Beautiful in God’s Sight - 2 Timothy 1:3-10 - May 8, 2011
Mother’s Day
Well I think it is pretty safe to say that “beauty” is big business these days, isn’t it? Would you women agree with that statement? When you take into account everything from hair care, to make up, to nails, to clothes, to body shape and size – and who knows what else – I mean let’s face it - I’m a guy – I just don’t know all these things – but when you take all of them into account it’s probably even more accurate to say that the “pursuit of beauty” is big business, isn’t it? Even from young childhood girls are bombarded with images and advertising that scream out to them, “This is what you should be reaching for! This is what you should look like! This is what it means to be beautiful!”
As I stood in line at the grocery store the other day I found I had some time on my hands. There’s not much to do while you wait in line at a grocery store other than look around, is there? That’s why they place the “impulse” items at the checkout stands – things like gum and chocolate bars and magazines.
Now I didn’t have a desire for gum, and not really a big fan of chocolate bars, but I do enjoy reading, and so as I waited for my turn at the till, I scanned the cover of those magazines. Let me tell you – it didn’t take long for so common themes to begin to emerge.
The target audience was clearly women. Each and every magazine had a picture of an attractive, and often scantily clad woman, on the front cover. Nearly all of the headlines had to do with some new beauty secret, or articles on how to look your best for your man, or tips to a better body. As far as I could tell nearly every article had something to do with a woman’s outer beauty, and the model or actress on the cover, was being held up as an example of what every woman ought to be.
Now I can’t help but think that for women in our society there must be an immense amount of pressure to cultivate this aura of outer beauty that is so appealing to the flesh, and that you’re told you need to have, if you are to have any intrinsic worth as a person. It’s a message our society proclaims in many different ways and it’s a message our daughters are hearing at ever younger ages. But it’s also a message that is not of God.
Let me read for you again a portion of the passage from 1 Peter 3 that _____________ read for us a few minutes ago. Peter writes to the women of faith reminding them that Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. 1 Peter 3:3-5
Those are words that I hope every woman, and every young girl in our congregation, takes to heart this morning, and I hope it’s something that the men here consider as well. The beauty that the world pursues is temporary. It is fleeting and it will almost assuredly pass away. That which is smooth begins to wrinkle, that which is firm begins to sag, and so it goes.
I remember a bumper sticker I saw one day many years ago. It said, “Beauty is only skin deep. Ugly goes to the bone.” It’s true to an extent. I’ve certainly met people like that – you probably have too – they look great on the outside, but when you get past their looks, that which is left, is not at all pleasing. And we have seen it the other way too, haven’t we? Someone who is perhaps not physically beautiful, in the eyes of the world, but who, once you get to know them, shines with a beauty that comes from deep within.
The word of God tells us that a woman should be far more concerned with an inner beauty that will endure, rather than an outer beauty, that will one day pass away. It goes for the guys too – though guys aren’t looking to be beautiful – for guys it’s more wanting to be ripped, or fit, or whatever – and so they hit the gym, or take up jogging or cycling to get in shape. And there’s nothing wrong with a woman being beautiful, or a guy being fit, but as it says in 1 Timothy 4, physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8 You don’t want to pursue beauty, or fitness, or health, if it comes at the cost of godliness and a heart that is pleasing to God.
What we ought to be doing is seeking to cultivate within our hearts a godliness that brings forth the true beauty of a woman and that brings to life the true masculinity of a man, because that godliness holds promise both for the here and now, and the life that is yet to come. Let’s face it, when you and I are long gone, very few people are going to remember us for any semblance of physical beauty, right? What they might remember though, is the legacy of godliness that you built into in life, and that you left behind, when you died.
That’s a beauty that wealth cannot buy and it’s a beauty that poverty cannot steal. Ladies, that’s a beauty that is immensely attractive to a man of faith, and even more importantly, it’s what is going to make you beautiful in God’s sight.
Now this is Mother’s Day, and I want you to understand that because of that, our focus is going to be directed a little bit more towards mothers this morning, then would otherwise be the case. But I also realize that not everyone here is, first of all, female, nor second of all, a mother. I know too that this is a day that is difficult for some of you, and it’s a day that is uncomfortable, for others. So I want you to know that what we’re looking at is the word of God, and as the word of God, there will be something in there for each and every one of us whether male, or female, young or old.
