In the infinite wisdom of God, salvation came through a mother. When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman (Gal. 4:4). And so it should be no surprise that it pleases God, generation after generation, to use the sacrificial love of mothers to build His kingdom. 

This is the case in every humble Christian family, but church history is filled with great examples for our imitation and encouragement. St Timothy inherited his sincere faith from his mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois (2 Tim. 1:5). Behind the great St Augustine stood his faithful mother, Monica. The Wesley brothers received their fiery zeal from Susanna’s example. The powerful preaching of Spurgeon was the fruit of Eliza’s pleading prayers. Hudson Taylor departed for China with the prayer and blessing of his mother, Amelia, still echoing in his ears. And J. Gresham Machen dedicated his book Christianity & Liberalism to his mother, who taught him the Bible and the Shorter Catechism as a child. And the list could go on… 

Mothers give life. Mothers cultivate eternal souls. God uses mothers to change history. And so it is little wonder then that those in our culture who are at war with God are at war with motherhood. Their attacks range from teaching young girls that there is something much better for them to aspire to than “just being a mom” all the way to the celebration of abortion as a way to avoid motherhood (although we know those discarded babies do indeed have mothers).

In our fight against such a culture of death, we celebrate that which they hate—strong and faithful mothers. The kind that die daily so that their children might live. The kind that raise boys and girls that are not “safe” but dangerous – a threat to the enemies of God.

And so the exhortation this morning is to honor the mothers in your life. Rise up and call them blessed (Prov. 31:28). And if you’re a mother, hear this: the eternal significance of your work is not meant to be a terrible burden but a great opportunity for faithfulness. All that you do is by the grace of God and according to His promises. So rely on Him, and may your works praise you in the gates (Prov. 31:31).

Shawn Paterson – May 12, 2024

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You faced a host of temptations to sin this past week, and it is certain that you did give way to one degree or another to those temptations. If that weren’t enough, you live in a world that’s unraveling and is full of wars, blasphemies, and hard consequences. To top things off, the Devil prowls around looking to bring about your destruction. Not the most cheery thoughts. This may convince you to adopt a survivalist mentality. Bunker down, just try to make it through life, and then go see Jesus in heaven.

But this isn’t the salvation which Jesus won for you. He ascended into heaven. And this means a few things. All things are now placed under His nail-scarred feet, and by the covenant union you have with Him, you are made (both individually and corporately) embassies of His global dominion. Sin shall not have the victory over you, because Christ is seated on high. The world shall not overcome you, for Christ is seated on high. The devil shall not devour you, for Christ is seated on high.

So then, cast off any disposition of fearful survivalism. By faith, acknowledge the great salvation which Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension brought about for you. You are not at the mercy of your fleshly desires, for the Spirit of Christ gives you new desires. You must deal with your sin in the light of the reality that Christ is subduing all His enemies; that includes every last nagging temptation that rears its vile head in the dark corners of your heart. That envy must go, because Christ ascended. That lust can’t stay, because Christ is King. That fearfulness must pack its bags, because Jesus has been given the Name above all names. Christ is King. Our task is to live accordingly.

Ben Zornes – May 12, 2024

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You can find at least three types of people. The first group is unmotivated and unambitious people. They are not raising money for start ups and they would be terrible in your college recruitment department, “Come join our college and we will make you, slightly below average.” 

The second group has the ambition. They are eager for knowledge and success, but their whole enterprise is fueld by the wisdom from below, the kind that is earthly, sensual, envious, bitter, devilish, and riddled with strife. It is full of the pushing and pulling that marks much of the American entreprenurial spirit and the men who abide by this wisdom go home needing a whiskey, or porn, or some bit of indecent entertainment to take the edge off of their work day.

The third group is what we are aiming for and it involves the people who live by the wisdom from above. James says that this wisdom is “ first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy” (James 1:17).

The trouble is, if we are honest, we would put most of those qualities in the first group, the unproductive one. We say to God, “We’ve got two roads, Lord, which would you like us to take? We can be mediocre, a bit on the lazy side, while being pure, peaceable, gentle, and easily intreatable. Or, we can get into the fight. We know how to hustle, but you have to understand, that we will show the competition no mercy, and gentle, well, that really won’t be in the equation.”

Those who talk that way are missing what it means to live by that wisdom which comes from above. “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?” James asks, “let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom” (James 3:13).

You say, “Look, that is impossible.” Well, it is not impossible. But it does require getting the wisdom that comes from above, where Christ has ascended.

Jared Longshore – May 12, 2024

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Men, you are called to strength. In Hebrew 11 we’re exhorted to emulate men who through faith became mighty. Out of weakness they were made strong. When fights came they waxed valiant. Out of the soil of evangelical faith grow the cedar trees of strength.

This strength isn’t isolated to our inner life; as if we can tuck away our faith in Jesus deep into some inner crypt. No, the strength that arises from faith forms throughout our body, soul, and mind. Furthermore, it must be trained and maintained through disciplined diligence. You won’t be resilient in the day of testing if you don’t practice resilience every day of your life. And fathers, you won’t have sons resembling the aforementioned cedars if you fail to teach them self-denial, endurance, and long-suffering. 

Physical strength training is a determined willingness to die. Your body desires to not do any more reps; but if you kill that desire and do one more rep, one more lap, one more drill your strength will grow. Likewise, you fight sin by getting up early each day, putting to death the desire to linger in bed, and hardening yourself with a little less sleep but a little more Scripture.

Especially in these times of madness, you men must erect walls of security around your family time and time and time again. St. Paul’s simple words embody the life of Christian faith: “I die daily.” Provide for your family by hard labor one more day. Lead them with gentle steadiness one more time. Instruct your children in faithfulness once more. Do not grow weary. This is a command. But since it’s a command of Scripture it’s also a promise. By faith in Christ, God promises that you shall go, as the Psalmist says, from strength to strength with hands trained for war.

We live in a day similar to Ezekiel’s where all hands are feeble, and all knees are weak as water. Men have abdicated and grown weary of the warfare. Our currency is devalued through the vanity of our cultural greed. Our bodies are afflicted with the diseases of unbridled appetites. Our minds polluted with wicked imaginations. Many men have lost their nerve and have capitulated to the godless despair of our age. May God forgive men who claim the name of Christ for where we have compromised and joined in the follies of our society. And may our Lord raise up men who are girt for the combat, men who are grit to the core.

Ben Zornes – May 5, 2024

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