MOTHERS DAY Sun 8th May 2011
Scriptures: Proverbs 31:10-end The good wife
Acts 18; 24-26 Women in the early church
John 20 : 11-18 Mary Magdalene honoured by Jesus
Intro: This service is arranged today by the men of CPAC to honour our mothers and all women as Jesus did. So we are giving Jinny our Vicar a break and seeking to bless her aswell!
(1) What the Bible says about women
- God created man and woman together in his image. Genesis 1:26-end
-It was his idea to create us like him so we could have fellowship with Him and with one another.
-together we bear the image of God
-together we are given the commission to be fruitful and multiply
-together we are given dominion over the earth
-God created man and woman to complete each other Gen 2:18-end
-But in Gen 3 they both sinned and fell in disobedience to God and were expelled from the garden. So God had to start again with Abraham and Sarai to build a people who could live in covenant with Him and each other(Gen 12-28)
In Exodus 20 the 4th Commandment is for children to honour their father and their mother equally. This is the first commandment with a promise, ”that all may go well with you…”
- There are many great women in the OT like faithful Sarah, rejoicing Miriam, believing Hannah, loyal Ruth, trusting Rahab, strong Deborah and courageous Esther.
(2) Women have been treated badly and still are:
Eg by the Pharisees and by the church and by male dominated society who have treated women as inferior to men and blamed women for the fall and many of the ills of society.
So women have been restricted in their access to education and to justice, the vote and positions of responsibility in society. Many women still are oppressed as shown by ‘Rape Crisis’ collecting around the city yesterday and ‘Women’s Refuge’ who run safe houses for women and children abused by men.
Eg. The 100,000 plus solo mothers raising children on their own.
We men have often treated women as
Ÿ a. the problem in society so marginalized them and
Ÿ b. merely as sexual objects to be used and discarded.
Women often have been abused physically, oppressed spiritually and despised mentally.
I must confess that when I think of the shame in our country of our high abortion and solo parent numbers I have in the past thought that women were to blame for these blights upon our land. But the truth is “it takes two to tango” and so irresponsible men are at least equally to blame. Remember when you point a finger at someone 4 fingers are pointing back at you.
The 20th Century Women’s movement was necessary to bring back a balance to society and in the developing world I have been privileged to work with World Vision and UNICEF who are uplifting women and girls by for instance getting girls into education and 50% women on village development committees.
(3) Jesus uplifted women and freed them to be fulfilled and still does:
In Luke and Acts particularly we see the important role that women played in Jesus ministry and the early church eg Luke 8:1-3 The women set free by Jesus followed Him and provided for the disciples out of their resources; Luke 23:49 describes the women who had followed him from Galilee at the cross.
I particularly want us to look at Jesus and Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb as recorded in John 20. She was the first person Jesus revealed himself to when he was resurrected and he commissioned her to tell the disciples that he was ascending to the Father.
1. Just as she recognised him when she was so desperately looking for him when he called her by name so Jesus calls each of us by name… John, Marg, Carol, Jinny…. He knows and loves each of us so much and has a purpose and plan for each of us to fulfill and be fulfilled in. She acknowledged him as ‘raboni’ teacher.
2. The resurrection encounter of Mary was the ultimate way of Jesus affirming women. He not only healed women like Peter’s mother in law of fever and the women who touched his garment and the Phoenician woman’s child; he saved the woman from stoning who was accused of adultery and lifted condemnation off her and he accepted the adoration and precious ointment from the woman before he was crucified, he also honoured his mother at the cross. Jesus was revolutionary in his uplifting and honouring of women for his time.
3. The important message he entrusted Mary Magdalene to take to his disciples affirms women’s vital role as sharers of the gospel. A famous NZ Evangelist Frank Houston went as far as to say that the 3 best ways to get the message out were, ‘television, telephone and tell a woman.’ By that he acknowledged that women often are better at sharing the good news with their families and friends than men. It was through his ministry that Daphne was delivered of a childhood fearful experience and came into greater freedom in the Spirit. When men and women together witness the gospel it is most convincing and effective.
(4) The importance of mothers and Christian women today
One of the most important things our mothers do for us is believe in us. Eg UNICEF campaign saying, ‘Your Mum believed you could change the world. You can.’ this affirms us so much and is such a godly thing. I was praying with a pastor one day and he thanked the Lord that He believed in us. So often we think it’s all up to us to believe in God but realising how much He believes in you and that Jesus chose you is transformative. When we see the Lord’s plan and purpose for each other and share it then heavens power to fulfil that plan happens.
Strong Christian women have been a great help to me in my Christian life: the first prayer meeting I went to I was so awed I couldn’t pray as everyone else did. In my embarrassment I said to the lady next to me, ‘I’m new to this’ and she so graciously empathised with me and said, ‘We’re all learning.’ Valerie Underhill was the wife of the Dean of ChCh and a spiritual friend of Daphne’s mother. She encouraged Daphne to come to the prayer meeting which lead eventually to our marriage. Valerie’s prayers led to a spiritual revival movement centred on the Christchurch Cathedral crypt during the 1970s.
Daphne’s mother Aileen was only 5 ft high but she was a mighty prayer warier who saw all her family come to Christ. Her husband Mo was the toughest nut to crack and in desperate prayer after 16 yrs waiting for him she hit the wall in her cry to God for him. Shortly after a Catholic Sister asked Mo to attend a ‘Life in the Spirit’ Seminar and he was gloriously saved from alcohol to Christ.
Conclusion:
Today I’m believing for a special encouragement from God for the women of CPAC. God believes in you and wants you to shine out for him. Some of you have been held back by various spiritual fears and physical afflictions.(sometimes caused by men who you must forgive; as we men ask forgiveness on their behalf) A little song says, ‘Jesus took my burdens and rolled them in the sea, never to remember anymore.’ today as we pray for you and honour you let any burdens you’re carrying go and let Jesus set you free to be the woman of God he has called you to be. He calls you by name and you can call Him ‘raboni teacher’ as Mary Magdalene did.
Prayer for the women of CPAC. They can stand as those around bless them and John prays.
‘Set your women free today O Lord
From hurts and fears of the past.. condemnation; rejection; physical pain; infertility
Let all affliction Go and let deliverance FLOW
Touch our sisters today with your mighty love
As we bless them in your lovely Name JESUS’
Amen
