In Session Nine, Paul instructs Timothy on how believers should treat one another as members of God’s household: with honor, in proper order, and in purity of heart. God’s compassion for the vulnerable is revealed through Paul’s instructions on how God’s people are to provide for widows. When the church and our homes reflect His design, they become places where every person is valued, every generation is honored, and every need is met.

Verses Used:

1 Timothy 1:5

1 Timothy 5:1-2 

1 Timothy 5:3-4, 8

Ruth 1:16

Deuteronomy 24:19

1 Timothy 5:9-15 

1 Timothy 5:16

Discussion Questions:

How does Paul contrast a worthy widow with a worldly one in 1 Timothy 5:9-13?

How do we see God provide for and protect widows in Scripture? (See Deuteronomy 10:17-18, Psalm 68:4-5, Psalm 146:9, and Proverbs 15:25.)

What are the Israelites commanded to do in Deuteronomy 24:18-22, and why? What would it look like to practice this verse in today's society?

On Who ought a widow to fix her hope, according to 1 Timothy 5:5? What does it look like to do this and why is it important? How might obeying this verse impact your mental/emotional/spiritual life?

It is clear that God cares for those in distress who are unable to help themselves. Why should we do the same? Is there anyone God has placed in your life that is distressed that you could offer assistance to? How so?