INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• What was the memory verse from last week?
• What about from 2 weeks ago?
• Today I am going to give you a memory verse break.
• Today we will be in 2 Timothy 3:14-15. This is not one of the verses I have committed to memory, but it is a good one to remember. Next week’s message from 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is another life verse we will look at. You can get a head start on it.
• Today is a day in which we recognize our mothers. It is a day that society honors the institution of motherhood.
• Being a mother is not an easy thing, I am not sure it has ever been easy.
• I want to bring you a message that not only applies to mothers, but it is a message that we can all learn from.
• I believe a question that all of us, not only parents ask is, “How can I make a difference in the life of another person. For parents, the question boils down to what kind of a difference can I make in the life of my child.
• I hope for all of us the question is addressed to all the lives we touch as we live.
• What can you give to those you love that will make an eternal difference? What can you give to someone that will help them to be able to handle the pressures of life?
• Can you think of any material items you can give to someone that would help them to be able to better handle the pressures of life?
• Today I am going to share something with you that you can give to another person that will make an eternal difference in their life.
• Today we are going to explore “A Legacy of Faith.”
• What is a legacy? According to the dictionary, it means: something that is handed down or remains from a previous generation or time.
• If you have your bibles with you, let us turn to 2 Timothy 3:14-15.
• As we look at our text, we need to understand the context of the chapter.
• Paul is explaining to the young evangelist Timothy, that there would be hard times ahead for him.
• He tells them in the first part of the chapter that people will be self-centered, not wanting to hear the truth. He shares with him that these people will drag other people down with them.
• In verse 12 he tells Timothy that everyone who desires to live a godly life will be persecuted.
• People will be deceived and will deceive others.
• We are going to learn from Paul how we can stand strong in the face of opposition, how we can stand firm when things are not going well in life.
• Paul is going to tell Timothy that in order to stand strong, he will need to continue to follow the legacy of faith that was given to him. We will look at where that legacy came from in a few minutes.
• The first thing we need to understand is that a legacy of faith will help us to stand firm.
• SLIDE #2
SERMON
I. A LEGACY OF FAITH WILL HELP YOU TO STAND FIRM.
• When you are going through difficult times, you need something to anchor your self to in order to be endure the times. Where do you turn when the chips are down?
• What gets you though the problems that life throws at you?
• Timothy was going to face a lot of opposition, opposition that could make him want to abandon his faith.
• Look at part of verse 14 with me.
• SLIDE #3
• 2 Timothy 3:14 (NASB) 14You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of,…
• If Timothy is going to be able to withstand the attack on his faith he will endure, he is told to continue in the things he learned and that he was convinced of!
• To continue means to abide, to live.
• Jesus uses the same word in a few places "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples" (John 8:31; cf. John 15:4-7), and "if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love" (John 15:10; cf. 1 John 4:16).
• SLIDE #4
• John 8:31 (NASB) 31So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
• Timothy was given a legacy of faith so that he would continue to live in that legacy.
• Notice the faith he has is not a faith that he was born into in the sense that he took no ownership of it, it is something that he had learned and had become convinced of its truthfulness.
• The word “learned” carries the implication of intentional learning by inquiry and observation. Timothy had not learned from Scripture and from Paul or his family incidentally but by intent.
• If you do not take ownership of your faith, you will not have much to stand on. The trick for any parent of spouse who is trying to win them to Jesus is to allow them to develop their faith. If my daughters have not personalized their faith, then it will not do them much good.
• They have to learn it with intent. They need to see it in me and Robyn.
• Because Timothy learned the faith, he was convinced of its validity.
• Look at the rest of verse 14
• SLIDE #5
• 2 Timothy 3:14 (NASB) …knowing from whom you have learned them,
• Timothy was fully convinced or persuaded on the basis of his own personal observations (cf. 2 Tim. 3:10). And his sources of information about the truth of God were reliable sources.
• Who passed on a legacy of faith to Timothy?
• Look at 2 Timothy 1:5 with me
• SLIDE #6
• 2 Timothy 1:5 (NASB) 5For 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.
