…BUT HIS FATHER WAS A GREEK! (PARENTS MUST AVOID GREEK BEHAVIOR)
1. Acts 16: 1 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but his father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
2. 2 Timothy 1: 1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God… 2 To Timothy, my beloved son… 3 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, 5 when 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. 6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
INTRO: …BUT HIS FATHER WAS A GREEK (PARENTS MUST AVOID GREEK BEHAVIOR)
1 Timothy 4:12, Paul Speaks To Timothy’s Youthfulness: “Let no one despise or look down upon you because of your youthfulness but be an example of the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” We picture a “youth” to be in teenage years. However, Timothy was the leader of the church in Ephesus - he was not a teenager leading that church. In Greek culture, someone could be called a “youth” until they were 40 years old. Anyway, according to tradition, Timothy as Bishop of Ephesus died in 97AD at the age of 80 while trying to stop a pagan procession of idol ceremonies with evil songs & committing blasphemous, abominable deeds. In response to his preaching, the angry pagans attacked, beat him severely, dragged him through the streets and stoned him to death. He stood his ground for the faith he believed as a young man and died for it in old age. With all of the potential and gifts he had, he would have never made such mark if not for certain blessings that God placed in his life – His grandmother, his mother and the apostle Paul.
Timothy Was Blessed For His Grandmother’s (Lois) And Mother's (Eunice) Faithfulness. Paul reminds us that even one parent or grandparent can have great influence on a family. Paul reminded Timothy: 2 Timothy 1:5 “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”. Notice that only these two female caregivers are praised and acknowledged for the excellent example they provided at home to young Timothy. I title this sermonette, “But His Father Was A Greek”, because God added it for a reason. His father was a gentile and not a believer in Jesus Christ (Acts 16:1-3). Yet, beginning with Timothy’s grandmother Lois, and then on to his mother Eunice, they were able to make a difference in teaching Timothy as a boy. Thus he would grow up to be one of the early ministers of the Church and a faithful companion and coworker alongside Paul. This was achieved in spite of the negative influences of living in a gentile nation and in a home with an unbeliever. The positive choices Lois, Eunice and Paul made certainly benefited this young man.
…BUT HIS FATHER WAS A GREEK
But He Had Some Drawbacks / Weaknesses In His Past. The Bible Lets Us Know:
1. He Was Timid.
2. He Felt Threatened.
3. He Lacked Courage.
4. Young And Emotional And Given To Much Tears.
5. He Was Not Making Full Use Of His Calling.
6. He Kept Himself In The Shadows.
7. His Home Was A Conflicting One.
8. The Women Went In One Direction Serving God.
9. But The Father Went In The Other Direction Serving Material Things.
Such Negative Tendencies Did Not Come From His Mother Or Grandmother because they consistently taught him the truths of the Christian faith from a child. Not until the Apostle Paul took him as a spiritual son and began to pour courage into him that he finally became someone. To understand his problem, look at his father, though mentioned in brief words. We have to go back to the “BUT” Paul talked about - But His Father Was Greek. Then we need to understand how the Greeks lived in Paul’s time. First of all, the word BUT is a prepositional word. A preposition is a part of speech that used to introduce something contrasting with what has already been mentioned.
THE PASSAGE READS:
Acts 16: 1 1 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but his father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE GREEKS OF PAUL’S DAYS?
