Purpose: To challenge believers to learn from the good examples of believers who went before them.
Aim: I want the listener to seek to have their faith deep enough so that it will affect those around them, especially their children.
INTRODUCTION: Mother's Day is a good time to give honor to our mothers for all that they have done for us. No mother is perfect, of course, but some of us here have been blessed with godly mothers who set a wonderful example for us to follow. It is also true that many of us have not been blessed with godly parents at all. Many of us look back at our parents with regret because they didn't leave us a better example of how a Christian should live.
If we do not have good Christian parents, does that mean that our lives are doomed to failure? Paul answers that question for us in the first seven verses of II Timothy. The good news is that every one of us can find a godly example to follow. We have to do two things. First, we must ...
Vs.1-5 I. Look to our own Godly Heritage
Paul begins by contrasting two different ways of rejoicing in a godly heritage.
Vs.1-3 A. Paul looked back to ancient believers "my forefathers"
There is no evidence that Paul's parents were ever followers of Jesus Christ.
"Paul was born at Tarsus, the chief city of Cilicia (southeast Asia Minor). He was a citizen of Tarsus, 'no mean city,' as he called it (Acts 21:39). He was also born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28), a privilege that worked to his advantage on several occasions during his apostolic ministry. Since Paul was born a Roman citizen, his father must have been a Roman citizen before him. 'Paul' was part of his Roman name. In addition to his Roman name, he was given a Jewish name, 'Saul,' perhaps in memory of Israel's first king, a member of the tribe of Benjamin, to which Paul's family belonged.
"His Jewish heritage meant much more to Paul than Roman citizenship. Unlike many Jews who had been scattered throughout the world, he and his family did not become assimilated to the Gentile way of life that surrounded them. This is suggested when Paul describes himself as 'a Hebrew of the Hebrews' (Phil. 3:5), and confirmed by Paul's statement in Acts 22:3 that, while he was born in Tarsus, he was brought up in Jerusalem 'at the feet of Gamaliel,' the most illustrious rabbi of his day (Acts 5:34). Paul's parents wanted their son to be well-grounded in the best traditions of Jewish orthodoxy." [1]
Paul's parents raised a self-righteous Pharisee, evidently, that was their intention. This meant that Paul had to look back to the great men and women of the faith in order to find a good example to follow. In other words, instead of following his parent's example, Paul looked up to men like Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, and Nehemiah.
Notice that Paul said that he had a "clear conscience" like the great men and women of old. All of the great men of faith had failings--many of them had great failings. Twice Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife in order to protect himself. Moses had anger issues, which drove him to murder an Egyptian. Joshua failed to seek God's will every time he needed to make a leadership decision. David fell into immorality and failed to invest the time he should have in raising his own children.
Yet, Paul could say that overall, they had a "clear conscience" because they all truly loved their God. When David was confronted with his great sin of adultery he repented and said, Psalm 51:4 Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge. (NAU) Psalm 51:12--13 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You. (NAU)
As we look at godly examples for us to follow, it is important that we focus on their love for God and not just their actions. Peter blundered many times during the three years that he followed Jesus around Galilee, but he was never far from Jesus. There is no doubt that Peter loved Jesus very much, and that is what we want to imitate.
Vs.4-5 B. Timothy could look back to Lois and Eunice
Paul probably won Timothy to Christ, but it was Timothy's mother and grandmother who laid the groundwork for God to work in his life. Timothy's upbringing, though, was not ideal. His father was not a believer (Acts 16:1).
Neither Paul nor Timothy could use their upbringing as an excuse for not being godly.
Few things, though, are more contagious than a mother's genuine faith.
Charles Spurgeon often spoke about his mother. "I cannot tell how much I owe to the solemn words and prayers of my good mother. It was the custom on Sunday evenings, while we were children, for her to stay at home with us. We sat around the table and read verse by verse, while she explained the Scripture to us. After that was done, then came the time of pleading with God. Some of the words of our mother=s prayers we shall never forget, even when our heads are gray. I remember her once praying thus, 'Now, Lord, if my children go on in sin, it will not be from ignorance that they perish, and my soul must bear a swift witness against them at the day of judgment if they lay not hold of Jesus Christ.'"
What makes a mother's faith so powerful that it will profoundly affect her children for the rest of their lives?
Let's examine what Paul said about Timothy's mother's and grandmother's faith that was so significant.
Vs.5a 1. Faith must be genuine "the sincere faith within you"
Paul was preparing Timothy for some needed instruction in verse 6, but he was very confident about the genuineness of Timothy's faith.
