Oct 29 2017 1 Timothy 2 - Share Your Story with Courtesy and Respect

Lord, thank You for this opportunity to be together. Help us to focus our attention on You. Thank You for our worship time – you are a Father to the fatherless and we all find our home in You. We all look for a lot of homes, and those homes don’t work – other gods we look for and they don’t work. You are our home – help us to be home in our relationship with You. May that fill our hearts. Lord, open our hearts that we might hear from You.

We are going through Paul’s first letter to Timothy.

1 Tim. 2:8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument. 9 Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, 10 but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.

11 A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13 For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. 14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.

Okay, let’s close in prayer! Oh no! 2 weeks in a row – last week politics and now this!

If someone who had never heard the Bible were to walk in right now – and looked at that screen, they would throw their hands up in the air and say, WHAT?! To us today, this can sound strange and archaic. With our focus on equality - they would feel that verse 12 is offensive, and that verse 15 would leave them saying, ‘huh?’ – I will say this – as one who likes to study – there has been much written on this – and many great Christian scholars say, What? Too!

There are many debates and arguments over this passage – there have been 2 organizations that have been formed – international organizations that are enormous and represent different sides of this issue.

There are several views on this passage – and they focus on the ordination of women. Let me say this – This might be the most important thing I say about it: Good Christians disagree on this – and they are still good Christians. And some who disagree on this think the others are not good Christians. I think that is a bigger problem.

If you have had a church background, you probably either have an opinion that you liked – or just believe what you have been told.

I think it is important for church boards and denominations and ordination boards to determine what they believe the Scripture says about the ordination of women. But what I am going to talk about today – and I am going to end that part right there - I’m not convinced that this is even what Paul was talking about when he wrote this passage. I don’t think this is his concern here. This is only one passage of many that might lead a church or denomination in the ordination of women.

I believe that the focus on that has caused us to miss Paul’s heart and purpose in this passage. I’d like to focus on the heart of Paul’s concern.

Back to v. 8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.

This is cliché, but I am going to say it – but maybe you’ve never heard it – but when you see the word therefore, you have to ask, What is the therefore there for? When this was written, there were no chapters and verses written in. SO even though this starts a chapter, it points back to the previous.

Paul is focusing on the conduct of the children of God in the household of God and in their public witness. He is focusing on how they are behaving and how that is impacting their worship – and how it is impacting their public witness.

When we looked at the political thing last week – that was about our behavior in that realm and how it can have a negative impact on our public witness. Our reputation in the public arena – either on social media, as Christians, what people should know us as – quiet, tranquil, godly, and dignified.

The first application – to pray for all people… there are all these conflicts in the church – and with all that is going on, you need to pray for everyone – and he mentions kings and those in authority – that we should pray for them – so that we could learn in our public witness – quiet, tranquil, godliness, and dignity – so that our lives are transformed – and that would be our reputation and foundation source of our witness.

This is good in the sight of God our savior who desires all to be saved. Our main prayer for our leaders is that they get saved – to come to faith in Jesus Christ – like I said last week – electing certain people will never change culture – but seeing people converted from the top to the bottom WILL change culture. You can see it in the history of the church.

Christianity in the New Testament was a public religion – a public institution. The worship service was a public worship service. Not a church and state kind of thing – but the nature of their world. Any gathering was a public gathering in their world. And that was –

This is the purpose of the letter: 1 Tim. 3:15 I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

We think – when you come to church – this is how you should behave. But the building is not the church.

“the pillar and support of the truth.” –Paul was writing to Timothy in Ephesus. If you were to look at pictures of ancient Ephesus – you would see pillars. And where are the pillars? On the outside. And in public, the church’s job is to support the Truth – the Gospel – that is the church’s job. We are to be a public people.

In Rome – all religion was fine. They thought, the more religions, the merrier! Keep your religions when we conquer you! As long as, once a year – you bow down and say ‘Caesar is lord’ – you can do whatever you want! Christianity was not willing to do that.

There were some special rules for Israel and Judaism – so they made some exceptions. They wanted to keep peace – and they couldn’t figure out how to handle Christians when they came along and became suspicious of the Christian faith.

What Paul is concerned about in Timothy – because it was public and being observed by public officials – He wanted to make sure the Christians were dealing with the things that would be a threat to the gospel.

There are two complementary practices we have –

First – witnessing – Do you know what witnessing is? If you do, you probably don’t like it! Some do. What it is? It is the communication of the gospel, telling of Christ, sharing your own personal faith story - how we came to faith in Him.

1 Peter 3:15 But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess. 16 Yet do it with courtesy and respect, keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you.

We believe that all of us, at times, should be witnessing. Always ready to make a defense. We should be prepared to share our faith story when the opportunity arises. We should be expectant and expect opportunities to do that. I know it is not easy for some. And we need to find ways to do this that fit in our personality. And when those opportunities come up – we should speak. And then he tells us how – with courtesy and respect – some people skip right over that part!

The second is our public witness – as individuals and as a church – how we conduct ourselves in the public arena and the public debate. What is happening in the church – things have gone wrong in the behavior of men and women in the church that have become a threat to the church’s public witness.

What things might we be doing that discredit the gospel?

