SPEAKER_00: Well, last week we finished up our series going through the book of 1 Corinthians, which means it is time for our next sermon series, which is something that I've been studying and preparing for for the last several months.
SPEAKER_00: But today's also Mother's Day.
SPEAKER_00: And so you'll understand my conundrum when I tell you our next sermon series is going to be on the topic of spiritual warfare.
SPEAKER_00: And I thought maybe Mother's Day is not the best day to launch our next sermon series on spiritual warfare.
SPEAKER_00: So we're going to take some time this morning talking about moms on mission.
SPEAKER_00: Moms on mission.
SPEAKER_00: How many moms this morning like to keep a to-do list?
SPEAKER_00: Any moms this morning, big list people?
SPEAKER_00: There's a few of you, I see, a few of you that like to keep those lists.
SPEAKER_00: You know, once in a while we'll have a Saturday where we're all going to be home together.
SPEAKER_00: And I'll wake up in the morning and I'll think to myself, wow, you know, there's nothing planned for today.
SPEAKER_00: There's nothing going on.
SPEAKER_00: I'll wake up and I'll think, this is a free day.
SPEAKER_00: And it's just like the dreams start going of what kind of day of this, is this going to be like a nice, relaxing day?
SPEAKER_00: Maybe I can get a little work done on this specific project.
SPEAKER_00: Or we could just sit around and do nothing at all.
SPEAKER_00: And I start thinking, oh, this is gonna be a good day.
SPEAKER_00: And I go over and get my coffee in the morning, and then I'll turn around, and then I'll look to the counter, and all of a sudden I'll see it.
SPEAKER_00: The list.
SPEAKER_00: I'll do like a it's startling sometimes to see how big the list really is.
SPEAKER_00: And there's like a bunch of little boxes next to all the items, and none of them are checked off.
SPEAKER_00: I'm like, oh boy, I gotta recalibrate my thinking on what today's gonna be like.
SPEAKER_00: And you know, it's a good thing.
SPEAKER_00: It's a good thing.
SPEAKER_00: Liz keeps our house in order.
SPEAKER_00: She's very efficient, and it's a good thing that our house has Liz with us to help keep all of us boys straight and in order and straightened out.
SPEAKER_00: And uh she does an amazing job keeping up with the chores and responsibilities of the home.
SPEAKER_00: And we're thankful for moms.
SPEAKER_00: We're thankful for all the hard work that they do, the things they, even their big long lists that they have, we're thankful for that.
SPEAKER_00: But maybe you're here this morning and maybe maybe you feel as though, as a mom, sometimes that to-do list is never ending.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes, I hear I hear a few amens over there.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes you may feel as though the work just never ends.
SPEAKER_00: And there's always more to do.
SPEAKER_00: There's always more responsibilities, there's always more work, there's always the next thing that needs to get done.
SPEAKER_00: And I think we would all acknowledge this morning it's because motherhood is hard work.
SPEAKER_00: It's hard work to be a mom.
SPEAKER_00: And I think that there are times where we can get so bogged down in the work, the work of parenting, the work of motherhood, that at times moms may lose sight of the big picture.
SPEAKER_00: What's it all for?
SPEAKER_00: Why am I doing all of this, other than to keep the family breathing, but you know, other than that.
SPEAKER_00: The reality is that there is a primary mission of motherhood that lies behind all of the day-to-day work and responsibilities.
SPEAKER_00: There's a primary, significant mission that moms have that drives everything else.
SPEAKER_00: And it would be my desire this morning to take just a few moments and to reflect on this mission for moms.
SPEAKER_00: To reflect on the mission, to remember the mission.
SPEAKER_00: And whether you are a mom, by the way, whether you are a mom this morning of young kids currently in the season of diaper changing, potty training, temper tantrums, or school projects, or you're a mom this morning with kids that have now become adults and you're navigating those relationships with adult kids who are setting out on their own, or you're here this morning and you've graduated to grandma or great-grandma status.
SPEAKER_00: Could I just tell you this morning the mission, the work, the labor may change over time?
SPEAKER_00: I'm hoping there's a day coming when I don't have to change diapers.
SPEAKER_00: I'm hoping I'm hoping we're almost there.
SPEAKER_00: The work changes.
