How Are You Influencing The Next Generation? (AM Sermon Notes)
Mother’s Day 2019
GIST: If you want to make a difference in lives, let Jesus completely change yours.
SCRIPTURE: Acts 16:1-5
Happy Mother’s Day! Let me start by just thanking all the moms here. That comes in all shapes and stages. You might be raising kids now, or playing the role of grandma. You might never have had any biological kids, but you’ve taken many under your wings. Your influence has made a difference. Your compassion and dedication and sacrifice have touched lives. Thank you. And because I know my mom and mother-in-law both read this blog and watch these videos (they might be the only ones!), let me just say I am blessed beyond measure!
This morning, I want to speak specifically to moms… but not exclusively. There is something here for the rest of you, too! (In case you were tempted to start drifting☺️.) We’re going to briefly skip the end of chapter 15 (which we would have been covering last week), and move into just the first five verses of chapter 16. What we’ll see here as Paul tags a young Timothy for the second missionary journey has implications for both moms and anyone who wants to leave an impact on the next generation. (And, yes, I chose that specific title so I could use a Star Trek picture for our opening slide☺️.) Let’s read Acts 16:1-5.
"1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily."
This is a short passage, so it might be a short message, as well. But the truth I want to address here is huge. I know it’s one every mom needs to hear. I’m not a mom, and I know it’s one of which I need constantly reminded, as well. So many of us want to make a difference. Here’s our gist: If you want to make a difference in lives, let Jesus completely change yours.
Now, I know it might seem like I’m just grasping for a point here, but let’s break down what’s happening in this passage and what led to it happening specifically to Timothy. Then, you can tell me I’m still crazy at the end if need be ☺️. First, let’s consider→
I. What’s Happening Here?
The Mission Continues. The passage opens with Paul and Silas leaving for the second missionary journey. (Next week we’ll address why it’s Silas and not Barnabas who accompanies Paul this second time around.) On their first recorded stop here, they pick up this young man named Timothy who had likely been saved on the first journey about five years previously. So→
An Associate Is Added...and Circumcised! Why is this happening? Well, the first part is easy to address. Paul saw in him the potential to be used by God, so he took him under his wing. But the circumcision? If you were with us two weeks ago, you know Paul had just fought a very significant battle against people who were trying to make circumcision a requirement for salvation. Then, after helping the Church realize it was all grace and not works that save you, he finds this young man...and circumcises him! Why? Paul isn’t being hypocritical here. This isn’t about Timothy’s salvation; it’s about his witness. Just because circumcision wasn’t required for salvation didn’t mean it wouldn’t be a hindrance when Paul went from city to city proclaiming the gospel in Jewish synagogues. To the Jews, this was a HUGE deal. In fact, they wouldn’t have even let Timothy in if he was uncircumcised. At this point, he seems to have gained a reputation amongst the Christians in the area, so his name would be circulating. With that name would have come the knowledge that while his mother was a faithful Jew who now believed in Jesus, his father was a Gentile who seemed to have had nothing to do with either Judaism or Christianity. Therefore, to remove any barriers that might have prevented Timothy from being able to share the gospel, he was circumcised.
This is kind of a takeaway, but let’s just pause there for a second. This might not seem very Mother’s Dayish, but if there is something in your life that gets in the way of you sharing the gospel with the people God has placed in your life, get rid of it...even if it’s not sinful. Let’s just talk superficial first because it’s a comfortable starting point. When I preach, I dress up a bit. I don’t have to, but I feel it is the best way to express the seriousness with which I take what I’m doing. However, when I’m here for VBS, or am out talking to people in the park, or playing basketball with kids on Wednesday nights or at the Children’s Ranch. I don’t dress like this. Could I? Sure. Would it get in the way of my witness (and my game☺️) in some of those settings though? Yeah, it would. In the same way, if we have habits or preferences that make witnessing more difficult, we need to be willing to lay them down. Timothy demonstrates incredible willingness here, but we’ll come back to that in a second.