So that being said, I invite you to open your Bibles with me to the book of 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy, chapter 1 and we’ll begin reading in verse 3. Now Paul wrote this letter while he was imprisoned in Rome. It’s quite possibly one of the very last letters that he ever wrote before his execution. It’s been said that a person’s last words often reveal a lot about who and what was important to that person. And so it is with Paul. There’s no doubt that he knew that the end was near. Later in this letter he writes these words …
I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day. 2 Timothy 4:6-8
So Paul knew his time was nearly up and, while many of his letters were written to the churches, this final one he writes, was to an individual – a young man by the name of Timothy. Paul held Timothy in high regard. In his letter to the Philippians Paul writes of Timothy … I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. Philippians 2:20-22
And now as Paul is confined to prison in Rome, awaiting his own execution, his thoughts are drawn to this young man who has become a brother to him in the faith. And beginning in verse 3 we hear Paul’s heart revealed. This is how he begins …
I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:3-10
Look back to verse 5 with me. Paul says, “I have been reminded of your sincere faith.” That word ‘sincere’ is translated from a Greek word that means, ‘without hypocrisy.’ To be without hypocrisy is to have integrity between life and faith; it is to have no separation between secular and sacred. Paul saw in Timothy a faith that was real and living and active. What Timothy claimed to believe, and the manner in which he lived his life, were one and the same. He was without hypocrisy, and the credit for that would seem to go to his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice, both of whom Paul speaks of with great regard. They invested themselves in the life of their grandson, their son, and a sincere faith that guided, and directed, and inspired Timothy’s life, was born within him. That’s an amazing legacy, isn’t it? And it should cause us to consider the legacy that we’re leaving behind, as well.
Have you ever stopped to consider that question? Have you ever wondered how we are doing in nurturing such a faith in the generations that are coming up? … Thom Ranier in his book, The Bridger Generation, gives us something of an idea of what that answer might be. (As recorded in Brian Bill’s sermon, Mentoring Moms, www.sermoncentral.com) According to his research these are the percentages of born again believers in each successive generation:
* Builders (born 1927-1945) 65% of that generation are born again believers
* Boomers (born 1946-1964) 35%
* Busters (born 1965-1976) 16%
* Bridgers (born 1977-1994) 4%
Folks, much of the legacy we leave behind us tomorrow, is going to depend on what we’re building into the lives of the next generation, today. That’s why the Christian home is so important. That’s where our children are going to learn what it means to be men and women of God. It’s where they ought to be seeing mom and dad praising God, reading the Word of God, spending time in prayer with God, and making the decisions of life based on the will of God.
Ideally that’s going to take place in a home with a mom and dad whose hearts are both set on the Lord. My experience has been though that that usually isn’t the case. More and more in our society, and for a number of different reasons, we are seeing single parent families. We’re also seeing more families where one of the parents, either mom or dad, isn’t walking with the Lord, or doesn’t want anything to do with the things of God. You know, it’s hard enough raising children when mom and dad are both on the same page. It becomes all that much harder for those whose homes are divided or who find themselves raising their children alone. It’s harder … but it’s not impossible.
And I know what some of you are probably thinking, “It’s hard! Life’s too busy! There’s so much that needs to be done! I’m too tired! I don’t have anyone to help me! I don’t know where to start!” Maybe some of you are even thinking, “I’ve got nothing good to give!,” or “It’s too late; I’ve messed up too badly!”
As far as I can tell, Lois, and Eunice, didn’t have it easy either. We hear about Grandma and we hear about Mom, but there is no mention of Grandpa or Dad in these verses. One or both of them could have been dead, or could have packed up and left, or could simply have just not been believers. Regardless of the cause, it would not have been an easy world for a woman to find herself alone in, whether it be physically or spiritually. Lois and Eunice could have allowed themselves to have been crushed by it, to become embittered, to have given up and given in … but they didn’t. Instead they somehow managed to leave such a godly legacy behind them that God thought it fitting that their names be recorded in the pages of Scripture so that every new generation could be challenged to aspire to such godliness as they showed.
