Rewards of a Mother’s Faith
2 Timothy 1:5
(cf. 1-7)
… I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.
Acts 16:1
Paul came … to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.
INTRODUCTION
.. Today is Mother’s Day – a day set aside to honor our Mothers.
Establishment –
.. This day was originally observed by Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948) in 1908 who gave a carnation (her mother’s favorite flower) to those who attended a memorial service in honor of her mother – soon the idea gained popularity and began to be observed by several cities throughout the nation. Finally, on May 9, 1914 by an act of Congress and a declaration of President Woodrow Wilson the “second” Sunday in May was designated as Mother’s Day.
[Unknown – Mother’s Day, Pulpit Help, 1991, SermonIllustrations.com, downloaded 12 May, 2007]
Illustrations –
1. Some Mothers
. Some mothers are teachers.
. Some mothers are disciplinarians.
. Some mothers are cleaning ladies.
. Some mothers are gardeners and mowers of lawns.
. Some mothers are maintenance workers.
. Some mothers are cooks – most understanding that baking cookies is more important than washing windows.
. Some mothers are nurses.
. Some mothers are doctors.
. Some mothers are psychologist, molders of vocabularies, and shaper of attitudes.
. Some mothers are soft voices saying, “I love you.” Some mothers are a link to God, a child’s first impression of God’s love.
. Some mothers do all of these things and much, much more – plus pursue a career outside of the home.
[Melvin M. Newland – A Mother’s Love (adapted), SermonCentral.com, “Illustrations”, downloaded 12 May, 2007]
2. A teacher gave her class of second graders a lesson on the magnet and what it does. The next day in a written test, she included this question: “My full name has six letters. The first one is M. I pick up things. What am I?” When the test papers were turned in, the teacher … [found] that almost 50 percent of the students answered the question with the word Mother. [Unknown].
[Michael McCartney – Acts of Mothers, [Proverbs 31:10-31 sermon], SermonCentral.com, downloaded 12 May 2007]
3. [Someone once said] – “I’d like to be the ideal mother, but I’m too busy raising my kids.” [Unknown].
[Ibid.]
Memories –
1. My favorite memory about my mother is when I was a boy. I would go pick some wild blackberries and take them to my mom. She would pay me 50 cents for them and then turn around and make me a blackberry cobbler to eat. To this day blackberry cobbler is my favorite desert.
2. Another important memory that I have about my mother | father is that they taught me that the Bible was the word of God. They were not fanatics – instead they lived their lives respecting the teachings of the Bible – setting forth an example for me.
Honor –
.. Some of our greatest memories from growing up as children often reflect back upon our mothers.
. True that there are some moms that could be tough and hard to deal with – but all-in-all most of us look back and our moms are usually honored in our eyes!
1. Secular Realm
.. The world honors greatness by giving recognition, rewards, riches, and revelry – “everyone gets their 15 minutes of fame.”
Example:
. Education – PHD – highest achievement in academia excellence.
. Business – CEO – power and authority.
. Military – STARS – on shoulders because of the battles won.
. Historical – STORIES – biographies written about their life.
. Politics – PRESIDENT - highest office in the land.
2. Church Realm
.. Many of our churches honor our mothers – especially like today – Mother’s Day.
. This is a good and honored tradition practiced by our churches and as long as it does not distract us from worshipping the Lord – I see no reason not to continue its practice.
Exodus 20:12
Honor your father and mother.
. However this type (Mother’s Day) of recognition or the measuring of honor to our mothers is only temporal – for soon, as a church, we will be on to other traditions and events. This is the way traditions are addressed.
3. God’s Realm
.. With God – honoring parents, especially mothers is not a temporal affair.
.. Honors in terms of the end result.
. Our text shows:
Timothy was found to be a young man of faith --- because --- his mother and his grandmother also had faith --- this is not to say that God will automatically save our children because of his faithful mother, (because each one of us is required to believe God for our own sake) but, it does seem to indicate that God often honors mothers – by instilling in their children that same sincere faith (vs. 5) that they too posses. Think -- what better mission field will parents ever have than their own children.
.. Examples of God honoring women with their child:
Sarah Hebrew 11:11 Isaac, the child of faith
Jochebed Exodus 6:20 Moses, the child of deliverance
Hannah I Samuel 1:20 Samuel, the child of desire
Elizabeth Luke 1:57 John, the promised forerunner
Mary Matthew 1:18 Jesus, the Messiah – Christ - Saviour
Eunice 2 Timothy 1:5 Timothy, a proclaimer of good-news
. These examples ought to be an encouragement to all mothers – If God so honored these women in the past, will He not also honor you as you fix your hope and desires upon Him.
Proverbs 21:21
He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness and honor.
Story:
.. Susannah Wesley
Was the mother of 17 children. She spent everyday in prayer for them. Each week she would set aside one hour for each child and discuss spiritual matters with them.
The result – John & Charles Wesley – two of her sons – were used in a mighty way by the Lord throughout England and in much of America.
.. Charles Spurgeon
“I cannot tell how much I owe to the prayers of my good mother. I remember her once praying, “Now Lord, if my children go on in sin it will not be from ignorance that they perish, and my soul must bear swift witness against them at the day of judgment if they lay not hold on Christ and claim Him as their personal Saviour.”
[Charles Spurgeon, Mother, SermonIllustrations.com, downloaded 12 May, 2007]
TEXT
Acts 16:1
Eunice - “was a believer” – this Jewish woman had come into contact with Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ – heard the good-news concerning Jesus and she believed the report. She had found the Messiah.
. On the first missionary journey to escape stoning at the hands of the Iconiumians Paul and Silas fled to Lystra and Derbe – preaching the gospel to them – cf. Acts 14:1-7.
. This is when Eunice | Lois probably heard the gospel of Christ and believed.
2 Timothy 1:5
Genuine – (“Sincere faith” – KJV), [Greek: anupokritos] literally means: un-hypocritical (not an actor – i.e., not pretending to be someone you are not).
. The faith of Lois and her mother, Eunice, was not put on to fool anyone – it was genuine and real.
. Timothy saw a faith that trusted the message concerning Christ
. Timothy saw a life that was lived which produced fruit giving evidence of that life in his grandmother and mother.
. This faith Timothy saw and emulated into his own life.
CONCLUSION
A godly mother will have a profound influence on her children. What type of influence are you having on your child? It is never too late to begin praying for or living godly before your children.
Jonathan Edwards
Resolve to live as with all your might while you do live, and as you shall wish you had done ten thousand years hence.
[SermonCentral.com, “Illustrations” – downloaded 12 May 2007]
Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
. True - when Solomon wrote this, still true today.
INVITATION
.. To all those who have not come to Christ for salvation – I encourage you to start there today. Knowing and living your life in Christ is the best example that you can show to her family and her family to her.
.. To all those who know Christ as their savior – I encourage you to live your life as a testimony before your family that they may want to emulate you in the faith of God’s only hope of salvation – Jesus Christ, His Son.
Open to All –
. Come to Christ
. Come if you need to pray
. Come be a part of us
. Come share with us what the Lord would have you to do
Bruce Allen
Underwood Baptist Church
bea0210@hotmail.com
May 13, 2007
