 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 trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day but she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives and these things command that 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 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 refuse 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 amen let's pray together father heaven thank you for this time to worship you thank you lord for the the opportunity to study learn your word god thank you for open eyes open ears open hearts that we might understand what you have to say to us god and we might live by it I pray god if there's someone here who still closed minded into the word of god I pray that you would plow up the stony ground of their heart and save them for your glory pierce them through with conviction over this text that they might live and god for us who claim the name of christ I pray that you would convict us through this text or that we might live more fervently for you we thank you god for your this glorious instruction and just the practical application of your word to our lives god find us faithful to live by it not to be hearers only but to be doers of the word for your glory god in Jesus name amen you may be seated in our sermon title this morning is godly compassion godly compassion we're in part three of this series as we're working through first Timothy chapter five and this section from verses three to sixteen uh dealing with widows dealing with the compassion of god toward needy widows in the church toward those who are needy and in these verses we continue to see the compassion of god certainly toward widows but also towards the needy and all of that for the purpose of pointing us to the compassion of god and meeting our greatest need which is salvation in christ jesus we have a great need in that we are sinners and we are separated enemies of god by our wicked works and we need salvation and in all the compassion of god toward the needy that we see in the pages of scripture we're to see that exemplified in christ we're to see that godly compassion exemplified in the cross of christ and the price that christ paid for wicked undeserving sinners like you and me all of this points toward that but even here in this these verses seemingly talking about a very practical almost mundane subject of how do we care for widows in the church there's a lesson to be learned here and in the grace of god in these verses a a great contrast that we're going to look at this morning a contrast between those who are truly widows that the church is to support here and then those who aren't really widows those young wanton widows that we begin to see in verses nine and ten and so we want to in verse 11 we want to see that contrast this morning and let me exhort you this contrast even here that i want to sort of apply to us today i want you to be convicted by it i want you to allow the word of god through even this message to widows the message to the church and how to take care of needy widows in the church we need to be convicted by this message we need to be convicted by this contrast here we need to take this to heart and we began weeks past going through this passage with point one from your notes the compassion to provide paul says to timothy in verse three honor widows who are really widows in other words provide for them they're widows in the church then we make a distinction between those who are widows who are going to be deserving or needing support from the church those widows that we should take in that we should provide for financially and in verses four through eight we begin to see the two primary characteristics that distinguish those who are truly widows from those widows that would be supported by someone else and those two characteristics begin with one her family circumstances that widow who is truly a widow is left alone she has no other resources she has no family that can support her she is genuinely left alone and it is up to the church then to provide up to the church to help within the second characteristic we talked about this last week that she must if she's going to be truly a widow being supported by the church she's got to have a godly character a godly example her life should exemplify godliness and we begin to see that in verses four through eight with her prayer that she trusts in god and her trust and dependence on god expresses itself in praying day and night and then we begin as we work through those verses begin to see the other characteristics of this godliness in that widow's life that distinguishes her from those widows who aren't truly widows here as it says in verse three all right in a sense now it is pastoral we've talked about this it is caring to apply these characteristics to those that the church is to help it is not heartless it is not insensitive it's not cold to apply conditions here it is biblical and it is commanded to apply conditions here and that's for a reason it's for the good of one the widow it's for the good of those godly widows it's for the good of those young widows it's for the good of that family that should take personal responsibility and obey the lord in this it is good for the church and in all that we saw the compassion of god to pastor these widows appropriately to pastor the church appropriately that we make wise decisions with how we support those in need so it is compassionate here to have conditions for support the most godly thing that you can do for those in need and for those who must take responsibility is to place godly conditions on this help this is god's way and it's the best way and we think about it if our country would take those conditions to heart we wouldn't have the problems with entitlement and blame shifting and the lack of responsibility that we see all over the place today amen because that is worldly reasoning and this is god's wisdom and god's wisdom is always right always good always should be applied god's way is the best way but then we look beginning in verse nine we saw the compassion to prove or to test the compassion to apply these conditions to those that need help or assistance and again that is an act of compassion so considering verse nine and ten who are the widows then who belong on this list that the church is to help and paul gives us here three main considerations from the beginning of verse nine the first consideration is maturity she needs to be 60 years older older all right from the second part of verse nine it's fidelity or