We look together in God's Word this evening in First Timothy 5, 8 through 16. And though the sermon of the title is instructions for widows, because that is certainly the theme of the text, we are mindful of the appropriate nature of this text, even to this worship service in which we have infant baptism and where we have set before us a family with sons and daughter, and where we can be mindful of God's Word and teaching concerning marriage and family. Because though it's focused on widows, it's really a much broader topic that we address in the context of these verses. And so, people of God, we hear the Word of God concerning family and family responsibilities. Here, then, God's will for our lives in the context of the glorious gospel and new life that we're given in and through Jesus Christ. First Timothy five, beginning with verse eight. But if anyone does not provide for his own and especially for those of his household, he is denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. Do not let a widow under 60 years old be taken into the number and not unless she has been the wife of one man. well-reported for good works, if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work, but refused the younger widows, for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, They desire to marry having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith. And besides, they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies saying things which they ought not. Therefore, I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some have already turned aside after Satan. If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them and do not let the church be burdened that it may relieve those who are really widows. Well, people of God, we can see why in this context we reflect upon instruction for widows, because there are three basic points about widowhood that are addressed in the passage. The first is widows who are taken into a number and will reflect for a little while on the significance of that statement. Second, it addresses those who fail, widows who may fail and fall far short. And we will reflect upon that, and then third, widows who are young and God's will for them. But we see God's will for women. In this passage, and certainly there's also been implication in the passage that if women are to be married, then godly men ought to marry them. So there's certainly implications for young men as well as young women in the text. But we are we have that word then sets set before us in the context of the Christian family and the Christian church. as it intersects with families and and the the the joys and the sorrows, the difficulties and the blessings within those families. The first group of widows that's addressed is a group that is declared to be the widows who are over 60 who have been taken into a into a number. Taken into the number, verse 9 says. Well, there is all kinds of different interpretations of what taken into a number is. First of all, there's an age requirement. Second, there also seems to be a marriage, a previous marriage, where now the person is a widow. Their husband has died. And so it's a very particular group that's being focused on. And it's fairly obvious that we do not have a number. We don't have a list. We don't have a particular group of widows within our church that that we have taken into a number. Indeed, it's quite difficult to find to understand exactly what this means. Because it's not found throughout Scripture, nor the New Testament. This isn't a repeated teaching. It's one that's unique to the text. One might certainly recognize that in Corinth there may have been particular reasons for doing this, but we ought not to think that because we're limited in our understanding of what's going on here, that there's no application because there's all kinds of truth that's very clear in the text. We might not know exactly what this number is, but we do know what it isn't. I think that's also obvious. There are those who would claim that they know what this number is. And Calvin, in his commentary, would argue vigorously against Roman Catholicism that has declared that this number is the ground and basis of the whole concept of a celibate lifestyle in the context of a relationship to the church. And this would establish nuns and priests to be celibate. Never to be married. And the oath taken was an oath of celibacy, and that oath then is to be applied to being a nun or a monk or a priest who would never be allowed to be married. Well, if that's the application of the text, then a number of us fall far short in that. But it's obvious that that's not what God is talking to the church in Corinth and revealing to Timothy through Paul. It's obvious that that's not what he's talking about, because, first of all, it's a widow that's over 60. So it's already somebody that's been married. So marriage is not now set aside as something evil or bad. It's in the context of those who would be training children and bearing children. So once again, having children is not looked upon as being an evil thing. A marriage is exalted in the text over and over, as we saw even in previous chapter, which where it was declared that forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from certain certain foods that these were. declarations that fell far short of God's word, whether that be for elders who were actually required to be men or where they were married. That was obvious that they had households and wives, and that would apply then to pastors as well. And so it is a good and godly thing that a young man training to be a minister of the gospel would be married and have children. Even though some would go to this text to say the very opposite. But I hope you can see that that would be a real violation of the thrust of the text, the implications of the text. Now, it can be that there are providential circumstances in which some of the encouragements that are given by Paul to Timothy about young widows may never take place, because there may be a young woman, a young widow