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good morning to everyone welcome back to free grace Baptist Church and a warm welcome to any visitors with us this morning just a few announcements before we begin worship this morning the first is there's a couple pots and pans and water bottles and various kitchen type things up on the countertop in the fellowship hall so if you could if you're missing something or if you don't know that you're missing something and might discover that you are you can go up in there and have a look if any of those things are yours we're going to give them to Bibles for missions soon so if you can have a look and make sure that you're not missing something a water bottle a pot in the pan again countertop up in the in the fellowship hall also a reminder with regards to Mike and Jessica Kirkpatrick they're returning soon an email went out number of weeks ago that about the fact that they are looking for furniture so if you have some furniture that you don't need that sort of thing their email address was in that email you can take a photo of the item they can sort of get back to you and make sure that they don't already have it something like that but if you do have anything that you're you know looking at not throwing out because it's garbage but it's excess and you don't need it or you're upgrading that sort of thing you can email them with the photo of the item and that would be very helpful if you do need their email address just get it get ahold of one of the Deacons or Jim or myself and we'll be able to get you that address I believe that's everything so let's turn to our Bibles in as we begin worship you can turn in your Bibles with me to Psalm 23 our call to worship will be a reading of that Psalm Psalm 23 Psalm 23 beginning in verse 1 this is the Word of God a psalm of David the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want he makes me to lie down in green pastures he leads me beside the still waters he restores my soul he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me your rod and your staff they comfort me you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies you anoint my head with oil my cup runs over surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever amen well let's stand and sing you can turn in your larger Trinity hymnals to 2:18 there's more than one tune there we're going to sing the first tune of 218 let's stand and sing together [Music] well let us pray Heavenly Father we come again into your house into this place on your Lord's Day Sabbath to give you honor and praise Father Son and Holy Spirit and we would ask once again as we always do that you would help us by your spirit to hallow your most high name truly you are deserving of all honor and praise and so we do pray that you would help your gathered Saints to be focused to be attentive in worship that we might worship in earnest and in great joy we know that we require your Holy Spirit that we might be raised to that proper place of a vulnerable worship and we do pray that you'd help us now that we would give you honor and praise Father Son and spirit that all that we do this day on your Lord's on this year Lord's Day Sabbath would would be unto that praise and unto that honoring we do just rejoice in the gospel of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ we gather in his name and we know that we so gather as the saints of Christ not because of anything good done in us not because of anything wholly wrought by us but rather so lean alone because of your grace extended to us through Jesus Christ and by the applying power of the Holy Spirit and we rejoice in that perfection of the saving work of the Lord Jesus Christ and time and in history and we rejoice as the Bible sets forth that truth that in the fullness of the times you sent forth your son born of a woman born under the law that he might redeem those who were under the law that we might receive adoption as sons we thank you for the perfection of that work for that Christ who came we thank you that he lived a life of perfect obedience to your law in the place of all those who believed in his name we thank you that upon Calvary's cross he bore in his own body the sins of all of his people that we might die to sin and live unto righteousness surely on that cross he perfectly secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number the forgiveness of sins and that perfect the substitutionary sacrificial atonement and truly rejoice not just in these theological words but in the glue of the truth and we thank you that our Christ Jesus is our saving sacrifice and we pray that we would rejoice in such a glorious gospel we know that it did not end with the cross but that he rose again the third day in power and in great victory we thank you that he has ascended to your right hand where he does now ever live to make intercession for his people we thank you for this blessed truth for our glorious Savior and we do pray that you'd help us now in worship to rejoice in that to reflect with solemnity upon the glory and the the gravity of so great a work and we would pray that we would also be marked by a high joy knowing that in Christ Jesus we have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places we do pray God that you would forgive us afresh of all of the transgressions that we do with our remaining corruption that we engage in with that remaining corruption but we knew we do know that the greater part the spirit prevails we do therefore as well pray for sanctification that you would help us by your spirit to daily put sin to death to live unto righteousness we do pray that we would shine as lights in this crooked and perverse generation that we would shine forth your word of truth that we would hold it forth we pray Lord God that more and more we would have opportunities to share the glories of the Lord Jesus Christ to proclaim his riches and his Excellency's to to people in need we do pray Lord God that you'd be with those here this morning struggling with disease with illness with injury we would ask once again God that you would strengthen these you would help them you would heal them Lord God that you would give them reprieves from pains from discomforts and all of these those things associated with the affliction of the physical man we would just ask that you'd help them we pray as well for those unable to join us who who are suffering as well in these matters we do just pray that you would uplift them and for all of these Lord God that you would strengthen them in the inner man you would help them by your spirit in the midst of these physical afflictions to nevertheless rejoice in their God to rest upon the promises of holy scripture and to be wholly resigned to your will and in each and everything we do pray God that you would watch over those who are persecuted throughout the world for the gospel of Jesus Christ we would just pray that you'd be very near to our brothers and sisters and in those lands where governments where countrymen where there are so many opponents that come against them those who are opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ the Church of Christ and ultimately Christ himself our triune God we would just pray that you would be with your people that you would keep them from the madness of persecution that you would help them in the midst of it we would pray Lord that you would deal with those who do persecute them we pray that you would judge that you would judge them that you would take them out of the way or that you would Lord God by your grace and for your Glory's sake bring them to a knowledge of our blessed Christ we would ask again God that you would be with those who do rule over us in this lower world as you are the one who is sovereign over kings and princes and all who are in authority Lord we would just pray that you would guide their hearts that you would turn their hearts away from wickedness and to justice and righteousness and equity we long to see those who rule over us doing so in righteousness and we pray unto that end Lord and on to that end as well we would pray then that you would remove any who would seek to propagate evil in the midst of our various nations we do pray that your name would be vindicated throughout the earth Lord God that your gospel would go forth victorious and that you would bring many from the darkness of sin to light in Christ we know that the answer and throughout the governments and throughout the the hearts of people who populate the lands Lord we know