 Good morning, Praise the Lord, and welcome everyone to class, for our class on study of First Timothy, Second Timothy, Titus and Philemon. We're studying the book of First Timothy, and we are at Chapter 4, was 13, so we'll continue from Chapter 4 was 13 today, and move on to Chapter 5. Before we do that, can one of you please lead us in prayer, please? Anyone? Shall we pray? It's a set of days, we want to say thank you. The Lion of Tribal Judah, want to appreciate you for the gift of life, for the opportunity to learn at your feet. Thank you for lecture, thank you for my colleague, you are my student, my classmate. Thank you for the management of the school. Thank you all because you are the only one who will take us around in World War, for your namesake, in the access of preaching your gospel. Father, what you want to learn here today, may be impactful, may be useful for us in the name of Jesus. Thank you, my father, in Jesus' name, with bread. Amen. Amen. Thank you, success. So, in First Timothy Chapter 4, it was 12. Paul is telling Timothy, not to let anyone despise him of his youth, to set an example to the believers in word, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. Okay? So, he's basically talking here about how the false doctrines, false teachers, who are there, how to deal with them. He's spoken about in the previous chapter how to choose leaders, how to choose bishops and deacons, the spiritual leaders in the church. And now he's going on to, in Chapter 4, talk about the false teachers and what are the things that young Timothy should keep in mind, what he should do, what he shouldn't be doing. And he's talking here about Godliness, and he says in verse 8 that, you know, Godliness is of great gain. Bodily exercise profits a little, but Godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the light that is now and that of which is to come. Okay? And then he talks about how, you know, he will suffer things and reproach and, you know, how people with point fingers at him talk bad about him. But, you know, he's saying, you know, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, who is your Saviour, who would give you the great strength to overcome these challenges. Okay? And then in verse 11, he's going on to command him and he's saying, command and teach. What are the things that he needs to command? People, what he needs to teach them, you know. So he's telling Timothy that when you enter the pulpit, you know, teach, command the word of God without any fear, don't have fear of man. Okay? And then he goes on in verse 12 to say that even though Timothy was young, he encourages him to set an example to the believers. And what are the areas that he's telling him to set an example in? Okay? What are the areas he's telling young Timothy to set an example in? Can we hear some responses, please? It's in your Bibles in verse 12, okay? In love, conduct, okay? Okay? Thank you, Jeffina. In word, in faith, and in purity. Okay? So he's saying, set an example in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, and in faith. Okay? So, in purity and holy living. Okay? So he's saying to Timothy that he needs to model purity, both in his conduct with young women, that he will, you know, be talking about in first Timothy, first Timothy chapter 5, the next chapter. And he's saying, in his thought life, okay? So purity is not just outward issues, but a heart issue. And, you know, we looked at how Christ taught us that, you know, if we, we can not just commit adultery in the very act that we do, but that's in the Old Testament, the New Testament, is that even if you look lustfully at a woman, even in our thoughts, even in our eyes, you know, he's saying just thought and look, you know, we've already committed adultery in our heart. So he's talking about how we also, we can learn here as ministers of God, how we need to model Godliness in every area of our life, okay? And he's saying, Timothy, when you model this kind of Godliness, it will also provoke others to Godliness, okay? And we see this even in the life of Jesus. The very reason God became man is not just to come and die on the cross for our sins, but also the importance of the reason for the Incarnation is that, you know, God can reveal himself to man in a tangible way, in a way that we can see, experience, handle like 1 John chapter 1 says, you know, I think it's 1 John chapter 1, 1 John chapter 5, where Paul says, John says, you know, testifies that we have seen him, we have handled him, we have been with him, we have fellowshiped with him, okay? So Jesus came to reveal the heart of Father to us, and he also came to model how, you know, though he was fully human, yet he was sinless, he did not yield to temptation, how he showed forgiveness, how he showed love, how he showed compassion, and how he did science, miracles and wonders in the frailties, in the limitations, how he limited himself to human frailties and weaknesses, and in the same way, we too can do that. So he's, Paul is telling Timothy, hey, Timothy, when you model all of these things, you know, it'll provoke others also to godliness, okay? So we'll move on to verse 13, so can somebody read verses 13 to verse 16, please? It would be good to hear some online voices. Can somebody please read verses 13 to verse 16 of 1 Timothy chapter 4? Verse 13 to 16, right, Lane? Yes, verse 13 to 16 of 1 Timothy chapter 4, yes. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine, to not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, the lane on of the hands of the hellish, we did it on these things, give yourself internally to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take it to yourself and to the doctrine, continue in them, for in doing this you will serve both yourself and those who hear you. Amen. Thank you, Zealotoli. So in verse 13 he says, still I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation and to doctrine, okay? So what is he talking about here, reading? Give attention to reading, what is he saying here about reading? Sorry? Reading the Word of God, reading the scripture, reading the Old Testament Torah, the laws. What is he talking about? Exhortation. What does exhortation mean? What does exhortation mean? Telling someone to do something, okay? Exhortation means basically preach the Word of God, you know, encourage, inspire and comfort people from scripture and he's saying, you know, give attention to reading, to exhortation and to doctrine. What is doctrine? What is doctrine? The right teachings of the church or of Christians, or the doctrine of Christ. Okay, thank you. Doctrine basically means teaching, the teaching various topics, various points or topics in the scripture or, you know, teaching various aspects or topics to people, okay? So he's saying, give attention to these things. So he's saying, don't give attention to what the false teachers are talking about, but give attention to reading, to exhortation and to doctrine. So we know that in Paul's time and even in the Old Testament, people were not privileged like we are to have the Bible in our hands old and the New Testament, you know, there was only a very privileged few who had access to the Old Testament Torah, to the scripture and many of them were illiterate and very few owned these manuscripts. So what was done was they basically would come and gather together. We know that we read this in Ezra, in the Hemiah, when the scriptures were read, people would come stand the whole day and they would stand and listen. That was a respect they gave to scripture, the reading of scripture. And so he's saying, you know, read scripture and not just read, but also preach, encourage from the scripture, comfort from the scripture and teach the various doctrines, the various topics that are there in scripture. Okay, and he says, you know, these things have to be done in the church. So how, what can we learn from this in our context today? Is that in our churches, three things must happen. Okay, we need to read the scripture. We need to preach from scripture and we need to teach the word of God. Okay, we just don't talk about philosophies and ideologies and nice stories from the pulpit or we just don't use pulpit time to get back at people or to talk about, you know, all the ministries or the things that God is doing through us. But pulpit time is basically to read scripture, preach and teach the word of God. Okay, pulpit time is not for tell stories, it's not for, you know, talk about ourselves and what we are doing, how God is using us, not to talk about what is happening around in the world or philosophies or ideologies or what we read in certain books, just talking about what the scripture is saying, getting people to grow in the word of God. Okay, verse 14, Paul is encouraging Timothy not to neglect the gifts that is in him. So he said, don't neglect the gift that is in you and how did he receive the gifts? Paul is saying here, how did he receive the gifts? To the prophecy and to? By laying of hands. Laying of hands, thank you, Jeffina and Lubega. Okay, so he's saying, you know, which you've received in the laying of hands, it's not that spiritual gifts are received only when somebody lays hands on us or it's not only when somebody prophesies over you, we know spiritual gifts are from God. He gives it to us, whether it's the gifts of the spirit or it's the ministry office gifts or the membership gifts that are there is all given to us by God, okay? But we can also, spiritual gifts can also be imparted, okay? Spiritual gifts can be imparted and also they can be trained, okay? So some things can be taught and some things have to be taught, okay? Some things have to be taught, T-A-U-G-H-T and some things have to be taught. So, you know, impartation is one means when we can, you know, be trained, taught, receive, catch the spiritual things or the spiritual gifts that can be imparted to us. So he's saying, you know, don't neglect the gifts that you have, Timothy, okay? Which you have received basically when maybe it was Timothy's ordination service, when the church elders laid their hands on him and maybe recognized God's calling on his life to ministry and it would have been accompanied by prophecy. So he's saying, think about those things and, you know, exercise those gifts. Our spiritual gifts are given to us by God, you know, so, you know, be imparted. It can also, we can also be trained in that, you know, to fan up the gifts, to utilize those gifts, to cause those gifts to grow, but it is very, very important that we just don't go around having people lay hands on us, you know, or being close to people who are flowing mightily in the gift so that we can learn, we can be taught how to use those gifts and not just have people lay hands on us so that the gifts can be imparted, but it's important that we exercise those gifts. So what is the point in, you know, God blessing us with spiritual gifts? What's the point in us running behind people and have everybody laying their hands on us and imparting those gifts? What is the point in, you know, working alongside with people who are flowing mightily in the gifts? We're not just going to just receive it like that. We are, you know, going to receive it, but there's no point, you know, if we don't exercise those gifts. So we need to exercise the spiritual gifts, use it, you know, so that, you know, you can be used mightily by God, okay? So he's saying, you know, don't neglect those gifts that have been given to you, okay? And don't mistake this worse by saying that, hey, spiritual gifts can be received only when people lay hands on us, okay? Or, you know, when it is thought to