Introduction:
Recognize moms in the service and possibly the oldest and newest mom (perhaps distribute a special gift of some kind).
Opening: I have heard it said that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world! I am sure many of us here have had mothers who had a profound effect on us. There is tangible proof that moms strengthen legacies!
Pastor Billy Graham is quoted as saying, “Only God Himself fully appreci¬ates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of character in her children.” Now listen to these other quotes you may find of particular interest:
“All I am I owe to my mother, I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.” George Washington
“All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” Abraham Lincoln
“I cannot tell you how much I owe to the solemn word of my good mother.” Charles Spurgeon
“For 25 years, she put her life on hold for me and my siblings. She invested in our lives—we were her number one priority, and nothing else really mattered.” Tim Tebow.
Only loving relationships provide lasting legacy and hope.
Today we will celebrate and encourage moms in their contributions to legacy…to being that character forming mother! Plus, we will remind each of us—parents, children, teens, and young adults, of the importance of pursuing God’s plan for relationships.
Questions for Moms and Dads
What hope do we have that our children will stand by their faith and live by their values? What or who do you trust to impact their lives? What are you hoping will produce relationally healthy followers? Who had a profound effect on Jesus? (Proverbs 22:6).
What legacy are we leaving?
We certainly can’t hope for perfect children because our children are just like us—imperfect people. But where they go for guidance does matter. Do they go to God’s Word? Do they seek guidance from attentive parents?
Parents must continuously pursue relationship with their children so they will “earn the right” in their child’s eyes to speak into their lives as they begin to make their own choices.
Could you join with me and every mom here today in this hope?
“Behold children are gifts from the Lord” Psalm 127:3
Let’s hope that…
• Our children are more influenced and shaped by their parents and their faith than by the world.
• Our teens and young adults remain open to our input and continue to be open about the details of their physical, emotional and spiritual life.
• Our adult children want to be around us, and we regularly enjoy being around them!
Some of us may also champion the simple, but profound, hope that our current family could be a little healthier or a little more functional than our own childhood family.
Today we celebrate Moms who pay the price for making a difference in us!
Engaging Fellowship
“Rejoice with those who rejoice” (Romans 12:15a)
Let’s stand and celebrate together: Reflect for a moment on an important woman in your life—maybe it’s your mom, grandmother or sister. Husbands, maybe it’s your wife. Now let’s take turns sharing and celebrating together:
I’m very grateful for __________________ who is very special to me because_________________________________________________
A question we must ask teens and single adults.
If we were to ask, the vast majority of you would say that you hope for fulfilling, God-honoring relationships, but many of you may settle for much less. The rise of co-habitation, frequency of divorce, children conceived outside of marriage, and “hooking up” are all signs that the hope for God-honoring legacy often gets terribly lost in our world today. For the vast majority of us—with a few sad exceptions—our moms passed along a legacy of valuing relationships. Let’s celebrate that! For many of us, we enjoyed a legacy of faith from our moms. Let’s celebrate that!
Is your hope of fulfillment being found in fun activities, peer pleasure and the latest video game?
Lessons from the Psalmist give us wisdom about where to ground our hopes in confidence for the future. Successful moms have followed this wisdom, and each of us can benefit from it.
Let’s read what many refer to as the “Home-building” Psalm (127:1-3).
The Lord offers hope for a lasting legacy.
“Unless the Lord builds the house they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain” (Psalm 127:1).
The Lord is in the home-building business. He builds heavenly homes (John 14:1-3), church homes (Matthew 16:16-18) and earthly homes!
Colossians 3:16 Preparation:
“Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you.”
Pastor, take time now to allow the Lord to remind you of a “wake-up” call you received from the Lord—a time when you realized your home priorities were out of balance.
Recall a time when emptiness or vanity was creeping into your home. Consider sharing this with your congregation as a testimony of humility and dependence upon the Lord as your hope.
“I remember the time that the Lord got my attention about our family when…”
Dads: Consider God’s wisdom—“Husbands love your wives just as Christ loved the church…” (Ephesians 5:25). ”Do not provoke or exasperate your children …” (Ephesians 6:4).
