Three Deadly Sins that Kill a Church
Treat...younger women as sisters in all purity. 1 Timothy 5:1-2
Text: 1 Timothy 5:1-7
Our sermon text provides a warning for the church and its leaders. When we take our eyes off Jesus, we will indulge the flesh, often while even claiming to act in the name of Jesus.
Our flesh desires what is contrary to God's proper use for His good gifts of power, sex, and money. We bring destruction upon ourselves and dishonor to God’s name when we fail to follow His design for these dangerous gifts.
In the context of 1 Timothy 5, the potential pitfall of power is abusive and angry words. The unique word Paul uses for rebuke in verse 1 means literally "to strike at." The potential pitfall in misusing sex can be seen in verse 2, where Paul warns Timothy that his conduct toward younger women must always be pure and above reproach. A godly man is not flirtatious or provocative. The love of money is also a great pitfall. We see in this text how "desperate" widows were soliciting unneeded financial assistance from the church, then spending it on worldly pleasures and selfish-indulgences (verse 6).
Although you may be a Christian, you still have a fickle heart. Power, sex, and money constantly present themselves as superior to God's glory. They promise great fulfillment and satisfaction but ultimately leave us broken, addicted, and destitute. Only when our life is properly ordered, with God as our ultimate treasure, do power, sex, and money serve the good and beautiful purposes for which God intended.
YESTERDAY'S APPLICATION:
