1 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:05,680 I left it back there. That's the first time I ever did 2 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:06,480 that. Thank you. 3 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:11,320 I have nothing to say without this. 4 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:14,240 Right? Aren't you glad? 5 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:17,040 How many pastors come up front without a Bible nowadays? 6 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:20,240 Probably quite a few of them talk about everything but the 7 00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:24,160 Bible. Anyway. 8 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:30,600 What a special day. Mom's Mother's Day, I was 9 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:33,120 planning on being in Second Corinthians this morning, 10 00:00:33,160 --> 00:00:37,720 chapter 2 and I was struggling yesterday as I was putting 11 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:39,840 everything together. We just wasn't coming together 12 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:41,200 and I said, Lord, what's what's up? 13 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,800 I was at the point I didn't even feel like preaching that 14 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:46,120 chapter. I'm thinking, well, why was 15 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,360 because the Lord had something else he wanted me to focus upon 16 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:52,400 and that was mothers and I like all the mothers. 17 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,320 This is stand for a minute if you could so we can honor you 18 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:59,480 before the Lord and thank God for your lives and the impact 19 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:02,560 that you've made on all of us as families. 20 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:12,840 Thank you so much. You may be seated so mothers, 21 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:17,920 you got a tough job. I don't have to tell you that I 22 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:24,040 I'll tell you some stories near the end about my, my journey as 23 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:28,800 a son to a mother who I broke her heart numerous times, not 24 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:31,040 intentionally, but out of stupidity. 25 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:34,880 But what's so awesome about life? 26 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:37,760 If you live long enough, you get a chance to make things right. 27 00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:42,080 They don't have to stay dysfunctional or toxic the whole 28 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,040 time. You can actually begin to become 29 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:50,200 a child of God first of all, and then you can become a real child 30 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,600 to your your parents, someone who honors the Lord and honors 31 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:58,120 them. But moms, you know the struggle 32 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:02,320 you have of raising your children up in the nurture and 33 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:04,800 admonition of the Lord. Many of you are Christians and 34 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:08,240 you endeavor to do that. You do it well, but you don't do 35 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,360 it perfectly. And as much as you try to raise 36 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,440 your kids up in the way that they should go, kids have a mind 37 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,800 of their own too, don't they? And they make their own 38 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,720 decisions so often that aren't really wise. 39 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:23,360 But you can't do anything about it. 40 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:25,560 All you can do is pray Now when they're young, you can 41 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,040 discipline them. You can ground them. 42 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:31,160 You can do all kinds of things to say things got to change. 43 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:34,240 But then they become adults and and then it's different, right? 44 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:36,360 They're going to, they're going to live their lives the way they 45 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:37,920 feel they they want to live them. 46 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,760 And God gives us that capacity to live our lives the way we 47 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:47,040 want to live, even though the times are not the white the 48 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:49,560 right path and the right way to live. 49 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:52,120 But we have to figure that out ourselves too. 50 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:56,440 Because until God gets a hold of us and breaks us and humbles us 51 00:02:56,440 --> 00:03:01,440 and shows us the impact that sin can make in our lives alone, our 52 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,760 parents lives or everyone that loves us, we just don't get it. 53 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:09,120 So the first thing that all of us need to understand, if you're 54 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:13,480 a mom and you're not born again, you need to get saved. 55 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:16,160 You need to be born again in order to know how to parent 56 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,360 properly. Without Jesus, you're just going 57 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:21,360 to fail. And your parenting skills, it's, 58 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:26,840 it's, it's impossible. And, and then as children, 59 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:31,400 whether you're here or next door right now, in order to be a 60 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:36,640 godly child and to be able to grow up making the right 61 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:40,800 decisions and living for the the presence and the glory of God, 62 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:43,880 you have to get saved. You have to get born again too, 63 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:49,160 because you can't be a good kid, let alone a good young adult 64 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,040 without Jesus. It's impossible. 65 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:55,880 Try it, it won't work. And then sometimes even as 66 00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:01,600 Christians, parents, moms, dads, young people, kids, we can be 67 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,080 believers, but we can still do stupid things. 68 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:08,040 We can still make stupid decisions and mistakes, which we 69 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,160 all do because we're still in process. 70 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,440 We're slowly, all of us being conformed to the image of 71 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:16,320 Christ. It doesn't happen overnight. 72 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:20,640 It happens through day in and day out learning. 73 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:25,080 And for parents that pray for their kids and kids that pray 74 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:28,920 for their parents. And so that's sort of the 75 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:32,040 foundation of what I wanted to speak about this morning. 76 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:36,600 And I wanted to read Proverbs chapter 31 of this chapter of 77 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:42,120 Virtuous Wife exemplifies the model of a a woman who's really 78 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:46,240 amazing but not perfect, but she's endeavoring to do what 79 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:48,720 pleases God and blesses her family. 80 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,400 So it says who can find a virtuous wife in verse 10 for 81 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:56,840 her worth is far above rubies the heart of her husband safely 82 00:04:56,840 --> 00:05:00,440 trust her so he will have no lack of gain. 83 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:03,960 She does him good and not evil. All the days of her life. 84 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:08,200 She seeks wool and flax and willingly works with her hands. 85 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,440 She's like the merchant ship. She brings her food from afar. 86 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:16,160 She rises while it's yet night and provides food for her 87 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,520 household, a portion for her maidservant. 88 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:22,640 She considers a field and buys it from her profits. 89 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,320 She plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength 90 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:29,800 and strengthens her arm. She perceives that her 91 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:33,920 merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night. 92 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:37,120 She stretches out her hands to the staff. 93 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:40,840 Her hand holds the spindle. She extends her hand to the 94 00:05:40,840 --> 00:05:43,040 poor. Yes, she reaches out her hands 95 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,280 to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for 96 00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:49,080 her household, for all her household is clothed with 97 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,240 scarlet. She makes tapestry for herself. 