SC A MOTHERS LOVE
1 THESSALONIANS 2:7-8
2 TIMOTHY 1:5-3:12
This sermon was gleaned from numerous sources on SC and from my own study
INTRO-
PAUL IN 1 THESSALONIANS IS TALKING TO THE PEOPLE AND THE CHURCH.
HE IS LETTING THEM KNOW HOW MUCH TIMOTHY, SILAS AND HIMSELF LOVE THEM.
1 THESSALONIANS 2:7-8- “AS APOSTLES OF CHRIST WE COULD HAVE BEEN A BURDEN TO YOU, BUT WE WERE GENTLE AMONG YOU, LIKE A MOTHER CARING FOR HER LITTLE CHILDREN.
WE LOVED SO MUCH THAT WE WERE DELIGHTED TO SHARE WITH YOU NOT ONLY THE GOSPEL OF GOD, BUT OUR LIVES ALSO.”
THIS IS NOT USUALLY THE PASSAGE YOU PREACH FOR MOTHERS DAY. I DON’T USUALLY DO THE NORMAL
PAUL IS SPEAKING TO THE THESSALONIANS AND TELLING THEM THAT WHEN THEY CAME (PAUL, SILAS, TIMOTHY) THEY CAME LIKE A LOVING MOTHER AND GAVE THEM ALL THEY HAD...THEIR LIVES.
TODAY WE HONOR THE MOTHERS...BEING A MOTHER IS NOT EASY
BY THE TIME A CHILD REACHES 18 YEARS OLD , A MOTHER HAS HAD TO HANDLE SOME 18,000 HOURS OF CHILD GENERATED WORK. IN FACT, FAMILIES WITHOUT CHILDREN ENJOY THE EQUIVALENT OF 3 MONTHS A YEAR MORE OF LEISURE TIME.
THE EARLIEST MOTHERS DAY CELEBRATION CAN BE TRACED BACK TO GREECE IN HONOR OF RHEA...THE MOTHER OF THE GOD’S
DURING THE 1600’S- ENGLAND CELEBRATED WHAT WAS CALLED “MOTHERING SUNDAY” HONORING THE MOTHERS OF ENGLAND.
AS CHRISTIANITY SPREAD THRU ENGLAND THEIR CAME A TIME OF CELEBRATION CALLED “MOTHER CHURCH’..HONORING CHURCH AND MOTHERS.
IN THE U.S. MOTHERS DAY WAS FIRST SUGGESTED IN 1872 BY JULIA HOWE(WHO WROTE THE WORDS OF THE BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC) AS A DAY TO DEDICATE TO PEACE.
THEN IN 1914, PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON MADE THE SECOND SUNDAY IN MAY OFFICIALLY MOTHERS DAY.
ILLUSTRATION- A JUNIOR HIGH SCIENCE TEACHER LECTURED ON THE PROPERTIES OF MAGNETS FOR AN ENTIRE CLASS. THE NEXT DAY HE GAVE HIS STUDENTS A QUIZ. THE FIRST QUESTION READ LIKE THIS: “MY NAME BEGINS WITH A “M”, HAS SIX LETTERS, AND I PICK THINGS UP. WHAT AM I? HALF THE KIDS IN THE CLASS WROTE “MOTHER”
THAT REMINDS ME OF THE FATHER WHO WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF MARRIAGE TO HIS 4 YEAR DAUGHTER. HE GOT OUT THEIR WEDDING ALBUM, THINKING VISUAL IMAGES WOULD HELP, AND EXPLAINED THE ENTIRE WEDDING SERVICE TO HER. WHEN HE FINISHED , HE ASKED IF SHE HAD ANY QUESTIONS. SHE POINTED TO A PICTURE OF THE WEDDING PARTY AND ASKED “DADDY, IS THIS WHEN MOMMY CAME TO WORK FOR US”?
YOU HAVE HEARD OF THE OLD PHRASE-“IF MOMMA AIN’T HAPPY, AIN’T NOBODY HAPPY’....IF DADDY AIN’T HAPPY...”WHO CARES”
SOME MOTHERS I KNOW, THE ONLY TIME I HAVE SEEN THEM UPSET IS WHEN SOMEBODY HAS MESSED WITH THE KIDS
“I LOVE YOU , BUT DON’T MESS WITH THE KIDS
THE BIBLE GIVES US A LOT OF GREAT WOMEN AND MOTHERS
MOTHER OF MOSES..WHO SACRIFICED HER CHILD SO HE WOULD BE SAFE
THE MOTHER OF JAMES AND JOHN..WHO LOVED HER BOYS SO MUCH THEY SHE WANTED THEM TO SIT BY THE LORD’S SIDE IN HEAVEN.
THE FAMILIAR PASSAGE OF THE PROVERBS 31 WOMEN..
