Ministry Lesson 3: Women and Ministry

Transcription

1 Ministry Lesson 3: Women and Ministry Introduction What do the words minister or ministry mean? One who serves, service Who is a minister? All Christians What is the most important ministry given to the Church? Preaching the Word of God What is the Ministry of the Keys? The power and privilege to proclaim law and gospel, to open and close the door to heaven What did God establish to provide order, leadership, and guidance in the Church? The public ministry Women and Ministry Once more we recall who is to be a minister: John 20:23: If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. 1 Peter 2:5,9: You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Revelation 1:5-6: To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. Explain again what the priesthood of all believers is: The right and privilege of all believers to preach the Word of God 1

2 Does anything in the above passages limit who is part of this priesthood? NO! Not in any way age, race, gender, etc. In the Bible we see women serving as ministers in a wide variety of ways: Miriam led women in singing Moses song (Exodus 15) Women helped make the furnishings of the tabernacle (Exodus 35) Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord and sang a song of praise (1 Samuel 1-2) Abigail warned David against sin (1 Samuel 25) Deborah praised God for victory (Judges 5) Huldah was a prophetess and advised a king of Israel (2 Kings 22:14-20) Mary praises God with the Magnificat (Luke 2) Anna served God with prayer and fasting in the temple (Luke 2) Women gave financial support to Jesus ministry (Luke 8) The women were the first witnesses of the resurrection (Luke 24) The Samaritan woman directed her neighbors to Christ (John 4) Dorcas helped the poor by making clothes for them (Acts 9) Lydia allowed Paul to use her home as his base in Philippi (Acts 16) Priscilla and Aquila shared their knowledge of God s Word with Apollos (Acts 18) Philip the evangelist had four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21) Women were to teach and be an example to other women (Titus 2) Identify the many types of ministry in which women participated above: Table service, sharing the Word of God, support of ministry through talents and treasures, singing, teaching While women may freely serve in many forms of ministry, God has given limitations to how women may serve in public ministry. These limitations are similar to the roles that God has established between husband and wife: Ephesians 5:21-30: Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as 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. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church for we are members of his body. 2

3 How does verse 21 set a tone for this whole section of Scripture? All Christians are to submit to one another. Submit is not a bad word! It really means to show humble love and respect toward another. Explain the parallel relationships that Paul is describing. As Jesus was head and leader, one who showed self- sacrificing love, so should the husband be As we believers show humble love and respect to our loving leader, so should the wife to the husband How does the relationship between Christ and the Church help us to understand the relationship between husband and wife? It isn t hard or difficult or terrible for us to submit to Christ, and if the roles are carried our correctly, so the same is true of wives and husbands A/D: It is difficult for wives to submit to their husbands. Yes, because of sin in this world and our lives! A/D: It is difficult for husbands to be the head of their wives. Yes, because of sin in this world and our lives! A/D: Women ought to do the dishes, the wash, and the cleaning out of love for their husbands. Yes, but the husbands ought to do the same out of love for their wives! With that background knowledge, we can look more closely at verses that pertain to women in ministry: 1 Timothy 2:1-15: I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men the testimony given in its proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle I am telling the truth, I am not lying and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. 3

4 I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. Whom does God want to be saved? All people the word for men there really means mankind Whom has God saved? All people Justify your answers above. The word for men really means mankind, the rest of Scripture tells us the same A/D: Verses 8-9 are misogynistic and derogatory. NO! Not if properly understood in the immediate and surrounding context of Scripture A/D: While it says men in verse 8, it really means people like in verses 4-6. NO. This word specifically means man only Read verses aloud together. A/D: We just sinned as a group. NO. That s not the meaning in context. Paul is talking about exercising authority, not about being completely silent at all times! What should a woman do? Be in humble submission in the same way as in a marriage. But if men are properly leading, then this will be very easy for the women! 4

5 What should a woman not do? Exercise authority over a man in the church. How do we know that this not forbidding all teaching by women? It specifically mentions exercising authority over men, not teaching in general 1 Corinthians 11:3-16: Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head. In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice nor do the churches of God. What is the basic principle that Paul sets forth here? That man was established as the head and woman as the helper What are two reasons for this principle that stem from the creation of the world? That s how God created them, the fall into sin What warning does Paul give about the abuse of this principle (11)? Everything comes from God, and we are not independent of the other gender Must women still cover their heads then today? How do we know? No. That was a custom in their society. But Paul applies the principles of headship and authority to the Corinthians using their local custom. 5

6 1 Corinthians 14:33-40: For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored. Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. What is Paul s foremost concern regarding worship (last verse)? That things are done in a fitting and orderly way After general remarks about what happens in worship, what is Paul s specific instruction? Women are not to exercise authority over a man in the church A/D: Women should never talk in church. NO. God simply commands that they not exercise authority. But most certainly they are to contribute and participate! How do these last three sections of Scripture (1 Timothy 2, 1 Corinthians 11 and 14) apply to the church and its leadership? Women are not to exercise authority over men. Women are not to lead men. The most specific example is that women are not to be pastors. Discussion A/D: These Bible passages are old- fashioned and no longer apply in our society today. NO. God s Word endures forever. When he gives a command, that is to be forever unless he says otherwise. A/D: The Bible does not view women to be as important as men. NO! They are equally important, they just have different roles. 6

7 Put the principles in practice! May a woman be: Pastor NO Youth/Family Minister YES In church committees YES Teacher YES, but not over men Soloists YES Principle In a Christian school NO because it calls for leadership Elders Perhaps, but probably not because it usually calls for spiritual leadership. President of USA or CEO The Bible speaks of church and family relationships. However, a case could be made that God intended these relationships for all of society. 7