Women Fulfilling God's Purpose

[00:00:00] I want you to continue to pray for me while I'm gone. Today's Mother's Day. I think we all know that. I wanted to speak this morning on women, or mothers, fulfilling God's purpose. And one of the reasons that I use the term women here is because often in the scripture, When the term women is used, it's connected with motherhood. [00:00:32] In Proverbs chapter 31 where he talks about the virtuous woman, down in there he says her children shall call her blessed. I was a little bit frustrated right at first. I started, can't have both of them on. When I started studying for this message, and I started looking at what the Bible says about mothers, it doesn't say much. Really, you know, you go through the Bible and it says, and ye fathers do this. [00:01:08] Fathers do this. The Bible doesn't say much about that to mothers, directly to them. So, it was something that I kind of had to look at a little bit, but I did find there's quite a number of things here that are related to mothers, and it's through the term of women. Now, I just had to think just a little bit, what are some things that we think of when we think of motherhood? We think of family, we think of food, we think of nurture, but that's not your mother, but that is a mother. [00:01:46] We think of learning. We think of relationships. A lot of things we think of when we think of mothers. Let's ask ourselves some questions this morning. What would your list of mother's purposes include? If you were to sit down and say, you know, we're talking about fulfilling God's purpose as a mother, as a woman. What would your list of those purposes include? You'd say, this is one of the purposes that God has for me or for a mother, for a woman. [00:02:23] Would your list agree with the creator and the designer, the one that planned motherhood? Would you have the same list as his or not? Is your list complete or incomplete? When you put your list up beside God's list, do you have the same list that He has? Or are there some things that you don't think are necessary that He thinks are, or vice versa? And if you took your list and followed it, what would be the end result? [00:02:59] Where would you come out at? I want us to look this morning at what the Bible has to say. And we're going to look at a number, there's a number of scriptures that I have here And I want us to think about what God, just a number of different things that God has for us About what women are to be involved in Back in the Old Testament in Exodus 35, we're not going to turn to all these scriptures [00:03:29] But I'd encourage you to write them down and look at them later because there's quite a number And I don't want this to get too lengthy It talks about how the women there made all kinds of coverings for the tabernacle. They worked with their hands. It says women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands and brought that which they had spun, purple and scarlet and blue and so on. And so not only were they involved in craftsmanship, but they were directly involved in worship. [00:04:01] They helped to build the tabernacle. In Deuteronomy chapter 31 verse 12, they were involved in learning to fear God. God told the leaders there, He said, you gather all the people together. You get the men, the women, the children, and the stranger that's here in your country and so on. You get them all together so they can learn to fear God. So that's a purpose that God has for women. They were not discluded from that. [00:04:33] In Ezra chapter 2 verse 65 it talks about that there was a group of people that sang for worship. And it talks about a couple hundred men and women that were involved there in singing for worship in that time when they were working on rebuilding the temple and restoring Jerusalem and those kind of things. So God was already back in the Old Testament working to bring about purpose and disclose His purpose and see where women could fit into life. [00:05:13] In Jeremiah chapter 9 verse 20, he says, Hear the word of the Lord, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and everyone her neighbor lamentation. He says the women are supposed to be involved in responding properly to life situations. They were in the middle of a time where they were suffering because of their sin, because of where they had failed God. [00:05:48] And he says, okay, you women, you take, you receive the words of God's mouth and then you teach your daughters and the others to sing and to mourn and so on, and that type of thing. Now going over into the New Testament, Jesus is talking about the end times here in Matthew 24. He says two women are going to be grinding at the mill. One of them is going to be taken and one is going to be left. [00:06:19] And what I get from this is Jesus is saying, look, these women were involved in everyday activity, in life. They're grinding at the mill. One of them was fulfilling God's purpose because she was not only thinking about what she was doing now, she was thinking about what was going to happen in the hereafter. And she was ready when the Lord called her. [00:06:51] The other one was just all about here and now. The things that are happening. The daily life. And I think one of the things, and I want to say this, I think as mothers, it's easy to get so involved in the here and now, the daily activities, and they can be overwhelming, I understand that. But it's so easy to get wrapped up in those daily activities and forget the future, eternity. [00:07:22] We're not just raising children, we're raising and training souls, eternal souls that have an eternal destiny. And so the purpose of women and motherhood is far beyond providing food, giving a good home atmosphere, and all of the things that we might think of typically. Over in Luke chapter 8 it talks about Mary Magdalene and some other women [00:07:57] And it says certain women there who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities Women were delivered by Christ In fact it's interesting that women were quite involved in the ministry of Christ It was something that God had chosen And I believe God chose it because of several reasons One reason, I believe, is because women have a keen spiritual interest. It's easier for women to have a spiritual interest than men, oftentimes. [00:08:31] We men get so involved in day-to-day things and making a living and all those kind of things. Sometimes