Moms: Consider God’s wisdom—“She looks well to the ways of her household” (Proverbs 31:27). And “let the wife see that she respects her husband” (Ephesians 5:33).
Teenagers and singles: Consider the encouragement of 2 Timothy 2:22—”Run away from youthful indulgence. Run after mature righteousness—faith, love, peace—joining those who are in honest and serious prayer before God.”
Our home-building Psalm reminds us that there are only two kinds of homes being built—those the Lord builds and those being built in vain (the homes and families built with emptiness).
We celebrate moms today as they seek to build their legacy as God directs.
The Lord is the one who both builds and guards our homes. Countless enemies are trying to destroy God-honoring relationships. The Lord is our only true hope for faithfulness.
Remember King David? He was named, “a man after God’s own heart,” yet we read of his betrayal with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1-2).
Remember Abraham, the Old Testament Patriarch? Abraham was named the “friend of God,” yet he failed to protect his wife, Sarah, when life’s pressures came closing in. He chose instead to lie and take the easy way out (Genesis 12:10-20).
Allowing the Lord to build and guard our home, means more than just a token acknowledgement of Him or His principles. It requires a commitment to live out His blueprints for your family.
The Bible is the Lord’s blueprint for relationships.
God lets us know how to have a blessed marriage, family, or friendships. Parts of His plans are about:
Communicating in Gentleness and Truth (Proverbs 15:1 and Ephesians 4:15)
“Fess Up” When Someone Messes Up (1 John 1:9 and James 5:16)
Celebrate When Someone is Rejoicing (Romans 12:15)
Provide Comfort When Someone is Hurting (2 Corinthians 1:2-4 and Matthew 5:4)
Relationships are our hope of legacy.
“It is vain to rise up early and retire late” (Psalm 127:2).
The barrenness and emptiness of a busy life has stolen much of the closeness from relationships and families today. Friends or families absorbed by their smart phones, frantic carpools, extra-curricular activities and a never-ending pursuit of material “things”—all take an unhealthy toll on relationships.
Life fulfillment and legacy are NEVER ultimately found in what we acquire, accomplish or achieve. They are only found in loving intimacy with God and those entrusted to us.
Relationships that the Lord builds are those where people are the priority!
As we honor Moms today and in the coming days let’s give priority to the simplicity of love.
• Dads, teens, and young adults: Could you take initiative this week to make a quick phone call or short text, just to communicate with your Mom: “I was thinking about you; I miss seeing you; I look forward to seeing you soon”? You might be amazed at how a few minutes of thoughtful initiative can deepen a relationship.(Note: You could pause in the service and let members sends texts to moms!)
• Family members: Could you develop a habit of giving first to one another? This week, why don’t you look for ways to share words of encouragement and appreciation, offering comfort and support? Start each day with an attitude of, “Who will I give to today?”
• For married couples: Set up a weekly time to talk. Some call it a Family Meeting or Marriage Staff Meeting (See Additional Notes).This is the time where you can plan your next date night, discuss marriage and family goals, or communicate about parenting challenges.
• For parents: Try designating a family night this week. This is a time where fun, games and laughter deepen the connections between family members. (See Additional Notes) How about agreeing to one night of “zero electronics” each week?
Children are our hope-filled legacy.
“Behold children are gifts from the Lord” (Psalm 127:3).
Let’s examine a fresh vision for hope-filled children. What would it look like to see children who are filled with hope? It would mean that our children wouldn’t be filled with self-centeredness, arrogant pride or self-condemnation, but instead with a hope-filled faith in the Lord. Our children’s faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
Moms and dads, we cannot make our children receive our faith. Each child must live out his or her own faith journey, but we can instill in our children the hope that we have in our Lord. It is this hope that can blossom into a child’s personal faith. This is the incredible opportunity we have as parents, building our homes as the Lord leads. This is another point of celebrating Moms whose “hope in the Lord” has proven contagious! Be sure to express your gratitude—today and often.
Look around the room (without scaring any of the children) and imagine each child as an extravagant gift. Imagine that God has given us individually wrapped presents. He’s laid before us packages that have brightly colored paper, uniquely tied ribbons and beautiful bows. Parents, if you have more than one child in your family, imagine each gift and how it is uniquely packaged and carefully displayed.
