Mother’s Day – Idaville Church

Faith Like a Grain of Flour

Faith Like a Grain of Flour

As I was preparing for this Mother’s Day sermon, I came across this list of What My Mother Taught Me. Let’s see if your mother ever said these things or as a mom if you have ever said them. My Mother taught me HUMOR: ''When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me.'' My Mother taught me RELIGION: 'You better pray that will come out of the carpet.' My Mother taught me STAMINA: 'You'll sit there until all that spinach is finished.' My mother taught me IRONY: "Keep laughing, and I'll give you something to cry about." My mother taught me about WEATHER: "It looks as if a tornado swept through your room." My mother taught me FORESIGHT: "Make sure you wear clean underwear; in case you're in an accident." 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!" My Mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE: 'I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.'' My Mother taught me JUSTICE: ''One day you will have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you. Then you'll see what it's like! I can't wait!' My Mother taught me GENETICS: 'You are just like your father!'' My mother taught me BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION: "Stop acting like your father!" My Mother taught me ANTICIPATION: ''Just wait until your father gets home.'' And lastly My Mother taught me LOGIC: ''If you fall off that swing and break your neck, you can't go to the store with me,'' As well as ''If everyone else jumped off a cliff would you do it too?'' And finally, those decisive words, "Because I said so, that's why."

Motherhood is an incredibly high calling, and being a mom is not easy! And so today, it is very appropriate and right to pause and say ''Thank You'' to our mothers, and to honor them, and thank God for them. At the same time, we know that Mother's Day can be a very difficult day for some. Maybe your mother is no longer alive, and you really miss her. Or maybe you don't or didn’t have a very good relationship with your mother. Or maybe you'd love to be a mother, and that just hasn't happened. So, if Mother's Day is a painful day for you, remember that God loves you more than you could imagine, and wants to be close to you.

This morning, in 1 Kings 17:8-24, we will see how a mother's faith grows and blossoms from the size of a grain of flour to as big as a mountain. As we study this passage this morning, the question for moms and for all of us is where do we ultimately place our trust? Insight, effort, and understanding can only take us so far because they are limited by our own strength and perspective. At some point, we are confronted with situations in life that we cannot fully control or resolve on our own. It is here that faith in God is not an abstract belief, but a necessary foundation—an anchor beyond us that offers meaning, direction, and hope when human ability falls short. We then discover that faith in God calls us not to try harder, but to trust deeper, to actually “let go and let God” take the wheel, so to speak. Repeatedly, scripture shows that God desires His people to loosen their grip on control and learn to rest in His sovereign care. Proverbs 3:5–6, says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” True faith is learned in the releasing: releasing our fears, our plans, and our self-reliance, and placing them fully in the hands of a faithful God who knows, provides, and leads His people exactly where they need to go. But this is not easy, it is learned through testing’s, trials and experiences. So, for all the moms out there and the rest of us, that brings us to our big idea that God desires for His people to learn to “let go and let God.” To “let go and let God” is not an act of passivity, but of confident surrender—believing that He is at work even when we cannot see the outcome.

Let’s pray: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the privilege of being able to gather to worship you and hear your word. We humbly ask that you open our hearts and minds to receive your message. Let us be attentive to the working of the Holy Spirit within us. May we be obedient to the commands in your Word, faithfully applying them to our lives and be transformed by them. Jesus' name, Amen.

Our first point is, Faith Demanded, found in 1 Kings 17:8–12. This account takes place while Ahab and Jezebel are king and queen of Israel. They were notorious for promoting Baal worship and persecuting prophets. It is here that Elijah abruptly appears on the scene and pronounces a drought upon the land. God commanded Elijah to hide in the Kerith Ravine, where He supplied him water from the brook to drink and directed ravens to bring him food to eat. Sometime later, the brook dried up because there had been no rain. Have you ever been feasting on the blessings and the goodness of God, thinking that life is good and grand, that is until your brook dries up! Moms, have you ever been there or maybe you are now? Have you ever asked “God, why is this happening?” We have all been there one time or the other. Maybe it’s because God has other plans for you. Maybe He is trying to get your attention. Maybe He has a new opportunity for you to strengthen your faith in Him. Or maybe He has a new place He wants you to go. In verses 8-10a we see these words: “Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath.”

God had other plans for his prophet, and so he sends him to Zarephath, which was eighty to ninety miles from the brook in the land of Phoenicia. Phoenicia was a Gentile land, where Jezebel was born and where her father reigned. Baal was a prominent Canaanite fertility and storm god and the chief deity in the area. It is ironic that the God of Israel brought a drought and famine to the storm god’s land and Baal could do nothing about it. It is important that once we receive ''heavenly orders'' we extend ''human obedience'' to be in the will of God. Elijah was the type of person God could use. He was a man of faith. When God sent orders, Elijah obeyed. That is the key to success in our Christian walk. Elijah received his orders and now he is going to step out in faith and obey the Lord. In obeying, he is also going to help a widow grow her faith in God. In verses 10-12 we see a simple plea, a stunning request and a specific problem. “So, he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

God told Elijah that He had directed a widow to supply him with food, as God had directed the ravens, and so the first thing he saw when he came to the town gate was the widow gathering sticks. This widow is unnamed and we know nothing at all about her other than this story. But we are about to see monumental faith from her. Elijah made a simple and reasonable request. He asked her to fetch him some water. In those days it was normal and hospitable for someone to offer water to those who were visiting. Then as the widow was going to fetch Elijah some water, he makes a stunning request, “and bring me, please, a piece of bread.” Elijah didn’t know it yet, but these would be life-changing words for the widow and for him. On the one hand God had sent Elijah to her, so that she could sustain him throughout the famine. On the other hand, God sent her to Elijah so her faith in the one true God would start to grow and expand.