98 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:54,360 Her clothing is fine linen and purple. 99 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:58,000 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the 100 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:00,800 elders of the land. She makes linen garments, sells 101 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:03,840 them, supplies sashes for the merchants. 102 00:06:03,840 --> 00:06:05,800 Strength and honor are her clothing. 103 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,680 She shall rejoice in a time to come. 104 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:13,640 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of 105 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:16,560 kindness. She watches over the ways of her 106 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:20,120 household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 107 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,280 Her children rise up and call her blessed. 108 00:06:23,280 --> 00:06:26,320 Her husband also, and he praises her. 109 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,560 Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all. 110 00:06:31,280 --> 00:06:35,600 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears 111 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:39,600 the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her 112 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:43,680 hands and let her own works praise her in the gates. 113 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:50,480 Father, we read this and it humbles us, especially Lord, 114 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:58,520 those of us who have moms that live this way, all they did was 115 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:01,440 for us. All they cared about was us. 116 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:08,120 All they sacrifice was for us and all they live for was for 117 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:11,880 us. And yet, Lord, at times we 118 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,080 didn't see that. We didn't understand it, we 119 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:16,120 didn't appreciate it, we didn't value it. 120 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:20,200 But Lord, as you work in our hearts, we begin to see the 121 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,440 treasure you've given us and the moms that you've provided for 122 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:29,920 us, especially the moms that knew you, that told us about you 123 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:34,520 throughout our whole life, always reminded us that you were 124 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:38,280 the way, the truth, the life that you would never leave us or 125 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:40,160 forsake us. That You were always there to 126 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:42,040 help us. No matter what we went through 127 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:44,160 in our lives, You would be there for us. 128 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:50,160 And that legacy of a faithful mom who trusted you and lived by 129 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:56,760 faith and was an example in the good and bad times of looking to 130 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,760 Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. 131 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:03,320 So Lord, today we want to honor our moms. 132 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:06,720 Some of us have moms that are no longer here. 133 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:12,160 We remember them fondly and just if they're with you today, Lord, 134 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:16,360 this send up our love to them and our respect and appreciation 135 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:20,920 for them for moms, Lord, are on the planet still that still 136 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,480 don't know you who have maybe messed up their lives because of 137 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:26,480 their own stupid mistakes or fractures. 138 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:30,680 Lord, if we know you, help us to help our moms get back with you, 139 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:34,600 Lord, or get to be with you for the first time as we pray for 140 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:39,080 them, as we hold them up, Lord And Lord, help us to think on 141 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:42,200 the things that are pure and lovely and just in a good 142 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:46,680 report, not the not the bad times, Lord, but to be thankful 143 00:08:46,680 --> 00:08:50,280 for all the good times we've had because of the moms you've given 144 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,080 us. And we pray, Lord, this message 145 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:54,960 today would bless them and honor you. 146 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:58,280 And we pray these things in Jesus name, Amen. 147 00:09:00,560 --> 00:09:05,000 I don't know all you moms here, but I, I know some of you much 148 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:07,920 more deeply. So when I look at the legacy of 149 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:13,560 a mom, they're usually people that I played with their kids or 150 00:09:13,560 --> 00:09:16,800 knew their kids and I would be at their house and I would see 151 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:20,840 their mom and how they treated their own kids or how they got 152 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:24,040 them to church on Sundays, even if the dad was sleeping in or 153 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,760 whatever. The moms many times are the 154 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:30,720 spiritual backbone of the family and they were the ones that 155 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:34,240 really would speak out about what the family needed to be 156 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:38,440 doing spiritually. So obviously I I watched my mom, 157 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:43,440 Sheila Laufer, I watched Cindy's mom, Alice Alexander. 158 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:46,600 I saw them up close and personal. 159 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:51,680 I, I saw and I watched my daughter Jessica de Checca raise 160 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:56,080 her family and Melanie Harhai raise their family. 161 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:03,400 And I look at the legacy of my mom and Cindy's mom as a 162 00:10:03,560 --> 00:10:07,720 matriarchs and how the kids and the grandkids and the great 163 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:12,800 grandkids watch them at this age of life, still trusting God, 164 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:16,560 still depending on the Lord, still praying for us, still 165 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:20,040 pushing us toward living for Jesus. 166 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:26,600 And now they're much older our moms and I think of the the the 167 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,240 verse there charm is deceitful and beauty is passing. 168 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:32,160 I I look at the pictures of Alice when she was younger, 169 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:35,920 beautiful woman and my wife picked up on her beauty is she's 170 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:39,680 a beautiful woman and my mom, she was a beautiful and still 171 00:10:39,680 --> 00:10:44,160 is, but she's older and and that that beauty is is passing. 172 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:47,480 She was a professional fashion model and it was funny. 173 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:50,640 When I was in high school, I wondered why all my friends 174 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:52,560 always wanted to come over to my house. 175 00:10:53,680 --> 00:10:56,360 I wanted to see my mother. They didn't want to see me. 176 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:02,480 It was funny, but I also knew Jenny Eichelberger, Steve's mom 177 00:11:02,680 --> 00:11:06,120 because his mom and my mom are best friends. 178 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:09,520 They served the Lord and the church in the Presbyterian 179 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:12,840 Church in Irwin and they, they taught the Bible and they were 180 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:15,600 telling people they needed to be saved and be born again when the 181 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:17,480 pastor wasn't even doing that right. 182 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:20,440 And they would do puppet shows and the pastor say, well, you 183 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:22,480 got 5 minutes. But boy, those two women would 184 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,800 make sure they got the gospel in and those 5 minutes of the 185 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:29,200 people in the church would hear the Bible for a change. 186 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:33,720 So, and I, so I watched these moms and how they, how they are 187 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:39,560 and how they were. And, and I, I watch Cindy and 188 00:11:39,560 --> 00:11:44,600 Melanie and Jessica because they've been impacted by Sheila 189 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:49,400 and Alice and how they are and how they flow as moms. 190 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:54,640 And, and I, I know Rene well and I, I watch her because I know 191 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:58,000 that Jenny had an impact and still does impact her. 192 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,120 But the whole clan follows Jesus. 