QUOTE- RALPH WALDO EMERSON- “MEN ARE WHAT MOTHERS MAKE THEM”
SPANISH PROVERBS SAYS-“AN OUNCE OF MOTHER IS WORTH A POUND OF CLERGY”
DID YOU GET THAT IT IS THE MOTHER WHO SETS THE GROUND WORK FOR HER CHILDREN
FATHERS PAY ATTENTION BECAUSE YOUR DAY IS COMING, YOU DON’T SHOW RESPECT, AND I WILL GET YOU
I AM AWARE THAT MOTHERS DAY FOR SOME IS DIFFICULT.
MAYBE YOU WANT TO BE A MOTHER , BUT YOU CAN’T FOR SOME REASON
PERHAPS MAYBE YOUR MOTHER WAS NOT THE BEST IN THE WORLD
SOME OF YOU HAVE HAD A MOTHER WHO HAS DIED
SOME OF YOU FEEL THE PAIN OF A WAYWARD CHILD
I WANT YOU TO KNOW YOU CAN STILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE
WITHOUT WOMEN WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. ADAM AND EVE NEEDED TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT HAVING KIDS.
ILLUSTRATION-
BRILLIANT ANSWERS GIVEN BY SECOND GRADERS TO SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR MOTHERS
WHY DID GOD MAKE MOTHERS?
1. MOSTLY TO CLEAN THE HOUSE
2. TO HELP US OUT OF THERE WHEN WE WERE GETTING BORN
HOW DID GOD MAKE MOTHERS?
1. HE USED DIRT, JUST LIKE THE REST OF US
2. MAGIC PLUS SUPER POWERS AND A LOT OF STRING
3. GOD MADE MY MOM JUST LIKE HE MADE ME. HE JUST USED BIGGER PARTS
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MOM’S AND DAD’S
1. MOM KNOWS HOW TO TALK TO TEACHERS WITHOUT SCARING THEM
2. MOM’S HAVE MAGIC, THEY MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER WITHOUT MEDICINE
WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO MAKE YOUR MOM PERFECT?
1. ON THE INSIDE SHE’S ALREADY PERFECT. OUTSIDE. I THINK SOME KIND OF PLASTIC SURGERY
2. DIET. YOU KNOW, HER HAIR. I DIET, MAYBE BLUE
LAST ONE..IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOUR MOM, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
1. I’D MAKE MY MOM SMARTER. THEN SHE WOULD KNOW IT WAS MY SISTER WHO DID IT AND NOT ME.
2. I WOULD LIKE FOR HER TO GET RID OF THOSE INVISIBLE EYES ON THE BACK OF HER HEAD
I THINK WE CAN LAUGH ABOUT A FEW THINGS , BUT I ALSO SEE IN SCRIPTURE THAT WOMEN AND MOTHERS PLAY A BIG ROLE IN GOD’S PLAN TO RAISE CHILDREN AND HELP LEAD THE FAMILIES.
A WOMEN, A MOTHER, A GRANDMOTHER...CAN MAKE A SIGNIFICANT SPIRITUAL IMPACT ON HER CHILDREN
I HAVE COME UP WITH THREE WAYS I BELIEVE WOMEN MAKE AN IMPACT ON CHILDREN, WEATHER THEY ARE THEIRS OR HAVE BECOME A ADOPTED MOTHER TO SOMEONE.
I. INSTILL A RESPECT FOR SCRIPTURE
2 TIMOTHY 3:12- PAUL IS REMINDED THAT EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO LIVE A GODLY LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS WILL BE PERSECUTED. THERE IN VERSE 14, PAUL URGES TIMOTHY TO HANG TOUGH WHEN THE TOUGH TIMES COME “BUT AS FOR YOU, CONTINUE IN WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED AND BECOME CONVINCED OF, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THOSE OF WHOM YOU LEARNED IT”
THESE WOMEN IN TIMOTHY’S LIFE LIVED OUT WHAT THEY BELIEVED AND TAUGHT IT TO THE TIMOTHY
MOTHERS..IT IS NEVER TOO EARLY TO START TEACHING THE BIBLE TO YOUR CHILDREN. AND IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO START IF YOU HAVEN’T STARTED YET.
ILLUSTRATION- FOUR SCHOLARS WERE ARGUING OVER BIBLE TRANSLATION. I SAY KING JAMES, I SAY AMERICAN STANDARD, I SAY THE LIVING BIBLE, ...THE FOURTH ONE SAID “I PREFER MY MOTHER’S TRANSLATION...IT IS THE MOST REMEMBERED TRANSLATION I KNOW ”
MOTHERS ..WHAT KIND OF BIBLE ARE THEY READING WHEN THEY LOOK AT YOUR LIFE.
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GET THE BIBLE INTO THEIR LIVES?
THE GOOD THING IS YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO IT ALONE...THE CHURCH IS HERE TO HELP, BUT THE FOUNDATION IS STARTED AT HOME.
TIME SPENT WITH YOUR CHILDREN, TEACHING THEM WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT LIFE
SOME OF MOTHERS ADVICE: THINGS YOUR MOM SAID TO YOU
ALWAYS WEAR CLEAN UNDERWEAR; YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU COULD BE IN AN ACCIDENT
DON’T MAKE THAT FACE OR IT’LL FREEZE IN THAT POSITION
WHAT IF EVERYONE JUMPED OFF A CLIFF? WOULD YOU DO IT, TOO?
