The Depth of Love
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The Depth of Love
Text:
Show video for Mother’s Day – Skit Guys
You talk to a mom on any given day and the to do list seems longer than ever. She
is a teacher. Mother’s a disciplinarians. Mothers are cleaning ladies. Some mothers
are gardeners & mowers of lawns. And most mothers understand that baking
cookies is more important than washing windows, too.
Mothers are nurses, & doctors, & psychologists, & counselors, & chauffeurs, & coaches. Mothers are developers of personalities, molders of vocabularies, &
coaches. Mothers are developers of personalities, molders of vocabularies, &
shapers of attitudes. Mothers are soft voices saying, I love you and mothers are
a link to God, a child’s first impression of God’s love.
Mothers are all of these things and much, much more.
Let me share an Illustrtration:
Listen to the illustration by Erma Bombeck, who wrote a column
that tells us about the act of creating mothers.
She says that on the day God created mothers He had already worked long
overtime. And an angel said to Him, "Lord, you sure are spending a lot of time on
this one”
The Lord turned said, "Have you read the specs on this model? She is supposed
to be completely washable, but not plastic. She is to have 180 moving parts, all of
them replaceable. She is to have a kiss that will heal everything from a broken leg
to a broken heart. She is to have a lap that will disappear whenever she stands up.
She is to be able to function on black coffee & leftovers. And she is supposed to
have six pairs of hands."
"Six pairs of hands," said the angel, "that’s impossible." "It’s not the six pairs of
Six pairs of hands, said the angel, that’s impossible.
“It’s not the six pairs of hands that bother me said the Lord, It’s the three pairs of eyes. She is supposed to have one pair that sees through closed doors so that whenever she says, `What are you kids doing in there?’ she already knows what they’re doing in there.
hands that bother me." said the Lord, "It’s the three pairs of eyes. She is supposed
to have one pair that sees through closed doors so that whenever she says, `What
She has another pair in the back of her head to see all the things she is not
are you kids doing in there?’ she already knows what they’re doing in there."
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"She has another pair in the back of her head to see all the things she is not
supposed to see but must see. And then she has one pair right in front that can
look at a child that just goofed, communicate love & understanding without
saying a word.
That’s too much said the angel, You can’t put that much in one model. Why
don’t you rest for a while & resume your creating tomorrow?
No, I can’t, said the Lord. I’m close to creating someone very much like myself.
I’ve already come up with a model who can heal herself when she is sick - who
can feed a family of six with one pound of hamburger - who can persuade a
nine year old to take a shower. Then the angel looked at the model of motherhood a little more closely & said, “She’s too soft Oh, but she is tough”, said the Lord. “You’d be surprised at how much this mother can do.
Then the angel looked at the model of motherhood a little more closely & said,
She’s too soft “Oh, but she is tough, said the Lord. You’d be surprised at how
much this mother can do."
"Can she think?” asked the angel. “Not only can she think,” said the Lord, “but she
can reason & compromise & persuade.”
Then the angel reached over & touched her cheek. This one has a leak, he said.
I told you that you couldn’t put that much in one model. That’s not a leak;
said the Lord."That’s a tear”.
"What’s a tear for?" asked the angel. "Well it’s for joy, for sadness, for sorrow, for
disappointment, for pride."
We need to keep this illustration in mind when we look at the life of Mrs. Zebedee
to better understand her. She is the mother of James and John.
Let’s take a look at our text:
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
“What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
&quoThen the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons &, kneeling
down, asked a favor of Him. `What is it you want?’ He asked.
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"She said, `Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right & the
other at your left in your kingdom.’
"`You don’t know what you are asking,’ Jesus said to them. `Can you drink the cup
I am going to drink?’ `We can,’ they answered.
"Jesus said to them, `You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or
left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been
prepared by my Father.’"
Prayer – for mothers in the church to realize and see the challenge they are given
and give them the courage to continue in their stand.
Mrs. Zebedee was aware of the teachings of Jesus about His kingdom. She was
also very aware of the fact that her sons, James & John, were close to Him. They
were two-thirds of the inner circle of Peter, James, & John.
