Sermon by Dr. Jeffrey Jeremiah
May 14, 2006

"A Vision for Motherhood"
2 Timothy 1:5; 1 Samuel 1:9-11

I’ve been thinking a lot this year about vision, God’s vision for His church, for our church, His vision for our lives. On this Mother’s Day, I want to look at a part of the vision God has for our role as parents to our children, especially that of moms. I admit that even considering that God could have a vision for us in this part of our lives can be overwhelming. When I look at the world we’re raising our kids in, it’s much easier to get defensive and feel threatened than to be visionary. We want to protect our sons and daughters from so many dangers: bad relationships, drugs, alcohol, pornography, illicit sex, smoking, and violence, to name a few. Living under the potential threat of these can be draining. We’ll settle for just getting our kids into their adult years whole and unharmed by these incredibly destructive forces. This defensiveness is complemented by the incredibly hectic schedule that marks parents' and especially moms' lives. Two bumper stickers I saw recently sum it up pretty well for moms: "My kids play soccer, I have no life," and "My kids drive me crazy, I drive them everywhere else." When do you have the time to sit back and ask, what do I really want for my children? If there was ever a time in our society when we needed to sense and appreciate what a mother does, the impact she has especially when she has a vision for her children, it is today. Mothers, regardless of how hectic your life is, you are having an impact on your children, an influence that can last a lifetime. Be encouraged about the positive influence you can have on the lives of the children God's given you and know that your influence does make a difference for good and even for greatness.

A mother's influence for good is clearly seen in the lives of many of our great leaders. During the Revolutionary War, men like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and John Adams came from distinctly different educational, economic, and social backgrounds, but they all had strong relationships with their mothers. Mom’s impact was seen in three distinct areas. First, she produced a strong, healthy sense of self-confidence. Second, she encouraged in her child a desire to achieve and third, she helped instill courage in the face of adversity. Then there’s Abraham Lincoln. It’s rightly said that Lincoln was great not because he was born in a log cabin; he was great because he didn’t stay there. When asked who was most responsible for his success, he replied, "It was my mother who shaped my life." Lincoln’s mother Nancy Hanks died when he was just 10 years old, but she is the one who influenced him the most. Lincoln also said, "No man is poor who has a godly mother." Most of us have seen at one time the list of descendants of Jonathan Edwards, arguably the greatest theologian produced in America. He was a leader of the First Great Awakening in the 1730s and 1740s. The family tree of the Edwards includes 13 college presidents, 65 professors, 100 lawyers and deans of law schools, 30 judges, 66 doctors, a dean of a medical school, 80 holders of public office, including three Senators of the United States, three mayors of large cities, three state governors, and a vice president of the United States. In evaluating this incredible influence of one family, even secular historians conclude, "It can all be traced to the impact of Sarah Edwards." Sarah Edwards, Jonathan Edwards’ wife, had a vision of motherhood. She devoted her life to her family and children.

Proverbs 29:18 says, "Without a vision, the people perish." I’d like to relate that truth to this Mother’s Day message and say that without a God-given vision that a mother has for her children, our sons and daughters very likely will not become the men and women God’s called them to be. So moms, let me ask you, what’s the vision you have for your children? That may be the most important question you answer as a person, because your major contribution to human history and to the cause of Jesus Christ may well be your children and the impact you have on them.

This morning we’re looking at two mothers in God’s Word who had a large vision for their children. The first mom is Eunice, Timothy’s mother. In his second letter to Timothy Paul writes, "I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also." Those words are a cause for celebration, but they’re also an important part of God’s vision for motherhood: that your saving faith is passed on to your children and your children’s children. 2 Timothy 3:14-15 tells us how Eunice did this, as Paul tells Timothy, "Continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ." Three verbs jump out that describe this process of passing on the faith. Eunice was certain that Timothy learned, knew, and became convinced of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. I’m sure she taught her son the truth so that he knew it; it made sense to him. But Timothy became convinced of salvation in Jesus Christ; it became decisive to how he lived his life because of the way Christianity was modeled by his mother and grandmother. Mothers, the environment of your home, the culture you create in your family has such an important impact on the life of your kids! A great statement of that impact is found in these words: "If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn. If a child lives with hostility, she learns to fight. If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy. If a child lives with shame, she learns to feel guilty. If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient. If a child lives with encouragement, she learns confidence. If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate. If a child lives with fairness, she learns justice. If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith. If a child lives with approval, she learns to like herself. If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns love." I think Timothy’s mother understood the truth of these words. She created a culture in her home that God used to raise up a son who learned, knew, and was convinced of the salvation that is found only in Jesus Christ. I want to say on this Mother’s Day that I’m grateful to God for my sons’ mother and the culture of love and grace and faith she’s created in our family. Cindy, thank you!

The second mom is Hannah. In her prayer in 1 Samuel 1:9-11 three things stand out. First, she was sincere. She had a deep, heartfelt desire for a son, and she prayed that God would give her a child. Second, her prayer was specific. She said, "God, if you will give me a son, I will give him back to you. I’ll let him stay in the temple, I will dedicate him to you, consecrate him to your service for life." Thirdly, her prayer was sacrificial. She did give him up to the Lord; she dedicated her boy to the Lord’s work. What happened to her son? Samuel became one of the greatest leaders in the history of Israel. He helped his people move through the transition from the judges to the kings. He anointed Saul and then David king. He was a great influencer in his country, a man of God. It all began with the prayer of a mother who understood the value of pouring herself into her child and giving that child to God.

Moms, how do you pray for your children? Let me encourage you to pray that your child would bless the world, would have a major impact for good, for God in the coming generation. That, I think, is the second part of God’s vision for motherhood: that your child would bless the world, have a major impact for God in this generation. You may say, "Jeff, don’t you think that’s an incredibly idealistic prayer?" My answer is no. I don’t think it’s asking too much to pray that God would make your child a world-changer. If there’s one thing our world needs today it’s role models, godly leaders, heroes, men, and women people can look up to. There are way too many world destroyers right now, too many we cannot respect or follow. Let me encourage you to aspire aggressively to the greatest God could have in store for your sons and daughters. Pray that your child will be a world-changer, one who will make a difference for Jesus Christ. Let me say this as well. If you are a grandmother and your children are no longer a part of the culture of your home, there is nothing that says you cannot continue to intercede for your child to the Lord asking that the Lord would use and work through your son or daughter in a magnificent way.