faithfulness she needs to be the wife of one husband and in other words she was faithfully married to her husband okay faith she's not a philanderer she's faithful to her husband but then thirdly we looked at good works in verse 10 it says that she is well reported for good works and again her character here is what is being looked at and her character is being expressed then now she lives her life her christian character her godly character is being expressed in how she lives she has a reputation for good works and that reputation means that she's being well spoken of it's well reported people know about it all right so once again here with this third point in verse 10 paul is concerned once again for good works now we have looked at passage after passage after passage through first timothy passage after passage in the scriptures that are concerned with good works and here we are again in verse 10 concerned with good works not because you need to understand we need to continue to remind ourselves of this you need to remind yourself of this not because the good works that you do save you not because the good works that you're doing somehow commend you to god with favor in his sight that he might return blessing on you just because it's not because you earn any favor or merit with god because of your good works it's not because good works save you it's not because they earn some kind of a merit it's because good works bear evidence of the work of grace that is in you good works bear evidence of genuineness of your faith good works demonstrate that you're in the faith and i want to say more about that here and as we look at this issue of good works i'm going to set this contrast up for you as we go through this passage i want you to take this to heart i want you to take this to heart if you're outside of christ you're not saved today you need to understand there's nothing that you can do you are destitute all of your works are as a filthy rag and there is nothing that you can do that will save you it will be by the grace and mercy of god alone but if you're here today and you're in christ then you need to understand the genuineness of your faith will be exhibited in the godly way that you live your life it's going to be exhibited in the good works that you do and i want you to take this to heart i want you to be convicted even now as we go through this passage you need to be praying to the lord god stir my heart up to love and good works god stir my heart up stir my dull heart and don't allow me to sit here blindly deathly listening to this passage we need to be stirred up to loving good works i want you to flip the page with me and first i want to make the point that we're not saved by our works from the the near context of this passage look at second timothy chapter one second timothy chapter one we don't understand we're not saved by our works second timothy chapter one and look beginning at verse eight here the bible says therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our lord nor of me his prisoner but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of god who has saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in christ jesus before time began but has now been revealed by the appearing of our savior jesus christ who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel to which i was appointed a preacher an apostle a teacher of the gentiles and for this reason i also suffer these things nevertheless i am not ashamed for i know whom i have believed and and persuaded that he is able to keep what i have committed to him until that day again we're not saved by our works but look at what paul says who abolished death brought life and immortality to light through the gospel we have this glorious truth that christ has abolished death and has brought immortality to light through the gospel and that's what we're to live for that should compel you to give your life in good works for christ to live for christ and it does here to paul it says to which i was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher of the gentiles but listen if you're in christ the bible says you've been given the ministry of reconciliation so if you're in him one of those good works that you've been given is also to be a preacher of the gospel appointed a teacher an apostle and a teacher to the gentiles we're all to live for those good works that here paul is an example right he's given us that ministry but flip the page look at titus chapter three titus chapter three and again we're not saved by our works but we've been saved two good works not saved by our works saved to them look at titus chapter three and look at verse one beginning in verse one here paul says the titus remind them be subject to rulers and authorities to obey to be ready for every good work this is what we're to do this is the command from the lord and listen if god commands it he also gives you the strength and the power and the enablement by his spirit to obey it he doesn't leave you with a command that you can't perform the lord can command it and then you can say amen lord i'm gonna obey you in that because he'll strengthen you to obey it here we are to obey we're to be ready for every good work we're to speak evil of no one to be peaceable we're to be gentle showing all humility to all men for we ourselves we're also once foolish you used to be foolish used to be disobedient used to be deceived serving various less than pleasures used to live in malice used to be envious used to be hateful and hating one another but verse four when the kindness and love of god our savior toward man appeared not by our own works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us and he saved us through the washing of regeneration and get a new heart get a new nature we're created again we're born again and the renewing of the holy spirit whom he poured out on us abundantly through jesus christ our savior that having been justified by his grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life listen this is the grace of god that appeared to us in that in his mercy he saves us and then by his spirit according to the work of his spirit in us we live for him not by our works of righteousness but this is the grace of god our savior toward us that we live a godly life for him all right so it's not by our works but i want you to flip the page back to the left look at titus chapter 2 titus chapter 2 and look beginning at verse 11 we're not saved by our works but listen this is the operative efficacious grace of god at work