Timothy had proved himself to Paul. Earlier he wrote in Philippians 2:19-22 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. 20 For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. (NAU)
1 Timothy 1:2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith... (NAU)
What are the building blocks of a faith that is so real that others are convinced it is genuine? Paul gives a fuller description of what Timothy=s life was like in his first letter to Timothy. 1 Timothy 1:5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (NAU)
Paul has already explained what he means by a genuine faith in 1 Timothy 1:5.
What Does Genuine Faith Look Like?
1 Timothy 1:5
1. Genuine faith loves purity "love from a pure heart"
Perhaps very few people are interested in learning about our faith because we have so much of the world mixed into our daily lives.
David prayed that God would, Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. (NAU)
God reminds us that, 1 Samuel 16:7 . . . God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.@ (NAU)
Hebrews 12:14 Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will [ever] see the Lord. (AMPNT)
If you are holding on to sin, your life will never have the positive effect on others that you should have. Is your life pure?
2. Genuine faith repents "a good conscience"
The word GOOD can also mean "perfect." This doesn't mean that a person's past is perfect; it means that a person's past sins are confessed and forsaken.
Paul said that this was something that he worked hard at doing. Acts 24:16 Therefore I always exercise and discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God and toward men. (AMPNT)
We will never be close to God until we have the joy and freedom that a clean conscience brings. Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (NAU)
3. Genuine faith should appear real to others "a sincere faith"
When we don't keep our lives pure, and ignore the rebuke of our conscience then our claim to be a follower of Christ will ring hollow, especially to those who live the closest to us.
Do our family members see us striving to live what we say we believe?
Barnabus was a man with a sincere faith. Notice how God used him. Acts 11:23-24 23 Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; 24 for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. (NAU)
Vs.5b 2. Faith must be all consuming "dwelt"
"DWELT NT: 1774 enoikeo (en oy keh' o); from NT: 1722 and NT: 3611; to inhabit (figuratively): KJV dwell in." [2] Or we could say, "To be at home with."
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him' (NAU)
Faith in Christ is a consuming faith. Luke 10:27 And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." (NAU) Half way measures are worthless.
In order for our faith to be all consuming three things must take place.
How Can We have a Faith That is All Consuming?
1. We must be in the faith
2 Corinthians 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in youCunless indeed you fail the test? (NAU)
Are you sure that Christ is in you? Do you trust Christ's work on the Cross as your only hope of forgiveness? Is God in the process of changing you so that you are more and more like Christ?
2. We must stand for the faith
1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. (NAU)
The apostle John wrote to a godly lady in his second letter: 2 John 1, 4 1 The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 4 I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father. (NAU)
Romans 5:2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. (NAU)
Romans 11:20 Quite right, they [the Jewish nation] were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear (NAU)
"The Old Cross and the New" by A.W. Tozer.
"From this new cross has sprung a new philosophy of the Christian life; and from that new philosophy has come a new evangelical technique--a new type of meeting and new type of preaching. This new evangelism employs the same language as of the old, but its content is not the same and the emphasis not as before.
"[The one who proclaims the new Cross] does not demand [that we give up] the old life before a new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts but similarities. He seeks to key into the public view the same thing the world does, only a higher level. Whatever the sin-mad world happens to be clamoring after at the moment is cleverly shown to be the very thing the gospel offers, only the religious product is better.
"The new cross does not slay the sinner; it re-directs him. It gears him to a cleaner and jollier way of living, and saves his self-respect...
"The philosophy back of this kind of thing may be sincere, but its sincerity does not save it from being false. It is false because it is blind. It misses completely the whole meaning of the cross.
"The old cross is a symbol of DEATH. It stands for the abrupt, violent end of a human being. The man in Roman times who took the cross and started down the road has already said good-bye to his friends. He was not coming back. He was not going out to have his life re-directed; he was going out to have it ended. The cross made no compromise; modified nothing; spared nothing. It slew all of the man completely, and for good. It did not try to keep on good terms with the victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when it had finished its work, the man was no more....
"That evangelism which draws friendly parallels between the ways of God and the ways of men is false to the Bible and cruel to the souls of its hearers. The faith of Christ does not parallel the world; it intersects it. In coming to Christ, we do not bring our old life to a higher plane; we leave it at the cross....
"We, who preach the gospel, must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, or the world of sports, or modern entertainment. We are not diplomats, but prophets; and our message is not a compromise, but an ultimatum." [3]
In what ways have you been willing to stand for your faith?