Elijah’s stunning request must have shook this widow to her very core and it may have even invoked a volcanic eruption of inward struggle. Unbeknownst to Elijah, but not to God, she was preparing a last meal for her and her son. In a burst of unfettered and unfiltered truth, the widow tells Elijah that she does not have any bread and only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. The KJV says that the widow was only gathering two sticks because she did not need much of a fire to bake what little bit of flour and oil, she had left. Once it was cooked, she and her son were going to eat it and die. We wonder what the prophet’s reply would be to the widow, now that he realized that she literally had nothing. And what would her response be to the prophet of God. “Faith is not a freeway without obstacles. It is more like driving on a freeway during rush hour, in pouring rain, without any windshield wipers.” God does not play all his cards when asking us to walk by faith. Elijah was told to go to Zarephath and there a widow would sustain him. God did not share all the details with him. She was near starvation, and the man of God was asking her to prepare him a piece of bread. In the widow’s mind it may have felt like either willful obedience and death, or willful disobedience and death. Either way all she saw coming was death. Would she be willing to muster up enough faith to consider doing as Elijah requested?

Moms, do you remember a time when things were tight financially? Maybe it was when you had your first child and your family grew from two to three or four if you had twins. Or was there ever a time when your children were rebelling against authority and you were at your wit’s end? For the rest of us, have you ever faced desperation when it came to your family? Or some other situation where you were at your wit’s end? What did you do? God wants us to wholly trust in Him. Hear Proverbs 3:5–6 again, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” God commands total reliance on Him rather than human logic, urging believers to surrender personal control in all life areas to receive divine guidance. That brings us to our first next step which is I will trust in the Lord with all my heart, lean not on my own understanding and submit in obedience to Him.

That brings us to our second point, Faith Demonstrated, found in verses 13-18. In verses 13-14, Elijah requests that the widow have great faith. “Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me and then make something for yourself and your son.” For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up, and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’” We must wonder if the news that the widow had nothing and that He was about to take everything she had for himself, made Elijah scratch his head? This may have been just as stunning to him as his request was to the widow. But regardless of his shock or his feelings, he knows that God had sent him there and that God had promised to use her to sustain him. Elijah knew that his request sent shockwaves throughout the widow's spirit because he assured her to not be afraid and then asked her to trust in the words of his God. Elijah was not asking the widow for something minor, he was asking her to give her all to him. Moms have you ever been asked by God to give Him everything? How about the rest of us? When all we have is a little and God asks us to give it all to him, how have we responded? How should we respond? Can we trust God with all we have? The answer is an emphatic, “Yes.”

Elijah asks the widow to have faith in the Lord, the God of Israel and not in her puny storm god, Baal. He says if she does as request, her jar of flour would not be used up and her jug of oil would not run dry, until the Lord sends rain on the land. Now the widow had a choice to make: Her and her son could eat the meal and die, or she could trust and be sustained for years, saving both her and her son from certain death. There comes a time when all you have left is the ability to trust and obey, when all you can do “let go and let God” (Big Idea). Next, we see that her faith was rewarded. Verses 15-16 says, “She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So, there was food every day for Elijah and for the widow and her son. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.” Elijah did his part, asking the widow to do a hard thing. Elijah was merely a vessel, a mouthpiece, chosen to speak for God. The widow did her part. She had faith, heard the word of God from Elijah and obeyed. The widow trusted and her, the prophet, and the boy had food and were able to eat every day. And God was faithful. The jar of flour was never used up, and the jug of oil never ran dry. This is what God expects of His people: to trust and obey.

Sometime after the miracle of the jar and the jug, we find the widow facing an even greater issue, as tragedy strikes and her son gets sick and dies. Faith is not a one-time ordeal, it is a lifetime journey of options, opportunities, obstacles, and obedience. She had seen her faith grow from the size of a grain of flour when she began her journey, but it would grow much bigger and stronger if she was willing again to trust in the Lord. Verse 17 says, “Sometime later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and finally stopped breathing.” In verse 18 we see her response. “She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” How many of us foolishly assume that because we have trusted in God, nothing sad or sorrowful will come upon us? This mother is now going to be tested as never before. She could either trust God as she did before or blame Him for her circumstance. Have you ever been there? Have you ever had your life turned upside down? Have you ever been disillusioned and discombobulated, where you couldn't tell up from down? In those moments, we are prone to make baseless and blind accusations against God, the church, and even those whom we love. The widow was distraught and accused the man of God of bringing this tragedy upon her and her son. She may have been thinking it would have been better if Elijah had never showed up at the city gate or that it would have been better if he had just let them die of starvation.

That brings us to our third point, Faith Declared, found in verses 19-24. The widow had faced a time where her faith was challenged, and she had to trust in God and obey Him even when all seemed lost. She had trusted God with her handful of flour and the little bit of olive oil she had. Now could she trust God with her dead son? In verse 19, we see the widow’s growing faith. “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. It is one thing to give God your last handful of flour and last drop of olive oil, but can you trust him with something unthinkable? She had already seen God do two miracles: making bread she shouldn’t have been able to make and seeing the flour and oil multiply. Now she is put to the ultimate test, “give me your son!!!'' It may be one thing to give God all our possessions but it’s something else entirely to give God the people that are most precious and dearest to us? This mother is one of the greatest examples of faith that we find in the entire bible. She had given God her meager handful of bread, she had given God her minute measure of oil and now she will give God her boy. The widow took her dead son and placed him into the hands of God. When you have done all that you can do, can you give up all control, lay it on God and leave the rest up to him? The widow “let go and let God” and that’s a lesson we all need to learn (Big Idea). That brings us to our second next step which is I will “let go and let God’, giving up all control for my life to Him.

