MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER
RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK
(PowerPoints used with this message are available at no charge. Just email me at mnewland@sstelco.com and request #382.)
TEXT: Song of Solomon 2:15; Ephesians 4:31-32; 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Yes, today we’re celebrating Mother’s Day!
ILL. Chris Philbeck, a minister in Greenwood, IN, wrote in the May 2nd issue of the Christian Standard magazine:
“Early in my preaching career, I always preached a Mother’s Day sermon, & the church would always have some kind of recognition & celebration of the mothers who were present. But over the years…my approach to Mother’s Day has changed…
“You see, over time I have become more aware of the pain many women, & sometimes men, experience on Mother’s Day. Some folks grieve because their mother has died. Some moms in church have had children die. Some women listening to the sermon have had an abortion; & for them, Mother’s Day is a painful reminder of that choice.
“Some women desperately want to be moms, but it hasn’t happened. Some single women want to get married & have children. Some people … have had a difficult & painful relationship with their mother, & some are filled with regret because of the pain and grief they brought to their mother.
“The bottom line is, our approach to Mother’s Day isn’t as simple as it might seem on the surface.”
ILL. 109 years ago Pres. 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 & reverence for the mothers of our country."
And for most of us it is a very special day. Telephone companies tell us that it is by far their busiest day of the year. It is a day for greetings & expressions of love. And it is also a day for remembering.
My mother passed away 42 years ago, but in a way I lost her nearly 60 years ago because she had Alzheimer’s for at least the last 18 years of her life. I loved & respected her deeply for so many reasons, & I still think of her often – our years in the Himalayan Mtns. of Tibet, her sufferings & sacrifices for 3 years in Japanese Internment Camps, & for our years together after WW2.
I owe her so much more than I could ever say!
ILL. Someone wrote an article entitled, “What My Mother Taught Me.” Now I need to say that this isn’t about my mother.
What did my mother teach me? Well, she taught me a lot. For example, my mother taught me LOGIC - "If you fall off that swing & break your neck, you can’t go to the store with me."
My mother taught me ANTICIPATION - "Just wait until your father gets home."
My Mother taught me HUMOR - "When that lawn mower cuts off all your toes, don’t come running to me."
My mother taught me about GENETICS - "You’re just like your father!"
My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT - "If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.”
And her favorite subject was JUSTICE - "One day you’ll have kids, & I hope they turn out just like you. Then you’ll see what it’s been like. I can’t wait for that day to come!"
Well, maybe your mother wasn’t quite like that either, but almost all of us have some very special memories about mother & home.
A. Mother & home when you mention one you just automatically think of the other. And when most of us think of home we forget the bad things, & remember the good.
Those of us who are older remember the sounds & sights & smells of home, of screen doors banging in the summer time, the aroma of cookies just out of the oven, & of freshly baked bread.
Home - we enjoyed a sense of acceptance there, & of being loved. And most of us knew mother loved us. We were certain of that!
But once we left home we found that the world is not as kind. It's always judging us & trying to place us into categories if we're good looking enough or smart enough or ambitious enough or successful enough. And if we don't measure up, then the world rejects us.
SUM. But still, there is home & mother. Unfortunately, home is not what it used to be. So perhaps we need to re-evaluate what is happening within the walls of the home, & in our family relationships.
B. There is a verse of scripture in the O.T. that want to call to your attention this morning. It is Song of Solomon 2:15. Here is what it says, "Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom."
That verse sounds rather strange, doesn't it? But I believe Solomon was simply saying that little things can often ruin or destroy the big & important things in life.
C. And I suggest that is exactly what is happening in many homes today. Little things are getting through the cracks & crevices of our homes, & they have been opening the way for its destruction.
ILL. I have read that our great-grandmothers used to enjoy recalling what it was like when they were girls & great-grandfather came courting. That was back in the days when ladies wore dresses that reached to the floor & men wore stiff collars & neat little ties.
Eventually he asked her to marry him. They were engaged for an appropriate length of time, & then became husband & wife. And they knew that no matter what happened, they were together through thick & thin, through good & bad, through sickness & health.
Whatever came their way, they were going to stick it out & face it together. And they raised their children to believe that way, too.
But somewhere along the way, little foxes started creeping in, & when you look at the modern picture of home, it is much different than the picture great-grandma painted.
D. Why? What has happened? What kind of input is coming into our homes? To help answer that, turn on the TV, & what do we see?
Now I know it is wishful thinking, but I think it would be great if we could return to the golden days of "Father Knows Best." I realize there has probably never been a father as wise as Robert Young seemed to be, or a mother as totally in control as Jane Wyatt. (Or do you even know who I am talking about?) And I'm sure there have never been children as obedient as theirs.
But I liked that TV program. We knew there was no home quite that perfect. But it always tried to set a good example, & I believe we need more programs like that.
When I sit down in front of the TV I want to see things the way they could be, or ought to be, an ideal to strive for, & not the way things are usually pictured today.
PROP. Yes, a lot of little foxes have crept in & changed the modern picture of the family. As a result, today’s homes are often not what God intended them to be.