that the answer is in law and isn't legislation but we know that the answer is the gospel of Jesus Christ and so we do pray that you would be with your missionaries we pray that you would be with ministers of the gospel we pray that you would empower your people at large to proclaim the glories of Christ and that by your spirit many would be brought from deadness and sin to light in life in Christ Jesus our blessed Savior so be with us now God as we continue in worship help us as we worship we would pray that you would just be with us as we sing as we as we pray as we read the scriptures as we engage in preaching and we do pray that you would be Lord God we would pray as well now for the South Surrey Bible study we thank you for the the progression that we've been seeing as the Bible studies are are as the Bible studies are carried out as people come to hear the various Bible studies preached and taught we thank you for this we would pray that you continue to be with everyone it was currently attending those that you would strengthen them and the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord and we pray as we move into a public venue Lord that you would be with this that you would be with this Bible study as with an eye towards a church plant we pray that many would hear of this gathering that we will have be having it at that public location we pray that many would come and hear the truth of Jesus Christ our Lord and we pray Lord God that you would by this endeavor bring many to a knowledge of Jesus Christ our Savior and that you would most certainly bless these works and we pray that you would be over it we pray then now that you'd be with us we pray that you'd be with Pastor Butler as he proclaims your word yet again God we know that ministers of your glorious gospel don't rest upon ingenuity and their own intelligence and strength but they do rely upon Father Son and Holy Spirit so we do pray that you'd be with him as he preaches your word give him much strength in this pulpit and for us in the pews we would ask yet again that you'd be with your people in this place you'd strengthen us that you would feed us by spirit and word we pray that we would be equipped instructed encouraged and and even rebuked Lord God as we go out into the world in order to live in light of such a glorious gospel and we pray finally that you would by spirit and word bring forth those who are presently dead in their trespasses and sins we pray for all who entered in these two doors outside of Christ in unbelief that you would by your spirit by your word and for your Glory's sake bring them forth to a knowledge of our Savior we pray in his most precious name Jesus Christ amen let's stand and sing again together this time hymn number 50 if you'll stand and sing with me hymn number 50 [Music] you [Music] please be seated you turn in your Bibles to mark five for our New Testament scripture reading mark 5 beginning in verse 1 we'll read to verse 20 mark 5 beginning in verse 1 this is the word of God then they came to the other side of the sea to the country of the gadarenes and when he had come out of the boat immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit who had his dwelling among the tombs and no one could bind him not even with chains because he had often been bound with shackles and chains and the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces neither could anyone tame him and always night and day he was in the mountains and in the tombs crying out and cutting himself with stones when he saw Jesus from afar he ran and worshipped him and he cried out with a loud voice and said what have I to do with you Jesus son of the Most High God I implore you by God that you do not torment me for he said to him come out of the man unclean spirit then he asked him what is your name and he answered saying my name is legion for we are many also he begged him earnestly that he would not send them out of the country now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains so all the demons begged him saying send us to the swine that we may enter them and at once Jesus gave them permission then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine there were about two thousand and the herd ran violently down the shiaa down the steep place into the sea and drowned in the sea so those who fed the swine fled and they told it in the city and in the country and they went out to see what it was that had happened then they came to Jesus and saw the one who had being demon-possessed and had the Legion sitting and clothed and in his right mind and they were afraid and those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon and about the swine then they began to plead with him to depart from their region and when he got into the boat he who had being demon-possessed begged him that he might be with him however Jesus did not permit him but said to him go home to your friends and tell them what great things the Lord had done for you has done for you and how he has had compassion on you and he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him and all Marvel amen well the thing that we ought to be taken by to great joy in this passage or the thing that we ought to be taken by generally is not the fact that these two thousand swine dive off the steep place and drown in the sea but the thing that we ought to be taken up to with high thoughts is this language that we see in verse 15 and they came to Jesus and saw the one who had being demon-possessed and had the Legion sitting and clothed and in his right mind the glorious picture of the gospel of Jesus Christ as it comes to sinners and attended by the powerful spirit brings one forth from the madness of sin the darkness of sin to light in life in Jesus Christ our Lord we see this glorious pattern of the imagery of the gospel here this one who was not free you know when we read this language here that he had his dwelling place in the tombs no one could bind him not even with chains because he had often been bound with shackles and chains and the chains had been pulled apart pulled apart by him he may have been able to break these chains he may have been able to break free of the shackles of physical chains but he was bound most certainly to the slavery to the bondage of sin we have this glorious reality that he is brought forth to freedom he is brought forth unto glorious slavery to Jesus Christ by the power of Christ himself we see this commission given to him by Jesus Christ you know this is interesting it's not the primary point of the passage but hopefully it's instructive we see in verse eight and rightly so that this one freed from demon possession now a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ in his right mind wants to be with his Savior we see here that he begged him he the the formerly enslaved in demon-possessed man now freed by Christ beg Christ that he might be with him and however Jesus did not permit him but said to him you know we have some of us out there might have high thoughts of what we ought to do for the kingdom we want prominence we want prestige we our sinful hearts are pricked and perhaps rise up and we want to be the main man the main guy wherever wherever we might find ourselves but here this one doesn't grumble murmur and complain when Christ says no you can't be with me in the way that you want to be with me but rather Christ gives him this commission go home to your friends and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you and how he has had compassion on you the narrative isn't in the formerly demon-possessed man went and grumbled and kicked the dust and kicked the can all the way home and shut his mouth but this wonderful language in verse 20 and he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him in all Marvel we take away from this as wherever God might plant us wherever God might place us what we can do for him is to tell others the great things that Jesus has done for us might we all have that heart to wherever God has placed us tell others of the riches and the excellencies of Jesus Christ our Lord let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for this narrative we rejoice in what it shows us concerning the saving power the sovereign power of our Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for this glorious account of this one enslaved by a demon it was brought forth from that slavery and put in his right mind by Jesus Christ the Lord and rejoiced in him his Savior we do pray that you would help us to see in this a glorious