1 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:08,520 This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Lewis 2 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,200 Harold, assistant pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:16,520 County in Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Lewis as he 4 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:18,920 continues teaching through God's Word. 5 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:39,720 You don't pay a pastor to be a pastor. 6 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:41,880 You don't pay them to do the work of the pastor. 7 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:44,280 That's not why a pastor is paid. That's a hireling. 8 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:46,760 That's a hireling. They're paid to do a job. 9 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,640 That's a hireling. And the Bible says, Jesus even 10 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,040 says himself that a hireling doesn't care for the sheep. 11 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:54,480 So you don't even want a hireling. 12 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:56,200 That's not what a pastor is paid for. 13 00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:01,040 A pastor is given support so that he can be free to be a 14 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:04,239 pastor. That's what a true pastor is 15 00:01:04,239 --> 00:01:06,840 being paid for. What does it mean to be a true 16 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:09,800 shepherd? In today's message, Pastor Lewis 17 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:13,400 makes it clear you don't pay a pastor to do the job. 18 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:18,080 You support him so he can freely be the shepherd God called him 19 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:20,960 to be. If someone works for wages and 20 00:01:20,960 --> 00:01:25,040 flees when trouble comes because he truly doesn't care for the 21 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:29,680 sheep, Jesus warned about that. A true pastor's heart is for the 22 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:33,720 flock, not the paycheck. It's not payment for services, 23 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:38,160 it's a partnership and ministry. How do you support your pastor 24 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:40,520 so he can shepherd properly? Now? 25 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:44,080 Here's Pastor Lewis in the Book of First Timothy, chapter 5, 26 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:47,360 with today's edition of Living Waters of Grace. 27 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:49,720 The widow was the one that would say, well, if they don't have 28 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:51,560 anywhere to stay, I'll take them to my house. 29 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,200 I got room, I got space. They'll take them in their house 30 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:57,120 or other, you know, some of the other people that may travel 31 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:58,760 with them, I'll give them somewhere to stay. 32 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:00,880 Hospitality. They have a spirit of 33 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:05,000 hospitality goes on. If she has washed the Saints 34 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,200 feet. Now washing the feet is 35 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:09,120 something that we don't typically do. 36 00:02:09,479 --> 00:02:11,080 That doesn't happen that much in the church. 37 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:13,280 There are some churches now I want to say there are some 38 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,720 churches that still do that. They will wash feet. 39 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:19,000 They'll have what they call a foot washing ceremony, not sure 40 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,960 what that looks like, but they do that and they'll wash feet. 41 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:26,640 But what Paul's talking about here is being a humble servant, 42 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,360 being able to do or be willing to do menial things, things that 43 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:35,160 maybe other people wouldn't want to do or see themselves above 44 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:37,560 doing it. Paul said, you know, this widow, 45 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:40,520 a widow, a humble servant will do those kind of things. 46 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,080 And then he goes on and he says, I love this one. 47 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:48,280 If she has relieved the afflicted, this is a woman who 48 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:54,360 is truly, truly filled with the spirit of mercy. 49 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,880 If there's an affliction, she goes to help. 50 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,120 If someone is afflicted, she goes to help. 51 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,520 You know, I'm always struck talking to firefighters and 52 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:06,760 police officers, those that are what they call the first 53 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,600 responders, I'm always struck talking to them because I 54 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:15,600 realized that things that they run to most people run away 55 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,320 from. Like if it's a really bad fire, 56 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:23,160 I'm not going to run to this fire, I'm going to run away from 57 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,800 it. But the first responders, 58 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:28,240 firefighters and people of that nature, they run to it. 59 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,600 Police officers, if someone is out in the street, they're 60 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:34,120 shooting, I'm going to hide. I'm going to find somewhere safe 61 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,840 to hide. But there are people who serve 62 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,800 in our, in our law enforcement that their, their first instinct 63 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:45,360 is a run to it, run toward it to try to resolve the situation. 64 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:50,360 And this is what happens with these widows where other people 65 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:54,720 may not want to deal with someone else's affliction, to be 66 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:56,760 inconvenienced by someone else's affliction. 