So here’s the challenge we face … How are we going to leave such a legacy to our young people that they in turn will be able to pass it on to the next generation?
I’ll tell you this much – it’s not going to happen by accident. You can’t expect to raise godly children in this world by default. They are surrounded by way too much that’s calling them over to the ways of the world, whether it be from the things they watch on television, or to many of the teachers they have at school, or to the majority of the kids in your neighbourhood, or to the worldliness of our homes. So the first thing we need to do is to …
Get our Priorities Straight. Life is full of so many things … but not all of them hold value both for this life and the next. We need to make the tough calls, and we need to make the hard decisions, so that we’re emphasizing the right priorities in life. If someone were to follow your family around 24/7 for the next month, what would they see your priorities to be? How do you spend your time? What’s talked about in the home? What’s being read? What’s on the television? How does the family do life together? All these things become a part of the legacy – whether good or bad - that is passed down to the next generation.
James Lowe, in considering the legacy that Lois and Eunice left for Timothy, has written, “How wonderful is a mother today who is more concerned about her children’s souls than about their future careers. / How wonderful is a mother today who is more concerned about her children’s eternal life than their success in life. / [How wonderful is] A mother who is more concerned about their relationship with Jesus than their popularity in the world. / [How wonderful is] A mother who is more concerned about their standing before God than their standing in social status. [How wonderful is] A mother who is more concerned about their spirituality than their intellectual, musical, or athletic accomplishments.” (James Lowe, Today We Honor Our Mothers, www.sermoncentral.com) And I would add to his list, How wonderful is a mother who has her priorities straight!
To all the mothers here today let me ask you a question: Do you know what your number one priority in life is? It’s not to be best dressed or to have the cleanest house. It’s not to find fulfillment in a career or other accomplishments. It’s not to be a helpmate to your husband or to get the kids to school on time each day. The number one priority in your life is meant to be the same as the number one priority in my life – To love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your strength, with all your mind, and with all your soul. And you cannot do that without knowing Jesus Christ. And you want to know Him because Scripture says that to know Him is to have eternal life.
And as a mother, you want to be constantly growing in the Lord, because kids are sharp. They can spot a hypocrite from a mile away. You need to have the things you are trying to teach them being modelled in your own life. You can’t tell them not to lie, cheat or steal and then go and do those things yourself. That wouldn’t be a sincere faith. You want your life to be without hypocrisy. So if you want your kids to be reading the Bible, not only ought you to be reading it with them, particularly when they are younger, but you need to let them see you reading it on your own throughout all those years. It’s the same with prayer, it’s the safe with serving, it’s the same with compassion, it’s the same with all the values and lessons you so much want to instil in your child – whatever it is, you’d better be living it out because children learn what they live with.
Along those same lines, you want the Word of God to shape your life. It doesn’t do us any good to spend a bunch of time reading the Bible if we don’t take and put what we read into practice in our homes. Listen as I read to you from the 3rd chapter of 2 Timothy. Paul says, But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:14-17
Lois and Eunice taught Timothy the word from day one – right from infancy, it says. Why would they do that? Because they knew, as it says in Hebrews, that the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 The Word of God is able to make “you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” And ladies, if you want to cultivate that which is beautiful in God’s sight, if you want to pass on a godly legacy to the next generation, you need to allow the Word of God to shape your life.
There’s no way around it – you need to know the Word of God. You need to know what it says because it reveals the heart of God. And that’s what you want your children to see, isn’t it?
That reminds me of a cartoon in which a little girl is asking her mom a very important question: “Mommy, what is a Christian?” The mother thought for a moment and replied: “A Christian is a person who loves and obeys God, loves their friends, neighbors, and even their enemies. They are kind and gentle and pray a lot. They look forward to going to heaven and think that knowing God is better than anything on this earth. That is a Christian.” The little girl pondered this answer for a few moments and asked, “Mommy, have I ever seen a Christian?” (Brian Bill, Mentoring Moms, www.sermoncentral.com)
Ouch! Folks, you can’t teach what you don’t know. You can’t give what you don’t have. You can’t live what you haven’t received. So get into the Word. And I know it’s hard – especially for you young mom’s – you’re busy every day just trying to survive. You’re not getting the sleep you need. Your nerves are frayed. You don’t have energy left for anything but the bare essentials. But getting into the word is essential. And I’m not going to tell you that you need to get into it for an hour a day, or even 15 minutes a day. You just need to get into it and let it speak to you. And there’s different ways of doing that. Two years ago we started making the Quiet Time books available. Many of you have found them to be an excellent way to get into the Word in your own home – and that’s great. But it’s not the only way. The key is to find what works for you and to stick with it.
