jesus - Luke 10:7 (referencing people) 3. Protect Pastors/Elders/Overseers - 5:19 a. Do not receive an accusation against an elder (give them benefit of the doubt) “except” b. Except on the basis of two or three witnesses - Mt. 18:15-17 4. Correct Pastors/Elders/Overseers - 5:20-21 a. Those who continue in sin -overview of I Timothy 1-4 b. Rebuke in the presence of all - don’t leave room for gossip and innuendo - incentive to live rightly when in leadership c. Maintain these principles w/out bias (don’t play to partiality) d. Two were removed in chap 1 - 5. Selecting Pastors/Elders/Overseers - 5:22-25 a. Don’t lay hands too hastily -don’t be in a hurry on this critical process (because then you share in the responsibility of the problems) b. Keep yourself free from sin - Be accountable! Then a caveat for Timothy (you can remain pure and use wine for medicinal purposes) c. The sins of some are quite evident - “going on before them to judgment” d. For others, their sins follow after (obvious examination process) e. Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite - f. And those otherwise cannot be concealed -

Transformed by the Truth

September 15, 2024 • John Hunn • Proverbs 17:9, Matthew 18:15–18, 1 Timothy 5:1–2

(WE ARE ALL ACCOUNTABLE) (“Order in the Church” is caused by Careful Correction by the Church) • Some love to confront • Some lovingly confront - us! I. Careful Correction in the Family of Faith - vv. 1-2 (sharp rebuke vs encourage/appeal). Let’s back up and answer a critical question that must be thought out before moving forward with correction: • Cover if you can - Proverbs 17:9 • Confront if there’s a pattern • The goal of biblical confrontation is reconciliation - to “win” our brothers and sisters back into a right relationship / into healthy fellowship - Ken Sande (Peacemakers Ministry in Billings, MT) - Christian conciliation • Matthew 18:15-18 1. Treat older men as a father - 2. Treat younger men as brothers - 3. Treat older women as mothers - 4. Treat younger women as sisters - * “with/in all purity” - “with complete patience” - • Be encouraging in Ephesus - II Timothy 2:24-26 • II Timothy 4:1-4 • Be careful in Thessalonica - I Thessalonians 5:12-14 • Be gentle in Galatia - Galatians 6:1-2 • Keep the perspective in Phillipi - Philippians 4:1-3 (with joy) • Be warned in James 3:1-10 (scattered saints) Subscribe to get notified on new releases: @fbclc

Carefulness in Correction, in Protection, with Compassion

September 8, 2024 • John Hunn • 1 Timothy 5:1–2, 1 Corinthians 11:17, Galatians 4:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:12–16

(Eliminating unresolved conflict) I. Pastors must correct - 5:1-2 1. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians is a corrective letter - I Cor. 11:17 2. Paul’s letter to the Galatians is a rebuking letter - Galatians 4:16 3. Paul speaks into this often - I Thessalonians 5:12-14; II Timothy 4:2 “with great patience”