Sunday, May 20, 2018

Mother’s Day Sunday Service 2018


Mother’s Day Sunday Service 2018
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

This Document is a Sermon Outline, you may hear the full audio of the actual sermon by following the link Online Audio Files located above for this, and other Full Sermon Audios.  For a complete list of Sermon Outlines, visit TruthDigest.org, or Truth Digest on facebook; for our Official Church website, visit PS127.org, or find us on facebook at House of Faith Church

SERMON INTRODUCTION
Today we are going to talk about Mary, the mother of Jesus. 

Looking at her story, we will see a picture that has been painted for us in the scripture of a perfect mother.

Thinking about motherhood, I remember before I had children I had many theories on how to raise children. Now I have many children and no more theories.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Proverbs 31:10-31
10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,  all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,  and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Today’s Message;
Mother’s, women worth more than rubies


I. MOTHERS ARE AN INTERESTING BREED
a.   Mother’s are an interesting breed
                                                     i.  Not only do they seem to be superhuman at times, but they all seem to speak the same language.

                                                  ii. I remember being at my friend’s house when I was about 14, and his mother was yelling at him about something, and she was saying some of the same things my mother would say. 

Yet, they had never met?

Things like;

“Don’t be smart with me.”

“Keep crying and I’ll give you something to cry about.”

“Where’s my change?”

“That’s the last time I’m going to tell you.”


b.  They don’t just speak the same language, but they share many of the same qualities; tenderness, compassion, mother’s intuition, sympathy, empathy.

                                                     i.  Sympathy from a mother is different than from a father, because it is mixed with empathy.

Few things in this world are more powerful than the tears and prayers of a mother.

                                                  ii.  Here’s a fact.
1.  Out of the 69 kings of France only 3 were really loved by their subjects and these 3 were the only ones raised by their mothers, instead of the rest who were raised by guardians.

a. The development of great qualities in character are taught from a nurturing upbringing, not by books and formal education, but through the love and compassion of a mother.

b. This is one of the reasons our society suffers so today!

c. So many being raised by streets instead of mothers.

                                               iii.  Napoleon said, “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.”
1. In other words, Whomever is bringing up the next generation is in control of how that generation will lead.


c.  If you were looking for the perfect mother to leave your one and only child with, who would she be?
                                                     i.  Would she be wealthy?

Would she live in a nice place, a mansion?

Would she be famous, well educated?  Mature?  Experienced?

What would be her characteristics?


II.        THE ONE WHOM GOD CHOSE
a. I have witnessed the value of a child having a mother many times
                                                     i. Single parents raising children, doing their best to be both parents

                                                  ii. However, there are things a father can never accomplish, things that God created women specifically for

                                               iii. The role of mother was created by God to be filled by a woman.

                                                iv. Try as they may, a man could never do completely fulfill their role.

1. The women all cry “YES!”

2. However, if I were to say this statement in reverse, the poison of “women’s lib” would have many cry “FOUL!”

3. But the fact remains, man and woman were created for specific roles by God, and there is no shame in understanding those roles and obediently serving them to the best of our ability, knowing, that it is only ourselves who are capable of this calling!


b. But a man can never replace a woman when it comes to being a mother
                                                     i.  Men lack some of the essentials that God has created in women to fill that role.

1. Little boy makes a ramp to jump over a thorn bush with his bike. Immediately crashes in said thorn bush…Mother runs to aid her child whose only injury is to his pride, while dad laughs and says, “Did you learn anything?”


c.  If anyone tries to tell you that a woman can take the place of a man, they are wrong.
                                                     i.  If anyone tries to tell you that a man can take the place of a woman, they are just as wrong.

                                                  ii. God has created us different. The scriptures tell us so.

                                               iii. This society has done a wonderful job over the past 60+ years or so of telling men they can be women, and women they can be men.

                                                iv. Tearing down the very fabric of what God has created us to be.

                                                   v. This is a ploy of satan to break God’s pattern of man and woman, thus destroying families, essentially being the hand that is rocking the cradle.


III.     Speaking from experience, no father can take the place of mother.
a.  We need to stop listening to what society says is right or wrong, and start listening to what God has told us in scripture about what our roles are.

                                                     i. He should know, He created us to fill those roles.

                                                  ii. God was looking for a woman to raise His Son.

                                               iii. He chose a town with a bad reputation, Nazareth.

                                                iv. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”  In this case, yes.

                                                   v. He went to a humble cottage and tapped a girl on the shoulder, and chose her to be the mother of Jesus.

1. Not because she was rich
2. Not because she was famous
3. Not because she lived in a mansion
4. Not because she was educated, mature, experienced
5. He chose her because of her heart, her unfailing obedience to Him, her willingness to serve the Lord and His Will


b.  Two times in the text Gabriel told Mary that she was highly favored by God.
                                                     i.  What was it about Mary that caught God’s attention?

                                                  ii. Were not told the answer to this question directly, but, through necessary inference, the answer is there in the scriptures, hidden in the very few and very brief accounts of Mary recorded by the inspired writers.

