I want to begin this morning by wishing each and every Mother a Happy Mother?s Day! Without mothers?we would not be here today!
We thank you for your hours of hard work and dedication?to the family, home, and the many other things that your time is consumed with?
I hope that you all have received something wonderful from your kids saying ?thank you? for all that you do; and for being a wonderful mother that you are?
Homemade cards?
Fun and heart-felt crafts?
And many kind words?
Kids are truly a hoot aren?t they? With all that they might say about mom, and to their moms?
Here are a few things that were written by my son?s class about their moms?
-Read a few excerpts?
Here is a list of some cute things that kids have written to their moms?
-Angie, 8 years old, wrote: "Dear Mother, I?m going to make dinner for you on
Mother?s Day. It?s going to be a surprise. P.S. I hope you like pizza & popcorn."
-Robert wrote: "I got you a turtle for Mother?s Day. I hope you like the turtle better than the snake I got you last year."
-Eileen wrote: "Dear Mother, I wish Mother?s Day wasn?t always on Sunday. It
would be better if it were on Monday so we wouldn?t have to go to school."
-Little Diane wrote: "I hope you like the flowers I got you for Mother?s Day. I picked them myself when Mr. Smith wasn?t looking."
-And how about this one from Carol? "Dear Mother, Here are two aspirins. Have a happy Mother?s Day!"
Moms?there is no doubt?that there are challenges and difficulties in raising children today?so as a courtesy, we have also provided trial size aspirins for each of you too?! Just a joke?
BUT?
I do want to encourage you and give you something to leave here with?by way of enrichment?that would help you with your responsibility of being a mother, and doing the motherhood thing?
As we begin today, I want to look at a moment in the life of a certain woman in the Bible?
-A woman who is little known in the Bible?
-A woman who little is known about?
However, what we do know of this woman is very important?
-She is known as a woman who was of great faith?
-A woman who dared to come into the presence of Jesus and ask for something that she had no real right to ask for from Jesus?
-A woman who had received and answer to her prayer?
A woman whose story is told in?
Stand & Read - Matthew 15:21-28
?And Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. [22] And behold, a Canaanite woman came out from that region, and began to cry out, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed." [23] But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came to Him and kept asking Him, saying, "Send her away, for she is shouting out after us." [24] But He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." [25] But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" [26] And He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs." [27] But she said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table." [28] Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, your faith is great; be it done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed at once.?
This morning?I want to share with you for the next few moments?
Hints, as to how you can begin, or carry on, the process of?
?Becoming A Mother Of Great Faith?
Prayer?
As we enter the story of this Syro-Phonecian woman today?we see her in a condition that many mothers today are in?
We see her doing something that I would hope many other mothers would do in like fashion?following her example, in times of great need?
She is consumed with the condition of her little daughter who is actually?demon-possessed!!!
Now, I know that you moms can identify with this mother?
If there is anyone who is IN TOUCH with what is going on within the family and home?it is mom!
-Dads know when the TV isn?t working?and when the grill?s propane tank is empty?
-BUT MOM?she knows what is happening with the kids?and within their lives?even when they don?t say anything!
ILLUSTRATION:
Like how a mother can tell the need of a baby with only hearing the cry of a baby?
This is what makes moms so special?
And they care so very much?so much so, that they are not able to brush the issue off?even after some time some time has past?
-Moms are consumed with the issue until it is resolved?
Surely, this was the truth for this mother as well?
So what does she do???
How does she respond to this issue that has arose within her household???
She immediately goes to whom she knows can help her?JESUS!
-Don?t people always run to the one, they know can really help them, when they are in times of need???
And the first thing that this mom does?and you moms (and dads) can do, is?
REVEAL YOUR PROBLEM?
Her comes a lady?
-A Canaanite, Syro-Phonecian woman?
-A woman whose culture and language was Greek?
-By way of religion or faith?she was pagan?UP UNTIL THIS DAY!
Today was a day of change?for she came to Jesus today!
And it is easy to tell from her conversation with Jesus what her greatest problem was?
It was her daughter?
-I am sure that she had other problems, but none of them matter at this point?
Next to her daughter and her condition?they seems very small and insignificant?
I am sure that any parent could identify with that feeling??
Nothing matters when there are troubles with the children!
Her daughter was grievously troubled by a demon?literally possessed!
Here is the reality for us?
Of all the troubles in the world?there is one thing that is common among many of them?.
They all find their root from within the enemy of our soul?IE, the devil?
ILLUSTRATION:
The story is told of a little boy sitting on his front steps with his face cradled in his hands, looking so pitiful. His dad came home just then & asked him what was wrong. The little boy looked up & said, "Well, just between us, Dad, I?m having trouble getting along with your wife, too!"
Now?we may not have a child actually possessed, BUT we do have troubles within the home, stirred up by the enemy?begun by the prowling lion?
And it is safe to say, that the most distressing of all troubles that a mother would face is when their children are undergoing an attack of the enemy?
-Thus?the importance of REVEALING the schemes of the devil to the Master and Savior of our lives?JESUS!
Just as this mother practiced?
Psalm 17:12
?He is like a lion that is eager to tear, and as a young lion lurking in hiding places.?
You see?if there is anything that the enemy likes?it is the secret, dark, and hidden places. Places that are not seen by others?where there will be no consequence or responsibility for actions.
-Think of when a thief will often attack?in the night, when there is little chance for being seen?
-And it is in that environment that the devil likes to operate too!
My friends, there is nothing better to do when being attacked by the enemy, then to expose his evil works?
