“SHAW-LOME: All Is Well” - Memorial Service in Honor of SSG Driggers
2 Kings 4:18-27
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
Ord Military Community Chapel
Presidio of Monterey, California
BIG IDEA: The MOTHER’S FAITH empowered her to PREPARE for her son’s FUTURE RESURRECTION.
REFERENCES: 2 Kings 4:18-27 (KJV); Hebrews 11:35 (GW) Women received their loved ones back from the dead. Other believers were brutally tortured but refused to be released so that they might gain eternal life.; John 11:25-26 (I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live…).; Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 (Everything has its time: To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven; A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted); Job 14:1 (Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble); Job 2:9 (Mrs. Job’s dealing with the loss of 7 boys and 3 girls; and what looked like the imminent death HER HUSBAND – JOB); Proverbs 31:11 (ESV) The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.;
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: 2 KINGS 4:18-27
II. READ THE PERICOPE: 2 KINGS 4:18-27
III. READ THE TEXT: 2 KINGS 4:26 (Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well).
IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the grieving parents to affirm to others that THEIR FAITH in God allows them to prepare for their son’s FUTURE “RESURRECTION”.
V. SERMONIC THEME: “SHAW-LOME: All Is Well”
INTRODUCTION:
It is my prayer that the Children, Mr. and Mrs. Driggers, Siblings, Family Members, and Fellow Soldiers and Friends …. of Staff Sergeant David Allen Driggers … will find some comfort … today … in knowing that soldiers and leaders of this recruiting company and units around the world … are praying that God will strengthen them … daily.
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MOVE 1: It has been said, in Ecclesiastes 3:1-3, “
a. …Everything has its time: To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven; A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted …
b. There is a story in the Book of John … Chapter 11 and verses 24 thru 27
c. … where Jesus … himself … is at a “memorial service” in honor of a beloved friend (Lazarus) … who was the brother of two sisters: Mary and Martha.
d. And it was at that “Memorial Service” when one of the sisters of the deceased (Martha) said to Jesus:
e. “Lord, if you had been here … my brother would not have died.” And she went on to say … yet, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day”.
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MOVE 2: And Jesus turned and said to her:
a. I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. John 11:24-27 (KJV)
b. … Many years ago, I personally witnessed …. A traumatic experience, indirectly …
c. This experience was encountered by … (my mother-in-law: Mrs. Hattie Lee Williams) …. a Great Woman of God who was … and remain today hospitable … For she often had her pastor and his family over for dinner.
d. In fact, … she and her husband could be found at any given time GIVING OF THEMSELVES TO HELP THEIR CHURCH AND OTHERS. Yet, on one dark evening, … God allowed the enemy called the DEVIL to VIOLENTLY take the life of one of her 9 children.
e. It was devastating to say the least! (Recant the story) …
f. Yet, in spite of her obvious tears and pain … ONE COULD HEAR HER CRIES OF JESUS … RICOCHADING OFF OF THE WALLS OF HER HOME …
g. for she made it known to us all that SHE BELIEVED THAT SOMEHOW … GOD WOULD ALLOW HER TO SEE HER BABY AGAIN … IN THE RESURECTION ….
h. WHEN MOST WERE THINKING AND MAKING PREPARATION FOR HER DAUGHTER’S DEATH …
i. …SHE WAS MAKING PLANS IN HER OWN SPIRITUAL WALK TO SEE HER BABY IN THE RESURRECTION ….
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MOVE 3: Likewise, in our text today … we find a grieving Shunamite Mother …who had also loss her son.
a. For in spite of her Godly Life … She too had not been exempt for FAMILY BEREAVEMENT ……
b. IN FACT, THE SCRIPTURES TELLS US THAT SHE HAD ONE SON…
c. AND HE WAS DEAR TO HER HEART…
d. FOR IT IS BELIEVED … THAT SHE CLUNG TO HIM!
e. IN HER EYES … THERE WASN’T MUCH WRONG … HE COULD DO.
f. HE WAS HER BABY … AND HE WAS THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF HER
ENJOYMENT …
g. FOR HER HOPES AND DREAMS WERE WRAPPED AROUND HIM …
h. HER SON … WAS THE REASON SHE WOKE-UP in the morning (and went to work) …
i. .. AND HE WAS THE EXCUSE … SHE USED FOR GOING TO SLEEP AT NIGHT ..
