The Biblical Calling of Motherhood

Introduction

Mother's Day 2021 May 9th

The biblical calling of motherhood

2 Timothy 3:10-17

Happy Mother's Day to each and everyone of you mothers in our congregation and though it's listening to this message. Your love, care, compassion, presence, and more are crucial to our lives. Your sacrifice time ham again is deeply appreciated. Your sacrifice to bring life into this world and bear the affects of that process the rest of your life is worth remembering.

Today we're gonna talk about the biblical role of motherhood. We're going to look at the high calling of motherhood.

What is it that every mother wants for her children? I would imagine every mother wants their child to thrive. What we're going to answer today is what God calls mothers to.

In the second letter to Timothy Paul challenges the young Timothy to be the leader that God has called him to be. He writes two full letters and many people think more to teach Timothy how to be a leader in the church. Timothy was a young man who was leading a new church plant in a city known for sinful lifestyles.

In chapter three of the second letter to Timothy Paul writes about what it will be like in the final days.

2 Timothy 3:1–5 ESV

1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Those are extraordinary words to describe what the world will look like in what Paul calls the last days. What's scary when I read that is how many of these characteristics these attributes I see in the world around me. And the true challenges in a world such as this how does Timothy lead his church? In a world such as this how does the church call anyone to follow Jesus?

In a world where people love themselves, how do we get them to love Jesus?

In a world where people love money, how do we invite them to a life that loves God more than money?

For people who are proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, how do we call them to a life of godliness?

How do we live as the people God has called us to be in a world marked by profound godlessness.?

I think this is a question that many godly mothers ask themselves? I know as a father I ask myself how in the world I'm going to raise my children to know and follow God bravely in a world marked by so much sin?

It seems that many of the marks of Christianity and its influence on culture are fading. And more and more conversations I have with members of our church past the age of 60, we talk about how things used to be in terms of Christianity and its influence on our culture. I believe our hope for the future lies in part in pursuing a biblical view of motherhood. A biblical calling of motherhood.

I want you to turn your attention to a young man in the Bible who succeeded in living out his faith. He succeeded without a father in the picture that shared his faith. He succeeded because of the sincere faith of his mother and grandmother. Two women passed on their faith to him. And because of that faith, many others were blessed by his faith fullness.

Timothy lived in a culture rebelling against God. And yet his faith and his life were different from the world around him. Let's read:

2 Timothy 3:10 ESV

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,

Paul begins this passage by drawing a contrast. As opposed to the world that Timothy lived in, he lived a different faith. At some point in his life he had encountered Paul and his life had been changed by the witness and the life that Paul and his life called him too

Point your children to godly mentors.

Philippians 2:22 ESV

22 But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.

Remind your children of God's faithfulness.

2 Timothy 3:11 ESV

11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.

Remind your children of scripture of his faithfulness

Psalm 34:19 ESV

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

Remind your children how God has been faithful in the past

2 Corinthians 1:10 ESV

10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

Remind your children of the stakes of following Christ.

2 Timothy 3:12 ESV

12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Remind your children to have long-term perspective

2 Timothy 3:13 ESV

13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Remember the crucial role you play

2 Timothy 3:14 ESV

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it

2 Timothy 1:5 ESV

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.

Believe in the power of God’s word for you and your children

2 Timothy 3:15 ESV

15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Use God’s Word to help your children

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Equip your children to do what God has called them to do.

2 Timothy 3:17 ESV

17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The messenger of God