So she was certain that when the Lord formed His kingdom that they would have
positions of responsibility & authority. But in the first part of this same chapter,
Jesus tells a story that must have disturbed her.
It was a story about a landowner who went out to find laborers early in the
morning. They agreed upon a fair day’s wage & started working. Then at noon he
went out & found some more, & they started working. Then towards evening he
went out & found some more & they started working. Yet, when the Lord paid
them off at the end of the day they all received the same wage.
It must have caused Mrs. Zebedee to wonder, "Will my sons really have positions
of authority in the Lord’s new kingdom?"
So when the opportunity presented itself she came to the Lord. Matthew says
that she bowed before Him & made this request, "When you establish your
kingdom, I would request seats on your right & left hand for my two sons."
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We might very well criticize Mrs. Zebedee for her presumptuousness. But since
today is Mother’s Day, maybe we ought to think for a few moments concerning
some positive things about Mrs. Zebedee.
We need also to recognize that when she came to Jesus, while Jesus did not grant
her request, neither did he deny it. He simply reminded her of the cost of being
seated on the right or left & then told her that it is the Father who determines
who will be seated there.
I. SHE PRAYED THAT HER SONS MIGHT BE A PART OF THE KINGDOM
I. SHE PRAYED THAT HER SONS MIGHT BE A PART OF THE KINGDOM
KINGDOM
KINGDOM
Mrs. Zebedee wanted great things, let’s face it there is nothing out of the
ordinary when we think of the heart of a mother. That is certainly typical for a
mom to desire for her children; to do something good with his/her life.
She desired that God would use her children. Isn’t that not our heart’s desire? We love knowing and seeing the hand of God on the lives of our family members especially our children.
She came to the Lord and prayed that her sons would be part of His Kingdom.
I can think of no more important task of motherhood than that – to seek to
ensure that your children are a part of the kingdom of God!
I know that many mothers pray. Sometimes they pray out of necessity.
Sometimes they pray because motherhood is not easy, it is at times very
difficult.
Illustration:
James Dobson tells about a time he came home when his son, Ryan, was a
small baby. It had been a terrible day for his wife. Ryan had been sick, & had
cried all day long.
Once, as she was changing his diapers, the telephone rang & Shirley reached
over to answer it before fastening up his diapers. Just then Ryan had made a
mess that required another diaper change.
She cleaned up that mess & put him in clean, sweet-smelling clothes. Then she
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took him into the living room & fed him. As she was burping him he threw up
all over himself, & her, & the couch, too.
Dobson writes, “When I came home I could smell the aroma of motherhood
everywhere.” Shirley cried out to him, "Was all of this in my contract?"
Anyone remember being a mom of young children and what it was like? It is hard work and overwhelming at times.
I remember on more than one occasion meeting my husband at the door when
he came home from work handing him our baby girl so I could just take a
breather outside the house, and regain my sanity so I could finish the day.
My hat is off to the single mothers that are here that face this challenge on
their own. I pray for you often thinking about what you are dealing with.
Motherhood is the hardest, most rewarding job I have ever had.
I love being a mom, there is nothing else like it but it is certainly not a walk in the park.
mom, there is nothing else like it but it is certainly not a walk in the park.
The best thing a mom can do for her children is to pray for them!
Sometimes mothers pray just out of the frustration of it all. And sometimes in
the frustration of trying to teach our children we realize the difficulties of
communication.
A friend of mine remembers very clearly the time he gave his two-year-old
son, Steve, his very first responsibility. He told Steve to watch Susan, his baby
sister, while he stepped out of the room. He had only been gone a few
moments when he heard a thump, then Susan started crying.
He rushed back in to find that Susan had fallen from the couch & was
stretched out on the floor. Meanwhile, Steve sat there, looking so innocent.
My friend said, “Steve, I told you to watch her." Steve answered, "I did”.
He watched her fall & he watched her cry. He did exactly what he was told to do.
watched her fall & he watched her cry. He did exactly what he was told to do.
