Sermon Tone Analysis

Women of Influence

TODAY WE WANT TO HONOR OUR MOTHERS AND SAY WE APPRECIATE EACH ONE OF YOU! YOUR DEDICATION TO RAISING UP CHRISTIAN CHILDREN IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR CHURCH AND SOCIETY.

BUT I WANT TO GO PAST JUST MOTHERS AND INCLUDE THE WORK OF STEPMOTHERS, GRANDMOTHERS, SURROGATE MOTHERS AND GRANDMOTHERS -- BECAUSE MORE AND MORE IN TODAY’S SOCIETY, THESE WOMEN OF INFLUENCE ARE ASSUMING THE SPIRITUAL ROLES IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN.

I REALIZE THIS MORNING THAT MOTHER’S DAY IS A DIFFICULT TIME FOR SOME OF YOU.

1. MAYBE YOU WANTED TO BE A MOTHER BUT YOU COULDN’T FOR SOME REASON

2. PERHAPS SOME OF YOU HAVE NOT HAD THE BEST MOTHER IN THE WORLD, SO TODAY IS DIFFICULT

3. IT COULD BE YOU HAVE HAD A MOTHER WHO HAS PASSED AWAY

4. SOME OF YOU MOTHERS HAVE HAD A CHILD THAT HAS PASSED AWAY.

5. SOME OF YOU FEEL THE PAIN OF A REBELLIOUS CHILD, THIS MORNING IT IS HARD TO CELEBRATE BEING A MOTHER.

I HOPE THAT AS I GO THROUGH THIS SERMON EACH OF YOU MIGHT FIND SOME COMFORT, THAT MIGHT REMIND YOU HOW SPECIAL YOU ARE IN YOUR SITUATION.

There was a father that was going over his wedding pictures with his 4 year old daughter.

He explained the whole wedding service to her, then, asked if she had any questions.

She pointed to a picture of the wedding party and asked, “Daddy is that when mommy came to work for us?”

Mothers you do a lot for your family.

My wife does an awesome job in ours.

PAUL PAYS TRIBUTE TO A MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER AND THAT IS THE PASSAGE I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT TODAY.

IN HIS SECOND JOURNEY, PAUL AND SILAS WENT BACK THROUGH LYSTRA AND COLLECTED EUNICE’S SON TIMOTHY, AND TIMOTHY BECAME ONE OF THE GREAT MEN OF THE FAITH.

PAUL CLAIMED THAT THIS GREATNESS WAS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE “SINCERE FAITH” OF TIMOTHY’S MOTHER EUNICE AND GRANDMOTHER LOIS.

TRANSITION STATEMENT: A FAITHFUL MOTHER OR GRANDMOTHER CAN DO SEVERAL THINGS THAT CAN HELP SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN.

THE FIRST THING WE FIND IN A WOMAN OF INFLUENCE IS “SHE LIVES OUT HER FAITH IN FRONT OF HER CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN.”

I.

A MOTHER LIVES HER FAITH BEFORE THEM

LOIS AND EUNICE WERE EXAMPLES OF CHRISTIAN LIVING TO TIMOTHY, I AM SURE TIMOTHY HAD OTHER INFLUENCES IN HIS LIFE:

1. AS A YOUNG BOY HE PROBABLY HAD FRIENDS OR AT LEAST ACQUAINTANCES WHOSE PARENTS WERE NOT CHRISTIANS

2. I AM SURE SATAN TEMPTED HIM TO FOLLOW AFTER CARNAL DESIRES, SINS OF THE FLESH AND IMPROPER BEHAVIOR

3. BUT TIMOTHY ALWAYS HAD HIS MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER AT HOME AS A GUIDE

4. DO YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN SEE YOU AS A GODLY GUIDE IN THEIR LIVES?

a. SOMEONE WHO IS STEADFAST IN YOUR FAITH

b.

SOMEONE THAT WHEN THE TEMPTATIONS OF THIS WORLD COME CALLING, THEY CAN LOOK TO YOU AS AN EXAMPLE OF GODLINESS?

A. TIMOTHY WAS INFLUENCED BY HIS MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER ALIKE

“TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO AND WHEN HE IS OLD HE WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT.”

THE WORD “TRAIN” IS AN IMPORTANT WORD.