SPEAKER_00: But could I challenge you this morning?
SPEAKER_00: The mission doesn't.
SPEAKER_00: The mission stays the same.
SPEAKER_00: The mission of motherhood is a constant.
SPEAKER_00: So what is that mission this morning?
SPEAKER_00: Let's pray and then we're gonna dig into the text together.
SPEAKER_00: Heavenly Father, we thank you for today, thankful for this opportunity we have to be here this morning and to now open up our Bibles and to see what your word has to say.
SPEAKER_00: And Lord, we believe there that you have something to say today.
SPEAKER_00: You have something for us this morning.
SPEAKER_00: And it's contained right in the pages of Scripture.
SPEAKER_00: And so, Father, give us open hearts, open minds to be receptive to your word this morning.
SPEAKER_00: Help us to listen and to hear and to reflect and to consider and to meditate and to think about what your word says.
SPEAKER_00: And I pray that as we do these things, that you would grow us, that you would change us, that you would help us to become more like Christ.
SPEAKER_00: Help us to implement and apply the things we hear this morning.
SPEAKER_00: It's in Jesus' name I pray.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Open your Bibles with me to the book of Deuteronomy to start this morning.
SPEAKER_00: We're gonna be hopping around to a few different passages.
SPEAKER_00: We're going to start in Deuteronomy chapter 6 today.
SPEAKER_00: Deuteronomy chapter 6.
SPEAKER_00: By the way, if you don't have a Bible with you, we do have extra pew Bibles in the pews around you.
SPEAKER_00: And so if you want, if you're in need of a Bible, there should be a copy under the chair in front of you or somewhat adjacent to you if you do need one of those.
SPEAKER_00: Deuteronomy chapter 6, beginning in verse 4.
SPEAKER_00: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
SPEAKER_00: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
SPEAKER_00: And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
SPEAKER_00: This passage begins with a significant statement, especially to the Jewish people, which is known as the Shema.
SPEAKER_00: It's known as the Shema because the very first Hebrew word in verse 4 is Shema.
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Shema.
SPEAKER_00: Good.
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
SPEAKER_00: A few of you are awake this morning.
SPEAKER_00: Shema.
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so Shema means here.
SPEAKER_00: It means here.
SPEAKER_00: Listen.
SPEAKER_00: Pay attention.
SPEAKER_00: And what is it that the people of Israel were meant to hear and listen to here?
SPEAKER_00: We notice that they are called, if you see the flow of the passage, they are called to know God.
SPEAKER_00: You see in verse 4, hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
SPEAKER_00: This is a call to know God, to know who the one true God is, but then not just to know him.
SPEAKER_00: And then we see in verse 4, coming out of knowing God, we are called to what?
SPEAKER_00: To love God.
SPEAKER_00: So you are called to know God, and the more you know him, to grow in your love for him.
SPEAKER_00: And then in verse 6, flowing out of love comes what?
SPEAKER_00: In verse 6?
SPEAKER_00: Obedience.
SPEAKER_00: So this really forms the paradigm.
SPEAKER_00: This was the framework for the Jewish people.
SPEAKER_00: This is what they were called, instructed to do.
SPEAKER_00: Know God, grow in your knowledge of who God is, know him, come to know him.
SPEAKER_00: Could I ask you this morning, do you know God?
SPEAKER_00: And I don't mean do you just know about him?
SPEAKER_00: Do you personally, do you know God this morning?
SPEAKER_00: We see here we're called to know God.
SPEAKER_00: And as we get to know God, we are called then to love him.
SPEAKER_00: And as and the beauty of this is that the more you come to know who God is, the more he draws you to himself in love.
SPEAKER_00: The more you come to know who God truly is, the deeper you will grow in love for him.
SPEAKER_00: And then as you grow in love for God, you see how this just naturally flows, don't you?
SPEAKER_00: The more you desire to obey him.
SPEAKER_00: Because you know he's a good God.
SPEAKER_00: And so because you love God, guess what you also love to do?
SPEAKER_00: You love his commands.
SPEAKER_00: You love to obey him.
SPEAKER_00: So this was the calling here.
SPEAKER_00: This was the paradigm for the Jewish people.
