Moms, Show Them Faith (2 Timothy 1:5)
GIST: Have a dwelling faith that shines.
-Start with testimony time about things you’re thankful for about your mom?
I have openly shared that Mother’s Day messages are often a challenge for me. I never want to sound cliche’ or trite. I want to honor moms because they’re awesome and they deserve a day of recognition. I also want to make sure I’m continuing to faithfully present God’s Word to the entire church even on days when we set aside time to celebrate a particular group. This year, I was drawn to a passage that is really one of the classic Mother’s Day passages, 2 Timothy 1:5. There is a good reason it is: it’s one of the coolest testimonies about the impact of mom’s we have in the Bible. I thought it was especially cool because last week we started talking about a passage in 1 Thessalonians that mentions Timothy’s ministry. We’ll finish that up next week. But as we pause this week to think about our moms, but what cooler passage to come to that a passage that specifically addressed Timothy’s mom and grandma!? This might be the 1,000th Mother’s Day message you’ve heard on this passage, but let’s look at it prayerfully with fresh eyes.→
“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.”
The impact of a mom is immeasurable. That’s a fact rehearsed frequently this time of year—even though it’s probably never fully appreciated. Often, much of this warranted attention is directed toward mothers as nurturers. And that’s not without reason. They wipe our tears and kiss our boo-boos. They’re the ones we want to be able to run to when the world is too scary or too out of our control. They’re our rocks—if our rocks could be simultaneously solid and comforting.
All this is true of good moms, and that designation isn’t limited by biology either. Countless women have worn this mantle elegantly without ever physically giving birth. On behalf of all the recipients of this grace, I want to say, “Thank you.”
Nonetheless, moms are not just comforting. Oh, they are so much more! In this passage, Paul reminds his dear companion Timothy of the legacy of faith that sprang from his grandma and mom. He was a third-generation Christian less than 30 years after the resurrection of Jesus. That in itself is incredible! Think about that. Timothy’s grandma would have been one of the earliest converts after Jesus’ resurrection. It seems like she and her daughter (and maybe even Timothy) accepted Jesus on Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 14). Timothy then also grew to become like a son to the apostle Paul and was instrumental in the gospel spreading throughout Asia Minor. Because of his close connection to Paul and his ministry, he comes up in the New Testament quite a bit. His testimony has been one that has been used to impact countless others. Who laid this foundation? Two women who took their faith seriously enough to model it! And that’s our gist this morning. And really, it’s only two points, so you’ll get the Mom-Dad gift of an extra short sermon. This encouragement definitely applies to all of us, so no one is off the hook, but moms, if I could encourage you with anything this morning, it would be this: Have a dwelling faith that shines.
I. Have A Dwelling Faith
The passage says this faith dwelled in them. It wasn’t surface-level. They had drunk deeply from the well of Jesus’ truth. Simply put, they took their faith seriously. It wasn’t something they just did in name only. They had the kind of rich walk with Jesus we all want for our kids. I know I have said this often, but kids cannot imitate what you don’t show them.
How does this happen? It makes me think of the abide in Me passage from John 15:4-11. “4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. 9 As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
There is so much in that passage, but I want to just make a few quick observations:
Full Christian lives are focused on Jesus. That means we are intentional about turning our hearts by filling our time with Him. We read His word. We think about it. We pray. We’re looking for ways to learn more and love more. We’re striving to live vibrant lives looking at this world through His eyes.
Empty lives aren’t. Because they’re just about us.
The result of focusing on Him is abiding is truth, love, and joy.
The empty life is by far easier, but which would you prefer? Which would you want your kids and the people around you to experience with you?
II. That Shines
Faith started in them, but it didn’t stop in them. Eventually, it ended up in Timothy. We all know faith doesn’t actually “rub off”. You’re not saved by the belief of your family. Salvation is definitively personal. However, the witness of a Godly family goes a long way because they show us what it looks like to live it. Faithful witnesses also teach us how to understand God’s word and apply them in our lives. That’s a blessing.
See, Timothy lived in a world hostile to Christianity. He watched Paul and his friends persecuted because of their faith. Paul was even stoned and left for dead outside Timothy’s hometown (Acts 16)! This could have shaken his faith… much like seeing so much of the world turning away from Jesus today could shake ours…but he ended up devoting his entire life to Jesus. How did he see this and still long to be used by God? He was able to grow up seeing first-hand, in his own house, what life-changing faith looked like even in the midst of all this.
Why? Again, because these women lived it. They weren’t casual believers. They weren’t Sunday morning attendees. They weren’t cultural Christians. They were true lovers of Jesus who shared that with their children, and it made all the difference. They didn’t rely on others to share Jesus with their child. They took that responsibility upon themselves. This is no knock to Sunday School—you know how vital I think that time of discipleship is—but if you are relying on the church to teach your kid what you won’t live at home, you are sitting them up for an uphill battle.
One of the other famous Mother’s Day passages hammers this home Proverbs 22:6 reads: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." Training up implies actually and actively showing them how something is supposed to work. I heard Pastor Chuck Swindoll point out this week that this term “child” is translated throughout the Bible to refer to children of any age as long as they are still under their parents’ roof. The idea—as long as you have them—feed them the truth. Don’t just lecture— I know, that comes easiest to me too—let them see you wrestle with understanding His word and His will. Walk with them through this life and point them again and again to Jesus. Don’t just say His name though, teach them His Word and way—which you’ve learned because you’ve been digging deep!
Moms, please keep wiping those noses. That’s invaluable. But dig deep into Jesus even more. Let your faith be something that dwells. That legacy? Amazing grace.
TAKEAWAYS
Take your faith seriously.
Share your faith actively.
Thanks, moms.
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