All right, as we come to God's Word this morning, we're continuing on through Paul's first letter to Timothy.
We've already finished chapters 1 and 4, and we've almost finished chapter 2.
Today, we'll be completing the rest of chapter 2.
So if you have your Bible, you can open it up to 1 Timothy chapter 2.
Here in chapter 2, Paul has been giving instructions to the church.
And he's already given specific instructions for the men, and then specific instructions for the women.
And we considered those in previous weeks, but now Paul has to say more concerning the women.
And in some ways, his words apply to us men as well, as we'll see in a moment.
The big question that Paul is answering in these verses is,
how should men and women conduct themselves in the church in relation to each other?
How should men and women conduct themselves in the church in relation to each other?
And specifically, is there a difference between the role of men and women in the church?
Let's begin by reading the passage and hearing what Paul wrote to Timothy.
1 Timothy chapter 2, verse 11.
Paul writes,
Now before you run out the door, let me first state the obvious.
These are difficult words for some of us to hear.
Some of you women may find these words distasteful or even offensive.
And some of you men might find them embarrassing.
Why do we have this response?
There are at least two reasons.
One reason these words are difficult for us to hear is that when we listen to the world all around us,
we hear the voice of feminism speaking loud and clear.
And what is it saying?
It's saying that men and women are equal in all respects.
That history has long favored men.
The voice of feminine is saying that women have been mistreated and oppressed by men.
That they have been denied basic human rights.
Such as the right to be educated, the right to vote, the right to work in certain occupations, or the right to own property.
Now as we look back over human history, there is certainly some truth to these claims.
Because of sin in the human heart, men have mistreated women.
Men have oppressed women.
Men are still doing that today.
They use force.
They use violence.
They use rage and humiliation to dominate and to manipulate and to get their way.
Men are often filled with lust.
And treat women as objects to satisfy their lust.
And we cannot excuse these evils done by men for a moment.
So there is some truth to the cry of the feminists.
Women are not second class citizens.
They should be cherished and protected.
Because just like us men, women are made in the image of God.
What did God say?
About the way he made humanity.
Back in the first chapter of the Bible.
It says,
So God created man in his own image.
In the image of God, he created him.
Male and female, he created them.
The parallelism here makes it clear.
Both male and female, man and woman, are equally made in the image of God.
Equally bear the image of God.
And when men treat women as less and do not respect the image of God in them, it is wrong.
So there has been some truth to the cry of the feminists over the years.
But, mingled in with those cries for justice, the feminist movement has also cried out some other things as well.
They cry out that men and women are equal in every respect.
That women can and should do everything that men do.
And should not be relegated to any particular role in society.
But should be free to participate as equals in marriage, in the home, in the workplace, in government, and in the church.
And the feminist movement has been very loud about this.
And so anyone who holds to a more traditional view of marriage or family,
or believes that women have been given a certain role,
is shouted down as bigoted, oppressive, misogynistic, chauvinist.
And so when we come to these words of Paul,
they're difficult to hear.
Because for some of us, we're thinking in our minds that Paul is promoting
an oppressive, misogynistic, patriarchal authority structure in the church.
But is he?
Is it possible that God, our creator, really did create us,
men and women, male and female,
equal in his image,
but quite intentionally with different roles
to fulfill as men and women
in the family,
and in the home,
and in the church?
Is it possible that that was originally part of God's good design,
right from the beginning,
that there be real differences in male and female,
men and women,
even when it comes to role?
Differences which complement each other
and complete humanity.
At the end of the day, we have to decide
who gets to define
what it means to be a woman.
Is it culture?
Society?
Is it the government?
Is it us?
Or is it God?
Let's remember, these words are not just the Apostle Paul's,
but these are the words of Jesus Christ himself
speaking through Paul,
speaking on behalf
of God,
the very words of God.
Letting culture define what it means to be a woman
or a man
is a recipe for disaster.
Think about this.
It wasn't long ago that the feminists were
fighting with all their might
to have everything be the same for women
as for men.