67 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:02,120 This woman who was a true widow and had the heart of mercy, she 68 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:05,760 runs to these people. She runs to them to offer 69 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:09,080 whatever relief that she can. Rather, it's relief because 70 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:10,920 they've had some crisis in their life. 71 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,920 May they lost a loved one. Maybe their their house burned 72 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:15,680 down and they need things to help them. 73 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,440 Rather somebody who just needs to be ministered to. 74 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:23,240 Maybe someone who fell in sin and they're now dealing with 75 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:28,000 adversity from that this person runs to them to offer relief, 76 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,120 relief. And then it also goes on and 77 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:35,040 says if she has diligently followed every good work, that 78 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,800 just simply means that she has been very, very committed to 79 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:43,560 serving in every good work. Now in verse 11 is when Paul 80 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,360 makes a distinction now for those who should not be 81 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:50,000 supported by the church. And in verse 11, he says, but 82 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:57,000 refuse, do not give support to the younger widows for when they 83 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:02,080 have become wanton, when they grow wanton against Christ, they 84 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,920 desire to marry, having condemnation because they have 85 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:09,800 cast off their first faith. Now let's walk through that. 86 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,400 He refuses those young women because see, what can happen 87 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:17,080 from time to time is that a woman who is younger, if she 88 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:21,000 loses a husband at an early age, I mean, she is distraught. 89 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:23,520 I mean, she's broken. I mean, really hurting. 90 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,280 And at that particular time, you know, she may say, you know 91 00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:29,720 what, I'm not getting married again. 92 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:32,680 I'm not getting mad anymore because I'm never going to meet 93 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:34,560 another man like this in my life. 94 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,120 So I'm just not going to get married again. 95 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:39,560 I'm going to just give myself to the whore. 96 00:05:39,840 --> 00:05:42,880 I don't even want to get married again in those times. 97 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,400 It's like a reaction. It's just a reaction. 98 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:47,600 It's a, it's a very fleshy reaction. 99 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,640 I mean, it's in the, you know, it's out of emotion, but they 100 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:52,480 make that reaction. They say, I'm not going to get 101 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:53,320 married. So they make that pledge. 102 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:54,720 I'm not going to get married anymore. 103 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:57,280 But then what may happen is that later on, they develop a 104 00:05:57,280 --> 00:06:00,440 friendship with someone of the opposite sex. 105 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,960 And that ends up maybe there's some sparks that start flying. 106 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,560 They get interested, you know, in each other and start seeing 107 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:10,720 each other a little differently. Now all of a sudden, all those 108 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:14,320 emotions that she had suppressed and those things that she 109 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,920 thought had gone dormant, all those feelings start coming 110 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:23,160 back, and all of a sudden her body starts to respond again and 111 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:26,080 her mind starts to respond. She wants companionship again. 112 00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:28,320 So she decides that they're going to marry. 113 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:31,840 Paul's not saying that it's a bad thing that a person marries. 114 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:34,600 That's not a bad thing. In fact, like we said before, 115 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:36,800 it's better to marry than to burn with lust. 116 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:39,880 But what Paul is saying is that what happens with these widows, 117 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,840 rather than to take them in as widows and have them make that 118 00:06:43,840 --> 00:06:47,560 pledge that they're going to give the rest of their life to 119 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:51,240 God and not to anybody else, rather than to have them do 120 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:56,760 that, just let them remarry. Just let them remarry so that 121 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:58,800 they don't have to worry about that if they decide to. 122 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,320 They don't have to make a pledge because what happens, as it says 123 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:05,240 here in verse 12, having condemnation, that's self 124 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:08,360 condemnation because they made this pledge and now they broke 125 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:10,760 it. So it's like self condemnation 126 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:15,360 for themselves because they cast off their first faith. 