MOTHERS- CARPENTERS OF THE HOME
Exodus 2; 2 Tim. 1:5;
Two kids told mother not to cook for Mother's day ... they would do it.
9 pots, 2 skillets, 4 large bowls, 11 spoons, 5 measuring cups and 1 whole roll of paper towels later Mom said ... "That was the best Jell-O I ever had." \
Job description for mothers .....
WANTED: Women for long term position. Degree or diploma not necessary. Knowledge of the following helpful; cooking and baking {especially cookies}, washing, doctoring cuts, scrapes and measles, bloody noses, broken hearts; sewing buttons, costumes, and party dresses; able to referee ... fights and games; play ball, drive a car, know long division, how to give birthday parties, blow balloon, go camping, fishing, pick up worms, plant a garden, attend P.T.A. Must be able to tolerate dirty little boys, giggly little girls, puppies, an tracked up floors. Should be a financial wizard ... able to maintain a household on pennies and quarters but still save for college. Should be able to patch broken dolls, be Santa's helper, darn socks, make colored egg, attend little league baseball games, work the concession booth, listen to rock music and tell bedtime stories. Should have a twinkle in the eye, easy laughter, a shoulder to cry on, and a lap that holds at least three. Must have stamina of a plow horse, wisdom of an owl, speed of a gazelle, and grace of a swan. Must be able to color and never need to ask what her child is drawing. May be short or tall, thin or plump. Must be available 24 hours a day. No days off and no overtime pay. Must have a heart that will chase after rainbows, butterflies and kittens. Must be able to forgive over and over, and over and over, and over and over.. .. and love forever.
In a few weeks I will be preaching a Father's day sermon so I don't want to say anything here that would destroy that, BUT. ... THE MOST IMPORT ANT JOB IN THE WORLD TODAY IS THAT OF MOTHER!!!!!
More than half of the homes today are headed by single mother ...
in homes where one stays home = 90 % mother
in homes where both work mom still does more than 50%
I DID NOT SAY THAT MOTHER SHOULD BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN
FATHER. ..
I simply related the reality that it has become that way.
There are many today who see Motherhood as a great waste because childbearing years just happen to correspond with the most productive career years, and some feel she should be making an investment in society and her future though her career.
I thank God for those women who know better and have chosen to be Mothers ...
whether they work or stay at home .... I thank God for them.
I thank God for those women who have A VISION for her children ... a vision of what they should become, how they should act, and what they should be taught.
The purpose of this message is just to be an encouragement to you mothers of the positive influence you can have on your child's life.
The writer of proverbs said, "Without a vision the people perish. "
I want to say that Without a God-given vision of a mother for her children, children will grow up in our society and never become the positive persons and influences that they could be ... JUST BECAUSE THE MOTHER LACKS A VISION FOR HER FAMILY.
You can read biographies of great men of this world and one thing constantly comes through .... GREAT MEN COME FROM GREAT PARENTS .... ESPECIALLY GREAT MOTHERS.
Winston Churchill ... "You forgot my most important teacher. .. my mother."
The scripture tells of many of those mothers. Today we will look at the three great mothers of three great men.
As we look I want you to notice three things that mothers should build into every home.
I am calling this sermon, "Mothers: the Carpenters of the Home."
Eunice: Build a Foundation of Faith
As you read the scripture three things are clear about Eunice... she was a Godly woman, raised by a Godly Mother, but married to an unbeliever
Paul was the most influential Christian of the first century other than Jesus Christ.
He started more churches, wrote more scripture and advanced the gospel the furthest. In his travels, Paul met a young man that impressed Paul very much.
Paul could see goodness, sincerity, faith, and a firm foundation ill this young man, Timothy.
He was so impressed that he invited Timothy to join him and be his helper... his son in the gospel.
Where did Timothy get his faith, his foundation?
In S.S.? Watching TV evangelists? From his father??
NO!!! FROM HIS MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER .. 2 Tim 1:5
It is obvious that the father was a handicap to his spiritual foundation. He was a non -believer.
Timothy was a third generation believer.
He had a foundation three stories thick.
Timothy doubtless sat at his mother's feet as she and grandma told the stories of scripture, as they discussed the words of Moses, of the prophets and of Paul.
He was right there with them as they knelt together in prayer. He heard her pour out her heart for God's blessings on Timothy. He heard mom and grandma plead for the soul of his father.
He would walk with his mother through the market and hear her point out the evil and tell why God forbade it. She would point out the good and tell how it pleased God.
He would go with Lois and Eunice as they attended a house church ... a secret meeting of followers of Jesus where they would talk about Jesus, about God and about living a life pleasing to God and worthy of the sacrifice Jesus had made.
Little by little, brick by brick, Eunice built the foundation of Timothy's faith.
