Generation to Generation: Mother's Day 2023

The church grows through generational faith.

2 Timothy 1: 1-5; Psalm 145:1-9

Good morning and happy Mother’s day. We have set aside today to celebrate, not just mother’s, but all of the ladies that have impacted our lives for the better. Sometimes that could be our mom’s, it could be an aunt, grandma, wife or even a very close friend, perhaps someone from the church.

Since the 1960’s, the typical post-modern argument is that women and men are no different, that it is society that forces women to be different than men. For example, they argue-the reason more women go into nursing and teaching, rather than engineering or construction, has nothing to do with natural temperament or ability. They argue that society has forced women into these roles.

North of the US, in the Scandinavian countries like Norway and Sweden, over the last 40 years, they have attempted to erase all gender differences. Their goal was to create a society in which men and women we equal in all aspects…not just the appropriate one’s, like voting or education, or basic human rights (which is important), Over the last 3 or 4 decades, they have done their best to encourage women to enter certain fields that are typically dominated by men, such as farming, construction, engineering, etc…Well, after nearly 50 years of trying to socially engineer their society, what they’ve discovered is that women, when not pressured by any societal pressure, still prefer certain lines of work over others.

Rather than simply recognising this difference and celebrating it, there is now a call for quotas. In other words, if a company has 4 vice presidents, 2 of them must be women, else the company would face steep fines. If an engineering firm has 100 employees, 50 of them must be women. The funny thing is that they do not have the same rules for female dominated professions. For example, if a hospital employees 200 nurses, there is not a rule that says 100 of them must be men…the rules only apply to professions that are typically male centered.

Why do I bring this up? Well, despite society’s attempt to say otherwise, women were created uniquely different than men. Consider something, from a secular perspective-one that does not believe that the Bible is God’s word. Despite almost 4000 years of recorded history, despite vastly different cultures, from the most remote region of Africa or the most isolated tribe in the Amazon jungle, to the average woman living in an American city, women have always shared remarkably similar personality traits and interests. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule (as with anything else in this world), but by and large, women are gifted with certain traits that men do not posses and vice-versa.

God knew what he was doing! This is why he named Eve woman, because when Adam first saw her, he went....Wo Man!

“Eve was not taken out of Adam's head to top him, neither out of his feet to be trampled on by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him.”

All that to say, today, we are here to celebrate the women in our lives. Not because they are the same as men but because they were created uniquely and wonderfully different than man.

PRAY.

Turn with me please to

2 Timothy 1:1–5 (NASB 95)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.

In this passage, the Apostle Paul is writing, what would be his 2nd and final letter, that we know of, to his younger apprentice…who’s name was Timothy. In fact, outside of the original disciples that were with Jesus, Timothy is one of the first people to have the official role of an overseer in the early church. This was an incredibly important role at a crucial time of the Christian church. Paul had picked Timothy to run the church in a town called Ephesus…it is the same church that Paul wrote to in the book of Ephesians.

Some of you might know, that the Ephesian church was pretty troubled…similar to the Corinthian church, except the issues were a bit different. We know this because of the instructions given to the various churches. The Corinthian church had a problem with disorderly services…people who were inappropriately using the gifts of the spirit, while the church in Ephesus had a major problem with false teachers and doctrinal error. This is why Paul wrote each church separately, rather than writing one letter and sending it to all of the churches. The instructions would differ from church to church…outside of a few core practices that Paul mentioned in every letter.

Well, because of these problems, Timothy had a very big task on his hands-to get the church in a healthy state and to set a good example to the people under his care. The first letter (or 1st Timothy) is addressed to the congregation, as well as Timothy, but the second one was more personal.

Paul opens up by calling Timothy his son. Timothy is the only person that Paul addresses in such an intimate way. Most scholars believe that is because either, Timothy’s dad was not a believer or had passed away. Not only that, but as I mentioned earlier, Timothy had been mentored by the older Paul, so that could have played a role as well.

In verse 4, Paul says that he longs to see Timothy, even as I recall your tears. As I just mentioned, a moment ago, Timothy had found himself in a tough place, trying to oversee a church that had a plethora of problems. No doubt, Timothy had shed many tears over the frustration of his calling. Paul says, that despite these tears, you still bring me joy, whenever I see you.

Paul then finishes up his greeting by reminding Timothy of his heritage, just as Paul had pointed out his own heritage in verse 3. Paul is reminding his young apprentice that his faith runs very deep, through multiple generations. You see, one of the reasons that Timothy had such a high calling is because he had a faithful, God fearing mother and grandmother. Paul actually mentions them by name Lois and Eunice. Paul knew that Timothy could handle the pressure of being a pastor, because the faith taught to him was sincere and thus, properly equipped Timothy for such a high calling.

This isn’t the only time Paul makes reference to the godly upbringing Timothy had.

