Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Special Services

Mother's Day 2003

Intro: Word’s of wisdom from some of the mothers of famous people.

Paul Revere’s mom: "I don’t care where you think you have to go, young man. Midnight is past your curfew!"

Mona Lisa’s mom: "After all that money your father and I spent on braces, Mona, that’s the biggest smile you can give us?"

Humpty Dumpty’s mom: "Humpty, If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a hundred times not to sit on that wall. But would you listen to me? Noooo!"

Christopher Columbus’ mom: "I don’t care what you’ve discovered, Chris, you still could have written!"

Michelango’s mom: "Mike, can’t you paint on paper like other children? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off the ceiling?"

Abraham Lincoln’s mom: "Again with the stovepipe hat, Abe? Can’t you just wear a baseball cap like the other kids?"

Batman’s mom: "It’s a nice car, Bruce, but do you realize how much the insurance is going to be?"

Goldilocks mom: "I’ve got a bill here for a busted chair from the Bear family. You know anything about this, Goldie?"

Albert Einstein’s mom: "But, Albert, it’s your senior picture. Can’t you do something about your hair? Styling gel, mousse, something...?"

Jonah’s mom: "That’s a nice story, but now tell me where you’ve really been for the last three days."
Mom’s…gotta love ‘em.

This is Mother’s Day, and I want to tell you all that the greatest calling a person can have is not to be a godly pastor or even a godly president…it is to be a godly mother.

Mk 3:35 says ‘Whoever does the will of God, the same shall be my brother and my sister and mother.’

This implies that motherhood does not necessitate giving birth. This text seems to say that all women have the opportunity to invest in others, to plant seeds of faith in another person thereby becoming godly mothers. We need these kinds of mothers here at Calvary. Women who are willing to plant seeds of faith in all our lives.

For purposes of illustration, I want to extend this analogy just a bit.

I would like all women who are out of High School to come forward, I have something for you.

Have them come forward. Let them take a bag of dirt and cup from the box and return to their seat.

APP: For our purposes this morning, let the bag of dirt you are holding represent a child. Both have great potential, but someone has to invest time, effort and patience to ever see the potential realized.

I asked you to come forward to get your own bag of dirt because godly children just don’t happen, you must take the initiative, you must make an effort.

APP: By randomly placing seeds in the bags of dirt…you have no idea what or how many you are getting. Isn’t that true with life? We need to do the best job with what we are given by God.

But dirt and seed is not all you will need. Life depends on water. For the seed to take root and grow it will need constant watering.

APP: I find it interesting that Jesus said he is ‘living water and whoever drink from him will never go thirsty’. Women, you will need to have this stream of living water flowing constantly through your lives so that the overflow will nurture the lives of others around you.

A bag of dirt, seeds and water is still not all you will need. Each of you women took an empty red cup.

APP:  The cup is red because it represents the blood Jesus shed when he died on the cross of Calvary for the forgiveness of sins.

And just as you took the cup for yourselves, so the children you invest time in will have to take of the cup of Jesus’ forgiveness for themselves. But until they do, they can see God’s gift of forgiveness in you. God’s Word tells us that love covers a multitude of sins…not just Jesus’ love for us on Calvary…but your love women for others.

As your children grow and sin and grow and sin…you can continue to love and forgive, love and forgive.

APP:
Matt. 5:14-16 ‘ You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.’

Women, be the light that seeds of faith need to grow and mature.

Conclusion
On the bottom of the cup it says Mother’s Day 2003. You have a choice to make. Will you use the cup to hold the dirt and grow the  seed? Or will you throw it all away when you get home?

You have the same choice as godly mothers. Will you use what God has given to you, to plant seeds of faith in others this coming year. Or, will you say that’s not for me and do nothing.

Transition: How can you plant seeds of faith in others? Turn in your bibles to 1 Sam 1 where we will briefly examine 5 ways one woman planted seeds of faith that had profound eternal significance.

Planting and Problems (1 Sam. 1:1-8)
Hannah lived in a divided and unstable home. She was unable to have children so she was constantly depressed. And if that was not enough, her husbands other wife, fertile myrtle, verbally tortured Hannah because she was w/o child. And this verbal abuse went on year after year. And not just at home. It intensified when the family went to the temple to offer sacrifices.
Penninah would insult and verbally abuse Hannah while they were worshipping. That’s cruel.

