The Power of Undistracted Devotion

6 · This unit makes a crucial theological qualification: that difference in role does not equal difference in worth or dignity, and that God's distinct address to men and women serves gospel application rather than hierarchical ranking

Now please hear me on this. The Bible is clear that men and women are equal in worth and dignity before the Lord. They are both created with the greatest honor possible, in the image of God. Listen to John Stott from his fine commentary on the book of 1 Timothy: There is no difference between the sexes in their status as God's children through faith in Christ. Every idea of gender superiority or inferiority is ruled out from the start. At the same time, the Bible is clear. That men and women are designed to function in complementary roles within the home and church, and that each has different strengths as well as fight against different temptations and sin tendencies. Therefore, in this passage of scripture, God addresses men and women distinctly with the aim of helping each to apply the gospel, to apply the gospel to their specific design.

7 · This transition signals the shift from general theological foundation to specific examination of the instructions to men

So men and women are designed differently. So then, how does God first address the men in 1 Timothy 2:8?

8 · This exposition contrasts two pictures Paul paints for men, beginning with the positive picture: men who pray with holy hands, characterized by gospel-shaped virtues that bless the church and direct others toward undistracted worship

Well, Paul says, I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling. All right, so let's first observe how God paints two pictures for men in this verse. The first one is of nobility, honor, humility, kindness, love, and unity. Again, men are to pray, lifting holy hands of worship to the Lord. The subject of men is a significant blessing and help to the church. They honor the Lord. Their conduct flows from the sound doctrine of the gospel, and they point others to an undistracted devotion to the Lord.

9 · This exposition presents the negative picture: men characterized by anger and quarreling damage the church, distract worship, and contradict the gospel, as evidenced by their opposition to Philippians 2's humility ethic

A second picture, though, described is the sin-distorted picture of men, angry and quarreling. They are selfish, proud, self-sufficient, and filled with rivalry. They are profoundly damaging to the church are profoundly distracting to our worship, and their behavior flows from doctrine not in line with the gospel. It is the antithesis of Paul's exhortation in Philippians 2:3-4: Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

10 · This illustration uses Alexander the coppersmith as a biblical example of a destructive man whose opposition to the gospel caused harm to Paul and the church

And to illustrate just how damaging this type of man can be, consider Alexander the coppersmith from 2 Timothy 4:14-15, who did Paul great harm. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. For he strongly opposed our message. Note in 2 Timothy, Paul does not say much about Alexander's behavior. But he strongly opposed Paul's message. He strongly opposed the gospel.

11 · This unit makes a sharp theological claim connecting doctrine to practice: gospel-informed thoughts and actions produce blessing and encourage worship, while gospel-contradicting behavior produces harm and distraction

Blessing or curse, help or harm, whether we're informing our thoughts and actions with the gospel will determine whether we are encouraging the worship of the Lord or potentially distracting and pulling others' hearts away from it.

12 · This exposition examines Paul's first prescription for men—corporate prayer—using Acts 4 as an illustration of the power of united prayer and connecting it to the congregation's own desire for Spirit-filled unity

Now, diving a bit deeper into the passage, in light of the gospel, what exactly is Paul prescribing for men in corporate worship? First, Paul is calling on men to pray, and Chris covered this nicely last week, how we're going to have prayer meetings starting in November, corporately praying as men and women. But in this passage, he's calling on men to pray, and he's calling men to put off pride self-sufficiency and put on reverent, God-dependent soul communication with the living Lord. Consider what happened when the believers of Jerusalem prayed upon the release of Peter and John in Acts 4. Listen to this: When Peter and John were released, they went to their friends, reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together, together to God. And when they had prayed, the place in which they gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. Isn't that what we want for here in Providence? We desire for all of us to lift our voices together to God, just like we did in worship this morning. In unity.

13 · This unit makes a theological claim about the power of united prayer, pointing to physical shaking and Spirit-filling as evidence, then applies it with an exhortation to guard against distractions from unity

Just notice how powerful united corporate expression of prayer can be. Even the place where the disciples prayed was shaken. They were all freshly filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. Let us pray united, on guard against anything that may distract us. From that unity.

14 · This exposition examines Paul's second prescription for men—worshiping with holy hands, which refers not to physical posture but to heart purity, particularly freedom from anger and rivalry

Second, Paul is calling on men to worship in a godly, pure state. When he directs men to lift holy hands, he's not saying that men should adopt a certain outwardly prescribed form of worship, as beautiful as lifting holy hands can be. Throughout Scripture, godly men have knelt and bowed and clapped before the Lord. So there is freedom in physical expression. Rather, Paul is saying that men should come before God repentant, tenderhearted, not perfect, but seeking to grow toward the Lord and godliness. And he's especially directing against men worshiping the Lord while holding anger in their hearts, in a state of quarreling and rivalry. We're to worship at peace with our brothers and sisters in undistracted unity. And I personally don't see a ton of major quarrels and fistfights breaking out here at Providence on Sunday morning, but I'd like us to be sensitive to our hearts this morning. Here are a few questions to help us to do that. Do you sense any bitterness against a brother in your heart? Do you sense any form of grudges or competition with another? And in particular, is there any sense of what I'll affectionately call "judginess" in your heart towards a brother? Are you ever tempted to complain or speak negatively about someone for whatever reason? Remember John 3:17: For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. If Jesus came into the world to save sinners, who are we, even subtly in our hearts, who are we to condemn or look down upon a brother for whatever reason? Listen to Jesus in Matthew 5:22-24. But I say to you, that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment. Whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your your gift.

