Happy Mother’s Day!!!

Here at New Hope, we have been blessed with so many amazing mothers of all kinds; biological, adoptive, and spiritual!  Today, we honor you! 

We acknowledge that the role of a mother doesn’t end at the age of 18; it’s a life-long commitment.  Our heart also goes out to you moms for whom this day is difficult for; those who have lost children or whose relationships with their children are broken.  We pray God’s comfort for those who mourn and for God our reconciler to restore those relationships broken.

The title of this morning’s message is “Forged in Fire” based on the History channel TV series.  Yeah, I know…  At first glance, this seems more fitting for a Father’s Day message, but hang in there with me!

For those unfamiliar with the show, it is a competition among bladesmiths to forge the best blade-based weapon.  They start out with some type of steel material, are given a few parameters as a criteria for their blade, then are given time to design and build their weapon.

The weapons are put through tests along the way to filter down to the champion.  Common tests used in the show are the strength test, the sharpness test, and the often-memed, kill test. These tests are designed to destroy the blade and all of the work of the bladesmith.  It is violent, aggressive, and horrifying to watch for those who labored so hard to make those blades!

Again, you’re probably still wondering what any of this would have to do with Mother’s Day…  After all, there aren’t too many sword-yielding moms out there, right?  Or are there? 

Paul wrote to the church in Corinth here, which may sound awful familiar to many moms out there initially:

1 Corinthians 3

1 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?

Are there any moms out there who often tell their children to just grow up and stop bickering?  And your children are in their thirties or are your husband?

5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

As a mother, you have a tremendously valuable task.  You may feel inadequate at times when you compare your weaknesses to other women’s strengths, but rest assured, you are exactly who your children need and you have exactly what you need to do your part in their lives!

10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

Sure, there is coming a day when we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.  There, our work will be put to the test a