in your life if you're in christ chapter 2 beginning in verse 11 this grace of god that brings salvation has appeared to all men and this grace teaches us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust we should live soberly righteously and godly in the present age looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great god and savior jesus christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people zealous for good works that's the grace of god it's not up to you in that sense you must respond but it is the grace of god at work in you that produces a life of righteousness it is the grace of god at work in you if you're in christ that produces a zeal for good works and then the lord commands us to good works you see how the two fit together it is the sovereignty of god the grace and mercy of god and the responsibility of man we are to be zealous for good works and i want you to keep your finger put your bible ribbon there in titus 2 we're going to come back to it and flip back with me to first timothy chapter 5 and in first timothy chapter 5 here paul provides example an example of what some of these good works are and i want to take a look at this and begin to set up this contrast for you this is obviously in chapter 5 beginning in verse 10 not an exhaustive list but it is a representative list of what good works specifically here these godly widows were to perform all right but these are for every christian look at verse 10 he says here if she has brought up children if she has lodged strangers if she has washed the saint's feet if she has relieved the afflicted if she has diligently followed every good work that begins here the list with if she's brought up children it's not that she's able to bear children mind you right that would negate the bearing widow and it doesn't do that it's that she can raise children and specifically here in the nurture and admonition of the lord that involves instruction it involves care it involves discipline a godly mother has to use all those resources in raising children and here this godly widow is to show that she has brought up children in the faith one in very specific way here it's if she had children at all similar to the qualification for elders in chapter three where it says if they have children those children are to be obedient faithful children all right and here secondly it's important that she as a woman in the church is to embrace her role as mother in this day and age we see the contrast of that where moms forsake their children for other pursuits they forsake the role of raising up godly offspring like the bible says and they forsake that god-given role for something altogether different right here the scripture says she has embraced her role if she has brought up children okay but secondly here he says if she this godly widow has lodged strangers this is speaking of hospitality hospitality in this day and age was very important if you could imagine the Jews at this time were dispersed all over the place they lost their family lost their job they lost everything they gave up everything for christ not only that but you had traveling evangelists men and women going around preaching the gospel all over the place and whenever they would enter into a new town it became very important to be hospitable to lodge strangers and so these godly widows should have with their lives demonstrated that kind of hospitality were to be hospitable that's also included in the qualification for elders that we looked at in chapter three and it's also for all of us all of us anyone who names the name of christ is to be given to hospitality we're to be hospitable toward one another and this was at a time where that was desperately needed it's needed today we need to be hospitable towards one another but then he goes on to say if she has washed the saints feet now this washing of the saints feet you understand demonstrates a humble loving caring concern for other brothers and sisters in christ this is not establishing some third ordinance of the church right lord supper baptism and feet washing and many of you come from churches like that it's not what this is doing all right it's not what it means here this is an example foot washing was something that a slave a lowly the lowliest of slaves in a house would have done when someone came over you would have had your lowliest slave go and as a gesture toward them you would have their feet washed but this was connected very closely to hospitality it became connected to the example of christ and by order of the scriptures in this did she did this godly widow exhibit a caring servant's heart towards her brother and sisters in exemplifying or being an example of christ toward them did she show them christlike love in this if she's doing this she patterns her life after the example of christ in john 13 the bible says jesus says he rose from supper right he took off his outer garments he girded himself with a towel about his waist he filled a basin with water and he washed his disciples feet it was a humble act of love toward his disciples a servant's heart toward his disciples mark 1045 jesus says he did not come into the world to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many he came to serve now this simple humble act of caring in that way for a brother or sister points to his ultimate caring humble ultimate act of sacrificing himself on the cross for guilty undeserving sinners like you and me there's an ultimate act of love and compassion here is just a simple testimony of christ serving he came as a bond servant and then he gave himself on calvary poured out his blood into a basin so to speak for guilty sinners to wash us clean of our sin and when someone performs this humble act of service for the saints they are following the example of christ himself in john chapter 13 beginning of verse 14 the lord says this if i then your lord and teacher have washed your feet you also ought to wash one another's feet for i have given you an example am i giving you an ordinance giving you a command to do this specific no he's giving you an example and it's an example of love it's an example of care that you should he says do as i have done to you now this is not again this is not only for these godly widows is it for every christian yes amen it's for every christian in our works in all our works we are to follow the gracious humble loving serving example of christ who gave his life for you and i wicked undeserving sinners and yet he gave his life point four though back in verse 10 first