I had already picked where I was going to aim this exhortation before I realized it was Mother’s Day. Surely the Spirit was at work in this. The exhortation comes from 1 Peter 3 where Peter has just finished saying this- You were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls…and then there is a pause and a transition…In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands. Feel the weight of that first. Peter says people straying and being brought back by the shepherd is not unlike women being submissive to their husbands. Wives are to follow their husbands like sheep follow the shepherd. And then there is this safeguard. If any of the husbands are disobedient to the word- win them over by your submissiveness as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. So husbands, you have a massive weight of responsibility to lead the sheep in your home, like Christ leads the church. And women, you are to follow your husband like a sheep follows a shepherd. How are you all doing with this? Men with your responsibility and women with yours? For you women specifically think of all the things you could be doing for your husband. The laundry, the dishes, the cooking, working part time, all the things you could be doing. Good things. What Peter says is precious in the sight of God is a gentle and quiet spirit. How are you doing with that? This is what God desires. This is what pleases Him. Go ahead and do all the other things but if you are not doing them with a gentle and quiet spirit then you are doing it all in vain. A husband wants a wife that he can trust. He wants a woman who will do him good and not evil. He wants a woman who is diligent and wise. He wants a woman who opens her mouth in wisdom and kindness is on her tongue. He wants a wife who praises him. But above all, if he is a godly man, he wants her to have a quiet and gentle spirit. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. 

So women as you go about your duties taking care of your household and your children lay all of your vanity down at the foot of the cross and take up the righteous garments for your soul, the garments of being gentle and quiet in your spirit.

Joshua Dockter – May 12, 2024

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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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