Rome Was The World Power, but the lands it occupied were still deeply influenced by the spread of Greek culture under Alexander the Great who "hellenized" the world – influenced by Greek culture. So this young man was raised in a home that wasn’t perfect. His father was Greek:
1. They Were Gentiles.
2. The Greeks Were Heathens
3. Greeks Were Unbelievers – He Never Went To The Jewish Temple Or Serve God.
4. Greeks Were Uncircumcised. He Never Accepted Judaism Or Christ.
5. Worshipped Many Idols - Still Believed In The Greek Gods Of Zeus, Mars, Jupiter, etc.
6. Physique Focused – On Beauty, Looks, Brains, etc. The Jew require a sign, but the Greeks…
7. Greeks Seek After Wisdom (1 Cor. 1:22-24 – Jews sign, Greeks wisdom, etc.)
8. His Gifting Was Rejected By His Father.
9. Consumed By Pleasures Of All Kinds.
10. Cretans Are Liars (Titus 1:2).
11. He Taught Young Timothy This Lifestyle As Opposed To The “Weak” Christianity.
MAKE IT APPLICABLE TODAY: WHAT IF THEY SAID IT LIKE THIS?
1. His Mother And Grandmother Were Strong Believers But His Father Was Alcoholic.
2. His Mother And Grandmother Were Strong Believers But His Father Was Corrupt.
3. His Mother And Grandmother Were Strong Believers But His Father Was A Liar.
4. His Mother And Grandmother Were Strong Believers But His Father Was A Drug Addict.
5. His Mother And Grandmother Were Strong Believers But His Father Was Useless.
6. His Mother And Grandmother Were Strong Believers But His Father Was Runaway Dad.
7. His Mother And Grandmother Were Strong Believers But His Father Was Hopeless.
8. His Mother And Grandmother Were Strong Believers But His Father Was An Envy Monster.
9. His Mother And Grandmother Were Strong Believers But His Father Was A Trouble Maker.
10. His Mother And Grandmother Were Strong Believers But His Father Sowed Discord.
PAUL STEPS IN AND BECAME HIS SPIRITUAL FATHER WHICH MADE HIM:
1. The Apostle Paul Loves Him And Sees Him As His Son (1 Timothy 1:2 And 1:18)
2. Subsequently Devout And Faithful (Philippians 2:19-22).
3. Dedicated To The Kingdom Of God And The Gospel Of Christ.
4. Takes Him Under His Wing (Acts 16:1-3).
5. Leaves Him As A Very Young Evangelist At Berea (Acts 17:14)
6. Sends Him To Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 3:2)
7. And The Broader Macedonia (Acts 19:22).
8. Encourages Him In Two Letters To Him – 1 & 2 Timothy.
9. Paul Became His Spiritual Father & Taught Him The Ways Of The Lord. Which Father Are You?
WHICH FATHER OR MOTHER ARE YOU?
In The Life Of Every Child There Are Two People Who, Above All Others in their lives stand out as examples to follow. Nearly all of the lessons learned in the early years of childhood are learned from those two people. From Mom and Dad they learn about love, commitment, dedication, morality and discipline. We live in a world today where many of our kids are not learning the proper values for life and we don’t teach them the right values then they will develop their own set of values.
Timothy Needed A Father-Figure. He needed a father in his life that could lead into the knowledge of the True God of Heaven. It wasn’t enough to just hear Mom talk about Jesus, Timothy needed to know that a man could still be a man and love the Lord too. How Is A Godly Father Supposed To Act? What kind of life should he live before his children to encourage them to serve the Lord? Paul Answers In 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12: 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. If we want kids to do what’s right, then we have to do what’s right. Kids are going to learn how to live by what you do. If the words you speak don’t match the life you lead, then they are going to learn to be hypocritical. Timothy could have been a heathen just like his father, but he chose to learn from his spiritual father. He learned life’s lessons from Paul.
YOU WANT TO RUIN YOUR CHILDREN & HOME? LET ME SHOW YOU HOW TO…
1. Allow Jealousy & Envy To Direct The Way We Treat Each Other. 1 John 3:12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. God desires harmony…
2. Allow Materialism To Direct Our Priorities: Thinking with his stomach, Esau decided that eating was more important than his rights and responsibilities as firstborn. Therefore he despised his birthright. Hebrews 12:16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.