We see in verses 21-24 that God again rewards her faith, “Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!” Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.” This is a story of faith in the one true and living God by both His chosen people and those who worshipped other gods. Elijah had trusted God to give him water from the brook and food from the ravens. And when the brook dried up, he trusted God by going to Zarephath. The widow had trusted God with her last handful of flour and last drop of olive oil. Could they both now trust God with the dead boy? They most assuredly could. Elijah prayed over the boy with a faith that believed that his God could and would raise him from the dead. God answered his prayer and the boy was once again alive and well. We can see the mother’s faith, now a mountain, as she declared, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.” Earlier, in one sense, the widow already believed in Elijah’s God, but now that she has seen death transformed into life, she knows the God of Elijah. What a testimony of faith.

In conclusion, I want to read this illustration: Land diving is a ritual performed by the men of the southern part of Pentecost Island in the South Pacific. The precursor to bungee jumping, men jump off wooden towers around 66 to 98 ft high, without any safety equipment, except for vines wrapped around their ankles. It is performed annually in the months of April, May, or June and is associated with the annual yam harvest. The villagers believe land diving can enhance the health and strength of the divers, remove the illnesses and physical problems associated with the wet season, and ensure a bountiful harvest. It is considered an expression of masculinity, as it demonstrates boldness that was associated with the Bahri or warrior. The construction of the tower typically takes between two to five months and around twenty to thirty men to build it. They use freshly cut trees to build the body, so it remains strong. They clear a site for the tower, remove rocks from the soil and then till the soil to soften the ground. The vines are selected by a village elder and matched with each jumper's weight without any mechanical calculations. The vines need to be supple, elastic, and full of sap to be safe. If the vine is too long, the diver can hit the ground hard, but if the vine is too short, then the diver can collide with the tower. Before diving, the men often bring closure to unsettled business and disputes in case they die. And the night before the jump, divers sleep beneath the tower to ward off evil spirits.

This story shows how extreme some people are in trying to display their faith in their false gods. Reminds me of the next chapter in 1 Kings. Elijah is directed by God to challenge the prophets of Baal to see whose God is alive. They prepared the bull on the altar and called Baal to send fire to light it. They call Baal all night, but there is no response. They shout louder and louder and cut themselves with swords and spears. But there was still no response, no one answered, no one paid attention. Faith in God is not proven by risking our lives to impress Him. Faith in God comes by trusting in Him with our whole hearts; to “let go and let God,” (big idea). Then God is pleased when we speak that trust out loud. I challenge us all this next week, to choose one person, a friend, a coworker, or a family member, and testify to what God has done in your life—simply and honestly. Ask if you can pray for them, and let your words point to God’s strength, not your own. If they don’t know Jesus as their Savior and Lord, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the words so they will be drawn to Jesus for their salvation. And moms, maybe there is another mom you know who needs to hear about your faith in Jesus. That brings us to our last next step which is I will testify this week to someone around me about my faith in Jesus and what He has done for me.

As the Praise Team comes to lead in a final song and the ushers prepare to collect the tithes and offerings, let’s pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us today that true faith means learning to let go and let You take control. Help us to trust You with all our hearts and not rely on our own understanding. Teach us to surrender our fears, our plans, and our need for control into Your hands. Strengthen every mother here today—encourage them, sustain them, and grow their faith each day. And help all of us to trust You more deeply and to share our faith with someone this week. Use our lives to point others to Jesus. In His name Amen.

Opening: “Things My Mother Taught Me” (Various)

Closing: Wikipedia - Land Diving

May 10, 2026/by Office

Women of Faith

Mother's Day Acts Sunday Morning Stuart Johns Gifts, Mother's Day, Mothers, Prayer

Mother’s Day

Women of Faith

(Acts 9:36-42)

INTRODUCTION

“Have you ever wondered when Americans started celebrating Mother's Day? The holiday was born out of one woman's desire to honor her mother's life of sacrifice and grace.

Born in 1864 in Grafton, West Virginia, Anna Jarvis witnessed the aftermath of the Civil War through a child's eyes. Her mother, Anna Maria Reeves-Jarvis, had spent the war organizing women to nurse wounded soldiers from both the North and South, and generally attempting to hold her border-state community together. After the war, Anna Maria started ‘Mothers' Friendship Days’ to reconcile families that had been divided by the conflict.

Throughout her life, Anna Maria modeled the ideals of Victorian motherhood. She gave up her dreams of college in order to tend to an older husband and four children. She bore the loss of seven other children with grace. She taught Sunday school in the local Methodist church for 20 years and stayed active in benevolent work.

Anna Maria's death in 1905 devastated her daughter. Two years later, Anna got the idea to found a holiday remembering her mother, and all mothers, whom she felt could never be thanked enough.

Mother's Day was first celebrated in 1908 in Grafton (where Anna grew up) and Philadelphia (where she lived as an adult). Later, in a resolution passed May 8, 1914, the U.S. Congress officially established the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.”

Source: Elesha Coffman, "Mom, We Salute You," Christian History Newsletter (5-10-2002).

