So first, let's turn to Acts chapter 9, verses 32 to 43.
And let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's Word.
Heavenly Father, we humble ourselves before your Word again.
And we want to receive your Word as it really is.
Not the words of men, but the Word of God.
Amen.
Grant us the humility and faith that is necessary.
To take you at your Word.
To be challenged, comforted, transformed by it.
For the glory of your name.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Acts chapter 9, verses 32 to 43.
Now, as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.
There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed.
And Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you.
Rise and make your bed.
And immediately he rose.
And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him and they turned to the Lord.
Now, there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which translated means Dorcas.
She was full of good works and acts of charity.
In those days, she became ill and died.
And when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him,
Please come to us without delay.
So Peter rose and went with them.
And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room.
All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them.
But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed.
And turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise.
And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
And he gave her his hand and raised her up.
Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.
The main point of this passage is that the Lord Jesus Christ continues to work powerfully through his chosen witnesses
to turn many people toward himself.
The summary verse before this was chapter 9, verse 31.
It said that the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up,
and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
So our passage continues to tell us how the church was being built up and was multiplying.
It was in verse 33, it says that while ministering in Lydda, Peter found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, was paralyzed.
So he's been a paralytic for eight years, and he's a man and not a child.
So that means he wasn't paralyzed his entire life.
So something happened to him during his life, something tragic, perhaps a freak accident or a stroke.
And whatever the cause, Aeneas was bedridden now for eight long years.
And Peter says to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you.
Rise and make your bed.
And the paralytic in faith obeys this command immediately rising from his bed,
which he had not been able to get up off of for eight years.
And then Luke tells us another, even more remarkable story in verses 36 to 42.
Recently, a woman named Tabitha had passed away.
Her Greek name was Dorcas, which means gazelle.
She had died in Joppa.
She was a Christian, which is why she's called a disciple.
And since Lydda, where Peter was staying, was near Joppa,
they rushed some messengers to Peter to have him come to pay a visit.
And they urged him to come without delay, hoping, presumably, that Peter will be able to do something for Dorcas.
Peter arrives on the scene, kneels and prays to God and seeks his healing power.
And then he commands the dead body, Tabitha, arise.
And because Peter speaks with the authorization of the risen Lord,
even the corpse has no choice but to obey.
And Tabitha opens her eyes and sits up.
What's notable about these two instances of healing and resurrection is that they parallel the healing miracles of Jesus' ministry.
Peter's healing of Aeneas of his paralysis parallels Jesus' healing of the paralytic in Luke chapter 5, verses 17 to 26.
And Peter's raising of Tabitha parallels Jesus' raising of Jairus' daughter in Luke 8, 49 to 56.
Peter commanded Aeneas in verse 34,
Rise and make your bed, similar to how Jesus commanded the paralytic in Luke chapter 5, verse 24.
Rise, pick up your bed, and go home.
Peter asked everyone to leave the upper room that Tabitha was lying in,
as Jesus did in Luke 8, 51.
When he allowed no one to enter with him to raise the daughter of Jairus from the dead.
And Peter commands, Tabitha, arise.
Just as Jesus said in Luke 8, 54.
Child, arise.
And Peter takes her by the hand,
just as Jesus, in Luke 8, 41, gives her his hand and raises her up.
So the point that Luke is trying to make with these parallels is that it is Jesus who, by his Holy Spirit,
continues to do signs and wonders through his apostles.
Note the way Peter speaks to Aeneas in verse 34.
Aeneas,
Jesus Christ heals you.
Rise and make your bed.
Peter is fully aware that he has no power within himself to heal a paralytic or to raise the dead.
It's Jesus Christ himself who is doing these very things.
Look also at the outcome of these miracles.
After Aeneas is healing,
the result is not Peter becoming more famous
and gaining more fans and followers,
but repentance and faith.
It says in verse 35,
And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him,
and they turned toward whom?
Not to Peter, but to the Lord.
They turned to the Lord,
meaning they repented of their sinful ways
and reoriented their lives around the way of Jesus,
trusting in him and following his teachings.
The miraculous signs do not bring attention to themselves,
but point to the person and work of Jesus Christ.
And the witnesses of Jesus, including Peter,
do not turn people's attention toward themselves,
but toward Jesus.
We see the same pattern after Tabitha is raised from the dead in verse 42.
He says,
And it became known throughout all Joppa,
and many believed in the Lord.
The effect of these signs and wonders
is to turn people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Have you turned toward Jesus?
That means to reorient your life,
your entire life,
around him.
That means to repent of your sins.
Consider for a moment
the direction of your life.
Is it on the way of Christ?
Or are you doing your own thing?
Going about your own way?
No one is saved by proximity.
