SURVIVOR SERIES
#3 – HOW TO SURVIVE AS A MOTHER
Today, we are continuing with our sermon series entitled SURVIVOR
And what we’ve been doing over the last several weeks, is talking about the fact that in light of…
--the bad economy
--lay offs
--bail outs
--these tough times we’re living in
We can be A SURVIVOR
Now the thesis of this series is that God wants you to do more than SURVIVE – He wants you to THRIVE
But in order to THRIVE, you have to SURVIVE!
And so, that’s what we’ve been talking about
Already, we talked about…
--The Assurance of Salvation
--Is There A Reason To Be Excited
And over the next few weeks, we’re going to be talking about many other things
--How we need each other
--How to survive the end times
--How our church will survive
--Hall of Fame Fathers
And so many more things we will cover
BUT TODAY, being MOTHER’S DAY, I want to talk to you about HOW TO SURVIVE MOTHERHOOD
And if you have grown kids and they’ve moved out of the house and you survived, can we see your hand?
Someone said…
• Motherhood is full of frustrations and challenges. Eventually, though, they move out.
• Mother – “Every time you’re naughty I get another gray hair.” Son – “Gee, Mom, you must have been a terror when you were young … just look at Grandma.”
Oh, let me tell you, it can’t be easy
And sometimes, we can take MOTHERS for granted
But I like what this mother said…
I heard about one of these working women whose husband complained he wanted a hot breakfast. She gave him a match and said, "set your cornflakes on fire."
I like that!
But the TRUTH OF THE MATTER is that today, it’s tougher than it’s ever been to be A MOTHER
And with that in mind, I want to talk to you about SURVIVING AS A MOTHER
Let’s read…
Genesis 21:14-21 (NCV) 14Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a leather bag full of water. He gave them to Hagar and sent her away. Carrying these things and her son, Hagar went and wandered in the desert of Beersheba. 15Later, when all the water was gone from the bag, Hagar put her son under a bush. 16Then she went away a short distance and sat down. She thought, “My son will die, and I cannot watch this happen.” She sat there and began to cry. 17God heard the boy crying, and God’s angel called to Hagar from heaven. He said, “What is wrong, Hagar? Don’t be afraid! God has heard the boy crying there. 18Help him up and take him by the hand. I will make his descendants into a great nation.” 19Then God showed Hagar a well of water. So she went to the well and filled her bag with water and gave the boy a drink. 20God was with the boy as he grew up. Ishmael lived in the desert and became an archer. 21He lived in the Desert of Paran, and his mother found a wife for him in Egypt.
INTRODUCTION
When I thought about preaching about learning how to SURVIVE as a MOTHER, I thought about the story from which we read in our text today
And here’s the BACKGROUND of the story from which we read – God called Abraham and Sarah and promised that they would have a child and that thought there promised child, they would become the progenitors of a mighty nation!
And as any would-be parents, Abraham and Sarah were excited, BUT one year, two years, 20 years later, no child
So Abraham decides at the urging of his wife to have a child by her servant – Hagar
In those days, that was not uncommon for infertile couples but PROBLEM: God said that it would be Abraham and Sarah child that would be the heir of the promises
Well, in time, Abraham and Sara did have the promised child, and now Hagar and her child, Ishmael, are now on the outs with Abraham and Sarah
And so Abraham does the unthinkable – he sends her away
And this was a big deal back then because it was a very, very hostile and dangerous world for a single woman
And our text picks up the story where Hagar and her son are floundering in the dessert and finally, their water bottle is used up
And Hagar goes away from her son because she knows that they are both about to die
I mean, they absolutely have…
--no resources
--no hope
--no help
They are all alone
GET THE PICTURE: She is a single-mother in a hostile world
But about the time when it seemed all hope was lost, God came on the scene, opened her eyes and there was a well of water
And the Lord said: Look, you thought all was lost – but this child is going to become a mighty prince and you will be a mother of millions and billions of powerful people – the Arabs
And how many of you know today that the Arabs have the oil and are doing pretty good
My WHOLE POINT in relating this story is for you to understand that this woman, Hagar
--was a single mother
--was at her wit’s end
--seemed to have no help and no hope
But SHE SURVIVED!
And the reason she SURVIVED is because God…
--saw her need
--met her need
--had a great plan for her life
And I want you to know today that…
--if you are a mother
--if you are a single mother
--if you are facing the trails and struggles of this economy
There is a God who is watching and working and YOU CAN SURVIVE AS A MOTHER!
And, that’s what I want to talk to you about today – how can a SURVIVE in this day and hour that we live
And to answer that, I want us to consider 3 THINGS…
1. THE UNIQUE ROLE OF MOTHERS
Because without question, Mothers serve a UNIQUE role that no one else can fill
There’s just nobody like MOTHER
And what would our world be like without MOTHERS
Mothers who
--love us unconditionally
--serve us loyally
--give to us sacrificially
Kate Wiggins said this, "Most of the good and beautiful things in life come by twos and by threes and by dozens and hundreds. There are plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, brothers, sisters, aunts and cousins, but there's only one mother in the whole world."