SPEAKER_00: Know God, love God, and obey God.
SPEAKER_00: And then we notice in verse 7, he says, You shall teach them diligently.
SPEAKER_00: What are what is it to teach?
SPEAKER_00: The words.
SPEAKER_00: You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
SPEAKER_00: You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
SPEAKER_00: You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
SPEAKER_00: What this passage speaks to is the chief responsibility and mission of motherhood.
SPEAKER_00: The chief responsibility and mission of motherhood, which is to teach your kids what?
SPEAKER_00: To know God, to love God, and to obey God.
SPEAKER_00: This is the mom's primary mission field.
SPEAKER_00: To take your faith and your belief in God and your love for God and your obedience to God, and to then teach that, pass that down to your children.
SPEAKER_00: And notice the means by which that teaching is meant to take place.
SPEAKER_00: What does he say here in the text?
SPEAKER_00: It's the word of God.
SPEAKER_00: It's the very words of Scripture, is the avenue by which this teaching takes place.
SPEAKER_00: So we notice here, moms, and again, remember, I'm speaking to all moms this morning.
SPEAKER_00: Whether you're a mom of little kids or whether you're your great-grandma status this morning, this is your mission to teach your kids and your kids' kids, and maybe your kids' kids' kids this morning, to teach them to know God, to love God, and to obey God through the means of the Word of God.
SPEAKER_00: This is your mission.
SPEAKER_00: It's interesting.
SPEAKER_00: We notice here a reference to taking the word and binding it in verse 8 to your hand and in between your eyes and putting it on doorposts.
SPEAKER_00: When Liz and I had the privilege of going to Israel a few years ago now, we noticed that there were many Orthodox Jews in Israel who took this passage very literally, and they did exactly this.
SPEAKER_00: They would wear these boxes and they put them right on their forehead.
SPEAKER_00: They wear them around like this.
SPEAKER_00: And inside of that box were tiny scrolls of Scripture.
SPEAKER_00: Then why did they do that?
SPEAKER_00: They're obeying this verse.
SPEAKER_00: That's what they're doing.
SPEAKER_00: And when you'd go into buildings in Israel, you would notice that there were scrolls that were, or there were boxes that were attached to doorposts and entryways, and inside those boxes were scrolls of scripture.
SPEAKER_00: So they were taking this passage and they were implementing it in that fashion.
SPEAKER_00: But we understand this morning if you go back to verse 6.
SPEAKER_00: Ultimately, where does God want the word?
SPEAKER_00: Where does he want the word?
SPEAKER_00: Chris has got it.
SPEAKER_00: The heart.
SPEAKER_00: And so the idea is so immerse yourself in the word.
SPEAKER_00: See how he says?
SPEAKER_00: Whether you're going out or coming in, whether you're lying down or you're rising.
SPEAKER_00: Okay, tell me, of all the activities you do in your life, you're either coming out or you're going.
SPEAKER_00: You're coming out or you're coming in, or you're doing what?
SPEAKER_00: You're rising or you're going down.
SPEAKER_00: So what's the point of the language here?
SPEAKER_00: The point is that this is all-encompassing.
SPEAKER_00: This mission of motherhood is all-encompassing in every phase, in every facet of life, no matter what you're doing.
SPEAKER_00: This is meant to be the primary driver.
SPEAKER_00: This is meant to be behind every action, this mission to teach my kids to know God, love God, and obey Him.
SPEAKER_00: It's behind everything a mom does.
SPEAKER_00: As you go through the regular rhythms of life, discipling your kids is meant to be the why behind everything.
SPEAKER_00: It's meant to be the why behind everything.
SPEAKER_00: So we notice here the mom's primary mission field is the family.
SPEAKER_00: It's in the home.
SPEAKER_00: It's discipling her own children and her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren.
SPEAKER_00: But let's not make the mistake this morning thinking that this is the only place or the only context where this mission is meant to take place.
SPEAKER_00: Because if you open our Bibles and we head over to the New Testament in Titus chapter 2, we see this same paradigm only applied in a different context.
SPEAKER_00: Titus chapter 2.
SPEAKER_00: Titus chapter 2, let's begin in verse 1.
SPEAKER_00: Bless you.
SPEAKER_00: Titus chapter 2, begin in verse 1.