Having some Christian friends will not save you.
Having attended church worship on occasion will not save you.
Getting involved with Christian charitable organizations will not save you.
Have you personally turned toward Jesus in your own life?
Have you trusted in Jesus?
Have you believed in Jesus?
That means to entrust your entire life to him.
To put your faith in him
and nothing else for your salvation.
Paralyzed, Aeneas, on the one hand,
and dead, Tabitha on the other,
are both highly apt pictures
of our spiritual condition apart from Jesus.
Aeneas could never get off his bed
on his own.
Never.
Tabitha could not lift a finger
to do anything for herself.
Likewise, we can do absolutely nothing
to save ourselves,
and that's the consistent testimony of Scriptures
Ephesians 2, verse 4 says,
But God, being rich in mercy,
because of the great love with which he loved us,
even when we were dead in our trespasses,
made us alive together with Jesus.
By grace you have been saved.
God does not let us bring any of our own merit
of righteousness to him
because he has determined to save us
by his grace alone
for his glory alone.
None of us has sufficient merit
or spiritual, moral standing
to earn our salvation.
No one.
No one in this room.
No one in this entire world.
In fact, we all have a mountain of demerit.
We have a debt we could never hope to repay
because of our sins.
But Jesus died for us on the cross
and in our place
to pay our debt,
and he was raised from the dead
so that we might live forever.
So that we might have salvation.
That's the good news of Jesus Christ
that this healing and raising
of Tabitha and Ineos is a picture of.
Now let me turn to my second topical sermon
that I told you guys about
on women in ministry.
We are a complementarian church
which believes that men and women
have complementary,
interdependent roles
as opposed to interchangeable roles,
both in the home and in the church.
More explicitly,
we believe that in marriage,
God calls husbands to headship
and wives to helpership
in accordance with Genesis 2, 18-25
and Ephesians 5, 22-33.
Similarly, we believe that in the church,
God calls only men to teach
and exercise authority over the church
in accordance with 1 Timothy 2, 8-15,
which means at minimum
that only men may be elders and pastors,
while women are called
to utilize their various gifts
in other contexts of the church body.
And it's that latter question
that I want to address today.
What can women do in the church?
What does women in ministry look like?
This question was raised
by several members of our church
at our members' meeting in 2020
and so when we were first
scheduling out our series
in the book of Acts,
we had planned to address this
as a topical sermon
at this point of the book.
And we see the ministry
of many men throughout the book of Acts,
but the essential
and indispensable ministry of women
often is missed.
And so we're going to survey
the book of Acts
to look at women in the early church
and their involvement in ministry
and bring in other scripture passages
as well to illuminate this subject.
And though the sermon
is primarily addressed
toward our sisters,
men will find plenty to glean
from God's word
because much of this
applies to you as well.
So let's begin with the passage
that we already looked at today,
Acts 9, 36-43.
First, it says in verse 36,
Now there was in Joppa
a disciple named Tabitha,
which translated means Dorcas.
Before we talk about
the ministries of women,
we need to first address
their identity
as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Women in the church
are disciples of Jesus Christ,
meaning they are discipled
by Jesus Christ
and commissioned to make
disciples of Jesus Christ.
They are taught by Jesus
to follow Him in His way.
At the time of the early church,
Jewish rabbis
did not accept
women disciples.
For example,
Rabbi Eliezer
from the first century
expressed the popular
cultural sentiment
of the day
when he said this,
Rather,
should the words
of the Torah
or the law of God
be burned
than entrusted
to a woman?
Whoever teaches
his daughter the Torah
is like one
who teaches
her lasciviousness.
But in stark contrast,
Jesus
calls every woman
to be
His disciple.
In Luke 8,
1-3,
we see that outside
of the twelve apostles,
Jesus had a larger group
of disciples
that followed Him around,
a group that included
women like Mary Magdalene,
Joanna,
and Susanna,
among others.
And Jesus'
discipling of women
is beautifully illustrated
in Luke 10,
verse 39,
where when Jesus
enters the home
of Martha,
it says she had
a sister named Mary
who sat at the Lord's feet
and listened to His teaching.
To sit at the Lord's feet
is the technical way
of describing
the posture
and relationship
of a disciple
to his or her teacher.
Sitting at the feet
of a Jewish rabbi
was an exclusive
prerogative reserved
for His disciples.
And that's where
we find Mary.
Acts 22,
verse 3,
says that Paul
was educated
at the feet
of Gamaliel.
Gamaliel would not
have let Mary
sit at his feet
as one of his disciples,
but Jesus does.
He calls every single
one of you,
man and woman,
to be His disciple,
and He commissions you
then to make disciples
of Jesus Christ.
