Over-comers: Mothers
Notes
Transcript
We are in our third week of overcomers and I find it fitting that we have Mothers day that falls inside of the planned series. Motherhood is one of the most difficult things that a person can go through. Because I believe that if God had not called me to be a pastor He would have called me to be a comedian, I have some motherhood jokes for you this morning.
Motherhood is like a fairy tale, but in reverse. You start out in a beautiful ball gown and end up in stained rags cleaning up after little people.
Ever heard of a job that requires no experience, gives no training, pays nothing and you can’t quit? That’s motherhood.
Moms don’t wish they could sleep like a baby. They wish they could sleep like a dad.
Silence is golden. Unless you have kids, then silence is suspicious.
I wrote a list of things my mother taught me over the years
What My Mother Taught Me
My mother taught me RELIGION: When I spilled grape juice on the carpet, she instructed, "You better pray the stain will come out of the carpet."
My mother taught me LOGIC: From her decisive words, "Because I said so, that's why."
My mother taught me FORESIGHT: "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."
My mother taught me IRONY: "Keep laughing, and I'll give you something to cry about."
My mother taught me about STAMINA: "You'll sit there 'til all that spinach is finished."
My mother taught me about WEATHER: "It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."
My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE: "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."
My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION: "Stop acting like your father!"
My mother taught me about ENVY: "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have a wonderful Mom like you do!"
Being a mother is not easy and every person in this room has one thing for a fact in common. You have a mother. We are thankful for our mothers this morning and thankful that God blessed us with a person who committed their life to raising us and giving of themselves to us. This morning we will be in 2 Kings 4:1-7 and in these scriptures we are introduced to a mother. A mother who’s husband has passed away and left her with debt. So much debt in fact that she has no way of paying it back an is at risk of losing her children to the debtor. She goes to Elisha and begs for his help. Elisha asks her what she wants him to do for her, without waiting for a response he immediately asks her what she has in her house. She tells Elisha that she only has a jar of oil. Elisha then tells her to go borrow vessels from all of her neighbors and go into her house with her children and shut the door behind them. She did as he told her to do and she took that single jar of oil and out of that oil she was able to fill all of the jars that she borrowed. She went back to Elisha and asked what to do next and he tells her to go and sell all the oil and pay her debts. In this scripture we will see Three things.
A Mothers need.
A Mothers strength.
A God who delivers.
Turn with me in your bible to 2 Kings 4:1-7
1 Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” 2 And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. 4 Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”
A Mothers Need
A Mothers Need
1 Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” 2 And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.”
In this scripture we find a mother who is demonstrating a desperate need
A need to be with her children with a debt she could not pay.
First we see this mother demonstrating a great need to be with her children. Mothers are designed by God to want children and after having children to want to be with them and to see them grow and succeed.
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
9 He gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!
25 Let your father and mother be glad;
let her who bore you rejoice.
As mothers sit here today and hear these words they will agree that they desired to have children and desire to see their children grow and become successful. The woman in the scripture is at a real risk of losing more than she has already lost. As a widow in Jewish customs she would not have inherited the estate of her husband but rather was required to maintain it and to pay off any remaining debts so that when the oldest male child was of age the estate could be handed over to him. As a widow her means of survival was severely impaired. A widow in the Old Testament would often times become impoverished. The Bible gives commands to help the widow because of the societal struggles she would face.
19 “When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over them again. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not strip it afterward. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.
This woman was in a difficult spot. She was able to glean in the fields or to assist with the harvest and go to the threshing floor but she would be there with all the other widows and would likely only receive enough food to feed her and her children. So now this widow is left with debt and is barely getting by with the food she can glean. What do we learn from her in this moment? We learn that her heart is to be with her children. When she brings this request to Elisha it is not for wealth or for property. It is not for a new husband, she asks for help in making sure that her children do not become slaves. She is asking for help in paying a debt she could not pay so she could remain with her children who she loved. Many of us will never understand the depth of our mothers love for us. The cards, flowers, special meals they are all appreciated by mothers but more than any of those things a mother wants a relationship with her children.
The love of a mother is never exhausted. It never changes--it never tires--it endures through all; in good repute, in bad repute, in the face of the world's condemnation, a mother's love still lives on.
Washington Irving.
The need of this mother was not to be rich or to have no needs of her own. It was to spend time with her children. I am thankful this morning for a mother who simply wants to have a relationship and to see me grow old and be successful. My mother has given up so much to ensure that my brother and I could be successful in our lives and can raise families of our own. I see every day the things my wife sacrifices just to spend time with our children. A mothers heart is in her children. A mother has a God given need to have a relationship with her children. Mothers the need you have for your children is a Godly given need. We find the widow in this scripture first with a Mothers need to have not lose her children. Second we see a Mothers strength.
A Mothers Strength
A Mothers Strength
3 Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. 4 Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.”