2 Timothy 3:14–15 (NASB 95)

14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Paul obviously had great respect for Timothy’s mother and grandmother. In both the greeting of 2nd Timothy and chapter 3, Paul reminds him to remember and stick with the faith that was instilled into him by these godly, faithful women. I believe with all my heart that no one would have ever heard the name Timothy mentioned in scripture, had he not been taught by his mother and grandmother.

Psalm 119:89–90 (NASB 95)

89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. 90 Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands.

One of the main reasons that Timothy had such a deep faith was because it was passed down to him. The faith of his mother and grandmother was attractive to Timothy. In the same manner, we must be passing down our faith. In order to do that, we must be intentional. We must not allow society or social media or even the school they attend shape their views of this world or of our Heavenly Father.

Let me give you 3 ways that we can pass down our faith to those who are younger…today I am focusing mainly on the ladies. When Father’s day comes, I’ll speak more directly to the fellas’.

In order to pass on our faith, we must be Intentional, Consistent and Vulnerable.

All three of these character qualities are an important part of ensuring that our faith does not stop with us. I try and be realistic, so I am aware that we can poses all 3 of these character qualities and still, our kids, grand kids, nieces and nephews may choose the other path. There is only one thing we can do in that case…we intercede on their behalf and ask the Lord to draw them back. Many people are currently serving the Lord due to the intercession of a praying mom or grand mother. Let’s look at each of these character qualities individually.

In order to pass on our faith, from generation to generation, we must be

Intentional.

Purposeful and Deliberate

Way back in the 1690’s, an English Puritan preacher, by the name of John Flavel said:

If you neglect to instruct children in the way of holiness, will the devil neglect to instruct them in the way of wickedness? No; if you will not teach them to pray, he will to curse, swear, and lie. If ground be uncultivated, weeds will spring.

What does it mean to be intentional about passing on our faith. It means that we are purposeful and deliberate. If your ultimate goal is to see the younger generation serve Christ, then we must be purposeful and deliberate in fulfilling that goal.

When our kids, grand kids, nieces and nephews are young they will live off of the faith of those close to them. Kids will naturally follow in the footprint of mom and dad. This happens until they begin to mature and make their own decisions. At this point, one of 3 things happen. One, the kids choose to not have anything to do with the Lord. Two, the child will adopt their own faith and begin to live that out…that will usually look similar to how the parents lived out their faith, or 3 will continue to live off of the faith of someone else, never really developing their own…mainly because they simply want to please mom and dad, not because they are really pursuing a genuine walk with the Lord. This last group is easy to spot once they get out on their own, as they try to hide their activities from their family. For example, they move in with a boyfriend or girlfriend, but keep it hidden. Only 1 of these scenarios will result in a person forming their own relationship with the Lord. If the person does develop their own faith, it will probably be lived out similar to how the parents lived out their faith, as that was their model of a Christian.

I grew up in the church. My parents were always very involved. They saw to it that my sister and I got involved and were a part. On the other hand, I had many friends who’s parents did not do that. The parents lived out their faith very passively, never being intentional about passing it on to their kids. The parents struggled to get involved, so, as a result, as the kids got older, they were not involved. The kids took on the same mindset of the parents…that church was not necessary to live for Christ.

When I think about someone in scripture who was intentional about passing on her faith, I think about Hannah. This story is found in 1st Samuel. Hannah was having a really tough time conceiving. Her husband had another wife that would make fun of her. Well, once a year the family would travel to the temple to make their sacrifices before the Lord. during one such trip, Hannah prayed to the Lord and asked for a child. She made a vow that she would dedicate the child to the Lord if she were to get pregnant. Sure enough, Hannah had a child and named him Samuel. Once he was weaned, she took the child to the temple and fulfilled her vow by dedicating Samuel to the Lord. While speaking with the priest, Eli.

1 Samuel 1:26–28 (NASB 95)

26 She said, “Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. 27 For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him. 28 So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Now, let me make an important disclaimer, do not take a child and drop them off with the nearest pastor!!! The point here is that Hannah was intentional about making sure that Samuel would be raised to be a godly man…and he was. Obviously we live in a different time and culture…but we should all be purposeful and deliberate, just like Hannah. Mom’s and dad’s are supposed to be real life examples of our Heavenly father to their kids. I think many parents realize that they have wasted the best years of actively passing on their faith until it’s too late. One of the main problems with the last couple generations of parents is that they view their relationship with God as “their” relationship with God. They do not view parenthood or grandparent…hood as an extension of their relationship with God. As a result, they are not intentional about instilling their faith in the next generation. In a few moments, when we wrap up, I’ll give a couple of practical suggestions of how we can be intentional with the younger generation.

The next character quality we must posses, in order to pass on our faith to the next generation is

Consistency.