But now a new movement has arisen.
The transgender and LGBTQ movement
has taken the spotlight.
And now many feminists can be found
almost saying the exact opposite
of what they used to be saying.
The LGBTQ movement says that
anybody can identify as a woman.
And that if they do,
they are one.
And so should be granted
all the same rights
and special treatment
and privileges
that women have come to enjoy.
And suddenly,
now we hear
many feminists
saying the opposite
of what they were saying before.
Actually, there is a difference
between men and women.
And there are good reasons
to keep some things separate
like sports teams
and change rooms.
And some women are even saying,
actually, it is the responsibility
of the man
to protect the woman
since he is biologically stronger
and oftentimes
better suited to do so.
And actually,
I do want him to open the door for me.
Culture doesn't decide truth.
Truth.
Opinions come and go.
Trends and fads
rise and fall.
And that's why we have to go back
to the Bible.
Because it's the authoritative,
definitive
word of truth
about who we are
by the God who made us
and loves us.
The second reason
these words might be hard to hear
has to do with our fallen condition.
There are quite a few places
in the Bible
where we see that
all of us have this tendency
to spurn authority
of any kind.
We don't want to be subject
to anything
or anyone.
We want to be independent.
We want to do whatever we want.
And this
impulse
to spurn authority,
it wasn't there
right from the beginning.
It came as a consequence
of sin
at the fall of man.
And ever since,
there's been a struggle
for dominance,
control,
authority,
and in all aspects
of life.
Yes,
it even affects
the relationship
between a husband
and wife
in the family.
And so,
when we come to passages
like this,
we don't like them.
Because it says
that men should have authority
in the church.
And that women are not
to have that
over men.
And so,
our fallen condition
makes these words
hard to hear
and hard to accept.
So,
there's been
vigorous debate
over this passage
on the screen,
even within the Christian church.
This passage
is at the heart
of a great divide.
And on one side
of this divide
is a group
that call themselves
complementarians.
And on the other side,
a group that calls themselves
egalitarians.
Whole books
have been written
on this issue
of the role
of men and women,
especially
in the home
and in the church.
But the debate here
is not because
the passage
isn't clear.
With the exception
of the last verse,
verse 15,
which we won't really
talk about this morning,
the meaning of these words
is quite clear.
It is straightforward.
But the reasons
I just gave
have led to
all kinds of voices
chiming in
and muddying
the waters here.
people don't like
the plain meaning
of this passage.
And so,
they're looking for a way
out of its
straightforward meaning.
Maybe this word
doesn't really mean this.
Maybe that word
doesn't really mean that.
Maybe that's not
what Paul had in mind
at all.
Maybe this was only
for the days of Ephesus
or the first century.
All of this
is an indication
that it's not
that the passage
is difficult
to translate
or to understand.
It's that many
just have difficulty
accepting
what it plainly says
because of those
two reasons
I just gave.
So,
what is the Lord Jesus
saying
through Paul
in this passage?
I'm just going to
spell it out for us.
Then we'll look at
some objections
and then we'll talk
implications
and applications
for us as a church
today.
What Paul means
to say here
is that women
are not
to teach
men
or
have authority
over men
in the church.
instead
they are to
submit
to the leading
men
of the church
by following
their leadership
and by learning
from their teaching
with a quiet
spirit.
Let me say
that again.
What Paul
means to say
here is that
women are not
to teach
men
or have
authority
over men
in the church.
Instead
they are to
submit
to the leading
men of the church
by following
their leadership
and by learning
from their teaching
with a quiet
spirit.
This is
verses 11
and 12.
Now let's
look at
some of these
objections.
The first
one
some people
will point
out that
Paul says
I do not
permit
a woman
to teach
or to
have
authority.
Could it
be that
this was
only Paul's
rule?
That for
some
unspecified
reason
he was
just
personally
disinclined
to having
women
teach
or lead
men
in the
church.
But a
careful
reading
of
Paul's
letters
reveals
that
he
uses
this
kind
of
phrasing
in all
of them
and about
all
different
matters.