Mary's sister Martha
who was slaving away
in the kitchen
and was frustrated
and angry
with her sister Mary
for sitting at Jesus' feet,
listening to Him
and not helping her
in the kitchen.
So she storms
into the living room
and then confronts Jesus
and says,
Lord, do you not care
that my sister
has left me
to serve alone?
Tell her then
to help me.
But Jesus is unyielding.
He says,
Martha, Martha,
you are anxious
and troubled
about many things,
but one thing
is necessary.
Mary has chosen
the good portion
which will not be
taken away from her.
Mary had chosen
to be with Jesus.
She had chosen
to listen to Jesus
at His feet.
She had chosen
to be His disciple.
In effect,
Jesus is saying,
Martha,
I didn't come
into your house
so I could eat
the delicious meal
that you work hard
to prepare.
I came to your house
that you might be with me.
That you might listen
to me.
The word portion
is a metaphor
for portions of food.
Mary chose to sit
at the Lord's feet
to listen to His teaching,
literally to listen
to His word.
Martha was busy
doling out food,
but Mary had chosen
the better portion
of God's word.
She had chosen
the better dish,
the bread of God
rather than
the bread of man.
Many things
are expected
of women these days.
Many things demand
your time,
energy,
and attention.
But the late
Anne Ortlund,
wife of Pastor
Ray Ortlund Sr.,
counsels women
this way in her book,
Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman.
Quote,
Don't think of yourself
first as a wife
or a single person
or a mother
or a worker
in some field.
You will someday
stand before God
all by yourself.
of course,
God wants you
to be a faithful wife
and a mother
and a worker
and a student,
but never
to the neglect
of being
a disciple
of Jesus Christ.
Are you regularly
sitting at His feet?
Are you listening
to His Word?
Or are you too busy
to listen to anything
He is saying to you?
Rise up,
women of God
who cherish
the Word of God
and prioritize
the worship of God.
So first,
God calls women
to be disciples
of Jesus Christ.
Second,
God calls women
to be ministers
of mercy.
Verse 36 tells us
that Tabitha
was full of good works
and acts of charity.
Verse 39
gives us an example
of the good works
that Tabitha did.
It says,
All the widows
stood beside him
weeping and showing
tunics and other garments
that Dorcas made
while she was with them.
Of course,
every Christian man
or woman
are called to abound
in good works,
but good works
are also specifically
commanded
for Christian women
as their proper
spiritual adornment
in 1 Timothy 2
verses 9-10.
It says,
Women should adorn
themselves
in respectable apparel
with modesty
and self-control,
not with braided hair
and gold
or pearls
or costly attire,
but with what is proper
for women
who profess godliness
with good works.
Same phrase.
The proper attire
for Christian women
is not expensive articles
and elaborate adornments
that bring attention
to themselves,
but rather good works
that serve others.
Christian women
should beautify themselves
not with things
that bring attention
to themselves,
but by paying attention
to and serving others.
in the same letter
in 1 Timothy 5,
Paul outlines
qualifications
for widows
who should be enrolled
to receive financial support
from the local church.
He says that,
among other things,
these widows
should have,
quote,
a reputation
for good works.
And he further specifies
these good works
by saying,
if she has brought up
children,
has shown hospitality,
has washed the feet
of the saints,
has cared for the afflicted,
and has devoted herself
to every good work.
The focus of good works
here seems,
in this passage,
seems to be
mercy ministries.
Rearing dependent children,
showing hospitality
to travelers,
washing the feet
of the saints,
caring for the afflicted.
Similarly,
the Greek word
that is translated
charity
comes from the word
that means mercy.
and most often
refers to giving
to the poor.
It's the same word
that was used
in Acts chapter 3,
verses 2 to 3,
to describe the lame man
asking for alms
from passerbys.
So once again,
in modern terms,
we might say
that Tabitha
excelled
in mercy ministries.
Her husband
is not mentioned.
We might,
she was surrounded
by widows,
so we could infer
that she was likely
a widow herself.
But she was not
disillusioned
or aimless
in the waning years
of her life.
She was full
of good works.
She had made tunics
and other garments
to clothe
the poor widows
around her.
She probably also
cooked for them
and nursed them
in their sickness.
Tabitha was a pillar
of the early church
in Lydda,
in Joppa.
And her ministry
was invaluable
and indispensable.
It's much like
the diacoma ministry
that we'll be
talking about,
we've talked about
in the past.
These widows
had been so well loved
by Tabitha
that they couldn't
let her go.
They got Peter
and God graciously
raised her from the dead
as a gift
to this church.
There are Tabithas
in our church.
There will be more
Tabithas in our church
in the years to come.
So rise up
to serve,
to do ministries
of mercy,
to wash the feet
of the saints.