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2006/april/3041706.html]

BODY

ME
- Grandmother’s
  - - Most everyone knows that we recently laid my Grandma Johns’ to rest – the funeral service was a celebration of a life lived for the Lord
    - My Grandma Hykes passed away many years ago, but the funeral service was also a celebration of a life lived for the Lord
    - Judy’s Grandma’s were also women of faith
    - The faith of all four Grandma’s was passed down to the next generation
- Mother’s
  - - Judy and I have been blessed to have mothers who are women of faith
    - They have served faithfully in their homes, places of work, the church, and their communities
    - They were Sunday school teachers, Children’s church teachers, Puppet ministry leaders, Good News Club teachers, pianists, choir directors, Divorce recovery leaders, and so much more
    - They have cared about and for other women and families during their lifetime
- Wife
  - - The Lord has blessed me with an incredible wife, who has been the greatest mother to our sons and daughter-in-laws
    - She has also been an awesome grandma to our granddaughter
    - As a ministry partner, she has served faithfully in the church and community
    - She leads our church in helping with the Upper Adams Food Pantry and the Hallelujah Party
    - She is constantly thinking of ways to bless different individuals in the church, our community, and her workplace

WE
- Women of faith
  - - Most of us probably have fond memories of our grandmas and mothers
    - Perhaps there are those of us here today who can say that they are a follower of Jesus Christ, because of the faith they saw in their grandmas and mothers
    - Those of us who are married may see the faith of our wives through how they serve and minister to others
- Faithless women
  - - Not everyone of us has experienced growing up in a family with women of faith
    - Our grandmas and mothers may not have been loving, caring, and nurturing
    - They may not have been followers of Jesus Christ
    - But, my guess is that we are here, in church today, because of a woman of faith who invested in us (it may have been a man of faith, too)

The writer of the book of Acts (Luke) shares about a woman of faith who ministered to the needs of other women in her hometown. These other women were sharing with Peter about her faithfulness, kindness, and care. When the supernatural happened to this woman, it pointed people to Jesus. We can learn from her life that . . .

BIG IDEA – Godly women point others to Jesus.