He also
frequently
uses
the first
person.
Look back
up to
verse 8
he said
therefore
I want
the men
everywhere
to pray.
This
isn't just
Paul's
personal
wish.
Everything
that he's
desiring
and directing
the church
to do
comes through
his apostolic
authority
from Jesus
Christ
himself.
Another
objection
that some
bring
is that
women
shouldn't
take
authority
but may
be given
authority.
So they
will point
out the
language
I do
not permit
a woman
to have
authority
over a
man
and just
recently
there's
been a
shift.
Let's
translate that
differently
to assume
authority
over a
man.
This is a
highly
nuanced
reading.
There's
not a
lot of
examples
of that
way of
reading it
and it's
probably
not what
Paul had
in mind.
This idea
that as a
male leader
in the
church I
could exercise
my God
given
authority
and give
a woman
that same
level of
authority
in the
church.
It seems
unlikely that
Paul intended
this or
that he
had this
kind of
an application
in mind.
And so
probably the
better translation
which some
have stayed
true to is
I do not
permit a
woman to
have authority
over a
man rather
than take
or assume
or usurp
authority.
The third
objection
perhaps this
was just
for the
church in
Ephesus
but Paul
has framed
all of
these
instructions
towards
men and
women
with a
location.
If we
look back
up to
verse 8
he says
therefore I
want the
men
everywhere
to pray
likewise
that the
women should
dress modestly
in verse 9
and then as
it just flows
right down
into this
instruction
in verse 11
the woman
should learn
in quietness
in full
submission.
So the
flow
the context
suggests that
this instruction
is not just
for Ephesus
but for all
the churches
everywhere.
And the
final objection
that we'll
look at this
morning of
course there's
many more
this I would
say is probably
the most
important one
this is the
most common
one
that this
only applied
to the
church in
the first
century.
Perhaps this
was only for
churches in
the first
century because
of the
generally
accepted
societal norms
for women
back then.
They had a
certain view
of women
back then
and Paul
wanted them
to do
right by
the culture
of the day
in their
churches.
And so
they'll say
things like
just like
Paul didn't
promote the
abolition
of slavery
so neither
did he
promote the
emancipation
of women.
Well that's a
logical argument
that's a
cohesive
argument
and it
feels like
it's going
to get us
where we
are in our
culture today
but there's
one massive
glaring problem
with it.
Look at the
reason that
Paul gives
for why these
gender roles
should be
maintained
in the
church.
A woman
should learn
in quietness
and full
submission.
I do not
permit a
woman to
teach or
to assume
authority
over a
man.
She must
be quiet
for or
because Adam
was formed
first then
Eve.
The reason
it should be
this way
says Paul
goes all
the way
back to
creation.
It's not
a thing
driven by
the culture
of the day.
It's a
thing rooted
in how
God
originally
made and
ordered things
at the
very beginning.
Adam
was formed
first and
then Eve.
So Paul
is saying
that we
should do
it like
this in
the church
because that
reflects what
God originally
designed even
before sin
entered the
world when
everything was
good,
when everything
was perfect.
God
was
in other
words,
male authority
in the church
didn't come
about because
of sin
or because
of the
corruption
of humanity.
It was
part of the
good,
beautiful
design and
intention of
God right
from the
start.
Now,
there's a
whole context
to this that
comes from
other passages
in the Bible
which we have
to consider at
the same
time.
From ancient
times until
this time when
the New Testament
was written,
there was this
general understanding
that this is the
way it should be
in the family
and in marriage.
We see it in
Genesis chapter 2
verse 18.
Before sin
entered the
world,
God said,
it's not good
for the man
to be alone.
I will make a
helper suitable
for him.
Already,
we're seeing
the role of
women in
relation to
men.
being defined.
She was not
created to be
an independent
head of her
own household,
but in the
context of the
first family,
she would be
a helper to
him,
which implies
that his
leadership would
set the
family direction.