we disclude or separate out the spiritual aspect of life. But here were some women that were delivered by Christ. Christ had touched their lives, had set them free so that they were able to worship and serve Him the way that they were designed to. Over in Acts chapter 1 verse 14, they were gathered in prayer. [00:09:05] It says, these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus with His brethren. Here were women of the church that were gathered together in prayer for a particular situation. And I appreciate the prayers of the mothers and women of our congregation. I believe that's a vital purpose that God has for you. [00:09:37] It's something that we cannot overindulge in, I don't believe. It's not something that we get involved in to too big of a degree, too great. Now, God also says in Acts chapter 5 verse 14 that women had the opportunity of receiving salvation. And believers were the more added to the Lord, both multitudes of men and women. [00:10:11] There is no distinction when it comes to salvation. There is no distinction in God's kingdom between men and women. One of God's purposes for all women is to come to salvation. And we who have had the privilege of Christian mothers have learned the blessing of that purpose of God for women, for mothers. I think of that often. I appreciate my mother as well and the desire and the purpose that she understood that she needed to be a child of God, needs to be a child of God. [00:10:55] So it's important for women to receive salvation. They also receive baptism in Acts chapter 8. There were many that were baptized, both men and women. So you begin to see that when it comes to the work of the church, to salvation, to opportunities there, God's purpose is the same for men and women to know salvation. Over in Acts chapter 16, we notice that the women there were spiritually interested. [00:11:29] On the Sabbath day, they went down to the riverside where prayer was wont to be made. And we sat down and spake unto the women which resorted thither. Women were there. It was important for them. Women are to be under subjection. And a lot of people look at this and they get a bad taste in their mouth. We're not talking about dictatorship. We're not talking about abusive. [00:12:00] We're not talking about those kind of things. We're talking about God's government, God's establishment of authority. The only way that any group, any societal structure can work properly is if there's an established form of authority. Otherwise, you have confusion. [00:12:32] If all of us here are equal today when it comes to the issue of authority then what you say and what I say might be in conflict and no one can decide it because there's no authority structure there and we know that from society, from government and so on Paul talks about this in different ways that one of God's purposes for woman is to fit into the proper place of authority. [00:13:10] It gives her strength. It gives her purpose. It gives her fulfillment. Women are also laborers in the gospel. Paul talks about this in Philippians. He says, help those women which labored with me in the gospel. and these other fellow laborers as well. It's interesting to me when I go to Nepal that there's more women that are available [00:13:42] to go and share the gospel than there are men. And I've noticed that in different places. Women love to labor in the gospel And that's kind of a reflection back on us as men We're not talking about men this morning But that's one of the purposes that we have as well in God's plan [00:14:14] Is to labor in the gospel But this is something that God has given to women as a purpose as something that they can be involved in. Women are involved in imparting family values. In 1 Timothy chapter 5, Paul says, I want younger women to marry, to bear children, to guide the house, [00:14:45] to give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. I want women to be mothers involved. This is one of God's plans and purposes. And then he says in Titus, he writes, chapter 2, verse 4, that they may teach the young, he's talking about the older women, teach the young women to be sober. That doesn't mean not to have a smile. That means to think properly. To love their husbands. To love their children. That's what older women are to do with younger women. [00:15:21] God's purpose in establishing family values and the place that women have in that. Women also have a purpose in God's plan of following worthy examples. And he tells us that there in 1 Peter. He says, after this man are also the holy women who trusted in God, Adorn themselves being in subjection unto their own husband And he's saying, look, this is where you as women are to be [00:15:53] And it's interesting to me when you look at what he's saying there He says, the terminology that he uses there is for women to not give or receive irritations not give or receive irritations just like holy women of old time and one of the references that he gives to us there is Sarah and Abraham had asked Sarah to lie [00:16:24] Sarah did that and God protected her because she was doing it as a subjection to her husband she was not receiving an irritation and she didn't give an irritation in response. And he's using that as an example there, following worthy examples. Genuine faith is one of the things that God desires, God has planned for women to show, to declare. [00:16:54] Remember, Paul told Timothy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith, the unfamed faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice, and I am persuaded in thee also. Those mothers took the privilege, the responsibility, the purpose that God had for them in imparting genuine faith to this young man. [00:17:29] And he became a very vital tool in the work of God. There's probably nothing that a mother could consider more important than this item itself. I believe one of God's greatest purposes for a woman, for a mother, is to impart genuine faith. Now, that doesn't excuse the father, and we'll have Father's Day here one of these Sundays, and we can talk about some of those things then. [00:18:08] But, a mother has an opportunity of showing genuine faith to her family. A woman needs to learn properly. In 1 Timothy chapter 2, 11-14, he says, Let a woman learn in silence with all subjection He's talking about the church setting He says, look, women are not to take authority in the church And