Bible study: a Mother’s Day message

“Two Godly Women: Passing the Baton”
A Mother’s Day Message
Text: 2 Timothy 1:1-5

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 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, 4 longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 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.

Most of us have watched a relay race in person or on television. Like any other sport, relay race preparation requires a lot of practice, discipline, and sacrifice. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, we would like to look at two women who displayed those same attributes in their own lives with respect to their Christian faith.

One of Paul’s reasons for writing 2 Timothy was to encourage young Timothy to guard the pure Biblical gospel in the face of false teachers. He writes this letter from a cold Roman prison shortly before being executed for preaching Christ. He has (no doubt) poured countless hours of his time into mentoring Timothy. Even though verse 4 says that Paul was longing to see Timothy again, this letter would be the final means of communication with his prodigy and “son” in the faith (verse 2).

Our primary focus is verse 5. As a way of encouraging Timothy to stand firm in the Christian faith, he directs his thoughts down “memory lane”, back to his early childhood, to those who first shared Jesus Christ with him. In the Biblical order, the father is the leader of the household. In Timothy’s home, however, his father was a Jew. At some point, however, his mother Eunice became a Christian. More than likely, this was as a result of the influence and mentoring of Lois, Eunice’s mother, and Timothy’s Grandmother.

In verse 5, Paul uses the the word “sincere” in describing Timothy’s faith, and reminds him of that same sincere faith and commitment that was poured into his life by his mother and his grandmother. It is that foundation that he wants Timothy to look back to as he prepares to continue on without his mentor.

In Lois and Eunice, we clearly see the Godly illustration of passing the baton of faith and mentoring to the next generation. In countless households here and around the world, fathers are either not present or are there, but have not yet surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. That puts a tremendous burden on all mothers to carry the weight of two parents.

If you are a mother, how are you pouring your life into your children? Have you personally been convicted of your own sins? Have you surrendered your life to Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord? Mom, your kids need you in the same way that Timothy needed his mother and grandmother. If you have yet to do so, we would ask that you would please consider Lois and Eunice and the importance of being saved from your own sins, growing in the truth of God’s Word, and passing that faith onto your children. If you are not familiar with the Bible, that’s ok! We were all there once, too. We all once had to start with the basics.

Our responsibility is to meet you at your level of understanding, no matter where that may be. We are here to serve you and to provide resources for you and your children. We would love to meet you and your family, and invite you to our Sunday morning worship. Sunday school for adults and children begin at 9:45, Worship Service is at 10:50. If you need to speak with someone or have questions, our Pastor or staff member would count it an honor to speak with you. Happy Mother’s Day!

-Steve Visconti