Staying In Step (Mother's Day 2010).

STAYING IN STEP (Mother's Day 2010)

Text: John 14:23 – 29

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.

25 "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, I am going away and coming back to you. If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, I am going to the Father, for My Father is greater than I.

29 "And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.

How many of you have ever seriously considered what the Holy Spirit does for us? It is interesting to note that this text falls in line with Mother's Day. Like the Holy Spirit, our mothers have taught us things that we are to remember. Some are currently being taught by their mothers who are raising them with things that they will remember. The Holy Spirit teaches us things and helps us to remember things that we have been taught. How many of you can remember something that your mother has taught you that you remember even to this day? The Holy Spirit is at work in godly mothers who strive to raise their children the way that they are to go so that they will not depart from it. The Holy Spirit’s work continues even after mothers have raised their children to adulthood. The Holy Spirit helps to stay on track at keeping the word of Jesus and staying true to the word of Jesus. If we do not follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, then we will get off track.

STAYING IN STEP

Though our mothers helped us learn how to walk our first physical steps, it is the Holy Spirit who helps us to stay in step spiritually.

1) Enoch was a man who walked closely with God. His walking with God which did not happen by default. Enoch walked closely with God.

2) As someone (?) has said, “Enoch did not win the approval of God accidentally or incidentally, for it was under the most unfavorable circumstances that Enoch walked with God in such a manner as to hear the words of divine approval”. (T. T. Crabtree. ed. The Zondervan 2009 Pastor's Annual. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008, p. 263). What were his “unfavorable circumstances”? He was Cain's oldest son (Genesis 4:17). Cain had killed Abel because he was jealous of how God found favor with Abel's offering (Genesis 4:8).

3) There is a saying that the “apple does not fall far from the tree”. There is no doubt that Enoch was an exception to this rule because he “walked with God” (Genesis 5:24).

4) The Holy Spirit can help us walk with God and stay in step as we walk.

One of the things that godly mothers do is raise their children to know right from wrong.

1) Just recently I read where George Foreman wrote about his mother’s role in his life. George Foreman’s mother was a godly woman who set an example that one day later have an impact on George’s life. (George Foreman. God In My Corner. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007).

2) George Foreman had a nephew who was ill. At that time in his boxing career, George thought that his influence and money could buy his nephew's way back to health. (p. 4). We have to note that this was a time before George Foreman was a Christian.

3) While growing up, George had seen his mother pray. But, he did not put much stock in God or prayer. (p.4). Having gone from rags to riches as a boxer, he had the ability to have anything that money could buy. (p. 3,4). But, he found that money was useless where God's intervention was needed.

4) Suddenly, it seemed as if George found himself backed in a corner without a solution.

5) It is one thing to be a boxer, boxing an opponent you can see eye to eye. It is another thing to face an opponent that you cannot see.