he gives a very specific argument why [00:18:38] He says, Adam was not deceived, Eve was deceived in the garden That's the reason behind why a woman is not to be the highest authority. Because the tendency that woman has to be deceived. That's scripture. So he says a woman needs to learn properly. She needs to learn from her husband. A woman has the opportunity of wielding her influence. [00:19:14] So over in 1 Peter, again, chapter 3, what he's talking about there is how a woman is to influence an unbelieving husband. And he says very clearly there that the conversation or the lifestyle, the influence of the wife has the potential to influence her husband toward God. So that's an opportunity that she has there as well. Proverbs 31 [00:20:14] Seven women, infinite value. Who can find a virtuous woman? Her price is far above rubies. Far above. That value is infinite. A woman also is trustworthy. Trustworthiness is very important. He says there the heart of her husband does safely trust in her. [00:20:45] He doesn't worry about being spoiled. And in that sense, it's like a war term where the soldiers go in and take spoils. It's not that he's treated so good So he's getting rotten. That's not what he's saying there. He's saying a woman is trustworthy and her husband does not need to fear damage to his life because he knows he has a virtuous woman. [00:21:16] The woman of Proverbs 31 is a blesser. She blesses wherever she goes. She will do him good and not evil all the days of his life. There in verse 12. She's a willing worker. She seeks out wool and flax, works willingly with her hands. She's a good cook. She's like the merchant ship. She brings food from afar. And the picture there is that she's got a table that's well set. [00:21:51] Plenty of food for the family. She's not slothful. Says she rises early while it is yet night. Gives meat to her household and a portion to her maidens. She's seeking out opportunity. She considers a field and buyeth it. With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She's strong. She girdeth her loins with strength and strengtheneth her arms. She's diligent. She perceiveth her merchandise is good. [00:22:25] Her candle goeth not out by night. She's patient. She layeth her hands to the distaff, to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. I don't know if you've ever watched anyone spin cloth, but it's a job. You don't just do it. I mean, they look like they're flying through it, but, you know, they work and they work and they work and you can't go too fast or you just mess up. It's a job that takes, it's tedious, it takes a lot of patience. [00:22:59] She's compassionate. She reaches out her hand to the poor. She reaches forth her hands to the needy. She's prepared. She's not afraid of the snow for her household. for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She's modest. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry. Her clothing is silk and purple. She's an encourager. Her husband is known in the gates when he sitteth among the elders of the land. [00:23:31] So she's busy. She's encouraging. She's not just thinking about herself. She's thinking about others. She's industrious. She maketh fine linen and selleth it, delivereth girdles unto the merchant. She looks ahead. Strength and honor are her clothing, and she shall rejoice in time to come. She is wise, she is kind, she openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She is busy. [00:24:02] She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. She is appreciated. Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also, and he praises her. Where did that appreciation come in? Came after what had happened, right? She was appreciated because of who she was. And so it's important, you know, sometimes what we men look for is respect. [00:24:39] What women look for is appreciation. But you know, that respect that we want as men only comes as we earn it. And the appreciation that women look for comes as they earn it also. And we both can learn in that. There's a lot that we can consider in that. But this woman was appreciated. Very much appreciated. She is an excellent woman. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. [00:25:15] Do you ever think about that word excellent as the word excel? Excellent. She's excelled. And so she's excellent. She's one that fears God Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain But a woman that feareth the Lord She shall be praised And she's deserving Give her the fruit of her hands Let her own works praise her in the gates [00:25:47] Now, who can find a virtuous woman? Her price is far above rubies. Lynn already talked about how a mother in all of her work, I've seen some of those things already where they list out all that she does and what the value of it is and how it would be impossible for us as husbands to be able to pay them what they're worth. [00:26:25] But you know what? God is not looking for us to be somebody great. He's looking for us to fulfill the purpose that He's given to us. And as we fulfill that purpose, He adds the greatness. He adds the value. He adds the meaning. And I don't want you women this morning to be overwhelmed with all of this. It's big. It's a lot and I don't want you to look at it as overwhelming. I want you to look at it, maybe pick a couple of these that the Lord speaks to you about and say, I want to work on these for my life. [00:27:10] And maybe later on, as you worked on them, maybe then pick another one or two. But, you know, I just wanted us to have an overview this morning of how big God's purpose is for you as a woman. If you feel worthless or unfulfilled in the midst of all that purpose, Then I say you've got to stop and take a look at where you're at [00:27:41] Because there is so much purpose there that you'll never fulfill it all in your lifetime It's huge, it's beautiful Let's stand together for prayer Father, we thank you today for the women, for the mothers among us We thank you, Lord, for their desires to fulfill your purpose, to look beyond the here and now, to look into eternity, [00:28:18] and to consider, Lord, how you have given them value, how you have given them purpose and meaning in life. Father, I pray if there's anyone here today that's struggling, that feels that there is no purpose, that they're not fulfilled, Lord, I pray that you just work by your spirit to show them how great and how huge