Go

Contact Us

  • Phone: (509) 747-3007
  • Email:
  • Mosaic Address:
    606 West 3rd Ave., Spokane, WA 99201

Service Times

  • Sunday:  8:30 am, 10 am, 11:30 am
  • Infant through 5th grade Sunday School classes available
  • FREE Parking!

Sermons

FILTER BY:

Back To List

May 08, 2011

Spiritual Mothers

Passage: Romans 16:1-13

Preacher: John Repsold

Category: Holiday

Keywords: spiritual parents, spiritual mothering, mother's day

Summary:

Everyone needs spiritual mothers...and the world has been changed by millions of them. This message looks at the impact and importance of women single and married in the task of spiritual parenting.

Detail:

Spiritual Mothers

Mother’s Day—May 8, 2011

Get-acquainted time:  What did your mother particularly contribute to your parenting that your dad or other men in your life didn’t (besides the “X” or “XX” chromosome)?

Questions for “The Mother’s Panel”

  1. What are a couple of the things you love most about being both a natural/biological mother and spiritual mother?
  2. When it comes to “spiritual parenting,” what do you think are the most important qualities a mom can model for younger believers? 
  3. What would one piece of wisdom/counsel/advice would you give to…
    1. mothers of grade school and younger children?
    2. mothers of teen aged children?
    3. grandmothers and mothers of adult children?

Well, welcome to another Mother’s Day. 

Things Our Mothers Taught Us

  • My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
    "If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."
  • My mother taught me about RELIGION.
    "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."
  • My mother taught me LOGIC.
    "Because I said so, that’s why."
  • My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
    "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident."
  • My mother taught me IRONY.
    "Keep crying, and I’ll give you something to cry about."
  • My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
    "Shut your mouth and eat your supper."
  • My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
    "Stop acting like your father!"
  • My mother taught me about ENVY.
    "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful parents like you do."
  • My mother taught me GENETICS.
    "You act just like your father."
  • My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
    "Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"
  • My mother taught me WISDOM.
    "When you get to be my age, you’ll understand."
  • My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
    "One day you’ll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

Does that describe your childhood?  And just about the time most of us figured out that our mothers weren’t really being mean, just loving, we had to leave home and start a life of taking care of other people, right?  J 

Well, even if you’re an adult today and responsible for the lives of little people…or other big people…you’re never completely free of needing a mother’s wisdom, teaching and influence.  And if you think you are, you’re doing better than the Apostle Paul.  He admitted to the entire church in Rome that one of the brothers in the church named Rufus had a mother that had “been a mother to” him as well (Romans 16:13).  We’ll look at that in a moment.

In fact, women, if you think that the church is a man’s world where male leadership doesn’t allow you to exercise God’s call upon your life, then you haven’t read Romans 16.  Of the 28 people either specifically named or referred to individually, 1/3rd (8-9) of them are clearly women…most of them undoubtedly mothers. 

      Apart from simply sheer numbers and percentages, the important roles women had in the Early Church were astounding.  Let’s look at Romans 16 for a few moments today.

  • Vss. 1-2:  Phoebe—called “our sister”, “a servant of the church in Cenchrea.” (Cenchrea was a port town about 6 miles from the city of Corinth) Phoebe’s name means literally “bright” or “radiant.” And it actually comes from pagan mythology about the bright and radiant moon goddess Artemis.  So much for thinking you had to completely ditch your cultural roots.  The early church didn’t’ think it necessary to rename everyone in order to get as far away from the pagan culture as possible.  For the same reason, I wouldn’t let someone try and convince you that celebrating things like Christmas or Easter is a “pagan” activity.  It is only if you are worshiping some pagan god in it rather than the living, resurrected, God-in-human-flesh Jesus Christ!

            Paul calls her “a servant,” a word in Greek which is actually the feminine form of the word sometimes used for “deacons” or “men who serve” in the church.  It’s not at all clear in the N.T. whether this was a church office Phoebe held (like “deaconess”) or (more likely) a statement of her work and service to an entire church in the city of Cenchrea. 

