The Importance of A Godly Mother

2 Timothy 1:1–5 KJV 1900

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; 4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

2 Timothy 1:1–5 KJV 1900

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; 4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

First of all, let me say “Happy Mother’s Day” to all you mothers and grandmothers here this morning.

For our Mother’s Day message this morning, please turn with me in your Bibles to

.

READ :

I N T R O D U C T I O N

My message to you on this Mother’s Day will be short and sweet and to the point.

Before I get into my message though, I have a confession to make.

……..I am not a mother! ……..I have never been a mother, nor do I ever plan to be a a mother.

As a matter-of-fact, about the closest I ever came to understanding what it means to be a mother was when I passed a kidney stone back in 1989. Now if something about the size of pin head could send me to the emergency room in excruciating pain, I can’t even begin to imagine what it would feel like to birth a 6 or 7 pound baby with a big head and two arms and legs.

So ladies, I stand before you today confessing how unqualified and unworthy I am to be speaking to you on such a wonderful subject as Motherhood.

******************************

There are many subjects I could preach on for Mother’s Day.

……I could talk about “How to Be A Great Mother.” ……Or I could preach on that Ideal Wife and Mother in . ……Or I could preach on some of the Good and Bad Examples of Mothers in the Bible.

But today I want to talk to you ladies for just a few minutes on

“THE IMPORTANCE OF A GODLY MOTHER.”

You may not believe this, but as a godly mother you are one of the most important and most influential people on the face of this earth. You are among a rare breed of women whose true value and worth can never be measured in dollars and cents.

Back in the early 1700’s, a stooped over, elderly woman with crippled fingers used to pray for her son every day as she did the family wash. She prayed that God would use her son, JOHN, in a mighty way to touch the lives of others.

GOD answered that mother’s prayers, and today John Newton’s hymn “Amazing Grace” is one of the most beloved hymns ever written.

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, although highly educated at a very early age said, “My mother was a minister of blessing to all human beings within her sphere of action. All that I am, my mother made me.”

JAMES A. GARFIELD’S father died when he was just two years old, leaving his mother all alone to raise him. On the day he was inaugurated, after taking his oath of office, President Garfield leaned over and kissed his mother and said, “Mother, you have brought me to this.”

On the day of his mother’s funeral, PRESIDENT ULYSSES S. GRANT told the preacher “Make no reference to me. My mother gained nothing by any position I have filled or honors that may have been paid me. I owe all I am to her earnest, modest, and sincere piety.”

ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S mother used to sit Abe on her knee every day and read to him from the Bible. She said, “I would rather Abe be able to read the Bible than to own a farm, if he could have but just one.” Nancy Todd Lincoln died when Abe was just nine years old. Here were the last words she spoke to young Abraham Lincoln,

“Abe, I am going to leave you now, and I shall not return. I want you to be kind to your father and live as I have taught you. Love your heavenly Father and keep His commandments.”

The late, GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR said, “It was my sainted mother who taught me devotion to God and love of country which have ever sustained me in many lonely and bitter moments of decision in distant lands. To her I yield anew a son’s reverent thanks for her guidance on a paty of duty as God gave me the light to see that duty.”

DR. G. CAMPBELL MORGAN was one of the greatest preachers of the late 1800’s. In fact there were four preachers in his family. One evening as all the Morgan’s were sitting at the dinner table a family friend asked, “Which of the Morgan’s is the greatest preacher?” They all looked at one another, then G. Campbell said, “OUR MOTHER.”

WE MUST NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF A GODLY MOTHER!!!

exposition of ii timothy 1:1

exposition of ii timothy 1:1

exposition of ii timothy 1:1

exposition of II timothy 1:1--5

We see the importance of a godly mother illustrated for us here in II TIMOTHY, chapter 1.

Paul considered young Timothy to be like his son in the faith.

…..In Paul refers to Timothy as “a true son in the faith.”

…..In Paul refers to Timothy as “a beloved son.”

