Sermon Notes

Today we continue our sermon series entitled Life Priorities and following on from last week as we focused on our greatest priority of worship and living for God. Secondly we see a consistent pattern in scripture of prioritising family and anyone in need of support and a helping hand in life. (Matt 27:37-39)

In his letter to Timothy, who was a leader in the church at Ephesus, Paul instructed him and all church leaders to prioritise caring for their families and managing their home lives effectively. This is essential for being able to steward God’s church properly.

Life Application

Paul’s teaching is relevant for every believer, not just church leaders. Healthy families positively impact the ministry of the church because our first responsibilities begin at home.

Who are you at home? What type of person are you to your spouse, children, and loved ones?

Qualifications for Overseers & Deacons in the church (1 Timothy 3:1-5)

Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full[a] respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)

Caring for Widows and family (1 Timothy 5:3-8)

3 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5 The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7 Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. 8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Questions

1. What is the difference between the expectation of a sinless life and a life lived above reproach? (Refer to 1 Timothy 3:2)

2. During the sermon, it was mentioned that among our priorities in life, God is number one, followed by family, and then the local church. Do you agree or disagree? Please provide your reasoning.

3. In verse 4, why do you think Paul emphasised the importance of an overseer managing his family life well? What connections do you see between the church and the overseer’s family?

4. Why is it considered a denial of faith, making one worse than an unbeliever, to fail to provide for those who depend on you? (See verse 8)

5. In what ways have you observed the church body being a source of support for those who have no one else to reliably care for them?

6. What challenges do the children of church leaders face at home and in the church, given their parents’ leadership responsibilities?