“SISTERS” or (WOMEN IN THE CHURCH) Dr. Paul Fedena
TEXT: Romans 16:1,2
INTRO.: A. Phebe is called a “sister” in the text and also referred to as a “servant.” The Greek word for “servant” is the same word translated “deacon” elsewhere. Does this make Phebe a “deaconess.”? Yes and no! More later...
B. Recently at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting a resolution was passed which angered the feminists and caused the President (and her husband!), along with the Vice President much agitation. The statement is attached.
C. There is no distinction between men and women in their individual relationship to Christ. Only equality here.
But in v. 7 of 1 Cor. 11 God makes a distinction in their position before the Lord. 💥 Man is called “the image and glory of God” and 🔅 Woman“the glory of man.” He is incomplete without her! He is like a two-sided triangle or a three-sided square. Man has the motor and the gas, but no starter. Woman has the starter but no motor or gas. He’s got what it takes but he needs someone to start him! (If you don’t believe it, whisper a few “sweet nothings” in his ear, ladies, and see if you don’t start something! – But wait till you get home!)
I Cor. 11:7: “For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.”
D. The whole passage deals with headship and submission. The hair or covering of the woman (v. 15) symbolizes the Headship of Christ and the subjection of the Church to Him.
👉The woman is not inferior to the man as Christ is not inferior to the Father. It is a matter of subjection and position, not inferiority and superiority. Cf. I Cor.11:3,8,9 👉Her covering (her hair) is symbolic of the Headship of Christ over the Church and the angels are to witness this when they attend services. (v. 10)
ILLUS.: Angels are NOT wimpy, effeminate beings with long blond hair and wings who kind of float around and hover over our heads to do our bidding or protect us (as in the cartoon Rose is Rose and little Pasquale). If you want a picture of a real angel, compare Rev. 10).
Rev. 10:1-2: 1) And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: 2) And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
TRANS.: We know that women can’t preach or pastor and cannot teach mixed adult Bible classes and cannot be deacons.
👩You say, “Okay preacher, what can these “SISTERS” or “WOMEN IN THE CHURCH” really do?!
I. WOMEN CAN PRAY: V. 5
ILLUS.:One godly woman in my former church was an incessant prayer warrior. She continued in her prayer ministry till she went home to Heaven. She prayed for me every day! If you need something from God, ask a woman to pray about it with you!
II. WOMEN CAN PROPHESY: V.5 **This is not the gift of prophecy or preaching:
ILLUS.:All over America, even in some Baptist(?) churches, women are being ordained to preach and pastor. This is wrong! They are not to usurp authority over a man! The problem in our day is that men have run out on God and so the women have stepped up to the plate! That doesn’t make it right, it’s just the fact. Often a new couple comes to our church and my wife and I go and visit them.
* The husband likes me better than the woman. He says, “I like the way you stand up there and let them have it.” * The woman says, “We are just shopping for a church right now.” And he says, “That’s right, dear.” Nine times out of ten she has her hair cut like a man and is wearing jeans and he is sitting in his recliner watching TV and sipping lemonade!
**This prophesying is edifying, comforting, or testifying: When the church assembles, men read the Word and preach and teach. Ladies can speak about methods or even teach methods, etc. but ladies cannot get up in a church service and teach or preach the Bible.
ILLUS.: 🔸A couple came to Glen Burnie for a Kid’s Krusade. He got sick and she took over and started to preach. I got her after the first service and told her that I would handle that part of the service each night till her husband got well. 🔸Suppose Mrs. McGonagle asked to speak to the congregation and I say okay, then she gets up and says “Open your Bible to I Timothy 2…I want to show you what it means…” I would say “Sit down, sister!” But if she got up here and said “Let me tell you what the Lord means to me. Praise the Lord! O love Him so much!” She would be exhorting and testifying or edifying and that is okay.
III. WOMEN CAN TEACH:
**They may teach other ladies:
Titus 2:4: “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,” (The passage even deals with suitable subject matter!)
**They may teach children:
**WOMEN CAN WIN SOULS:
John 14:12: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”
ILLUS.: Every “sister” in the house is to be a soul- winner. It doesn’t say “he that is called to preach,” or “she that goes to Bible college,” or “he that is a deacon…”. It says “he (generic) that believeth on Me!” The question is, what “works” did Jesus do?
Luke 19:10: For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
We are to do what He did. We are to seek the lost. Who is to do it? Every one that “believeth” on Him! That’s male, female, boy, girl, teen, adult, 6, 16, 60, or 160! If you are saved you are to do what He did.
IV. WOMEN CAN BE SERVANTS:
Romans 16:1-2: 1. I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant ofthe church which is at Cenchrea: 2. That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.
✔She was a ‘deaconess’ (lit. “servant” i.e., “diaconos”)
NOTE: The term deaconess is not to be construed as one who serves as a female deacon. There is no official office of deaconess in the Bible. But if male deacons are servants to the pastor, then it is okay if ladies do whatever they can to serve him and others. Praise the Lord for “deaconess Winthers” and “deaconess Langton” and “deaconess Fedena”!!!
A servant is literally one who waits on others. Phebe was not ashamed to be called a servant.
Matthew 20:28: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
✔She was a “succourer”: This is a term of great dignity and means one who helps. The concept is one of rendering assistance or being an assistant.
CONCL.: Praise the Lord for “SISTERS”! Thank God for the “WOMEN IN THECHURCH” who serve, help, bless, win the lost, edify, comfort, and pray! What would the church do without you?!