How the Sisters Can Operate as Pillars in the Church Life


	Message Three: How the Sisters Can Operate as Pillars in the Church Life The Sisters' Operation Produces the Inward Reality of the Church Life There are two sides to the church life. There is the outward appearance, and there is the inward reality. The inward reality is the content of the church life. These two sides can be seen in how the brothers and sisters operate. Brothers and sisters operate differently. The operation of the brothers is very much on the surface, and is outwardly manifested. This is why the brothers receive all the attention and admiration. But the operation of the sisters provides the inward content of the church life. Actually, no brother can operate properly without a number of sisters backing him up. The decisive factor in whether a local church is prevailing is not the operation of the brothers, but the operation of the sisters. If the sisters' operation is healthy, then the whole church life will be healthy. This principle is similar to that of a household. In a household the quality of the family life is dependent not as much on the father as it is on the mother. The father can make an outward show and provide a big mansion for the family to live in, but if the mother doesn't operate properly then what the father does means very little. On the other hand, even if the family is not financially well-off and is squeezed into a small dwelling, the family is healthy if the mother operates properly. In the church life it is the same. There may be a very gifted brother in a locality who is able to increase the attendance at the church meetings. But the healthiness of the church life will still be based upon the sisters' operation. No matter how effective the labor of the brothers may be, any wind can blow it away quite easily. The stability of the church life comes not as much from the brothers' ability as it does from the sisters' operation. When the sisters operate properly, they become the pillars to uphold the church life. Even though this operation will not be so manifested outwardly, it is crucial to the healthiness of the church. The First Example of a Pillar: Phoebe With this in view we will turn to Romans 16 and examine several sisters who operated as pillars in the church life. Romans 16 is a long greeting from Paul to a number of saints. The first name Paul mentioned was that of a sister, not a brother. Paul wrote, "I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a deaconess of the church which is in Cenchrea, that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints and assist her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been the patroness of many, of myself as well" (v.1-2). Paul mentioned this sister in a very touching way. He charged the church in Rome to do everything to support this sister. She was a serving sister, a deaconess. Why did he charge them to care for her? Because she had done everything for Paul and for many other saints. She had been a patroness to many. A Patroness who Helps, Sustains, and Supplies Being a pillar is related to being a patroness. The Recovery Version has a footnote on the word "patroness." It says, "Or, protectress. It is a word of dignity, denoting one who helps, sustains, and supplies...." (Rom. 16:22). Here there are three words used to describe the work of a patroness: "helps," "sustains," and "supplies." These three words are important with regard to the operation of sisters in the church life. Phoebe was one who helped people, sustained people, and supplied people. By doing these things, she operated as a pillar in the church life. What does it mean to "help" others? As an example, suppose a younger sister comes to an older sister and complains about a brother. In the younger sister's opinion this brother is too peculiar and his prayers are too long. This sister surely needs a certain kind of help. However, it is possible that the older sister may feel the same way about that brother. So instead of helping the younger sister, the older sister joins in and agrees with her. This is obviously not being a help. To be a proper help, a sister must learn how to direct and coach the younger ones out of their problems. When someone is confused, frustrated or bothered, you should have a way to help them out of their situation. This requires that you yourself be above the situation. Then not only should you help people, but you should also sustain them. To sustain is to impart spiritual reality to those who come to you. This imparting of spiritual reality ministers a way to go on to the person you are helping. For instance, the sister who is bothered about the brother who prays too long should firstly be helped out of her frustration, and then should be sustained with a higher vision and a richer experience of life. Sisters need to develop this ability of sustaining to be pillars in the church life. Then thirdly, a patroness is able to supply others in their needs. This may include their practical and material needs. Phoebe cared for the needs of many saints. She also cared for Paul's needs. Because Phoebe cared for Paul's needs, he was freer to exercise his ministry. For a sister to operate as a pillar in the church life, she must learn to be a patroness. This means to help the younger ones out of their frustrations, to sustain them with life and truth, and then to supply them according to their needs. The Second Example of a Pillar: Priscilla The second person Paul mentioned in Romans 16 was also a sister, Prisca. (Earlier in the New Testament she is called "Priscilla.") "Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles; and greet the church, which is in their house" (v.3-5a). Paul called Prisca and her husband Aquila his "fellow-workers in Christ Jesus." It is interesting that with this couple the sister's name comes before the brother' name. This is not the usual practice in the Bible. Prisca was very much Paul's co-worker. This sister was ready to risk her own life on behalf of Paul. She was really willing to die for the Lord's servant. Paul was thankful that there was someone who was willing to die for him. He said that all of the churches should be thankful for this couple because of the firm stand they took for him. We first encounter this couple in Acts 18. "After these things [Paul] departed from Athens and came to Corinth. And having found a certain Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy, and Priscilla his wife (because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome), he went to them. And because he was of the same trade, he remained with them and worked; for they were tentmakers by trade" (Acts 18:1-3). Paul was in need of work to support himself and those with him. He came to Corinth and found Aquila and Priscilla who had recently come from Italy. Aquila agreed to let Paul work with him, since they were both tentmakers. Then after some time, Paul took them with him to Ephesus. "And Paul, having remained there [in Corinth] yet a considerable number of days, took leave of the brothers and sailed away to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila, having shorn his head in Cenchrea, for he had a vow. And they arrived at Ephesus, and he left them there; but he entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews" (v. 18-19). From this point on, when the couple is named, Priscilla's name comes before Aquila's. Paul then returned to Antioch, leaving Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus (v. 21-22). After Paul left, they simply began to labor. It is an amazing thing that after such a short time together, Paul was able to entrust them with this. They became useful workers. Their effectiveness can be seen in how they helped Apollos. "And a certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, an eloquent man, arrived at Ephesus, and he was powerful in the Scriptures. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. And this man began to speak boldly in the synagogue. And when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him to themselves and expounded the way of God to him more accurately. And when he intended to pass through into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he arrived there, he helped much through grace those who had believed; for he vigorously confuted the Jews publicly, showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ" (v. 24-28). Apollos was able to speak effectively from the Scriptures when he first arrived in Ephesus. But the Bible says that he only knew the baptism of John. This meant that he only knew the termination of the old things. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos, "they took him to themselves and expounded the way of God to him more accurately." Because Priscilla's name comes first, it is very likely that it was Priscilla who did much of the teaching. Aquila is mentioned because it is not good for Priscilla to stand alone. Priscilla sat down with this eloquent servant of the Lord to show him that what he understood was not adequate. She showed Apollos that he needed to know the One that John the Baptist ushered in. Apollos needed to know who the Lord was, and what He was doing now. Apollos didn't say, "Who are do you think you are? You are a housewife, and your husband is a tentmaker. I am a servant of the Lord!" Apollos was proper before the Lord to receive what this sister had for him. Because of Priscilla and Aquila's help, eventually Apollos was able to show by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ (v. 28). Absolute, Diligent, and Able to Teach Priscilla's virtues were even higher than Phoebe's. First, she was absolute. Priscilla was willing to die for the apostle Paul. She was not only willing to die for the Lord, but for the man on the earth that the Lord was using. It is not improper to have such a stand. We should also be willing to die for the Lord's servant, because we are for the same goal. If we compromise our stand, then our operation in the church life will become limited. Priscilla's second virtue was her diligence. She was willing to travel and to labor for the Lord. She was a diligent laborer. She was a "doer," and not just a talker. Her third virtue was that she was able to teach. She didn't give messages in church meetings, but in a smaller setting she was able, with her husband, to render help to Apollos. We should learn to be able to teach in this way. No matter how rich a brother's sharing in a meeting may be, it doesn't really work without a number of sisters in the church life who can function as "Priscilla's." A sister can exercise in this way by inviting some young ones to her home. She can teach the ones who are in need. There are many saints who can speak about God's economy, but they don't fully know what it means. They need "the way of God" to be expounded to them "more accurately." We need a number of sisters who are able to teach, who are able to make saints clear about what God's economy really is. With every message shared, there is the need of much teaching to substantiate it. This is where the church needs some "Priscilla's" to exercise in such a way. This sister was operating as a genuine pillar in the church life. She was absolute in her stand, diligent in her labor, and had the ability to teach others. For a sister to become a pillar in the church life, all of these items must become her practice. The Third Example of a Pillar: Mary In Romans 16:6, Paul greeted a sister named Mary: "Greet Mary, one who has labored much for us." In the New Testament there are a number of "Mary's," and the order in which they appear indicates a spiritual progression. The first "Mary" in the New Testament was Jesus' mother, who was a very pure and simple sister. We see this in Luke 1:46-47: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has exulted in God my Savior." This "Mary" is the foundation for the following "Mary's." The second "Mary" was the sister of Lazarus, who enjoyed the Lord's presence (Luke 10:39), and even wasted herself upon the Lord (John 12:3). The third "Mary" was Mary the wife of Clopas, who was present at the Lord's crucifixion (John 19:25). The fourth "Mary" was Mary the Magdalene. She saw the Lord Jesus after His resurrection, even before He had ascended to the Father (John 20:14-17). So we see a progression: from singleness and simplicity of heart, to abiding in the Lord's presence and being wasted upon Him, to experiencing the Lord's death, to partaking of His resurrection. Then when we come to Acts 12, there is another "Mary." This "Mary" was the mother of Mark. When the apostle Peter was released from prison, he chose to go to Mary's house. When he got there, "there was a considerable number assembled together and praying" (Acts 12:12). Mary's home was open to the saints. This shows that to open our home is not a small thing. It is a high spiritual manifestation that follows the four previous stages. Then we come to the last "Mary," in Romans 16. Paul said that she was "one who has labored much for us." This sequence of "Mary's" concludes with a laborer. This shows us that in order for us to be considered a laborer, we have to pass through the foregoing stages. If we are missing one of these stages, our labor will not be effective and cannot prevail. We must love the Lord with a single heart, we must learn how to abide in Christ and waste ourselves upon Him, we must experience the Lord's death, and we must partake of His resurrection. Then furthermore, we must open our home. If we are never able to open our home, but instead are always guarding our private life, our labor will have no impact. Passing through these stages represented by the "Mary's" in the New Testament will issue in the practical labor. Then we will be like the sixth "Mary," a laborer in the church for His testimony. The Fourth Example of a Pillar: Rufus's Mother The last example of a pillar in Romans 16 is a sister whom Paul did not name. Paul said, "Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother as well as mine" (v. 13). This sister was Paul's spiritual mother. Even a spiritual brother such as Paul had a mother in the church life. For every saint to grow up, they need a good mother. Sisters, you should all learn to be the mother of many saints. Paul was under the care of Rufus' mother. Because of her serving, there was a way for Paul to operate powerfully and effectively. This is a precious operation in the church life. Concluding Word The operation of the sisters is the inward content and reality of the church life. When the sisters operate properly, they become the pillars to uphold the church life. We have seen four examples of what it means for a sister to be a pillar. First, she is one who operates as a patroness by helping, sustaining, and supplying others. Second, she is one absolute in her stand, diligent in her labor, and with the ability to teach. Third, she is one whose labor is based on a single heart for the Lord, an enjoyment of His presence, a partaking of His death and resurrection, and an open home for the saints. And fourth, she is a spiritual mother. If many sisters among us operate in such a way, then the church life will be healthy and the Lord's recovery will be blessed. To purchase the book Sisters' Messages