Welcome to episode eight of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we return to the Book of 1 Timothy and cover chapter 5.  The title of the message is, “The Church and Its Ministry, Part 1.”  We discuss: 

• Proper treatment of men, women, genuine widows, and young widows in the church (vv. 1-16). 
• Instructions on the treatment of pastors (vv. 17-25). 

Key takeaways: 

• Paul’s advice on how to treat the various groups in the church focused on the three terms: respect, compassion, and responsibility.  
• He called on Timothy (and by extension all Christians) to show respect for age and sexual differences. The call for respect implied the need for courtesy, thoughtfulness, and gratitude.  
• He spoke to the church and to individual families about the urgency for showing compassion for truly needy widows. A demonstration of Christian compassion can draw inquiring and even antagonistic outsiders to the Christ who causes that compassion in his children.  
• Paul also talked about responsibility. He urged younger widows to assume the responsible behavior appropriate to a married woman rather than the idle, meddlesome actions of a tattletale. Responsible action by all believers can win credibility for Christianity. 
• Paul counseled Timothy in his relationship to the elders by discussing three topics:  Pay, discipline, and selection. 

Quotable: 

A member’s mistakes may affect only the member, but a leader’s mistakes affect the whole church. 

Application: 

• Fellow church members, regardless of sex or age should be treated as a loved family member. 
• Although family members bear the primary responsibility for providing for older widows, churches should also help godly widows, when needed. 
• Pastors should be:  paid appropriately, afforded a fair hearing when accusations are made against him, and selected carefully. 

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