Women of the New Testament
Eunice Influential Mother
2 Timothy 1:5 Acts 16:1
We have recently begun this study on New Testament women. We have already looked at the un-named woman of great faith. Last week we looked again at the woman at the well recorded in John 4. We learned 4 lessons that she learned that day, that still apply today. 1. Nothing this world can offer truly satisfies. 2. Jesus knew all about her and us. there is nothing we can hide from Him! 3. Jesus offers real satisfaction. and finally 4. Satisfaction brings about a changed life!
This morning I want to look at another great woman in the New Testament. This woman is named, and even though we are given her name there is not much more said about her. It is all contained in two verses. Now these two verses ar not in sequence. They are not even in the same book, But, these two verses speak volumes about her character. Open first to Acts 16 verse 1...
"1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:" And now turn to 2 Timothy chapter 1 Lets read the first five verses, but is verse five we will focus on" 1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; 4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 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."
These are the only two mentions we have of Eunice, but what a testimony is given. Not by her, but by Luke the author of Acts and the apostle Paul. Luke notes first that she is a jewess, that believed!
In these two verses about Eunice we learn that her faith was an evident faith, it was a unfeigned faith and it was an influential faith.
1. An Evident Faith
When Luke writes of Eunice in Acts 16, she is mentioned as Timothy’s mother, a certain woman, but what is noteworthy also is she is a believer!
Now, we don’t have a record of any particular events that would lead Luke to this decision. Eunice did something, said something that made Luke recognize she was a believer. What have we done? Besides having our cars seen at church on Sunday, or even sometimes on wednesday night. What evidence have we shown that we are believers? They will know we are christians by our love! John 13:35 "35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
It was an evident Faith and it was also a ...
2. Unfeigned Faith
The word unfeigned means sincere, undisguised, without hypocrisy. Paul commends Timothy’s mother and grandmother as having this kind of faith. Paul says the idea of seeing Timothy fills him with joy when he remembers that kind of sincere faith. Again notice that the description of her sincere faith is not by her, but by another, it’s by Paul. What is a sincere faith, a faith without hypocrisy. It is just this, REAL FAITH!! It is not faith for show. we have been studying the book of James on Sunday night and James has a lot to say about those who say they have faith! Are you a christain all the time or only when christian friends are looking. Do you think your sin is any less than someone elses. Do you worship God on Sunday and the world the other six days? There is a country song out right now called" Who are you when I’m not looking?" I wonder who are you, when christians aren’t looking, when you think, God’s not looking? Sincerity in worship is very important. last week when we read from John, 4 Jesus said God desires us to worship Him in spirit and in truth. That means to worship in the spirit of worship and to be sincere in our worship. Don’t raise your hands and sing the loudest if they are just pretty words and you have a great voice that must be heard. Sing loud and raise your hands because you have the awesome privelege of worshiping the King of kings, and the Lord of lords and that means something to you!
Eunice’s faith was an evident faith, it was an unfeigned faith and it was a...
3. Influential Faith
We read that Eunice’s mom was noted for her faith, which may have had an influence on Eunice. Eunice’s faith probably had an influence on Timothy. The father is supposed to be, by God’s design the spiritual leader of the home. But where men do not lead, the women can and will step up. It was not the father that brought Timothy to church, it was his grandmother and mother. What kind of influence mom’s do you have on your kids, yes even adult children. How about you grandma’s? Men this applies to you also, remember by Gods’ design you are to be the spiritual leader. Do you posses an evident faith, an unfeigned faith, and an influential faith?
I remember hearing about a boy who used to like to play at his friends house. Every time he went over there, Grandma was sitiing on the porch reading her bible. After seeing this for along time, he finally asked his friend why his grandmother was spending so much time reading her Bible. His friend told him "I think she’s studying for the finals"
Who was it that had an influence on your faith? Who brought you to church, who was there when you asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. Who’s faith was evident to you, who’s faith was sincere to you, and who’s faith was inflential to you? It’s great to remember and even to commend those people from your faith past but here is what is really important. Pauls says " 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." Is that same faith Evident in you? Is it sincere, unfeigned in you? And, are others infuenced by your faith?
Eunice, mentioned in two verses, a woman of Evident, Unfeigned, Influential faith!