Let’s pray

GOD (Acts 9:36-42)
- Faith through serving (vv. 36-37)
  - - City
      - Joppa means “beautiful”
      - It was on the Mediterranean Sea [show map]
      - Its port was famous, but dangerous [show images of port]
      - It had a healthy and robust trading industry as a result of the port
      - In the Biblical account that is unfolding in Acts, Joppa is moving Peter closer to Caesarea where he will encounter Cornelius, a Gentile, Roman centurion
      - But first, Peter has a job to do in Joppa
    - Disciple
      - There was a woman in Joppa who was a follower of Jesus Christ
        Her name in Hebrew is Tabitha and Dorcas is her Greek name
        Her two names are used throughout the narrative
        Both Tabitha and Dorcas mean “gazelle”
      - Her character
        She was doing good
        Acts of kindness
        Doing good deeds
        She was helping the poor
        Acts of mercy or charity
        “‘Acts of charity’ refers to providing alms – acts of mercy through charitable giving. Almsgiving was highly regarded in Judaism. The detail suggests that she is wealthy and generous.” [Bock, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Acts, 377]
        Tabitha was exercising her spiritual gift of helps and service
        Perhaps she was already doing these things prior to becoming a disciple of Jesus, but now her helps and service took on spiritual meaning and purpose
        She was no longer helping and serving for the sake of doing those things – it reflected the transformation that had taken place in her life
        The use of her spiritual gifts were pointing others to Jesus
        How many of us have seen that in our wives, mothers, and grandmothers?
      - PRINCIPLE #1 – Faith transforms our service
        “Many Christian women have distinguished themselves in God’s kingdom by their service to the needy.” [Fernando, The NIV Application Commentary, Acts, 314]
        Examples
        Mother Teresa
        I have to say I struggled to come up with names of Christian women who have distinguished themselves by serving the needy, but isn’t that the point?
        They are quietly serving in their local communities around the world, without a desire to be recognized
        They aren’t trying to create soundbites or photo opts in order to promote themselves
        It was easy to find a list of famous women who have helped fight global poverty (Michelle Obama, J.K. Rowling, Oprah Winfrey, Melinda Gates, Angelina Jolie, etc.)
        How many of us can think of at least one Christian woman who is serving the needy? (I can think of several, just in our church and community)
        Women, thank you for allowing your faith to transform your service
        #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: Thank the Lord for the women who have used their spiritual gifts to do good and help the poor.
      - Tabitha becomes sick and dies
        “About that time” can be translated, “In those days”
        While Tabitha was doing good and helping the poor, she got sick and died
        I believe it’s also referring to the time when Peter was in Lydda, which was only a three hour walk from Joppa
        God was orchestrating everything for His glory
        Preparation of her body
        It was customary to wash the body in preparation for burial
        Often the body was also anointed with oils and perfumes – Luke does not mention that here
        What was not customary was for a corpse to lay overnight, but that may have happened in this case
        Usually the body was buried before sunset on the same day as death occurred
        There seems to be an exception here
        “In the OT, bodies in an upper room were often noted in resuscitation accounts (1 Kings 17:19; 2 Kings 4:10, 21; Marshall 1980: 179) . . . When a body was kept, it was kept for three days because there was the belief that after three days the soul had departed.” [Bock, 378]
        Keeping the body for three days was done in hopes that the soul would return to the body
        It seems here that there is hope that Peter will be able to do something about Tabitha’s death
    - The disciples in Joppa were expressing faith through believing
- Faith through believing (vv. 38-39)
  - - The disciples send two men to urge Peter to come to Joppa
      - What incredible faith the disciples showed
      - They were believing that Peter could do something about the pain and heartache they were experiencing
      - That faith was expressed through placing Tabitha’s body in an upper room in anticipation of Peter’s arrival
      - We can express the same kind of faith in God and His healing power
      - We rarely experience here in the United States, but there are stories of believers, in other countries, who have been resuscitated by the power of God – they were brought back to life
    - Tabitha’s kindness and generosity on display
      - When Peter arrived in Joppa, he was immediately taken to the upper room where Tabitha had been laid
      - The widow’s that Tabitha had served and helped were there
        They were showing Peter the clothes and robes they were wearing and explaining that Dorcas (Tabitha) had made them
        It’s probable that Dorcas used her own money to buy the material or thread to weave and sew the robes and garments
        What an incredible testimony of a transformed life
      - PRINCIPLE #2 – God is pleased when we use our giftedness for His glory.
        As followers of Jesus Christ, I know we’re not serving others for the recognition from other human beings
        We are serving and giving so that God will be glorified
        This brings Him great joy
        This morning, I want to thank women, again, for faithfully using your giftedness for God’s glory
        When we faithfully use our giftedness for God’s glory it points others to Jesus.
        Tabitha’s life and service were pointing these widows’ to Jesus
        Godly women point others to Jesus
    - The disciples knew where to turn for help, and so did Peter
- Faith through praying (vv. 40-41)
  - - Following the example of Jesus
      - Peter had been with Jesus for three and half years and during that time he witnessed Jesus raise three people from the dead
      - Peter’s actions are reminiscent of Jesus’ actions with Jarius’ daughter (Mark 5:21-24, 35-43)
        Jesus sent everyone out of the room except for the girl’s parents and Peter, James, and John
        He then speaks to the girl and tells her to get up
      - Peter’s actions
        He sends everyone out of the room
        He speaks to Tabitha and tells her to get up
        But there’s one other thing that Peter does between those two actions – he kneels down and prays
        Jesus is God, so in this instance He didn’t need to pray, but simply commanded the girl to get up
        Peter recognized that His ability to heal and bring people back to life wasn’t from him, but from God
        PRINCIPLE #3 – Prayer is the first step to resolving every problem.
        Peter knew where he needed to turn for help
        God is all-powerful and is the One who heals and gives life
        God is all-knowing, so He is aware of our struggles, our problems, our difficulties
        Mother’s, He knows that our child is pursuing the things of the world instead of the things of God
        Mother’s, He knows our fears, doubts, and anxiety about becoming a mother for the first time
        Women, He knows the frustration and heartache we have over not being able to have children
        Women, He knows our desire to have a godly husband who will lead us spiritually
        Women, He knows the relational difficulties we are having at work or in our family
        Women, He knows about the physical difficulties and health issues that we are currently experiencing
        Women, He knows exactly how we’re feeling today
        His desire is that we go to Him in prayer, first!
        This challenge isn’t just for women today, it’s for men, children, and teens also
        #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: Turn to God in prayer about the struggles, problems, and difficulties I’m experiencing.
        Peter then turns to Tabitha and speaks to her
        What Peter says to Tabitha is only one consonant different than what Jesus said to Jarius’ daughter
        In Aramaic we see how close these two commands are
        “Talitha koum” (little girl, get up)
        “Tabitha koum” (Tabitha, get up)
        God resuscitates Tabitha
        With all of the individuals in Scripture who are brought back to life, it’s “not a matter of resurrection but of resuscitation, of temporary restoration of life.” [Polhill, The New American Commentary, Acts, Vol. 26, 248]
        Jesus is the only person who was resurrected, because He is still alive today!
        Tabitha opened her eyes and sat up
        Peter presents her to the believers and widows, alive!
    - Word of this incredible miracle spread fast
- Faith through sharing (v. 42)
  - - Presumably the believers and widows went throughout Joppa and shared the incredible news about Tabitha
      - They not only shared that Tabitha was alive again, but how God had used Peter to resuscitate her
      - Their faith through believing had been rewarded by the Lord
    - Their witnessing brought repentance in many who heard
      - PRINCINPLE #4 – Witnessing encourages repentance.
        As mother’s, our desire is that our children know and follow the Lord
        We model and teach our children how to pray before meals
        We read them Bible stories before bed
        We earnestly pray for them daily
        We take them to church, VBS, and other places where they can hear God’s Word
        As women, we show others a transformed life by the way we act and talk
        We may share with others something miraculous that God has done in our lives or how He has answered our prayers for others
        There are times when we actively share the Gospel with others
        Godly women point others to Jesus.
        In these ways, we are witnessing about Jesus to others
      - #3 – My Next Step Today Is To: Witness to others about Jesus where I live, work, and play.

YOU
- Has your faith transformed your service?
- Are you using your giftedness for God’s glory?
- Is prayer your first step when difficulties come?
- Are you witnessing to others about Jesus?

WE
- There are several great opportunities to share with others about Jesus
  - - Invite someone to church
    - Invite family members, coworkers, and neighbors to the revival services coming up (May 17-23, 2021 and June 9-11, 2021)
- We all can share with others an answered prayer or a miraculous healing we have experienced

CONCLUSION

“A few years ago, I somehow ended up buying two Mother's Day cards. I sent one to my mother, and because I keep a three-year calendar, I filed the other one away in the May section of the next year. Sadly, my mother died shortly after I sent that first card. Now I have a greeting card that can never be delivered—unless U.S. postal service can find a way to get it to eternity!