193 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:07,400 It's just amazing and and I've watched all these women go 194 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:11,880 through like really challenging times of heartache and 195 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:16,680 heartbreak and didn't matter what they were going through, 196 00:12:16,680 --> 00:12:18,560 they never turned their back on the Lord. 197 00:12:18,560 --> 00:12:24,560 They were always examples of God is able, God is faithful and God 198 00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:27,040 will help us get through this no matter what. 199 00:12:27,560 --> 00:12:35,000 So how, how awesome is that? So I also remember growing up 200 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:38,640 and not wanting to hear what my mother had to tell me. 201 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:41,800 Any of you guys ever experienced that pride, right. 202 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:44,800 Your mom would tell you something, you know, it's true, 203 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:46,840 but you don't want to deal with it because you're not ready to 204 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:49,960 live the way they're telling you you need to live. 205 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:54,360 So my mom would, with a light touch, sort of say a couple 206 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:58,240 things and she knew like I didn't want to hear it, but she 207 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:00,600 would tell me anyway and I'd have to listen, right? 208 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:06,680 And, and it's interesting in, in my wayward years, even even as a 209 00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:11,520 Christian at times, she was always, she was a chief 210 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:16,120 intercessor for my life. I mean, the, the fact that I'm a 211 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:20,200 pastor today and my brother's a pastor is not because there was 212 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:23,040 anything great about us. It was because she prayed us 213 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:28,640 through hell and back and never gave up on us, even when we were 214 00:13:29,560 --> 00:13:34,080 living stupid. And that's the legacy of what a 215 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:37,000 mom does, you know, and the, and the perfect mother, if we had 216 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:40,240 any mother that we could say it was close to perfection, was a 217 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:44,160 mother of Jesus, right? And what she went through, he 218 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:47,840 never broke her heart because of sin, but he broke her heart 219 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:52,840 because of his calling to die on a cross for our sins. 220 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:58,360 And the one picture I remember of the story in the Bible was 221 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,840 when all his closest followers ran from him and his disciples 222 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:06,200 decided, you know, to, to not stand there with him except for 223 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:12,920 John and Mary. She stood there and she watched 224 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:20,280 him suffer and take that horrific abuse and death for all 225 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:24,120 of us. And it said that her heart would 226 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:27,080 be cut open in the Scriptures because of what she had 227 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:31,080 experienced watching her son have to die that agonizing 228 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:32,960 death. The wonder that she had, that 229 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:36,720 was three days later, she got to see him raised up from the dead, 230 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:38,000 right? How awesome is that? 231 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:43,960 But I remember also when he was a young boy, he was out sharing 232 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:46,840 the the word in the temple with the elders. 233 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:49,600 And her and her husband were like Joseph, Where's where's, 234 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:51,080 where's Jesus? We don't know. 235 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:53,360 They're trying to find him. And I think he lost him or they 236 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:56,960 left him behind or whatever. And they were exhorting him, 237 00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:58,840 saying, you know, you shouldn't have done this, you shouldn't. 238 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:01,080 He said, don't you know, I have to be about my father's 239 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:04,000 business? I mean, it was just amazing. 240 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:07,160 But as a mom and as a human being, she experienced 241 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:09,080 everything. And she had to take that journey 242 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:13,920 to Egypt to get away from the danger of them taking Christ's 243 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:18,400 life before it was time. Everything she went through, she 244 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:21,880 lived a very humble life. She wasn't concerned about 245 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:24,800 prosperity or having the the finest or whatever. 246 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:29,160 She, she just wanted to be a, a maid servant to the Lord and do 247 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:33,600 everything she could in her life to please the Lord as a servant 248 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:35,680 of the Lord, That's what Mary's heart was like. 249 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:40,440 And so I, I'm around my own daughters at times when they 250 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:43,600 raise their kids at different seasons of life and when they're 251 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:47,560 babies, boy, it's crazy. It's, it's, it's 24/7 bottles 252 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:51,600 and nursing and sickness and taking care of them and making 253 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:53,720 sure they don't get hurt. And then you work through all 254 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:57,000 that and then you get a little season of they get a little bit 255 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,160 older and so they're playing and it's a little bit more fun. 256 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:01,640 You don't have to be totally hands on all the time. 257 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,800 And that's when you're playing sports or running around with 258 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:07,920 them and just having good times. And then they, they move into 259 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:10,240 these years called teenage years, right? 260 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:12,720 Those are like the worst years ever. 261 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:16,400 You, you think like they're exciting, but they're, they're 262 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:20,280 insane because that's when your own kid becomes a devil in your 263 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:23,480 house, becomes the enemy in your family. 264 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:27,400 Like how, how come I, how come this person, this kid I love so 265 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:30,280 much, like where's all this hate coming from? 266 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:32,240 Are there's this rebellion coming from and there. 267 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:35,680 And this is part of the, the growing process, the aging 268 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:39,280 process, the developing process. And thank God it doesn't last 269 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:40,960 forever. Sometimes it lasts a little bit 270 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:44,720 longer than it should, but nonetheless, I believe if you 271 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:49,480 really do what you need to do as a mom, eventually you'll see the 272 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:53,920 fruit of your prayers and your labor and they'll begin to, you 273 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:57,920 know, wake up and and begin to live not for themselves anymore, 274 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:00,320 but they begin to live to care for others. 275 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:04,680 Narcissism big issue in every one of our lives and that's 276 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:08,920 lover of self and the Bible says in the last days men and boys 277 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:11,839 and girls are to be lovers of themselves and boy, it's 278 00:17:11,839 --> 00:17:13,960 everywhere. Everything's about you, right? 279 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:17,200 Everything's about me. And even as Christians, it can 280 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:20,079 become so much about us. But as Christ takes over more of 281 00:17:20,079 --> 00:17:23,160 our life, more of my life should be about you and more of your 282 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:25,319 life should be about me and and others. 283 00:17:25,319 --> 00:17:28,720 And as kids you begin to like how can I bless my mom? 284 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:33,440 How can I appreciate my parents? How can I love my brothers and 285 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:36,240 sisters? How can I realize that they're 286 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:38,720 going to be the ones that are going to be with me forever? 