Lessons For Mom From Four Mothers

LESSONS FOR MOM FROM FOUR MOTHERS

1. A WOMAN WHO SOUGHT WISDOM FROM ELISHA

2 KGS 4:1–7

NOW THE WIFE OF ONE OF THE SONS OF THE PROPHETS CRIED TO ELISHA, “YOUR SERVANT MY HUSBAND IS DEAD, AND YOU KNOW THAT YOUR SERVANT FEARED THE LORD, BUT THE CREDITOR HAS COME TO TAKE MY TWO CHILDREN TO BE HIS SLAVES.” AND ELISHA SAID TO HER, “WHAT SHALL I DO FOR YOU? TELL ME; WHAT HAVE YOU IN THE HOUSE?” AND SHE SAID, “YOUR SERVANT HAS NOTHING IN THE HOUSE EXCEPT A JAR OF OIL.” THEN HE SAID, “GO OUTSIDE, BORROW VESSELS FROM ALL YOUR NEIGHBORS, EMPTY VESSELS AND NOT TOO FEW. THEN GO IN AND SHUT THE DOOR BEHIND YOURSELF AND YOUR SONS AND POUR INTO ALL THESE VESSELS. AND WHEN ONE IS FULL, SET IT ASIDE.” SO SHE WENT FROM HIM AND SHUT THE DOOR BEHIND HERSELF AND HER SONS. AND AS SHE POURED THEY BROUGHT THE VESSELS TO HER. WHEN THE VESSELS WERE FULL, SHE SAID TO HER SON, “BRING ME ANOTHER VESSEL.” AND HE SAID TO HER, “THERE IS NOT ANOTHER.” THEN THE OIL STOPPED FLOWING. SHE CAME AND TOLD THE MAN OF GOD, AND HE SAID, “GO, SELL THE OIL AND PAY YOUR DEBTS, AND YOU AND YOUR SONS CAN LIVE ON THE REST.”

• THIS IS THE STORY OF A WIDOWER WHOSE HUSBAND, THE SON OF ONE OF THE PROPHETS WHO HAD SERVED UNDER ELISHA, HAD PASSED AWAY, LEAVING HER WITH NO MONEY.

• MOSAIC LAW PROHIBITED HER FROM DECLARING BANKRUPTCY.

• ONLY OPTION WAS TO OFFER HER SONS AS PAYMENT FOR DEBT.

o SLAVERY

o SERVITUDE

• SHE SOUGHT WISDOM FROM GOD THROUGH THE PROPHET ELISHA.

o HER EXPECTATION FOR GOD’S PROVISION WAS LIMITED.

? ELISHA ASKS, “WHAT HAVE YOU IN THE HOUSE?”

? SHE RESPONDS, “NOTHING . . . EXCEPT A JAR OF OIL.”

o WHEN SHE LOOKED AT HER POSSESSION, SHE SAW NOTHING GOD COULD USE.

o I WILL REMIND YOU THAT WITH GOD, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!

• KIND OF SOUNDS FAMILIAR! REMEMBER THE DISCIPLES?

o WE ONLY HAVE FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISHES

o REMEMBER THE WEDDING AT CANA

o THERE IS NO MORE WINE

• A “JAR OF OIL” IS MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR GOD.

• THE ANSWER TO THE NEED OF THIS WIDOW WAS RIGHT IN HER OWN HOME.

• THE QUESTION OF ELISHA IS A GOOD QUESTION FOR TODAY.

o IT IS A GOOD QUESTION FOR MOTHERS

o IT IS A GOOD QUESTION FOR ANYONE THAT TRUST IN GOD

o THE QUESTION -- WHAT DO HAVE?

• PERHAPS WE CAN ADJUST THIS QUESTION A LITTLE

o WHAT DO WE HAVE THAT GOD CAN USE?

o OR WE CAN TURN A QUESTION INTO SOMETHING MORE – GOD, HOW CAN I USE “THIS” FOR YOU

• LOOK AT THE RESULT

o WHEN THE WIDOW DID WHAT ELISHA ASKED, GOD PROVIDED FOR HER NEEDS FROM WHAT SHE ALREADY HAD.

? GOD TO MULTIPLIED THE OIL SO SHE COULD PAY OFF HER DEBT AND LIVE OFF OF IT, TOO.

THE MAIN POINT?

WHATEVER YOU HAVE IS ENOUGH FOR GOD TO USE FOR HIS GOOD PURPOSE.

2. A MOTHER WHOSE CHOICE IMPACTED GENERATIONS

HEB 11:23–27

BY FAITH MOSES, WHEN HE WAS BORN, WAS HIDDEN FOR THREE MONTHS BY HIS PARENTS, BECAUSE THEY SAW THAT THE CHILD WAS BEAUTIFUL, AND THEY WERE NOT AFRAID OF THE KING’S EDICT. BY FAITH MOSES, WHEN HE WAS GROWN UP, REFUSED TO BE CALLED THE SON OF PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER, CHOOSING RATHER TO BE MISTREATED WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD THAN TO ENJOY THE FLEETING PLEASURES OF SIN. HE CONSIDERED THE REPROACH OF CHRIST GREATER WEALTH THAN THE TREASURES OF EGYPT, FOR HE WAS LOOKING TO THE REWARD. BY FAITH HE LEFT EGYPT, NOT BEING AFRAID OF THE ANGER OF THE KING, FOR HE ENDURED AS SEEING HIM WHO IS INVISIBLE.

• KEY VERSE: “BY FAITH MOSES, WHEN HE WAS GROWN UP, REFUSED TO BE CALLED THE SON OF PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER.”

• JOCHEBED, AN ISRAELITE, GAVE BIRTH TO MOSES WHILE HER NATION WAS SUBJECT TO EGYPTIAN SLAVERY AND DURING A TIME WHEN ALL MALE BABIES WERE UNDER SENTENCE OF DEATH.

• HER FAITH AMID DISTRESSING CIRCUMSTANCES STANDS AS A MODEL TO US ALL.

• SCRIPTURE TELLS US MOSES

o “WAS A FINE CHILD” EXOD 2:2

o AND WAS “BEAUTIFUL IN GOD’S SIGHT” ACTS 7:20

• SOMETHING ABOUT HIM WAS UNIQUE.

o EVEN SO, BY LAW MOSES SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXECUTED

o BUT GOING AGAINST THE KING’S COMMAND WOULD HAVE MEANT CERTAIN DEATH FOR JOCHEBED.

• YET THE BIBLE IS CLEAR: WE “MUST OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MAN” ACTS 5:29.

• EVEN JESUS TAUGHT THE VALUE OF LIFE OVER LAW WHEN HE HEALED ON THE SABBATH: “WHICH ONE OF YOU WHO HAS A SHEEP, IF IT FALLS INTO A PIT ON THE SABBATH, WILL NOT TAKE HOLD OF IT AND LIFT IT OUT? OF HOW MUCH MORE VALUE IS A MAN THAN A SHEEP! SO IT IS LAWFUL TO DO GOOD ON THE SABBATH” MATT 12:11.