SPEAKER_00: But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.
SPEAKER_00: Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.
SPEAKER_00: Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine.
SPEAKER_00: They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
SPEAKER_00: So I want us to notice here that we see Paul instructing Titus in verse 1 to teach sound doctrine.
SPEAKER_00: This is what the pastor is called to do.
SPEAKER_00: This is one of the pastors' primary responsibilities.
SPEAKER_00: Teach doctrine, teach the word, teach correct doctrine, teach what is right, correctly interpret the word of God.
SPEAKER_00: And this is what we come together when we come together on Sundays.
SPEAKER_00: This is your expectation that your pastor will teach you the word.
SPEAKER_00: But notice it's interesting that in Titus chapter 2, we see this is not the only thing we're supposed to have in the church.
SPEAKER_00: This isn't the only form, this isn't only the only context through which teaching is meant to take place in the local church.
SPEAKER_00: Did you see that here?
SPEAKER_00: You see, there's another teacher in the church.
SPEAKER_00: And where do we see that?
SPEAKER_00: We see it in verse 3.
SPEAKER_00: Older women are to what?
SPEAKER_00: At the end of verse 3.
SPEAKER_00: They are to teach.
SPEAKER_00: So here we have the next command to teach, and this is applicable to the older women, the older women.
SPEAKER_00: And it's interesting because who are the older women called to teach in the text?
SPEAKER_00: The younger women, the younger women, which I think is fascinating when you look back to the Old Testament in Deuteronomy chapter 6, where you see generational teaching meant to take place in the context of the family.
SPEAKER_00: And now we fast forward to the New Testament.
SPEAKER_00: That doesn't, Deuteronomy 6 still applies, it's still applicable to today.
SPEAKER_00: But what is the church called?
SPEAKER_00: What's one of the things the church is called in the New Testament?
SPEAKER_00: What are we?
SPEAKER_00: Somebody's got it.
SPEAKER_00: Family! Yeah, we're family.
SPEAKER_00: The church is the family of God.
SPEAKER_00: And so isn't it fascinating that there's a family, genetical family, that is the context by which disciple making is meant to take place.
SPEAKER_00: But then there's a spiritual family, we notice in the New Testament, a spiritual family by which generational teaching is also meant to be taking place.
SPEAKER_00: Older women raising up the next generation of women in the Word of God.
SPEAKER_00: Which means that my sermon on Sunday isn't enough.
SPEAKER_00: It isn't enough for a healthy church.
SPEAKER_00: A healthy church?
SPEAKER_00: Now, I mean, I'm saying that.
SPEAKER_00: I'm telling you that.
SPEAKER_00: If this is all you're getting on Sundays, it just isn't enough.
SPEAKER_00: And you may say, well, that's, I mean, that's how church has always been for me growing up.
SPEAKER_00: Well, maybe.
SPEAKER_00: But what does the Bible say church should look like?
SPEAKER_00: What does the Bible say church should look like?
SPEAKER_00: This.
SPEAKER_00: A culture of disciple making should be present in the church where there is more teaching going on than just the pastor on Sunday morning.
SPEAKER_00: Where there is, this is, this people, this is a life-on-life discipleship.
SPEAKER_00: This is older moms teaching younger moms the ropes, helping them to understand.
SPEAKER_00: This is what the Word of God expects of us.
SPEAKER_00: And this happens in a life-on-life relational context, where one generation is helping to teach the next generation in the Word of God.
SPEAKER_00: A church that embraces this philosophy, this mindset, this culture of life-on-life discipleship will be a healthy, thriving, growing church body.
SPEAKER_00: It just will be.
SPEAKER_00: Because there's discipleship taking place.
SPEAKER_00: We need more than Sunday morning.
SPEAKER_00: We need it.
SPEAKER_00: And if I could just, if I could just speak a word of encouragement, there are many ladies here this morning who are doing this.
SPEAKER_00: There are many ladies who are embracing this mindset in our church.
SPEAKER_00: And you are a major blessing to this church family.
SPEAKER_00: You are a major blessing to this church family through your engagement of life-on-life discipleship and disciple making in this church.
SPEAKER_00: So, hey, keep up the great work.
SPEAKER_00: Keep up the great work.