Third,
women along with men
are called
to be prayer warriors.
Now turn with me
to the beginning
of the book of Acts,
chapter 1,
verse 14.
It says there,
all these with one accord
were devoting themselves
to prayer
and together
with the woman
and Mary,
the mother of Jesus
and his brothers.
In Acts,
we see Christian women
who are devoted
to prayer,
spending much
of their lives
praying.
19th century
Pastor Oswald Chambers
says this,
quote,
prayer does not fit us
for the greater work.
Prayer is
the greater work.
When we pray to God,
we are having
conference
with the King of Kings,
the Lord of Lords
himself.
what greater work
is there than that?
His authority
and power
infinitely exceed ours.
Does it not make sense
for us
to ask him
to intervene
and act
instead of taking things
into our own hands
and trying to do
everything ourselves?
I share this
with one of the
women's ministry sessions,
but there was
a great Christian revival
in the Scottish
Islands
called
the Hebrides
in the middle
of the 20th century
and it began
with two sisters,
Peggy
and Christine Smith,
82
and 84
years old
respectively.
Peggy
was completely
blind,
Christine
was bent over
with arthritis,
but they
were burdened
due to the
depressed
spiritual state
of their
village church.
They sensed
the Lord
speaking to them
about revival
from Isaiah 44
verse 3
and so they
began to pray
in their small
cottage
two to three
nights per week
from 10pm
to 3am.
After several
weeks of praying
in this way,
Peggy had a vision
of her church
being crowded
with young people
who at that point
didn't want anything
to do with the church.
And she also
had a vision
of an unknown
preacher
ministering
from the pulpit.
Peggy
then sent
for their
minister,
Reverend James
Murray McKay
and she told
him that they
sensed the Lord
was going to
send revival
and that we
must get
the churches
around in the
area to spend
some dedicated
time in prayer.
Pastor McKay
respected
this sister's
spiritual judgment
and he made
the call
to pray.
And then
later Peggy
Smith also
told her
pastor
James McKay
that he
was supposed
to invite
someone to
preach during
the revival.
But she
didn't know
who he was.
She only
saw her
face in
the vision.
And so
McKay made
some contacts
and found
Duncan Campbell
and asked
him to come.
Campbell
was at that
time already
involved in an
evangelistic campaign
on the island
of Skye
and conversions
were taking
place there.
and so
when he
received
this letter
to come
to the
village
of Barbas
he said
he couldn't
come.
And McKay
Pastor McKay
relayed this
to Sister
Peggy
and she
responded
Mr. McKay
that is what
man is saying
but God
has said
something else
and he
will be here
within a
fortnight.
And due
to a change
of events
lo and behold
Duncan Campbell
came
within 10
days
within a
fortnight.
and as
he preached
the gospel
and the
people
continued
to pray
for revival
the spirit
of God
descended
in power
upon the
Scottish
islands.
People
became aware
of the
palpable
presence
of God.
They were
captured
by the
reality
of eternal
things.
People
were lining
up to attend
church services.
They were
standing room
only and
many many
people
were being
converted
for the
first time.
It all
began
with blind
and arthritic
80 year old
woman
who had
no physical
vigor
who had
no societal
position
who had
no intellectual
clout
but who
had
spiritual
power
because
they had
direct access
to the
king of
kings
by prayer.
So
rise up
women of
God
prayer
warriors
whose
voices
may
not be
heard
in the
quarters of
power
in this
world
but whose
voices
are heard
and well
known
in the
heavenly
courts.
That
is the
more
powerful
voice.
That
is the
most
important
place
to be
heard.
I think
I have
a picture
of her
up there.
Peggy
and
Christine
Smith.
If you
guys
have
that.
Fourth,
women in
the church
may also
be called
to be
prophetesses
of God.
Prophets
of God.
Please
turn with me
to chapter
2 verses
14 to
18.
Sorry for
making you
searcher all
over scripture.
This is good
practice for
you.
We are
in the
same
book.
You
don't
have
to
look
far.
Acts
chapter
2 verses
14 to
18.
There
quoting
Joel 2,
Peter
explains the
significance
of the
outpouring
of the
Holy
Spirit
at
Pentecost
in
verses
17
to
18.
He
says,
And in
the last
days it
shall
be,
God
declares,
that I
will pour
out my
spirit on
all flesh,
and your
sons and
your daughters
shall
prophesy,
and your
young men
shall see
visions,
and your
old men
shall
dream dreams,
and on
my male
servants and
female
servants in
those days I
will pour
out my
spirit,
and they
shall
prophesy.
In the
Old Testament
period,
the Spirit
of God
came upon
a select
group of
people,
temporarily
to help
them fulfill
specific
charges that
God had
given them.