The more I've reflected on this undeliverable card, the more I've realized how it mirrors so much of life. We run into situations where we realize we can never again do what we intended. No matter how much we may want to, we can't hold on to the past. A loved one dies, and we grieve that we will never again hear their comforting, loving voice. Disease creeps in and robs us of the ability to do what we once enjoyed. An accident occurs, and in the blink of an eye, we lose some function that we took for granted. The word for these situations is finality.

‘Finality’ is a hard word to say. In fact, we spend a great deal of energy trying to find ways around it. We play the ‘if only’ game — ‘If only I try harder, it might get better;’ ‘If only I act better, maybe there's still a chance;’ ‘If only I pray harder, he might make it.’ But even prayer won't change some situations. My mother is gone, and the most fervent prayer won't bring her back. What prayer will do, though, is help me to remember that life is short, and I need to live a life of love while I can. I'm reminded that I should be grateful for what I have now, because it could be gone before I open next year's calendar.

So love now. Enjoy today. Be grateful this instant. Squeeze every drop of joy from each day. Pray hard and love deeply. And if you can, send your mom a Mother's Day card.

Source: Don Aycock, Palatka, Florida.

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2009/april/7042709.html].

May 9, 2021/by Office

Life’s Goal

Mother's Day Proverbs Sunday Morning Stuart Johns Blessed, Mother's Day, Virtuous Woman

Mother’s Day

Life’s Goal

(Proverbs 31:10-31)

INTRODUCTION

“According to a poll by Family Circle magazine, 86 percent of mothers think they don't get enough respect, and 80 percent agree that moms who stay at home get even less. Even so, 77 percent of mothers who work full-time would rather stay home if they could.

Moms in both camps are a bit defensive: 73 percent of those at home think working moms look down on them, while 66 percent of those who work feel the same way about moms who are at home.

The main message, however, is a positive one: while 70 percent of mothers say that being a mom is much more demanding than they expected, 92 percent say it is also much more rewarding.”

Time (5-6-2002), p. 18; submitted by Jon R. Mutchler, Ferndale, Washington.

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2006/april/6041706.html].

BODY

ME
- Stating the obvious
  - - I’m not a mother
    - I’m not a wife
    - I’m not a woman
- That’s why I have to rely on God’s Word to speak about woman today

WE
- Expectations from other moms
  - - Perhaps you’re a stay-a-home mom (I guess every mom is a stay-at-home right now, with the Coronavirus), and you feel like working moms are looking down on you
    - Maybe you’re a working mom, and you feel like stay-at-home moms are looking down on you
    - Take heart that both kinds of moms are feeling the same way, so don’t put that undue pressure on yourselves
- Biblical characteristics from God
  - - It’s easy to look at what other moms are doing and feel like a failure, but don’t play the compare game
    - God’s Word gives us Biblical characteristics and qualities for women, and He is the One we should strive to please
    - Being a wife and mother will fall into place when we spend time focusing on God and His Word

Most everyone is familiar with Proverbs 31. There is a ministry organization that’s called Proverbs31 Ministries. People talk about a Proverbs 31 woman. We’re going to look at Proverbs 31:10-31 today as we celebrate Mother’s Day. The writer of this section of Proverbs talks about a wife of noble character and how rare that can be. Fortunately, it is not impossible. As we look at this passage today, I want to encourage every woman to . . .

BIG IDEA – Seek to be rare, don’t compare.