Earlier I spoke about my experience of growing up in the church, watching my friends and their parents. I had some friends whose parents were very involved and had their kids involved, but the parents they had at church were different than the parents they had at home. In other words, mom and/or dad acted one way at church, but entirely different when the pastor wasn’t around.

As parents and even grand parents, we are passing on a set of values and priorities to our kids and grand kids. When a mom and dad go about their lives, not being consistent in their faith and dependence on the Lord, the kids will not understand the importance behind serving Christ. Worse than that, if mom and dad, grandma and grandpa act different at home, compared to how they act at church, the kids will only see hippocrasy as they get older.

What does it mean to be consistent?

According to the dictionary, the word consistent means:

What is the meaning of being consistency? the quality of always behaving or performing in a similar way. Another definition says:

marked by harmony, regularity, or steady continuity : free from variation or contradiction.

1 Corinthians 15:57–58 (NASB 95)

57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

Consistency is the key to almost any thing in life that we want to accomplish. If our goal is to pass on our faith to the next generation, we must be consistent about our intentionality. We may want to make sure our kids see Christ through us. We desire to teach the importance of getting involved with other believers, but if we are not consistent in our own lives, how can we expect our kids to be any different. When the younger generation looks at you, do they see someone who is consistent in their faith. Do they see someone who is one person at home, but another at church? Are we consistent with talking with the younger generation about the goodness of God, or do we find ourselves being inconsistent in these areas.

James 1:2–4 (NASB 95)

2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Some translations say: And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Just as we are called to be intentional and consistent in our walk with the Lord, we must be the same way when it comes to passing on our faith.

The third character quality is

Vulnerability

According to the dictionary vulnerable is defined as:

capable of or susceptible to being attacked, damaged, or hurt

Vulnerability is not something that we generally associate with something good. No one like to feel vulnerable…yet, allowing ourselves to become vulnerable is necessary in our relationship with Christ. Why? Because we can trust Him. The opposite is being guarded, suspicious and closed off. I will admit that ladies are typically able to do this better than the guys. Think about all of the women that came to Jesus,…vulnerability is a main quality of most of them.

In the book of Ruth there is a story about …well, Ruth. Ruth was a young widow who was traveling with her mother-in-law, Naomi To make a long story short, Ruth ended up finding a relative of her deceased husband…his name was Boaz. Boaz was a wealthy man who was not married. Boaz treated Ruth very well. Back in that culture, it was nearly impossible for a woman to earn a living. Women had to rely on the male members of their family to provide for them. After speaking with her mother in law, Ruth made a bold decision

Ruth 3:7–9 (NASB 95)

7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 It happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative.”

There is much to this story that I do not have time to tell. In that culture, by laying at Boaz’s feet, Ruth was putting herself in the position of a servant. There have been many debates about why she uncovered his feet. Truth is, we do not fully know and that is not the important part of the story. Ruth was willing to make herself vulnerable to Boaz. He could have rejected Ruth, but he didn’t. They ended up getting married. This was a bold move on the part of Ruth…but it took a lot of courage to make herself so vulnerable.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NASB 95)

9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Just as we should be vulnerable before the Lord, in order to pass on your faith to the next generation, you must be vulnerable, not just to the Lord, but also to your children. Obviously I’m not talking about a baby or toddler…but when they get older and are able to (hopefully) reason. Our kids, grand kids, nieces and nephews know and see our faults. They know we are not perfect. Sometimes, even the most well meaning person will have a bad day or off moment, where they will say or do something contrary to God’s word. Vulnerability means that we are not afraid to talk to the younger generation about our own issues…we want to keep this age appropriate, of course. We do not want to be talking to our 5 year old granddaughter about issues they are not ready for. That said, if, by the time they are 13 and you have yet to speak with them candidly about sex, pornography and things of that nature…you are probably to late to make that first impact.

When my dad was growing up, it was his mother that truly passed on the faith to the kids. The 4 kids would go to her, as she was not afraid to be vulnerable and share with them the things she struggled with. My grandpa loved the Lord, but was a short tempered, hard man, who was unable to be vulnerable…even to his wife, let alone the kids. We will talk more about this on Father’s day, but men, it is not weakness to show vulnerability to your wife, kids or grand kids…to share your struggles.This should not be simply left up to the women.

Let’s go ahead and wrap up. It’s my prayer that everyone here today or that will eventually watch this online has the desire to pass on their faith to the next generation. In this room, we have ages ranging from 18 to 80. Those who are older have the responsibility to pass on their faith to those who are younger. It does not have to be your own child or grand child or a relative at all. It could be someone close to you that you feel led to mentor.