Here’s an important challenge and valuable opportunity to instill hope in your preciously wrapped gifts:
• Have you slowed down long enough to turn aside, enter each child’s world and “unwrap” each gift—to truly know them?
• Have you stopped, noticed and admired the special way in which each child is wired? Have you stopped, noticed and admired each of their personalities, giftedness and character? Faithful Moms and Dads initiate “blessing” each child with the gift of affirmation.
Encountering Christ
I’d like for everyone to take a moment and pray. Pause to imagine your¬self standing before a child, your children—your gifts from the Lord. Each gift is uniquely packaged, preciously wrapped and carefully presented.
Now as you admire your gifts from the Lord, you look over your shoulder to see Jesus standing next to you.
Jesus leans in to look at the children and seems to gaze in awe of His creation. Speaking with the admiration of the Master Creator, Jesus reminds you of how He knows these children intimately; He formed them in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5). Jesus reminds you that He notices each part of their day—when they rise up and when they lay down (Psalm 139:1-3). Christ lovingly recalls how He knows and admires each child’s gifts and talents (Psalm 139:14, 16). Jesus offers reassurance that He hears each child’s thoughts and intentions and knows the intricacies of each person’s character (Psalm 139:23). Jesus leaves your side, but before He does, He whispers an invitation: Will you join me in unwrapping these gifts?
Will you join me in declaring “You’re my beloved child in whom I am well pleased”? Parents, yield your hearts to this calling as you join Jesus in loving your children well.
Children are Our Hope-Filled Legacy
“Behold children are gifts from the Lord” (Psalm 127:3).
Consider how deeply Jesus knows your children.
Reflect on His intimate knowledge of each one of them. Now pause to consider how He has asked you to join Him in loving your children well.
How could we know and love our children the way Jesus does? How could we inspire hope in the children we touch? Whether you’re a mom or dad, grand- parent, aunt, uncle, or young adult, let’s be people who affirm and protect, bless and encourage each child we encounter as “gifts from the Lord!”
• Verbalize Appreciation: Do you really know that each and every child flourishes on appreciation? They blossom inside when they hear your acknowledgement of their appropriate behavior and gratitude for their positive efforts.
• Convey Respect: Did you know that some children are starving for respect? They crave the moments when you ask their opinion and include them in decisions. They deeply want to know that you value and honor them as individuals.
• Reassure Their Fears: Be aware of children’s insecurities and fears. Do you know about the things that make them nervous and the situations that cause them anxiety? Now practice “perfect” reassuring love which casts out all fear (I John 4:18-19).
• Discover Dreams: Come to know a child’s dreams and aspirations. Discover the paths where their imaginations take them and then join their dreams!
• Celebrate Strengths: Be close enough to see each child’s character strengths. Be attentive enough to verbalize those strengths, both in one-on-one conversations and in front of other people.
• Prioritize Confessions: Apologies instill hope! It’s ironic, but a parent or another adult’s apology sows some of the best “seeds of hope” into a young life. “I’m sorry to be impatient.” “I was wrong not to keep my promise.” These humble admissions of wrong give a child hope that they too can admit wrong and make amends for their own imperfections.
Children are our hope-filled legacy.
“Behold children are gifts from the Lord” (Psalm 127:3).
One final way to inspire hope within a child and build a priceless legacy:
Set Aside Time: Individual, quality time with a child instills hope.
When a child senses that mom, dad, or another significant adult sets aside special time just for them, a child’s worth is affirmed and a sense of hope increased. When was the last time you enjoyed fun time alone with your son/daughter, doing something they wanted to do? If it’s been too long, you might reignite their hope with words like:
“Eric, it’s been too long since just you and I had some fun time together. Let’s make plans for Saturday afternoon. You get to choose what we do!”
Why is this simple action such a good idea?