Remember when I told you that this woman would face struggles being a widow. At this time the widow would have spent her time trying to simply maintain the property and to provide food for her children. Her children were obviously at this time not old enough to go and provide for their mother as they would be expected to provide had they met a certain age. There were however old enough to be taken as property to work off the debt. In the face of a sever struggle and trying times. This woman had just lost her husband, her children were likely reeling from the pain of loss. Instead of taking time to worry about herself and how to process what she just went through this woman immediately jumped in to fight for her family. Many of the mothers in this room today have done the same. Maybe not the same scenario but you have stepped up to fight for your children and to fight for your family. You have sacrificed your futures and desires for the needs of your children. You have given selflessly of your time, energy, and effort. A mother has strength like no other human God has ever created. Mothers will sacrifice themselves for their children. In this scripture we find that the mother sacrificed her dignity, her search for a new husband, and her own benefits. This woman could have simply let her children be taken then could have gone on and found another husband and lived a stress free life. She did not care about herself. How many of you in here if the prophet being Elisha told you to go from neighbor to neighbor and borrow as many pyrex dishes as possible would do it? See as a man I say, nope would not do it. Mothers in here are thinking well if it were necessary I would do it. That is the heart I am talking to you about today this is the same heart of Jesus that a mother shares. For those she loves a mother is willing to do anything including going and asking to borrow dishes from every neighbor. What did Elisha say though? Did he tell her to borrow 1 or 2? No he told her to borrow as many as you can. Could you imagine, can I borrow a Pyrex dish? The person brings a dish and you tell them nope that is not enough I need more. Bring me more of your stuff for me to borrow. This would have been an embarrassing task. This woman though like the mothers in this room did not care about herself she cared about her children and doing the best thing for her children and the existence of her family. Mothers today, I want to say thank you. Thank you all for your sacrifices for your families. The scripture says something about those who sacrifice.
15 She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
The strength of a mother is her ability to put the needs of others above her own. This is something that men should learn from their mothers and daughters should carry on. If everyone could be a selfless as our mothers we would live in a great world.
There was a teenager who didn't want to be seen in public with her mother, because her mother's arms were terribly disfigured.
One day when her mother took her shopping and reached out her hand, a clerk looked horrified. Later, crying, the girl told her how embarrassed she was. Understandably hurt, the mother waited an hour before going to her daughter's room to tell her, for the first time, what happened.
When you were a baby, I woke up to a burning house. Your room was an inferno. Flames were everywhere. I could have gotten out the front door, but I decided I'd rather die with you than leave you to die alone. I ran through the fire and wrapped my arms around you. Then I went back through the flames, my arms on fire. When I got outside on the lawn, the pain was agonizing but when I looked at you, all I could do was rejoice that the flames hadn't touched you.
Stunned, the girl looked at her mother through new eyes. Weeping in shame and gratitude, she kissed her mother's marred hands and arms.
This sounds to me like something my wife would do for my children or my mother would do for me. Many of us in here need to take time to consider the sacrifices of our mothers and the strength it took for them to look out for our needs over their own needs. We are blessed that God has created mothers with the heart that they have. Today we find a Mothers need to have a relationship with her children, we see her strength in doing whatever necessary to take care of her family, and we see a God who delivers because of that heart.
A God who delivers
A God who delivers
5 So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”
This mother had done all that she could. She went and expressed the great need not to lose her children, she listened to what Elisha told her to do and at the end of that she was stuck not being able to make anything happen on her own. The position she is in is that she has plenty of open jars in the house, she is still with her children, but she still only has one jar of oil. No matter her desire to have her children and no matter what sacrifices she was willing to make, she was still dependent on God to deliver the end result. She had no way of making that oil fill all the jars, she had to walk in faith understanding that if anything happened it was not because of her. Mothers today you may look at your children and you may feel a sense of pride in what you see in your children’s life. I encourage you today to step back from that and instead of feeling pride, feel worship. As this woman found no matter how much she loved her children and no matter what she sacrificed, if anything good would come of her situation it would depend on a God who delivers. Mothers if you look at your children and you are proud of them then find yourself in a state of thankfulness because of what God has done. This woman went into her home and closed the door with her children with her and with all these empty jars. God made 1 full jar fill all the empty jars and then God allowed her to go and sell the jars and pay off her debt. What a God. We serve a God who delivers. We cannot leave here this morning without giving the glory, honor, and praise where it belongs, with our God. Mothers we are so thankful for you, for your sacrifices, and for your desire to have a relationship. We see all that you are willing to do and we find ourselves in a place of falling on our face before a God who delivered. It was because of your faithfulness to lead us to a place where God could come through in mighty ways and God deserves all the credit for the outcome of the situation. God is a God of love and of power and of strength who desires that our relationships be full and complete and that we recognize that we can have those relationships because of who He is and what He has done. My mother has made some great sacrifices in life for me and I have a wonderful family with a wife who I see exemplifying Jesus and with children who are not always angels but are for the most part. I owe a thankfulness to my mother and I owe a life of Worship to a God who has delivered.
John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, "Who were all those men with you there?" Paton knew no men were present--but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station.
We are thankful this morning for wonderful mothers and for those who have sacrificed so much for us to have lives. There are however things that only God can do and only God deserves the glory and honor for. God delivers us from the circumstances that we cannot deliver ourselves from. This mothers heart to seek an answer from God through Elisha lead her to walking in faith to what she had been told and ultimately seeing God deliver in a way that only He could. The scripture helps us understand a God who delivers.
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
7 You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Thank you mom for sacrificing so much for us, thank you for giving of yourself and seeking to give us the best opportunities in life. Thank you most of all for allowing us to look back on our lives and see the mighty hand of God at work in our lives.