Timothy chapter five these godly widows are to care for or to relieve the afflicted that word afflict there means pressed upon or oppressed has she demonstrated a pattern of coming to the aid of those who are in distress those who are in need if she's going to be cared for in the time of her need she needs to have shown that same kind of care toward others see the connection this is a mercy ministry right meeting the needs of those in need getting meals or help just visiting the sick supporting those who are persecuted ask yourself have you done that where have you stepped in to meet a need where have you stepped in to support someone who is persecuted how many times the brothers are downtown preaching in a hostile environment have you gone to support them in that that is a tough assignment you're facing persecution by homosexuals and drunkards and adulterers and brothers getting charged and brothers getting yelled at when do you go and support them and they when they preach have you gone with a church when the church is out knocking door to door sharing the gospel do you faithfully go with the body of christ to support and encourage those who are suffering persecution for the gospel do you do those works to support those in need when have you stepped in to meet the need of a brother or sister who needs help do you do those kinds of things this godly widow has a pattern shows with her life that she has stepped in and relieved the afflicted all right supporting those who are persecuted but point five in verse 10 she has shown the evidence then of devoting herself to good works this statement simply means this isn't an exhaustive list as much as it is a representative list of those things included in the phrase good works these aren't specific duties that an order of widows was to do these are specific duties that a godly christian would do right examples of godly living and i want you to see this look at all this all this that she's doing that she has a reputation for doing it is well reported she has a reputation for doing good works and this reputation one proves the godly character of this godly woman who is in affliction herself who is in need herself in the position of being truly a widow and i listened from this now there are trials there are factions there are difficulties there are afflictions that are necessary the bible says so that those who are among us may be approved and recognized among us paul says that these trials these difficulties are to recognize those who are approved and that is for our good here specifically in this passage it's for the good of those godly widows that we're going to support it's for the good and the benefit of the church that we recognize those who are godly widows here that we apply these conditions apply that now to the church as a whole this is good these afflictions these difficulties these trials necessary and good for us so that those who are approved may be recognized among us right that's what the bible says and that's what's dictated to us from the word of god and this recognition this approval is for our good it's for the good of that godly man or woman who goes to that trial but it's also good for us among whom they are recognized that's for a few reasons listen to this from puritan george downame and if you hear this with a discerning ear you're going to recognize this in our own experience as a church if you've been here for any length of time listen to what george downame says he says our afflictions are profitable our afflictions are profitable as they pluck us from false-hearted parasites who like the ivy cling about us to suck our sap and to make themselves fat with our spoil and to discover our true friends who are hardly discerned from the other till this time of trial i think about it from him he goes on to say a friend cannot be known in prosperity and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity you want to know who your friends are go through a difficult trial you'll find out who your friends are you want to know who your friends are go through a time of need a time of oppression a time of persecution and you find out quick who your friends are and those that suck our sap who cling about us who make themselves fat with our spoil don't stand the test of time they won't be here they are a friend in name only it's the friend who sticks with you the bible says a friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity that's proverbs 17 17 are you that kind of friend this godly widow here specifically in this context was that kind of friend who gave herself to meet needs gave herself to support those in affliction and she had a reputation for doing it this is a part of her life would you be proven and recognized among us when the trial comes when the heat of god's refining fire comes on you in a time of difficulty will you be approved will you be recognized among us that time will come right now we've known that that time will come so one this reputation proves the godly character this godly woman but number two what was it about these women that at age 60 they had a reputation of good works i don't want this point to be passed on us what was it about these godly women that when it came to age 60 they had a reputation of good works here it is it was that they didn't wait until age 60 to begin living a life of good works by the time they reached 60 they had a reputation of it they were well known for it this was the work of their entire christian life and it gave them this reputation let me ask you what is your reputation and don't let this just pass over you i want you to be convicted i want you to understand what the word of god says to us and examine yourselves rightly according to the word of god what is your reputation when it comes to serving the lord what's your reputation when it comes to living for him what's your reputation around here are you fervently and faithfully living for the lord what's your reputation you have a reputation that when we go to do something if we incorporated you it'd be like stepping on a hurt ankle and or we need to go to someone else because he's not going to show up what is your reputation are you approved among us are you approved in this sense like this godly widow do you have a reputation for good works now flip back to titus chapter two titus chapter two and look beginning in verse 11 here again we're dealing with good works and in verse 11 the bible says for the grace of god that brings salvation has appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in the