127 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:19,000 And that first faith is really what it means is that their soul 128 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:22,720 promise, their solemn promise. They made a solemn promise and 129 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,240 now they're breaking it or they're retracting it, they're 130 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:28,640 forsaking it. So Paul is saying rather than 131 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:32,240 them doing that, let them marry. And then here in verse 13, it 132 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,160 says, and besides, now this is the other part, the other 133 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:38,880 warning that he had for Timothy about bringing these young women 134 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:42,400 in when they're so young and taking care of them in the 135 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,720 church, having them make these pledges, he said. 136 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:49,560 And besides, they learn to be idle, wandering from house to 137 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:54,480 house, and not only idle, but also gossips and busy bodies 138 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:57,440 saying things which they are not. 139 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:00,720 So they're not working. They're not working. 140 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:02,720 They're going from house to house because they got all this 141 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,840 time on their hands. They don't have a family, so 142 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:07,200 they're going from house to house. 143 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:08,440 They got all this time on their hands. 144 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,600 And so now they may have started off with a conversation, may 145 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,160 have been edifying, may have been a very spiritual 146 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:17,280 conversations at first talking about Scripture. 147 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:19,280 But then all of a sudden it starts to, you know, every 148 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,320 conversation starts to deteriorate and it starts to get 149 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:25,720 into gossip and talk about other carnal things and fleshy things. 150 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,000 And they start to say things that they just shouldn't be 151 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:29,160 saying. Getting in other people's 152 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,679 business, using the cover up we need to pray for so and so. 153 00:08:32,919 --> 00:08:36,520 Did you hear what happened? You know, I mean, getting into 154 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:39,120 all those kind of things and just sharing other people's 155 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:41,640 business in ways that they need not to. 156 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:44,760 And he's saying, look, rather than to do that. 157 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:48,120 Verse 14. Therefore he says, I desire that 158 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:52,680 the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house and 159 00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:55,760 give no opportunity to the adversary to speak 160 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:57,960 reproachfully. Paul says, look, if they're 161 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:00,360 running around behind kids, they ain't got no time to be going 162 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:02,600 busy bodying. You know, we got people here 163 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:04,920 with kids. You know, you ain't got time to 164 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,520 be busy body. And if you got kids, you running 165 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:10,240 around behind them. They keep you busy. 166 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,520 They keep you busy. You're pouring into their lives. 167 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,720 And it's so important to listen. I don't ever want to minimize 168 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,520 the significance and importance of being able to pour into a 169 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,600 child's life. I don't ever want to minimize 170 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,040 that. You know you are, regardless of 171 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,920 what situation is, whether it's your children or whether it's 172 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:32,920 someone else's children that for whatever time period you have 173 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:35,760 responsibility for rather it's keeping them or you're teaching 174 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:38,880 them or you're a mentor to them. They look up to you and they're 175 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:42,200 spending time with you. There is such a blessing for you 176 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,720 to be able to be a mentor and pour in spiritual things to 177 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:51,880 young kids at a young age, to get them on the road of walking 178 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:58,280 with the Lord at a young age and being example of a godly woman 179 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:03,120 before young girls. That is valuable. 180 00:10:03,680 --> 00:10:08,120 It's valuable for men to be godly examples for young boys. 181 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:11,960 We need that. And that's what God is talking 182 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,560 about when He says multiply after yourselves, after your own 183 00:10:15,560 --> 00:10:20,080 kind. It's a blessing, it's an honor. 184 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:24,040 So Paul says, look, as opposed to becoming busy bodies, as 185 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,400 opposed to being tempted to go out and do ungodly things, go 186 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,360 ahead and get married. Go ahead and get married. 187 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:34,560 And then at the bottom of that, verse 15, it says for some have 188 00:10:34,560 --> 00:10:37,960 already turned aside after Satan because see what happens that if 189 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:40,600 you are suppressing these things and you act like you don't want 190 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:42,320 to get married, you start sneaking around. 191 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:44,720 And what happens is that eventually you start opening 192 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:50,520 yourself up to ungodly things, ungodly relationships, you know, 193 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:52,600 so instead of getting married, you're moving in with somebody 194 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,040 you know, and fornication. All these things are taking 195 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:57,080 place that's just running after Satan. 