Let’s pray

GOD (Proverbs 31:10-31)
- Background
  - - The final verses in the book of Proverbs (vv. 10-31) have two very powerful patterns that are important to recognize
      - Acrostic
        This is not the only acrostic poem in Proverbs or the entire Bible, there are others
        The beginning of each verse starts with the consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet (there are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet) [show image of the Hebrew alphabet]
        [Show image of Proverbs 31:10-31]
        This shows an incredible beauty in how the poem was constructed
      - Chiastic Structure
        The other pattern we see is the chiastic structure
        [Show image of chiastic structure]
        In a chiastic structure there are matching pairs that point to a central theme that the author doesn’t want the reader or audience to miss
        They say certain things heading into the central theme and then say the exact same things in reverse order as they move away from the central theme
    - We are going to be using the chiastic structure as our guide, looking at the central theme first and working our way out
- Central theme (v. 23)
  - - Who is this Proverb written for?
      - I don’t want us to miss the historical and contextual significance of the book of Proverbs
      - Most of the book was written by Solomon with help from Agur and Lemuel at the very end
      - It seems to be primarily written to Solomon’s son(s) about how to obtain wisdom and live a disciplined and prudent life
      - As it pertains to our passage today, and the central theme, the character qualities listed are for a wife, perhaps for Solomon’s son(s)
    - The central theme then is about the husband of this woman of noble character
      - The husband of this woman is respected at the city gate
      - He is part of the ruling council of elders for her city
    - With that said, I don’t want us to take too much time focusing on the husband, because it’s Mother’s Day
    - “The woman was formed out of man – not out of his head to rule over him; not out of his feet to be trampled upon by him; but out of his side to be his equal, from beneath his arm to be protected, and from near his heart to be loved.” [Matthew Henry cited by Anders, Homan Old Testament Commentary, Proverbs, 358]
    - Let’s look at the character qualities, of this ideal wife, that allows her husband to be respected at the city gate
    - We’re going to look at each matching pair as we get further and further from the central theme
- Character qualities (vv. 10-22, 24-31)
  - - Making of coverings and garments (vv. 22, 24)
      - For herself (v. 22)
        She works hard at the textile trade
        Most women in the Near East were gifted at weaving and making their own garments
        We’ll see this more as we progress through this passage
        She is weaving large coverings for her bed
        She is also clothed in fine linen and purple
        Fine linen would have been made from flax and imported from Egypt
        Purple refers to wool that was dyed and was imported from Phoenicia (the dye came from shellfish found there)
        The woman would have made her own garments from these imported materials
        She was dressed with the best
        She’s resourceful as we will see in a moment
        TODAY
        Most of our wives aren’t weaving or sewing their own sheets and blankets, but they are making sure that we have sheets and blankets at the best possible price – they’re researching the thread count to make sure the quality is good
        They are also making sure to dress well
        Making sure that our bed has sheets and blankets and dressing herself well shows us, guys, that our wives love us and are concerned about us
        She not only makes items for herself, she also makes items to sell
      - For others (v. 24)
        She is so industrious that she has more than enough garments and sashes to sell to the merchants
        I’ve been impressed with those of you in our congregation, who know how to sew, and have used your giftedness to provide hundreds of masks to individuals in our community and beyond – and you’ve done that out of your own generosity, at no charge (we’ll see the character quality of generosity in v. 20)
      - She is not only concerned about herself and her husband, but also her children
    - Clothing of children and herself (vv. 21b, 25a)
      - Her children don’t have to be afraid of the cold associated with the season of snow, because their mother provides scarlet clothing (v. 21b)
        Again, the dyed cloth would have been expensive
        Scarlet would have referred to wool garments instead of a light linen made from flax
        Wool would have helped to retain heat
        Waltke explains that mentioning the color of the thread, is another way of saying wool, simply because “linen does not readily accept dye.” [Waltke, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, 530]
        This mother spares no expense in taking care of her family and keeping them warm
        TODAY – how have you seen your mother or wife making sure you are warm?
      - The matching unit speaks of a woman being clothed, but not with garments (v. 25a)
        She is clothed with strength and dignity
        She is able to face any adversity that comes her way with confidence instead of fear
        TODAY – How have you seen your mother or wife face adversity and uncertainty?
      - The woman in this passage is prepared for the future
    - No fear (vv. 21a, 25b)
      - She is ready when winter comes and can laugh at the days to come
        This shows not only a physical readiness, but an emotional readiness
        We’ll see in the final matched pair where this confidence and emotional readiness and strength come from
        It doesn’t come from herself
      - In this next pair, we see that this woman is generous, compassionate, loving, and caring
    - Wife gives to others (vv. 20, 26)
      - With her possessions (v. 20)
        Perhaps you’re skeptical about whether or not this is truly a matching pair
        Both Anders and Garrett explain that throughout Proverbs, and other wisdom literature, that the mark of wisdom is in providing for the poor – it is a fundamental virtue [Anders, 362; Garrett, The New American Commentary, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, 250]
        This woman is either giving them what they need (food, clothing, etc.) and/or inviting them into her home
        What we see here is generosity and hospitality
        TODAY – How have you seen your mother or wife reaching out to those in need, and either providing what they need or inviting them into your home?
      - With her words (v. 26)
        Speaks with wisdom
        “That she speaks with wisdom implies that she already possesses it and that wisdom shapes what she has to say and how she says it.” [Waltke, 532]
        It is probable that she is sharing her wisdom with her husband
        Husbands, how many of you have experienced the great wisdom of your wives?
        I know I have – God has given Judy incredible wisdom and I’m a better man when I listen to God speaking through her
        Faithful instruction is on her tongue
        Can you hear her children? “Mom, why did you give that garment, you made, to that beggar?” “Why did you invited that family to our house for a meal?”
        Can you see her, gently sitting down with her children and explaining, “God has been so good to us. He has provided for your father and I above what we could ever imagine. We want others to know and experience God’s love, compassion, and provision through us. So, sometimes we give them clothing or feed them a meal.”
        She uses the wisdom she has gained through circumstances and questions from her children as teachable moments
        She is concerned about passing on the wisdom she has gained
        TODAY – What wisdom has your mother passed on to you?
      - She not only speaks and lives out wisdom, but she works hard
    - Wife works hard (vv. 13-19, 27)
      - Works herself (vv. 13-19)
        She makes her own thread from the wool and flax she selects (vv. 13, 19)
        She probably goes to the market place and carefully looks through the wool selections
        She also carefully looks at the flax selection, for the best quality
        Flax was made from a plant that was uprooted and dried and then the fibers were extracted from the plant
        Flax was used to make linen, so the better the flax, the better the linen
        She uses the distaff and the spindle in order to spin her own wool and flax thread for weaving and making garments
        She does this with eager hands (at the pleasure of her hands – she enjoys it!)
        She provides food for her family (vv. 14-15)
        She goes to the market place before sunrise, so she’ll have the best food selection possible for her family
        She also chooses exotic food for her family to enjoy
        She’s probably not making food for the servant girls, but rather, providing the raw ingredients for them to make the food
        She is a savvy business person (v. 16)
        She looks at all of the angles, puts a plan together, and then executes her plan in purchasing a field and then planting a vineyard on it
        We’ve been watching old episodes of “Counting On” with the Duggar children and Jinger decides that she wants to buy a car, at the auction, and then flip it. She takes a couple of her brothers with her to the auction, then she has a couple other brothers, a friend, and her one sister who make the necessary repairs and detail and clean the car, and finally she takes two other brothers with her to show the vehicle to a prospective buyer – she did her homework and used the generous resources of family members to help her purchase and sell the vehicle for a profit.
        She is not lazy (v. 17)
        She plans her work and works her plan
        She has a strong back and strong arms
        She probably has strong hands as well
        She never lacks for financial resources (v. 18)
        The trading that she does is profitable
        Her lamp does not go out, is not necessarily speaking about her staying up late working into the night, but rather, is probably talking about the fact that she never lacks money, she is prosperous
        TODAY – In what ways have you seen your mother or wife working hard for the family?
        Does she make things and sell them?
        Does she provide good food for you to eat?
        Is she a savvy business person?
        Does she every stop working?
        Does she provide financially for you?
        This woman not only works hard herself, but she also supervises the work of others
      - Supervises the work of others (v. 27)
        She is aware of everything that’s happening in the household
        When something is missing around the house, who do you ask first? (Mom)
        She is not idle
        I’ve watched my mom and my wife preparing for family meals and they both have multiple things cooking at the same time and are able to know where everyone is and all the details of upcoming events and activities
        There are times when I have to ask Judy if she is going to stop and sit down (of course it’s for selfish reasons, because I want to stop and sit down)
        When I first met Judy’s Grandma Young I wondered if she ever ate, because she would be a flurry of activity around the dinner table. She would always ask if I needed anything else, because my plate was empty. She wanted to make sure everyone was provided for, before she would take time to eat.
      - We all know how hard our mothers and wives work to provide just what we need, so we should take time to recognize and acknowledge that fact
    - Recognition by husband and children (vv. 11-12, 28-29)
      - Husbands (vv. 11-12, 28b-29)
        Do you have full confidence in your wife? (when is the last time you told her that?)
        How has she brought good into your life? (when is the last time you expressed gratitude for the good she has brought into your life?)
        When is the last time you’ve praised your wife?
        The author gives us an example here, “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
        When Judy and I were dating, I told the guys in the dorm that I was sorry for them, because they had to settle for second best, since I was dating the best! (I know it sounds cheesy, but I meant it)
        How can you praise your wife today? What characteristics are your grateful for?
        Husbands aren’t the only ones who need to recognize the incredible woman in their home, children need to also
      - Children (v. 28a)
        When is the last time you’ve expressed your gratitude and love for everything that your mother is doing or did do for you?
        Today is the perfect day to do just that
      - All of this leads to the very first matching pair in this passage
    - High value of a good wife (vv. 10, 30-31)
      - The author of this section helps us to understand that a wife of noble character can be found, but it is rare, like a precious stone
        The description that we have seen in this passage may not reflect a single woman, but may be a composite portrait of ideal womanhood [The NIV Life Application Bible, footnote for Proverbs 31:10-31, 1131]
        It’s always tempting to look at other woman and compare ourselves to them
        I want to encourage you to not compare yourself to anyone else, but use the characteristics found in this passage as your guide to becoming a virtuous woman
        Seek to be rare, don’t compare
      - Where does this woman find the physical and emotional strength to do everything she does, with excellence?
        It doesn’t come from within her
        She can’t accomplish this on her own
        It comes from revering the Lord
        When I was sharing with Judy about the message for today, she said that the only way for her to excel in these character traits is to be connected to the vine
        She is referring to John 15:1-17
        We read these words in verse 5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
        She shared that when she has tried to do anything on her own, she has failed, but when she stays connected to Jesus, and does it with His strength, she succeeds
        My Next Step Today Is To: Stay connected to Jesus, so I can be a wife and/or mother of noble character.
      - True reward and praise come from being connected to the Lord, not through charm or beauty
        “In short, ‘charm’ deceives because it promises a lifetime of happiness that it cannot deliver . . . ‘beauty is said to be deceitful because it passes away, and with it passes the hope of happiness base on it.’” [Waltke, 535]
        “Inner spiritual beauty does not deceive.” [Waltke, 535]