1. IT IS MORE THAN GIVING LECTURES.

2. IT IS MORE THAN RULES AND REGULATIONS

3. IT IS MORE THAN SAYING NO.

4. IT IS MORE THAN SENDING THEM TO CHURCH OR SCHOOL.

THE WORD TRAIN MEANS WE ARE TO BE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO BECOME.

PARENTS LOOK AT YOURSELVES, WHAT ARE YOU TRAINING YOUR CHILD TO BE.

a. IF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR CHILD TO LIE AND CHEAT, THEN DON’T LIE AND CHEAT.

b.

IF YOU DON’T WANT A CHILD WHO SMOKES, DRINKS, OR USES DRUGS, THEN DON’T DO THOSE THINGS.

NOW IT DOES MEAN THEY WANT DO IT, BUT THEIR CHANCES ARE LESS BECAUSE OF THE EXAMPLE YOU SET.

c. HOW ABOUT BITTERNESS, ANGER, INFIDELITY, UNFORGIVENESS, UNLOVING.

WHAT ARE YOU SHOWING THEM?

d.

BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE, IS IF YOU WANT A CHILD WHO IS SOLD OUT TO THE LORD—THEN YOU MUST BE A PERSON WHO IS SOLD OUT AND THEY MUST SEE YOU BEING SOLD OUT.

YOU WILL NEVER SHIELD YOUR CHILDREN FROM ALL THAT LIFE WILL THROW AT THEM, BUT YOU CAN BE A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS THAT LEADS THEM THROUGH all of it BY BEING AN EXAMPLE OF GOD FOR THEM.

YOU MUST TALK ABOUT YOUR WALK WITH GOD, WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO GO TO CHURCH, WHAT YOU BELIEVE, WHY THEY SHOULD BELIEVE, AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO TO INFLUENCE YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN.

THE FOCUS OF YOUR QUALITY TIME WITH THEM SHOULD BE TRAINING THEM UP IN THE WAY THEY SHOULD GO.

LOIS AND EUNICE LIVED THEIR FAITH AND TIMOTHY SAW THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST LIVING HIS LIFE IN THEM.

TRANSITION STATEMENT: NOT ONLY DOES A FAITHFUL MOTHER or GRANDMOTHER LIVE HER FAITH, BUT SHE NEVER CEASES TO PRAY FOR HER CHILDREN

II.

A FAITHFUL MOTHER/GRANDMOTHER PRAYS FOR HER CHILDREN AND TEACHES THEM HOW TO PRAY

PRAY WITH THEM, PRAY FOR THEM, AND MAKE PRAYER A REGULAR PART OF YOUR LIVES TOGETHER.

PRAY BEFORE MEALS, AND BEFORE BEDTIME.

PRAY FOR PARKING PLACES, PRAY ABOUT TESTS, PRAY WHEN THEY ARE FRIGHTENED.

PRAY WITH THEM WHILE THEY ARE YOUNG AND STILL AT HOME, AND THEN PRAY FOR THEM WHEN THEY GROW OLDER AND MOVE OUT ON THEIR OWN.

PRAY OVER THE PHONE WITH THEM

WHEN YOU HAVE A WAYWARD CHILD REMEMBER THAT CRITICISM DOES NOT CHANGE BEHAVIOR.

BEHAVIOR CAN BE CHANGED THROUGH ENCOURAGEMENT AND AFFIRMATION.

BUT THE ONE TOOL THAT CAN EFFECTUATE CHANGE BETTER THAN ANYTHING IS A COMMITMENT TO PRAY DILIGENTLY FOR GOD TO BRING SOMEONE INTO THE LIFE OF YOUR REBELLIOUS CHILD WHO WILL LEAD THEM TO JESUS.

TRANSITION STATEMENT: AS YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE BEFORE THEM AND PRAY WITH THEM AND FOR THEM, YOU ALSO SHOULD TEACH THEM HOW TO BE A STUDENT OF THE WORD.

III.

TEACH YOUR CHILD/GRANDCHILD TO STUDY GOD’S WORD

LOUIS AND EUNICE PASSED ON A HEALTHY UNDERSTANDING OF GOD’S WORD TO TIMOTHY.