196 00:10:57,240 --> 00:10:59,320 You're not even honoring the Lord at all anymore. 197 00:10:59,560 --> 00:11:02,960 And what you're doing in terms of relationships, not living as 198 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:06,000 a widow, nor are you living as a godly woman. 199 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,520 Paul says, for some have already turned aside after Satan. 200 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:13,680 And then in verse 16, it says if any believing man or woman, he 201 00:11:13,680 --> 00:11:17,560 goes back and he repeats here what he talked about in verse 4 202 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:20,640 and verse 8. That's how serious he is about 203 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:25,160 that issue of people in their own homes taking care of their 204 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:27,200 own family members who are widows. 205 00:11:27,560 --> 00:11:33,000 If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve 206 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:36,160 them. Do not let the church be 207 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:39,040 burdened. Why not that the church don't 208 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:41,520 want to take care of widows. That's not it. 209 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:47,160 But that the resources that the church has, let those resources 210 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:49,960 be given to someone who really, really needs them. 211 00:11:51,680 --> 00:11:54,480 Who really needs them? A widow who was a true widow. 212 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:58,880 She's not going to go to work and work 8 hours anymore. 213 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:02,040 She's not going to marry and have a man take care of her 214 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:04,320 anymore. That's not going to happen. 215 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:06,200 She's a true widow. She has needs. 216 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:10,240 Let the resources that we have be there for them. 217 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:14,880 And then it goes on in verse 17. Now we're going to switch from 218 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:18,360 being from talking about widows to talking about elders, and 219 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:21,080 this is going to close us up. He says here, let the elders who 220 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:24,800 rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those 221 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:29,840 who labor in Word and doctrine. For the Scripture says you shall 222 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:33,680 not muzzle the ox while treads out the grain, and it also says 223 00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:36,440 the labor is worthy of his wages. 224 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:39,800 So Paul said the elder should be worthy of double honor. 225 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:42,560 And that double honor in a lot of places is translated. 226 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:46,840 It should be the honor of respect and also the honor of 227 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:50,120 remuneration, you know, financial support for elders. 228 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,560 Now, I want to just say this point before we move on to the 229 00:12:52,560 --> 00:12:55,240 next point. And the fact is you don't pay a 230 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:57,760 pastor to be a pastor. You don't pay them to do the 231 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:00,200 work of the pastor. That's not why a pastor is paid. 232 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:02,160 That's a hireling. That's a hireling. 233 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:04,400 They're paid to do a job. That's a Harlem. 234 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:07,640 And the Bible says, Jesus even says himself that a hireling 235 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:11,080 doesn't care for the sheep. So you don't even want to hire 236 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:12,520 Lane. That's not what a pastor is paid 237 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:15,600 for. A pastor is given support so 238 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:18,040 that he can be free to be a pastor. 239 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,800 That's what a true pastor is being paid for or being 240 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:24,320 supported for. It's not even being paid. 241 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:27,400 It's being supported so that they can be free to be a pastor, 242 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:31,040 so they can be free to put time in the study in prayer, be free 243 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:34,760 to go into calling the sick or those who are shut in, be free 244 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:37,200 to be able to administer the people when they need it. 245 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:39,640 And I don't have to worry about checking in with a job first. 246 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:42,880 Well, I got to do it after work. You know, they can be free to do 247 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:45,600 that. That's why support is given to 248 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:49,400 elders or pastors, not to pay them for their work. 249 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:52,480 That's a Harley. So then he goes on and he says 250 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:55,600 here, do not receive an accusation. 251 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:57,000 Now this is talking about the discipline. 252 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,640 We're getting into the discipline of elders, and this 253 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:01,280 is for elders. Keep that in mind. 254 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:03,440 This is not just for the general congregation. 255 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:06,640 This is for elders. Do not receive an accusation 256 00:14:06,680 --> 00:14:11,120 against an elder except from two or three witnesses, pastors, 257 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,120 elders, they're targets. They're targets. 258 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,920 And it only takes someone to be offended by something that a 259 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:21,280 pastor may not even be aware that he said or did that 260 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:25,800 offended someone and that person then slanders it has happened. 261 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:29,120 The person may slander a pastor or or or say things that just 262 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,520 aren't true or misconstrue some things. 263 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,600 It all of a sudden accusation comes up that this pastor have 264 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:39,600 committed a sin. So Paul says in order to try to 265 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:42,200 avoid those things from happening, Timothy, these 266 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:46,640 misunderstandings or these false accusations, in order to try to 267 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:52,120 avoid that from happening, don't even receive the accusation 268 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:56,080 unless you get two or three witnesses that this is going on. 269 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:00,560 So in other words, if one person comes to Pastor Clark and says 270 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:07,480 Lewis is sinning, this is what he did, only one person, that 271 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:10,160 person could have an issue that might not even be true. 272 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,800 But if two or three people come to him and said, Pastor Clark, 273 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:16,920 I've seen Lewis do this, I saw him do this, well, now that's an 274 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:19,760 issue. That's an issue that needs to be 275 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:22,480 dealt with. So then that particular point is 276 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:24,680 confronted. The elder is confronted about it 277 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:29,320 and given an opportunity to own it and repent and turn from it. 278 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:31,000 That's an important part of repenting. 279 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,680 OK, not only repenting and asking for forgiveness, but 280 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:36,280 returning from the sin. You can't continue to do it. 281 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:42,240 So here in verse 20, he says those who are sinning rebuke in 282 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:44,920 the presence of all that the rest may fear. 283 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:48,960 Now when he says those who are sinning, that means that they 284 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:53,000 did not repent and they did not turn from it and they're 285 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:55,880 continuing that same old activity. 286 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:57,680 They're continuing that behavior. 287 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:02,440 He said for those now you got to take it before the other elders. 288 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:04,720 You got to rebuke them in front of the other elders. 289 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:11,240 So then he goes here to verse 21 and he says I charge you before 290 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:13,600 God. I like the way he said this. 291 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:17,040 He said I charge you before God. And if that one enough and the 292 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:21,920 Lord Jesus Christ and if that one enough and the elect angels 293 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:25,920 that you observe these things. Now this is the important part. 294 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:30,320 He says without prejudice. That means it can't don't be 295 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:33,280 harder on someone that you don't like. 296 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:38,480 So you're more prone to receive the accusation and to do 297 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:41,400 discipline because this is an L that you don't like. 298 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:43,360 This is somebody you got something against. 299 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:47,240 He said don't judge this thing with prejudice and he says and 300 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:49,920 also do nothing with with partiality. 301 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:54,720 That means you're covering up a sin for someone that you do like 302 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:00,040 or you're dismissing it or you're being a little softer on 303 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,080 that person because you like them. 304 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:05,200 He said no, in the foot of the cross, we're all the same. 305 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:09,720 We are all the same. God said several times, I am no 306 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:13,359 respecter of persons. There's no one more important 307 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:17,880 than someone else, no one rather than this house or rather than 308 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:20,880 any other church. No one is more important than 309 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:25,599 anybody else to God. We're all the same, no respecter 310 00:17:25,599 --> 00:17:29,120 of persons. And then he goes on here in 311 00:17:29,120 --> 00:17:33,600 verse 22 and says, and do not lay hands on anyone hastily nor 312 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:35,720 share in the other person's sins. 313 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:39,080 Keep yourself pure. Now, I love the way he put this 314 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:42,840 because what he's saying here is that in order to try to avoid 315 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:45,840 this from happening, Timothy, don't lay hands on people. 316 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:47,840 Suddenly don't lay hands on people's. 317 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:50,360 Don't just rush people into the position of eldership or 318 00:17:50,360 --> 00:17:54,120 pastorate. Take some time, view these 319 00:17:54,120 --> 00:17:58,120 people, look at their life, look at different situations. 320 00:17:58,120 --> 00:18:00,720 How do they act in different situations or circumstances? 