Jesus is a powerful example of leaving His world (of Heaven), to enter into ours. He took initiative to set aside time for us! He didn’t just look out for His own interests; Jesus looked to the interests of others (See Philippians 2:4-8). As parents and those who care about children, we have a similar opportunity to “think more highly” of our children as we leave the busyness of our adult world and enter the world of our children. So kick a ball, play with Play doh, let them beat you at a video game, have a tea party, listen to a drum solo, draw together, read together, get a cup of coffee together. Enter your child’s world, enjoy your gifts from the Lord and pass on a little hope.
Finally, before we pray, let’s remember this day as an occasion to celebrate moms who have given time and attention, care and love, that we might live life more abundant.
Colossians 3:16 Preparation:
“Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you.”
Pastor: Think about a recent time of apology to one of your children. You may even want to pause quietly before the Lord and see if a fresh apology might be needed.
Make time to apologize to your child (if needed) and then reflect on how that apology could have instilled hope within your child.
With your child’s permission, share your own testimony of confession and the hope that was conveyed. Consider making this testimony a part of your sermon.
“I remember the time I apologized to ___________________________ for __________________________ and I saw God ________________.”
Children are our hope-filled legacy.
“Behold children are gifts from the Lord” (Psalm 127:3).
Experience Scripture:
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15).
God does not want us to take the gifts that He has given for granted.
“Receive not the gifts of God in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1).
Husbands have been gifted with a wife (Proverbs 18:22).
Wives can receive their husbands as gifts from above (James 1:17).
Parents can pause to unwrap their children as gifts from the Lord (Psalm 127:3).In just a moment, let’s pray in the confident faith of 1 John 5:14-15 that we can leave here today different—living life in partnership with Christ to love others well!
In closing, let’s pray a prayer that we can be certain is according to God’s will:
Would you pray this prayer with sincerity?
Pray individually, before the Lord or pray as couples and families.
Hold hands with a friend, family member or loved one at the altar and pray:
“Lord, I receive my wife/my husband/my children as gifts from You. I recommit myself to joining You in knowing them deeply and loving them well. Give us a hope-filled home as we deepen our faith in You. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. May You continue to build our home in Your ways. ”
Marriage Staff Meetings
Developing and maintaining closeness in a marriage and family requires that husband and wife spend quality time together. The external stresses of work, carpool, homework and checkbooks don’t have to take their toll on marital oneness, if couples will prioritize time together!
It’s inconceivable that a successful business could operate without regular staff meetings. Then why do most families try to operate without a regular time of planned communication?
Characteristics of a successful marriage staff-meeting:
• Schedule a Time: Preferably, the staff meeting will be a standing appointment, occurring the same time and the same place each week. If that’s not possible, set your staff meeting on the calendar before each week begins.
• Prioritize the Time: Once the time is scheduled—protect it! Treat the appointment like it’s the most important item on your schedule because it is. Prioritizing your marriage staff-meeting will produce a renewed since of closeness.
• Protect the Time: Find a quiet place at home, or if necessary, meet away from your home and office. Avoid phone calls and interruptions if at all possible.
• Calendar Coordination: Discuss the family’s plans for the coming week. What are the children’s schedules? Who’s working late? Plan your next Date Night and your next Family Night. You’ll even find that there’s often great value in calendaring some of your lovemaking times!
• Listen to One Other: One or both of you may just need to talk. Establish eye contact and give undivided attention. Be quick to offer comfort, encouragement and support. Avoid advice-giving, arguing, teaching or lecturing.
• Discuss Family Goals: Discuss and monitor the progress toward your goals. Goals and plans could be developed in these areas: marriage, social, financial, personal, family, educational, spiritual and professional.
• Discuss Parenting Plans: Discuss significant character development or discipline issues; what seems to be working and what doesn’t. Plan family times together plus individual times with each child. Discuss and agree upon parenting responsibilities and schedules for the next week. Who’s needing help? Who’s needing a break without the kids?
• Share Truth in Love: Lovingly share areas of irritation, hurt, and disappointment. A marriage staff meeting provides a neutral setting in which difficult issues can be honestly shared in an atmosphere of acceptance and openness. For instance, you might need to share:“I miss being alone with you, could we plan a date together?” or “It would mean a lot to me if we could remain in agreement in front of the kids and discuss any differences privately.”