No doubt Paul and Timothy developed this strong father/son relationship when Timothy accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey.

-Paul had so much confidence in Timothy’s faithfulness to the cause of Christ, he sent him to help straighten out the problems in the Church at Corinth, perhaps the most troubled church in the N.T.

-When the Thessalonian Christians were being persecuted for their faith, Paul sent Timothy to Thessalonica to encourage them.

-When Paul was imprisoned in Rome, he sent young Timothy to Philippi to encourage the Christians there and then report back to him.

Now in his first and second letters to TIMOTHY, we discover Timothy is in EPHESUS. Some false teachers had infiltrated the Ephesian Church and were trying to lead them astray. Paul knew the church desperately needed someone who was DOCTRINALLY SOUND to refute these false teachings and keep the church on the right track. So who did Paul send to help them? None other than TIMOTHY!

The fact that TIMOTHY had the complete confidence of a godly man the stature of the Apostle Paul is truly a testimony to the kind of man he was.

Although we find no record of Timothy’s death in the scriptures, early Jewish historical writings tell us Timothy was martyred in Ephesus while trying to stop a lewd, indecent procession during the Festival of Diana.

*************************************

How Did Timothy Become Such a Godly Man of Faith?

Paul answers that for us here in ,

“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.

Behind Timothy’s strong faith…….

Behind Timothy’s deep convictions……

Behind Timothy’s solid doctrinal foundation…….

was two WOMEN, his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice.

Verse 5 is the complete biography of these women. This is the only reference to either of these women in the entire Bible. And yet these women take their place

beside all the other great women of faith in the Bible because of the godly influence they had on their son and grandson.

It might also interest you to know this is one of the very few times the term grandmother even appears in the Bible.

We are told in that Timothy had known the scriptures from the time he was a young child. No doubt he had learned the scriptures from his mother and grandmother. It was that early spiritual nurturing that prepared Timothy for the spiritual responsibilities that would one day fall on his shoulders.

2 Timothy 3:15 KJV 1900

15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

In , we learn that Timothy’s father was of Greek decent. Most Bible scholars believe his father probably died when Timothy was very young, which would explain why he was raised by his mother and grandmother.

The fact that Paul recognized the influence of Timothy’s grandmother, seems to indicate she must have spent a great deal of time with young Timothy while his mother, Lois, was out earning income for the family.

Eunice and Lois’ names have been permanently etched in God’s Word, because of one thing they did and did very well, THEY TRAINED THEIR SON AND GRANDSON IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD!

******************************************************

Mothers, of all the things you have done in life, none is as important as the godly influence you have had and are still having on your children and grandchildren.

When you compare yourself to other women you may feel inadequate or inferior. You may think you’re not important because you never earned a college degree……or…..held any kind of office…….or…..held down an important job…. or brought home a nice paycheck each week.

But if you gave your kids a solid spiritual foundation ……..and taught them the ways of the Lord…..and taught them right from wrong…..and how to be a decent, honorable and respectable citizens…..you are MORE IMPORTANT and MORE VALUABLE than you will ever know!

Out of all the rewards you could get in this life, what great reward could there be than to see your son become a FINE, GOD-FEARING HUSBAND and FATHER?

And what greater reward could there be than to see your daughter grow up to become a FINE, GOD- FEARING WIFE and MOTHER?

************************************************

CONCLUSION

Mother’s don’t ever underestimate your importance.

Did you make mistakes along the way? YES!

Did you always do everything perfect? NO!

You are human and humans make mistakes.

But don’t ever forget, as a MOTHER, you are part of the greatest partnership that has ever existed. You have been and still are a partner with GOD.

You will NEVER stop being a MOTHER.

From the day God first entrusted that little embryonic seed into your care until you draw your last breath, you will always be A MOTHER.

Even when your children have children and grandchildren of their own, they will still need your LOVE……your COUNSEL…..and your ADVICE from time to time.

And it is those things they will miss most about you when you have gone to be with the Lord.