1 Timothy 6:1-5

 

B1 Paul continues the pastoral responses to various congregational issues. 

B2 Employers and employees 

C1 Servants (I’ve already answered the question about slavery and the Bible). 

C2 The application of this for most of us today is employee and employer relations. Some thoughts: 

D1 Employers: 

E1 Treat them properly and do not retaliate: Job 31:13-15 NLT If I have been unfair to my male or female servants when they brought their complaints to me, 14 how could I face God? What could I say when he questioned me? 15 For God created both me and my servants. He created us both in the womb. 

E2 Be honest with their pay: James 5:4 NLT for listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the LORD of Heaven's Armies. 

E3 No verbal abuse: Ephesians 6:9 WEB You masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him. 

E4 The way we treat our employees, is the way God will treat us at judgment time: Colossians 4:1 NLT Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master—in heaven. 

E5 To supply the necessary tools to do the job and a fair wage: Psalms 123:2 NRSV As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, until he has mercy upon us. 

D2 Employees: 

E1 Doing reliable, high quality work whether the employer is present or not: Ephesians 6:6 BBE Not only under your master's eye, as pleasers of men; but as servants of Christ, doing the pleasure of God from the heart. 

E2 To do our work as is expected: Titus 2:9 BBE Servants are to be under the authority of their masters, pleasing them in all things, without argument. 

E3 At least one day off a week for rest: Exodus 23:12 BBE For six days do your work, and on the seventh day keep the Sabbath; so that your ox and your ass may have rest, together with the son of your servant and the man from a strange land living among you. 

E4 To be faithful in our work and attendance: Proverbs 25:13 NRSV Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest are faithful messengers to those who send them; they refresh the spirit of their masters. 

C3 We are to give respect to our employer. The reason for this is that God will be honored, and His teachings respected. 

C4 If our employer is a believer, then we must not despise them. Even though they are our brother or sister we are to obey what they expect of us in our work. 

1 Timothy 6:3-5 

B2 Insist on these things 

C1 The Apostles taught God’s way. God’s way in lifestyle, worldview, and His rules lead to peace and success: 1 Timothy 6:3 NLT Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life. 

C2 Someone who teaches differently is not a faithful servant of Jesus Christ: 1 Timothy 6:4 NLT Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. 

D1 Described as arrogant. 

D2 Described as not having understanding. 

D3 Described as enjoying arguing over the definition of words, etc. They are nitpicking. 

D4 The arguments result in jealousy, divisions, slander, and evil suspicions. None of these are God approved actions. 

C3 Their attitude and actions result in envy, discord, abusive verbal attacks, and evil suspicions. If a church member acts like this list, then it could be they are the person described in the first part of verse 4. 

C4 Not only are they in a sick spiritual state, but they are also described as having corrupt minds, a total lack of truth, and have the wrong attitude that if he/she is rich, they are held in high regard by God. 

C5 God’s advice is to withdraw from these people. Put them out of the congregation because they only cause trouble for the others. 

C6 Question: What is the pastor or church to do when another member disagrees with these rules?

A Good Name

Theme: Faithfulness is rewarded

Scriptures: Ruth 2:1-23

Objectives: (From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson Book)

Know: Ruth demonstrated hard work, integrity, and compassion, and Boaz protected and provided for her.

Think: Let a mindset of integrity direct my actions.

Do: Do what is good and right, trusting God with the outcome.

Notes and questions:

B1 Outline

C1 Ruth 2:1-7

C2 Ruth 2:8-14

C3 Ruth 2:15-23

B2 Character traits

C1 Ruth

D1 Devotion (Ruth 1:14)

D2 Trust in God (Ruth 1:22)

D3 Respectful (Ruth 2:2)

D4 Welcomes advice (Ruth 2:21)

D5 Hard worker (Ruth 2:7)

D6 Polite (Ruth 2:10)

D7 Kindness (Ruth 3:10)

C2 Boaz

D1 Industrious (Ruth 2)

D2 Kindness (Ruth 2:8-9)

D3 Man of his word (Ruth 3:18)

D4 Wanted to do what was right (Ruth 4:5-6)

C3 What other traits can you think of?

C4 What are your character traits?