present age looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great god and savior jesus christ verse 14 and i want you to focus in here who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from every lawless need and purify for himself his own special people what zealous for good works all right now let's look specifically here this last verse verse 14 one he christ redeems us from every lawless deed in other words he secures our rescue by the payment of a price and that price was the unspeakably high price of himself on the cross the son of god the lord of glory who shed his blood for wicked undeserving sinners like you and like me he gave himself his life stepped down out of glory to secure redemption for you to secure redemption for me he redeemed us by the payment of that price from the penalty of our sin that you rightly deserve to pay yourself from the penalty of our sin but also from the power of sin in our lives he redeemed us from the power of sin now has he done that from you for you do you have victory over the power of sin in your life has the lord given himself on the cross to secure that for you if you've repented and you believe the gospel you are turning from sin you have turned from your sin from living life for yourself and you are beginning a life of holiness and righteous living for god zealous for good works if you haven't turned that way and you're not living zealously for good works serving the lord of all your heart soul mind and strength then you've not been given that you must repent turn from your sin place your faith and trust in christ and he will rescue you from the penalty of sin he'll rescue you from the power of sin but now this says point two here in verse 14 it says this is for the purpose then of purifying us this word for purifying means removing from us the defilement of sin in our lives in other words he's going to make you more and more and more practically holy over time turning you from sin turning you to himself conforming you into his image in other words over time you're going to see greater and greater progress you're not going to be sinlessly perfect when the lord saves you but over time you're going to see progress you're going to be moved on to greater and greater faith you're going to be moved on to greater and greater maturity in christ if you can say i've been a christian for 10 15 20 years and you don't know any of his word listen i'm sorry you've not been a christian for 10 15 or 20 years because he's going to give you a knowledge of his word because you're going to be compelled by a love for his word to study his word you're going to be grown and matured in christ you're going to make progress you're going to be more and more obedient you're going to hate and despise your sin more and more and more you're going to live for him more and more and more fervently he's going to make you more and more and more zealous for good works because that's the grace of god that has appeared to all men bringing salvation it's that grace otherwise you get a cheap worthless grace that doesn't do that at all it's not efficacious in your life it's not operative in your life this is a grace this is grace that brings salvation is a working grace and he purifies his own and he makes them it says next point his own personal possession his own special people his own the apple of his eye listen if you're in christ you were bought at a price and what you're not your own you're not your own you don't live for yourself anymore you don't make your own decisions in that sense you run everything through the filter of god's word you run everything through the filter of god's will for you you don't say to yourself listen i'm going to go over to this country or this country that country make a profit and fill my barns the bible says you fool your life is going to be required of you you should say to yourself if the lord wills i'll do this that or the other thing you're not your own and you live your life are you living your life right now as if you were not your own you've been bought at a price and again that is an unspeakably high price it's the blood of a lord of glory was shed are you living for yourself are you dallying around as if there was nothing to do here no lord to serve he is going to make us his own personal possession purify for himself his own special people therefore we are not our own does your real life well does your life reflect that reality you are not your own it's supposed to reflect that reality he goes on in verse 14 to make this point then he says he makes us then zealous for good works it was tying this together now with the widow from first Timothy chapter five are you zealous for good works are you zealous for the lord get a thing for a moment just sort of put yourself on a scale of one to ten where is your zeal right now for the lord where's your zeal for the lord are you zealous for god are you any less zealous today than you once were for the lord has your zeal as your zeal weakened has it passed altogether is it dull is it indifferent is it apathetic is it powerless listen this grace of god from Titus 2 that brings salvation brings zeal for the lord it is that grace of god at work in you it's not your own work it's not your own effort it's not that spirit of man in you that has done all this it's the grace of god and that grace of god brings salvation it brings with it a purifying effect it brings with it zeal for god we're to be zealous for the lord some of you need to examine yourselves in this right now don't let this pass over you listen don't allow the word of god just to fall on deaf ears don't let it fall on a stony heart you need to examine yourself right now where is your zeal the grace of god in christ is that which would produce zeal in you are you zealous for good works are you zealous for the lord some of you if the wind shifts direction you're not going to show up you're not going to do anything for the lord where's your zeal for the lord remember this this is the grace of god that is in you you do it you perform these good works you become more practically holy you become more and more faithful more more mature more more strength and more more working for the lord more and more zealous for the lord because he is at work in you you don't do that you don't do that because he is not at work in you that can happen for the the unbeliever it can also happen for the person who claims to be a christian if you're an unbeliever you have no spirit of god within you and if you don't have the spirit of god within