SPEAKER_00: You're a blessing.
SPEAKER_00: And let me encourage you, if you're not engaged, get engaged.
SPEAKER_00: It'll be so good for you.
SPEAKER_00: You'll participate in the healthy growth of the body as God's design is for his church.
SPEAKER_00: So, moms, moms, be on mission in your home, and moms, be on mission at church.
SPEAKER_00: Can I say it this way?
SPEAKER_00: Be a church mom.
SPEAKER_00: Or church grandma.
SPEAKER_00: Be a church grandma.
SPEAKER_00: We need you.
SPEAKER_00: There is great blessing for moms on mission.
SPEAKER_00: There is great blessing and reward for moms on mission.
SPEAKER_00: Go with me to Second Timothy chapter one.
SPEAKER_00: Second Timothy chapter one.
SPEAKER_00: Verse five.
SPEAKER_00: Paul's writing to Timothy.
SPEAKER_00: He says in verse five, I am reminded of your sincere faith.
SPEAKER_00: A faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and now I am sure dwells in you as well.
SPEAKER_00: And then if you skip ahead to chapter 3 and verse 14, Paul says, But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: One of the rewards of missional motherhood is a legacy of faith.
SPEAKER_00: A legacy of faith.
SPEAKER_00: Here we notice Paul highlighting a couple relatives of Timothy.
SPEAKER_00: His mom, Eunice, and his grandma, Lois.
SPEAKER_00: And what does he say about these two women?
SPEAKER_00: What does he say?
SPEAKER_00: These were moms on mission.
SPEAKER_00: These were moms on mission who were faithful to Deuteronomy chapter 6, to teach their children to know God, to love God, and to obey God.
SPEAKER_00: We see later in chapter 3, Paul says that he acquitted that you're when you were a child, you were acquainted with the scriptures.
SPEAKER_00: How did that happen?
SPEAKER_00: A grandma and a mom who acquainted Timothy with the scriptures, who did the work, did the effort to help Timothy to come to know the scriptures.
SPEAKER_00: And what does Paul say the reward and the blessing of that?
SPEAKER_00: Is.
SPEAKER_00: What did the scriptures do in Timothy's life?
SPEAKER_00: They made known to him the gospel.
SPEAKER_00: They made known to Timothy the way of salvation.
SPEAKER_00: It's through the scriptures that Timothy came to understand and to know his desperate need to be saved from his sins.
SPEAKER_00: And what ultimately drove him to the foot of the cross to place his faith in Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: And Paul here is attributing that directly to the work of his mom and his grandma, who were just faithful Christians, though at the time Jewish believers, but we would assume now had converted to Christianity.
SPEAKER_00: Faithful believers who just taught and taught and taught and allowed the Word of God to work in Timothy's life and in his heart.
SPEAKER_00: A legacy of faith is a wonderful reward.
SPEAKER_00: It's a wonderful reward to see your children come to know Jesus as their Savior.
SPEAKER_00: Of course, we recognize this morning that there are many faithful moms who faithfully taught their children the Word of God, and it's not a 100% success rate.
SPEAKER_00: It's not a 100% guarantee.
SPEAKER_00: I know there are many moms and grandmas and great-grandmas here this morning who are burdened for children and grandchildren who are either unsaved or who have simply walked away from the faith.
SPEAKER_00: You're not alone.
SPEAKER_00: You're not alone this morning in that burden.
SPEAKER_00: In fact, there was a mom named Monica many years ago who was in that exact same position, deeply burdened for her son.
SPEAKER_00: Her son had rejected the gospel.
SPEAKER_00: He was living a life of sin and debauchery and rebellion.
SPEAKER_00: And Monica was known to weep and to pray for her son day and night.
SPEAKER_00: The kind of burden that just brings you to your knees in prayer and in sorrow.
SPEAKER_00: She prayed and she prayed and she prayed.
SPEAKER_00: Until one day her son, in adulthood, finally saw the light of the gospel and turned to God in saving faith.
SPEAKER_00: And that son's name was Augustine.
SPEAKER_00: He would go on to become one of the greatest theologians in all of Christian history.
SPEAKER_00: And in his writings and in his reflections, you know what he credits his salvation to?