who can't have children, that there would be some reason for that. And so we also know from God's word that there are providential circumstance that may make getting married difficult or or circumstances that may make the marriage a more difficult option. Here, it's obvious that the general point of Scripture points us to the blessing of marriage, the expectation of marriage for young women and young men. Well, having said all of that, I think that Dr. Hendrickson in his commentary is headed in the right direction when he says that this this list is is not some kind of spiritual office. It's not related to the deaconesses, but it is a matter of recognizing older godly women in this circumstance who have been widowed. that are set apart, who are called on by the church of Jesus Christ, whether it be elders, by the elders of the church to take up particular tasks in the church, like training and instructing younger women so that older godly women, it follows the pattern of older godly women teaching younger women in the things of the Lord. To use it as a basis, as we have seen, for a whole institution of monastic celibate life falls far short of the text itself. Because there are clear requirements and those requirements point us as to what is important in the in the daily activity of the life of God's people and of the women that God saves who are true Christians. And verse nine, we see that. That she has been the wife of one man, the wife of one man, that it is a woman who has been faithful in the marriage that God has established in her life. This is a requirement that there is a faithfulness there. She hasn't committed adultery. She hasn't forsaken her husband. She hasn't gone to another husband. She has been faithful in the marriage that God has called her. There are some who would say that this might then mean that the wife of one man means that she's only ever been married once because that's the ideal. That would go contrary to the context of this text, which encourages marriage to younger widows, which would imply they'd already have two husband. They would have two husbands, but they would be faithful. They would be, as we had said before, they would be a a one woman man and a one man woman, one man for one woman is the emphasis of this text and teaching. We saw this same thing where it said that that elders were to be husbands of one wife. And we talked about the same implications of that text. And so this is a woman who has been faithful in her marriage and she is then well reported. It goes on well reported for good works. Verse 10. This is someone who's been active in the life of the church of Jesus Christ. It isn't someone who we know nothing about, who may attend worship on a regular basis, but has no involvement in the church at all, in the work of God. Now, we have to sometimes be cautious in our judgments of people like that. As a young pastor, I made a judgment about a woman in the congregation that I served in my very first church. And then I thought here was a woman. And it seems to me she's not very she doesn't interact with people very much. And and she's always very prim and proper and. And I thought that's who she was until she got cancer and found out really her hair wasn't that important to her. And as I ministered to her on her deathbed, I discovered all kinds of things in her life. And many people would come up to me and say, what a blessing she was to them. And I was there for three years and had no idea. So we may not always see those things, but eventually you come to know them both as a pastor and elders, godly women who are are performing works that then are reported in the proper place and time recognized as a great blessing to the life of the congregation. She has as well a godly woman. This older godly woman is a woman who has been faithful in the instruction of her children. She has brought up children. Verse 10. She's brought them up. This is the same wording, the same words that are used in Ephesians chapter six of verse four. where we read, and you fathers do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and the admonition of the Lord. Maybe the phrase bring them up had already been so ingrained in the life of the people of God that when they heard that phrase, they just knew that it was in the training and instruction of the Lord to bring them up, to train them. The word here in both Ephesians and in And Timothy has the word for is a word that that implies to nourish, to feed, to care for. And we know that in the context of God word, that nourishment and that caring for is more than just the physical elements that are there, but it's a training and instruction in the Lord. And this is something that is. expected of both the godly husband and the godly wife, the godly father and the godly mother are to train and instruct their children in the Lord. So important is that in the in the history and in the fabric of the Church of Jesus Christ. When we have a baptism, one of the questions that we ask is, are you do you promise to train and instruct this child in the aforesaid doctrine? And when she grows and she comes to an understanding of these things, you're going to train them in the instruction. Those kinds of questions are rooted in these kinds of verses. This is why we would ask the question, there would be the expectation that a godly mother would train her children in the ways of the Lord, and that's true for all godly mothers. So that if in God's providence you are a widow over 60, it can be said of you that you have trained your children in the Lord. And also. If your spouse is still alive and. and over 60, and both husband and wife, it would be a testimony that you could report this essential good work, this essential task from God to train and instruct your children in the Lord. But not only is this widow concerned about her immediate family, but she also recognizes the importance of being a woman of God in the context of the church and the community. And so the text also declares that she is not only training and nourishing her own