you you're not going to see that kind of progress in your life but listen if you're a christian if you say that you're a christian and you're living in sin and you're living in apathy and you're living in indifference and you're living just coasting along flowery beds of ease in this so-called christian life you are grieving the holy spirit by your sin there are sins of commission those things that we do that we should not do but there are sins of omission those things the lord commands you to do that you don't do and if you're living in rebellion against god's commands you are grieving the holy spirit do you think that god's grace is going to be operative in you if you're living a life that is grieving to the holy spirit no it's going to shrivel up and dry you up and we talk about it about here it's like milking a dry cow not going to get anything out of you because you've allowed yourself in your sin to grieve the holy spirit and god's not going to bless you in that you need to stir yourself up to love and good works and obey the lord so that god in his grace and in his mercy will be at work in you and will grow you and mature you you think god is going to grow you and mature you while you're a lump on the log disobeying his commands not living fervently for him no there's nothing magical so you understand nothing mystical about this you are to live for the lord when you come to christ you're saying listen i'm turning for my sin i don't want to have anything to do with that life anymore i just want to live fervently for him because of all that he has done for me in christ and i'm going to live for him looking at the cross and pursuing christ with all my heart soul mind and strength because i love the lord and i want the lord to purify me and i want the lord to make me zealous for good works i want to do something in this life that is going to stand for eternity i want to do something for the lord that matters and it's the lord that produces that heart in you we're to be zealous here for good works but here's the contrast so we get into verse 11 okay there's a compassion on your notes a compassion to protect here we need to protect younger widows we see that in verse 11 but it begins this section in verse 11 with a contrasting but okay rather than help all widows there are some that you must refuse and now that is an act of compassion and protecting the church but that's also an act of compassion toward the younger widow and i want you to get this there is instruction here to follow that will help you help this younger widow avoid sin and ultimate damnation uh these young widows here in first Timothy chapter five were younger and so they were capable of remarriage and i'll get this Paul says to these young widows listen get married and spare yourself the problems that we're talking about now from verse 11 to verse 15 right get married and spare yourself these problems then there is here two reasons given for why to refuse younger widows one because they can grow wanton against christ um here that word wanton refers to circumstances all right circumstances which arise where such young widows might be overcome by their desires and would fall into sin in other words here opportunity meets desire so to speak and the resulting sin gets in the way of their commitment to christ at the end of verse 12 these younger widows it says having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith that word there for faith at the end of verse 12 can also mean pledge or vow doesn't mean they lose their salvation doesn't mean that it's a possibility if they're in christ but they cast off their vow they cast off their pledge now what would have happened at this day and age would be this if the widow was coming in and she was going to receive full support from the church it was very likely it was appropriate even that she like anna right would have pledged herself or vowed herself committed herself fully to service in the church what paul is saying here is listen there are circumstantial temptations even characteristics about younger widows that would cause them or compel them to desire to marry it's interesting there it's not a desire for sexual immorality it's a desire to marry mary's not a bad thing but it is when you have vowed yourself committed yourself to the church and now you're breaking your vow you're breaking your flat your pledge so to avoid this great sin paul says gives them a very practical instruction to avoid all this sin that's going to come in verses 11 through verse 15 paul basically says listen get married get married he addresses their circumstances in order to protect them from falling into sin all right this is again interesting and i want you to see this connection this is compassionate protection for the younger widow and compassionate protection for the church that the younger widow gets married it protects her purity as she may if she was had given that vow and now desires to get married or grows wanton against christ there's the potential there that she could become resentful bitter maybe even hostile certainly unhappy right this is all a protection for that her desire for a husband might make her extremely susceptible to temptation when she has pledged her vowed herself to work in the church and she'd be at severe risk of incurring condemnation here and she would be abandoning it says verse 12 her commitment to christ her vow but now listen to this the second reason that younger widows should not be placed on the list is because of verse 13 a lack of maturity they're young which comes with a lack of self-control and now this exhibits itself in them becoming idle in them becoming idle idleness here is defined as unwillingness to make much of an effort of anything they aren't accomplishing anything of value you might say that they're apathetic you might say that they're indifferent they're not doing anything they're supposed to do now how much does that describe to what degree does that describe your christian life would you say that you are apathetic indifferent not doing anything of any value for the lord where is your zeal where's your heart for the kingdom where's your heart for the lost where's your heart for christ's mission on the earth where's your heart for christ's mission for you yourself it doesn't stop here so you know it doesn't stop with idleness idleness tends to produce gossiping busy bodies it says this in chapter five here again listen for the christian we see it in the widow for the christian it is easy to fall into idleness as a as a widow it's