Being a parent is not easy. Sometimes it is filled with joy & sometimes with
sadness. Sometimes your children make you so proud you want to pop your
buttons. At other times you can’t find enough handkerchiefs to dry your tears.
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What good is it if our children are successful in making money, & driving fine
automobiles, & living in good neighborhoods, but they don’t know God?
What does it matter if they gain the whole world, but lose their souls?
does it matter if they gain the whole world, but lose their souls?
Being a parent is not easy. It is difficult. But Mrs. Zebedee gives us a valuable
example, for she prayed earnestly that her sons would be a part of His
kingdom.
We need that same concern for our children. I hope that in the heart of every
mother & father here this morning there is a burden to go to the throne of God
& to pray for our children - to pray that they will be saved, saved from eternal
damnation, & saved for eternal life. That is the place to begin.
I do not consider myself to be anywhere near an expert in parenting but I do
know a God that is more than capable to take care of my children. After all he
created them in the first place.
My oldest daughter had a terrible experience when she was only an infant
where she was having trouble with digestion. There were puddles of milk
stains in my carpet when we first had Michaela due to the fact that she could
not keep her formula down. I had taken her back and forth to the doctor
several times, she wasn’t loosing weight but she wasn’t gaining weight either. I
was feeling incompetent as a new mom because my child was crying in pain
but I could not resolve it and could not get the answers.
I took her yet another time to the doctor to get help, after switching her
formula a number of times trying to see if this would aid in her digestion. I
managed to see a doctor who attended our church. He took us in right away
because of how sick Michaela was. He saw firsthand what we were dealing
with. He admitted her for observation. While I was there I was taught how to
feed my baby a bottle (talk about hard on your ego as a new mom) but I did it
despite my personal feelings on it for the benefit of my baby girl.
I was not leaving my two month old alone I didn’t care where I had to sleep (as
if I would get any at all). The next morning the admitting doctor (a friend from
our church) came in to see us and said they cannot figure out what is wrong
with Michaela. It was not lactose intolerance or an allergy to the milk. They
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ruled out many possibilities because of no other present side effects.
Melissa when my science fails me my God never does and then asked if he
He said Melissa when my science fails me my God never does and then asked if he
could pray. He laid his hands on Michaela and we prayed. That day Michaela
never vomited once. She was released from the hospital the next day went
back on the same formula she came in on without any further issues!!
There is nothing better than you can do for your children than to bear them up
in prayer!!
II. SHE PRAYED THAT HER SONS WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE WORK OF HIS KINGDOM
II. SHE PRAYED THAT HER SONS WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE WORK OF HIS KINGDOM
HIS KINGDOM
Secondly, not only did Mrs. Zebedee pray that her children would be a
part of His kingdom, but she prayed that they would be actively involved
in the work of His kingdom.
Maybe it is not enough just to be saved. Churches are full of people
content just to fill a pew on Sunday mornings. There are plenty of
people willing to sit back & receive the blessings, but seldom do they get
involved in doing any of the real work of the church.
But where does the spirit of service begin? It begins at home, with
mothers & fathers setting the example & praying that their sons &
daughters, might be involved in the work of the kingdom - as teachers,
leaders, discipling others - that they might be the ones to go out into the
world & find the lost - to see that the church continues on until Jesus
comes again.
Parents we need to not just encourage our children to give their time to
the church we need to model it. Children are led by example, give of
your time together!
Mrs. Zebedee prayed that her children would be actively involved in the
work of His kingdom. And we need to walk in her footsteps, too.
III. SHE HAD BIG EXPECTATIONS
III. SHE HAD BIG EXPECTATIONS
Thirdly, Mrs. Zebedee had big expectations, I like that. She didn’t
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just pray that her children would be doorkeepers. She wanted them on
the right hand & left hand of Jesus.
When you’re working in a kingdom, there are no higher positions than
those on the right & left of the King himself, & that’s what she wanted
for her sons.
We may consider Mrs. Zebedee brash & presumptuous. But I admire her
boldness.
Too often we have settled for mediocrity in the church. For too long we
have been content with just barely making it through the door. For too
long we have been content to sit back & let things happen.