Then not
long after,
when Adam
and Eve
disobeyed
God in
the garden,
who did
God call
out to
first and
hold ultimately
responsible?
It was
Adam,
the man.
All through
the Old
Testament,
while there
are the
effects of
sin on
this
relationship
between men
and women,
I mean,
for example,
Abraham was
guilty of
throwing his
wife under
the bus
in his
sojournings
through foreign
territory,
treated her
despicably,
yet there is
still this
general
understanding
that this
is how
God made
it to be.
The man
is the
head of
the household
and the
family,
and the
wife is
under
his
authority.
The
genealogies
in the
Bible are
all traced
primarily
through the
men.
Children
with similar
names were
differentiated by
the names
of their
fathers.
God
assigned
inheritances
in the
promised land
to Jacob's
sons,
and inheritances
were generally
passed down
from fathers
to sons.
And again,
this doesn't
mean that
women are
any less
important to
God.
It simply
reflects that
God assigned
a different
role to
men and
women when
it comes to
the family.
Now, if all
this was only
intended for
the people of
Israel, it
would surely
have been
stated in
New Testament
times when
God opened
his way of
salvation to
all people
that it's
now changing.
And yet we
read Jesus
speaking through
his apostles
and saying
things like
this.
1 Peter
chapter 3
verses 1
to 7
to 6.
Wives, in
the same way,
submit yourselves
to your own
husbands, so
that if any
of them do
not believe
the word,
they may be
won over
without words
by the
behavior of
their wives
when they
see the
purity and
reverence of
your lives.
Your beauty
should not
come from
outward
adornment
such as
elaborate
hairstyles
and the
wearing of
gold jewelry,
or fine
clothes.
Rather, it
should be
that of
your inner
self, the
unfading
beauty of
a gentle
and quiet
spirit, which
is of great
worth in
God's sight.
For this is
the way the
holy women
of the past
who put
their hope
in God
used to
adorn
themselves.
God's
love.
They submitted
themselves to
their own
husbands, like
Sarah, who
obeyed Abraham
and called
him her
lord.
You are
her daughters
if you do
what is
right and
do not
give way
to fear.
So even
though Abraham
mistreated
Sarah on
at least two
occasions and
failed to, and
Abraham failed
to trust God
to protect
her, Sarah
is commended
for obeying
him, and
obeying implies
authority.
The word
submit and
submission imply
authority,
headship.
Peter in the
first century is
saying, yes,
that's the way
for wives
today that is
good and right.
Sarah is an
example of that.
Faith-filled
submission to
husbands, a
submissive spirit
that recognizes
that your husband
is the one that
God has put
in charge.
Notice also
though that this
instruction comes
with a very
serious warning
to husbands.
Husbands, in
the same way, be
considerate as
you live with
your wives, and
treat them with
respect as the
weaker partner, and
as heirs with
you of the
gracious gift of
life, so that
nothing will
hinder your
prayers.
So men don't
get a free
pass.
They ought to
treat their
wives with
respect, says
Peter.
They ought
never to
use their
strength to
dominate.
They are to
recognize that
women, their
wives, are
equally heirs of
the gracious gift
of life that
comes through
Christ Jesus.
In Ephesians
chapter 5, Paul
says, do not
get drunk on
wine, which
leads to
debauchery.
Instead, be
filled with the
Spirit.
And then he
lists off a
whole bunch of
things that the
Spirit will
lead us to
do when we
are filled
with the
Spirit.
Things like
speaking to
one another
with psalms,
hymns, and
songs from
the Spirit,
singing and
making music
from our
hearts to
the Lord,
giving thanks
to God the
Father for
everything, and
verse 21,
submitting to
one another out
of reverence for
Christ.
Wives to
husbands, a
little further
down, children
to their
parents, a
little further
down, slaves to
their masters.
But let's
look at these
instructions that
Paul gives to
the wives
specifically.
He says,
submit to one
another out of
reverence for
Christ.
Wives, submit
yourselves to
your own husbands
as you do to
the Lord.