us or when we are connected with people who are flowing in the gifts, no. Gifts of God come from God. He alone is the source. He is the only source, okay? Like we read in John chapter 3, verse 27, where John is saying, a man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven, okay? So don't think that spiritual gifts are only given when people lay hands or you associate with people who are flowing in the gifts, but it's the only source of spiritual gifts that gifts is from God, okay? However, God uses people to activate, which means activate, means get these gifts started in us, you know, or acknowledge those gifts in us. So, or the impartation also can be for more grace in those gifts so that we can flow mightily anointing on those existing gifts that are already there in our lives. So, impartation can basically bring more grace and anointing that on the gifts that are already existing in our lives. So, receiving the activation of these gifts or the impartation adds to the strength and the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. And this can happen, of course, through laying on of hands, prayer, receiving it through ministry, okay, and also by associating with us or closely working with those who are flowing in these gifts. So, very important to understand this verse, because many of them think that it's only of, you know, laying on of hands of the elders or through prophecy that we receive gifts, you know, the only source is God who gives us the gifts, but, you know, these gifts that are in us put in by God can be activated and, you know, can more grace and anointing can be imparted through impartation, okay? Verse 15, he says, Meditate on these things, give yourself entirely to them, and your progress may be evident to all. So, he's calling Timothy to meditate on God's work and meditate on the work of God in his life. Now, here the word meditation is not talking about the Eastern meditation where it is emptying your mind, but when we talk about meditating in the scripture, it's talking about filling our minds with God's word, with his truth. God's word is the truth and the truth sets us free. So, don't think about meditation as emptying your mind, okay? It's not like what is the goal of the Eastern meditation, but here it's filling our minds with God's word and the truth. So, what is Paul encouraging Timothy here? What is Paul encouraging Timothy here? Here's some voices, please, some answers. What is Paul encouraging Timothy? In verse 15, anyone in class? He's telling him to meditate on this, the above things he has told him to give entirely to them, and the rest, la, la, la. Yeah, I think he's encouraging him to meditate on the scripture and doing the right doctrine, just as we've discussed in the 13 and 14. Yes, thank you, Lubega. So, he's saying meditate or seriously think, ponder about the things that he has spoken to him so far. He says, give, he's telling Timothy, give yourself entirely to doing these things, and he's saying, if you do these things, you will grow and progress, and your growth and progress will be seen by all, okay? So, your progress, his progress will be evident to all, okay? Sometimes, our progress is not seen in our lives because we are not giving ourselves entirely in our pursuit of God, or in pursuing God and doing His will. If you don't pursue God, don't have an intimate relationship fellowship with Him, not doing His will, then it is, you know, the fruit is not seen. Only we abide in the wine can we bear much fruit, okay? So, you know, we fall short sometimes of, you know, of bearing fruit or showing growth and progress because we are very passive in our Christian life. We do not give ourselves entirely to doing God's will, and Jesus warns us about this passive attitude in the parable of the talents, you know, where the servant who did nothing was severely rebuked, okay? So, don't have a passive attitude, and you have a passive attitude, and you don't give yourself and do nothing about the gifts and the talents God has given to you, you know, you, your progress, your growth cannot be seen. The second thing, you know, another scripture passage that we can look, connected with this verse is in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 10. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 10 where Paul is saying, By the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me, okay? So, you know, Paul is saying, hey, I have the abundant grace of God, you know, the overflowing grace of God, okay? And I'm who I am, it's all because of the grace of God. But he's saying, hey, I don't just take this grace of God for granted, I just don't take this grace of God and just sit down and do nothing. But look at what he says, but I labored, you know, I labored more abundantly than they all. So, you know, for Paul to say that he labored more abundantly than they all, means compared to all of the people around him or co-labors, is a very bold statement and an assertion to make, you know? But he's saying, yes, I have worked hard, I have labored hard, you know? Labor is basically very strenuous, difficult, hard work that he has done. And he's saying, you know, it is because, again, that labor is because of the grace of God. So, Paul knew that spiritual growth just did not happen like this. It is the gift of God, the grace of God that was bestowed on him. And this gift and grace flows more in abundance on those who labor hard, who use those gifts, who work hard. And that is why in the parable of the talents, we also see the one who had five talents, you know, he was given more and he was welcomed in, okay? But the one who did not do anything about the one talent, you know, that one talent was also taken away and he was thrown into the darkness, was weeping and gnashing of teeth, basically talking about health, okay? So, yes, the