THE INFLUENCE OF A MOTHER
SCRIPTURE: II Timothy 1:5 “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.”
INTRODUCTION:
Anna M. Jarvis was the eighth child born into a family with 11 kids. Born and raised in Grafton, West VA. Every year in May we remember something she did. What did she do? Anna was at her mom’s bedside on the night she died in May 1905. And it was 2 years later, Anna convinced her church Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, where her mother and herself taught Sunday School for years to hold a special Mother’s day service in honor of mothers on the anniversary of her own mother’s death. That Sunday morning (May 10, 1908)- Anna gave a white carnation - her mom’s favorite flower to every mother who attended. The response: 407 children and their mothers came. You want to draw a crowd to church, come out with an original idea in the style of Anna such as a Mother’s Day service?
This was such a success, that an idea was born in Anna’s heart - she sought to honor all mothers.
In Philadelphia, she organized a Mother’s Day Committee, with such big shots as food manufacturer Henry J. Heinz, dept. store founder John Wanamaker, and the editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
In 1910, West VA became the 1st state to recognize a formal Mom’s day. State after state, from east to west, followed that lead. On May 10, 1913 US House of Representatives passed a resolution officially recognizing Mother’s Day. On May 9, 1914, by an act of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. He established the day as a time for "public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country."
Anna Jarvis, from her desire to honor her mother, she attracted 407 children and their mothers to church.
407 children and their mothers got to hear the gospel because of one lady decided to honor her mother
Legacy of attracting to church on Mother’s Day continues today, many mothers are being blessed today because of Anna’s desire to honor her mom. All this because Anna Jarvis wanted to honor her mother. What an influence her mother must have been in her life. And in turn, she has influenced an entire nation.
I. INFLUENCE
A. Have you ever thought seriously about your influence upon others, especially your
children?
“THE HEART OF A CHILD”
Whatever you write on the heart of a child,
no water can wash away.
The sands may be shifted when billows are wild
and the efforts of time may decay.
Some stories may perish, some songs be forgot,
but this engraved record, time changes it not.
Whatever you write in the heart of a child
a story of gladness or care---
that heaven has blessed or that earth has defiled,
will linger unbearably there.
Who writes it has sealed it forever and aye.
He must answer to God on that great judgment day
B. Influence (in- in + fluere to flow)
1. The power of persons or things to produce effects on others, especially by indirect means.
2. Power resulting from social position, wealth, etc.
3. One who or that which possesses the power to affect others.
There was a young mother who knew she was something of a fiery driver. She was like a race car driver, pushing her car through heavy traffic. She often had comments to make about other drivers. She didn’t know, however, that some little ears had been listening to her. NOT UNTIL ONE WEEK.
Her little boy rode with her a lot. His car seat in the back didn’t allow his two-year-old eyes to see the road. But he could see his mom, feel the pitch of the car and hear her words.
One day, his mother had to put on the brakes very quickly. The car gave that familiar lunge to the front as the tires grabbed the road. Although he couldn’t see what happened, he knew the squeal of the tires and the motion of the car. From the back seat came the words he’d heard so often in that situation, “TUPID DURK!”
“If A Child Lives”, from a sermon called The Divine Family
If a child lives with criticism,
HE learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility,
HE learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule,
HE learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame,
HE learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance,
HE learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement,
HE learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise,
HE learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness,
HE learns justice.
If a child lives with security,
HE learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval,
HE learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,
HE learns to find love in the world.
C. Mother, you are influencing someone. What is flowing out of you? Is it bad or is it good?
Is it earthly or is it heavenly?
II. THE INFLUENCE OF MOTHERS
A. Bad Influence
1. Herodias
Matthew 14:6 “But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. 14:7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. 14:8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.”
2. Ahaziah
II Chronicles 22:2 “Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was
Athaliah the daughter of Omri. 22:3 He also walked in the ways of the
house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly. 22:4
Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab: for
they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction.”
B. Good Influence
1. Timothy
II Timothy 1:5 “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I
Am persuaded that in thee also.”
Lois and Eunice were Jews who converted from Judaism to Christianity.
Timothy’s father was a Greek.
Acts 16:1 “Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a
Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:”
It is likely that Timothy was the only child; and it appears that he had been
brought up in the fear of God, and carefully instructed in the Jewish religion by
means of the Holy Scriptures. It appears, also, that this young man drank into the apostle’s spirit, became a thorough convert to the Christian faith, and that a very tender intimacy subsisted between St. Paul and him. Clarke
Mother, teach your child the Scriptures and point them to men and women of example.