IF YOU CAN’T SAY SOMETHING NICE, DON’T SAY ANYTHING
CLOSE THE DOOR, WERE YOU BORN IN A BARN?
DON’T PUT THAT IN YOUR MOUTH; YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE IT’S BEEN
BE CAREFUL OR YOU’LL PUT YOUR EYE OUT.
II. INSTILL AN AUTHENTIC FAITH
2 TIMOTHY 1:5- “I HAVE BEEN REMINDED OF YOUR SINCERE FAITH, WHICH FIRST LIVED IN YOUR GRANDMOTHER EUNICE, AND. I AM PERSUADED NOW LIVES IN YOU ALSO”
TIMOTHY NEEDED TO COME TO THE POINT IN WHICH HE PUT HIS FAITH IN JESUS.
IT IS NOT HEREDITARY IT IS LEARNED
KIDS KNOW WHEN FAITH IS REAL
THESE LADIES WERE SOLD OUT FOR JESUS
THEY WERE DEVOTED AND COMPLETELY COMMITTED
NOTICE THE CHAIN HERE...GRANDMOTHER, MOTHER, TO THE CHILDREN
I AM NOT SAYING A FATHER IS NOT IMPORTANT..MEN YOUR DAY IS COMING..
WHAT I AM SAYING IS A MOTHER CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SPITE OF OR ADDING TO THE WORKS OF A FATHER.
SOMEONE NEEDED TO HEAR THAT THIS MORNING
MOMS, YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE..TAKE YOUR OWN FAITH SERIOUS
READ THE BIBLE, BE PRAYING, ATTEND WORSHIP, BRING THE KIDS TO CHURCH AND HELP THEM TO GROW SPIRITUALLY.
ILLUSTRATION- A PASTOR HAD A YOUNG MAN COME DOWN THE ISLE TO ACCEPT CHRIST AND HE ASKED HIM “WHAT DID I SAY TO HAVE YOU COME DOWN”..IT WAS NOTHING YOU SAID PREACHER, IT WAS THE WAY MY MOTHER LIVES HER LIFE.
III. INSTILL A DESIRE TO MINISTER
MOMS, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INSTILL A DESIRE TO MINISTER.
TO HELP THEM DEVELOP A LOVE FOR PEOPLE.. TO HAVE A HEART THAT PUTS OTHERS IN FRONT OF THEMSELVES.
TIMOTHY GOT SAVED UNDER PAUL’S PREACHING–TIMOTHY MADE SURE HE WAS IN CHURCH
TIMOTHY MOTHER WAS A JEW AND HIS FATHER WAS A GREEK.
A HALF BREED BY TODAY’S STANDARD
I SEE THREE QUALITIES THAT WERE PASSED DOWN TO TIMOTHY.
1. HE WAS A STRONG BELIEVER
LUKE REFERS TO TIMOTHY AS A DISCIPLE..A DISCIPLE IS A LEARNER AND FOLLOWER OF THE LORD
2. HE HAD A GOOD REPUTATION
PEOPLE KNEW HE WAS A MAN OF INTEGRITY AND A MAN OF HIS WORD
HE WAS ROCK SOLID IN HIS FAITH..AND THE FOUNDATION WAS FROM HIS MOTHER
III. HE WAS AVAILABLE
TIMOTHY WAS EAGER TO MINISTER, HE WAS COMMITTED TO MINISTRY AND THE THINGS HE COULD DO TO HELP OTHERS IN THEIR WALK
MOTHERS THIS MORNING I HAVE LAID OUT SOME RESPONSIBILITIES TO YOU
1. INSTILL A RESPECT FOR THE BIBLE
2. INSTILL AUTHENTIC FAITH
3. INSTILL THE DESIRE TO MINISTER
JESUS WASHED THE DISCIPLES FEET, TAUGHT THEM THE IMPORTANCE OF HELPING OTHERS...THEN HE SAID GO AND DO LIKEWISE
(TAKE TOWEL WITH ME)...DRAPE IT OVER MY SHOULDER AND PASS IT ON
LET ME CLOSE WITH A POEM CALLED SOMEBODY...
IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO START, MOM YOU’RE HERE, YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE PAST, BUT YOU CAN CHANGE THE FUTURE
MOM, YOU’RE HERE AND YOUR CHILD IS NOT WHERE YOU WANT THEM TO BE... DO NOT STOP PRAYING FOR THEM
STAND ON THE WORD OF GOD...CLAIM THEM FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD
MOM, YOUR TIRED PRAY THE LORD WILL GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO ENDURE
YOU’RE HERE AND YOU WANT TO BE A MOM, BUT IT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET... TAKE PART AND BE A BLESSING TO SOMEONE’S LIFE NOW
BE AN ADOPTED GRANDMOTHER OR AUNT...MAKE AN IMPACT
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY....
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLOWERS
