God's Second Greatest Gift Series

Introduction

I. I believe it was two Saturday ago that I was channel surfing, and I stopped for a few moments because a speaker caught my attention.

A. At first I thought it to be a Jewish Rabbi on television.

1. He was wearing a “yamaka”

2. He was speaking about Adam and Eve.

3. He had a form of godliness about him.

B. I had never seen a Rabbi speaking on television before, especially about the scriptures, so I stopped to listen.

C. I couldn’t listen to him for long however.

D. He stated,

1. “I really appreciate Eve.

2. Eve was a woman that wasn’t afraid to take chances.”

3. He continued,

a. “When Eve became bored in paradise, she decided to explore the one thing that was off limits.

b. When Eve explored this “off limits” fruit, her love for Adam became stronger.

c. For the first time Eve began to know love.”

E. And I went “Huh. That’s enough of you buddy.”

II. Paul wrote to Timothy about the last days in 2nd Timothy chapter 3; in verse 5 he wrote - holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power.

A. In other words, in the last days

1. Some will distort the truth of the scriptures.

2. They may use the scriptures, but they will more often misuse them,

a. For personal glory

b. For personal advancement,

c. If they do speak of the power of the scriptures, it might be for things such as “health and wealth” salvation in place of or before spiritual salvation.

B. In the last days, many will possess a form of godliness, yet without God.

C. But in verse 14 God’s directive is,

1. In contrast to those that the world,

2. The man; or women of God is to learn and trust in the word of God,

The Greatest Gift You Can Give

14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them; 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

I. If I say “perhaps”, it may give the idea that what I am about to say may not be true.

A. In this case, I say perhaps, with the assurance that it is totally true.

B. Perhaps, the greatest gift that we can give as parents and grand parents is a grounding in God’s written word to us.

1. As a parent, I cannot acquire spiritual salvation for my child.

2. In one sense, as a parent, or grand parent, there is nothing I can do to be totally assured that my child or grand child will, with certainty, come to faith in Jesus Christ.

3. What I can do is

a. Be a model of the truth of the Bible,

b. What I can do is be a transmitter of the truth of the Bible.

c. What I can do, the greatest gift I can give, is the assurance through demonstration in my own life, and testimony with my own mouth, demonstrate that I believe and so should you, that Jesus is Lord, and the Bible is God’s word to all mankind for all time.

II. Paul tells Timothy, “In contrast to those that profess godliness, and yet do not life up to godly standards, you (Timothy) continue in the things you have learned...”

A. Timothy had scripture taught and modeled for him by several people.

1. In 2nd Timothy 1, verse 5, Paul reminded Timothy of his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice.

2. Timothy was also a protege of Paul himself, which included at the very least Barnabas, and others that traveled with Paul.

B. Am I still responsible to teach and model truth if my spouse is an unbeliever, “YES.”

1. Acts 16, verse 1 states that Timothy’s mother was a believer, while his father was a Greek.

2. I would take “Greek” to mean non-believer.

III. I have often heard parents say, “I don’t want to force my children to believe.”

A. So what, you are going to allow them to not believe.

B. If that is you, you are correct, you cannot force your child to believe.

1. Perhaps they will not believe,

2. Perhaps they will never believe,

3. But the question is,

a. “don’t you believe, and if you do believe, what do you believe.”

b. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him.

4. Guess what, if Christ’ statement is true, we need to be guilty of making every attempt to give the truth to our children, grand children, and everyone else we love.