2. Susannah Wesley was a great Christian mother. Despite the fact that she had 19 children, she found time to give each child an hour’s religious instruction each week. Her most renowned sons were Charles and John. They turned the spiritual tides of England toward God in a dark hour.
3. Dr. Benjamin Carson, renowned surgeon at John Hopkins, has a story told about his mother by Kevin Lemam. Mrs. Carson insisted that Ben and His brother Curtis write a book report every couple of weeks. This wasn’t for school-this was for their mom. Ben and Curtis dutifully obeyed.
About the time he was in junior high, Ben finally realized something quite shocking. His mom couldn’t read. For years Ben had read books and scratched out reports, assuming that his mom was checking every word. But she didn’t have a clue what he was saying. Now consider this: raised by an illiterate mother, Ben grew up to be a world famous surgeon who was featured in many articles and was the author of several books. His illiterate mom didn’t twist her hands over her lacking of learning and give up hope of raising intelligent boys. Instead, she gave her boys what she had interest, accountability, and courage to demand extra work. And it paid off. Years later, someone asked Ben why his mother still lived with him, even after he was married and had a family of his own. "You don’t understand," Ben answered. "If it weren’t for that woman, I wouldn’t be living here, She earned this."
4. George Washington said of his mother, “My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. 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.”
III. BE AN EXAMPLE
A. The greatest work:
1. The greatest work a mother can do is instill the knowledge of God into the child’s
life.
“A MOTHER’S GREATEST WORK” by Wayne Burnett
2. Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
a. Train = educate
b. Old = hair on chin
B. Influence Your Church
Titus 2:3 “The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 2:4 That they
may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their
children, 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands,that the word of God be not blasphemed.”
If you fail the younger ladies now, they will fail the next generation and families, the Church, and the world will suffer.
C. Influence Your Nation
The Influence of a Christian Mother.
One hundred and twenty clergymen were together, and they were telling their experience and their ancestry. Of these one hundred and twenty clergymen, how many of them, do you suppose, assigned as the means of their conversion the influence of a Christian mother? One hundred out of the one hundred and twenty! The mother thinks she is only rocking a child, but at the same time she may be rocking the fate of nations — rocking the glories of Heaven. The same maternal power which may lift the child up may press a child down. — TALMAGE.
Lord Shaftesbury said, "Give me a generation of Christian mothers and I will undertake to change the face of English society in 12 months."
CONCLUSION:
Theodore Roosevelt stated, "When all is said, it is the mother, and the mother only, who is a better citizen than the soldier who fights for his country. The successful mother, the mother who does her part in rearing and training aright the boys and girls, who are to be the men and women of the next generation, is of greater use to the community, and occupies, if she would realize it, a more honorable as well as important position than any man in it. The mother is the one supreme asset of the national life. She is more important, by far, than the successful statesman, or businessman, or artist, or scientist."
If you have experienced the death of your mother, this could be a day of mourning & grieving as you remember her, & how much you miss her, & how much you would like to talk to her again.
If you’re childless, you may feel empty & perhaps unfilled. If you had a poor relationship with your mother, you may feel a bit guilty, & wish somehow you could undo that. But it may be too late.
If you’re here & you’re not a Christian - mom, dad, young person, whoever you might be - we extend the invitation of Jesus, & invite you to come to Him & accept Him as your Savior & Lord.
A 15 yr old boy came bounding into the house and found his mom in bed. He asked if she was sick or something. He was truly concerned! Mom replied that , as a matter of fact, she didn’t feel too well. The son replied, “Well, don’t worry about dinner, I’ll be happy to carry you down to the stove”
A woman was asked, “If you had it to do all over again would you have children?” “Yes…but not the same ones.”
A mom was tucking her small boy into bed one night while a violent thunderstorm raged outside. ’Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?’ ’No honey I need to sleep in the other room with daddy tonight’. ’THE BIG SISSY’.
A man was walking along a California beach and stumbled across an old lamp. He picked it up, rubbed it - and out popped a genie. The genie said, “Ok. You released me from the lamp .. blah, blah. This is the 4th time this month and I’m getting a little sick of these wishes, so you can forget about 3. You only get one wish.”
The man thought about it for a while and said, “I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii, but I’m scared to fly and I get very sea sick. Could you build me a bridge to Hawaii so I can drive over there to vacation?”
The genie laughed and said, “That’s impossible. Think of the logistics of that feat! How would the supports ever reach the bottom of the Pacific ocean? No, think of another wish.”
The man thought about it and said, “I’ve been married and divorced 4 times. My wives always said that I don’t care and that I’m insensitive. So, I wish that I could understand women .. to know how they feel and what they’re thinking.”
The genie said, “You want that bridge with 2 lanes or 4?”
