Rev. David Holwick L 1 Timothy - Clean Up the Church, #12
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
March 28, 2010
1 Timothy 5:17-25
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I. At least both have animals.
A. This is not a typical Palm Sunday sermon.
1) I am continuing my series through 1 Timothy.
2) Today's passage mentions an ox, which is as close to a
donkey as we are going to get today.
3) But it also mentions honoring leaders, which is actually
what Palm Sunday is really about.
B. There is one big difference.
1) On Palm Sunday, we honor a perfect leader.
a) Although the crowd did not realize it, Jesus was far
more than the hoped-for Messiah.
b) He was also the sinless sacrifice for mankind's sins.
2) Here in 1 Timothy 5, we are dealing with more-human leaders.
a) We are told to honor them when they do well.
b) We are also told to rebuke them when necessary.
1> They are not perfect.
2> Sometimes, they are very far from perfect.
C. Leaders today are no different.
1) Even the current Pope is under scrutiny because of the
widening sex scandal in the Catholic Church.
2) Every Christian should pay close attention to Paul's
instructions in this passage.
II. Essentially, pastors are in view here.
A. In New Testament times, pastors were in the category of elder.
1) Only some elders had the primary responsibility of preaching
and managing the running of the church.
2) Others had responsibilities like charity or hospitality.
B. Elders who acted as leaders had special responsibilities.
1) Paul says those who did a good job should be taken care of.
2) But not all of them did a good job. (more on this later)
III. Taking care of church leaders.
A. Give them double honor.
1) To some, this means pastors deserve twice as much pay.
a) I like this interpretation.
b) Unfortunately, I don't think it is correct.
2) It probably means they deserve pay plus honor.
B. Compensation was a touchy topic for Paul. 1 Cor 9:4-15
1) 1 Corinthians 9:4-15 gives the clearest description of his
attitude.
a) He claims a right to food and drink.
1> (He also quotes the ox passage there.)
b) Those who do spiritual work should expect material
support.
2) At the same time, he wanted to be independent.
a) He was not in the ministry for money and he didn't want
them to think they owned him.
b) He bragged that he did not accept support from his
new churches, but worked at a second job.
1> The book of Acts tells us he made tents on the side.
c) Older churches he had previously established did support
him in his work, however, like the church in Philippi.
3) Paul was independent, but he was still worth something.
a) Other apostles like Peter were given a living.
1> Their families were supported as well.
b) It bothered Paul that they didn't think he was in
the same league.
C. The danger of mercenary preachers.
1) Leading a church should be a calling more than a job.
2) If they are just in it for the money, the church will suffer.
A study was conducted by the Center for Cognitive Studies
at Tufts University examined Christian ministers who
were atheists - they did not believe in God.
One was a Presbyterian named Darryl.
He sees himself as a "progressive-minded" pastor and says,
"I reject the virgin birth.
I reject substitutionary atonement.
[i.e., Jesus died for our sins]
I reject the divinity of Jesus.
I reject heaven and hell in the traditional sense, and
I am not alone."
Why is Darryl still in the ministry?
He is candid about it - it is how he provides for his
family.
If he let his church know his beliefs, he wouldn't be able
to earn a living.
We might say, well, he is a Presbyterians and we know that
a lot of them are flaky liberals.
But another pastor the study profiled is a Southern Baptist
named John.
John says, "I didn't plan to become an atheist.
I'm being honest with myself."
He is clearly not being honest with his church members.
He rejects all belief in God and all Christian truth claims
out of hand.
Once again, this unbelieving minister admits that he stays
in the ministry because of finances.
Amazingly, he even names his price: "If someone said,
'Here's $200,000,' I'd be turning my notice in this week.
Because then I can pay off everything."
#36178
The church would be far better off without this kind of fake.
IV. Overall principle: Workers deserve their wages.
A. The ox example.
1) In the Old Testament (Deut. 25:4), they were told not to
muzzle oxen when they were threshing the harvest.
a) When the cows munched some of the grain, that was
compensation for their work.
2) Paul applies that principle to people as well.
a) He is claiming the right to "munch."
B. Paul also supports his argument with a quote from Jesus.
1) In Luke 10:7, Jesus says workers are worthy of their wages.
2) Since both quotes are prefaced by "the Scripture says..."
some scholars think he is showing that the words of
Jesus were already elevated to Bible status.
C. It is not just true for pastors.
1) When people work, they expect to get something for it.
a) It is a mutual exchange where everyone benefits.
2) Even so, not every job is paid with money.
a) Churches would grind to a halt if everyone who did
something had to get paid.
b) A lot of you would probably like to get paid for sitting
in that pew.
1> Actually, you will be.
2> Any genuine effort we make for God will receive
a heavenly reward.
c) Volunteers are very important, both in the church
and the community.
V. What do you do with a bad pastor?
A. Paul's big problem has been an issue in the church ever since.
1) As in other parts of this letter, Paul begins with a
positive section, then moves to the pressing issue.
a) Previously, he dealt with the positive support for
widows.
b) This was followed by warnings to young widows who were
getting in trouble by meddling and messing around.
2) In this section, the big problem is leaders who sinned.
a) It is covered in only two verses, but the issue has
been referred to throughout the letter.
b) Paul is thinking of the leaders whose sinning was public
knowledge, even to the pagans.
B. Bad leaders must be rebuked publicly.
1) The word "sin" is a present participle so it could be
translated "continue to sin."
a) According to Ray Stedman, if they repent when they are
first challenged about the sin, they should be
forgiven and not rebuked,
1> Rebukes are limited to sinful leaders who refuse
to repent.
b) As a leader I appreciate his leniency in this, but I do
not find it in the text.
1> It makes more sense to me that a repentant leader
should still be publicly rebuked.
2> An unrepentant one should be rebuked - and fired.
3> If this seems harsher than the discipline Jesus
taught, it is in line with the New Testament's
warnings to teachers - they will be judged more
severely. James 3:1; also see Luke 12:48
2) There is the added benefit of the warning it gives to others.
a) Some say he is thinking of the other elders, but it
would also give a message to all the church members.
C. Rebuking must be done delicately.
1) There is always the danger of a whisper campaign, where one
disgruntled church member tries to sabotage the pastor.
2) To avoid this, Paul calls for any accusation to be backed
up with two or three witnesses.
VI. Leadership is too important to mess up.
A. Don't play favorites.
1) Correction must be applied without regard to personal
feelings.
2) The truth, and health of the church, is all that matters.
3) Paul shows how seriously he takes this by using a solemn
charge.
B. Don't ordain too rashly. 5:22
1) "Laying on of hands" was used to commission leaders.
2) Don't be too quick to fill positions but look for truly
qualified people.
C. But don't go overboard.
1) The interesting comment on adding some wine to his water
seems out of place here.
2) Perhaps Timothy was trying to match the false teachers in
their (claimed) asceticism by avoiding alcohol.
a) Paul didn't want him to misinterpret the "keep
yourself pure" remark by being so strict he affects
his health.
b) He tells him wine would be a good medicine for him.
D. Sin is serious stuff.
1) Timothy is ordered to keep himself pure - it is not just
an issue for other people.
2) Only some sins are out in the open. 5:24
a) Many are kept hidden - until the Judgment Day.
3) On a positive note, good deeds are ultimately revealed too.
a) Eventually, your true character will always be found out.
b) What will be found out about you?
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SOURCE FOR ILLUSTRATION USED IN THIS SERMON:
#36178 "Preachers Who Don't Believe — The Scandal Of Apostate Pastors,"
by Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr., President of Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary, http://www.albertmohler.com; March 18, 2010.
This and 35,000 others are part of the Kerux database that can be
downloaded, absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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