287 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:43,280 As I'm growing older, my friends will eventually fade away that I 288 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:44,880 think are so important right now. 289 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:48,480 Like I have one friend from high school that I'm still in touch 290 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:50,680 with. All the people I ran with 291 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:53,200 whenever I was giving my parents a hard time. 292 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:56,160 They're either dead or they're losers, man. 293 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:58,480 Like, you know, I don't, I don't even want to be around them 294 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:02,640 anymore. But it's funny how as life 295 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,440 develops and that you begin to realize that the people that 296 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:09,080 really always had your back are your mom and your dad, right? 297 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:14,000 And I remember many times going in when I was depressed or going 298 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:17,440 through stuff and my mom knew I was struggling and, and she just 299 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:21,240 opened up a conversation and she was very easy to talk with. 300 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:23,720 She listened, as did my dad, more than talk. 301 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:26,080 And they'd let me dump and unload. 302 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:29,640 And then maybe they'd just pray and have a word of wisdom or not 303 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:33,440 say anything and know that I'm in process and that God's at 304 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:44,280 work and changing my my life. So I'm very, very convicted and 305 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:48,760 convinced more than ever that people need Jesus. 306 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:55,080 Families and life will not work out right without Christ. 307 00:18:55,440 --> 00:19:00,200 It's impossible. If you want the best life now, 308 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:04,560 it's going to be if you have your relationship with Christ 309 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:08,000 straight and right. And that affects your marriage, 310 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:13,240 that affects your health, that affects your mind, your 311 00:19:14,120 --> 00:19:20,600 psychological makeup, your spiritual insights, and your 312 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,280 relationships and business and family and life. 313 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:28,160 And everything you do centers around Jesus. 314 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:32,080 Because Jesus said he that hath the Son hath life. 315 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:35,200 If you don't have Jesus, you don't have life. 316 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,400 You think you're living life, but you don't have real life. 317 00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:42,960 Jesus said I have come that you might have life and that you 318 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:48,200 might have it more abundantly. He wants you to have a good, 319 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:53,720 healthy, joyful life. And what messes that up is our 320 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,400 own sin. Now, I wondered, like, when did 321 00:19:57,400 --> 00:19:59,240 Mother's Day start? And I'll give you a little 322 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:01,880 history here. Anna Jarvis, She's a woman that 323 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:08,200 started Mother's Day. And she was one of thirteen 324 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:09,960 children. Only four of them lived 325 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:12,800 adulthood. Her older brother was the only 326 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:15,760 one to have children of his own, but many died young from 327 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:18,760 tuberculosis. And the last direct descendant 328 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:23,840 died in the 1980s. She had a campaign for a special 329 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:28,960 day to celebrate mothers. And this is she inherited this 330 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:33,160 vision from her mother. And so she she began this vision 331 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:36,600 here and she spent her life mobilizing mothers to care for 332 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:38,440 their children. That's a good vision. 333 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:42,600 And she wanted mother's work to be recognized. 334 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:46,880 And she hoped and prayed that someone sometime would find the 335 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:50,240 memorial Mother's Day commemorating her for her 336 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:53,920 matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. 337 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,520 She was very active in the Methodist Episcopal Church, 338 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:02,440 where from 1858 she ran Mother's Day work clubs to combat high 339 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:06,680 infant and child mortality rates, mostly due to diseases 340 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:10,920 that ravaged the community. In Grafton, WV and the work 341 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:15,240 clubs, mothers learned about hygiene and sanitation, such as 342 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:17,840 the vital importance of boiling drinking water. 343 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,880 The organizers provided medicine and supplies to sick families 344 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:25,600 and when necessary, quarantine entire household to prevent 345 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,520 epidemics. We think being a mum's tough 346 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:30,520 now. Can you imagine being a mum back 347 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:34,880 then? She herself lost nine children, 348 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:37,720 including five during the American Civil War. 349 00:21:39,360 --> 00:21:43,560 When she died in 19 O 5, she was surrounded by her four surviving 350 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:47,160 children and Anna. The daughter promised to fulfill 351 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:50,560 her mother's dream. She wanted to celebrate the work 352 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:53,160 done by mothers to improve the lives of others. 353 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:57,560 Her Anna's perspective was that of a devoted daughter. 354 00:21:57,560 --> 00:22:00,520 Her motto for Mother's Day was for the best mother. 355 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:04,320 Whoever lived your mother and that's what we can say. 356 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:07,080 Who's the best mother that ever lived your mother. 357 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:13,320 She envisioned the holidays, a homecoming day to honor your 358 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:17,120 mother, the one woman who dedicated her life to you. 359 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,680 Now, before we take the communion in a little bit, I 360 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:23,520 want you guys to take a minute and think about your mom and 361 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:27,800 sacrifices they've made for you and continually make for you. 362 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:34,320 They put themselves behind so that you could be pushed ahead. 363 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,640 Whether it was financial goals, it was always like, what could I 364 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:41,160 do for my kids before? What could I do for myself? 365 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:45,920 What it was educational goals they they sacrificed to help you 366 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:49,920 get the best education, whether it was you needed money for a 367 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:51,800 down payment for a car or a house. 368 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:56,040 Parents user involved in some degree of helping kids with 369 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:58,480 that. And I'm shocked today how many 370 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:02,400 people I know that the kids don't even talk to the parents 371 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:05,640 anymore. That's messed up, isn't it, 372 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:10,680 where there's no phone call on Mother's Day to a mom who gave 373 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:12,600 their whole life for the sake of their daughter. 374 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:17,880 It doesn't make sense or a son that he wouldn't call his mother 375 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:20,160 or honor her. I don't I don't understand that. 376 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:23,080 But without Christ, that's how you behave. 377 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:28,000 It's all about you and never about them and and what can you 378 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:32,120 do to make it up to your mom? It's never too late to, if she's 379 00:23:32,120 --> 00:23:37,120 still on the earth to make amends or be reconciled. 