picture of the gospel a glorious a glorious imagery of the fact that even for us we were once shackled we were once chained we were once caught up in the madness of sin but our Lord Jesus Christ and by your grace and for your glory brought us forth from that madness and put us as well into our right minds we do pray that we would rejoice in that we pray that you would help us and by your spirit - wherever you place us - tell of the glories the riches and the excellencies of this great Jesus and we pray Lord God that by your grace many would marvel we pray these things in his name amen well our last him then before the preaching will be in the red Trinity Salter if you'll stand with me and sing Psalm 128 [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to proverbs chapter 31 proverbs chapter 31 today is in fact the Lord's Day but doesn't preclude us from remembering mothers and addressing mothers specifically if you're not a mother here I suspect that you know one so through the course of the sermon perhaps you might make a note on how to pray for that mother that you know are somehow connected to but I do want to set forth some thoughts from the book of Proverbs specifically chapter 31 concerning mothers beginning in chapter 31 at verse 10 here now the word of the living and true God who can find a virtuous wife for her worth is far above rubies the heart of her husband safely trusts her so he will have no lack of gain she does him good and not evil all the days of her life she seeks wool and flax and willingly works with her hands she is like the merchant ships she brings her food from afar she also rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and a portion for her maid servants she considers a field and buys it from her profit she plants a vineyard she Gerdes herself with strength and strengthens her arms she perceives that her merchandise is good and her lamp does not go out by night she stretches out her hands to the distaff and her hand holds the spindle she extends her hand to the poor yes she reaches out her hands to the needy she is not afraid of snow for her household for all her household is clothed with scarlet she makes tapestry for herself her clothing is fine linen and purple her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land she makes linen garments and sells them and supply sashes for the merchants strength and honor are her clothing she shall rejoice in time to come she opens her mouth with wisdom and dawn her tongue is the law of kindness she watches over the days of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness her children rise up and call her blessed her husband also and he praises her many daughters have done well but you excel them all charm is deceitful and beauty is passing but a woman who fears the Lord she shall be praised give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates amen let us pray our Heavenly Father we thank you for the written word we thank you that it is given by inspiration of God its profitable to us for doctrine reproof correction and instruction and righteousness and we pray that the Spirit who gave it would be the spirit of guides us now as we study scripture we would ask that your spirit would be at work in our minds and in our hearts she would teach us from your truth and cause us to be affected by these these truths and may you cause us as believers to pursue obedience to the things revealed herein and God for any and all outside of Christ we pray that today would be the day of salvation certainly the fear of the Lord is set forth positively in this passage Paul tells us there is no fear of God before the eyes of those who are dead in their trespasses and sins so we pray to you our God she would open hearts and eyes to the truth as it is in Jesus that you would indeed exercise that sovereign grace and call effectually unto Christ those who are presently dead in their trespasses and sins we do pray for all mothers or grandmothers those who are charged with the responsibilities in this passage she would strengthen them and help them to be faithful certainly in many ways it is a thankless task it is a non-ending task and we just commit them to you and pray that you had guide them guard them watch over them and strengthen them and do forgive us now for all of our transgressions and our sins when we look at your holy law Lord God it does reveal to us who you are but it also reveals who we are and we are vile in the sight of a holy God so we plead the merit and the mercy and the forgiveness of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray for cleansing in that fountain that is open for sin and uncleanness and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well proverbs 31 verses 10 to 31 are indeed a familiar passage of scripture uncertain that you're all familiar with them in one form or another and it does indeed describe the virtuous wife it's an interesting passage in terms of the Hebrew construction it's what's called an acrostic so each of the verses began with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet and then interestingly in the Hebrew Canon the Book of Ruth follows proverbs and in many respects Ruth is an illustration or an application of what we find here in verses 10 to 31 in Proverbs 31 and as Solomon or as rather the author sketches forth this picture of a godly woman he highlights the fact that she is diligent she is spiritual she is self-control as a wife she is trustworthy and she does good for her husband this is a tall order of goods set forth in this passage and certainly the Spirit is necessary to apply this consistently in one's life but as I said I want to focus on the Christian mother this is a sense where we're going to look at proverbs here but we'll look at other passage as a passages as well and I want to look at four things concerning the Christian mother first her condition before God secondly her influence over her children thirdly her authority over her children and fourthly her responsibility toward her children now God's Word is not lacking in this instruction throughout Scripture we see this emphasis and we see it encompassed in the fifth commandment honor your father and your mother it is absolutely crucial that we understand biblical motherhood before only God but in the first place with reference to her condition before God she is saved by grace we are describing the Christian mother not the unbelieving mother but the Christian mother and she is saved by grace no the emphasis there specifically in verse 30 charm is deceitful and beauty is passing but a woman who fears Yahweh she shall be praised it's the fear of God that characterizes or that marks her life the Apostle Paul tells us in Romans chapter 3 when he highlights the fact that there is none righteous no not one there is none who seeks after God there is none who does the will of God he summarizes the entirety in Romans 3:18 by saying there is no fear of God before their eyes the Prophet Jeremiah God using him speaking to the New Covenant or concerning the new covenant god the lord says i will put the fear of me in their hearts so when we look at this christian mother displayed here on the pages of proverbs 31 her condition before god is that she is saved by the grace of god it's not the case that because of her virtue because of her effectiveness at being a mother because of the fact that she rises early and that she produces and that she makes a lot of money and that she provides well for her family that then god blesses her with salvation it is never the case that a woman will ever enter into heaven based on her deeds based on her performance you can be the best woman the best wife the best mother that you are still dead in your trespasses and sins god's grace must make you alive God must effectually call you God must put the fear of God in the heart of those who believe and this is the emphasis in this passage so ladies if you are not a believer here this morning don't just look for five helpful tips on how to deal with your nasty children but rather look to the Lord Jesus Christ look to the one in whom there is salvation look to the one in whom alone there is forgiveness she is saved by God's grace and then this is crucial in terms of the application of God's command with reference to motherhood you can turn to the book of Titus Titus chapter 2 Titus chapter 2 wherein you the connection between God's saving grace and our ability to function the way the Lord calls us to in this current world notice the particular instruction instructions in