family, but that she has also lodged strangers. that she is known to be hospitable, that she cares for others, even those she doesn't know, that there is a concern for those outside her immediate circle of friends and family, brothers and sisters in Christ. Although they may be brothers and sisters, these strangers, that doesn't say that they're not. But the scope of your circle is broader than one's immediate family. That's not the only focus. Now, this may be to a woman that's on the list, and it may not be that every person has every aspect. But we know that this is not something that is out of the ordinary or something that is just a very exclusive characteristic, but that all of us as God's people ought to be this. because we want to reflect in our relationship to strangers and aliens, to those who are even outside the church of Jesus Christ and how we interact with them. Maybe that's a neighbor or a friend or someone somewhere, because we were all strangers and aliens at one time. Strangers to the covenant promises. Strangers to God. Strangers to our relationship with the Lord. And so our interaction with these strangers and aliens, even with the unbeliever, reflects what God has done for us. And where we were in rebellion to Him, He came to us. And so we reach out to those who may not want to draw close to us. They may be strangers. Because God in Christ has saved us when we were far off. That we want to then be a pattern and show that we're not we are not of those who would have nothing to do with those who are far off. We would we wouldn't want to interact with them and intersect with them. As she is a woman who has entertained strangers. And again, it then goes on, if she has washed the saints feet, In that culture, that may be a literal act because you would wash people, the feet of those who would come into your home. That would not be an uncommon thing, but it's also clearly in Scripture. The indication is one that has a servant's heart. that's willing to do those things that maybe others would be too proud to do. It's a willing heart to be active in the lives of people, even when it means some demeaning task in some people's minds. But one of the things that's clear from God's Word is, this is not a demeaning task. It is not a lowly task to train children, entertain strangers, or to wash the feet of those who come into your household. Those are not menial tasks. Those are tasks that are basic activities of life, that are a blessing to others. and are recognized as such by God's word. We will see that in this in these verses that what the world may think is important, God's word may think is not so important. Although there are many tasks that are set before us in these verses. If she has diligently followed every good work. This is a worker. We know people in the church of Jesus Christ who say, now that person's a worker. That ought to be the characteristic of all of us, shouldn't it? And again, these are things that are focused on the widow and the list, but we see the pattern of God's word is clear that this would be a godly household and the man of God who would lead in the home in this kind of context would also have the same kind of characteristics that we saw for the characteristics of office earlier in First Timothy. And so the word of God would set these things before us. She has followed every good work. She's not just a hearer of the word, but she's a doer of the word. This is an older woman who could train younger women in what it means to be that godly woman. And so it is to this day that we would seek out and younger women would be well to seek out either your own mother or grandmother or a godly woman in the church who you could look at and say, here is that example of godliness. And the Church of Jesus Christ as elders and pastor, it does us well to recognize this. and to call upon godly women of the church to be of continued service, because one of the clear implications of the text is is that a woman who has had all of these kinds of activities in her life doesn't get age 60, go on a list and then retire. This is these are the characteristics that now qualify her to do even more in the church of Jesus Christ. And so we ought not to think unless there is a circumstance in which one is really not able to do these things anymore. And this is one of the reasons why they there are most commentators do not see this list group, this this group of widows on a list to be that same category of people who who need all the help that they can get because they're not able to do anything anymore. That's also a group of widows that's reflected earlier, I believe, in chapter 5. And so, people of God, we have set before us the godly example, and then contrasted to that is the ungodly example, not of the older widow about ready to be put on this list and to be recognized for a faithful service. And I don't even want to say exceptional service, because one might expect this to be the case of all God's people, of all godly women. But it certainly isn't the case, because there's a stringent warning and a recognition that there are some who have not followed such a pattern. And that is brought up in verse 12 and and following, but refuse the younger widows for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry. Here is one of those texts that that again points out, well, if there were young widows and they were put on the list, then one of the elements of the list is that they would promise never to marry. I'm not sure that that's an assumption that you have to make in the context of this text. There's two major. ways to view this text, and one is, is that the younger widows have a desire to marry when they originally said they wouldn't marry. And and all of the description about what's going on here is one in which is similar to someone who is committed to be an office bearer in the church and then resigns. It's not a good thing, but we ought to we ought not to have to happen. And because it might happen if they're younger and it has happened when they were put on the list when they