      Paul even raises her to a pretty exalted ministry status when he says, “she has been a great help to many people, including me” (vs. 2). That phrase “a great help” is one word in Greek (prostates) which means “one who stands in front, a protector, a helper.”  Wow!  Here is a woman of whom the great Apostle Paul says, “This woman is no small help to many in the city-church; she has been a great help to me.  She’s ‘out in front’ when it comes to serving the church.” 

APP:  The church of every age and every place has always had women who took service to Jesus Christ as deeply, powerfully and profoundly as any man.  Women often understand better than men that it is in serving that greatness and power is found.  The early church knew nothing of a feminized church (which so many churches seem to be today).  But it equally knows nothing of a church where women are simply in the background, unseen, unsung and unnoticed. 

ILL: 

  • Where would thousands of orphaned and prostituted children have been in the last century if it were not for the pioneering work of the British single woman missionary Amy Carmichael in India.  Almost single-handedly she confronted the centuries old practice of Hindu temple prostitution of children, rescuing thousands from a life of horror through her orphanages and schools.  In her spare time she wrote 35 books detailing her 55 years in India.  And she spent the last 20 years of her life bed-ridden after a serious fall, directing the work of the Dohnavur Fellowship. 
  • Where would the Chinese church, now the largest and fastest growing church in the world, be today without saints like Lottie Moon.  If you’re a Southern Baptist, you know that name from the annual Christmas Offering taken in S. Baptist churches for foreign missions.  Today it raises tens of millions a year to support works all over the world.  But when it began in the late 1800s, it was motivated by Lottie’s passion to see more Christian missionaries in China, a notoriously difficult mission field.  She didn’t mince words when she wrote, “It is odd that a million Baptists of the South can furnish only 3 men for all China.  Odd that with 500 preachers in the state of Virginia, we must rely on a Presbyterian to fill a Baptist pulpit [here].  I wonder how these things look in heaven.  They certainly look very [odd] in China….”

      Her first Christmas offering raised enough money through Southern Baptist women to send 3 new missionary women to China.  Lottie died on Christmas Eve, 1912, aboard ship carrying her from China to the U.S. after a doctor ordered her to return to the States.  Her compassion for local Chinese in Tengchow who had been ravaged by plague, smallpox and famine in 1911 had caused her to expend all her resources for perishing Chinese.  She actually ended up starving herself to death so others might live.

  • I could spend all morning and much more telling you about how women have changed the face of the Christian Church in every century, most notably in the last two centuries.  Church and mission history is full of the amazing exploits of more women than men who left lives of ease and comfort in order to take the Gospel of Christ to some of THE most inhospitable, harsh and pagan areas of the world.  From Moravian women who packed their belongings in caskets knowing that they would probably die within 2 years of going to Africa to Betsy Stockton, a black woman and former slave who got to Hawaii in 1823 only as a “domestic servant for another missionary couple” but ended up launching a school, women, particularly single women, have changed the face of eternity by changing the face of the church in time. 
  • Having seen the church in several dozen countries of the world in my lifetime, I can honestly say that women have done far more than men in advancing the Gospel of Christ in more countries in our lifetime.  Go anywhere in the world and where you find a competent, successful, man doing the work of the Gospel, you will always find an equally godly and committed wife by his side.  And for every single man you may find working for Christ, you will find 2 or 3 single women doing the same.  Where have we gotten this idea that spiritual mothering is something of the past???

Paul goes on to talk about other women in the Roman church like…

  • Priscilla, vss. 3-4.  Here is a woman who is mentioned numerous times by both Luke (in Acts) and Paul (in Romans, I Cor. 16:19 and 2 Tim. 4:19).  She and her husband were fellow- tentmakers with Paul.  Paul actually lived with them in Corinth (Ac. 18:3).  It is interesting (and a bit unusual) that in 4 of the 6 references to them in Acts and Paul’s letters, Priscilla is mentioned first.  She and her husband were strong teachers in the church as is evidenced by their teaching of the Alexandrian Jew named Apollos in Ephesus (Ac. 18:24-26).  It is highly likely that she had a significant role in teaching Apollos (along with her husband). 

      Here they are called Paul’s “fellow-workers” who “risked their lives for” Paul and for the all the Gentile churches of the day.  They must have been key leaders in the first-century church in many cities.  By the time Paul writes Romans, they are back in Rome heading up another church “in their house.” 