15 · This application unit directly addresses the men with specific instruction to care for one another, reject judgment and competition, and fight temptation toward division, supporting the exhortation with Psalm 133's vision of unity

Brothers, we are called to care for one another, not judge or hold a grudge or put down or be in competition with one another in any way. So I want us to be sensitive to these temptations so we can nip them in the bud. Certainly we are in this here providence together, so we need to fight against these temptations so we can honor the Lord in the beauty of gospel-driven, undistracted devotion and worship. Brothers, Psalm 133 says, behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity.

16 · This unit asserts the beauty of unified gospel worship as the positive contrast to the quarreling Paul will address later, establishing that such worship must be rooted in gospel and sound doctrine

This type of gospel worship where brothers are worshiping in unity is just beautiful and stands in direct contrast to the quarreling that Paul will address later in this chapter and later in this letter in chapter 6. But again, all this underlines the need for our hearts and our church and our worship to be rooted and grounded in the gospel and the sound doctrine that flows from it. Worship that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

17 · This transition summarizes the instruction to men and pivots to the instruction to women, maintaining parallel structure in the sermon's treatment of both genders

So as review, in every place the men should pray. Lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling. And these reverent, prayerful, unified men will produce a beauty in worship that truly honors the Lord and directs others to do the same. Okay, so that's how God is addressing the men in this passage. How about the ladies?

18 · This exposition reviews the passage's instruction to women and identifies the parallel structure: just as men are to exemplify reverence and unity, women are to exemplify reverence and modesty, particularly regarding displays of wealth

To review, the passage states that likewise also 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. If Paul wants men to exemplify godly reverence and unity, well, Paul here is instructing the women to exemplify godly reverence and modesty, and modesty primarily as it relates to our wealth.

19 · This exposition identifies the specific problem Paul is addressing: women in Ephesus who were drawing attention to themselves through ostentatious dress, thus distracting from worship and contradicting gospel truth about God's centrality

Here Paul is likely addressing the fact that some women within the Ephesian church were seeking to draw attention to themselves and exalt their financial well-being through their style of dress. They were being distracting, tempted toward vain pursuits for the sake of making much about themselves and their financial position. Rather than functioning out of a modesty that flows from a gospel truth that God is everything, that God is worthy of our attention, that God is the giver of all good things, they were seeking to flaunt their financial well-being through their dress and hairstyles. They're wearing some serious bling.

20 · This exposition clarifies the interpretive boundaries—Paul is not banning jewelry—then unpacks the positive instruction through a series of gospel-centered contrasts: humility vs

Now hear me on this. In this passage, God is not prohibiting the wearing of jewelry or asserting that women should just wear boring clothes. He's not saying that. Rather, Paul is seeking to shepherd the ladies of the church to, first of all, not dress ostentatiously, and more importantly, consider in their hearts why they would do that in the first place. Rather than seeking attention for themselves, Paul is saying that the ladies should pursue humility and love. Rather than boasting in their financial wealth, women are to pursue respectability and boast in their wealth in Christ. Rather than feeling they have to find satisfaction in expressing themselves pretentiously through their dress, women are to be self-controlled and others-minded in their apparel. Rather than being excessively focused on braids and jewels and costly attire, godly, gospel-driven women are to be focused on adorning themselves with good works, especially through the use of their wealth.

21 · This exposition answers the 'why' question by asserting that Paul's instructions are about heart posture and everyday godliness, not just external behaviors

Why? Why all this discussion about attire and hairstyles among the ladies, and why so much focus on the reverence and unity of the men in worship? Well, again, Paul here is primarily concerned with fostering gospel-driven, undistracted worship. Worship that points people's attention to the Lord and not to ourselves. Ultimately, prayer and lifting holy hands and dress is about a whole lot more than prayer and hands and dress. It is about our hearts and our intentions in worship? Are we coming to church thinking about ourselves, our agendas, our preferences, our interests, our glory? Or are we thinking about exalting the Lord and loving our brothers and sisters in Christ? And it goes beyond that to everyday godliness. Everyday godliness. Certainly how we act, the choices we make, the priorities we set, everything in our lives contributes to what we are thinking, how we are feeling, what we are saying, and simply what we are doing on Sunday morning. In the Christian life, in a life of gospel integrity, there just aren't moments off. Every choice we make, is either contributing to our gospel witness or it isn't. It is either strengthening our gospel character or it's not. It's either building up ourselves in the spirit of Boxton-Schnur Church or frankly it isn't. Remember, the character of our worship at church is amazingly powerful and important for witnessing to the world, and every member is a minister of the the Lord. And every member here on Sunday, as well as at home on Tuesday afternoon and socializing on Friday night, and really at every moment, is either strengthening or weakening the church by their worship and conduct, either drawing people's attention closer or farther away from the truths of the gospel. We cannot get away from the fact that that Jesus is King over everything. Jesus is King over everything. The character of our friendships, our marriages, our parenting, work, everything we do contributes to the strength and character of our worship here on Sunday. For truly everything that we do at all times, everything we do at all times is worship. 1 Corinthians 10:31: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." And Romans 12:1: "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, present yourselves, present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