The bricks were the scriptures and stories of the faith. But they were held together and given strength by the life that he watched his mother live.
You must teach your children with words ... BRICKS ... you must talk to them about the scriptures, the stories, the commandments, the parables. They need to hear you talk about Jesus and about love, and obedience.
They need to hear you sing the songs, quote the scriptures, and share the word with others.
Words are the bricks … BUT
you can't build with just bricks.
It will fall apart.
Bricks need mortar
Lifestyle/Witness is the mortar ...
... lifestyle, obedience, living out the things you teach.
Without that reality, that lifestyle, you are building a foundation by just stacking the bricks ... no strength, no continuity.
You can't think you will just live a good life {mortar} in front of them and that will suffice.
You can't build with just mortar
It will crack and crumble.
They need substance, they need bricks, they need your testimony, your teaching, your witness.
A strong foundation requires bricks and mortar
Mothers ... build a foundation for your children.
Build with bricks ... words ... and with mortar ... lifestyle.
JOCABED: Build With a Great Vision.
Moses was born into one of the most difficult of all periods for the people of Israel. ... slavery in Egypt.
Pharaoh was so paranoid that he commanded that all male babies were to be slaughtered.
Jocabed had only a few years to instill in her child the faith that she treasured and he would need. Perhaps 4 or 5 years at most, then he would be taught by the Egyptian wise men, trained in the sciences, math, and heathen religion.
Jocabed saw her window of opportunity and knew it was small so she made the most of it.
In that time she taught Moses the stories of the faith, the lessons of the stories, about Yahweh the true God and His will for Moses' life.
Then he was whisked away to Egyptian elementary School, to Ramses Middle school, Nile High School and to the university of Egypt.
But though it all it was the lessons of his mother, the lessons and stories learned at her knee that stayed with him and formed his character, his beliefs, and his behavior.
It went against all the things he learned in school but in the end he rejected those other things for the things his mother had taught him.
Instead of living by pride and greed ... that he was entitled to because he was royalty, he instead chose humility and righteousness.
He made the choice one day as a soldier beat and Israelite. Moses came to the aid of the Jew and killed the soldier.
Hebrews 11 :24-25 says "BY FAITH .... {the faith of his mother} Moses refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter.
It seemed his life was over that day ... at least his days in the Egyptian court.
But his life truly began that day as he fled to the desert ... and there he would come to know personally and talk face to face with the God that his mother had taught him about.
Mothers please listen to the lesson of Jocabed ....
If Jocabed could pour good things into her son in a heathen Egyptian culture…
YOU CAN POUR GOOD THINGS INTO YOUR CHILD IN A HEATHEN AMERICAN CULTURE ...
And If Jocabed could do that in just a few years ...
THEN YOU CAN DO IT IN THE 10 OR 12 YEARS YOU WILL HA VB WITH YOUR CHILD.
How did Jocabed succeed and not give up? SHE HAD A VISION FOR HER CHILD and she pointed him in that direction.
She had only a few years with Moses, but she used them well, and then she gave him over to the Lord.
HANNAH: Build a Prayer Closet.
Hannah also had her child for only a few years, then she LITERALLY gave her child to the Lord .... she took him to the temple to live with Eli.
She did this as a fulfillment of a promise she had made to God ... that if God would give her a son, she would give him back to God.
God answered her prayer by giving her a son, Samuel. She loved him and raised him in the way of God and then at about 7 - 12 years old, she took her only son to the temple.
I don't expect any mother here to bring her child to the church for me to raise.
But if you are going to raise godly children, children that can be successful in this heathen culture YOU BETTER LEARN FROM HANNAH.
BUILD A PRAYER CLOSET IN YOUR HOME .... make prayer a regular, visible, powerful part of your life in the home.
Make it so your children never have to wonder if you pray.
You can bet Samuel never wondered.
Hannah prayed often, she prayed long, and she prayed genuinely.
Samuel heard her pray for him ... it made an impression.
Learn from Hannah ... TAKE YOUR CHILD TO GOD.... in prayer.
EVERY DAY, in special needs, for special blessings, for decisions, for tests, everything.
Take your child to the throne of grace, to the feet of Jesus, to the great miracle worker, to the great physician .
TRUST HIM TO ANSWER.
Learn from Eunice .. build a great faith .... build with bricks and mortar
Learn from Jocabed ... use the time ... seize the day
Learn from Hannah ... take them to Jesus .... leave them there.
CONCLUSION:
Will you come this morning and say, "God I want to be a godly mother
I want to build a great faith for my child ...
Will you come and pray for a mother
Like Eunice: I want to seize the day... teach them young lesson that endure ...
Like Jocabed: I want to build a prayer closet...
Like Hannah: I want to take my child to God