But in
the New
Covenant
Age,
the Spirit
of God
and the
power
comes upon
all those
who repent
and are
baptized in
the name
of Jesus
Christ.
Whether
they be
young or
old,
slave or
free,
male or
female.
This great
privilege that
in the Old
Testament was
reserved for
kings,
prophets,
priests,
judges,
is now
yours in
Jesus Christ.
And in
1 Corinthians
11,
Paul gives
specific
instructions for
how women
should prophesy
in the context
of the church
worship.
So clearly
he thinks that
there are
prophetesses
in the church
who ought to
share the
revelation that
God gives
them just
as we
have earlier
Jan and
Lauren share
the prophecies
that they
received from
God.
Acts chapter
21 verse
9 tells us
that Philip
the evangelist,
my role model
and aspiration
in raising
daughters,
had four
unmarried
daughters who
prophesied.
God's
father.
Where are
the women
who will
rise up
full of
the Holy
Spirit,
attentive
and familiar
with the
voice of
the Lord?
Fifth,
women in the
church may
serve as
patrons of
the gospel.
after Peter
is rescued
by God
from
imprisonment
in Acts
chapter 12
it says
in verse 12
that he
went to
the house
of Mary
the mother
of John
whose other
name was
Mark
where many
were gathered
together
and were
praying.
Here Mary
was the
host
and patron
of the
local
gathering
of the
church.
We see
a similar
ministry
of women
in Acts
chapter 16
verses 11
to 15.
Please turn
there with
me.
This is
when Paul
is preaching
the gospel
in the
city of
Philippi
in Acts
16
verses 11
to 15.
It says
there
verses 14
and 15
one who
heard us
was a
woman named
Lydia
from the
city of
Thyatira
a seller
of purple
goods
who was a
worshiper
of God.
The Lord
opened her
heart to
pay attention
to what
was said
by Paul
and after
she was
baptized
and her
household
as well
she urged
us saying
if you
have judged
me to be
faithful to
the Lord
come to
my house
and stay
and she
prevailed
upon us.
Lydia was
likely widowed
or divorced
since her
husband is
not mentioned
and she
seems to
be making
business
decisions
independently
of her
husband
and as
seller of
purple goods
she was
well-to-do
and she
used her
house
and her
wealth
to serve
the church
and from
that point
on the
church in
Philippi
met in
Lydia's
house
and her
home
became
the
base
for
Paul's
subsequent
missionary
work.
We saw
a woman
playing
similar
helping
and
supporting
roles
in
Jesus'
ministry
as well
Luke 8
1-3
it says
that some
woman who
had been
healed of
evil spirits
and infirmities
Mary called
Magdalene from
whom seven
demons had
gone out
and Joanna
the wife
of Chusa
Herod's
household
manager
and Susanna
and many
others
traveled with
Jesus
and the
twelve
apostles
and
provided
for them
out of
their
means
end
quote
this
appears
to have
been a
common
practice
back in
the day
Paul says
in 1
Corinthians
9
verses
3-6
this is
my
defense
to those
who would
examine
me
do we
not have
the right
to eat
and drink
do we
not have
the right
to take
along
a believing
wife
as do
the other
apostles
and the
brothers
of the
Lord
and Cephas
or is
it only
Barnabas
and I
who have
no right
to refrain
from
working
for a
living
in the
context
of that
passage
Paul is
speaking
of the
apostles
right
a
traveling
missionary
right
to have
his
needs
furnished
by the
saints
so that
he could
refrain
from
working
for a
living
if you
keep that
context
in mind
it doesn't
actually make
sense
that all
of a
sudden
he inserts
the
apostles
right
to marry
and take
along
a
believing
wife
the phrase
believing
wife
is
I believe
a
mistranslation
the
Greek
phrase
is literally
sister
woman
and it
refers
to
women
who are
Christian
sisters
just as
the phrase
brother
man
a
parallel
phrase
a
mirroring
phrase
which is
used
14 times
throughout
the book
of Acts
invariably
refers to
men
who are
Christian
brothers
and not
to
believing
husbands
the
Wycliffe
Bible
translation
gets
this
right
and
fourth
century
pastor
Augustine
also
understood
that
verse
this
way
so
then
Paul
is
talking
about
an
apostle's
right
to be
accompanied
by
well-to-do
women
who provide
for them
out of
their
means
just as
Jesus
had
earlier
in his
ministry
earlier
in their
ministry
it seems
that in
the early
church
women of
means
who did
not
have
family
obligations
at home
often
travel
alongside
missionaries
to help
them
to provide
for them
to support
them
to finance
their trips
to take
care of
their lodging
and food
and likely
also to help
them with
visiting and
ministering
to women
these women
served in
the background
so didn't
get the
attention
and recognition
that the
apostles
received
but didn't
Jesus say
in Matthew
20
whoever
would be
great
among you
must be
your servant
and whoever