easy to fall into idleness when someone else is paying the bills isn't it if the church is fully supporting this young widow it's very easy for that widow to fall into idleness very easy for the christian to fall into idleness to fall into indifference to fall into apathy when you don't believe that the work is really that important you've lost sight of that you've lost sense of it when you first came to christ if you're in christ you saw that i'll do anything to serve the lord if anything gets in my way i'm plowing through that thing i'm not going to let anything stand between me and serving the lord with all my heart but then the christian falls into patterns of dull dead ritualists that we've got to battle through that you got to repent of that wicked sin and renew your zeal for the lord but you do that when you lose sense or lose sight of the fact that the work that the lord has given you to do is important work the christian can fall into idleness or apathy or indifference or sloth when you don't really believe that the work is necessary somebody else will do it listen i know those one or two or three brothers or downtown preaching the gospel to lost people i'll let them do it i'll sit here and take my ease christianity today is plagued with this you and i we are plagued with this reality that we can somehow take our leisure we have everything handed to us it's easy right we have wealth we have technology we've got all these pleasures all these leisure wasn't as much so in the first century they faced real persecution they faced real cost to their christian faith but now today this puts us this is what trends the christian toward a life of indifference a life of apathy a life of sloth when you don't really believe that the work is necessary again the christian can fall into sloth apathy indifference when you don't take responsibility with the work this work needs to be done but you yourself you personally will not lift a finger to take up that work and do it listen the lord has given us work to do there are people who are lost that need the gospel there are brothers and sisters who are in need that need someone to come alongside and exhort them there are things that need to be done but you and your christian life won't lift a finger to do it because you somehow have justified yourself and somehow have taken it that that work isn't really that important or that somebody else is going to do it or really not a need for it you've convinced yourself or allowed yourself to be convinced that's the case take heed to this from the lesson of the godly widow who has a reputation for good works there's work to be done here this doesn't again it doesn't stop with idleness idleness is the entry point and then it leads to other sins here in first Timothy chapter five it is producing gossiping busy bodies prying into other people's business you know getting the inside scoop on everyone they flip from house to house and as a result they get the latest juice or latest gossip and they spread that they become tail bears and the eventual result of this progression of sin is to take that information and they become tail bears saying things as verse 13 says which they ought not accusations lies secrets they become tail bears in all of this right again because of circumstances and i want you to see this because of circumstances the young widow falls prey to sloth and gossip sloth and gossip contrast that with the zealous good works of the godly widow there's a contrast here there are sins this is what we need to understand there are sins that enter in in the place of zeal for the lord if you have lost your zeal for the lord there are other sins which enter in at the place of that loss something will fill the void if you are indifferent if you are apathetic you are idle you become swathful in your zeal for the lord there are other sins which will enter in in place of that enter in sloth you have no zeal for his word you have no zeal for evangelism you have no zeal for good works you have no zeal to love fervently your brother and sister you have no zeal for fellowship you have no zeal to speak of his word when you're in the workplace in school at fellowships you have no zeal for the lord enter in sloth enter in idleness enter in apathy enter in indifference you have no zeal for doing what the lord says enter in gossip enter in complaining enter in grumbling enter in disobedience of every form and fashion and listen this is this will wreak devastation on your christian life idleness here and gossip are serious sins gossip is considered one of the seven deadly sins and the ancient tradition of the church serious sins idleness will destroy your soul if you become idle in your christian life and you stop fervently serving the lord enter in indifference enter in apathy enter in one day hell it will destroy idleness will destroy every practical form of godliness in your life if you are idle and out goes godliness if you are idle and out goes zeal if you are idle and out goes fervor out goes passion out goes love out goes thankfulness it will destroy every form of practical godliness idleness will lead to a cold dead heart examine yourself in this this morning don't let this pass over you are you any less zealous today than when you first came to the lord where is your zeal for the lord this morning do you have a cold dead what has become moralistic or ritualistic heart toward christ are you less zealous for the lord philip grand rican says this he says an idle person loses his or her zeal for god for work and finally for life itself are you any less zealous today than at any other point in your christian life repent and get to work repent turn from that zeal stir yourself up to loving your works get that zeal back now in the same way right that paul says the timothy gives very practical instructions related to the circumstances for young widows it's not magical it's not mystical he says listen young widows are susceptible to this so i tell you what they need to get married right they need to get married getting married keeps them from idleness it's a protection to them it's not magical or mystical just get them married they'll be busy as home makers at home they're going to be loving their husband they're going to be doing what the lord wants them to do and that's a protection to them so for you listen you indifferent you apathetic you slothful christian listen to me get to work get to work this is not magical this is not mystical if you've lost zeal for the lord right now there's just you're going