321 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:02,440 He said you got to take some time to do that. 322 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:05,280 And then he said nor share in other people's sins. 323 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:09,120 That means if you know that someone is not right and you're 324 00:18:09,120 --> 00:18:12,600 still putting them in place, then you are sharing their sins, 325 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:15,720 you're sharing in their sins. Or if you're trying to help them 326 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,480 to cover the sins so no one else can see it, then you're sharing 327 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:23,080 in their sins. You're sharing in their sins. 328 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:28,120 And he says here, or if you reinstate someone too soon, you 329 00:18:28,120 --> 00:18:31,000 restore them too soon while they're still sinning. 330 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,160 That is being a Co conspirator in their sins. 331 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:37,000 But he said, keep yourself pure. Keep a pure heart, Timothy. 332 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:41,680 Keep a pure heart when you do it, it's not worse for someone 333 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:44,440 else than it is for another guy. Keep your heart pure. 334 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:48,960 So that also be a good example so that you don't send before 335 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,400 the other elders as well. Now here in verse 23, it's 336 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,960 interesting because in the midst of all of this, he now takes 337 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:58,600 time to speak to Timothy personally. 338 00:18:59,120 --> 00:19:02,840 All these other things were just like wide open general 339 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:05,480 instructions. But now he speaks to Timothy 340 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:10,600 personally and he says, and by the way, Timothy, by the way, I 341 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:13,000 know this ministry has taken a toll on you. 342 00:19:14,360 --> 00:19:18,480 Your stomach is bothering you. I know that and I care about 343 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:20,920 you, Timothy. So don't just drink water. 344 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:24,240 Drink a little wine with your water. 345 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:28,240 Purify that water. Use wine as a disinfectant to 346 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:31,000 try to get some of those germs, some of those parasites out of 347 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,160 that water because it may be bothering your stomach. 348 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:39,440 What a sensitive thing to say in the middle of all this godly 349 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:41,680 instruction. But guess what? 350 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:45,800 That's exactly what God does to you as you're reading His word. 351 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:51,320 He takes time to speak to you directly and say, you know what? 352 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:53,880 By the way, this part is for you. 353 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:57,920 This is just for you. I'm not speaking this to 354 00:19:57,920 --> 00:19:59,840 everybody. I'm just giving this to you. 355 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:03,040 I care about you. This is something you want to 356 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:06,680 take a look at. Take a look at this change that. 357 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:10,800 Give us that alert, that nudge. It's personal. 358 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:14,640 I love you and I know you by name. 359 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:20,120 This is just for you. Maybe you're going through some 360 00:20:20,120 --> 00:20:22,600 hard times and say I love you, but I'm going to give you a 361 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:25,200 scripture. This is not for everybody else. 362 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:27,840 This is just for you to encourage you. 363 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:30,200 You need encouragement. That's God. 364 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:35,040 That's how loving He is and how gracious He is in the midst of 365 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:36,840 all that. Then in 24, he goes back to 366 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:38,760 talking about how to choose elders. 367 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:43,080 So some men's sins are clearly evident, okay, Preceding them to 368 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:44,240 judgment. In other words, you ain't going 369 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:46,440 to choose them because you can already see that they're 370 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:48,080 sending, so you're not going to put them in place. 371 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:49,720 They're sending right in front of you. 372 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:53,840 So that's an easy choice, but there are some Mens who follow 373 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:56,240 later. That means you don't see it 374 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:58,680 right away. You put them in place and then 375 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:02,400 later those things come up because you didn't take time to 376 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:05,040 observe them. And then he says in Likewise, 377 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:08,240 the good works of some are clearly evident. 378 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:11,000 We can have good works, right? In the beginning, it looks like 379 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:13,640 this is a good choice because look at all the good works he's 380 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:18,000 doing and then he said, and those that are otherwise cannot 381 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,040 be hidden. In other words, there may be 382 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:23,600 works that you don't see, but that person is doing good works. 