would be
first among
you must
be your
slave
even as
the son
of man
came not
to be
served
but to
serve
and to
give his
life as
a ransom
for many
didn't
Jesus say
in Matthew
6 that
those who
receive
recognition
from man
for their
good works
have already
received
their reward
but that
those who
go unrewarded
on earth
will be
rewarded
richly by
their heavenly
father in
heaven who
sees what
is done
in secret
so rise up
women of
God
women who
support and
do many
good deeds
for the sake
of the gospel
in the background
content that
their heavenly
father who
sees what
is done
in secret
will reward
them
rise up
women of
God
who store
up treasures
not on
earth
but in
heaven
as pastor
jonathan
lehman puts
it
european art
galleries are
filled with
paintings of
the great
men of
christendom
but heaven's
art galleries
could look a
little different
sixth
God
calls
women to
be mothers
of the
church
please turn
with me now
to acts
chapter 16
verses 1
to 3
it says
paul came
also to
derby and
to lystra
a disciple
was there
named
timothy
the son
of a
jewish
woman
who was
a believer
but his
father was
a greek
he was
well spoken
of by the
brothers at
lystra
and iconium
and paul
wanted timothy
to accompany
him and he
took him and
circumcised him
because of the
jews who were
in those
places where
they all knew
that his
father was
a greek
timothy
was paul's
son in the
faith he
accompanied paul
on many of
his missionary
journeys and
became an
indispensable and
trusted minister
of the gospel
paul heaps
high praises
on timothy
in philippians
2 19
to 20
saying i
hope in
the lord
jesus to
send timothy
to you
soon so
that i
too may
be
cheered
by news
of you
for i
have
no one
like him
who will
be genuinely
concerned for
your welfare
that's high
praise from
the apostle
paul
and who
raised a
faithful christian
man like
timothy
one of the
pillars of the
early church
we know that
his father
didn't bring
him up that
way
because his
father was a
greek
he was a
gentile
an unbeliever
it was his
mother
a jewish
woman who
was a
believer
in his
letter to
timothy
paul says
in 2
timothy
chapter 1
verse 5
i am
reminded of
your sincere
faith
a faith
that dwelt
first in
your grandmother
lois
and your
mother
eunice
and now
i am sure
dwells in
you as
well
there's a
legacy of
faith that
has been
passed on
to timothy
through the
woman
in his
family
mothering is
a form of
discipling
a most
intensive
and immersive
form of
it
in 1
timothy
2
11
15
paul writes
that a
woman will
be saved
through
childbearing
if they
continue in
faith and
love and
holiness with
self-control
meaning if
she gives
evidence of
her faith in
the lord
jesus christ
by her
obedience to
her god-given
creational
mandate
she will be
saved
bible scholar
stephen
dempster
argues that
one of the
major themes
of the old
testament is
quote woman
against the
beast
he says
eve versus
the serpent
sarah and
rebecca versus
barrenness
tamar versus
judah
jockabed and
miriam versus
the pharaoh
deborah and
jael versus
sisera
ruth and
naomi versus
death
hannah versus
barrenness
jehoshabba versus
ataliah
and in all these
examples of
struggle these
women of faith
are engaged in a
battle to save
the people of
god
the victory
of esther
over
haman
dramatically
continues that
theme
throughout the
old testament
the seed of
abraham the
line of
david from
which the
promised
messiah would
come is
beset with
threats on
every side
and is
always seemingly
one tenuous
generation away
from extinction
and that
struggle continues
into the new
testament after
jesus is born
as mary battles
herod who
massacres the
innocent male
babies in his
futile attempt to
wipe out jesus from
the planet
but the promise of
god prevails and
jesus the promised
one of genesis
3 15 the seed of
the woman who
will crush the
satan's head the
serpent's head
comes survives
redeems god's
people by dying
for them on the
cross and being
raised from the
dead
mothering is one
of the most
selfless things
that any human
being can do
a woman
sacrifices her
own body
dedicates her
own life
to carry
bear
nurse
and rear
someone else
she gives
herself for the
sake of another
where are the
loises and
eunuses of our
generation
rise up a woman
of god
and give rise
to and pass on
the gospel to
the future
generations
there's a call
here for unmarried
women as well
because god
created marriage
to be a picture
of this relationship
between christ and
the church
now that christ
has come
the spiritual
family tree
is not traced
by biological
descent from
abraham
but rather it is
traced by the
spiritual heritage
of faith
as it says in
romans 9
it's not jews
who are saved
but christians
who are born