APP:  Thank God for women who see their home as a key place to do the work of the church.  That’s one reason I love pastoring in a place that is a little hole in the wall.  I’ve done the “BIG CHURCH BUILDING” routine before.  I’ve been a part of mulit-million dollar church building programs.  And frankly, what happens in a home where a godly man or woman see their home as their neighborhood’s “church” is FAR MORE SIGNIFICANT than we can imagine. 

Women, ask God to turn your home into His church, His dwelling place, that place where the presence of God is powerfully felt both by your family and by God’s family in your neighborhood. 

Look at how most of the remainder of the women mentioned in Romans 16 are referred to:

6 Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.  7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.

12)Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord.  Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.

Three times they are called women who “worked hard” or “worked very hard in the Lord.” 

The reality of the history of God’s church is that a great part of it has been built upon the labors, hearts and shoulders of spiritually passionate women.  A HUGE part of that building has taken place in the homes of godly women. 

ILL: Preacher G. Campbell Morgan had 4 sons and they all became ministers of the gospel. At a family reunion, a friend asked one of the sons, "Which Morgan is the greatest preacher?" While that son looked at his father, he replied, "MOTHER."

ILL:  At one time, a London editor submitted to Winston Churchill for his approval a list of all those who had been Churchill’s teachers. Churchill returned the list with this comment: “You have omitted…mention [of] the greatest of my teachers—my Mother.”

Women, the greatest legacy any man or women can leave is to spend their life for what lasts:  the Kingdom of God.  Lots of men and women “work hard”, but too many do so for the wrong things. 

ILL:  As I’ve mentioned before, I grew up in a home that, at first, did not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  At that time, “WORK” was probably one of the most frequently used and important word in my parents vocabulary.  May dad worked long hours and many a Saturday.  My mom worked to keep our home with 5 kids running.  She volunteered heavily at Deaconess Hospital and other non-profit organizations. During summer vacations at the lake I rarely remember either of my parents “sitting around.”  They were usually working at gardening, pruning, build rock retaining walls or fixing fences on the acreage. That’s why I still today find it a challenge to really learn to rest. 

            But that same energy and dedication got shifted to the Kingdom of God as soon as they became believers in Jesus.  They headed up more ministries than I can count in the remaining 40 years of life God has given them.  Mom spoke at monthly women’s luncheons for decades that led hundreds of women to Christ.  She taught Bible Studies mid-week, worked with youth on the weekend, disciple college wives and led church ministries for decades.  My Dad “worked hard” in giving his time and money to dozens of Christian organizations and hundreds of Christian people until he finally retired…for the second time…at 83 or 84!   

            I and 3 of my 4 siblings in full-time Christian work owe a good bit of our passion for God’s kingdom to a mother (and father) who have modeled precisely what Paul commended these women for:  “working very hard in the Lord.” 

WOMEN, your children are watching not only what you do to take care of the home life but what you do to build the Kingdom of God.  Don’t waste your life!  Don’t waste your home!  Don’t wait until your children are grown.  Do it now.  Once your children have left, don’t sit back saying, “I’ve already done my part,”…and fritter away what could be the best years of Kingdom building. 

Lastly, Paul commends one women in Romans 16:13 with these words, “ 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.” 

We never outgrow the need of spiritual mothers…never!  If the Apostle Paul pointed to a women in Rome who had “been a mother to” him, don’t ever think, women, that your impact is over or your time has passed.  Once a mother, always a mother, right?  Once the heart of a spiritual “mother” of others, always the heart of a spiritual “mother.”  Women, don’t let that “mother’s heart” ever die in you.  Whether you have 0 or a dozen biological kids, never lose the heart of being a spiritual mother, a nurturer of the most important life in the world…the life of Christ…in the hearts of others!

Women, you don’t have to have ever been married to be “a mother to others.”  You don’t have to ever have had children to become a person known for a lifetime of “good deeds” to children, to those in need and to the family of God. 

One of my favorite stories about the impact just one loving woman can have far beyond your imagination is a story about a boy named Teddy. 

Teddy Stallard was just a little kid when it all stared.  He was nothing special.  In fact, he appeared completely disinterested in school.  His clothes were wrinkled, his hair never combed.  He was one of those kids with a deadpan face, expressionless – sort of a glassy, unfocused stare. 