• The legacy of faith started in Timothy’s grandmother, who passed it to his mother, who passed in on to Timothy!
• The greatest thing you can give to your children and grandchildren is a legacy of faith!
• His faith was passed on to him and others like Paul built upon the legacy that was started by Timothy’s family!
• Giving a legacy of faith will allow a loved one to continue in the things they have learned and become convinced of!
• SLIDE #7
II. A LEGACY OF FAITH IS BUILT ON THE SCRIPTURES.
• What are building our legacies on? Are we building it on money and material things? Are we building our legacy on traditions?
• What will your children, grandchildren and other loved ones remember you for?
• What did Timothy’s mother and grandmother build their legacy upon?
• Look at part of verse 15 with me.
• SLIDE #8
• 2 Timothy 3:15 (NASB) 15and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings…
• The legacy of faith that was given to Timothy was built upon the scriptures. The sacred writings spoken of are the Old Testament Scriptures. The New Testament was not written when Timothy was a child.
• The word for "childhood" means "infant," or "babe." (3) But the basic source of Timothy’s knowledge, whether through Paul or his parents, was the "sacred writings"
• Next week we will delve into some more information concerning the scriptures.
• From his infancy Timothy had been taught “the holy Scriptures” (obviously a reference to the OT). In addition to knowing the character of those who taught him, Timothy also has “known the holy Scriptures” and their character.
• The sources for Timothy’s faith could provide another encouragement to continue in the faith: Paul, his mentor and friend, who provided an unmistakable example of God’s faithfulness; the inerrant Scriptures that Timothy had studied and loved since childhood; and Timothy’s dear mother and grandmother who nurtured and loved him.
• SLIDE #9
• Proverbs 6:20 (NASB) 20My son, observe the commandment of your father And do not forsake the teaching of your mother;
• Timothy listened to his family and then he watched how they lived out their faith.
• It is the job of the home to instruct the children in the ways of God. Too many families expect the schools to teach the children all the academics, the sex ed, and morality. They expect the church to do all the spiritual teaching.
• SLIDE #10
• Deuteronomy 6:6 - 9 (NASB) 6“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8“You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9“You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
• Teach them early and it makes it easier for them to stay with it. Live it out in your life and it will make an impression on them that will make it easier for them to stay with it.
• SLIDE #11
III. A LEGACY OF FAITH WILL CHANGE DESTINIES!
• Why is it so important for us to try to instill a legacy of faith in people? It is important because it can change their destiny along with the destiny of every life they touch for Jesus!
• Let us look at the last part of verse 15.
• SLIDE #12
• 2 Timothy 3:15 (NASB) …which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
• Scripture, God’s Word, teaches about salvation; but knowing Scripture alone saves no one (many Jews had known Scripture from childhood, yet had opposed Jesus and the salvation he offered—see 2 Corinthians 3:15-16; Paul himself exemplified that in his early years, Acts 26:9-11). The Scriptures show people their need for salvation and point them to the person who alone can give it—Jesus Christ. (Life Application Bible)
• When we allow God’s word to work in our lives, it will lead us to salvation. When we decide to follow Jesus, we will follow His Word, we will do what He wants us to do, we will become more and more like Him each day!
• As we are changed into the image of Jesus, others will take note and they will want have the indescribable joy we have.
• There is no other name in heaven or on earth by which we can be saved!
• We allow ourselves to get so distracted that we can forget how important God’s Word is in our lives.
• We do what is important to us. We find the time to do the things we want to do.
• What if we were to have a contest in which everyone who read their Bible daily and could pass a quiz on what they read for the next year would receive 100 million dollars/
• If you missed reading one day or could not pass the quiz just once (if you failed the quiz, you could re-take in until you passed.), you would not get the money.
• How many of us would make God’s word a priority before anything else?
• We have more at stake that 100 million dollars, we have eternity to consider.
CONCLUSION
• A legacy of faith! Parents; that are the greatest gift you can pass on to your children.
• Brothers and sisters, it is the greatest gift we can pass on to those care about.
• What will people remember you for? What will you leave behind?