Moms, I encourage you to not be shy in asking prayer for your family, and your needs? Expose the evil schemes of the enemy, and see the Glory of the Lord revealed in their lives?
-For where there is light?there can be no darkness
Ephes. 5:11-14
?And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; [12] for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. [13] But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. [14] For this reason it says, ?Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.??
-As Christians, we must be ever ready to reveal the works of the enemy, and oppose him with passion?
-For this too is the heart and attitude of Christ?who too, exposed the works of the enemy and brought victory over them!!!
Why is it that we are told to ?confess our sins to one another? in James 5:16????
It exposes the works of the enemy, and prayers are more effectively and pointedly prayed so that there will be victories brought through the Blood of Jesus!!!
So moms?just as this mother practiced?take a proactive approach to the schemes of the enemy?and EXPOSE the works of the enemy.
Reveal your Problems to Jesus?and see His hand at work in you!!!
Secondly, Revealing your Problems to Jesus, also means that you must?
REMAIN PERSISTENT IN PRAYER?
If there is anything that moms know how to do?it is PRAY!
-We could say, with a Beatitude Persuasion??Blessed is the woman who knows where to go with her problems.?
-And to whom to run?she did know!
There are untold millions of stories that confirm this truth? Of how a praying mother has made a difference in the outcome of our lives!
-A mom knows how to pray & a mother knows how to get results from Jesus, by being persistent in prayer!
Philip. 4:6
?Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.?
We are encouraged by this familiar passage of Scripture to be persistent in bringing our ?anxious situations? to God in prayer?
-And this is what this Syro-Phonecian mother modeled for us?we need to remain persistent in coming to Jesus!!!
This woman came to Jesus with her problem?
Obviously because she believed that He was able to take care of the situation too!
-She believed that He was the Promised Son of David?
-She believed that He was Deity?
-She believed in His power, and its ability to answer her request?
-She believed that He was interested in her, and would answer her request?
BUT?she didn?t find that she was welcomed at first?and He didn?t act interested????
There was a problem here?and the problem revolved around Jesus for a moment?
-Jesus didn?t answer the woman?He just didn?t acknowledge her request!
-AND, the disciples asked Jesus to send her away!
BUT, this mother remained persistent?even in spite of His negative and discouraging response?
Verses 23-27?
?But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came to Him and kept asking Him, saying, "Send her away, for she is shouting out after us." [24] But He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." [25] But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" [26] And He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs." [27] But she said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table."
There is no doubt that there was opportunity there for discouragement?opportunity for her to walk away denied?
-Even walking away out of respect for who Jesus was; BUT, she would not be denied!!!
You have heard it said before, ?If at first you don?t succeed, try, try again!!!?
And that was this mother?s mentality?
-She shows her persistence?her tenacity?and her commitment to this request.
This mentality is one that would soon pay off!
She would not be denied by Jesus and she begins to worship?and offer up a simple prayer (request) of God?
Which is replied to by Jesus?but with a rather strange response????
He says that ?it is not right to take the children?s bread and toss it to the dogs.?
-Was there reason for this response???
-Maybe it was an insult to this woman (which I doubt)?but that didn?t matter to her because she was in great need?she had bigger things to worry about.
-Maybe it was a test of her faith?but, she was not discouraged; in fact, remaining persistent all the more, and responded well to His statement?
And because she responded well to Jesus? statement, she was able to?
RECEIVE A PROMISE?
Jesus answers this woman?s boldness and tenacity with a wonderful conclusion to her request?
He says that she has ?Great Faith? and that her ?request was granted?!!!
Is there any greater thing that any of you mothers would want to hear this morning, but ?Great is your faith????
-Great is your beauty doesn?t really matter to your daughter when she is in trouble?
-Great is your professional successes mean absolutely nothing when your children are falling further and further from God, going deeper into the things of this world?
-Great is your influence on people is of little to no effect when your child is failing in health?
In fact, you would give all these things, AND MORE, just to see God more mightily in your family and children?s lives?
So, what am I trying to say mothers???
Be concerned about the things that really matter to your life.
Spend time being consumed about the things that are of monumental importance.
-Be sure to be found with ?Great Faith? and not ?great? any other thing?
And here is a passage that applies to this thought?
Matthew 6:19-20
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. [20] "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal??
-My friends?there are a lot of things that we could be busy about in our lives?good things, and some of them are of value too?
-But we need to be sure that the priority of our lives are for the good things which are building towards us being counted among those who are identified as being with ?GREAT FAITH?!
For, we may accomplish a lot of things in our lives?but the question that must be asked is?AT WHAT EXPENSE ARE THESE ACCOMPLISHED???
Do you have great desires to receive a promise from Jesus today?
I encourage you to implement these simple things into your life?
-Be sure to reveal all your problems to Jesus?
-And remain persistent in seeking an answer from the Lord?
-And you too can receive a promise from the Lord just as this mother saw that her daughter was made whole at the word of Jesus?Praise the Lord!!!
Do you have a family problem too?
Do you have a child that needs God to intervene in their situation?
Do you desire that you too can become a woman of Great faith?
-Come to God?revealing your problem?and remaining persistent in prayer?
-Because you too can receive a promise!
Moms?I want to tell you that the world can be changed by women of ?great faith??
-One child at a time?the world can be a different place.
-Keep praying?
-Keep believing?
-Keep coming to Jesus?
-Keep waiting on Jesus for the crumbs to fall from the table?J
ALTAR CALL:
Do you have a need in your family today? You could be the key mom!
Do you desire to be a woman of Great faith? Persistent in prayer, revealing your problem to Jesus!
Do you want to change the world mom? Begin to pray like never before!