WE SEE A GLIMPSE OF THIS A FEW PAGES OVER IN CHAPTER 3:14-15…

PAUL INSTRUCTS TIMOTHY HERE TO HOLD FAST TO THE THINGS THAT HE HAS LEARNED BECAUSE HE CAN TRUST THE SOURCE.

EVEN THOUGH THERE WILL BE FALSE TEACHERS WHO WILL TRY AND LEAD THEM ASTRAY, TIMOTHY HAD CONFIDENCE THAT THE THINGS HE LEARNED FROM HIS MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER ARE TRUE.

PAUL INSTRUCTS TIMOTHY HERE TO HOLD FAST TO THE THINGS THAT HE HAS LEARNED BECAUSE HE CAN TRUST THE SOURCE.

EVEN THOUGH THERE WILL BE FALSE TEACHERS WHO WILL TRY AND LEAD THEM ASTRAY, TIMOTHY HAD CONFIDENCE THAT THE THINGS HE LEARNED FROM HIS MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER ARE TRUE.

PAUL INSTRUCTS TIMOTHY HERE TO HOLD FAST TO THE THINGS THAT HE HAS LEARNED BECAUSE HE CAN TRUST THE SOURCE.

EVEN THOUGH THERE WILL BE FALSE TEACHERS WHO WILL TRY AND LEAD THEM ASTRAY, TIMOTHY HAD CONFIDENCE THAT THE THINGS HE LEARNED FROM HIS MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER ARE TRUE.

PAUL INSTRUCTS TIMOTHY HERE TO HOLD FAST TO THE THINGS THAT HE HAS LEARNED BECAUSE HE CAN TRUST THE SOURCE.

EVEN THOUGH THERE WILL BE FALSE TEACHERS WHO WILL TRY AND LEAD THEM ASTRAY, TIMOTHY HAD CONFIDENCE THAT THE THINGS HE LEARNED FROM HIS MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER ARE TRUE.

TIMOTHY’S GODLY MOTHER TRAINED HER SON UP WITH A DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE.

THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE THAT SHE HAD IN IT WAS TRANSFERRED TO TIMOTHY.

IT WAS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCRIPTURES THAT LEAD TO TIMOTHY’S SALVATION.

HAVE A TIME EACH WEEK WHEN YOU READ THE SCRIPTURES TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THE WORD IS SAYING.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO IS TO STUDY THE WORD YOURSELF.

AS YOU INTERACT WITH THE WORD YOU ARE ENCOUNTERING THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST.

HE WILL TRANSFORM YOU AS YOU SPEND TIME WITH HIM.

HOW MUCH TIME ARE YOU SPENDING IN THE WORD WITH GOD? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET TO KNOW HIM IF YOU NEVER VISIT WITH HIM?

YOUR TIME WITH HIM, TELLS YOUR CHILDREN HOW IMPORTANT HE IS TO YOU.

THE MORE THEY SEE YOU SEEKING FROM GOD’S WORD THE MORE IT WILL INSPIRE THEM TO DO THE SAME.

IF YOUR CHILDREN NEEDS TEACHING, CORRECTING, AND THE OCCASIONAL REBUKING, THE BIBLE CAN HELP IN THIS AREA.

MY WONDERFUL MOTHERS YOUR LIFE IS THE TEACHING GROUND FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

MAYBE YOUR LIFE HAS NOT BEEN THAT EFFECTIVE SO FAR.

GOD KNEW WE COULD PERHAPS FAIL TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS -- SO HE PUT AT THE CENTER OF HIS RELATIONSHIP TO US FORGIVENESS, AND A FRESH START TODAY TO BECOME A WOMAN OF INFLUENCE.

MAYBE YOUR KIDS ARE GROWN AND YOU REALIZE THEY DIDN’T GET WHAT THEY NEEDED FROM YOU.

RATHER THAN BEING CONSUMED BY GUILT, HEAD TO THE THRONE ROOM OF GRACE AND RECEIVE GOD’S FORGIVENESS.

BUT DON’T EVER THINK IT IS TOO LATE, COMMIT TO A NEW WAY OF LIVING A LIFE OF CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE.

And make your new life purposeful in the lives of your children and Grandchildren.

SET YOUR GOAL TO BECOME A WOMAN OF INFLUENCE IN YOUR FAMILY AND WATCH WHAT GOD WILL DO.