A Faithful Mother
Griffith Baptist Church – 5/11/08
A.M. Service
Text: 2 Timothy 1:1-5
Key verse: 2 Timothy 1:5 - When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
The Introduction
Mom’s Dictionary:
DUMBWAITER: One who asks if the kids would care to order dessert.
FAMILY PLANNING: The art of spacing your children the proper distance apart to keep you on the edge of financial disaster.
FEEDBACK: The inevitable result when your baby doesn’t appreciate the strained carrots.
FULL NAME: What you call your child when you’re mad at him.
GRANDPARENTS: The people who think your children are wonderful even though they’re sure you’re not raising them right.
HEARSAY: What toddlers do when anyone mutters a dirty word.
INDEPENDENT: How we want our children to be as long as they do everything we say.
OW: The first word spoken by children with older siblings.
PUDDLE: a small body of water that draws other small bodies wearing dry shoes into it.
SHOW OFF: a child who is more talented than yours.
STERILIZE: what you do to your first baby’s pacifier by boiling it and to your last baby’s pacifier by blowing on it.
TOP BUNK: where you should never put a child wearing Superman pajamas.
TWO MINUTE WARNING: when the baby’s face turns red and she begins to make those familiar grunting noises.
VERBAL: able to whine in words
WHODUNIT: none of the kids that live in your house...
G. Campbell Morgan, a profound British preacher whose four sons all became pastors, influenced millions with his preaching, teaching and writing. One day, when his young son Howard finished preaching, a reporter asked him, "Since you have five Pastors in your family who is the greatest preacher? Expecting the son to give the honor to his father, Howard surprised the reporter by saying, "My Mother!" Often people do not realize that a mother’s love, concern and teaching are often far more influential on people than anything else. Never underestimate the power of love.
Contributed by: Paul Fritz
Mothers are known for giving so much to their families
They sacrifice enormous amounts of time and energy to make sure that all are provided for and that the children are brought up correctly.
That unfeigned or sincere faith found in Lois and Eunice tells much about their impact on the life of Timothy.
Faithful mothers seems so rare in our society, at least the kind that God’s Word talks about and how they ought to be.
The first priority of a mom is spiritual in nature. (morals, values, and above all, a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Transition Statement: A faithful mother does three things that help her children. The first is this, she lives her faith.
Body
1. A Faithful Mother Lives Her Faith
A. Timothy was influenced by mother and grandmother alike
B. The joy for a Christian mother is the salvation and service of her children:
I think ofttimes as the night draws nigh of an old house on the hill,
Of a yard all wide and blossom-starred where the children played at will,
And when the night at last came down, hushing the merry din,
Mother would look around and ask, "Are all the children in?"
’Tis many and many a year since then, and the old house on the hill
No longer echoes to childish feet, and the yard is still, so still.
But I see it all, as the shadows creep, And though many the years have been
Since then, I can hear my mother ask, "Are all the children in?"
I wonder if when the shadows fall on the last short, earthly day,
When we say good-bye to the world outside, all tired with our childish play,
When we step out into that Other Land Where Mother so long has been,
Will we hear her ask, just as of old, "Are all the children in?"
--Florence Jones Hadley
C. Living your faith is trusting and obeying God and that your children see that faith lived out daily in the lives of children.
D. Living your faith before your children means:
i. God is more precious to you than any other thing on earth
ii. When counsel is given, it must include the Word of God – Isaiah 54:13 - And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
Susannah Wesley, who bore 17 children, made time each week to take each of those boys and girls aside and counsel with them, speaking to them about the love of Jesus. Is it any wonder that one boy in that family became the greatest preacher of his generation, and another son became the greatest hymn writer in the English-speaking world? With a mother like that, we can understand why Charles Wesley wrote these lines, ardent with devotion to Christ: O for a thousand tongues to sing My great Redeemer’s praise, The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of His grace! Jesus! the name that charms our fears, That bids our sorrows cease; ’Tis music in the sinner’s ears; ’Tis life, and health, and peace.