Titus 2 verses 1 and following I mean the whole section here in chapter 2 is emphasis on how persons are supposed to conduct themselves the older men are addressed in verse 2 the older women are addressed in verse 3 younger women noticed specifically in verses 4 and 5 that they admonished the young women this is the role of the older women in the church older women in the church are looking for a ministry in the church befriend the younger women until the matter mother their children befriended the younger women and disciple them and mentor them and instruct them on how they are to do the sorts of things that Paul and joins upon us here notice in verse 4 that they the older women admonished the young women to love their husbands to love their children to be discreet chaste homemakers good obedient to their own husband's that the Word of God may not be blasphemed your husbands and towards your children if you are engaged in unbelieving type of living if you look no different than the pagan of the heathen that lives next door to you what's at stake is that the Word of God may not be blasphemed God has given you this mandate but he doesn't expect you or he knows rather that you cannot do this apart from his grace further in this action young man er address perhaps we'll hit that when we get to Father's Day and then later bondservants are addressed in verses 9 to 10 but notice the theological basis for Christian ethics in verses 11 to 15 in other words those who fear the Lord will function as those who fear the Lord those save by grace through faith in Jesus Christ are those who will actually obey what the Apostle Paul says in this section notice eleven for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in the present age looking for the Blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people zealous for good works so let's just work backwards for just a moment if indeed Christ gave himself for you mothers that he might redeem you from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people zealous for good works you see that's the grace that enables you to comply with what is enjoined upon you in verses 4 and 5 now you mothers know eivol i've preached a lot of sermons on this particular subject over my 20 years here a friend of mine recently made an interesting observation he's not nor church so don't try to figure out who it was who said such a thing but he says you know in our churches on Mother's Day Mother's are generally encouraged by the message that is giving given and I'm not here to discourage you not here to cast you down but he says mothers are usually encouraged and yet on Father's Day the men are hammered women are extolled and their virtues displayed and how wonderful you are eat and elaborate like this but I think I see the thought process and then when we get to Father's Day you wretches need to do this that and the other so if you detect ladies this morning a bit more admonition than typical I think my brother was right in that observation we ought not to expect at a saved Christian woman who is called to be a mother is necessarily doing everything perfectly any more than we ought to suspect that a saved Christian man who is called to be a father is doing everything perfectly so a bit of admonition or a bit of exhortation or a bit of perhaps warning or or or calling one to consider the the reality that we find in Scripture may not be out of wine and hopefully it will be of benefit to you as you consider this situation so in terms of her spiritual or condition before god she is saved by grace as well she walks with the Lord the woman who fears the Lord is one who walks with the Lord and this is important I mean anything that we are called to do in service to God demands that we are living in service to God we ought to be close to the Lord in order to serve the Lord we ought to be close to God in order to honor God we ought to be close to God to draw the resources or to draw off of him the resources necessary to engage in the particular things he calls us to it's not just men who need to study theology it's not just men who need to study the Bible it's not just men who should show up on Wednesday night as we study the kings of Israel it's not just men who should show up on Saturday morning as we study Louisburg off it's not just men who need to walk with the Lord ladies you need to walk with the Lord and if in your walk with the Lord one of the particular activities you are called upon is to communicate the word of the Lord to your children don't do it her ethically husband's you ought to have a vested interest in the fact that your wife can explain justification by faith hopefully she's not of the school of Pelagius hopefully she is not a heretic hopefully she is not catechizing your children on just be good little boys and girls and God will accept you into his heart or get into his kingdom women you need to get busy and study the scriptures you need to study theology you need to understand that system of Christian faith because your task is to educate your children a woman once approached dl moody and said dr. moody or pastor moody i want to preach the gospel and Moody's response response was golden he says do you have children at home she said yes 8 he said then go home and preach the gospel I don't care if Beth Moore's out there Ponta funneling her her big face into every church and there they're soaking it in your responsibilities as women under God is to teach those little ones the fear of the Lord you cannot do that apart from God's grace you cannot do that apart from God himself so this woman fears the Lord which obviously means that she is a benefactor of His grace twas grace that taught my heart to fear and she walks with the Lord she cultivates this relationship she does read broadly and widely and I'm not saying all you can ever read is birkoff but could you think about including something like that read the confession of faith know the difference between justification and sanctification don't undo in your private setting what our job is in the public place we're trying to teach your kids the difference between or the the relationship between but the difference is between justification and sanctification don't be a Roman Catholic at home conflate the two and cause them to be utterly confused about the whole scenario now if that line confused you then you need to study if that line confused you then you're not paying attention because we emphasize that reality a lot justification is a one-time act by God wherein he pardons all our sins and accept us as righteous in his sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone those justified now will pursue holiness they will pursue what's called sanctification we're not saved by a combination of the two we're saved because of the doing and the dying and the rising of the Lord Jesus and the justification that comes as a result of that so don't pay pies or B pay pista coal with your kids and mess up their thought process on this whole subject ladies I'm this in the most encouraging way I can say you need to know theology you need to know the Bible and as I will hammer the men on father's day it's unconscionable that we don't we are so plugged into social media we are so on Facebook and so on Instagram and so on whatever online game or or or allurement is out there we don't have time to study a little bit of theology I would suggest based on what's happening in terms of social media we've got nothing but time and to waste it on those particular avenues is to waste golden opportunities to take and embrace the calling given us by God to take these little ones and raise them up in the fear and admonition of God Most High I'm not suggesting you zero out everything and delete all your accounts though that might not be a bad idea for some of you but watch and pray and consider if you cannot define the doctrine of justification but you know everything that's going on with everybody in the church in terms of their status you've got problems you've got issues and repentance might be the order of the day her condition before God is that she saved by grace and she walks with the Lord secondly her influence over her children already told you the fifth commandment highlights the reality that this lady is infla has influence over her children as well in the book of leviticus in nineteen three you want warrant from mother's day sermon on the sabbath day leviticus 19:3 every one of you shall Revere his mother and his father and keep my Sabbath's I am the Lord your God we see her influence