For the husband
is the head of
the wife, as
Christ is the
head of the
church, his
body, of
which he is
the Savior.
Now as the
church submits
to Christ, so
also wives should
submit to their
husbands.
in everything.
Now there are
equally serious
instructions given
to the husbands
as well about
how they must
love their
wives in this
passage, just
as Jesus Christ
loved the
church.
With a
self-sacrificing
love, seeking
her benefit, but
it's difficult to
get around these
words and the
clear meaning of
them.
The husband is
the head of the
wife as Christ
is the head of
the church.
So this is an
important context
to Paul's
instruction about
women in 1
Timothy.
God has
designed and
intended from
creation that
this is how a
family should be.
Men and women
are created
equally in the
image of God.
they're granted
an equal
inheritance in
salvation, but
they have been
given different
roles to play in
the family.
And this is
good.
Everything God
made is good,
said Paul in
1 Timothy
chapter 4.
God's intention
was that the
husband would
bear the
burden of
leadership for
his wife and
children.
And it
wasn't supposed
to be a
sinful, selfish
domineering of
his wife, but
a humble,
self-sacrificing,
serving, kind,
respectful,
considerate,
loving kind of
leadership.
The kind of
leadership that it
would be a joy to
submit to and
follow.
According to
Paul here in the
rest of this
passage in
Ephesians,
husband and
wife in their
unique God-given
roles are meant
to picture and
point to the
wonderful love of
Jesus for his
bride, his
church, and her
joyful submission to
him in all
things.
That's one of the
ways God intended
for marriage and
family to bring
glory to God.
I mean, think about
Jesus and his
relationship with
his church.
How did he treat
his disciples?
Did he say, get
down there and
wash my feet?
No.
He washed their
feet.
He served them.
He gave his life
for them.
And so this is the
pattern that we are
to follow in the
church and in the
home.
Now, it doesn't
mean we won't
fail and struggle
to live this,
or that sin
won't cause
problems, but
this is how
Christ wants us
to live when it
comes to the
family.
And now here in
1 Timothy 2,
verse 11 to 15,
Paul's basically
saying the will
of Christ is the
same in the
church.
The church is to
be done like the
family.
Just as the man is
the head of the
wife in the home,
so he must also
have the authority
and take the lead
in the church.
And the women
must submit to
that leadership.
Remember Paul's
stated purpose for
writing this letter.
1 Timothy 3,
verse 14 and 15.
I'm writing you
these instructions
so that you will
know how people
ought to conduct
themselves in God's
household, which is
the church of the
living God.
We are to operate
just like a family,
family, which
means that the
men who lead
might be thought
of as the
spiritual dads
in the family.
And there's a
wonderful safeguard
here because not
just any man is
permitted to teach
and to have
authority in the
church.
As we'll see
next week, Paul
gives specific
requirements for
men to lead in
the church, to
have authority.
And most of
them are character
kinds of things.
Christ-like
character, and
that will protect
the people in
the church from
being governed by
those who are
domineering or
abusive.
How do we apply
all this?
How should the
rubber hit the
road with this in
our church?
First of all, is
Paul saying that
women should be
silent in the
church?
Some of your
translations will
have the word
silent.
There are a few
scholars that
think that that's
what it means, but
they would never
say in the whole
gathering of the
church, women can't
even open their
mouths.
They really will
mostly always say
that it's during the
regular teaching
moments of the
church, like during
the sermon.
The majority of
interpreters, however,
take the word
silence to refer to
the spirit of their
participation because
it also is used
that way as well,
quietness.
And I think that's
what makes the most
sense here.
just look back up
the page to
verse 2.
We're to pray for
kings and all those
in authority that we
may live peaceful and
quiet lives.
That's the same word.
In all godliness and
holiness.
It doesn't mean silent
lives.
It means quiet, in
tone, respectful,
gentle, as opposed
to loud, interrupting,
obnoxious, arrogant.
And there's a few
other usages, just
like this, where it
doesn't mean silent,
but it refers to the
spirit.