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MOVE 2: IN FACT … ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY (IN SCRIPTURE) HER SON WAS WITH HER … IN THE MORNING …
a. The Shunamite Mother … ENJOYED LOOKING ON HIS CHARM
b. She loved how he smiled and reminded her … so much … of her husband when he was 20 YEARS YOUNGER …
c. IN FACT, … IF THE TRUTH WAS TOLD … THIS MOTHER … OFTEN THOUGHT ABOUT HER SON’S FUTURE … AND THE SUCCESS THAT COLLEGE WOULD AFFORD HIM …
d. THE SHUNAMITE MOTHER’S … HAD EVEN IMAGINED … WHAT HER SON’S CHILDREN … AND HER GRANDCHILDREN WOULD LOOK LIKE …(PAUSE).
e. THEN SUDDENLY … when he became a grown man …
f. …LIKE A THIEF … IN THE NIGHT … AT AN UNSUSPECTING TIME … AND AT AN UNSUSPECTING PLACE …
g. …THE SHUNAMITE MOTHER’S SON … was struck down by THE HAND OF DEATH …
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MOVE 3: ALTHOUGH … THE SHUNAMITE FAMILY WAS RELIGIOUS … AND BELIEVED IN GOD …
a. THEY WERE NOT EXEMPT FROM THE HAND OF DEATH …
b. My brothers and sisters …
c. … We don’t know how long we’re going to live … BUT FOR SURE .. it will be a few days”
d. For the Bible says in the Book Of Job (14:1) a man that is born of a woman is of a few days and full of trouble …
e. As believers … we don’t know how long … we are going to live …
f. Neither … do we know (as believer) how long our children and fellow soldiers are going to live .…
g. BUT … what we know … is that our days are numbered … and hard times and difficulties will definitely be a part of this life experiences …
i. TROUBLE WILL GRIEVE…SAVED FOLK !!!
k. ….FOR WHEN ELISHA … SAW THE SHUNAMITE … HE SAW GRIEF PORTRAYED ON HER COUNTENANCE …
l. SHE HAD A COUNTENANCE OF A WOMAN … THAT HAD SPENT SOME TIME … on the corner of … GRIEF AND SORROW BLVD …
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MOVE 4: AND IT WAS THERE … (on the corner of Grief and Sorrow) that THE SHUNAMITE … MOTHER … SAW THE NEED FOR GOD’S HELP … and started looking for satisfaction from on high.
a. …SOMEHOW IN THE MIDST OF HER AFFLICTION … AND WHILE … TOSSING AND TURNING - IN - THE PAIN OF HER SON’S DEATH …
b. SHE STOPPED WHAT SHE WAS DOING … !! AND STARTING SEEKING GOD FOR HERSELF …
c. LIKEWISE, my brothers and sisters, … WHEN CHRISTIAN PARENTS LOOSE CHILDREN (OR LOVE ONES) … THEY SHOULD STOP WHAT THEY’RE DOING … AND GO TO GOD … and or His representatives … for THEMSELVES …
d. WHEN ELISHA … SAW THE SHUNAMITE … MOTHER FROM A DISTANCE … HE SENT GEHAZI … his assistant …TO MEET HER … AND TO ASK 3 QUESTIONS …
e. QUESTIONS … WHICH SEEMS INAPPROPRIATE FROM THE NATURAL HEARS; BUT ARE VERY INSIGHTFUL SPIRITUALLY:
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MOVE 4: HE ASKED, … IS IT WELL WITH YOU? …
a. IS IT WELL WITH YOUR HUSBAND? ….
b. IS IT WELL WITH YOUR SON? …
c. SHE ANSWERED …(BY FAITH) … “SHAW-LOME … WHICH is interpreted … ALL IS WELL”…
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CELEBRATION:
In other words … although my world has just been turned Upside … Down … All Is Well …!!
… The devil has taken my child’s life … still … All Is Well …
I’ve never experience anything remotely like this PAIN … All Is Well …
And …although my husband’s family lineage has suddenly come to a screeching halt …
Still … in the words of the “old hymn writer”,
It is well … It is well … with my soul …