over her children enjoined in the law itself but also as exemplified or rather amplified which the book of Proverbs essentially is it is the exposition and application of God's law to daily life notice in proverbs chapter one just bought the influence of a godly woman or a godly mother over her children proverbs chapter 1 and verse 8 my son here the instruction of your father and do not forsake the law of your mother what's that imply the mother is commanding her children she not begging them she's not bribing them she is commanding them and as I start through just the impact we as husbands and or as fathers and mothers can have in our generation I mean if you look out there the the bar has dropped right I think if we can just successfully teach our kids to walk and chew gum at the same time they'll probably the beat the most successful beings on the face of the earth I saw a video this week of a woman in a university setting she saw a sign and this isn't Pro anti it's just an observation somebody had a probe Donald Trump sign and this grown woman screamed at the sight of it carried on like an absolute mad woman so brethren to raise up children that make a mark on society today it's probably not unattainable if our spawn just don't scream and yell when they see a sign praise God from whom all blessings flow do you know why people carry on that way is because their parents didn't command them they bribed them they begged them they didn't assert their god-given Authority you think there's any sort of haphazard Ness to the Decalogue the Ten Commandments of God you've got our duties toward God Commandments one to four duties toward man six of Commandments five to ten five is the linchpin five is sort of the turning point in fact there have been those in the history of the church that put the fifth word with the first table it indicates God's authority when he stations parents in the home not to bribe their children not to bake their children but to command their children it is a loathsome thing to see parents out there actually bribing kids to do what the kids should should do and this is again this is indicative of society all around us when you see these whiners in a university setting there's a whole host of reasons why it's ended up this way but never forget the parents if you produce rotten kids we're going to have a rotten Society now I know God's good and God saves rotten kids and he causes their hearts to fear all of that I get that but in terms of the basic approach that we find a you know worked out in the book of Proverbs what you put into it is what you will get out of it notice proverbs chapter 6 in verse 20 my son keep your father's command and do not forsake the law of your mother bind them continually upon your heart tie them around your neck when you roam they will lead you when you sleep they will keep you and when you awake they will speak with you for the commandment is a lamp and the law alight reproofs of instruction of the way of life to keep you from the evil woman from the flattering tongue of the seductress ladies instruct your son's in a way that is pleasing to the Lord so that he will be kept from this evil woman and then of course in proverbs chapter 31 our very passage notice in verse one prior to the description of this virtuous woman proverbs 31 one the words of King Lemuel the utterance which his mother taught him it's a beautiful thing that a mother influenced a king the beautiful thing that a mother exercised her god-given role over her king son so that he would function in a way that was pleasing the third thing we ought before we leave this influence over her children let's listen to CH Spurgeon he says fathers and mothers are the most natural agents for God to use in the salvation of their children is it the church blamed all the time when children leave the church they get to 15 16 17 18 and they leave they'd apostatize the church is typically blamed and I think this that you know we ought to share some of that we ought to you know make sure we're going after the hearts of young people where we're preaching in such a way that were we're explaining the truth of the gospel we're explaining justification we're explaining sanctification brethren the parents that exercise that that that first level of responsibility I think we typically fall into you know Adamic mode the woman whom thou has given me she gave to me to eat the church that you put me and messed my kids up again church's mess kids up I'm not here to debate that a brethren as the first line of defense it is your primary responsibility to deal with your kids we don't like when the state wants to raise our children do we I hope we don't why should we try to farm it out to the church it's the parents that should be the ones involved in their kids lives they should love you a whole lot more than they love me not saying kids don't love me hate me throw things at me but you should be the best people in their lives you're God's means of influence over them for the long haul you're God's means of influence over them for the bulk of the week they come to Sunday school perhaps and they're in church service in the morning and church service in the evening we get them what 3 4 or 5 hours out of the week you've got the rest of the time so Spurgeon is not off the mark here fathers and those are the most natural agents for God to use in the salvation of their children I am sure that in my early youth know teaching made such an impression upon my mind as the instruction of my mother neither can I conceive that to any child there can be one who will have such influence over the young heart as the mother who has so tenderly cared for her offspring I don't think he indicates it here but there's another place where Spurgeon said his own mother would plead with the kids at family worship such and would declare had declared to them if you end up cast off on the day of judgment I will side with God himself because my hands are clean of your blood I have not shrunk back from declaring to you the whole Council of God and pleading with you in earnest to be reconciled unto God through Jesus Christ if you are finally lost and finally damned I will side with God on that day think about it this woman raised a Spurgeon that's incredible isn't it a man he goes on to say a man with a soul so dead as not to be moved by the sacred name of mother his creations blot never could it be possible for any man to estimate what he owes to a godly mother how can I ever forget her tearful eye when she warned me to escape from the wrath to come I thought her lip eloquent others might not think so but they certainly were eloquent to me how can I ever forget when she bowed her knee and with her arms about my neck prayed oh that my son might live before thee it's beautiful isn't it can never underestimate the influence of godly motherhood on the on the lives under their charge I've quoted this before it bears repetition again politically just not what I'm I'm on about but when asked what could be done to restore the prestige of France Napoleon replied give us better mothers North America looking like that today again you see these teenagers and these young adults brethren they just needed to be spanked when they were kids what's wrong with society the the economic the the economist and the the social sort of engineers are all trying to you know figure out what's wrong they should have been spanked at Walmart there after their trip to Walmart when they flipped out because they couldn't have something I mean it really isn't much more difficult than that I'm sure there's other factors you know don't go home today and say well you know just spank kids and everything will be hunky-dory no but if you don't spank kids things are probably not going to be hunky-dory thirdly her authority over her children we've referred to the fifth word Exodus 20 verse 12 Ephesians 6 verses 1 & 2 one famous popular Bible Dictionary says honoring both parents is at the heart of the 10 commandments and the mother comes first in the command to respect literally fear them as part of national holiness that passage I read in leviticus 19:3 both father and mother are to be heed heeded and obeyed this is absolutely crucial that we underscore this and understand this because especially at times young teenage boys are well you're not my dad or dad's not here fathers you need to instruct your children that in your absence the Queen's word is to be received revered and feared in your presence as well equal Authority in terms of bringing up