3. Practice Deceit: Lie, slander, gossip about others in their presence. Talk evil about others – can be revealed by your action or what you say. Jacob’s name means “deceiver.” It turned out to be somewhat prophetic in nature. He and his mother put together a scam to steal the paternal blessing from Esau. Esau heard and was ready to kill him. So, Jacob ran away from home. Deceit tore up the family. What goes around comes around - Jacob was tricked later by his uncle in a deal for a wife. He ended up marrying Rachel’s big-nosed sister and didn’t find it out until it was too late. He stayed and continued to work for his uncle. It wasn’t a happy relationship. Laban cheated Jacob. Jacob took advantage of the situation. Things got tense, so Jacob and all that was his sneaked away.
4. Treat Impurity Casually: David did many good things, but we always remember his failure to be pure. His adultery with Bathsheba started with idleness and then lust, and it culminated in lying and murder to try to cover it all up. Look at what happened in his family.
5. Make Anger A Regular Part Of Your Lives: Ephesians 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. James 1:19-20 Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Do not be hasty in decision-making / rash. If only King Saul had remembered this. His son was best friends with David, but Saul hated David. Saul’s rage led him into all kinds of sin.
6. Fail To Take Responsibility For Our Own Actions: Adam and Eve sinned - they both ate the fruit God had forbidden. But when God confronted them, whose fault was it? Eve blamed serpent. Adam blamed Eve and tried to blame God! No one was ready to accept responsibility. Shortcuts?
7. Instead Of Guiding The Family To Obedience To God, Encourage Each Other To Wrong Living: There are several times in Scripture where someone should have been leading the home into obedience, and instead they did the opposite. Eli and his sons. Eli was a fat man. How? 1 Samuel 2: 29 Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?
8. Treat Marriage Vows As A Trivial Thing: We live in an age when the power of marital vows has been trivialized. The media makes fun of marriage, efforts to normalize deviant sexual practices and minimize marriage, prevalence of premarital sex, rampant & quick divorce – they’re all ways of saying that the vows of marriage are really no big deal.
9. Fail To Instruct Children Wholeheartedly, Or At All: See Eli the priest & his children. 1 Samuel 2:12 Eli's sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord. 1 Samuel 2:17 This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord's sight, for they were treating the Lord's offering with contempt. 1 Samuel 2:22-25 Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel: how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. So he said to them, "Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear spreading among the Lord's people. If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?" His sons, however, did not listen to their father's rebuke, for it was the Lord's will to put them to death. 1 Samuel 2:29: …Fattening yourself…
10. Fail To Listen To Right Parental Instruction: This point falls on the kids. One day you’ll be on your own and your parents’ authority will cease to be as important as your own choices. But even then your parents’ wisdom will be needed. And until that time, there’s something your home needs: Proverbs 1:8-9 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
PARENTS ARE NOT PERFECT. EVEN JESUS PARENTS MISPLACED HIM:
1. They Were Godly Parents
2. The Mother Was In Great Sorrow.
3. They Took Him For Granted.
4. They Assume He Was With Them. 5. They Assume He Was With Friends.
6. They Assume He Was In The City.
7. They Looked For Help In The Wrong Places.
8. They Found Him In The Church.
WE PRAY FOR YOU AS PAUL PRAYED FOR YOUNG TIMOTHY
1. To Be An Example Of The Believers In Word, Deed, Love, Purity.
2. To Have The Unfeigned Love Of God In You.
3. To Fan The Flame Of Your Gifting.
4. To Receive God’s Gift On You By The Putting On Of Hands.
5. To Not Have The Spirit Of Fear, But Of Power, And Of Love, And Of A Sound Mind.
6. To Not Be Ashamed Of The Gospel Of Our Lord.
7. To Be A Partaker In The Afflictions Of The Gospel According To The Power Of God.
8. To Recognize The Holy Calling Of God On Your Life.
AVOID GREEK BEHAVIOR: 1 Timothy 4:12: “Let no one despise or look down upon you because of your youthfulness but be an example of the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”