iii. That you teach your children to pray
iv. That your children see through your attitude and actions your faith in God
Transition Statement: Not only does a faithful mother live her faith, but she never ceases to pray for her children
2. A Faithful Mother Prays for Her Children
A. Job 1:5 - And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
B. 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 Savior.? Charles Spurgeon
C. If your child is disobedient, unruly, or hard to train most of your time needs to be spent in prayer.
D. Lorne Sanny of The Navigators once wrote of his mother: "My mother gave birth to me in a frontier house on a midwestern prairie. On the kitchen counter she placed a list of the ingredients necessary for my formula. At the top of the list was "prayer,? and that remained at the top of her list for me throughout her life...I have her to thank for firmly establishing my spiritual roots.? Today in the Word, MBI, January, 1990, p. 23
E. Susannah Wesley’s Rules For Raising Children:
1. Subdue self-will in a child and thus work together with God to save his soul.
2. Teach him to pray as soon as he can speak.
3. Give him nothing he cries for and only what is good for him if he asks for it politely.
4. To prevent lying, punish no fault which is freely confessed, but never allow a rebellious, sinful act to go unnoticed.
5. Commend and reward good behavior.
6. Strictly observe all promises you have make to your child.
Source unknown
F. She prays for her children:
i. In front of them
ii. Behind their backs
iii. For their salvation
iv. For their closeness to God
Transition Statement: Last, but definitely not least, a faithful mother gives her children back to God. This is dedication and consecration of her most precious possession.
3. A Faithful Mother Gives Her Children to God
A. It is obvious from where Timothy ended up that Timothy’s mother and grandmother were not only an influence on his life, but did not fight his calling to the ministry.
B. Their testimony was influential on his testimony – verse 5
C. Another Old Testament mother, Hannah - 1 Samuel 1:26-28 - 26She said, “Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the LORD. 27“For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him. 28“So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there.
D. Giving your children to God means:
i. You acknowledge that your children are a gift from God for the purpose of raising in a Godly fashion, with Godly values and a sense of God’s calling – Psalms 127:1-5 – 1Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 2It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. 3Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
ii. That they are God’s to do with as He chooses – (after Job had lost it all) - Job 1:20-22 - 20Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. 22In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
iii. Not being content unless your children are on fire for God
a. We want our children to say along with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus after they had realized they had been with Jesus, And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? (Luke 24:32)
b. They should have a strong desire to please Him; that’s the goal.
Concluding Statement: A very beautiful story is related of a boat out at sea, carrying in it a father and his little daughter. As they were steering for the shore, they were overtaken by a violent storm which threatened to destroy them. The coast was dangerous. The mother lighted a lamp and started up the worn stairway to the attic window. "It won’t do any good, mother," the son called after her. But the mother went up, put the light in the window, knelt beside it, and prayed. Out in the storm, the daughter saw a glimmer of gold on the water’s edge. "Steer for that," the father said. Slowly, but steadily, they came toward the light and at last were anchored in the little, sheltered cottage by the harbor.
"Thank God!" cried the mother as she heard their glad voices, and came down the stairway with a lamp in her hand. "How did you get here?" she said. "We steered by mother’s light," answered the daughter, "although we did not know what it was out there." "Ah," thought the boy, a wayward boy, "it is time I was steering by my mother’s light." And e’er he slept, he surrendered himself to God and asked him to guide him over life’s rough sea.
Months went by, and disease smote him. "He can’t live long," was the verdict of the doctor; and one stormy night he lay dying. "Do not be afraid for me," he said as they wept, "I shall make the harbor, for I am steering by my mother’s light." --Sent Of God
Conclusion:
Mothers and Grandmothers, you are a special gift of God.
What are you giving to your children and grandchildren that is of eternal value?
What provisions are you making for them as they journey in this life?
Will the fire of your devotion light their way?
