God's Servant and Spouse - Character, Ministry, and Family
Pastor Tan Thai
This sermon emphasizes the critical role of a spouse in the ministry of God's servant, noting that the spouse can be either the greatest encouragement or greatest hindrance to service. Drawing from Proverbs 31 on the virtuous woman and 1 Timothy 3:11 on qualifications for deacons' wives, the sermon provides concrete principles for spouses of those serving God.
The opening section establishes the critical position of the spouse in the ministry of God's servant and in the church. The preacher notes that no one can hinder or encourage a servant of God in their calling more than their spouse. The influence of the spouse extends beyond the servant themselves to the entire congregation and everyone they encounter. The sermon establishes two difficult but essential principles: the spouse must share the same calling and the same character as the servant of God.
The second section develops four primary characteristics of a good spouse through the teachings of Proverbs 31:10-31 regarding the virtuous woman. First, the good spouse possesses character and is valuable to the husband and family, someone the husband can completely trust. Second, she serves willingly and voluntarily with a compassionate heart, serving not from compulsion but from calling. Third, she is wise, using kind words to help her husband and family. Fourth, she is respected by her family and is a woman who fears God, exercising positive influence so that her husband is known and honored at the city gate.
The third section presents specific character traits of the spouse based on 1 Timothy 3:11. The spouse must be serious, taking God's calling seriously and demonstrating maturity in conduct. She must be responsible, avoiding speaking evil or making false accusations against others, for such speech belongs to the devil and causes divisions in the church. The spouse must be sensible, temperate and self-controlled in judgment so as not to sabotage the ministry through rash or thoughtless behavior. Finally, the spouse must be trustworthy, faithful in all things, someone others can depend upon.
The closing section concludes that the influence and value of a virtuous spouse who loves God is immeasurable. Behind the servant who sits at the city gate is their spouse, and behind the active and effective servant of God is also their spouse. The sermon calls upon couples serving Christ to set an example in character and conduct so that many people may be brought to Christ.