Mother’s Day – Miscellaneous Reflections and Hannah

-Introduction

-This has been one of those weeks in which I have changed my mind about the topic of

 this morning’s lesson.

            -Entering this week, I was planning on presenting a lesson relating to Mother’s Day.

            -But, after becoming sick and spending Tuesday night, Wednesday, Thursday and

             Friday in bed, my plans changed. 

-Since I didn’t have much opportunity to work on my lessons, I decided to take what I

 had worked on for Wednesday night’s class and turn it into a sermon.

            -Those were my plans until late yesterday afternoon when I decided to go ahead and

             start from scratch with some thoughts pertaining to Mother’s Day.

-So, today’s lesson will consist primarily of some general observations.

-General Thoughts

-When I think about motherhood and the scriptures, I think about several different things.

-God certainly assigned mothers a precious and very significant and important role.

-I think about Ruth, a Moabitess who displayed such marvelous character in difficult

 times and circumstances.

            -Ruth 1:16 - As we know, she displayed great devotion and service toward her mother-in-

             law, Naomi.

-Eventually, she met and married Boaz and gave birth to Obed (Ruth 4:17-22) who

 was the father of Jesse who was the father of David.

      -Of course, Jesus descended from David so Ruth is in the lineage of Jesus - Matt 1:5.

-So, there is one example of a wonderful person being included by the providence of

 God.

-Speaking of the heritage of Jesus, we know that His earthly parents were Joseph and

 Mary.

            -Luke 1:28-29  (Luke 2:19, 2:51)

            -God could have sent Jesus to Earth in whatever manner He wanted.  Jesus could

 have simply descended from heaven in adult form and began His work.

-Yet, in accordance with His plan, in fulfillment of O.T. prophecies and for Jesus to

 experience the fullness of human life, Jesus came here by way of woman.

      -Gal 4:4

      -Such is a great credit to motherhood.

            -Interestingly, after the childhood of Jesus, we hear no more about Joseph.  However,

             we continue to hear about Mary at various points along the way.

                        -One of Jesus’ sayings from the cross concerned His mother – John 19:26-27.

                        -Such shows a great deal of respect on the part of Jesus toward His earthly mother

                         over whom He was and is Lord.

                                    -Eph 6:2 (Ex 20:12)

-Hannah

-1 Samuel 1:1-2, 5-6

-Within such a brief description you can feel the agony and heartbreak of Hannah, can’t

 you?

            -We do find that Elkanah tried to comfort her (vs 8).

-Also, right away in this account, we can see quite a contrast between Hannah and the

 mean-spirited Peninnah.

-Of course, Hannah sought comfort through prayer and confided in God.  She promised

 that if God would grant her with a son, she would give him to God – and she did.

            -I don’t think you can find a good mother without finding a giving spirit.

            -Would you say that many times, the role of a mother is an awful lot of give and not

             much take.

-“From the record we have of Hannah she appears to have been a woman with an

 unblemished character.  Piety reigned in her heart, and she maintained constant communion

 with the religious ordinances of her nation.  Pious Hannah was separated unto the Lord, and

 amidst trying domestic relationships knew how to have recourse to Him for all necessary

 grace to bear her troubles.  She cried day and night unto the Lord, and was heard in that she

 feared Him whom her soul loved.  Because of her godliness, devotion, trust, patience and

 self-sacrifice, she came to be signally blessed of the Lord, and, in turn, communicated to her

 renowned son Samuel something of her saintliness of life and character.  It was no easy task

 to live for years with a nasty woman like Peninnah, but Hannah retained her serenity of soul

 and was a veritable lily among thorns” (Lockyer, Dr. Herbert, All the Women of the Bible,

 Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, Michigan).

-Summary and Invitation

-Although many things have changed in this world, many things remain the same.

-People are still people.  We face many of the same temptations that people have faced for

 centuries.

            -There are still people today that show the same character flaws that have been shown

             since time began.

            -And, thankfully, there are those that show the same strength of character as revealed in

             scriptural record of God’s faithful.

-Look amongst those today that hold that strength of character and you will find many good,

 faithful mothers.

            -Happy Mother’s Day!

-Invitation