again of the
spirit of god
for that reason
it's not
childbearing
that is ultimate
but disciple
making
that is ultimate
the creational
and cultural
mandate
continues
so there is
still the work
of procreation
to do
however
now the work
of new
creation
is ultimate
so what
jesus
when jesus
is told
that his
biological
family
is looking
for him
what does
he say
in mark
chapter 3
verses 31
to 36
who are my
mother and
my brothers
here are my
mother and
my brothers
for whoever
does the
will of god
he is my
brother and
sister and
my mother
and so paul
in first
timothy
chapter 5
verses 1
to 2
commands
timothy
to treat
an older
man as a
father
younger men
as brothers
older women
as mothers
younger women
as sisters
this is why
singleness
which was
viewed as
abnormal
and undesirable
in the old
testament
is viewed as
a special
gift in the
new testament
because then
you can have
undivided
devotion to
the lord
you can live
as a bride
of christ
as solely
a bride
of christ
as we
will be
in heaven
this means
every woman
married or
unmarried
must do
the work
of spiritual
mothering
by making
disciples of
jesus christ
and discipling
by its very
nature entails
teaching
this is my
second point
when we are
called
seventh point
sorry
when we are
called to be
teachers of the
word
god calls
women
it says
in jesus
because the
great commission
applies to us
all
matthew 28
19 to 20
go therefore
and make
disciples of
all nations
baptizing them
in the name
of the father
and of the son
and of the
holy spirit
teaching them
to observe
all that i
have commanded
you
to be a
disciple
is to be
a learner
and to be
to disciple
another person
involves teaching
that person
all that jesus
has commanded
them
because of
the creational
order in
which god
creates adam
before eve
and because god
intends the
relationship between
man and woman
and man and wife
in particular
to be to reflect
the relationship
within the godhead
where it says
in first corinthians
11 3
the head of every
man is christ
and the head of a
wife is her husband
and the head of
christ is god
men are to be
heads of their
households
to lead their
households
and this
creational order
is reflected
in the church
as well
where god
calls certain
men
to be elders
to serve
as leaders
within the
household of
god
this is why
first timothy
chapter 2
11 to 12
says let a
woman learn
quietly with
all submissiveness
i do not
permit a woman
to teach
or to exercise
authority over
a man
rather she
is to remain
quiet
this is to
preserve god's
good design
in creation
which in turn
reveals
who god
is
his character
but this
does not mean
that woman
may never
teach
the prohibition
is specifically
about teaching
or exercising
authority
over a man
because of the
creation order
i mentioned
earlier
so then
women may
freely use
their teaching
gifts to
teach other
women
as well as
children
titus chapter
2 in fact
commands it
when he says
in verses 3
to 5
older women
likewise are
to be reverent
in behavior
not slanderers
or a slave
to much wine
they are to
teach what
is good
and so
train the
young woman
to love
their husbands
and children
to be
self-controlled
pure
working at
home
kind and
submissive
to their
own husbands
that the
word of
god may
not be
reviled
women ought
to use
their teaching
gifts to
train up
and disciple
other women
moreover
first
timothy
2
12
doesn't
mean
that
women
may
not
teach
in any
sense
of the
word
men
in any
context
there is
a general
exhortation
to both
men and
women
given in
colossians
3
16
that the
word of
christ
dwell in
you
richly
teaching
and
admonishing
one another
in all
wisdom
so then
there is
a general
exhorting
and teaching
that we
all ought
to do
men and
women
to one
another
when a
woman makes
an insightful
comment about
a passage of
scripture in
community group
and people
including men
learn from
that she's
doing some
teaching but
that's not the
kind of teaching
in view in
first timothy
2
verse 12
what paul is
prohibiting is
formal public
teaching in the
corporate gathering
of the church
because that
undermines the
creation order
between man and
a woman
please turn with
me to
acts chapter
18
that's the
final passage
i'm going to
turn your
attention to
chapter 18
we're introduced
here to
priscilla and
aquila
jews who had
converted to
christianity even
before paul
priscilla is
sometimes referred
to as
prisca for
short
throughout the
new
testament
and this
husband and
wife duo
accompanied paul
on his
missionary journeys
they were also
traveling
missionaries
and they
became
indispensable
fellow workers
of paul
in romans
chapter 16
verses 3
to 4
paul says
that these
two risk
their necks
for his
life
