Sermon: Faith of Timothy

"I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News" Php_2:20-22

Paul wrote this glowing report about a young man who had become like a son to Paul. Timothy had been Paul's traveling companion on the second and third missionary journeys, and Paul had left him in Ephesus to help the church there. Paul had learned his lesson with John-Mark and the relationship with Timothy was very different. Timothy probably became a Christian after Paul's first missionary visit to Lystra. By Paul's second visit, Timothy had grown into a respected disciple of Jesus. He did not hesitate to join Paul and Silas on their journey. Paul wrote two letters to Timothy and he wrote the letters from a Roman prison while he awaiting his death. 2 Timothy has a very somber mood, Paul was first imprisoned was in a house this time he was probably confined to a cold dungeon. Emperor Nero had begun a major persecution in A.D. 64, it was all part of his plan to blame the Christians for the divesting Rome fires. Christians were persecuted across the empire. These words we read were most likely Paul's last words. So Paul is looking to pass the torch, and Timothy is the one. What set Timothy apart? What was different about Timothy? In one verse in 2 Timothy, Paul gives us a clue to why Timothy was above the rest, why Timothy was who he was. Paul says this in 2 Timothy 1:5

I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

(2 Timothy 1:5)

Paul is remembering Timothy's faith, his sincere faith. Timothy had traveled extensively with Paul. They had traveled, suffered, cried, and laughed together. They shared the intense joy of seeing people respond to the Good News and the agonies of seeing the gospel rejected and distorted. How did Timothy do it? John Mark left Paul and would take years to right the relationship. Paul was accused of being 'overbearing', 'uncompromising'. He never slowed down, he tirelessly worked to bring the people the gospel. Yet Timothy was able to grow and learn from Paul. He was able to build and important relationship with the Apostle. I think the key is found in the second part of the verse, it simply reads…as Paul reflects on the sincere faith of Timothy….

'which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice'

Timothy learned faith from his mother, his mother learned from her mother. The sincere faith was passed down to him. It wasn't something he was born with it was learned. Timothy was surrounded by this faith. He saw it in action; he witnessed faith being played out in front of him. Not only did Timothy get to see faith lived out in front of him, his grandmother and mother took the time to insure he knew and understood the scripture. They understood to live faithfully would require a firm foundation. Timothy would learn faith flowed from knowing and being grounded in scripture.

Today is mother's day, a day when we stop and thank the mothers in our lives. It should be a when we honor and cherish the gift we have in mothers. It is a time to remember the time they have invested in you and me. Where would we be without mothers, who loved us when no one else would? Mothers pick us up and encouraged us when life got us down; Mothers who clean our wounds and carried our hurts with us.

As I think about my own mother, I realize I would not be here without her constant support. All through my life my mother is the constant; she has always been there for me. Through the years our relationship has grown deeper. To this day she is an incredible influence in my life. Through the years she has taught me about faith, about prayer and about service. You can see how she 'lives' the scriptures out in her life. She is amazing!

She has taught me so much about prayer, because when she prays things happen. Let me share a story with you. I was in the Air Force stationed in England preparing to return back to the United States. I had orders to Minot North Dakota, in fact I had dates for my household goods to be picked up, I was leaving within a month. My mother tells me in a conversation I'm coming to California because she is praying for it. I tell it's impossible, the movers are coming, I'm heading to North Dakota. I remember how confident she was, she told me the church was praying for it and it was going to happen. Within a few days of talking to my mother the flight chief calls me into his office. As I enter his office he has this big grin on his face, which of course made me nervous. He says to me, "I don't know who you know, but you have been diverted to Vandenberg AFB, California. I remember standing there hearing my mother's voice in my head.

What was the result of me coming to California? While stationed at Vandenberg my mother would develop a deep relationship with my new wife, Sharon. It was at

Vandenberg I was deployed to the first Gulf war, which would push my back towards Christ. While deployed, Sharon was pregnant with our first child. For those six months Sharon was exposed to the gospel played out through my mother. She loved Sharon as her own daughter and through her, Sharon would begin seeking Christ on her own.

When I returned home, Sharon wasn't the same, I wasn't the same and we went to church together and never turned back. We have dedicated our lives to Christ and it all had its start with a mother praying for her child. A mother praying for an opportunity to share her faith with her new daughter-in-law, praying for an opportunity to have an influence on her head strong son. It is because of my mother I stand before you today.

Paul closes his thoughts with this, "I am persuaded, now lives in you also'. Paul knew about Timothy's faith because he had seen it. He had seen Timothy live out the faith he had learned. He stuck with Paul through the good time and through the hard times, until the very end. He knew this faith was learned, he knew his faith was passed down.

This morning I want to challenge the mothers, I want to encourage you today. You are the greatest influence in your child's life. Live your faith, let your children see your faith played out in front of them. Let them know the love of Christ, by seeing it displayed through you. Grandmothers, live your faith in front of your grandchildren. Let them see how much you love them, through Christ.

Timothy was able to live for Christ, because he first learned it from his grandmother and mother. He was able to be used by God to reach people for Christ, because of their faith. This morning we honor mother everywhere, we thank them for their love and continued sacrifice.