were young, then we don't want to even put them on the list. But it seems that there's something more going on in the text than just a failure to uphold the task that is given in and being put on a list as a young widow. It seems that this desire to marry is so strong that it now comes into conflict with the commitments that have been made to Jesus Christ initially. And so in this text, you have these kinds of descriptions of what's happening in the life of this young widow who has this wanton desire to marry. There's the desire to marriage out of wantonness. And it's almost like she's willing to compromise everything in order to get married. And so the description of that kind of of approach to marriage as a young widow is then described like this. She is wanton against Christ, she has condemnation, verse 12. She's then engaging in all kinds of other ungodly activity. Verse 13. And finally, verse 15 says she's turned aside after Satan. Those terms are striking, they are stringent. It's not like a sister who has faltered for a moment. and has chosen something really good, marriage, instead of something even better, service in the church without marriage, if that is even the teaching here, which I don't believe it is. But that's how some people approach the text. Rather, it seems to me that this would have been a good text for the pastor I heard preach on such a event when I was with my family on vacation. We were in the deep south and we were looking for a church and there weren't very many options. And we joined together with brothers and sisters in Christ. And we were the only people in the church that weren't African-American, that weren't black. And the pastor got up and he he preached a sermon on godly marriage. And he challenged and the service had, I would say, there were a far more number of young women than young men in the congregation. And the pastor challenged those young women. He said, you have a you come to church and you have a faith commitment and you declare your love for Jesus Christ. And the first time some man comes around, whether he's a Christian or whether he's not, you go following after him as if this is the answer to everything in your life. And I'm going, boy, I don't think I could have preached that sermon here. But he did. And I believe that's exactly where this text is going. It's that woman who's willing to forsake the Lord, forsake the first faith. Who then comes under condemnation and follows after Satan instead of following Christ. To a faithful woman, a faithful man, not just the first one that comes around. This is one who was forsaking Christ. For her desire to marry, which may not be a bad desire. But in the context of compromising her faith, it's a horrible option. We would desire that they would that a young widow could would be married, but better not to marry. than to marry someone who will bring you down a path that leads you away from Christ, following after Satan, leading to condemnation and then revealing that your heart was never true to Christ in the first place. There are very harsh words here of these widows who have been gone their own way. Marriage is not a bad option. But marriage outside of Christ is a horrible option. Godly marriage is a good option. And so people of God, that is certainly consistent with the word of God, for we are to marry only in the Lord. And better never to marry. Than to marry. Outside the faith. and make shipwreck of your own faith to compromise the convictions of the truth for a spouse, male or female. So whether it's a young widow or a young woman in the congregation or a young man, God would have you marry in the Lord. And it's obvious from the text that as we turn into young widows who are young to widows who are young, that the expectation and the godly option is marriage. Now, I don't suspect that there's this stringent rule that those widows over 60 are widows who are not who can go on the list and then those who are under 60 ought to get married and have children. Because not every woman, of course, under 60 in this time nor that time could have children if they were 59. And so there's a whole other group of widows that he's not talking to specifically, it seems. But there is a particular focus that a young widow or a young woman or in the context of God's overarching teaching, family is really good. And though one may be in God's providence, one may never not be married, either male or female, and be single their entire life. It is clear from this text and from the rest of Scripture that the normal pattern is marriage and family. That is a good thing. It is a blessed thing. Here is the word that is clearly said concerning those younger widows, which could be younger women or or younger men. And as it's applied to the opposite sex, it's this. That that I desire, verse 14, I desire that the younger widows marry their children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. That they marry. This is a good thing. And so we rejoice that that is reflected in the life of so many in the church of Jesus Christ, but not all. And once again, in God's providence, this is an absolute command that everyone everywhere must be married. That's obvious from the rest of Scripture, but this is a point of wisdom. This is a point of application of the general thrust of Scripture that marriage is a good thing. Would be a desire for a young widow to be desire for young women. And there's nothing actually straightforward in the text that would deny this. to any number of widows who aren't even real young. But the young women, the young widows would be good to marry and then to bear children. To have children. And that, too, is set before us as that blessed expectation of the normal Christian family that honors God and is a blessing to others. It's not always possible. There are circumstances which make having children impossible. So we know, of course, that this can't be an absolute command, such as love the Lord your God. Because that's something we all can do. But not every woman everywhere can have children. But in line