Family Night Intro
• We know we’re supposed to…
• We know it would help…
• We know we’d enjoy it.
Then why don’t we spend quality time with our family? Perhaps it’s because although we know we should, we often don’t know how to do it. Here are some practical suggestions on how to develop intimacy among family members.
Schedule Family Nights
Schedule an evening when all the family can be together and then protect the evening from conflicts and distractions. Start by having one a month, then bi-monthly, then weekly. Don’t turn on the TV, watch a movie or anything else that would minimize conversation. Devote an entire evening to family activities such as:
Have dinner together
Instead of eating out, cook at home. Take turns choosing the menu and cooking. Teach the children to cook; let everyone have a specialty dish they prepare. Occasionally, decorate for special occasions and highlight birthdays and holiday themes.
Talk together
During dinner, involve everyone in both fun and vulnerable types of conversation. Begin by having everyone respond to fun questions such as, “What would you do if you inherited a million dollars?” or, “What would be your ideal vacation?” Then progress to more serious topics such as, “What would you like to be doing five years from now?” or “When do you feel most loved?”
Communicate appreciation for one another.
Put each person in the “spot¬light” and ask each family member to share what they appreciate most about that person. Further affirm the person by showing loving affection —hug, kiss, or embrace them while saying, “I love you.”
Allow everyone to share how they’re feeling.
Create a loving environment in which disappointments, hurts, fears, and other sensitive feelings can be shared. In responding to expressed feelings, avoid instructing, preaching, and criticism, instead, “rejoice with those who rejoice” and “mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15).
Play together
After everyone helps with the dishes, engage in interactive games and activities such as board games, ping-pong, charades, cards, and sports activities. Following are forty (40) Family Night Ideas:
Forty (40) Family Night Ideas
Review your family’s time commitments and schedule a dedicated Family Night.
Home is where people are the priority! Remember:
• Clear the calendar of all conflicts.
• Take turns choosing a fun, family activity.
• Complete homework before dinner.
• Commit to be on time.
• No phone calls and no interruptions.
• HAVE FUN!
1. Visit a park.
2. Have a card, checker, or chess tournament.
3. Play charades (kids love to see parents act silly).
4. Play a board game.
5. Color, draw, or paint.
6. Play with blocks, cars or army men.
7. Have a tea party.
8. Try cooking a new recipe together.
9. Build or repair something together.
10. Play hide-and-seek.
11. Go for a family walk or bike ride.
12. Make a playhouse, tent, or tree house.
13. Visit an airport and watch the planes take off and land, or go to a lake and watch the boats.
14. Go on a picnic. How about a picnic breakfast?
15. Make popcorn, maybe even caramel corn!
16. Build a snowman, make a snow fort, or throw snowballs. How about some snow ice cream?
17. Go swimming or water-skiing.
18. Plan a scavenger hunt. Try to find something in the house for every letter of the alphabet.
19. Read a good book aloud.
20. Look through photo albums or view family movies.
21. Play miniature golf or croquet.
22. Make a recording of the most recent family “news,” and send it to a close friend or relative.
23. Go fishing.
24. Sing favorite songs, nursery rhymes, or hymns around the piano.
25. String popcorn and place on a tree for the birds.
26. Make puppets and put on a puppet show.
27. Have a bonfire and roast hot dogs and marshmallows.
28. Visit an elderly friend or relative.
29. Pick wildflowers. (You might want to press them.)
30. Read a psalm together. Then write a psalm of praise for your own family.
31. Put together a scrapbook, describing a favorite vacation or any special event.
32. Play “I think you’re nice because …”Think of a quality you like in each person in the family.
33. Encourage everyone to write an actual letter or color a picture to send to grandparents.
34. Play badminton, volleyball, tennis, or darts.
35. Take the kids on a tour of where Dad or Mom works.
36. Draw a family tree on paper and complete it as a family. Add old photographs if available.
37. Go to the library or bookstore. Check out the latest books and magazines.
38. Write a letter to a missionary family.
39. Write and act out a pantomime or play centered on a specific holiday, a Bible story, or an important cause.
40. Go to a ball game, or play one – football, kickball, softball, base- ball, basketball, soccer.