3. We must live by faith
Ephesians 3:17-19 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (NAU)
When we are "in the faith" then we will depend on our faith in Christ for all of our needs--from forgiveness to daily bread.
We will live by faith BECAUSE we are "rooted and grounded" in Christ's love for us.
The following is from Spurgeon's sermon, "LOVE TO JESUS"
"Did you love me Jesus, King of heaven, Lord of angels, Master of all worlds- did you set your heart on ME?
"What? Did you love me from of old, and in eternity choose me to yourself? Did you continue to love me as the ages rolled on?
"Did you come from heaven to earth that you might win me to be your spouse, and do you love me so that you do not leave me alone in this poor desert world; and are you this very day preparing a house for me where I shall dwell with you forever?
"I MUST love you- it is impossible for me to resist you.
" The Thought That You Love Me Has Compelled My Soul To Love You.
"And do you see beauties in ME? ... you see yourself in me, and it is your image that you love; surely, you could not love me.
"Oh brothers and sisters, some of you can say with emphasis, "Did he love me, then I must love him.'"
This is why Paul said that we must "know the love of Christ."
Vance Havner, a Baptist evangelist, told the story of an elderly woman who was always upset by many troubles, some were real, and some were imaginary. Finally, her granddaughter got her aside one day and very kindly told her, "Grandma, we've done all we can do for you. You'll just have to trust God for the rest." A look of utter despair spread over her face and then she replied, 'Oh, dear, has it come to that?'
Havner then commented, "It always comes to that, so we might as well begin with that!"
Living by faith means we are depending on God's promises to guide, protect, and provide for us.
Not only do we need to "Look to our own Godly Heritage" in order to have a vibrant faith, we must also...
Vs.6-7 II. Challenge our own Faith
Once we understand the basis for our faith and what the Lord requires of us, then we must take whatever steps are necessary in order to use that faith. Here Paul challenges us to two things:
Vs.6 A. Keep your service for Christ fresh "kindle afresh"
Clarence Jordon translated the first part of verse six this way: "I'm reminding you to shake the ashes off the God-given fire that's in you." [4]
Timothy's fire had not gone out; it just needed to be stirred up like a campfire. In order to keep a campfire hot the logs have to be moved and rearranged from time to time.
How do we keep our service for Christ from getting stale? From time to time, we should stir up our lives by rearranging our priorities. Maybe we should find a new time to be with God, or maybe we should change the way we read Scripture every day.
Vs.7 B. Keep your service for Christ balanced "power...love...discipline"
Timothy had to overcome being timid, or a coward in the way he served Christ. If we are going to serve the Lord in the face of opposition, we have to guard against being cowards, too.
Here is a formula for a balanced approach to serving the Lord that will keep us from wimping out.
1. Expect God to do powerful things "power"
God offers us unlimited confidence in Him: Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NAU)
The cross is powerful: 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (NAU)
Sharing God's message is powerful: 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 4, my message, and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. (NAU)
2. Expect to sacrifice much "love"
Real love means selflessness. 1 Peter 1:22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, (NAU)
Living for Christ may mean dying for Christ. Romans 14:8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. (NAU)
Philippians 1:20--21 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (NAU)
Loving other believers requires constant, humble self-sacrifice. Philippians 2:3--4 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. (NAU)
1 Peter 1:22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, (NAU)
3. Constantly focus on God's thoughts "discipline"
The KJV uses "sound mind" here, which is a good translation. The idea is to keep control over our thinking. "It describes a person who is sensibly minded and balanced, who has his life under control. The Amplified Version reads, 'calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.'" [5]
For example, we must not allow ourselves to entertain thoughts that we are better than others are. Romans 12:3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think .... (NAU)
CONCLUSION: How badly do we want a faith that is contagious?
1 Corinthians 9:24 27 24 In a race everyone runs, but only one person gets first prize. So run your race to win. 25 To win the contest you must deny yourselves many things that would keep you from doing your best. An athlete goes to all this trouble just to win a blue ribbon or a silver cup, but we do it for a heavenly reward that never disappears. 26 So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I fight to win. I'm not just shadow boxing or playing around. 27 Like an athlete I punish my body, treating it roughly, training it to do what it should, not what it wants to. Otherwise I fear that after enlisting others for the race, I myself might be declared unfit and ordered to stand aside. (TLB)
Romans 8:13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (NAU)
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; (NAU)
Acts 24:16 In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men. (NAU)
If the price seems too high to pay, then admit that you are not serious about following Jesus. Let's be honest with ourselves and with those around us.
