Sermon Tone Analysis

What Every Mother Should Teach her Children

/Text: Proverbs 31:1-9/

 

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (05~/12~/02)

 

READ *Proverbs 31:10-31*

 

Introduction:   

 

We are mostly very familiar with the description of the Proverbs 31 woman.

She is the subject of many a Mother’s day message.

And I have heard sermons, and have pamphlets and booklets in my Library dealing with the virtues of this woman.

But I don’t believe I have ever heard a message on the first nine verses.

They are my text for today.

EXPLAIN – Verse 10-31 are a description of the characteristics of a godly virtuous woman, a description provided us in Scripture by her own son.

This is the same son who receives the instruction of verses 1-9.

He is referred to in our text as King Lemuel.

Many commentators believe he is one and the same as the great King Solomon.

If that is the case, then Bathsheba is his mother, and the prototype of the Proverbs 31 woman.

What a transformation!!  What a marvelous work of Grace!!!

These first verses contain the instruction received by the King as a young boy~/young man from his godly mother.

Upon recalling such wise teaching he is moved to praise and honour the mother whom God gave him, and thus we have the moving rendition of verses 10-31.

As we study the first nine verses we see several important principles that every mother should be teaching her children, and every one who would be a godly mother must teach her children.

! I. Every Mother Must Teach Her Children of the Sanctity of Human Life vs.2

There is a sacredness and virtue to human life which sets us apart from all other life.

Man is the crown jewel of God’s creation.

*Genesis 1:26 * And God said, */Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion/* over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

There are three great truths in this verse, simply put, as a mother addresses her son, -  simple, but profound

 

!! A. The Origin of Life

 

“/The son of my womb/”

 

We are created beings.

“/In the Beginning, God…”/

 

Evolution is a monstrous lie, designed by Satan to excuse man from his accountability to God and erode the foundation of Biblical morality.

Mothers, teach your children that life is sacred, we are created by an almighty God, and that life begins in the womb.

*Jeremiah 1:5*  Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

The evils of abortion and euthanasia are an outgrowth of evolutionary thinking.

“survival of the fittest”.

LOOK UP & READ *Psalm 139:1-6* & *13-16*

 

!! B. The Distinctiveness of Human Life

 

We are not like the animals!!

 

EXPLAIN – Likeness of God, Free Moral Agents, Moral culpability, we understand right and wrong, Sense of Justice, Personality vs. Instinct.

Eternality of the soul!!!

 

*Genesis 2:7*  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

“/The son of my vows/”

 

The mother of Prov.

31 recognized that God has a special plan for human life.

The natural world operates by instinct.

But God has set boundaries and given instruction an purpose to man.

Oh how human life has been cheapened by the disintegrating morality of our time!!

 

Human life is so precious and unique that God ordained for it’s conception within the context of Holy Matrimony and within the boundaries and parameters of a family.

(Not outside of marriage).

!! C. God’s Sovereignty over Human Life

 

“/My Son/”

 

His mother said “You are my son”.

We did not choose the family of our birth.

Who did? – God!!

 

Children need to hear that!!

They must know that they belong, that God has placed them in your family for a purpose.

And that you recognize God’s sovereignty and wonderful design in that.

Children need to hear words like “my son” & “my daughter” & “in this family” (EXPLAIN the trust and accountability and security that brings)

 

! II.

Every Mother Must Teach Her Children of the Purpose of Human Life vs.3

 

Of course, the great purpose of life is first to come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour.

And then to know and walk in His will for our lives.

God has provided all we need to fulfill His purposes for our lives.

It is sad when folk will take those same gifts and appropriate them toward evil.

Notice two of the wonderful resources of God’s supply in these verses.

His provision for us spells out the greatest of opportunities in the human life.

The opportunity to serve God and do His will.

!! A. Strength – Human Ability

 

This could be physical strength.

Mental ability.

Various gifts, natural talents, abilities, and unique skills.

*James 1:17*  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

*1 Corinthians 4:7*  For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?

now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

!! B. Free Will

 

“/Thy ways/”

 

Everyday we exercise freedom of choice, we are not robots!!

 

EXAMPLES – Choice of our clothing, our meals, our friends etc.

The greatest freedom is found in living for God

 

*Psalms 37:23*  The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

*Galatians 5:13*  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Mothers, teach your children to dedicate and consecrate their strength, gifts, abilities and most importantly their will to loving and serving God.

 

! III.

Every Mother Must Teach Her Children of the Destructive Forces to Human Life vs.3-5

 

Two are mentioned in these verses Drink and Lust.

Society urges our young people to throw off moral restraint, do their own thing.

How we need Christian homes where that tide will be stemmed.

Where purity and restraint and self-control are taught.

Where pleasing God and being like Christ are the goal!!

 

Sin is destructive by nature, and the fury of it’s consequences are no respecter of persons.

“/that which destroyeth kings/”

 

Once sin has established a beachhead it will continue it’s destructive work until it has consumed the very heartland of your life.

!!!!! Listen to what the Bible says…

 

*Proverbs 5:22*  His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.

*James 1:14-16*  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

16  Do not err, my beloved brethren.

! IV.

Every Mother Must Teach Her Children the Proper Attitude toward Human Life vs.6-9

 

NAMELY  it is a Servant’s Attitude.

/It is evidenced in at least two ways./