Apart from the precious name of Jesus, I suppose, mother is the next sweetest name in all the earth
When grown men are on the battlefield, they breath that name: MOTHER
And what would we do without mothers?
• My Mother taught me … LOGIC … If you fall off that swing and break your neck, you can’t go to the store with me.
• My Mother taught me MEDICINE … If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they’re going to freeze that way.
• My Mother taught me TO THINK AHEAD … If you don’t pass your spelling test, you’ll never get a good job!
• My Mother taught me ESP … Put your sweater on; don’t you think that I know when you’re cold?
• My Mother taught me TO MEET A CHALLENGE … What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you … Don’t talk back to me!
• My Mother taught me HUMOR … When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t come running to me.
• My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT … If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.
• My mother taught me about GENETICS … You are just like your father!
• My mother taught me about my ROOTS … Do you think you were born in a barn?
• My mother taught me about the WISDOM of AGE … When you get to be my age, you will understand.
• My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION … Just wait until your father gets home.
• My mother taught me about RECEIVING … You are going to get it when we get home.
• And my all time favorite thing—JUSTICE one day you will have kids, and I hope they turn out just like YOU … then you’ll see what it’s like.
Abraham Lincoln said…
All I am, or can be, I owe to my angel mother.
Mother’s – understand that you have a powerful and unique role
Hagar cried out to God for help and it was through her FAITH that affected her son
And mothers, you have a huge part to play in the spiritual development of your children
And I want you to know something – only 4% of those who are now in their 20’s, know hardly anything about the Bible
Listen to this…
Teen suicide is the number 1 killer of teens, that the over 1 million girls get pregnant each year, that teen sexuality has increased over 400% in recent years and that kids "Christian Kids" are getting less and less godly all the time -- they don’t care about church about God. And they don’t really even know who Jesus is anymore... Ask your kids, have them tell you what Jesus really means to them (you may be shocked by what they say).
What’s needed? Mother’s who understand their unique role
And can I meddle a little bit right here, and I don’t want to condemn anyone, but if there are some problems that I see with parents today is they don’t take the spiritual role more importantly
Teens and children today…
--are on chat rooms
--listening to ipods
--text messaging
And so often the parents just kind-of go along to get along
But parents, you are to be the parents, and mothers, you have a unique role in the spiritual development
And you know how that happens – you as a mother, you…
--get on fire for God
--learn how to pray
--read the book
--give spiritual guidance
--bring to church (even if dad won’t go!)
I’m here to tell you that my GREAT-GRANDMOTHER is the reason I’m in church today
I thought about George Washington, our first President
Did you know that in 1747 he wanted so badly to leave America and join the British Navy. His father wanted him to, but for some reason, his mother didn’t feel like that was the right thing to do. And she followed him all the way down to the dock, and she said, “Son, you can do what you want, but I so feel that you must not that there is some great destiny awaiting you here, that I really do not want you to go.” And so then, on the shore, he made a fateful decision – at the advice of his mother, he didn’t go to join the British Navy.
What a UNIQUE ROLE that mother’s play!
So, first of all, understand your UNIQUE ROLE
And, secondly, as we think about SURVIVING AS MOTHERS, we should consider…
2. THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF MOTHERS
Because today, like no other, there are some unique challenges that all mothers face
We have WORKING moms like never before
We have SINGLE moms like never before
Now, let me give you the IDEAL – what should happen
God made it this way, that a man and woman would come together and in the bonds of marriage, have a child
And that’s the way it should be
And today, like never before, so many young woman are having children outside marriage
Now, I am not here to beat you over the head – but because there are so many problems and challenges, the IDEAL is to get married and have children
That’s the IDEAL, but let me talk to you about THE REAL
Because so many single moms are out there, and it could be because of…
--wrong choices
--divorce
--death
And the truth of the matter is that we have SINGLE MOTHERS like never before and this brings UNIQUE CHALLENGES
Today’s mother face unique challenges like never before
And here’s the things – we as the church need to do some things to help!
Titus 2:4 (NLT) 4These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children,
We as a church, there’s a way we can help…
--children’s church
--nursery
--fix cars
--lawn maintenance
--Women’s Ministries
--day care
--Mom’s day/night out
The church today can’t just preach you ought not do this or that – we’d better have some alternatives
Not only do I want you to understand…
--unique role
--unique challenges
--unique opportunities
But, let me close with…
3. UNIQUE PROMISES
Because the same God that helped Hagar is the same God today
He will provide in the dessert of your struggle
He will help you raise that child
How will He do it?
You need to pray like HANNAH
You remember Mary?
Luke 1:35 (KJV) And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
You’ve got the power of prayer, fasting, reading the Word, worshipping
There are unique promises
I tell you, that through the grace of God you will survive
In Hebrews Chapter 11, there is a PARADE of SURVIVORS who were mother’s…
--Sarah
--Moses mother, Jochebed
--Rahab
Hebrews 11:35 (KJV) Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
IN CLOSING
A man purchased a statue of Christ at an auction and placed it on his desk in the den. A few days later his wife moved the statue to a table in the living room. The man was taking it back to the den when his little girl asked, "Where are you going to put God now?"
What are you going to do with Christ now? That’s the only way to survive
Come to Him today!