grace of God is there for us, but we need to labor hard. Only when you labor hard, you know, can you experience an abundance, more abundance of the grace of God and the gift of God, okay? That is why Jesus says, to whom more is given, you know, more is expected, okay? So, the more you do things, the more you multiply, the more you receive. You don't do anything about it. What is there, you will also be taken. So, the equation here is if you want to see abundance of God's grace, abundance of his anointing, abundance of his blessing and overflowing, you have to be sincere in what he has given to you and be good stewards of what he's given to you and also he's looking for multiplication. He's looking for growth. You need to multiply what he's given to you, okay? We'll move on to verse 16. He says, take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them. For in doing this, you will say both yourself and those who hear you, okay? So, Paul is instructing Timothy to watch over his own life again and what he's teaching is reiterating it. And at the same time he's saying, you know, be careful to remember that, you know, you don't refrain from giving your entire self, putting in your entire effort, okay? Because when you give off your entire effort, you know, you earn the grace, the blessings of God, okay? So, when we do this, we need to be mindful of another truth that, you know, when we give ourselves entirely to God, you know, we put in all of our effort, we're laboring very hard, you know, our hard work and, you know, the hard work that we do, the hard work and the hard work, that means we are working with all of our heart, it never puts God in a place where he owes us something, okay? It means what I'm meaning to say is that, you know, we don't come to a place and say, hey God, you know, I'm working so hard, I'm laboring so hard, I'm putting all of my heart, soul, mind and strength, you know, in laboring, you have to do this, you have to bless, you have to multiply, you have to cause my church to grow to 5,000 to 10,000, you have to do these mighty science miracles and wonders, you have to raise up a big building of a church and do this and that, you know, God does not owe us anything, okay? Even if you work really hard, put in all of our hard work, our hard work, it never puts God in a place where he owes us something, okay? But us putting in or giving ourselves entirely to the work of God, you know, our entire effort should be out of gratitude and in honor to God who has already done so much for us, okay? So that should be our attitude, that should be our mindset. Not that I work hard, not keeping the back of my mind, the pattern of the talent, say, hey, I do, you know, I have five talents, I have to multiply it, either which way, hook or crook, you know, I do it, I get five more, God is not looking for hook or crook, he's looking for honesty and integrity, he's looking for our hard attitudes, you know, but even when we do that, you know, God, we don't stand in a place where, you know, God owes us something, okay? We don't demand things from him, or we don't use it to twist his hand to give us what we want, okay? But we do it out of a gratitude and honor to God because he's called us and we're serving him because of all that he's already done and what he's going to do in and through our lives, okay? So he's saying, take heed, you know? So Timothy and every pastor must examine two areas concerning our lives, you know, or two things concerning our lives or two great areas of concern that he's mentioning here, one is life and one is doctrine, okay? So all of us as pastors, as ministers in the kingdom of God, you know, and, you know, Paul's writing, Timothy is saying, must examine constantly, you must examine the two great areas of concern, one's life and one's doctrine, okay? And if you fail to constantly examine these two great concerns, it would mean danger for both ourselves, okay, and for the people that we are ministering to ourselves and the congregation. So here it is Timothy and his congregation can also mean you and me and our congregation, okay? And if you don't give heed to the way we live our lives, you know, Paul is telling Timothy, you know, you might suffer shipwreck of your faith, like he spoke in First Timothy chapter, one was 19, okay? And he's saying without giving to heed to doctrine, you know, you can lead yourself straight from the faith and you can also lead others from receiving the gift of salvation into their own lives, okay? And then he says, those who hear Timothy as a pastor, you know, preaching and teaching or when he's talking, they should constantly hear doctrine, okay? They should constantly hear the doctrine, they should constantly hear the truth in God's words. Timothy's primary call is not to entertain people, amuse people or even have the practical things, it is to present the biblical doctrine and to give heed to that doctrine, okay? If you hear of many people's sermons, sadly, you know, many people's sermons are basically lot of stories, what God did to this person, that person through me, but we very little of scripture or what God is doing about the nature of God, the work of God, you know, or attesting other scripture passages, teaching from scripture, it can just be philosophies, it can be poetry, it can be various things, just to appease people's ears, okay, or to entertain them. So preaching is not entertaining, but it is to basically teach, it's to present the biblical doctrines so that people can give heed to that doctrine, okay? So he's telling Timothy, you know, watch your life, watch over yourself and what you preach and teach. So what we can learn here for our lives is, you know, as people who have been entrusted with the Gospel, each one of us, whether we are called to preach or teach, or called to be pastors or, you know, in the business world, we are just working in the world, we are all a royal priesthood and all of us are being given and trusted the truth, the Gospel and all of us are called to preach and teach and baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That's the great commission, okay? And as spiritual leaders, as people who are called a royal priesthood, we need this ability to be self-governing, okay? And we can only be self-governing with the help of the Holy Spirit and we need to be watching over our lives and our doctrines, watching over what we teach and preach, and when we do that, we will not only protect ourselves, not only protect our faith and keeping our faith from being shipwrecked, but also with blessed those who listen and lead them into salvation, okay? So that is First Timothy chapter four. Anyone has any questions, any doubts before we move on to First Timothy chapter five? No questions, no doubts, anything you want to, anything needs to be clarified, any clarity on anything that you need? So first of all, good, good mom. Thank you, Lubega. Okay, then we'll move to First Timothy chapter five, okay? We'll read the entire passage. There are 25 verses, so we are more than five of us in the class, so can I request five of you to please read five verses each, please? Can we begin? Chapter five, First Timothy chapter five, verse one to verse five. Do not rebuke an older man, but exalt him as a father and younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, the young women, the younger as sisters with all purity. Honour widows who are really widows, but if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents, for this is good and acceptable before God. Now, she who is really a widow and left alone, trust in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. Amen. Thank you, Lubega. Can someone else read verses six to 10, please? But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives and these things come under, they may be blameless, but if anyone does not provide for his own and especially for those of his household, he has 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 work, if she was brought up, if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has watched the sand speed, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work. Thank you, Salutoli. Can someone else who read verses 11 to 15, please? Anyone else likes to read verses 11 to verse 15? To refuse the younger widows, for when they have begun to grow what on, against Christ the 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 ghosts and busy bodies saying things which they out, they out not. Therefore, I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage houses, manage house, give no opportunity to the adversaries to speak, reproachfully for some have already turned aside after certain remain. Thank you, Lubega. Anyone else reading from verse 16 to 20, please? If any reliving man or woman has widows, let them relive them and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relive those who are really widows. Let the elders who rule will be treated worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the world and doctrine. What the scripture says, use a lot muscle and ox while it trades out the grain and that the labor is worthy of its wages. Do not receive an accusation against an elder, except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning, rebuke in the presence of all that the rest also may fear the man. Thank you, Subashis. Can someone else read verses 21 to 25, the last few verses in this chapter five? I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the electric angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality. Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins. Keep yourself pure. No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities. Some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later. Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden. Amen. Thank you, John Paul. So what is Paul writing here in chapter five? Who is he writing about here in chapter five? Okay, he's talking about widows. What else is he talking, addressing here? I think he's talking about the women in church who are less privileged to have lost their beloved ones either when they are young or when they are old. Okay, he's talking about women's, talking about widows, talking about leaders. Yes. What else is he basically addressing here in this chapter? I feel like he's just talking about how to handle the different people over in the church. And he's young and he needs someone to say all this. He's talking about how to handle different people in the church. Yes, he's basically talking about responsibilities. The church's responsibility, the believer's responsibility, the saints, their responsibilities. Because sometimes we see that in the early church, even now, the people think it's the responsibility of the church to do certain things. So what do you think people's expectations are about what the church has to do in terms of washing away their responsibility? What do you think they think or they feel? Oh, this is the church's responsibility. These are the things that they have to do. Any thoughts? Come on, all of you are part of church, so you should know. What do you think people's mindset is when it comes to what the church has to do for them or for their family? I just shared a few things like I've seen in the villages and there is a financial crisis in the family for education. They obviously expect the pastor to pay sometimes. I've seen this, it doesn't happen everywhere, but the way they approach, the way they ask, which is not something a pastor actually has to do, but there are people who leave churches because of that. And yeah, so that's one of the things I've seen in the interior parts of the mill now. Amna, if you'll agree to this, what Jeffina said, do you think it's a problem only in the rural churches? No, okay, it's everywhere, yes. I think even in the urban churches, people are expecting if they are out of job, if you know, and if they can't pay their children's fees, they expect the church to help them, if they are facing financial crisis, they crunches, they want the church to help them. Also, when it comes to, if there is some sickness in the family, they expect even the church to pay them. Yes, the church can help in certain cases, church is there to help, but some people take advantage of that freedom or the fellowship that they are part of. What else, what are the areas? What are the areas? I think they also expect some positions after sometime, like if they are a member for like three, four years, and even this, I don't know if it happens everywhere, but if a new member comes and you give them some responsibilities, they feel like, give me up in here for about four years, five years, especially like in a church where there are treacherous and they obviously expect them to be and creates a lot of division in the church, which is also, I think it's in the hands of the pastor, he has to know who's really faithful and he can choose the right ones. It doesn't mean you've been here for five years. It's about the grace that God has got. Yes, very true. I mean, people want positions in the church, you know, in various areas, they think if they're accountants, they have to be accountant in the church as well. If, you know, they are running a catering business then the church has to give them the catering orders for all of their programs. Yes, visiting them. Yes, Subashie says, visiting them. Also I've seen, you know, some people, if they work in certain firms or, sorry, offices or they're running a business. Say for example, they're working in a print express, a print media, a printing press, you know, then they would expect the pastor for all his programs to go to their printing press and give them the business. Or if there is a construction happening in the church and there is somebody who's the construction business, expect the pastor to give them the, you know, the order or the, you know, the construction work that is to be happening. Or somebody is the painting business or furniture, you know, they expect the church to buy it from them but not take quotes from everyone, see who's the best and then they don't like it. They get very upset and they even leave church. Okay, anything else? Any other areas? I think a major area of concern for when being part of the children's ministry is I feel that the parents, most parents think that it's a church who has to, you know, teach their children about spiritual things. And I feel that the parents think that their responsibility is for academics. You know, they rarely give in or look after their children's spiritual upbringing. And that's why we have most of our children's church ministers being very sad or frustrated or disappointed at the parents' participation. They say they don't even get them, their children to learn even a one line memory. So to read the scripture passages that we've given them to the week or we'll get them to practice what they have learned. So I think that is one area where most people think that our spiritual growth, spiritual upbringing is only the responsibility of the church. Yes, it's a responsibility of the church but it's not the only responsibility. It's our own responsibility as parents, as individuals also to grow in the Lord, okay? So here in this chapter five, just for our study, you know, based on what Paul is addressing, we can divide this into six different categories. The first one is versus one to three where he's talking about the relationships within the church versus four to eight, he's talking about believers' responsibility to their own family versus nine to 16, he's talking about the church's responsibility towards the doors versus 17 to 20, he's talking about leading, how to lead spiritual leaders versus 21 to 23, he's talking about, you know, just about spiritual leaders, he's just sharing some personal notes, sorry, versus 24 and 25, he's talking about the outcomes, okay? So we'll begin by looking at versus one, two versus three where he's talking about the believers' relationship within the church. So can somebody please again read versus one? First Timothy chapter five, verse one to three. Do not rebuke an old man but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters with all purity, honor widows who are really widows. So here Paul is giving instructions to Timothy because he's young, he's talking about how to relate to people of different ages, even as he's a pastor, there's a leader, a spiritual overseer, a spiritual leader, okay? But it's, you know, these instructions can also apply to our own lives even as we relate to one another in God's house in the church, okay? How we need to treat one another, how we need to honor one another. So he says, do not rebuke. Now the ancient Greek word for rebuke is not the normal word for rebuke that is used here, okay? This is the only place this word is used compared to the other places where the word rebuke is used in the New Testament. This is an entirely different word that he used about this word rebuke. And literally the only place that he uses this, you know, other word for rebuke in Greek in the New Testament here. And the word rebuke literally means to strike at, okay? So Timothy was told not to attack older men with words, but he's telling them to treat them with respect, just like he would treat a younger men or younger women or how he would respect younger brothers or younger men, okay? We stop here and we come back after the break and we'll continue with Timothy chapter five verse one.