It is time for us to take our positions on the right & left hand, to
become leaders - molding & fashioning the outreach of the church -
mobilizing to make sure the message of Christ goes into all the world.
It is time to strive for excellence - to reach for the very best there is. The
Lord calls us to be His disciples, & to be effective laborers in His
kingdom.
Do you remember? Erma Bombeck had God saying as He was creating a
mother, I am close to creating something very much like myself.
I suppose that is why today is very special - because we recognize that
mother’s love is probably the closest example we have to God’s love. It
is a love that goes through the valley of the shadow of death to bring life
into being. It is a love that sacrifices itself over & over again & would
even dare to lay down its life for its own offspring.
I
llustration:
The story is told - out of WW 2 the holocaust that took the lives of
millions of people - of Solomon Rosenberg & his family. It is a true story.
Solomon Rosenberg & his wife & their 2 sons his mother & father
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were arrested & placed in a Nazi concentration camp. It was a labor
camp, & the rules were simple. As long as you can do your work, you
are permitted to live. When you become too weak to do your work,
then you are exterminated.
Rosenberg watched his mother & father marched off to their deaths, &
he knew that next would be his youngest son, David, because David had
always been a frail child.
Every evening Rosenberg came back into the barracks after his hours of
labor & searched for the faces of his family. When he found them they
would huddle together, embrace one another, &; thank God for another
day of life.
One day Rosenberg came back & didn’t see those familiar faces. He
finally discovered his oldest son, Joshua, in a corner, huddled, weeping,
& praying. He said, "Josh, tell me it’s not true. Joshua turned & said, "It
is true, poppa. Today David was not strong enough to do his work. So
they came for him."
“But where is your mother?"asked Mr. Rosenberg. "Oh poppa," he said,
"When they came for David, he was afraid & he cried. Momma said,
"There is nothing to be afraid of, David,” she took his hand "went
with him."
Conclusion:
Mother’s don’t be so consumed with crossing off your to do lists to
forget that there is one above who loves you and gives you the ability to
love like you do.
Do not forget in the hustle and busyness of life that you are in this position to mould and shape the next generation and this is a blessing. Mother’s do not get so caught up in giving to others that you forget or neglect to take the time to spend time with God daily.
you are in this position to mould and shape the next generation and this
is a blessing. Mother’s do not get so caught up in giving to others that
you forget or neglect to take the time to spend time with God daily.
Let me read this song to you:
I am so glad that our Father in Heav’n
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I am so glad that our Father in Heav’n
Tells of His love in the Book He has giv’n;
Wonderful things in the Bible I see,
This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.
o Refrain:
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me;
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves even me.
Oh, if there’s only one song I can sing,
When in His beauty I see the great King,
This shall my song through eternity be,
“Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me!”
Jesus loves me, and I know I love Him;
Love brought Him down my poor soul to redeem;
Yes, it was love made Him die on the tree;
Oh, I am certain that Jesus loves me!
If one should ask of me, how can I tell?
Glory to Jesus, I know very well!
God’s Holy Spirit with mine doth agree,
Constantly witnessing Jesus loves me.
5. In this assurance I find sweetest rest,
In this assurance I find sweetest rest,
In this assurance I find sweetest rest,
Trusting in Jesus, I know I am blest;
Satan, dismayed, from my soul now doth flee,
When I just tell him that Jesus loves me.
That is motherhood. Mothers, this is your day. May God bless you in it.
And I pray that if there is someone here who has never experienced the
love of God that is so close to the love of a mother, that this will be your
time of decision.
I pray that if you have felt that you have had to walk through that valley
alone so many times, that you will recognize that there is a hand
reaching out to you, saying, "There is nothing to be afraid of. I’ll go with
you”.
And I pray that you will recognize that that one has already gone
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through the valley of the shadow of death for you, & made it possible for you to
live forever.
He extends His loving invitation in much the same way that a mother
opens the doors of her home & invites her children to come back again, He
invites you, too. I pray that you will come as we stand & sing together.
Sing: I am so glad that Jesus Loves me
Oh How He loves us so!