First Baptist Church
Fairbanks, Alaska
805 Sixth Avenue
(907) 456-4923
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Fairbanks, Alaska 805 Sixth Avenue (907) 456-4923 |
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“To Be Praised” Mother’s Day 2008 Proverbs 31:10-31 Mark Howdeshell (May 11, 2008) Proverbs 31:30—Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Introduction Sermon Opener: This is a Mothers’ Day sermon. I’m preaching without apology and with appreciation for that time—honored institution without the benefit of which we wouldn’t be here! Every Mother’s Day sermon I’ve run across starts with an explanation —— this one’s no exception. As ministers, we’re reminded not to get too sentimental about motherhood because:
(a) for some, motherhood is an accident, and not always a welcome one; If I can take some liberties with poet Wilhelm Busch’s words, I’d have to say: “(Mutter) werden ist nitch schwer; (Mutter) sein dagegen sehr.” (To become a (mother) is not so difficult; on the other hand, be-ing a (mother) is very much so!) So, with all those qualifications, why bother with Mothers’ Day at all? I’ll tell you why —— because for all its stumbling blocks, pitfalls and broken dreams, for all the soiled diapers, soiled wallpaper and spoiled plans, we’re talking about a beautiful ideal, a natural part of God’s creative plan to bring love and caring to light. Motherhood is a constant demand for the gift of love and caring. Proclaim, “A Mother’s Day Sermon,” May 14, 1989. Caveat for the Men in the Congregation What NOT to Buy Your Wife: Although the only person a man usually shops for is his wife, the whole experience is a stressful one. Many a man has felt extreme frigid temperatures for a long period based on a poor present decision. As a veteran of these wars, I'm still not sure what to buy my wife, but I'll pass on what not to buy her:
1. Don't buy anything that plugs in. Anything that requires electricity is seen
as utilitarian. Herb Forst in Cross River, NY, Patent Trader, in Reader's Digest, p. 69. The Meat of the Message
i. Perhaps the sister of Mary ii. Loved her sons so much that she asked a special public request of Jesus 1. (Matthew 20:21 "Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.") 2. Jesus rebuked her gently, (Matthew 20:23 "To sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.") iii. One of Jesus’ most faithful follower iv. James may have been the first apostle martyred
i. Early training of children perhaps the most important responsibility ii. Paul writing to Timothy--------II Timothy 1:5 "I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also."
i. Left son with Eli @ age 3 fulfilling her promise to the Lord
i. Example of a powerful woman ii. Intervened to ensure Solomon succeeded King David
i. Very clever in avoiding the certain death of Moses ii. Gentle spirit evident in children’s lives
i. First miracle conception ii. Mother of Nations
Prov 31: 10-31 Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
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 dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. 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 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
i. The Word “Fear”… 1. In the Hebrew, the word is "YIR'AH" and is used in the Old Testament to describe: a. Fear, terror b. Awesome or terrifying thing (object causing fear) c. Fear (of God), respect, reverence, piety 2. The Greek word is "PHOBOS", and it is used to describe: a. Fear, dread, terror b. That which strikes terror c. Root of the word phobia ii. Is the current thinking of the “Fear of the Lord” means to have a “reverence” or “awe” of God enough? 1. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;" (Ph 2:12) 2. Does our “Fear of the Lord” cause us to tremble? Have we lost the respect of God that He deserves? Are you more nervous to meet a judge in a courtroom that has the power to throw you in jail or an important celebrity than you are to meet with Jesus? Is this right? iii. We should always be in reverence and awe of the Lord. But we must also be too scared of Him to want to offend Him by disobedience or disrespect. We should tremble if we know that we have sinned and not asked for forgiveness. We should be scared of God out of pure respect…while knowing that He is a loving, forgiving, merciful, generous God.
i. Individually- Tell Mom what she truly means to you ii. Publicly- Let everyone else know how special she is
i. Eve’s heartbreak with Cain and Abel ii. Hannah’s giving up of Samuel at age 3 iii. Jochebed hiding her son until just the right time trusting that she would get to raise him iv. Naomi, the only mother-in-law written extensively about v. Mary, riding the donkey just before giving birth and watching her Son crucified later on
The Bottom Line Have you remembered your mother today? If nothing else, remember the mother’s that have made your life special. There are many in the Scripture that has had a huge impact in each of our lives. Each one of these women had a “Fear of the Lord.” A fear that was genuine, reverent, and afraid to disappoint Jesus. Learn from the “Mother Hall of Fame” and then tell a mother thanks, for a mother that “fears the Lord” should be praised, given the reward she has earned, and then praised at the city gate! Thank God for mothers!!! Invitation I’m going to do something that may be a little different this morning for our time of invitation. We tried this last week and had a very positive response. I ask that everyone remain seated, bow you heads, and close your eyes. As Sylvia plays, I ask you to pray. Pray for the person sitting next to you……then pray for yourself. Pray that God will use His Living Word and His people that He’s placed around you to touch your life….. Now I ask, as you keep your head bowed and eyes closed, to raise your hand if you would like me to come pray for you. You won’t have to say a thing. Dear Jesus, take over this service right now and touch our hearts.
History of Mother’s Day Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948) first suggested the national observance of an annual day honoring all mothers because she had loved her own mother so dearly. At a memorial service for her mother on May 10, 1908, Miss Jarvis gave a carnation (her mother's favorite flower) to each person who attended. Within the next few years, the idea of a day to honor mothers gained popularity, and Mother's Day was observed in a number of large cities in the U.S. On May 9, 1914, by an act of Congress, President 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 and reverence for the mothers of our country." By then it had become customary to wear white carnations to honor departed mothers and red to honor the living, a custom that continues to this day.
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