To top it off, I am not sure Elkanah was as sensitive to her situation as he should have been. We read no where that he told his other wife to stop the abusive talk. And instead of listening to her pain, instead of trying to understand how she felt, he made it about him. What, am I not good enough for you?’ Even when said nicely, it shows a lack of sensitivity. Wouldn’t you agree…men?

Hannah had problems. And at this point in her life I bet she would have thought Mother’s Day was a total waste of time. Some of you may feel the same way.
 
 -Perhaps your mother has passed away and you really miss her.
 -Perhaps your mother has not been a part of your life for many years and you resent her.
 -Perhaps you are a mother who has experienced the devastating loss of a child.
 -Perhaps you want to have children, but can’t.
 
You would have every reason to snub this holiday but instead, you could do what Hannah did. Even in the midst of her problems, she was still able to begin the process of planting seeds of faith.

Planting and Prayer (1 Sam. 1:9-18)
Picture this. Hannah is broken. She can’t eat, she can’t sleep. She is being pummeled by Peninnah so she leaves the festivities to pray alone. Her prayer is so fervent that the High Priest thinks she is drunk. That is a passionate prayer.

After her explanation, Hannah gets confirmation from the High Priest that God had in fact heard her prayer. And notice that her face immediately brightened up and she ate. Ladies, it seems a ‘faith lift’ can do more for your appearance than a ‘face lift’.

Women, prayer goes a long way in preparing the seeds of faith you will sow for God’s Kingdom. Be women of prayer.

Planting and God’s Provision (1 Sam 1:19-20)
Never underestimate the power of a praying woman. God provided a son for Hannah and she named him Samuel which means ‘I asked’.

Women, when you pray, when you pour your heart out to God, when you plant seeds of faith, know that God will provide all that is needed to bring about growth. Accept His provision withthankfulness.

Planting and Keeping Promises (1 Sam 1:21-28)
We talk about dedicating our children to God and we do that when they are young by bringing them here to be blessed by God. But this is not what Hannah meant by dedicating her son to the Lord. She meant giving him up, giving him back to the Lord for service to Him. Hannah kept her promise.

Can you imagine how hard this must have been for her. This was the child she received from God as the result of her passionate and persistent prayer. And after only three years or so, she gave him to Eli, the High Priest to raise and apprentice as a Priest. Notice that no matter how hard, Hannah kept her promise.

Women, as you plant seeds of faith, keep your promises.

Planting and Praise (1 Sam. 2:1-10)
Notice there is not even a hint of sadness here. Even though Hannah had just dropped Samuel off to live at the Temple. What a beautiful song of praise, what a heartfelt and passionate display of faith.

We don’t have the time to get into Hannah’s praise song but there are two things I want you to notice.

1. Hannah doesn’t boast about her son; how bright he is or how quickly he began to walk or talk. Her praise is about the God who hears and answers, the God who listened and understood her when no one else did.

2. Hannah is not shy, reserved or dignified with her praise. This is all out passion for God, expressed in song. There is a close relationship between Hannah’s song of praise and Mary’s song in Luke 1:46-55. Both are from the heart, both are unrestrained, and both are about their Lord.

The woman who plants seeds of faith will recognize their problems, will pray fervently, will seek God’s provision, will keep their promises and will give praise unashamedly to God.

Conclusion
‘A drill sergeant was frustrated in his efforts to make a soldier out of a certain recruit. The recruit lagged behind on marches, used any excuse to go to sick call, grumbled constantly about the food and never made his bed up properly. But one day, a noticeable change took place in the young recruits attitude and behavior . the drill sergeant was asked what made the difference in this recruit. He replied ‘threats and punishment didn’t word so I had to resort to the ultimate weapon: I called his mother.’

Mothers have a great influence on their children.

There are many things each of you women can become in life. Many can be wonderful and fulfilling. But, I believe the greatest calling you can have is planting seeds of faith..by being a mother. You don’t have to be a parent to be a mother, when you have a mothers heart.

Women,
     -Will you plant seeds of faith in our lives here at Calvary?
     -Will you pray for us?
     -Will you accept God’s provision?
     -Will you keep your promises?
     -Will you praise God through the whole planting process?

Women, will you make this a Mother’s Day one someone else will remember by planting seeds of faith in their life?