SPEAKER_00: Not to his own study of the scriptures, not to his own, okay, I had a dramatic moment and now I've realized, you know, I've it's dawned on me.
SPEAKER_00: I've I finally turned.
SPEAKER_00: No, do you know who he credits?
SPEAKER_00: His salvation too?
SPEAKER_00: The faithful tears and prayers of his mom, who never gave up on him.
SPEAKER_00: Even in his rebellion, even in his sin, never gave up on him.
SPEAKER_00: Could I encourage you, moms, this morning?
SPEAKER_00: Don't give up on your kids.
SPEAKER_00: Don't give up on your grandkids.
SPEAKER_00: Keep praying.
SPEAKER_00: Keep weeping.
SPEAKER_00: Keep persevering.
SPEAKER_00: Keep teaching.
SPEAKER_00: Keep speaking the truth in love.
SPEAKER_00: Don't give up on the mission.
SPEAKER_00: Don't give up.
SPEAKER_00: Who knows what the Lord may do.
SPEAKER_00: Don't give up.
SPEAKER_00: If we go to Proverbs chapter 31, we notice another blessing of missional motherhood, Proverbs chapter 31.
SPEAKER_00: A reward of missional motherhood is the praise of family and friends being cherished by family and friends.
SPEAKER_00: Proverbs details the characteristics here in this final chapter of a woman who is described as an excellent wife.
SPEAKER_00: An excellent wife.
SPEAKER_00: And you notice the reward of the excellent wife if you go to verse 28.
SPEAKER_00: Chapter 31, verse 28.
SPEAKER_00: We read, Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband also, and he praises her.
SPEAKER_00: To rise up was a sign of respect, a sign of honor, indicating that both the husband and the children consider this woman worthy of honor and of praise.
SPEAKER_00: And just how praiseworthy is this mom, this wife, how praiseworthy is she?
SPEAKER_00: If you look in verse 29, you see what the husband says.
SPEAKER_00: He says, Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.
SPEAKER_00: Brief aside to the husbands this morning, how often have you told your wife this?
SPEAKER_00: How often have you blessed your wife with this kind of praise?
SPEAKER_00: We see here, this husband gives that praise to the excellent wife.
SPEAKER_00: Notice how praiseworthy she is, though.
SPEAKER_00: If you go back to verse 10, we see in verse 10, an excellent wife.
SPEAKER_00: Who can find?
SPEAKER_00: She is far more precious than jewels.
SPEAKER_00: That word excellent.
SPEAKER_00: You see that there in the text.
SPEAKER_00: Excellent.
SPEAKER_00: So we begin this passage on the excellent wife, and Solomon is stating, or the author is stating here, that this is a rare find.
SPEAKER_00: An excellent wife, a virtuous wife, a wife who fears the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: She is as rare as a rare and precious jewel.
SPEAKER_00: This is not common in culture or society to find this kind of wife.
SPEAKER_00: But then if you notice, if you skip ahead to verse 29, what does he say?
SPEAKER_00: What does the husband say in verse 29?
SPEAKER_00: Many women have done excellently.
SPEAKER_00: Do you notice the contradiction?
SPEAKER_00: At the beginning of the passage, we have it's rare.
SPEAKER_00: The excellent wife is rare.
SPEAKER_00: It's the exact same word, excellent in our translations.
SPEAKER_00: It's the exact same Hebrew word.
SPEAKER_00: He says it's rare in verse 10.
SPEAKER_00: But then in praising his wife in verse 29, he says, many have done excellently.
SPEAKER_00: How are we to understand what he's doing here?
SPEAKER_00: Well, a few months ago we got to go to Florida, and I can tell you, one of my great dreams in life is to, or I should say it was to, pluck a fresh orange just ripened from Florida, and to enjoy eating that orange.
SPEAKER_00: I love oranges.
SPEAKER_00: I love them.
SPEAKER_00: And I just I want them fresh.
SPEAKER_00: I want to taste the fresh, juicy orange straight from the grove.
SPEAKER_00: And we've been to Florida a few times.
SPEAKER_00: We've never been when oranges are in season.
SPEAKER_00: We've never done it until just this past winter, we got to do it.
SPEAKER_00: And we went to a place called Orange World.
