The Influence Of A Godly Mother

Introduction:

A drill sergeant was frustrated in his efforts to make a soldier out of a

certain recruit. The trainee lagged behind on marches, used any excuse to

go on sick call, grumbled constantly about the food, and never made his

cot up properly.

But one day, a noticeable change took place in the young man's attitude.

When asked to what he attributed the soldier's change in attitude, the

drill sergeant explained, "Threats and punishment didn't work, so I had to

resort to the ultimate weapon: I called his mother!"

This rather humorous story, reminds us of the PROFOUND & POWERFUL

INFLUENCE that a mother has on her children. With this in mind, I invite

you to turn with me to an IMPORTANT text of Scripture, that we need to

ponder on this MOTHERS DAY SUNDAY.

Our text is found in 2 Tim 1:5, were the Apostle Paul makes the following

statement concerning the GODLY INFLUENCES of a Mother and Grandmother,

upon the life of Timothy, Paul states;

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 .............

How then does a Godly Mother INFLUENCE her children?

1. A Godly Mother Has a PROFOUND INFLUENCE on Her Children

It was Lord Shaftesbury who said,

Give me a generation of Christian mothers and I will undertake

to change the whole face of society in twelve months

In Philippians 2:20, the Apostle Paul makes the following statement about

Timothy, he says,

There is no one like Timothy

And agin Acts 16:2, states that,

The brothers of Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him (Timothy)

What was it that caused Paul and Luke to make such a COMMENDABLE

statement, regarding his ‘Son in the faith'? The ANSWER is found

here in 1 Tim 1:5, as Paul recalls the PROFOUND INFLUENCES that Timothy

had in his life. He states;

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 .............

A. Notice the REALITY of their Sincere Faith

The word translated SINCERE, comes from the Greek word, from which we get

our English word, HYPOCRITE. It means to be undisguised, to be without

hypocrisy, to be genuine, to be sincere, to be without pretense or deceit.

It is a word that RINGS with REALITY!

• Paul employed this word in 1 Tim 1:5, were he said,

The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good

conscience and a SINCERE faith

• And again in 2 Cor 6:6, Paul used this word to describe his

sincere love, he call's it ‘GENUINE Love'

• James also uses this word, as he describes the final qualification

of the ‘Wisdom from above ...', James 3:17;

Wisdom from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle,

reasonable, fullof mercy and good fruits,

unwavering, WITHOUT HYPOCRISY

The SINCERE FAITH of Timothy's Mother Eunice and grandmother Lois made a

DEEP and LASTING impression on Timothy's life. The REALITY of their faith,

deeply impressed Timothy. Timothy was a young man who had a Godly

heritage.

A. Notice, the REALITY of their Sincere Faith

B. Notice the RESULTS of their Sincere Faith

Paul states 1 Tim 1:5;

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 .............

Chuck Swindoll says,

"If you were blessed with a good mother, you will reap the benefits the

rest of your days. If your mother neglected your needs and failed to

support your dad, unfortunately, much of what you suffered cannot be

erased. For good or ill, a mother's mark is permanent."

As we ponder many of the GREAT men and women of the faith, we soon

discover, somewhere in the shadows of their surroundings, stands the Godly

Influence of a mother in touch with God.

Someone has said,

Mothers write on the hearts of their children what the rough hand of the

world cannot erase

For EXAMPLE;

John Quincy Adams said, "All that I am my mother made me." Abraham Lincoln

said, "All that I am or hope to be, I own to my angel mother." Dwight

Moody said, "All that I have ever accomplished in life, I owe to my

mother."

1. A Godly Mother Has a PROFOUND INFLUENCE on Her Children

2. A Godly Mother Has a PRACTICAL INFLUENCE on Her Children

What then are the PRACTICAL RESPONSIBILITIES of a Godly Mother?

A. They Sensed their responsibility in COMMUNICATING the TRUTH Verbally

Paul states in 2 Tim 3:15;

From childhood (Timothy had) .....known the sacred writings

which are able to give (him) the wisdom that leads to Salvation