And after you know it, you need to share it. From what we’ve read in 2 Timothy it seems it’s never too earlier to start training your children in the ways of God. So as you’re learning, and constantly growing, pass what you’re learning, on to others – particularly your children. And it doesn’t have to be a formal, sit down, ‘this is what I learned today,’ type of session. Use the moments of each day as opportunities to pass on the things of God.
For example, I was doing dishes the other day and one of the children made a comment about something they had been exposed to in school. That became an excellent opening to share a godly perspective on that situation, to have them wrestle with God’s ways versus the world’s ways, and to help that child understand how our faith informs our life.
Moses has said it well in the book of Deuteronomy. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:5-9 In other words - let the Words of God season your conversations.
And then finally, if you want your life to be beautiful in God’s sight, and to leave a godly legacy, then give yourself to prayer. For, as Scripture says, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12 The enemy of your souls stands opposed to what you do to the glory of God. Our weapon in this battle is prayer, for as you pray you reach up to the throne room of God, and you invite God to reveal himself in, and through, and over, everything that you face, and everything that opposes the work that you would do in His name. Zechariah 4:6 says, Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty. Zechariah 4:6 And so it is.
That legacy that you want to bring to life, that beauty that you want to nurture, is going to be undergirded by your prayers. That task that is set before us is too big for us to do as well as we ought to on our own. The good news is that God wants you to partner with Him as we seek to bring up the next generation in the Lord.
So it’s a big task … but it’s not an impossible task.
The story of Susannah Wesley’s life is just as telling as that of Lois and Eunice. Susannah was born in 1669 the youngest of 25 children. At age 20 she married a newly ordained pastor and in the next 7 years she gave birth to 7 children. All told she would deliver 19 children but only 10 would survive to maturity. Her husband was often away and when he was Susannah found herself solely responsible for not just caring for the children but running the household as well. She spent 6 hours each day homeschooling her children and invested 1 hour a week to one on one time with each child. She prayed for two hours a day and led the family in worship while her husband was away. She would lead out with singing and prayer and then would read one of her husband’s sermons for the children and the neighbours who began to come.
She laid down 16 rules in her home that she would not deviate from. I will share just a few of them with you this morning: #1 – Subdue self-will in a child thereby working together with God to save the child’s soul. #2 - Teach a child to pray as soon as he can speak. #3 – Require all to be still during Family Worship. #4 – Punish no fault which is first confessed and repented of. # 5 – Never allow a sinful act to go unpunished. #6 – Commend and reward good behaviour. #7 – Strictly observe all promises.
Some of those rules might seem harsh by today’s standards … but they worked. They helped her instil in her children a love for the Lord and two of them, John and Charles, would become a couple of the most important figures in 18th century Christianity. God used John Wesley to lead a nation wide revival, and he used Charles Wesley in the writing of over 9000 hymns, many of which still speak to people today. (www.chryaliscafe.com)
So it’s hard … but it’s not impossible to lead a life of godliness in our world. And ladies it’s possible to cultivate a beauty that goes to the heart and endures for all time. It means letting go of the gospel the world is preaching to you, that says your worth is based on your looks, and it means embracing the gospel of Jesus Christ, which sets you free to grow in beauty in God’s sight while at the same time leaving a godly legacy for those who will come after you. It happens as we put God first and as we take God’s word to heart allowing it to shape our lives. It begins to live in our hearts and in our homes as we put into practice and share it with others. And it is made possible by God Himself as we give ourselves to fervent prayer.
So the only question remains: What will you do now that you know?
Let’s pray …