380 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:41,000 And tell them how much you value them, how much you love them, 381 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:48,200 and that you want to honor them. In the UK, the 4th Sunday in 382 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:52,440 Lent has long been celebrated as Mothering Sunday, originally a 383 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:55,360 day when people who had left home returned to their mother 384 00:23:55,360 --> 00:23:57,480 church and were reunited with their parents. 385 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:01,320 My kids are watching online today. 386 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:05,880 Thank the Lord for that and the honor of their own mother that 387 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:10,640 we'll catch up with later today. A movement to revive Mothering 388 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:14,920 Sunday traditions was launched in 1920 by a Nottinghamshire 389 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:19,000 woman and out of concern that the secular US Mother's Day 390 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:21,680 would displace the Christian Mothering Sunday. 391 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:25,840 So when you think about Mother's Day in light of the Bible in 392 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:29,960 Proverbs 31, I just read. And worshipping God together as 393 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:34,280 a family where moms bring their kids to church today or 394 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:39,520 hopefully every Sunday, as many Sundays as they can, is much 395 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:45,440 more important than the typical Russell Stover candy box or the 396 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:49,560 flowers from from whatever flowers and candy are are nice, 397 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:54,000 but the most important way to honor your mom is to honor her 398 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:58,440 and the Lord. So this is a message that people 399 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:02,520 could really get behind. And so this this developed down 400 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:07,240 through the years. And it was meant to be an 401 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:11,240 important day, which to this day, it is still a very 402 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:13,680 important day. And, and the author of the 403 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:16,240 article said that every day should be Mother's Day, right? 404 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:21,760 I remember you, Karen, and how you and, and Debbie took care of 405 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:24,760 your mom in the last days. I had a privilege of getting to 406 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:28,760 know her and praying with her and, and you do, you do whatever 407 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:31,280 you had to before you put her in a facility. 408 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:35,040 You had her in your home. And I'm sure that wasn't easy 409 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:38,680 for Mark, right, Mark? But Mark was gracious and he 410 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,200 supported that. And eventually she had to be 411 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:44,280 somewhere because they couldn't help her anymore. 412 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:49,320 But I have these examples even in the church here of so many of 413 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:53,280 you that or, or that kind of mother. 414 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:56,800 I was thinking of Terry and Janelle and and the women at 415 00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:00,240 work with the kids next door. They have mother, their mothers 416 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:03,080 and their families of their own, but they're spiritual mothers to 417 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:08,040 all those kids, right? They're pouring into your sons 418 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:12,200 and daughters, moms and dads, Jesus so that they would know 419 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:15,640 him and begin to walk with him. And then all of a sudden you're 420 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:18,800 at home and you say, like my kids different, they're acting 421 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:22,680 nicer, they're more obedient. Well, that doesn't that doesn't 422 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:25,400 magic. It's the word of God working in 423 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:28,080 our hearts and the Holy Spirit beginning to give them a 424 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:31,520 relationship with Jesus where they begin to think about other 425 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:36,240 people instead of themselves. So this one woman, she was 426 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:39,280 paralyzed by fear of having to be a mom. 427 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:42,200 She was overwhelmed. So she chose to crowd the God in 428 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:46,000 prayer and one of her prayers in this season was God help me to 429 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:49,800 become a really good mom. And she heard the Holy Spirit 430 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:54,000 speak to her heart say I am the best Co parent you could ever 431 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:56,440 have. You can't be a good mom without 432 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:00,560 Jesus. Jesus is always with you and 433 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:05,720 always for you and always praying for you, and God meets 434 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:10,320 you where you are. The idea of motherhood can feel 435 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:12,720 intimidating. Being responsible for a little 436 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:16,320 life is a big deal. From the inconsistent sleep, 437 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:19,280 late nights and early mornings of the newborn phase of the 438 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:22,520 terrible twos, the intro into the tweens to the teens and 439 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,760 beyond, being a mom is in a walk in the park. 440 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:30,320 I've been with my daughters and they got great kids. 441 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:34,040 But when the kids break their hearts, they're breaking our 442 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:36,920 hearts, right? Because your kid is always your 443 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:40,640 kid, no matter how old they are. And there's nothing better than 444 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:43,800 hugging your kid no matter how old they are, letting him cry on 445 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:47,640 your shoulders because they understand you in ways that no 446 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:49,560 one else can. A mom and a dad. 447 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:56,560 Being a mom isn't a job that you apply for an interview for and 448 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:59,560 accept. Being a mom is a God-given idea 449 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:01,840 and identity that starting the Garden of Eden. 450 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:04,360 And I was thinking of this simple truth. 451 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:07,520 There's no way you and I would be here today, any of us, 452 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:09,320 without a mom and a dad. You know why? 453 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:12,960 Because you're the only ones that can procreate together. 454 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:16,200 A guy and a guy and a woman and a woman can't do that. 455 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:22,240 That's not normal. God set it up and it would be a 456 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:26,880 man and a woman. And if it wasn't that way, none 457 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:31,920 of us would be here today. The Bible speaks plenty of about 458 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:34,600 mothers, their goodness, kindness, and intention for 459 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:37,040 life. The Bible honors mums by 460 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:39,840 highlighting their nurturing and caregiving nature. 461 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:43,960 God honors women so much that he decided to make it a concrete 462 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:48,200 command in the 10 commandments. Our first Bible verses for Mum 463 00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:52,520 comes from the book of Exodus. Honor your father and mother so 464 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:56,880 that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving 465 00:28:56,880 --> 00:28:58,240 you. Exodus 2012. 466 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:02,120 That's a promise. You want to have a long and good 467 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:05,920 life. Start with honoring your father 468 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:09,920 and your mother. Proverbs 31, as I read it, says 469 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:12,200 she's clothed with strength and dignity. 470 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:14,480 She can laugh at the days to come. 471 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:16,680 Her children arise and call her blessed. 472 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:19,800 Her husband also, and he praises her. 473 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:23,960 The Bible verses for moms highlight the strength and 474 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:28,600 dignity that women carry from God and into that their children 475 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:32,120 and family will praise moms because of their strength, 476 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:35,280 dignity, and joy that they carry. 