When Miss Thompson, his teacher, spoke to Teddy, he always answered in monosyllables.  Unattractive, unmotivated, and distant, he was just plain hard to like.  Even though his teacher said she loved all in her class the same, down inside she wasn’t being completely truthful.

Whenever she marked Teddy’s papers, she got a certain perverse pleasure out of putting “X”s next to the wrong answers and when she put the “F”s at the top of the papers, she usually did it with a flair.  She should have known better; she had Teddy’s records and she knew more about him than she wanted to admit.  The records read:

--1st Grade:  Teddy shows promise with his work and attitude, but poor home situation.

2nd Grade:  Teddy could do better.  Mother is seriously ill.  He receives little help at home.

--3rd Grade:  Teddy is a good boy but too serious.  He is a slow learner.  His mother died this year.

--4th Grade:  Teddy is very slow, but well behaved.  His father shows no interest.

Christmas came and the boys and girls in Miss Thompson’s class brought her Christmas presents.  They piled their presents on her desk and crowded around to watch her open them.  Among the presents was one from Teddy Stallard.  She was surprised that he had brought her a gift, but he had.  Teddy’s gift was wrapped in brown paper and was held together with Scotch tape.  On the paper were written the simple words, “For Miss Thomson from Teddy.”  When she opened Teddy’s present, out fell a gaudy rhinestone bracelet, with half the stones missing, and a bottle of cheap perfume.

            The other boys and girls began to giggle and smirk over Teddy’s gift, but Miss Thompson at least had enough sense to silence them by immediately putting on the bracelet and putting some of the perfume on her wrist.  Holding her wrist up for the other children to smell, she said, “Doesn’t it smell lovely?”  And the other children, taking their cues from the teacher, readily agreed with oohs and aahs. 

At the end of the day, when school was over and the other children had left, Teddy lingered behind.  He slowly came over to her desk and said softly, “Miss Thompson…Miss Thompson, you smell just like my mother…and her bracelet looks real pretty on you, too.  I’m glad you like my presents.”  

When Teddy left, Miss Thompson got down on her knees and asked God to forgive her.

The next day when the children came to school, they were welcomed by a new teacher.  Miss Thompson had become a different person.  She was no longer just a teacher; she had become an agent of God.  She was now a person committed to loving her children and doing things for them that would live on after her.  She helped all the children, but especially the slow ones, and especially Teddy Stallard.   By the end of that school year, Teddy showed dramatic improvement.  He had caught up with most of the students and was even ahead of some. 

She didn’t hear from Teddy for a long time.  Then one day, she receive a note that read:

            Dear Miss Thompson:  I wanted you to be the first to know.  I will be graduating second in my high school class.  Love, Teddy Stallard

Four years later, another note cam:

            Dear Miss Thompson:  They just told me I will be graduating first in my college graduating class.  I wanted you to be the first to know.  The university has not been easy, but I liked it.  Love, Teddy Stallard

And four years later:

            Dear Miss Thompson:  As of today, I am Theodore Stallard, MD.  How about that?  I wanted you to be the first to know.  I am getting married next month, the 27th to be exact.  I want you to come and sit where my mother would sit if she were alive.  You are the only family I have now; Dad died last year.  Love, Teddy Stallard

Miss Thompson went to the wedding and sat where Teddy’s mother would have sat.  She deserved to sit there; she had done something for Teddy that he would never forget. 

Moms…women who invest in the lives of others…everyone… when we are people “known for our good deeds”, life will never be the same…not for us, not for those we spend our lives for.  It may take years to find that out.  It may take an eternity to confirm it.  But when you do the work of a spiritual mother or father by laboring and loving and giving of yourself to make life better for someone else, whether it’s your child or your young adult or someone else’s son or daughter, life will never be the same.  Neither will eternity and the Kingdom of God. 

CLOSE/APP

  • Everyone (especially men), how about writing a note of appreciation to some woman who has been a mother-figure in your life at some point, a woman who has blessed your life through her personal sacrifice and service?
  • Women, who are you investing in right now as a “spiritual mom” in some capacity?  Sharing your wisdom with?  Serving with acts of kindness?  They may not ever tell you “thanks.”  But God will never fail to notice.  If you’re not “mothering” someone right now, why not?  What are you waiting for?