I. IDENTIFYING SOME OF THESE LITTLE FOXES
A. So let's identify some of these little foxes that are making havoc of our homes, & think about them. There are many more than we have time to discuss today, but here are 5, & I'll make only a brief comment about each one.
And, of course, most of them will probably not apply to you & your family. But one or more may. So let me share them with you.
1. First of all, there is the little fox of RUDENESS. When great-grandma told of her courting days, great-grandpa came across as a gentleman. But today that seems to have changed.
The very word "courting" brings to mind other words such as “courtesy” & “courtliness”, reminding us of those times of obvious consideration & respect.
But it also brings to mind the legal system, for in the absence of simple courtesy in the home, the Divorce Court is often the inevitable result.
ILL. A few years ago someone suggested that marriage licenses should be issued on a 2 year renewable basis. Then at the end of 2 years, if you didn't renew it, the marriage was automatically dissolved.
Now we haven't heard much about that suggestion recently. Instead, the idea of just living together, not bothering to get married at all seems to be more popular. That way, when the fox of rudeness begins to appear it is tempting just to walk away.
2. Then there is the little fox of NEGLIGENCE. Do you realize how thoughtless we often are? That is why we need special times like Mother's Day & Father’s Day to jog our memories, so that we'll send flowers or make phone calls to tell mom & dad we love them. Otherwise they might be forgotten in the jumble of our busy lives.
We're oftentimes rather thoughtless about the needs of others in the family.
3. Then there is the little fox of INGRATITUDE. I think the phrase "Thank you" probably ought to be used second only to "I love you" within the home.
"Thank you, mom, for all the meals you've prepared." "Thank you, mom, for cleaning the house & ironing my shirts." "Thank you, mom, for taking care of me & loving me & accepting me. Just thank you, mom."
But the words "thank you" are too often absent from our vocabulary, espe¬cially in the home. "Thank you, son, for emptying the garbage." "Thank you, daughter, for doing the dishes." "Thank you, dad, for bringing home the bacon." The words "thank you" ought to be used more & more within our home.
ILL. We are too much like the little boy who was given an orange. The boy’s mother asked, “What do you say to the nice man?” The little boy thought for a moment, held out the orange, & said, “Peel it.”
4. A kissing cousin to INGRATITUDE is CRITICISM. You know, it is so easy to be critical of the people we love the most. Criticism is another little fox that can make its way into the home.
5. One other little fox is the LACK OF ANY SPIRITUAL EMPHASIS in the home. For too many families, there is no longer any discernible recognition of God. How long has it been since you sat down with your family & talked about the things of God, & you prayed & shared from God’s Word together?
Men, the best Mother's Day present you could give your wives is to become a spiritual leader in your home. That is your God-given responsibility, whether you acknowledge it or not.
II. OVERCOMING THOSE LITTLE FOXES
A. Well, we've looked at some of the little foxes. Now let's look very quickly at how to overcome them. These little foxes need to be eliminated, & probably everybody would rejoice if they were.
1. How can we overcome RUDENESS & INGRATITUDE? Why, simply by practicing courtesy, by learning to say "Please" & "Thank you," by opening doors for those who are dear to us, & letting them go before us.
2. How can we overcome NEGLIGENCE? By becoming more thoughtful, & not just on special days. Do you remember the bouquet of flowers & those little gifts that were so important during the days of courtship? Then give of yourself, & tell them over & over, "Thank you for who you are & what you mean to my life."
3. How can we overcome CRITICISM? The Bible says, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage & anger, brawling & slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind & compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32)
ILL. It was testimony night in the church. A lady got up & said, "We are living in a wicked land where sin is on every hand. I have had a terrible fight with the old devil all week." Whereupon her husband, who was sitting glumly by her side said, "It’s not all my fault; she’s tough to get along with too."
The Bible says, “…encourage one another daily….” (Hebrews 3:13) And again, “Therefore encourage one another & build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
4. And finally, if you will give your heart to God & begin to place an EMPHASIS ON SPIRITUAL THINGS in your home, I can guarantee you this will be one of the very best Mother's Day that your family has ever had.
So let’s dedicate our homes to God, to His Spirit, & to His influence in our lives, & pledge that we will always love & respect & honor one another no matter what the world may say.
ILL. The story is told that after one of the battles of the Civil War, a chaplain came to a young man who was dying. He took the soldier’s hand & said, "Brother, what can I do for you?" The soldier replied, "Would you please return thanks for me?"
"Thanks for what?" asked the chaplain. The soldier replied, "Thank Him for my mother. Thank Him that because of her I’m a Christian.” (Evie Megginson – Sermon Central)
CONC. This morning there may be those here who need to decide for Jesus, our Savior, who have never given their life or their home over to the saving power of Jesus Christ. We want you to know that He is here & He is concerned about your home & your family & your loved ones.
He is also concerned about you as a Christian father or as a Christian mother or as a Christian young person. He wants to remold you & transform you & make you into the kind of person that only God can make.
So this morning, if you are here without Christ as your Savior, we extend His invitation. We invite you to come & accept Him as the Lord & Master of your life, be buried with Him in Christian baptism, & to walk in the new life He has offered.
Whatever your need this morning, Jesus can meet that need as we stand & sing.
INVITATION