The spirit of the
learning for the
women is to be a
quiet one.
Perhaps there were
some very loud,
outspoken, interrupting
women of social
standing in the
church at Ephesus who
were seeking to take
charge and have their
way.
So how does this
apply practically?
I'm just going to do
this in kind of
question and answer
format.
Should women
participate in the
discussion in adult
Sunday school?
Yes.
Participating in the
discussion, sharing
your thoughts, your
observations, your
insight, that's
different than
teaching the class.
It's about the
spirit of how we
participate.
Do you come to the
class to learn?
to respond to the
word of God?
Or do you come to
teach and to help
others come to the
same conclusion that
you have, the way
that you think is the
right way to live?
So women,
absolutely.
Participate in the
discussion, but
teaching the class and
giving leadership to
the class should be for
those qualified men.
Should women
participate in the
discussion at
congregational meetings?
Yes.
In fact, good
leadership always seeks
feedback from those
who are following.
To make the best
decisions, we need to
know what the needs
are.
We need to know how
people are doing, what
the situation is.
Good leadership gathers
counsel and wisdom.
And so dialogue and
discussion between a
husband and wife, between
an elder and a church
member is good.
It's healthy.
But the tone of that
and the spirit of that
dialogue should be
respectful of the
God-ordained differences
in role.
Should women be
pastors in the church?
Well, it depends what
you mean by pastor.
But if by pastor you
mean one of the leading
elders who preaches and
teaches the whole
congregation, then no.
No.
This word from Christ
through Paul implies
no.
But, God has given
some women the
spiritual gift of
shepherding for the
building up of the
church.
And should that be used
in the church?
I say yes.
But these instructions
given to Timothy would
limit the use of that
gift to women and
children.
Should women be elders
in the church?
According to this
passage, no.
As we'll see next week,
elders are tasked with
authoritative oversight
and leadership of the
church.
Not only that, but to be
an elder, Paul says in
the next chapter, that
you must be able to
teach.
And in the context of
this letter, that's
teach the truths of the
faith, the word of God
to the church.
That's one of the
primary responsibilities
of an elder.
And so women cannot be
elders in the church
because that would put
them in a position of
authority over men and
give them the role of
teaching men, which goes
completely against what
Paul is saying here in
these verses.
But, let's also
remember the context of
this letter.
This letter is about how
we should conduct
ourselves in the
household of God, in
the church.
And, as I just
mentioned, in the
context, the teaching
refers specifically to
the doctrines of the
church, the truths of
the faith, the word of
God, how to live in
response to God's word.
So, can we have
Sherry, our public
health nurse, she's
shaking her head, teach
a one-day course on
CPR on a Saturday
morning?
Yes.
There's no problem
with that.
Can we have a sister in
Christ come up here to
the front and share
personal testimony?
Absolutely.
That's the story of what
Christ has done in her
life.
That's not teaching the
church like the elders
are tasked with doing.
Furthermore, many women
have been gifted by God
to teach.
And these gifts should be
used in the church for
the building up of the
other women and the
children.
In fact, when we get to
Paul's letter to Titus,
we're going to see him
command it.
Older women, teach the
younger women.
So, women can lead, they
can teach women's groups,
women's Bible studies,
women's Sunday school
classes, alive.
If you're a woman and
you have the gift to
teach, do not bury it in
the sand.
It is to be used.
Just not to teach the
men.
Should women be on the
board of our church?
According to our current
church constitution, we're
to have a board and the
board shall be the
business administrators of
the church and the board
is to be made up of the
pastor, elders, church
clerk, and church
treasurer.
Now, we've already said
that women should not be
pastors or elders, but
can they be the church
clerk or the church
treasurer?
However, the problem
with this is that if we
elect women to these
roles, it puts them
functionally in the
authoritative decision
making seats around the
table for the whole
church.
They would then come to
the monthly meetings.
They would not only
participate in the
discussion with the
elders and pastor, but
also vote on motions.
