Mother's Awake!

Mother’s Awake!

Judges 4:4-9

Today we salute all our mothers and tell you thanks for doing an awesome job. The world would be a horrible place without the influence of mothers. Think of all the wisdom dished out by our mothers. Everything that we’ve needed to know somewhere a long the line mom probably taught us. Like: (READ Illustration)

Our text this morning is an amazing story about an amazing mother who lived in Israel over 3,000 years ago. She was a mother, a housewife, a musician, an administrator and a fearless warrior. Her life and testimony propelled her into leadership in Israel which was a rare thing under the Old Covenant. She became a Judge in Israel and a prophetess.

Her story is one of being consistent, being committed and being contented which enabled her to provide godly leadership and a godly example that changed an entire generation leading them from a war torn nation into 40 years of peace. Let’s look at her story this morning.

I. Being Consistent

Thank God for godly mothers. One godly mother can make a huge difference in our world. Moms, you make a tremendous difference in this nation and in the church. I can’t imagine what our nation would be like without the TLC provided by loving mothers who are often taken for granted.

This fantastic story of Deborah takes place about 175 years after the children of Israel entered into the Promised-land. When the children of Israel went into the Promised-land, they marched in under the leadership of Joshua and won victory after victory. The people were fearless warriors, loyal worshipers of Jehovah God. No matter the size of the opposition, as long as they were obedient to God, nothing could stand in their way. Yet at this moment in history the life and times of Israel was pathetic. They turned from God and drifted back into sin; they lost their spiritual compass. They had allowed pagan world around them to influence them. They quickly lost their identity as God’s chosen people and started serving the false gods of the Canaanites.

This is not unlike the times in which we live. It is very difficult today to distinguish between the world and the church. Poll after poll indicates there is really no difference in what the world believes and what most people who call themselves Christian believe. There was a time when being a Christian meant something. When a person identified themselves as being Christian it meant “I have decided to follow Jesus no turning back, no turning back. Though none go with me still I will follow and the world behind me, the cross before me.” Today, for the most part, it is just another category we group people in, “I’m Christian as opposed to Muslim or Hindu or Buddhist.”

Not too long ago it meant being called out to march to the beat of a different drummer; but these days it is much like the time in which Deborah came onto the scene. When Ehud passed away the nation slowly slipped into a dull spiritual existence. Serving God became a bore so they started to identify with the world. They learned to copy the wayward ways of the world. They were soon seduced by the prosperity of the wicked and followed after them. Many today are seduced with all the trappings of the world and the sad reality is, the church is in danger of losing her identity as God’s elect. We no longer approach the church as a divine appointment with the creator God; it is looked upon more like a ball game or recreational activity; a take it or leave it mentality.

God is not happy with that. I preached a message last year titled, “Rubbing God the Wrong Way” and the message came about because spoke to me about how weary He is with the way the American church serves Him. We wonder why God does not bare His arm and unleash miracle after miracle. We wonder why we take one step forward and end up two steps behind. God is weary with the way we come in when it is convenient or we can’t find anything better to do with our time. He is wearied with all the murmuring and complaining because we don’t like this and we don’t like that, or he got blessed and I didn’t. It has wearied Him and God will not bless that rebellious attitude. The cry of the hour should be, repent. Then we would see the mighty hand of God as we walk in obedience. Our faith and loyalty to God has to be bigger than the allurement of the world or we cannot get to first base.

God was fed up with the nation of Israel and for 20 years God allowed the children of Israel to be chastised by the Canaanites under the heavy hand of King Jabin. For 20 years they were oppressed and held in servitude. For 20 year they were in bondage in an effort to cause them to once again turn their hearts towards the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.