                                               iii. I believe that God chose Mary for two reasons.

                                                iv. First, because of what Mary already had, and second, because of who God knew Mary would become, she had a solid foundation.

                                                   v. What did Mary have?

c. Mary had the right perspective.
                                                     i.  Can you imagine an angel appearing and giving you this message?
1. It had to be troubling. After all, she was engaged at the time to Joseph, and engagements in that day were more serious than many believe they are today.

2. An engaged woman was considered married already, however a child born during an engagement would have been considered illegitimate.

3. Mary faced rejection by Joseph, the possibility of raising her child alone in a culture hostile to women, in addition jeopardizing her reputation and her life if she was accused of unfaithfulness to Joseph.

4. Not to mention Mary probably felt insecure, unworthy and insufficient for the great task of being the mother of God the Son, the savior of the world.

                                                  ii. I’m sure we have felt the same way when God has asked any of us to do something for Him. Others in the scriptures did.

                                               iii. Remember Moses when he was given a message and task by God Himself at the burning bush?

1. “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

                                                iv. That would be like God asking one of us (with no fame, power, authority what so ever) to go to Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, and telling him to stop all his nonsense and leave the Christians in China alone.

                                                   v. Moses said, “What if they don’t believe or listen to me?”

1. “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”

                                                vi. How many times have we felt unsure of God’s calling?

                                             vii. How many times have we asked Him to pick someone else?

                                          viii. Mary could have said, “Lord, I’m just a girl.  I’m not ready to be a mother.  I’m not wealthy, I’m not educated, I’m not worthy of this.  Maybe it would be better if you got someone else?”

                                                ix. But that’s not what she said.  She had the right perspective!

1. Mary, like David facing Goliath, knew that if God had called her to a task, He would also enable her.

2. It made no difference what she was without God, because she was with God, and in His favor, and through her obedience to Him, she could accomplish anything He called her to do!


3. Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be as you have said…”

                                                   x. In Luke 2, Mary’s song is recorded, and in it she tells how she rejoices and is blessed by what God was going to do in her life.

1. Mary saw motherhood as an honor and a gift.
a. “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” - 3 John 1:4

b. “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” - Mark 9:37

c. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” - Mark 10:14

d. “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angles in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” - Matthew 18:10

e. “Children’s children (Grandchildren) are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. - Proverbs 17:6


2. Mother’s today like Mary, need to have the proper perspective.

                                                xi. They too are servants of God, in all things and especially in raising God’s children.

                                             xii. Each life is knit in the womb by the hand of the Almighty.

                                          xiii. Mother’s all share in this responsibility to raise the children given to them by God.

                                            xiv. Psalm 127:3 (Amplified)
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”

                                               xv. God looked upon Mary with favor because she had the right perspective.


d.  He also looked upon her with favor because she had a solid foundation.
                                                     i.  And in God’s eyes there is only one solid foundation…Him, His Word. Jesus spoke on this in;

                                                  ii. Luke 6:46-49
"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."

                                               iii. There is no other foundation but the rock, the Word of God.

                                                iv. So how do we know that Mary had this foundation?

1. In Luke 2, in Mary’s song it is quite evident that Mary knew the scriptures as there are at least 30 phrases or words that echo truths from the Old Testament.

                                                   v. Mary knew “the Word” and she went beyond that and was one who enthusiastically and unashamedly praised her God.

                                                vi. Mary’s solid foundation is an example to mother’s today.

1. A mother who praises her God and knows His Word is going to make a difference in her child’s life.

2. A mother like that will be planting seeds that will one day bear fruit.


                                             vii.  Psalm 78:3-7
“What we have heard and known,
       what our fathers have told us.

  4 We will not hide them from their children;
       we will tell the next generation
       the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD,
       his power, and the wonders he has done.

  5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
       and established the law in Israel,
       which he commanded our forefathers
       to teach their children,

  6 so the next generation would know them,
       even the children yet to be born,
       and they in turn would tell their children.

 7 Then they would put their trust in God
       and would not forget his deeds
       but would keep his commands. “


                                          viii.  2 Timothy 1:5
“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”

What of those who have not biological children?

Biology has nothing to do with God’s calling or being a mother to a child.

There are those who have become step-mothers, those who have adopted, grandparents who are raising their grandchildren (happening more often these days), there are many ways to mother a child.

Terri serves as a surrogate mother on Sunday mornings teaching children’s Sunday school.  Having the same influence if only for a short time on the young children.


CONCLUSION – Do you see how important a mother’s foundation in God’s word is?

Mother’s, how is your foundation? Do you understand who God is?

Do you have His word hidden in your heart and mind so that it supports and guides you in your life and your motherhood?

Do you know His word well enough to pass it on to your children?

Do you set a good example of one who loves to worship and praise God?

Is your home life built on a solid foundation?

Remember Psalm 127:1 “unless the Lord builds the house, its builder’s labor in vain…”

We could continue with a mother’s unrelenting protection, unwavering love and devotion, and more. Mother’s may you have Mary’s kind of love and devotion for your child.



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