Sermon for 5/11/2008
Mother
Introduction:
Mrs. Monroe lives in Darlington, Maryland. She’s the mother of 8 children. And except for a few interesting experiences, she’s just like any other mother across America. One experience was so unique that John Haggai put it in his book: “How to Win Over Worry.” She came home one afternoon from the grocery store and walked into her home and everything looked pretty much the same, though it was a little bit quieter than usual. She looked into the middle of the living room and 5 of her darlings were sitting around in a circle, exceedingly quiet, doing something, with something in the middle of a circle. So she put down the sacks of groceries and walked over closely and looked and saw that they were playing with 5 of the cutest skunks you can imagine. She was instantly terrified and she said, “Run children, run! Each child grabbed a skunk and ran, in 5 different directions. She was beside herself and screamed louder, more frantically, with great gusto. It so scared the children that each one squeezed his skunk! As the writer put it, “Skunks don’t like to be squeezed!” John Haggai, in Swindoll, Oxcart, p. 207
WBTU:
A. Some have a struggle on Mother’s Day.
B. To help counteract this, let’s first talk about women. In talking about women, Rev Magazine said the following about women:
1. Women are natural net workers. They talk about everything and even if they have no ideas, to share with someone else seems to be the make up of a woman. Is it any wonder that women also network about church and their relationship with Jesus? Men are reluctant to talk about church but women do this quite naturally. Women are more comfortable extending invitations because of this.
2. Women are nurturers by nature. They care about relationships. Women staff most of the “caring” ministries of the church. Talk to a man and one of the first things brought up is work. Talk to a woman and one of the first things brought up is family. Have ministries for women here: Hospitality, Dorcas Circle, Nursery, Education.
3. Women desire relationships. Women aren’t satisfied with attending anything more than twice without some connectedness. They’re always on the lookout for new friends, people they relate to, a sense of belonging. As a church we can have great sermons, music, and children’s programs, but if a woman doesn’t connect with someone within the first few weeks, the whole family is likely to not come back. The reverse is also true. If a woman makes strong connections …
4. Women have sensitive hearts toward God. Who attends church the most and who makes up the bulk of the people sitting in the pews? George Barna did a survey examining 12 different elements of faith behavior and perspective. Women excelled in 11 of the 12 elements examined far distancing themselves from men. Men may enjoy advantages in physical strength, but women generally are stronger spiritually.
Thesis: Acrostic on the word MOTHER
For instances:
M is for the Million things she gave.
A. Man’s work is from sun up to sun down. A woman’s work is never done. Take an illustration from the world of running: a man is a sprinter, a woman a marathon runner.
C. A teacher gave her class of second graders a lesson on the magnet and what it does. The next day in a written test, she included this question: My full name is six letters. The first one is M. I pick up things. What am I? When the last test papers were turned in, the teacher was astonished to find that almost 50 percent of the students answered the question with the word “Mother.”
D. (Prov 31:13) She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.(Prov 31:14) She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.(Prov 31:15) She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
E. (Prov 31:17 NIV) She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.(Prov 31:18 NIV) She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.(Prov 31:19 NIV) In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.(Prov 31:20 NIV) She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.(Prov 31:21 NIV) When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.(Prov 31:22 NIV) She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
F. (Prov 31:27 NIV) She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
O = Only that she is growing old
A. My mother is growing weaker every day. I remember when she…
B. My grandmother is growing weaker every day. I remember when she…
C. (Prov 31:28 NIV) Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
D. Age 4 "My parents can do anything." Age 8 "There might be one or two things they don’t know." Age 12 "Naturally, my parents don’t understand." Age 14 "I never realized how hopelessly old-fashioned they are!" Age 21 "You would expect them to feel that way. They’re out-of-date." Age 25 "They come up with a good idea now and then." Age 30 "I wonder what Mom and Dad think I should do." Age 40 "Let’s be patient until we discuss it with our parents." Age 50 "What would Mom or Dad have thought about?" Age 60 "I wish I could talk it over with them one more time."
T = Tears she shed to save you.
A. Augustine credits his mother Monica for leading him to Jesus Christ. He was a notorious sinner and this is what he says of his mother after becoming a Christian in his book Confessions. “You (God) drewest my soul out of that profound darkness, my mother, thy faithful one, weeping to Thee for me, more than mothers weep the bodily deaths of their children. For she, by that faith and spirit which she had from Thee, discerned the death wherein I lay, and Thou heardest her, O Lord; Thou heardest her, and despisedst not her tears, when streaming down, they watered the ground under her eyes in every place where she prayed, yea Thou heardest her.”
C. (Psa 126:6 NIV) He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.
H = Heart of purest gold
A. Do we ever consider our mother’s contribution to our lives? Anne Jarvis did. Which is why she suggested celebrating Mother’s Day in 1907. Congress later set aside the second Sunday in May, and the florist of the nation are grateful.
B. Sometimes power and wealth cause us to forget how much of our characters are the direct result of our mother’s love, patience and teaching.
C. New King James version 1 Peter 3:3- Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-- 1Pe 3:4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
E = Eyes, with love light burning.
A. The closest tie on earth is a mother’s love for her child. There are unnatural mothers, their are mothers who have gone out of their heads, mothers who are steeped in sin and iniquity that they will turn against their own children, but a true mother will never, never turn against her own child. Disciple and chastise them, but never forsake them.
B. Wanted to preach from Corinthians but not able. This is as close as I could get. (1 Cor 13:8 NIV) Love never fails.
B. (Isa 49:15 NIV) "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!(Isa 49:16 NIV) See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.
R = Right, and right she’ll always be.
* Women are always right even when they are wrong!
A. Philip Yancey tells about an African safari he was on where he saw an old momma giraffe taking care of her offspring. Shortly after he was born, she went over & kicked her offspring, and it looked like she was really hurting her baby. Then she did it again. Each time, the little giraffe would get up on his wobbly legs & try to walk. Still she continued kicking him. Finally, he got up pretty rapidly and ran away from her kicks. Phil turned to his guide & asked, "Why does the mother giraffe do that?" The guide answered, "The only defense the giraffe has is its ability to get up quickly and to out run its predator. If it can’t do that, it will soon die." Yancey said that while it looked like it was a cruel thing, it was really the most loving thing the mother could do for her offspring. Sometimes disciple is the same way.
B. (Prov 31:30 NIV) Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
C. Sometimes mothers are not right. Had a mother who brought children and told children they had to sit and be quiet and listen and that is all. No coloring pages, no writting, no discussion, just lecture. If these children did participate in these things they were punished. She said, "This is how I learned in church and this is how they will learn in church!" Little wonder that when they grew up they don’t like church! Touched in the head!
D. (2 Cor 5:21 NIV) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
E. Through Christ, we are made right. Without Christ we are all crazy! The closer we come to Christ the more sane we really will be. (Luke 15:17 NIV) "When he came to his senses, he said, ’How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