383 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:26,000 And later on those things come out. 384 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:31,920 If it's us who is doing sins that are not evident right now, 385 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:36,440 we want the Lord to show us what those sins are because we don't 386 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:40,240 want to be in a situation where we get the judgment and then 387 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:41,800 have to deal with those sins too late. 388 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:47,080 Lord, show me now what it is that I need to change in my 389 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:49,080 life. Show me now where I'm out of 390 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,400 order. Show me now where I'm in 391 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:54,280 disobedience to Your word. Show me now. 392 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:59,600 That should be our prayer that we see these things now so that 393 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:04,520 our light can shine before men. I just want to say in closing 394 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:08,320 that obedience to God is important. 395 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:12,280 I mean, that's why we walk in obedience to Him and we walk in 396 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:14,560 holiness, which is obedience to the Lord. 397 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,960 And it's interesting because as we walk in obedience, we get the 398 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:23,840 opportunity to truly live out the heart of God. 399 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:27,480 So when we get these instructions, they help us to 400 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:31,880 avoid those troubles and problems that Timothy was trying 401 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,000 to avoid. Paul was saying, basically, I'm 402 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,960 giving you these things so that you can avoid pitfalls. 403 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:40,600 Timothy, I don't want you to go through the problems that some 404 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:43,360 others may have had to go through because they didn't obey 405 00:22:43,360 --> 00:22:45,680 this. So I'm giving you these things 406 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:49,800 clearly, specifically, methodically. 407 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:53,360 And the Word of God does the same thing for us. 408 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:58,600 He gives us His Word to help us, to try to avoid pitfalls, to try 409 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:00,640 to avoid some of the issues that may happen. 410 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:01,840 Yes, we're still going to suffer. 411 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:05,520 We're still going to deal with afflictions, but they don't have 412 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:08,800 to be self-inflicted. They don't have to be 413 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:14,120 self-inflicted. Jesus Christ was our example of 414 00:23:14,120 --> 00:23:16,680 one who was obedient. In fact, the Bible says He was 415 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:25,840 obedient unto death, unto death. And because He was obedient, he 416 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:29,880 benefited from a lot of things that His Father did in his life, 417 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:35,160 but he still had to suffer. In fact, it was because of his 418 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:37,160 obedience that He allowed himself to suffer. 419 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:41,720 But the benefit of that is what we have here, believers, 420 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:47,360 salvation, eternal life. He did that for us. 421 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:52,720 You've been listening to Pastor Louis Harrell here on Living 422 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:56,000 Waters of Grace. We're digging into all that Paul 423 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,440 shared with Timothy in the books of First and Second Timothy. 424 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:03,080 Timothy was commissioned to do the following fight the good 425 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:07,200 fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were 426 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:11,640 also called, and have confessed the good confession in the 427 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:16,120 presence of many witnesses. Timothy would be carrying on 428 00:24:16,120 --> 00:24:20,560 what Paul had taught him and continuing on in ministry, even 429 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:23,640 though Paul knew that more hardships would come for 430 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:26,600 Timothy. This is the Christian life. 431 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:30,880 It's not glamorous. It's not some celebrity status. 432 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:35,480 It's hard fought. It's gritty, it's unpopular, but 433 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,200 it's worth it. Do you believe that today? 434 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:42,000 Are you willing to fight the good fight even at the cost of 435 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:45,680 earthly pleasures? Living the life of a follower of 436 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:48,600 Jesus will have its heavenly rewards. 437 00:24:49,360 --> 00:24:52,480 To be a part of a community that's looking forward to that 438 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:56,240 heavenly reward, we invite you to join us at Calvary Chapel 439 00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:58,800 Westmoreland. If you're in the Greensburg, PA 440 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:04,680 area, come be with us this Sunday at 10:30 AM at 400 E 441 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:07,560 Pittsburgh St. Ste. 6B. 442 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:11,760 Check out Calvary Chapel online.com For more information 443 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:15,800 on directions and any other details you might want to know. 444 00:25:16,360 --> 00:25:19,560 You can also download our mobile app from our website 445 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:24,760 thatscalvarychapelonline.com. If you have friends or family 446 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,880 members who want to tune in, encourage them to listen on 447 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:30,920 Grace FM 91.7. One last thing. 448 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:35,520 This radio ministry relies on your support to keep things 449 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:37,800 going. If you're willing to donate 450 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:44,120 financially, send gifts to Grace FM, PO Box 716, Greensburg, PA 451 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:48,600 15601. Thanks for prayerfully 452 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:52,240 considering this, and thank you for listening to Living Waters 453 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:52,880 of Grace.