Ladies, Do what you do
Selected Scriptures
Introduction-
Good morning again, Happy Mother’s Day, Happy ladies day as we celebrate all the women in our lives. (Amen)
I have two verses we will center on this morning.
One is the faith of a Canaanite women recorded in Matthew
The principal of doing good and never giving up found in the 6th chapter of Galatians.
Matthew 15:21-28
Jesus is at the height of His ministry and is confronted by a Canaanite women who claimed that her daughter was demon-possessed. She cries out for mercy from Jesus to respond to her problem. Jesus does not answer quickly and His disciples urge Him to send her away. When Jesus does reply, He tells her that he was sent to the lost sheep of Israel. She again asks for mercy and says that even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the masters table.
Jesus answered “Women you have great faith, your request is granted.”
Do you see what just happened here?
She approaches Jesus with her request. The disciples try to send her away. She’s not giving up!
Jesus replies that He was sent to the people of Israel she comes back and says that even dogs are allowed to eat the crumbs that fall from the table of the master. There is no way she is leaving without Jesus answering her request.
Jesus replies- “You have great faith, your request is granted.”
The gospel was to the Jews first, and the Canaanite women understood that implication but would settle for some crumbs from the master.
Jesus was pleased by her response, He was pleased with her wit to pursue what she needed.
Jesus was pleased by her faith and her humility and responds by answering her prayer request.
I have to ask you- Is there a greater love than the love of a mother for her child? Outside of God’s love- probably not.
Love of her child had this women approach a stranger with her request.
Love of her child made her appeal for help and take a risk.
Love was a driving force.
There is nothing that you would not do and no obstacle that would get in the way.
I try to be sensitive on Mother’s day because it can be a tough day for some.
If you lost your mother, I pray that you can find joy in the memories you have.
If your mother was not the best, I pray that God has brought someone else in your life to fill that void that is in your life.
If you are a mother and you have lost someone, I pray that the Lord comfort you and give you strength to do what you need to do.
Ladies, not just moms, do you know the impact that you make on people lives?
Ladies would you stand? We honor this morning! We are grateful that you are a part of each one of our lives. (Thank you be seated)
Ladies you speak the truth in love- sometimes it hurts, most of the time it is needed.
My mom never counted to three, never put me in time out, if she counted to three, it just meant that she was far away from me and would be getting madder as she came toward me.
Illustration
Two men who lived in a small village got into a terrible dispute that they could not resolve. So they decided to talk to the town sage. The first man went to the sage home and told his version of what happened. When he finished, the sage said “your absolutely right” the next night, the second man called on the sage and told his side of the story. The sage said “your absolutely right” afterward, the sage’s wife scolded her husband. Those men told you two different stories and you told them they were absolutely right. That’s impossible- they cannot both be absolutely right. The sage turned to his wife and said, “your absolutely right”
Conflict is unavoidable, but it must be handled well or else things get worse.
One source of conflict is fear.
Fear can stop you from doing what is needed.
Fear can paralyze you and totally take you out of the game and can cause bad things to happen.
This Canaanite women conquered fear and approached Jesus with her request.
You know what conquered fear? Faith and action. If either one is missing, fear wins.
It is why Jesus was so pleased with this Canaanite women. She put her faith into action.
Faith can move mountains as an action, and faith is just a belief when it put up on a shelf as a trophy. (Repeat)
Today we face so many challenges
Our faith is attacked/ beliefs questioned
Motherhood is cheapened by the demand of society to make more money.
Faithfulness and commitment are just words and more women are single moms trying to be both mom and father to their kids.
I think being a mom or caregiver is one of the most demanding jobs ever.
Women are expected to make the bacon, cook the bacon, and clean up after.
Have a career
Have perfect kids
Be available at all times and never get tired.
I think of my mom soon to be 79 years old and her health has faded a little.
All the things that she has done for me.
Being the shepherd and body guard. Chasing the boggy-man away and protecting me on the streets of Milwaukee.
Patching me up when I had a boo- boo and sacrificing at all cost.
2 pieces of pie and 3 hungry people- mom decided that she did not want one.
Moms, you are appreciated this morning.
Caregivers, God sees what sacrifices you are making, and they are not going unnoticed.
In fact, Jesus acknowledges you this morning- you have great faith!
There will always be roadblocks (repeat)
You will always have someone telling you- go away
You will always be faced with fears that require action, and a faith that is more than a belief, it is a lifestyle.
She was getting to Jesus- she was going to get Jesus to respond to her.
Persistent people please God because it is faith in action.
I may not know what you are going through, but I serve a God that cares and understands.
Apostle Paul’s words
“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it, but one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.
Seems like an odd verse seeing that we are honoring those who have made a difference in our lives, but sometimes we just get tired and we need encouragement, sometimes we need to get the past behind us so that we can conquer or enjoy what is in front of us.
How about it mom?
How about it caregiver?
How about it church?
Need to put something behind you so you can enjoy what is ahead?
Last verse, last thought, we find it in Galatians chapter 6
Galatians chapter 6:9-6:10
“And let us not weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
Can I tell you this morning- hold on! When you are weary and you think nobody cares- know He cares. And in due season, you shall reap what you sow- sow doing good and you will be rewarded.
Sometime we feel like nothing matters. Heaven will be full of people that were impacted by people who hung in there and were persistent and stayed the course.
You are called to keep on keeping on and we are called to journey with each other and be mindful of those around us.
Don’t lose sight of the harvest. Don’t take your eyes off the goal, and don’t be distracted by things that don’t matter.
“Therefore since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.” 2 cor. 4:1
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage each other.”
Church we need each other.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Church, We need the Lord active in our lives and we need our faith focused and persistent. We need to remember that we were created to do good things, we will be rewarded for our good deeds, we will reap a harvest if we stay focused if we do not give up.
This morning be encouraged and never give up