these little ones Duma in his book on the 10 commandments says mentioning the mother is no afterthought for she deserves to be treated with as much respect as the father practice demonstrates the children can misuse the you misused the fact that a mother's physical condition often renders her less able to enforce her word she is physically the weaker parent but the fifth commandment clearly requires respect for both father and mother children must honor their mother even when she is physically and physiologically declining do not despise your mother when she is old proverbs 23 22 the Bible presents a relationship of authority between husband and wife where the husband takes the lead but children must show equal honor to both mother and father you see her condition before God is that she's saved by grace and walks with the Lord her influence over her children is great in that the Lord has given parents to children to be a primary means of influence her authority over her children has given you in the fifth word in the fifth commandment and demonstrated and exemplified all throughout the book of Proverbs let's look finally and her responsibility toward her children and certainly there's probably a plethora of other things but I've got four specifics that we will close on here this morning terms of exposition then I have some concluding admonitions gentle kind gracious loving but nevertheless some admonitions or exhort exhortations in the first place your responsibility is to instruct your children not in quantum physics though if that's where you happen to be gifted by all means teach them quantum physics but the law in the gospel the law and the gospel teach them the truth as it is in Jesus teach them the truth of God's holy work teach them what scripture says and in order to do that you need to know what scripture says those little ones are looking to be led they're looking to be taught they're looking to be influenced they're looking to be guided shaped molded and helped so idea that you don't just let them go and express themselves no absolutely not do not let them go and express themselves they'll end up screaming on a public campus when they see a Donald Trump sign you don't want that for your kid you want to restrain them you want to guard them you want to help them you want to do like that woman in proverbs chapter 6 give that young man such commands that it will be kept from the evil woman don't deliver him up to her vicious and you need to know the law in the gospel and you need to instruct your children secondly you need to set an example for your children look at proverbs 22:6 proverbs 22:6 a very famous passage one that bears exposition all on its own just going to read it and make a comment or rather read a comment from bridges and his commentary on proverbs proverbs 22:6 train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it so certainly that touches on the first point to instruct your children but secondly to set an example for your children listen to bridges so I highly commend if you have the opportunity to purchase Charles bridges commentary on proverbs he deals beautifully with all the passages that deal with child rearing if you're a new parent here this morning you've got young children or you're an older parent and you've got older children and you need a bit of a boost in the armoire some encouragement pick up proverbs by Charles bridges and read the sections dealing with child rearing he's brilliant notice what he says specifically with reference to setting an example he says the mere talk to a child about religion without bringing it to bear upon his loose habits and self-willed tempers is utterly ineffective none of us lives to himself alone we're all spreading around us and influence whether for good or for evil here therefore in our families lies the responsibility of Christian consistency if the child hears of godliness and sees but wickedness this is bringing him bread with one hand and poison with the other beckoning with the hand to heaven and at the same time taking him by the hand and leading him in the way of destruction he says who would receive even the choicest food from a leprous hand what would he say there who would receive even the choices food from a leprous hand you probably wouldn't name your favorite food if a diseased hand was holding it out to your lips you'd probably say no I think I'll pass and yet this is what it is to instruct with no example this is what it is to try and teach them the law in the gospel but not having Livan or not anyone who lives as one conquered by that gospel he says a child learns more by the eye than by the ear imitation is a far more powerful principle than memory a well-trained child gladly looks to his parents godliness as his model picture to copy after a wayward child eagerly seeks for the excuse of his own delinquency and this discovery in parental example will harden him in infidelity and ungodliness that last bits very important child's going to look to a good example when he sees the good example exemplified by his father and mother he follows that it's a good thing it's a win-win but if this child can look at his parents as a reason for his own wretchedness and his own sinfulness and he's able to rise up and say something to the effect well this is what I always saw in my home he's still guilty to be sure but it certainly does not fare well for the mother and for the father you see instruction and example thirdly to discipline her children the dis to discipline her children I think we've sufficiently covered this we don't bribe them we don't beg them we deal with them with the authority God's given us now be judicious here be wise in the application of Scripture here we live in a day and age a society that is contrary to the Word of God just give you a little bit of a personal autobiographical sketch when my wife and I were converted we were brought to the Savior by God's grace and in an obviously miraculous way we didn't wake up one day and say hey I decided to follow Jesus now it was a conquered by Sovereign Grace sort of thing well not long after that we started to learn about how to bring up children because before being Christians we just didn't even think about such things and so I had a faithful mentor a faithful brother a faithful pastor a faithful friend who taught us about corporal punishment that you know implementation of physical punishment to the kids my mother got went to this and said how dare you beat your kids and when she said that brethren it knocked me back a few feet and I thought wow man that's that's right it had to regroup and thank know God's Word says to now the scripture doesn't say beat kids it talks about well actually some passages do but it assumes that you're bright enough to understand that doesn't mean physically abuse them but it was interesting because I asked my mom what what happened when you were a kid you got out of line she said we got belted just matter-of-factly we got belted I said is there any correlation between the you know the fact that in your day and age the biggest crimes at school were running in the hall chewing gum talking in class well the biggest crimes in high school today I'd be afraid to walk onto a campus we need metal detectors to get into a public school campus I said mom do you see any correlation between what you got is a child the way things were when you were a kid and the way things are now she got it by the grace of God doesn't take the rocket science or an engineering degree to get that correlation so to be judicious we live in an anti-christian sort of a society that is contrary to the Word of God so be judicious be wise be righteous child abuse is never authorized in the scriptures if any of you men or women are beating your children in a way that's ungodly repent forsake it stop God says no but with reference to biblical discipline the scriptures are clear in a whole host of ways almost of instances so be judicious if you need you know to ask questions you can talk to Pastor Porter you can talk to me not that we're the gurus or the you know the Bill Gothard zuv the reformed Baptists and we're not that the brethren this is something we need to apply but we need to be judicious we need to be wise we need to be cunning a serpent so we need to be harmless as doves in our society but we mustn't ever resist those things that God enjoins for us and it's not just corporal it's reproof reproof there are times it's the best thing in the world to tell your kids no it's the best thing in the world to let