through the motions of a presumed christianity you're just coming to church you know taking up airspace in a church weekend and week out and you're not living fervently and zealously for him obeying his commands living like your life is meant for eternity for him that you're not your own if you're not living that way then let me give you a very practical concern a very practical change in your circumstances to help protect you from the devastating effects of that sin here it is ready get to work get to work stir up yourself to love and good works you get out there and serve the lord with a fervent heart and that idleness that apathy that indifference that sloth all those wicked sins will go out the window you do what the lord says the lord will bless you in that work and will create in you a zeal for good works but he's not going to do that when you're disobedient and grieving the spirit get to work just like that young widow get married i don't want to get married get to work i don't want to go evangelize listen get to work this sin will destroy your christian life and it'll be for you for the rest of your life like milk and a dry cow you got to get to work that is it because that work saves you no is that work earning you some kind of merit with god no that work is for your good it's so the lord will bless you and sanctify you and mature you and strengthen you it's for his kingdom it's for the name of christ only one life will soon be passed only what's done for christ will last you want to get that you want to get that idleness that apathy that indifference you want to get rid of that wicked sin get to work and depend on the lord and all of it listen you cannot do it in your own strength it doesn't make it any more magical any more mystical so don't misinterpret what i'm saying here when you determine to get the work from the lord you can take it to the bank that you got the lord there empowering you and enabling you to do that work if you're in christ and have the spirit turn from your sin keep your eyes on christ focus on the cross and then go to work in his vineyard and the lord will bless and the lord will strengthen the lord will empower and lord will sanctify and the lord will cleanse you purify you his own special people zealous for good works he'll do that paul it's interesting here that paul says listen i desire that young widows mary that word there for desire it's not a word that flows from emotion it's a desire that flows out of intellect flows out of reason as a christian in this now i want you to be convicted by this if you're not on fire for the lord you need to be convicted by this and you need to repent of sin and turn to him and serve him fervently we need we have a gospel work that needs to be done we need to be as a body of christ as a family together as brothers and sisters we need to be fervent about that gospel work so i want you to be convicted by this i want you to examine yourself in this and if you're not fervently serving the lord then i exhort you from the authority of god's word on the basis of jesus christ who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing get to work all right and then when you get to work it's it's not from emotionally being charged up this comes from our intellect this is a desire that flows out of reason flows out of intellect rather than flowing out of emotion in other words you think biblically not emotionally you think biblically you don't excuse away based on how you feel it's like you you know what to do because you thought through this is what the scripture clearly says and so i'm going to obey the bible because that's what the bible says i'm going to live that way because that's what the bible says to do it's coming this desire comes out of a reason if you're waiting for some magical mystical work of the spirit to stir you up emotionally to just lord you know you pray this way god changed my heart and you're right god god do this lord says listen go out and obey me and you just you're waiting for the lord to stir something in you you're waiting for the lord to lord says obey me are you going to live for me this obedience this zeal for good works arises not out of empty fleeting emotion but out of the bedrock of faith in christ through knowing that god's word is true and that we can believe it and then we can run our lives by it because god is faithful it's rooted in god's word and this carries the force here of a command these younger widows are to marry um they're encouraged here to remarry and realize what time it was this is an important part of your christian life to understand that the lord calls us to a holy calling this holy calling is not to be abandoned you get yourself into patterns of idleness patterns of apathy patterns of indifference it is because you have failed to be zealous for the good works that god has called you to unless you're not in christ at all and very practically the same way that paul here in in protecting that that young widow from falling into these sins calls out to you from his word to protect you from this indifference to protect you from this apathy and all that follows it and says to you you're my own special possession i've saved you to purify you to make you my own special treasure be apple of my eye i have saved you to be zealous for good works stir yourself up get yourself out of indifference out of sloth listen it is for your eternal benefit apathy indifference sloth idleness will lead you to your eternal destruction so stir yourself up and get to work for the lord and in that the lord blesses not that those works save you but listen the christian life is about serving him you're bought at a price we hit we will spend such a a fleeting moment a second in this life and we'll spend the rest of our lives in the eternal stretches of eternity and what will you do how will you live let's pray father in heaven god thank you for this time together thank you for just practical instruction from your word god praise you god and thank you that and your great wisdom god that you have put these protections in place one that they they bring glory to christ and they give testimony of his sacrifice and of his grace god but also that they are so good for us that they protect us they you lord through your word by your spirit and through the means of that obedience grow us and mature us and strengthen us and build our faith but thank you lord for it we love you lord and praise you god for christ that is brought by the shed blood on calvary this glorious salvation to us in jesus name amen