477 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:39,760 The word praise in the Bible verse means this. 478 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:44,120 It's used to commend, to boast about, or to shine God's favor 479 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:48,480 and light onto something. Every Mother's Day, take time to 480 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:51,200 intentionally boast about your mom, which I'm going to boast 481 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:52,920 about mine in a couple minutes here. 482 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:59,480 I'm reminded Paul said in Second Timothy, 1/5 of your sincere 483 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:04,040 faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and 484 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:07,600 your mother Eunice, and now I'm sure dwells in you as well. 485 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:10,400 He's speaking this to Timothy and the impact that his mom and 486 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:13,040 grandmother had upon his ministry. 487 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:19,080 It's a profound reminder of how much God honors women. 488 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:23,400 Biblical motherhood not only has a generational impact, it has an 489 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:27,640 eternal impact. Proverbs, 4011. 490 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:29,720 He tends his flock like a shepherd. 491 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:33,560 He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his 492 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:36,560 heart. He gently leads those that have 493 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:40,280 the young. The picture of our Heavenly 494 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:45,200 Father and nurturing us as his kids is what a mum does 495 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:48,560 naturally. This Bible verse from others 496 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:51,360 highlights that God gently leads those who have young. 497 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:56,240 The Lord is accessible to parent you while you are parenting your 498 00:30:56,240 --> 00:30:59,280 own children. I love that God will parent you 499 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:04,120 as you parent your own children. God is intentional in bringing 500 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:07,160 the right children into your life at the right time and 501 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:10,920 equipping you to love them, care for them, and show them the 502 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:15,760 goodness of the Lord. As a mother comforts her child, 503 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:21,160 Isaiah 6613, so will I comfort you, and you will be comforted 504 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:25,120 over Jerusalem. This scripture for moms comes 505 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:28,280 from the book of Isaiah. God gives the Israelites a 506 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:31,280 picture of His love for them by reminding them of the comfort a 507 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:34,960 mother brings to her kids. God could have chosen any other 508 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:38,880 metaphor picture to showcase His love, but He chose to use the 509 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:41,000 picture of a mom. Think about the times when you 510 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:43,680 were little, you were sick and throwing up. 511 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:46,160 Nothing worse than that, right? Who's there beside you with the 512 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:48,600 bucket in the towel? Not dad, usually. 513 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:51,560 It's usually mom. And when you got the dry heaves, 514 00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:53,840 it's really bad, right? You think it's all done and 515 00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:57,880 there's poor mom coming in with new, new, new towels, clean 516 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:01,160 towels, whatever, ginger ale, whatever you need to help you 517 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:07,120 get back on your feet again. Psalm 2127 versus 3 to five 518 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:11,320 children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from 519 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:15,120 him like eras in the hands of a warrior or children born of 1's 520 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:17,640 youth. Blessed is a man who has a 521 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:19,440 quiver full of them. That's seven. 522 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:21,960 Anybody have seven kids in this place? 523 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:27,120 OK, you guys stand up once. Stand up. 524 00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:35,240 All right, we're jealous. And I got 2, but I'll tell you, 525 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:37,480 like, I got Gray hair for 2, so I don't know what you're going 526 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:39,560 to look like in a few years with Sabbath. 527 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:41,080 You already got some Ruby. Yeah. 528 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:43,000 It looks good on you. They don't worry about it. 529 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:47,200 The Bible verses from mums. A beautiful encouragement to the 530 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:49,160 mums who feel like they're in the trenches. 531 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:52,160 You feel like you're in the trenches sometimes you feel like 532 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:54,160 you're pulling your hair out trying to raise your kids. 533 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:57,080 Hey, that's part of the job description, right? 534 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:00,520 The scripture from mom even goes to say that children are a 535 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:03,480 reward from him. Whether you're a new mom and 536 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:07,280 adopt A mom and expect a mom or waiting to become a mom, God 537 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:12,880 loves your family and loves you as a mother. 2nd Proverbs 22 six 538 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:15,600 train up a child in the way he should go and when he's old he 539 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:19,640 will not depart from it. Some people say, well why is 540 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:22,440 that not happening for me? I did that and my kids are still 541 00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:24,680 out there right? He didn't tell you the time 542 00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:26,480 period. He just said, this is the way 543 00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:29,120 it's going to be. Cindy said to me this morning. 544 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:31,880 No matter where you are and what you're doing, God's giving you a 545 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:33,960 conscience. You lay your head down the 546 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:36,160 pillow as a kid, a rebellious kid. 547 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:39,160 God's telling you you're living in the wrong way. 548 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:42,320 You're acting like an idiot, and you need to have your life 549 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:44,760 changed and get right with God. Now. 550 00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:47,480 You will hear that, but you might not respond to that for a 551 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:49,640 while. But eventually it sinks in and 552 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:53,320 you say, you know, I really need to change or I need to get some 553 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:57,120 kind of counseling to find out why I'm behaving the way I am as 554 00:33:57,120 --> 00:34:01,680 such a self-centered individual. These Bible verses are from moms 555 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:04,680 are sprinkled all throughout the book of Proverbs and encourages 556 00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:07,120 moms to train up their kids in the way they should go. 557 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:10,400 So I'm at the Presbyterian Church as a kid. 558 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:14,360 My mom's teaching these high school kids from primarily 559 00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:17,920 Norwin at the time with Janney Eichelberger and they're being 560 00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:20,280 used by the Lord. Kids are getting saved in this 561 00:34:20,280 --> 00:34:23,560 Bible class they have. Meanwhile, she drops me and my 562 00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:26,000 brother off. My brother goes to his class. 563 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:28,120 I have my quarter for the offering. 564 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:32,040 I look around, no one sees me. I walk up the guys, which is a 565 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:36,400 little store convenience store. I could get a hamburger, a 566 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:40,320 milkshake and play pinball for about an hour with a quarter. 567 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:43,880 That's what I did. Yeah, that's the password. 568 00:34:43,880 --> 00:34:47,760 Not too cool, is it? That's the way I was. 569 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:53,239 And anyway, you know she didn't even know about that until I 570 00:34:53,239 --> 00:34:55,960 told her about it because she was too busy working with the 571 00:34:55,960 --> 00:35:00,440 kids, right? So the Bible says that you're 572 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:06,360 created your inmost being knit together in your mother's womb. 573 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:09,640 Psalmist says I praise you because I'm fearfully and 574 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:12,440 wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. 575 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:16,200 I know that full well. Have you ever stopped to wonder 576 00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:19,200 why God decided to come into the world through the womb of a 577 00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:22,040 woman? Jesus chose to come into the 578 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:25,240 world through her mom. God could have chosen any other 579 00:35:25,240 --> 00:35:27,920 Ave. to come to the earth. He could have snapped his 580 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:30,080 fingers or spontaneously appeared. 581 00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:33,440 Jesus decided to be nurtured through her mother's love even 582 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:35,240 though He was perfect and divine. 583 00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:40,160 The Bible verse from mom shows the humility of Jesus and just 584 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:45,360 how much He honors Mother's. It tells us in Proverbs 18 and 585 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:47,920 9. Listen, my son, to your Father's 586 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:50,560 instruction. Do not forsake your mother's 587 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:53,480 teaching. They are Garland to grace your 588 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:56,320 head and a chain adorn your neck. 589 00:35:57,120 --> 00:36:00,520 If any of you are here today and you're not listening to godly 590 00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:03,840 wisdom from your parents, you're a fool and you'll suffer the 591 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:06,320 consequences for that. Believe me. 592 00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:10,200 I know because I went through some very heartbreaking times on 593 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:13,640 my own life because I thought I was smarter than my mom and my 594 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:16,760 dad. These Bible scriptures are for 595 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:20,600 moms full of reminders about the goodness of a mom's teaching. 596 00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:25,200 The Bible verse for mom even relates to teaching of a mom to 597 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:27,560 a beautiful necklace. Whether it's a big pieces of 598 00:36:27,560 --> 00:36:31,320 wisdom or simple instructions like don't touch the hot stove, 599 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:35,240 show your gratitude to your mom this Mother's Day. 600 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:39,760 Words of encouragement for your mom's. 601 00:36:39,760 --> 00:36:43,040 You're not alone. It can be easy to feel alone, 602 00:36:43,040 --> 00:36:45,280 however, the Holy Spirit is always with you. 603 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:48,960 You are not alone. Finding community like your 604 00:36:48,960 --> 00:36:52,640 local church where moms can get together and pray for each other 605 00:36:52,640 --> 00:36:56,760 and encourage each other is also a wonderful blessing. 606 00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:03,280 Your Mama is someone that you need to cherish while you still 607 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:07,360 have them and take advantage of the fact that they're still 608 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:12,320 here. My mom's 92 now and Cindy's 609 00:37:12,320 --> 00:37:18,560 mom's 95, and so I got to get a chair here. 610 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:25,560 Sorry, Jean, I'm throwing your stuff on the floor here. 611 00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:32,560 I'll put it back. I got to sit down here so I 612 00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:36,760 don't feel weak. Mostly overwhelmed here. 613 00:37:36,760 --> 00:37:48,680 But this is like for you, Mom, Sheila, watching my memories of 614 00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:53,360 my mom, Cindy's mom, I'm as I said, my mom is a beautiful mom, 615 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:58,240 a fashion model, and she always really took care of herself. 616 00:37:58,240 --> 00:38:00,880 And to this day she does. I'll see her sometime Sunday 617 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:03,120 after church. I said, you look great, mom. 618 00:38:03,120 --> 00:38:04,880 She said. I got dressed up for church. 619 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:08,760 Even though she's not in church, she's in the presence of the 620 00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:13,840 Lord, right. She was a kind of woman that she 621 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:17,080 came to know the Lord in a deep way. 622 00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:21,960 When my brother and I got saved and and she caught fire. 623 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:25,000 She started having these Bible studies in our home for over 50 624 00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:28,840 years, community Bible study of women from different churches or 625 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:33,000 no churches would come and hear her teach the Bible and many of 626 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:37,680 these women became Christians. The resolve that Bible study and 627 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:40,440 I remember sort of a history thing here. 628 00:38:40,720 --> 00:38:44,680 RC Sprole was a personal friend of our family of Janian and 629 00:38:44,680 --> 00:38:47,160 Sheila. And they would go up the 630 00:38:47,160 --> 00:38:50,800 Ligonier before he was a big deal and go to his Bible study 631 00:38:51,360 --> 00:38:54,360 and he wrote this book, The Holiness of God, the Holiness of 632 00:38:54,360 --> 00:38:58,440 God series that he chose to use. My mom's home is a place where 633 00:38:58,440 --> 00:39:01,240 women would come and watch and, and watch season and make 634 00:39:01,240 --> 00:39:04,000 comments, right? And they filmed it and they took 635 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:07,320 videos, they did interviews. There was close to 4050 women 636 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:10,160 crammed into the house at times, some of these studies. 637 00:39:10,920 --> 00:39:15,120 And RC was an interesting guy. He he was a character. 638 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:17,840 He said a lot of things, a lot of different ways. 639 00:39:17,840 --> 00:39:21,480 It had to get your attention. But biblically, but I never 640 00:39:21,480 --> 00:39:23,840 forget, I went to the conference of Reformed theology in 641 00:39:23,840 --> 00:39:25,880 Philadelphia. My mom liked to Reformed 642 00:39:25,880 --> 00:39:29,520 theology and I do too. And so I, I went and we went to 643 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:31,480 Jim Boyce's church in Philadelphia. 644 00:39:31,600 --> 00:39:35,120 Tenth Presbyterian or C Everett Coupe would go, He was the 645 00:39:35,240 --> 00:39:38,440 surgeon general at the time. He'd be in the front row with 646 00:39:38,440 --> 00:39:41,800 his little bow tie on and, and just an amazing church. 647 00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:46,800 But anyway, we were there. They had like all these famous 648 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:51,600 guys teaching in the conference. And so we went back and RC was 649 00:39:51,600 --> 00:39:55,440 having coffee with his wife, Festa, and he caught up with my 650 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:56,800 mom, gave her a hug and all that. 651 00:39:56,800 --> 00:39:59,160 And they were talking. And so walking away, he says, 652 00:39:59,160 --> 00:40:01,920 you know, Sheila, you still have great legs. 653 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:05,960 And his wife hit him at best. You know this the way our our C 654 00:40:05,960 --> 00:40:08,640 was, you know, I'll never forget that. 655 00:40:10,760 --> 00:40:13,720 She knew how to budget. She taught my daughter's how to 656 00:40:13,720 --> 00:40:15,600 budget money and stretch a dollar. 657 00:40:16,920 --> 00:40:19,560 Her home is always open in times of crisis. 658 00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:22,120 Where? Our daughters needed to be when 659 00:40:22,120 --> 00:40:25,280 they couldn't maybe be with us at a time of season. 660 00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:30,600 The doors are always open to my brother's family, our kids, 661 00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:35,400 anybody. She did life with us all the 662 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:36,840 time. We play games. 663 00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:41,560 We were always doing fun stuff. She would be there to do the 664 00:40:41,560 --> 00:40:44,280 science project in the middle of the night when I told her 665 00:40:44,280 --> 00:40:48,760 earlier, hey mom, I got a project to do what I got to do a 666 00:40:48,760 --> 00:40:50,120 science project. When's it do? 667 00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:53,200 I said tomorrow morning. So she'd be up all night doing 668 00:40:53,200 --> 00:40:55,360 these salt maps and making something look good where I at 669 00:40:55,360 --> 00:40:59,120 least get AB. You know, she always at her 670 00:40:59,120 --> 00:41:02,760 games, baseball games, basketball games, just like our 671 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:07,280 kids are always at their kids games, play tons of tennis 672 00:41:07,280 --> 00:41:08,680 together. Remember that. 673 00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:13,720 And she'd always tell me, play with someone who's better than 674 00:41:13,720 --> 00:41:16,280 you because then you'll get better. 675 00:41:16,280 --> 00:41:19,000 So eventually I started beating her and we didn't play anymore. 