and that for
that reason
not only he
but all the
churches of the
gentiles give
thanks to
priscilla and
aquila
and acts
18 to 20
verses 24
to 28 tell us
an interesting
story about
this couple
it says
now a jew
named apollos
a native of
alexandria
came to
ephesus
he was an
eloquent man
competent in
the scriptures
he had been
instructed in
the way of
the lord
and being
fervent in
spirit he
spoke and
taught accurately
the things
concerning
jesus
though he
knew only
the baptism
of john
he began to
speak boldly
in the
synagogue
but when
priscilla and
aquila heard
him
they took
him aside
and explained
to him
the way of
god
more
accurately
this is
a fascinating
passage
that we'll
explain further
when we
actually get
to it
in the
book of
acts
but for
now
it suffices
to say
that apollos
had an
accurate
but still
deficient
understanding
of jesus
he said
that he
only knew
the baptism
of john
which
no one
knows
exactly
what that
means
in this
specific
context
but most
likely
it means
that he
wasn't
aware
of the
spirit
baptism
that had
come upon
the jews
at pentecost
and upon
the samaritans
in the city
of samaria
in acts
chapter 8
so when
priscilla and
aquila heard
him
they took
him aside
and explained
to him
the way
of god
more
accurately
here we
see a
woman
priscilla
in partnership
with her
husband
aquila
teaching
a man
and not
just a man
but a
prominent
teacher
in the
church
but note
well the
way they
do it
they take
him aside
in order
to teach
him
meaning
they talk
to him
privately
not
publicly
priscilla
and aquila
do not
grandstand
in the
public
gathering
of the
church
to teach
apollos
and increase
their standing
in the
church
by correcting
him
no
they do
it
discreetly
privately
in the
informal
context
of the
home
rather
than in
the
context
of the
gathered
church
so
rise up
woman
of god
who
know
rightly
to handle
the word
of god
who can
teach
others
to proclaim
it
more
accurately
all of
that to
say
there are
rich
and varied
responsibilities
to which
christian
women are
called
to
and carrying
out these
responsibilities
is a
challenge
even to
the most
gifted
and prolific
of women
the women
are commanded
not to teach
or exercise
authority
over men
in the
formal public
context
of the
gathered
church
it is
simply
not
true
that
women
are
therefore
unfulfilled
without
doing
those
things
that
is
an
unbiblical
assertion
if
you
see
god's
law
as
a
straitjacket
intended
to
restrain
you
you're
going
to
want
to
wear
it
as
loosely
as
possible
to
sneak
out
of
it
as
much
as
possible
to
push
the
boundaries
as
far
as
you
possibly
can
but
if
you
see
god's
law
as
a
life
jacket
intended
to
save
you
you're
going
to
want
to
fit
snugly
into
that
make
sure
that
it's
strapped
on
properly
because
you
see
it
as
a
conduit
of
blessing
we
need
to
make
sure
that
our
perspective
is
aligned
with
god's
and
that
we
see
god's
word
the
way
he
sees
it
and
not
the
way
the
world
sees
it
and
when
the
teaching
of
god's
word
like
this
is
counter
cultural
and
counter
intuitive
when
the
teaching
of
god's
word
offends
our
pride
and
offends
the
world's
sensibilities
the
only
way
we
can
trust
god
is
by
taking
a
long
hard
look
by
faith
at
the
cross
of
jesus
christ
at
the
cross
we
see
the
humility
of
the
son
of
god
who
though
equal
with
god
just as
women
are
equal
with
men
but
jesus
did
not
demand
the
equal
treatment
that
he
was
entitled
to
but
was
divested
of
his
heavenly
glory
and
took
on
human
flesh
at
the
cross
we
see
the
righteous
son
of
god
submitting
to
his
father
and
being
obedient
unto
death
the
death
that
he
does
not
deserve
dying
on
behalf
of
sinful
man
and
woman
people
of
this
world
could
look
at
jesus
who
died
in
his
prime
at
the
age
of
33
and
lament
what
wasted
potential
what
tragedy
think
of
all
that
jesus
could
have
done
if
he
had
kept
his
heavenly
glory
while
he
was
here
on
earth
think
of
all
that
he
could
have
accomplished
if
he
instead
of
dying
on
the
cross
continued
to
heal
and
to
live
and
to
preach
for
another
40
years
but
they
don't
understand
that
only
the
son
of
man
can
bear
the
sins
of
men
and
women
they
don't
understand
that
only
jesus
death
can
bring
atonement
for
sins
they
would
have
never
foreseen
that
jesus
humiliation
and
death
would
lead
to
his
resurrection
and
eternal
glory
at the
right
hand
of
the
father
and
so
it
is
for
us
every
cross
we
bear
for
the
sake
of
jesus
christ
is
a
prelude
to
resurrection
every
death
we
die
to
ourselves
to
our
selfish
pride
is
a
prelude
to
growth
and
new
life
so
let
us
gladly
submit
to
our
lord
and
savior
in
every
station
trusting
that
the
god
who
gave
his
only
son
for
us
will
withhold
no
good
thing
from
us
to
oh
you
didn't