with the book of Proverbs, as this sets before us God's principles of life applied to daily activities, the expectation would be to have children. And to manage their own household, says the text. That's a very strong word to manage the house. It's not just to clean it. This would have to do. This would be a word that would be used to describe the one who would maybe have a household in which there were five or 20 servants and the wife would be the one who would give direction to all the servants as well. She would be the one who was managing this household. This is not a minor thing. It isn't as if this woman, the only thing that this godly mother and wife would do is is just to be in the house and take care of children and change the diapers. And that's it. No, she is. There isn't a management. There is a an authoritative. There is an authoritative action on her part within the context of the home. Which of course isn't violating the headship of the husband, but it may far exceed anything that was an expectation of the culture of the day. Women were called to be co-stewards of the earth at the very beginning. Image bearers, where both male and female were to have dominion over the whole earth. Certainly there would be dominion over the household. And so there is much activity that would go on within this Christian household, and again, it would be it would be something that would give a good reputation. Within the context of the church and hopefully the broader culture, although at times the broader culture comes to disdain marriage at all, such as our culture. But that doesn't mean that as the Church of Jesus Christ, we say, well, if marriage isn't acceptable in the culture, then marriage shouldn't be acceptable to the church. And if having children in marriage isn't something the culture does, then having children in marriage in the churches should be an option for us. No, we want to adhere to and proclaim the truth of God's word, the patterns that are set, the expectations that are given. bear children, says the Word of God. This is a good and holy calling. And there will be a good reputation. And so the word of God comes and sets that before us. And finally, there's the the group of widows that we've already looked at in the first verses. And that is those who need to have relief, those who need constant care, those who who need much more than they can give to themselves, those who no longer can take care of themselves. who can no longer perform the functions that they once did, as as we saw at the beginning of this chapter. But that doesn't mean that they are not of worth, they are of noble character, they ought to be honored, their worth ought to be clearly seen. These kinds of godly women now following the pattern of wisdom in God's word. These are women who families, Christian families, would provide for. And if there isn't a Christian family, then the church would stand beside them and minister to them wherever they might have need. Well, people of God, this passage of Scripture reminded me of another passage. Doesn't it, you? the godly woman, the woman of faith, the woman who is a servant of God, who is a busy, faithful woman. Proverbs chapter 31. There you have this kind of woman expanded the characteristics and calling And I'm not sure, people of God, but this is probably one of the lengthiest descriptions of a godly person, male or female, in all of Scripture. And I'm sure that when any of us read it, any woman who reads it may go, I can't imagine. I think I fall far short. But I can't imagine all of these characteristics to any man and any man standing up and say, I've done all of that. But it does set before us, doesn't it? A concept of a godly woman. Out of Proverbs 31 and First Timothy, chapter five, who can find a virtuous wife for her worth is far above rubies, Proverbs 31, 10, the heart of her husband safely trust her so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeks the wool and flax and willingly works with her hands. She is like a merchant ships. She brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and a portion for her maidservants. She considers a field and buys it, and from her profits she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength and strengthens her arms. She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night. She stretches out her hand to the distaff. And she holds and her hand holds the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor. Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with scarlet. She makes tapestry for herself. Her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them and supplies sashes for the merchants. Strength and honor are her clothing, and she she shall rejoice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom and on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband also, and he praises her. Many daughters have done well, but you have sold them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates. Amen. Gracious God and Heavenly Father, O Lord, you have set before us what it means to be a godly woman, a godly wife. By implication, Lord, we see many points that would drive us all to walk more faithfully. And O Lord, we thank you for many in this congregation. who have taken up the tasks that are set before us in 1 Timothy 5. We thank you that as a church of Jesus Christ and as the people of God and reflected here in these families, that we rejoice in marriage, that we count children a blessing, that we, Heavenly Father, give thanks for your hand in our lives. And that we, too, are called in to testify to your grace and mercy by being a blessing to others that we come into contact with. We thank you for the women of this church, both widows, those who are married, Father, we thank you for each one that is walking in faithfulness, married or unmarried. And we thank you that in many ways that we continue to honor and put into practice the principles that are found in this text. Forgive us where we fall short. Help us to be ever more faithful. This we pray in Jesus name. Amen.