676 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:25,040 And I played with other people and I but she always knew when I 677 00:41:25,040 --> 00:41:31,040 was in rebellion and she knew when I was broken that she 678 00:41:31,040 --> 00:41:34,040 always would pray and trust God for us. 679 00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:42,920 You always convinced me that that the Lord would always help 680 00:41:42,920 --> 00:41:45,960 me no matter what, whether it was in my marriage or raising my 681 00:41:45,960 --> 00:41:52,000 own kids. She always was just this 682 00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:56,920 available to to us and to this day she still is. 683 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:06,240 Write my notes here. Here at the last one. 684 00:42:08,800 --> 00:42:14,360 She modeled to our wives and daughters and sons and son in 685 00:42:14,360 --> 00:42:17,360 laws what it means to be a great mom. 686 00:42:18,440 --> 00:42:22,560 She was lots of fun, still is. I remember the beach walks in 687 00:42:22,560 --> 00:42:24,440 Stone Harbor. You wonder why I love Stone 688 00:42:24,440 --> 00:42:32,880 Harbor so much and so full of memories with my mom and my dad 689 00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:35,440 and my brother when we were young. 690 00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:39,120 And now our kids and grandkids. We all enjoy that place and to 691 00:42:39,120 --> 00:42:41,960 this day, she says, I can close my eyes and still feel like I'm 692 00:42:41,960 --> 00:42:45,600 walking on the beach. She's at this stage now. 693 00:42:45,600 --> 00:42:47,400 It's hard for her to get around anywhere. 694 00:42:50,320 --> 00:42:54,200 Holiday gatherings were always perfect decorations. 695 00:42:54,200 --> 00:42:56,880 Christmas, this. She always did everything to 696 00:42:56,880 --> 00:43:01,880 make everybody else happy. Her amazing chocolate cake with 697 00:43:01,880 --> 00:43:03,640 seafoam icing. I miss that. 698 00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:06,960 Whenever she would come to Calvary and we'd have the agape 699 00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:10,480 lunch, she always made that and I made a mistake of mentioning 700 00:43:10,480 --> 00:43:14,120 how good it was and I get over there and it was be gone. 701 00:43:14,120 --> 00:43:16,320 All you guys would grab it before I got there. 702 00:43:18,720 --> 00:43:21,880 To this day, whenever we visit her, her face lights up. 703 00:43:24,280 --> 00:43:30,080 Ruby's made a big impact as as as as the whole clan of the Echo 704 00:43:30,080 --> 00:43:32,600 Burgers. He'd care for my mom. 705 00:43:32,600 --> 00:43:37,160 Great. Thank you for your love for her 706 00:43:37,280 --> 00:43:44,800 and help in the garden. Amy, everybody Anyway, you when 707 00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:48,080 her face lights up, so good to see you. 708 00:43:50,680 --> 00:43:54,600 Her flower gardens, all the work that she did in the dirt, she 709 00:43:54,600 --> 00:43:57,480 can't do any more. She directs other people to do 710 00:43:57,480 --> 00:44:00,680 it, but she loves looking at the flowers and still being able to 711 00:44:00,680 --> 00:44:04,000 be at home and look out the window, taking something 712 00:44:04,000 --> 00:44:07,600 beautiful out of a seed and see created into this incredible 713 00:44:08,120 --> 00:44:11,960 garden. Melinda who attends here, she's 714 00:44:11,960 --> 00:44:16,520 one of the caregivers and as is Susan, they send 4 hours a day 715 00:44:16,520 --> 00:44:20,120 with her and she text me. She says mom wants a red 716 00:44:20,120 --> 00:44:24,480 umbrella for Mother's Day for her back porch and our gardenia. 717 00:44:24,480 --> 00:44:28,960 So Cindy ordered the umbrella on Amazon or arrived today and I 718 00:44:28,960 --> 00:44:30,800 went everywhere. I was out the other morning at 719 00:44:30,800 --> 00:44:33,320 Lowe's and home. You guys say you have gardenias. 720 00:44:33,320 --> 00:44:35,120 I'm freezing my butt off it's cold. 721 00:44:35,120 --> 00:44:36,880 It's like no, where do you get these? 722 00:44:36,880 --> 00:44:39,960 Finally someone said you got to go up to Lake Trobe and that 723 00:44:39,960 --> 00:44:42,280 garden place up in the left head and toward Ligonier. 724 00:44:42,280 --> 00:44:45,720 So I went there and got her this beautiful gardenia and it has a 725 00:44:45,800 --> 00:44:49,280 couple blooms on it and boy, they smell like nothing like you 726 00:44:49,280 --> 00:44:50,880 could ever smell. They're so awesome. 727 00:44:51,280 --> 00:44:54,200 So I took that down to her the other day and she was so excited 728 00:44:54,400 --> 00:44:57,720 to get that this white shirts like the gardenia color for her 729 00:44:57,720 --> 00:45:01,560 today. So that's it mom. 730 00:45:01,560 --> 00:45:05,320 I could probably have three more sundaes to tell everybody how 731 00:45:05,320 --> 00:45:09,880 awesome you are, Alice, to have moms and how much we love you 732 00:45:09,880 --> 00:45:13,480 and appreciate you. But for you guys as a worship 733 00:45:13,480 --> 00:45:17,560 team comes forward. Remember your mom's today and if 734 00:45:17,560 --> 00:45:20,680 they're still here, reach out to them and love no matter how 735 00:45:20,680 --> 00:45:24,680 fractured the relationship might be, you think it can still be 736 00:45:24,680 --> 00:45:27,520 healed and and the Lord can take care of it. 737 00:45:27,560 --> 00:45:31,400 OK. And if they're gone, as we take 738 00:45:31,400 --> 00:45:34,720 a couple minutes to prepare for the Lord's Supper, just thank 739 00:45:34,720 --> 00:45:39,080 the Lord privately for them and what he's taught you through 740 00:45:39,080 --> 00:45:45,000 them and how you can be more like them as, as the moms that 741 00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:48,600 God has given you. And if there's any fracture in 742 00:45:48,600 --> 00:45:52,240 your homes right now and any kind of relationship with your 743 00:45:52,240 --> 00:45:54,560 kids and moms or whatever, make it right. 744 00:45:54,560 --> 00:45:57,840 Life's too short, right? You don't want something to 745 00:45:57,840 --> 00:46:01,000 happen and then all of a sudden you can't make amends because of 746 00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:03,400 some accident or crisis or tragedy. 747 00:46:04,680 --> 00:46:07,720 As as Paul said, the day is a day of salvation. 748 00:46:08,640 --> 00:46:11,800 If you hear his voice, don't harden your heart as they did in 749 00:46:11,800 --> 00:46:15,520 the wilderness, but say Lord Jesus, I can't do this life 750 00:46:15,520 --> 00:46:19,440 without you. I need you to come into my life 751 00:46:19,440 --> 00:46:22,720 and save me for my sin and forgive me. 752 00:46:23,600 --> 00:46:27,560 I want to be like you. I want to be a parent like you 753 00:46:27,560 --> 00:46:34,160 are to me Jesus, and I want to be used by you to be a blessing 754 00:46:34,160 --> 00:46:37,400 to other people. Lord, help us to get our lives 755 00:46:37,400 --> 00:46:41,760 on track with you. Help us to live for the sake of 756 00:46:41,760 --> 00:46:44,640 others and not ourselves. Forgive us of our self 757 00:46:44,640 --> 00:46:46,440 centeredness. We're all self-centered. 758 00:46:47,240 --> 00:46:51,520 Help us Lord to love as you tell us in First Corinthians 13. 759 00:46:52,320 --> 00:46:56,520 Love suffers long. Love doesn't keep a record of 760 00:46:56,520 --> 00:47:00,040 wrongs. Love isn't easily offended. 761 00:47:00,040 --> 00:47:04,960 Love thinks no evil. Love never fails. 762 00:47:06,000 --> 00:47:09,000 And we thank you, Lord, may your love encompass every family, 763 00:47:09,000 --> 00:47:12,280 every individual, everybody you've brought here today, 764 00:47:12,280 --> 00:47:14,320 whether it's online or in the building. 765 00:47:15,160 --> 00:47:19,840 And Lord, thank you for my mom, Sheila today, my brother and my 766 00:47:19,840 --> 00:47:23,080 mom's our mom, Sheila. Thank you for her life. 767 00:47:23,080 --> 00:47:26,280 Thank you for Cindy's mom, Alice, today as well, and 768 00:47:26,280 --> 00:47:29,560 everybody else's mom. We we praise you and we give you 769 00:47:29,560 --> 00:47:33,440 glory for all that you've done and are doing in all of our 770 00:47:33,440 --> 00:47:37,120 families. Strengthen moms, strengthen 771 00:47:37,120 --> 00:47:41,520 kids, strengthen husbands, strengthen families, and we pray 772 00:47:41,520 --> 00:47:43,760 all these things in Jesus name, Amen. 773 00:47:49,320 --> 00:47:52,640 Let's take the supper together and just take a minute to talk 774 00:47:52,640 --> 00:47:55,040 to the Lord about where you are with your mom today. 775 00:48:15,000 --> 00:48:19,280 Lord, thank you for your forgiveness, thank you for your 776 00:48:19,280 --> 00:48:25,600 patience, your kindness, teaching us through the Word how 777 00:48:25,600 --> 00:48:34,320 to be parents, how to be children, how to be healthy 778 00:48:34,320 --> 00:48:38,040 human beings because of the cross of Jesus Christ. 779 00:48:39,640 --> 00:48:42,680 For him taking our sin and forgiving us and cleansing us 780 00:48:43,440 --> 00:48:46,000 and giving us a new life, giving us a new start. 781 00:48:47,560 --> 00:48:50,440 Whoever needs a new start today, I pray, O Lord, you'd work in 782 00:48:50,440 --> 00:48:53,480 their hearts and make all things new again. 783 00:48:54,200 --> 00:48:58,080 For those who have never put their faith into today, might 784 00:48:58,080 --> 00:49:00,200 they say, Jesus saved me from my sin. 785 00:49:01,720 --> 00:49:04,840 And for moms who are struggling today, may you encourage them, 786 00:49:05,480 --> 00:49:09,040 comfort their hearts, deepen their faith, to trust you for 787 00:49:09,040 --> 00:49:12,640 their children, no matter what they see with their eyes, may 788 00:49:12,640 --> 00:49:14,720 they believe what your word says, Father. 789 00:49:16,680 --> 00:49:19,080 And the night that Jesus is betrayed, he took the bread in 790 00:49:19,080 --> 00:49:21,640 his hands and he broke it, and he gave thanks and he said, 791 00:49:21,640 --> 00:49:24,440 take, eat. This is my body which is given 792 00:49:24,440 --> 00:49:27,520 for you. Eat this in remembrance of me. 793 00:49:37,720 --> 00:49:41,840 The same manner he took the cup. He said this cup is a new 794 00:49:41,840 --> 00:49:45,200 covenant in my blood which was shed for the forgiveness, the 795 00:49:45,200 --> 00:49:49,080 sins of many. Drink this in remembrance of me. 796 00:49:52,800 --> 00:49:57,360 For as often as we eat this bread and we drink this cup, we 797 00:49:57,360 --> 00:50:00,400 show forth the Lord's death, we comes again, Amen. 798 00:50:01,560 --> 00:50:05,200 Happy Mother's Day, God bless you guys.