Men – back to 1 Timothy 2:8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.

3 things in this situation – holy hands – sexual purity and morality - You need to be PURE so that your public witness will not be hindered. It is crucial for your public witness - for your testimony. Then he tells them to not be angry or to argue.

When I think of this – I think of our culture – anger and arguing destroy public witness and the attraction of the gospel. He uses anger and arguing – in contrast to quiet, godly, tranquil, and dignified. The public is watching and you are destroying your witness and disrupting worship.

We make the good news horrible news when we attach all this ‘stuff’. The gospel has nothing to do with what is going on on Facebook, CNN, or Fox News. And the world is waiting for us to pull out of this garbage, and we are the only ones who can offer this good news. Television stations offer all that other stuff. It is our public witness – how we act – in whatever your public arena is – we need to watch, to be careful of that. These men are disrupting the witness. Paul, at times, lists the names of people – can you imagine – for all history – this guy is a bad guy… - called on the carpet!

Women:

9 Likewise, (just like the men, I’ll talk to the women.) I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, 10 but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.

Here he is talking about modesty and discretion. We look at this – hairstyles, clothing, and jewelry – how does this relate to us? Should women not wear a gold wedding ring to church or to have their hair braided? I don’t think that is what he is saying.

Paul is writing in his context – their world was different – thousands of years separate us. Their public witness was being threatened by what some women were doing. Most likely – most believe – what he is talking about is probably relating to areas of promiscuity, impropriety and immorality – along with flaunting one’s superior economic status in the community. And he is saying this disrupting worship and is a threat to their public witness.

Another thing is brought out here:

In the early church, community was stratified and everyone knew their place. If you started in one place – you stayed there! Then the church came along and mixes them all up – there are no places in this movement! And some wanted to KEEP those places.

Like in Downton Abbey – the servants could not eat with the Granthams. And then, imagine Paul coming in and saying – we are going to all have dinner together and Lord Grantham will be cooking and washing dishes! And the people of status were saying – nope – I’m going to make sure everyone knows my position.

Those two things are taking place in this passage.

Paul addresses his world/his culture – and we have the task of translating it to our world and our application. We need to look at our own lives and figure out how does that relate to us?

They were doing certain things that were endangering their public witness, but what God wants us to do, from an application standpoint – how does that happen in our world? How is the church threatening the gospel in the public realm? That is not an easy thing to do. At work, or in my family or community – are there things about me that hinder other people coming to faith?

I’m going to throw a couple things out there:

Paul emphasizes equality in Scripture

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:28 NAU)

He takes all the different levels of society – and in their society it was important to separate and put each person in their place, and Paul says, ‘no more!’ He elevates the lowly – the slaves, and says they are equal with the free. Women, who were second class citizens – and says, you are equal with the men. He takes Jews and Greeks – racism, and says – “Nope, you are equal!”

We have the ability to break down social barriers, and there are different ways to do this and we need to be on the forefront of it. There are Christians who are trying to keep things divided and it is a ruin to the gospel. It is shameful what they are doing. Unreal. Paul would be all over them. And then they claim the faith, in the midst of all that.

Today is Reformation Sunday – 500 years ago today, Martin Luther nailed his theses on the door of Wittenberg Cathedral. Luther tried to level the playing field. To make people equal.

Later, the Methodist church – the Wesleys – they wouldn’t let John Wesley preach in the churches because he didn’t have the credentials – so he went and preached everywhere. Starting in England, they went to the poor and lifted them up – coal miners and the destitute, that revival swept through England and America. When they went through America – they went to the places that were way out – beyond the ‘proper churches’ – And throughout history, there are those who elevate others.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1Pe 2:9 TNIV)

In the Hebrew and Jewish world, certain people were chosen – and Paul is saying – you are all priests. We are to connect others with God. That is what Martin Luther talked about – the priests were the only ones who could do certain things.

We are ALL called out of darkness into His light. Your little work of being a Christian of integrity – and kindness and compassion – it is your job in your neighborhood – and it has enormous eternal consequences. It doesn’t feel that way or seem that way – but it is how God has always worked.

Tony and Janelle went to a conference last weekend on Sex Trafficking – 30 million or more are still being held in slavery. In Ohio – 1000 people per year are being trafficked.

Another application of this – something else that has caused the gospel to be maligned: Hypocrisy – people not living what they are preaching – and you hear it out in the world – everyone knows someone who claimed to be a Christian who didn’t act like one.

We can’t do anything about all of them – but we can do something about US. It starts in the way we talk and speak – and we should never participate with those who say those jokes that degrade people and people groups. There are those who say – I can say it because I disagree with them! But we should never be party to that.

It comes from an attitude of superiority and arrogance. We just have to be so careful. Last Sunday I was talking about politics – here is what I am learning, someone told me: I need to learn that when I disagree with someone, I need to stop calling them an idiot. We think we are okay when the policies are just wrong. It is not okay – we need to be different. That is what Paul is saying here. The world is watching s – and we have an opportunity to be light.

Memorize this verse and 1 Peter 3:15

Colossians 4: 5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunities. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer everyone.

If Christians did those two verses in our culture, the world would say, What is going on? Who ARE these people that act like this?! It would be most attractive.