CONCLUSION

“About ten years ago, I found my mother sitting at the kitchen table. She was reading and chuckling in frustration, so I asked her what she was looking at.

She told me that she'd been studying Proverbs for her devotions and that she'd just read chapter 31, which lists the qualities of a virtuous wife. She was frustrated because she realized she could never be the woman God describes there. We talked about it some more, and my mom finally arrived at a decision that still inspires me today: she decided to take on the challenge, one verse at a time. She said: ‘I'll work on the first item in the list. When I've got that one mastered, I'll move to the next one—hopefully I'll be a virtuous woman before I die.’

I recently checked in with her to see how she was progressing. She laughed and told me she was seven or eight items into the list but was currently stuck on, ‘Her children call her blessed.’ She said, ‘I might have to wait for all of them to grow out of their teens before I can accomplish that one.’

Last year, my sisters and I got together and made a Certificate of Completion in Proverbs 31 Training. We took every verse and came up with an example of when she had fulfilled that requirement. When the certificate was finished, it looked like a real diploma and listed her many accomplishments. We all signed it, including my dad.

I read it out loud to her, and when I got to the last verse, ‘Her children call her blessed,’ one by one each of us said, ‘Mom, you are blessed.’ She cried and cried—she had finally reached her life's goal!”

Submitted by Jennifer Tatum, Romeoville, Illinois.

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/search/?query=Proverbs%2031:10-31&type=scripture&start=21].

Husbands and Children

My Next Step Today Is To: Take time, today, to tell my wife and/or mother that she is blessed.

Women

My Next Step Today Is To: Take on the challenge of seeking to be rare, one item at a time, so I can be a virtuous woman.

May 10, 2020/by Office

Faith Like a Grain of Flour

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Life’s Goal

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