Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
There is one thing that everyone has in common.
No matter what your culture, age, race, religion, or political leaning, we all come from a mother.
It’s not always simple, though.
Some are natural birth mothers, others are mothers through adoption, others have been absent for one reason or another, and some have long-since been laid to rest.
But we all come from a mother.
Just think for a minute about the vast scope of responsibility that is on a mother’s shoulders:
The king upon his throne has no higher work than has the mother.
(Adventist Home, 231)
Mrs. Ellen White goes on to say that the mother is the Queen of the home, which is a neat idea.
But look at the high calling.
There is literally no higher responsibility on earth than the work of a mother.
There are opportunities of inestimable worth, interests infinitely precious, committed to every mother.
The humble round of duties which women have come to regard as a wearisome task should be looked upon as a grand and noble work.
It is the mother's privilege to bless the world by her influence, and in doing this she will bring joy to her own heart.
She may make straight paths for the feet of her children through sunshine and shadow to the glorious heights above.
But it is only when she seeks, in her own life, to follow the teachings of Christ that the mother can hope to form the character of her children after the divine pattern.
(Adventist Home, 234)
Think for a minute about the many tasks of a mother—especially a mother with children at home—you begin to realize that its a full-time job.
One study concluded that a typical mother spends 57 hours a week on the chores of the home and duties of childrearing.
And that doesn’t include the average of 24 hours of paid work she does on top of that!
Meal preparation and cleanup
House cleaning
Laundry
Managing a child’s schoolwork and helping them with homework
Keeping the home’s daily calendar and meeting appointments
Managing the children’s medical and dental care
Upkeep and replacement of children’s clothing as they tear or grow out of them
Shopping
Tidying toys
Helping kids with baths
Nursing kids and husband when sick
Transportation to school and work
Preparing for events
Packing and unpacking for travel
And the list goes on and on and on.
But the most important on that list is this:
Nurturing a godly character in her children
Mothers are the most influential and consequential figures in all of humanity.
No politician would rise to power without a mother’s guidance and encouragement.
No businessman or academic or scientist would soar to heights of prestige and influence without first having a mother’s confidence in their possibility.
And so, today we celebrate the divine gift of mothers.
I’d like to ask the children to come forward and each pick up a few flowers and then go into the audience and give those flowers to every adult woman you see.
They may be a mother or a grandmother or maybe they’ve never had children, but just being here in church they play a nurturing role.
All our women are to be prized and cherished whether they have children or not.
Children and husbands give out flowers
God loves mothers
There are so many stories of mothers in the Bible: from Eve to Mary and all the stories in-between.
We could look at the story of Ruth and the pain of the loss she experienced—her husband and her two children.
We could look at the story of Hannah and the pain and heartbreak she felt for being barren in a society where a woman’s value was based on her ability to bear children.
Or we could look at the story of Jochabed who did everything she could to save her baby, Moses, from a tyrannical government, and who ultimately trusted him to the hands of God.
There are so many stories in the Bible, but I’d like to focus on one story that highlights a simple, yet profound reality:
God Loves Mothers
Turn in your Bibles to 2 Kings 4 and we’re going to consider the story of a widow who was struggling to make ends meet and provide for her family.
Life doesn’t always feel blessed.
Maybe you’re a single mom, like this widow.
Maybe you’ve lost your husband to death or divorce, and now you’re facing the burden and responsibility of raising a family all on your own.
Raising godly kids, juggling home duties, providing financially, and still taking care of your own needs is an overwhelming responsibility.
The US Census Bureau looks at the makeup of homes in the US and they found that in 2021 11 million families were run by single parents—nearly 80% of those homes are headed by single mothers.
23% of those homes were poor
29% of those mothers were jobless for the entire year
28% didn’t have enough food to feed their children
52% were never married
30% were divorced
and 18.4% were either separated or widowed
This unnamed widow of one of the sons of the prophets is not alone.
And maybe this is, or was, your story too.
A single mom struggling…
Thankfully, this mother did the right thing—she asked for help from a godly leader.
What can I do for you?
If God were to ask you that question, what would you say right now?
What in your life is currently beyond your ability to manage?
How do you need help from God?
Without waiting for a reply, Elisha started probing for a solution, “what do you have in your house?”
But there really wasn’t anything in the house.
The debt her husband had left her with had already consumed all her posessions.
Not only had she sold everything to pay the creditors, but she also didn’t have anything to feed her young boys...
Except...
“Except for a jar of oil.”
That “jar of oil” wasn’t the size of our modern-day canola oil containers.
The word “jar” comes from the root for “anoint” and implies a small amount.
It wasn’t a large clay flask for storing cooking oil.
What this woman had left was a small amount of oil that would barely be enough for an anointing.
But when God asks “what do you have,” He’s got a plan.
When God asked Moses, “what do you have in your hand?” the results ended up being amazing.
With the shepherd’s staff in Moses’ hand God made wonderful things happen.
The plagues descended, the sea parted, the rock poured out water, and so much more.
When God asks, “what do you have?” plan on a miracle.
Gathering lots of jars to fill with oil when you only have a few drops sounds like a fruitless endeavor.
There are many tasks in a mothers day that may feel fruitless.
Washing the dishes for the fourth time today, or folding laundry late into the night.
Helping a young child pick up their room for the 100th time and wondering if they will ever learn to clean it on their own.
Even praying for a wayward child can sometimes feel like shouting into a windstorm.
Is it really worth the effort?
The mother in our story dismissed all of those thoughts for two reasons:
She was determined to hold her family together at all costs.
She believed God’s prophet and knew that if she obeyed God, He would take care of them.
A mother’s determination is a power that rivals nearly every other force in the world.
On May 3, 1980, a hit-and-run driver killed Candice Lightner’s 13 year old daughter.
The 46 year old man, Clarence Busch, left the girl’s body at the scene.
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