In order to pass on our faith from Generation to generation, we must be intentional, consistent and vulnerable. We can not walk thorough life thinking…oh, I’ll start that when they are older. Especially nowadays where sports and various activities have taken president or priority over meeting together with other believers. Our busy lives prevent us from getting involved. How do you think that will affect those who are young, that look to you as an example of what our Heavenly Father is like?

It’s possible that grandma knows the Lord well and passed that on to their kids…but those kids are not nearly as serious about their faith or they are still living off the faith of their parents…what happens then when those kids have kids? Almost certainly, without someone actively passing on their faith, they will not develop their own faith when they get older. As the generations pass, unless someone steps in and is intentional, consistent and not afraid of being vulnerable, the legacy of faith will be lost.

The good news today is that we can always pick up the ball and start running. Ladies, if you have a relationship with the Lord, you are called to pass on your faith to the next generation.

2 Timothy 1:13–14 (NASB 95)

13 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.

Going back to the book of Timothy here, Paul tells this young pastor to guard what had been given to him by his mother and grandmother. In the Greek the word for treasure is more akin to a valuable deposit. We are to guard the valuable deposit that someone gave us. Someone took the time to pass their faith on to us....now we are called to do the same.

In the book of Mark, chapter 4, Jesus is talking about the process of passing on our faith. He tells the parable of the sower, where a farmer plants seeds, some fall on good soil and some on bad soil. Jesus also talks about how a person does not buy a lamp in order to hide the light that it produces…all of these parables have to do with passing on our faith.

Mark 4:30–32 (NASB 95)

30 And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, 32 yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade.”

Often times when we think about the mustard seed, we automatically link it with faith... the passage in Matthew Ch. 17, says that those with the faith of a mustard seed can tell a mountain to move and it will do so. Of course, that is take way out of context often…but that is not the only time Jesus mentioned a mustard seed. Here in Mark, where Jesus is talking about passing on our faith, He says that just a little bit can produce huge results. This is true, not just in regard to evangelism, but also in regard to passing on our faith to the next generation.

We are called, not to coerce or force the younger generation or to guilt them or scare them…we are called to be intentional, consistent and vulnerable…but God does the rest. We set a good example of what our Heavenly Father is like, then God does the heavy lifting. It’s our job to show that we are completely dependent on God, not on money or our job or our family. All of those can disappear tomorrow. The only constant is Christ…He will never leave or forsake us.

Let me give you some practical ways to actively pass on our faith to the next generation.

To be intentional means that we regularly talk to them about the goodness of the Lord. When they are young, we pray with them…not just at meals. As they get older, we ask to pray with them…we don’t force them. We encourage them to read the Bible on their own. If at all possible, we get them involved in church. As far as that is concerned…this is something that I am convicted about…we, as a church, need to provide an enjoyable experience to them. If Church is only associated with rules and boredom, we are failing them.

To be consistent, we must make sure that we are living our faith in such a way that having a relationship with God is beneficial to them. Be consistent with loving discipline. I number one problem I saw as a kids pastor was a lack of consistent, loving discipline. Be consistent with your mood and attitude. Consistently tell them how valuable they are in your eyes and in God’s eyes.

Be vulnerable. Again, ladies are generally better in this area. Allow those you want to pass your faith onto see you pray. Allow them to see you studying God’s word. Above all, and this is the most important thing…if we don’t get this right, it won’t matter how intentional or consistent we are…be willing to admit you are wrong and sincerely apologize. For some reason, when we deal with those who are younger, our pride often gets in the way of humility.

These are just a few ways we can make sure we are planting those seeds in the lives of the younger generation. I didn’t mention this…and hopefully it goes without saying…but alway pray for them. Praying for them, especially as they get older, is sometimes the only thing you can do. When dealing with adult children or older grand children…our willingness to be vulnerable is even more important.

Let’s close with the book of Psalms

Psalm 145:1–9 (NASB 95)

1 I will extol You, my God, O King, And I will bless Your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, And His greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts. 5 On the glorious splendor of Your majesty And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate. 6 Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, And I will tell of Your greatness. 7 They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness. 8 The Lord is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. 9 The Lord is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works.

As I mentioned in the beginning of my sermon, God has created you ladies differently on purpose. That difference is not weakness; you are not lesser-than in God’s eyes in any way. The church has made many mistakes when it comes to how we treat our precious ladies. Women were instrumental in getting the early church off the ground. In fact…Paul even goes out of his way to honor and recognise the husband and wife team that mentored him. He drew no distinction between the two…even mentioning her name first once…which was highly irregular for that day. It is no coinsedense that our society began to decline in the 1960’s when men decided they would rather be women and women decided they would rather be men. We’ve had a few generation of this now, living outside of God’s intended plan for humanity.

As the church, let’s make sure that those who follow us are not persuaded by a society which seeks to destroy them. Let’s us pass on our faith from Generation to Generation!

Let’s Pray!