22 · This pastoral aside interrupts the flow to address potential emotional responses, shifting from conviction to hope and preventing the sermon's diagnostic work from producing despair

All right, now before the weight of conviction just into the word condemnation. Let us also remember our hope. Let's remember our hope.

23 · This unit makes the central gospel claim: that Christ's work enables holy worship, that the sermon's instructions are about freedom rather than bondage, and that gospel-driven living produces joy, peace, and greater worship capacity

First and foremost, we can come and worship raising holy hands because of Christ. We can come to worship the Lord through the gospel, through the fact that there is no condemnation in Christ, through the fact that we're totally forgiven for the sins that may have just been passing through our minds, through the fact that we are counted as righteous before God and loved dearly as his sons and daughters. Please know this is not a conscience-binding, freedom-limiting message. This is a live freely message. Live freely in the grace that Christ purchased for us when he died upon that tree. Live in the good of a life of godliness. Don't get caught in sin that so easily clings and entangles and brings us and our witness down. Rivalry and quarreling will draw our attention away from the Lord. Showing off our wealth, even in our hearts, will distract us from our mission and poison our souls. Yes, live with the knowledge of our gospel-driven responsibility to present ourselves as a church that does not put impediments in the way of others' worship. But know that living in that responsibility, living in that integrity, and frankly, living in that freedom is the abundant life that Jesus left heaven, came to earth to earn for us. It will lead to joy. It will lead to the peace of a good conscience. It will free us to worship the Lord with even greater fervency and zeal than is already demonstrated here on Sundays.

24 · The conclusion synthesizes the sermon's argument, recapitulating the design distinction, the problem of fallen tendencies, and the hope of Christ's victory in forming the church into a bride that worships in truth and beauty, culminating in doxology

Truly, gospel-driven worship is a beautiful thing, and gospel-driven lives feed and empower gospel-driven, Lord-focused, undistracted worship. So in conclusion, God designed men and women differently, with different calls and strengths and tendencies. And Paul in this passage is looking out to shepherd the Ephesian church, and us by extension, to honor and glorify God amongst ourselves through undistracted, Jesus-focused worship. Yes, our fallen natures with their gender-specific tendencies can be a hindrance to worship. And the advance of the gospel. But praise God, praise God, this is not the end of the story. Rather, the end of the story is that Jesus wins. He will conquer our gender-specific sin temptations and challenges. He will bring about gospel-driven reverent unity more and more, and gospel-driven reverent modesty more and more. He will bring that more and more among us. And in his great conquest of our hearts, he will increasingly form us into a church, a bride fit for him, and one that worships and lives in truth and beauty, increasingly in a way that points people to the great truth and beauty that is the Lord. Ephesians 3:20-21. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Amen.

25 · This transition signals the shift from sermon to communion, introducing the theme of Christ as mediator that will frame the communion exhortation

Now for communion today. Let's remember Christ as mediator.

26 · This communion application connects the sermon's themes to the table, instructing the congregation to receive both relief from guilt and empowerment for obedience, with concrete direction to confess and reconcile if convicted

He paid the ransom for our sins, like we sang about this morning. He paid the ransom for our sins. That sin you might have just been thinking about and convicted by— Jesus paid for it. He stood between God and man and laid his hands on both of them. And he made peace between the two. So again, be relieved this morning. Your sins are paid for. And second, again, feel empowered this morning. The chains of sin are loosed. You've been set free. We can now walk in newness of life. We no longer need to indulge in our hearts or in any way in anger or rivalry or immodesty or sinful boasting or anything of the like. Rather, free from all guilt and condemnation, we can now put off the old man and put on the Spirit, a spirit of love, humility, kindness, and unity. So come to the table this morning in faith that Jesus is your righteousness. Your forgiveness, your peacemaking mediator, your Redeemer. And if you've been convicted by something from this message, confess that to the Lord. Resolve to make things right. If that means seeing someone after the service, whatever. Resolve to make things right. But first, come confess the sin and receive God's forgiveness, receiving his acceptance. And receiving his unswerving affection. And receive his empowering grace to repent and grow in living the life of abundant joy, peace, and unity that he desires for us, his church. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26: For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, That the Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, this is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And in the same way also he took the cup after supper, saying, this cup in the new covenant is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, You proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Come, let us partake of the table.

27 · The final directive transitions from communion to corporate worship response, completing the liturgical arc from word to table to song

When you're ready, let's stand and sing. Let's respond in how we sing.