them know that life is tough there our issues there are problems you can't always just be unbridled and undisciplined and lacking self-control best thing you can do is to get a grip on them while they're young somewhere in bridges one of the comments he said the father said if you haven't broken the child's will by the age of two you'll lost him that's a bit of a hardcore statement brethren so the patristic believed praise God we're not raising kids back in those days right because our kids are eight they're still going nuts if they don't get a Snickers when we go to Walmart what would they suggest with reference to us the point is is that they're born in Adam there is this idea that that little precious babe wrapped in swaddling clothes is a neutral being philosophy this is called a tabula rasa like their hearts oblate a blank stone or a blank slate and that you know it's up to us to put everything on it that's not what's taught in Scripture we're in Adam the wicked go estranged from the womb speaking lies as soon as they are born that wasn't John Calvin who said that it wasn't a Gustin who said that it wasn't Jim Butler who said that it was the sweet psalmist of Israel in Psalm 58 verse three the wicked go estranged from the womb speaking lies as soon as they are born that self same sweet psalmist of Israel typically of course Christ is the sweet psalmist of Israel but David functioning typically concerning his own native depravity traces it back to his conception in sin did my mother conceive me David's not saying the conjugal act between my father and mother was a sinful thing a necessary evil no David said as soon as David is he was a sinner they're not blank slates brethren if you let them express themselves in their crib or in their nursery don't be surprised when they express themselves at age 18 or 20 or 25 in a way a that is less than savory so you need to instruct set example discipline and love love they're the children this is what Paul tells Titus in that text we read in Titus 2 now you might suggest or you might ask well why does a woman need to be told to love our kids because this is a godless wretched age isn't it so terribly DeBoer ssin is certainly an indication that not all mothers love their children there are horrific acts that are occurring on children by mothers you need to love them you need to nurture them you need to care for them that they admonish the young women to love their husbands to love their children see Paul thought under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit it was necessary to remind young women to love their children you know wonder if we do duties at times or we engage in particular activities and we forget love to think about that as a pastor as a preacher am i doing this because I love the Brethren or you know just to fulfill a particular requirement are we being faithful fathers and faithful mothers to fulfill a requirement or is it done in the orbit of love telling somebody recently with reference to preaching your people will forgive a bad sermon or two if they know that you love them it's the same thing with parenting you're going to mess up as parents but if your kids know you love them the kids know that you even did a terrible thing but you know in the grand scheme of things it's because you love them don't be forgiveness there you need to function in the orbit of Christian love that is crucial with reference to child-rearing so in conclusion I want to bring out a few thoughts by way of application and then we'll close in the first place there is a need for such women as described here in Proverbs 31 Martin Luther said the greatest gift of God the greatest gift of God now certainly Luther would assume that the greatest gift of God is salvation by grace through faith in Jesus but he's speaking in terms of creature gift that is created the create a greatest gift of God is a pious amiable spouse who fears God loves his house and with what with whom one can live in perfect confidence bruce walki and his commentary on the proverbs it's interesting if you'll be 31 specifically at verse 10 it's all framed in the form of a question who can find a virtuous wife and he goes on to explain such a woman so natka who who can find this kind of a woman walki says the rhetorical question who can find aims to awaken within the audience the desire to find such a wife or to be like her and matthew henry in his beautiful way says the description of the virtuous woman is designed to show what wives the women should make and what wives the men should choose I love that emphasis all of you young ladies here that perhaps are not married and perhaps having children at this particular time this is the kind of woman you ought to be this is the kind of woman you should pursue to be or try to be if you are presently a mother and you have children and you're in the task this ought to be your goal if you've made a mess of it if you have sinned if you have violated God's law confess it forsake it and you will find Mercy to bless a promise from proverbs 28:13 whoever confesses his transgression will not prosper but whoever confesses and forsakes it will find mercy you've got first John 1:9 you might go home today and say kids I've been a wretched mother cast yourself upon the mercy of God in Christ first John 1:9 if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness don't continue to perpetuate the misery oh I'm just so wicked I'm just so evil but the God of heaven and earth says he'll forgive you why you hear this with people sometimes Rebecca and I read it excellent little book right now and the author points out you'll meet people it's am so sinful I can't forgive myself are you better than God because God can forgive you are you more holy and pure than God because God forgives you imagine the gall of somebody who actually believes the Bible saying I know that God exercises forgiveness and mercy and grace and for and and cleanses me in the blood of Christ but I can't forgive myself why God's much better than you are and he forgave you so perhaps you ought to follow suit but young man this is a kind of woman you ought to pursue this is the kind of woman that you ought to pursue the kind of woman who fears God the kind of woman who glorifies God the kind of woman who serves God this is what you ought to be praying for because this is a gift from your way proverbs 19 14 I love the way the author states it proverbs 19 14 houses and riches are an inheritance from father's but a prudent wife is from the Lord brethren if you have such this morning when you go home praise God for her praise her as well so I don't want to go you know puffer up you know what the Bible says to those who won't ever puff their wives up because somehow that's godly you're an Eightball you're a fool what is the husband in proverbs 31 say to his wife I have a great deal of respect for you and I'd love to compliment you but I don't want you to get proud many daughters have done well but you excel them all husbands if you don't encourage your wives especially if they're surrounded by non-stop chatterboxes all day long you got problems man motherhood's tough motherhood is Hof ask most men to watch the little kids for you know an hour they're chomping at the bit to go back to work I'd rather move bales of hay I'd rather try to leap tall buildings in a single bound I'd rather dig a hole with a spoon and be surrounded by that power I'm not trying to be rude brethren but God has temper mentally fitted it in such a way that women just seem to excel in patience patience husbands praise your wives if you've been given such a gift that brings us to our second point in terms of application the encouragement given to such a woman from her husband her husband also and he praises her many daughters have done well but you excel them all men do you love your wife in such a way that you encourage her with your words do you love your wife in such a way you build her up that's the whole point in Ephesians 4 we often times take Ephesians 4 say well you can't say these four-letter words when Paul is talking about let no corrupt word proceed from your mouth certainly you're not supposed to go out and cause but the idea is is to let those words proceed from your mouth that are good for necessary edification words that up bill words that encourage words that help your wife is doing you know the work of mothering children and she's doing a decent job of it tell her as well from her children verse 28 a in Proverbs 31 our children rise up and call her blessed it ought