Whether it was intended
or not, having a woman
in these positions puts
them in a position of
authority over men in the
church.
This is why we haven't
nominated women to these
positions in the past six
years.
Furthermore, next week, as
we move into chapter three,
we're going to see that
church governance by a
board is not biblical
anyway.
We're to be governed by a
council of elders, a
plurality of elders.
And so we actually have
some major work to do
right here in our own
church on how we are
organized on our
constitution.
constitution because our
governance is modeled
more after a secular
organization way of
operating than the
Bible.
And if the word of God
gives us a pattern to
follow for church
governance and we find
ourselves at a step with
it, we got to get in
step with it.
We need to change.
Should women be deacons or
ministry coordinators in
the church?
We're going to dig into
this a little more in the
weeks ahead.
Paul talks about deacons
in chapter three.
But for today, when it
comes to leadership in
the church, there's a
difference between having
authority and oversight in
the church like the elders
are supposed to and
coordinating a mixed group
of volunteers in set up
for a potluck or in a
renovation project or in
an outreach event or a
financial review committee.
I sometimes laugh at how
legalistic people can be
about this.
I've heard people tell
me, a woman shouldn't
lead the budget committee.
That's big decision
making and should only be
done by the elders.
But then you ask that
person, so how do you
manage your finances at
home?
Oh, my wife looks after
all that stuff.
Okay.
So she can be trusted
with the family finances
but not the church
family's finances?
How does that work?
I say go read Proverbs
31 and look at all that
the wife of noble
character has been
entrusted with in the
family and in the home
and then let's talk about
whether women can be
ministry coordinators or
deacons or treasurers or
whatever.
Now, women, I know the
tendency is to hear in all
this a list of don'ts.
But I want to encourage
you.
God did not give these
instructions to take
something away from you
that's rightfully yours.
The different roles he
has given us really are
good.
And so I would encourage
you to see this not as a
list of don'ts but as a
list of don't have tos.
A list of things you don't
need to worry about.
A list of things where God
himself blesses you to say
that's not my job.
This is where all of you
women get to breathe a
sigh of relief.
You're off the hook.
You're free of the
responsibility of church
leadership.
And it is a heavy
responsibility.
Those who lead in the
church and teach the
congregation will have to
answer to God for
everything that they
decide and what they have
taught.
And truth be told,
sometimes we men who have
been saddled with that
burden wish we could
sometimes just be followers
followers and just have
someone else lead the way
and submit to that
person.
So women, you are off the
hook.
But men, you are on the
hook.
This serious responsibility
of teaching in the church
and having authority in the
church falls to you.
Which means that you men
must strive to be men of
character.
You must strive to live
exemplary lives worth
following.
You must strive to learn
the truths of the faith
because it falls to you,
this burden.
This sacred responsibility.
That's why we started doing
LEAD twice a month.
Because we cannot neglect
this.
In the absence of good male
leadership in the church,
the family falls apart.
It scatters.
In the absence of good,
solid biblical teaching,
the health and the life of
the church slips away.
Men, women have been given
the instruction in God's
word to submit to our
leadership and teaching.
And so we better be the
kind of leaders and
teachers that make it a
joy for them to follow.
May the Lord not find us men
sleeping at the wheel or
checked out and living for
our own comforts and
pleasures abdicating our
responsibility.
So yes, there is a
difference between the role
of men and women in the
church.
It's rooted in creation.
It's good.
And when we live out our
God-ordained roles as men
and women in the home and in
the church, it brings glory to
God and it adorns the
gospel.
Let's pray.
Father in heaven, I pray that
you would help us with these
challenging words.
We see many Christians and
churches adrift.
They're not tethered to your
word anymore.
And we so want to be
faithful.
I pray that you would give
us the courage and the
wisdom to know how to live
in response to these words.
I pray that you would give
us the humility and the
graciousness towards one
another.
And I pray that Jesus Christ
really would be exalted and
glorified through this.
Though we may not understand or
see how today, but we trust at
the end of the story, we will.
To your name be the glory.
Amen.