The High Calling of a Mother & Grandmother

In honor of Mother's Day last Sunday morning, we considered the "High Calling of a Mother & Grandmother." Here was my sermon outline:

1. Four people in a family - 2 Timothy 1:5 and Acts 16:1-2 introduced us to a family of four: Lois, a believing grandma; Eunice, a believing mom; Timothy, a believing son; and Timothy's father, an unbelieving dad. We were encouraged to see how God used a mother's and grandmother's faith to be instrumental in saving young Timothy.
2. Four areas of training children - From the description of Jesus' development in Luke 2:52, we saw four areas that every mother should train her child: mental, physical, spiritual, and social.
3. Four kinds of people in our church - We concluded by considering how these truths would apply to four groups of people in our church: moms, grandmas, women without children, and men.
   

Thought & Discussion Questions:

• Are there any similarities between Timothy's spiritually "mixed family" and mine? Are there people in my household who do not share my passion for God? What can I learn from Eunice' example?
• Mothers, do you pray regularly for your children? How are you doing in training your children in these four areas of mental, physical, spiritual, and social? Where do your children naturally excel? Where do they struggle? What is one area you can begin to improve immediately?
• Grandmothers, are you loving and serving your children as they now raise their kids, and supporting other younger moms in the church? Read Titus 2:3-5 and consider how you should apply this. Who is one young mom in the church that you can specifically pray for and encourage?
• Women without children, do you feel disappointed that you do not have children of your own? What is your attitude toward mothers and grandmothers? Are you joyful and content in your present circumstances? Has God called you to consider adoption, or to help other moms who are raising kids?
• Men, what is your mindset toward child-rearing? Do you consider it primarily a woman's duty, or are you providing spiritual leadership in the home and church? Are you serving and praying for your wife? Are you teaching your daughters to become future moms and women of God? Could you serve more faithfully in children's ministry so that moms can have their spiritual batteries recharged?
  

Sunday’s sermon has been uploaded to our podcast site and is now available for free download or to listen online.)

May God help us apply His Word this week in our hearts, in our words, and in our actions.