not to be just one Sunday in May that you thank your mom for the stuff that she does you have no idea for the stuff that she does thank her praise her say such kind things to her call her blessed as well there's encouragement from her community at least in a covenant 'add community so it ought to be the case in the life in the context of the church let her own works praise her in the game Faith's the gates is where the city's business was conducted and this woman's man had such a woman that she was praised in the gates now thirdly and this brings us to the finally as I mentioned earlier mothers are often encouraged on Mother's Day fathers are often hammered on Father's Day want to gently suggest a few things for you ladies first you must constantly maintain dependence upon God the word and prayer both privately and publicly I know it's tough at times to come to church on Sunday when you've had a really busy week it's amazing to me how I'm not you know trying to make this sound belittle it all of us have demands on our time don't we you get the odd one or two it I'm just so tired I couldn't come to church now I get that I mean if you summon some of these guys are machines that work but for the most part brethren life is busy life is hard you know we don't have blue birds attending us and clothing us and you know putting on our makeups and pout and powdering our faces and you know bringing us into the public place it takes some effort brethren sisters specifically you cannot do your job unless you are living in vital dependence upon God and that dependence is expressed through prayer and through Scripture yes privately but as well in the public place of worship a woman who fears the Lord secondly you must not forsake God's Word in child-rearing God calls the shots regarding your children God owns your children not the civil state not the community you've heard the old adage it takes a community to raise a child no it takes obedience by faithful parents to God to raise a child there's ken harms would say rear a child cattle are raised you rear children you get my gist thirdly you must realize that your task is difficult preaching to the choir now ladies aren't I oftentimes thankless and mostly underappreciated by just about everyone he said I'm intimately connected to at least one mother in this place I've seen what goes on I used to work shift work so I was home during the days because I worked all night so I kind of saw what was involved in motherhood and like I said brethren given the opportunity of being a full-time mother digging holes with a spoon I'll choose the latter typically it's oftentimes thankless oftentimes underappreciated fourthly you must persevere in your calling and realize that the calling you have under God is a full-time multifaceted calling that is off the utmost importance was Walter Chantry had a little booklet called the high calling of motherhood you know it's almost to the point in our society where some ladies are embarrassed to say I stay at home with the children so we don't want to be judged by those around us so that's all you do again I'd rather dig a hole with a spoon then that's all I did ladies don't be embarrassed to embrace your God giving god-given calling of rearing children unto the Lord doesn't matter what the pagans say it doesn't matter what they even say they're at active enmity to God why does it matter that they think you're wasting your life taking care of those kids there's no higher calling on this earth than taking care of those kids I think society in many ways depends upon it you must labor fifthly to understand God's truth the law of the gospel and you must continually set the truth before your children and 6ly hears it's going to get a little personal you must guard against lazy Ness it is intriguing in chapter 31 specifically at verse 27 she watches over the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idle nests you cannot be lazy and an effective mother now I certainly realize we all have our off days we all have our days that are perhaps not as productive as other days for the most part we're chugging along we're doing well our output is high and then we get hit with a Thursday or Friday where it just seems like it's terrible especially if we have that tendency to be a gloomy Gus and we don't get that stuff done I get that there's an exception to every rule but ladies if social media is gobbling up more of your time than your little ones there's a problem if anything is gobbling up more of your time then your little ones there's a problem child-rearing takes involvement you've heard the adage but we spent quality time kids need quantity time just hang out be together same with husbands or Father's yeah I only spend 14 minutes a week with them but we make it count take them out when you paint the fence take them out when you dig that hole with the spoon take them out quantity is necessary for the task of faithfully rearing children unto God bring them up Paul says in the training and admonition of the Lord that's not done in 14 minutes a week in many respects my dear sisters in Christ when you add babies you basically gave up your life at least for a period of time don't whine about it don't snivel about it don't grumble about it don't complain you had the desire to engage in the privilege of motherhood exercise the responsibility to bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord don't just farm them out to devices don't farm them to something else other than you spend the time they need your instruction they need your example they certainly need your discipline if society is any testimony around us and they need your love certainly have quality time but ought to be in the context of quantity time spend time with your kids I've mused with my kids because of the way that my work schedule was we're all always together I mean it was a nice shift to go to work at 10:00 at night and come home at 7:00 in the morning I mean it wasn't nice because it takes you know years off your life and you're a grumpy bear every time you get out of bed but you just by necessity we're with your kids that was a blessing in God's providence they may not have thought so because I wasn't grumpy bear most of the time but you know they can say at least we had the quantity brothers if you are that busier you know working that much you you gotta make time for kids they're not going to raise themselves philippi nice you just pop them out and set them on the shelf and in 18 years they were just faithful decent human beings that went out made money and pay their taxes it doesn't work that way you have to get down and dirty in the midst of it and rear them unto Jesus so guard my dear sisters against lazy nests identify those things that will chomp up your time and take you from the task at hand and I would suggest finally you must continually look to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ parenting is not for novices parenting is not for beginners parenting demands people that understand the truth as it is in Jesus those who do apply daily to the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and those who will indeed humble themselves not only before God but before their children my parents well we don't want to show any weakness no but you want to communicate mercy you want to communicate what it is to ask for forgiveness you want to communicate what it is to confess sins you want to let that see that you are not a perfect specimen of a human being and you stand as dependent upon the grace of God in Christ Jesus as you are pressing upon them be faithful be diligent the earnest but above all be close to Jesus well let us pray our Father in Heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for the mothers and the grandmothers in our church we pray that this would have been an encouragement to them a challenge to them I pray for them God that daily they would know supplies of grace from on high and strive to be faithful to their high calling bless the children and the young people in this congregation we do long to see them close with Christ at an early age our hearts desires that they would be brought up in the training and admonition of the Lord our hearts desires that they would call upon the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation grant us grace in this endeavor grant us grace to bring up children that are pleasing in the sight of a great and holy God go with us now we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen will close with a brief time of meditation you