The last thing we see in this passage is that after picking up and prepping Timothy→
Souls are Saved. Look back at verses 4-5. “4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.” They go throughout the towns where Paul had been before strengthening the churches by pointing them all the more to Jesus. Specifically, they’re talking about the decision that was just made at Jerusalem which had confirmed that salvation was God’s gift of grace! As a result, even more people were saved!
This is the context in which we’re introduced to Timothy→ sharing the gospel. He becomes the most referenced individual in Paul’s letters. He becomes like a son to him. But what brought him to this point?→
II. Why Is This Happening To Timothy?
God was working in his life and shaping him. When we encounter him, he’s already→
A Well-Respected & Willing Servant. Where’s that coming from? The passage tells us he was well-spoken of by the early Christians in this area. He has a Godly reputation. Then, Paul shows up, wants to take him along (which is kind of a big deal), and Timothy willingly allows himself to be circumcised….as a young man! He’s open here to some radical change. I’m not going to get into the TMI aspects of this, but let’s just say this was no little sacrifice, let alone risk, on his part!
We could speculate on what God used to bring him to this point, but we know this much for sure, he was→
Influenced By The Faith of Faithful Moms. Look at 2 Timothy 1:5. Melissa sometimes gives me a hard time about never using “traditional passages” for special event Sundays, but here’s a classic Mother’s Day one for you, and it’s so good! “5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.”
Let me just make a few observations. First, the faith we’re talking about here is one that is sincere. The word here means a faith that is literally not fake! It’s real. It’s genuine. This isn’t just a superficial or nominal faith. It’s the life-changing faith that only comes from knowing Jesus as your personal savior. It’s the free gift of God for all who believe in sincerity. It’s not going to church on Sundays; it’s being radically in love with Jesus!
Now, notice that Paul says this faith first dwelt in his grandmother and his mother and now dwells in Timothy, as well. This is not saying that he was saved by their faith, but he witnessed it, and that impacted him.
Let’s camp out here for just a second. This is what we should all want for our children—sincere faith, a faith that can face this broken world with hope—a real, lasting hope! We can’t save them, but we can show them what life-changing salvation looks like. If you want them to have a walk with Jesus that is vibrant, show them!
Why was Timothy a young man who willingly followed Jesus even when it came a personal cost? He’d seen that model in the life of his mom and grandma. Keep in mind, there is no mention of Timothy’s Gentile father being involved in this at all. Being a woman in this ancient civilization and going against the beliefs and guidance of your husband would have been no small task, but her faith was real enough Paul took note of it. Timothy did too.
I saw this quote attributed to Charles Spurgeon on “the facebook” a few weeks back. I don’t know if he really ever said this or not, but it’s a powerful truth. “Train up a child in the way he should go - but be sure you go that way yourself.” You want to make a difference in the lives of this next generation, mom or otherwise, let Jesus make all the difference in your life.
TAKEAWAYS
I know this is shorter than usual this morning, but this one driving truth is more than worth our consideration. Let’s close with these quick “recap” takeaways.
1. Don’t let there be barriers to your witness and strive every day to be an influence for Jesus. These could be two takeaways here, but I couldn’t separate them in my mind. If you’re serious about people coming to know Jesus, you’ll be serious about how you live your own life for Him. He’ll be your priority. He’ll take precedence over your time, talents, and money. He’ll be what you talk about. He’ll be so central to who you are that if anything stops people from seeing Him in you, regardless of the personal cost, you’ll willingly give it up. If you really love Him, you’ll want desperately for your kids (those you’re raising directly and indirectly) to see Him in your life!
2. Thank those who have been used as influences for you. God used people to prepare Timothy for being used. He did the same thing in your life. Take time to thank those people. You wouldn’t be here without their willingness to put Jesus first.
3. Love your mom! It’s great to have a mom. But let me just speak from personal experience here, having a great mom is immeasurably better. If you’ve been blessed with a mom who loves Jesus, never forget how blessed you are!
No comments:
Post a Comment