B3 Wheat harvest in ancient Israel

B4 Ruth was a very hard, conscientious worker. How to instill a good work ethic in children

C1 Start young

C2 Age appropriate work

D1 A 2 yo is not ready to use a recip saw

D2 A 2 yo is ready to pick up their clothes and toys at the end of the day

C3 Work with them

C4 Make it fun. Have a game doing it.

C5 Don’t expect perfection

C6 You are the example

C7 Work as a Christian

C8 Other tips here

C9 What else can you suggest?

B5 Why is working important, instead of being a slacker, a sloth?

B6 Why is learning that work is important when a person is young?

B7 Ruth 2:1-7,

C1 The Scriptures say “...and she happened to come to the part of the field [belonging] to Boaz.

D1 Was this a coincidence, or did God guide her?

D2 How can we know the difference?

D3 Will you share an incident from your life?

D4 Can we apply this verse to the situation? And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose. (Romans 8:28, NKJV)

C2 What made Boaz notice Ruth?

B8 Ruth 2:8-14,

C1 Ruth 2:8-9, Why does Boaz want Ruth to continue working in his field and nobody else’s?

C2 Why did Boaz let this financially poor woman to gather grain from the field?

C3 How can we apply this principle today?

C4 Has anyone helped you this way?

C5 Ruth recognized this kindness and asks why he is being kind to her.

D1 What is his answer in Ruth 2:11-12?

D2 How does this verse apply? Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (Philippians 2:4, NKJV)

C6 What is the significance of Boaz’ words to Ruth when he says, “...under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

C7 What is the difference between Israel in the days of the Lord Jesus and Ruth? “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under [her] wings, but you were not willing! (Matthew 23:37, NKJV)

C8 What attitude is Ruth showing in Ruth 2:13? How can we show this attitude every day to God, to our fellow Christian, to our neighbor, or to anyone we meet?

B9 Ruth 2:15-23,

C1 In Ruth 2:14-16, is this a principle for all bosses and employers, or is it just because Boaz is a nice man?

C2 Boaz is helping the poor.

D1 How can we do this personally?

D2 What if we have little ourselves?

D3 How do we teach our children this?

D4 Is there a limit for us to help?

D5 Couldn’t he just have given her money? Why did he let her work for the food?

C3 What is the importance of Ruth 2:20 and the idea of the kinsman redeemer?

D1 The kinsman redeemer rules are found in God’s law: ‘If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold [some] of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold. ‘Or if the man has no one to redeem it, but he himself becomes able to redeem it, ‘then let him count the years since its sale, and restore the remainder to the man to whom he sold it, that he may return to his possession. ‘But if he is not able to have [it] restored to himself, then what was sold shall remain in the hand of him who bought it until the Year of Jubilee; and in the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his possession. (Leviticus 25:25-28, NKJV)

D2 There are three situations.

E1 A person becomes poor and in order to pay the debt, the person has to sell part of his inheritance (land).

E2 First, a near relative can pay the debt.

E3 Second, the poor person works and saves enough to pay the debt.

E4 Third, if he cannot do the first or the second, then the land will return to him (or his descendants) in the Year of Jubilee. This is usually considered to be the special 50th year in the cycle of 7, 7s in Israeli culture.

C4 What good advice does Naomi give Ruth (Ruth 2:21-23)?

D1 How can we apply this today?

D2 The Bridgeway Bible Dictionary has this comment under the topic--Boaz: Boaz was a godly man who was eager to reward Ruth when he learnt of her kindness to her widowed mother-in-law. He protected her from the local youths (Ruth 2:22), supplied her with food and drink during her day's work (Ruth 2:9, 14), rewarded her gleaning and gave her extra supplies of grain (Ruth 3:15). He showed no racial prejudice against her in spite of the traditional hostility between Israel and Moab (Ruth 2:6, 10).

B10 Why is it important to always know and do the right thing? How do we know what is right? How do many today fail in this?

B11 Would the character traits of Boaz and Ruth help society today? Would they help the church? How can we develop these traits?

B12 Naomi and Ruth might have felt alone, but they were not. Never alone

B13 Next week:

C1 The Kinsman Redeemer

C2 Theme: A picture of redemption

C3 Scriptures: Ruth 4:1-17