SPEAKER_00: It was literally a giant orange-shaped store.
SPEAKER_00: Inside, it was like there was no oranges, but on the outside, they had fresh-picked oranges of all different varieties.
SPEAKER_00: And I was like, I'll have like five of each.
SPEAKER_00: And we're like, we're only here for like six days.
SPEAKER_00: It's like I'll eat like seven today.
SPEAKER_00: And I loaded up on these oranges.
SPEAKER_00: I was the happiest guy.
SPEAKER_00: I was so happy.
SPEAKER_00: And so we went to the park later, and I cracked open one of those oranges.
SPEAKER_00: It was like my third of the day.
SPEAKER_00: Cracked open an orange, and I started eating that orange, and I tell, I kid you not.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, so good.
SPEAKER_00: Just juicy, sweet, delicious.
SPEAKER_00: I mean, it was just perfection.
SPEAKER_00: It was a dream come true.
SPEAKER_00: Literally, a dream come true.
SPEAKER_00: And I asked, I can't remember the context of why we were talking about this, but we got in the car later and I had asked Riot, Riot, did you see I ate one of our Florida oranges?
SPEAKER_00: Did you see I ate one of our Florida oranges?
SPEAKER_00: And you know what he told me?
SPEAKER_00: He said, no, I didn't, Dad, I didn't see you eat the orange.
SPEAKER_00: I didn't see you eat the orange.
SPEAKER_00: I heard you eat the orange.
SPEAKER_00: I was in such revelry and delight with every bite.
SPEAKER_00: Mmm, mmm, mmm, every, I mean, I'm just devouring this orange.
SPEAKER_00: He heard me from like the playset.
SPEAKER_00: He heard his dad eating this orange.
SPEAKER_00: The idea is this that the excellent wife, she's hard to find.
SPEAKER_00: But this husband, when he's praising his wife, he says, in comparison to you, the excellent wives are a dime a dozen.
SPEAKER_00: They're like your regular common Meyer oranges compared to you, my Florida orange.
SPEAKER_00: You are the chief, you are the best.
SPEAKER_00: You surpass all else.
SPEAKER_00: You surpass them all.
SPEAKER_00: You are so excellent.
SPEAKER_00: And this is the reward.
SPEAKER_00: This is the praise for moms who are on mission.
SPEAKER_00: You are cherished and loved and praised by your family.
SPEAKER_00: They're so grateful that, wow, we get to be with you.
SPEAKER_00: There's great praise here.
SPEAKER_00: Okay, we can keep going.
SPEAKER_00: There's one more, and we gotta wrap up.
SPEAKER_00: Matthew 25.
SPEAKER_00: Matthew 25, 21.
SPEAKER_00: I just want you to see this.
SPEAKER_00: Matthew 25, 21.
SPEAKER_00: Jesus is telling a parable, the parable of the talents.
SPEAKER_00: He's describing the story of this master who's gone away.
SPEAKER_00: He's entrusted responsibilities and finances to his servants.
SPEAKER_00: The master returns, and it's time to settle accounts.
SPEAKER_00: In other words, it's time to examine the work of the servants while the master is away.
SPEAKER_00: You get the picture.
SPEAKER_00: This is a description of Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: He's gone away.
SPEAKER_00: He's entrusted us with the responsibility, with the work of the ministry.
SPEAKER_00: And when Jesus returns, there will be an evaluation.
SPEAKER_00: There will be an examination.
SPEAKER_00: How did you do?
SPEAKER_00: Were you faithful to go about the work of the master while the master was away?
SPEAKER_00: What did you do with your life?
SPEAKER_00: Is the question.
SPEAKER_00: And what do we see here for those who are faithful?
SPEAKER_00: Verse 21, or excuse me, verse 20, we read, and he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, Master, you delivered to me five talents.
SPEAKER_00: Here, I have made five talents more.
SPEAKER_00: His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant.
SPEAKER_00: You have been faithful over a little.
SPEAKER_00: I will set you over much.
SPEAKER_00: Enter into the joy of your master.
SPEAKER_00: For those moms that are faithful, those moms who are faithful to the mission, you are invited to partake in what?
SPEAKER_00: The joy of the master.
SPEAKER_00: Joy is your reward this morning.
SPEAKER_00: Joy.
SPEAKER_00: Do you moms?
SPEAKER_00: Do you want joy?
SPEAKER_00: Don't you want joy?
SPEAKER_00: Don't you want to be filled with joy?
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you're a mom this morning, you're saying, I don't have a lot of joy.
SPEAKER_00: I'm struggling.
SPEAKER_00: I'm struggling with the work.
SPEAKER_00: I'm struggling with the labor.
SPEAKER_00: I'm struggling with the hardships.
SPEAKER_00: I'm struggling with the transitions.
SPEAKER_00: I'm struggling with my kids.
SPEAKER_00: It's hard.
SPEAKER_00: And maybe you're here this morning, you'd say, that's me.
SPEAKER_00: Could I just challenge you this morning?
SPEAKER_00: Could I encourage you this morning?
SPEAKER_00: Don't forget the mission.
SPEAKER_00: Keep your hand to the plow.
SPEAKER_00: Keep your hand to the plow of the mission.
SPEAKER_00: Give yourself to the mission.
SPEAKER_00: And this is a promise.
SPEAKER_00: It's a promise from Jesus Himself that you will enter into joy, abundant, overflowing.
SPEAKER_00: This is the joy of God we're talking about, people.
SPEAKER_00: Are you hearing this?
SPEAKER_00: Is anybody with me this morning?
SPEAKER_00: The joy of God.
SPEAKER_00: It's yours if you're on mission.
SPEAKER_00: I promise you, I promise you, you will have joy that is more than anything else this world can offer you.
SPEAKER_00: When you choose to be on mission, when you choose to be on mission, this is your reward.
SPEAKER_00: Do you want it this morning?
SPEAKER_00: Do you want joy?
SPEAKER_00: If you want joy this morning, would you give me a hearty amen?
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Father, we thank you for today.
SPEAKER_00: We're thankful for this opportunity we've had to dig into your word.
SPEAKER_00: To remind ourselves of the mission.
SPEAKER_00: The mission of motherhood.
SPEAKER_00: What a beautiful thing.
SPEAKER_00: What a beautiful design you have for moms.
SPEAKER_00: God, you have created moms.
SPEAKER_00: You've designed moms.
SPEAKER_00: You've created, as Genesis reminds us, you've created a very good thing.
SPEAKER_00: We're thankful for the moms.
SPEAKER_00: We're thankful for the women in our lives.
SPEAKER_00: Father, I pray that you'd encourage our moms today.
SPEAKER_00: Encourage them to the task.
SPEAKER_00: Encourage them to the mission.
SPEAKER_00: Encourage them to be faithful in the home.
SPEAKER_00: To never give up.
SPEAKER_00: To disciple and disciple and disciple.
SPEAKER_00: Encourage them to be faithful here at the church.
SPEAKER_00: We need them here too.
SPEAKER_00: We need moms on mission.
SPEAKER_00: We need church moms and church grandmas who will engage in the ministry and the mission of disciple making here at the church.
SPEAKER_00: Lord, I pray that for the moms who are committing this morning and committing to be faithful to the mission, Lord, I pray that you would bless them richly, bless them abundantly.
SPEAKER_00: We pray for faith in children and grandchildren.
SPEAKER_00: We pray for a legacy of faith to be passed down.
SPEAKER_00: Lord, we want to lift up this morning especially those kids and grandkids and maybe grandkids, great-grandkids this morning who don't know you, or perhaps have turned away from the faith and are living in rebellion, living in sin, have turned their back on you and on your goodness and on your love.
SPEAKER_00: Lord, we join together this morning and ask, please, Lord, break into those stony hearts.
SPEAKER_00: Break in with your love and your goodness and draw them back to yourself.
SPEAKER_00: Lord, please, we love our kids.
SPEAKER_00: We want them to have your love too.
SPEAKER_00: Father, we pray that you would fill up our moms this morning with great abundant joy.
SPEAKER_00: I pray that as they are faithful to living for you, to living on mission, that they would be overwhelmed by your joy every day.
SPEAKER_00: We thank you for this promise of Scripture.
SPEAKER_00: We love you, God.
SPEAKER_00: It's in Jesus' name I pray.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.