Biblical Manhood & Womanhood - 2 Timothy 3 - Living By The Truth…

All right, let's pray. Father, I want to thank

you for your word. Thank you, Lord, for Mother's

Day. Thank you for the gift of the mom. Just

ask you would be with us as we go through your

word, that the full counsel of your word is spoken

and taught. Help us to rightly divide it. Help

us to be good Bereans and to test all things.

I pray that you are high and lifted up, glorified

in all that we do, because you are the God. who

gives life. We praise you and thank you in Jesus'

name. Amen. So the kids have been given a task

to count how many times the word she is said

in today's sermon. Now, I probably won't. I'll

have to go back and listen to it just to count

how many she's I have said, but we're going to

do that. So I hope you have your little pens

ready and your little papers and your little

pads. Proverbs 31. is where we're going. You're

like, oh, really? You had to pick out of all

of the scripture to compare a mom to, a woman

to Proverbs 31. It's an impossible task. Well,

actually, if you look at it from the perspective

as I'm going to present it, it's actually not

that impossible. The words of King Lemuel, an

oracle that his mother taught him. Oh, wow. So

this entire Scripture, Proverbs 31, is an oracle,

a teaching, an instruction that was given to

King Lamuel from his mom. So that kind of settles

some things, doesn't it? What are you doing,

my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What

are you doing, son of my vow? Do not give your

strength to women, your ways to those who destroy

kings. It is not. For kings, O Lemuel, it is

not for kings to drink wine or for rulers to

take strong drink, lest they drink and forget

what has been decreed and pervert the rights

of all the afflicted. Give strong drink to the

one who is perishing and the wine to those in

bitter distress. Let them drink and forget their

poverty and remember their misery no more. Open

your mouth. for the mute, for the rights of all

who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously,

defend the rights of the poor and needy. An excellent

wife who can find she is far more precious than

jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her,

and he will have no lack. gain. She does him

good and not harm all the days of her life. She

seeks wool and flax and works with willing hands.

She is like the ships of the merchant. She brings

her food from afar. She rises while it is yet

night and provides food for her household and

portions for her maidens. She considers a field

and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she

plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength

and makes her arm strong. She perceives that

her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does

not go out at night. She puts her hands to the

staff and her hands hold to the spindle. She

opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her

hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow.

for her household, for all of her household are

clothed in scarlet. She makes bed coverings for

herself. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Her husband is known in the gates, and he sits

among the elders of the land. She makes linen

garments and sells them. She delivers sashes

to the merchants. Strength and dignity are her

clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.

She opens her mouth. with wisdom, and the teaching

of kindness is on her tongue, and does not eat

the bread of idleness. Her children rise and

call her blessed, her husband also, and he praises

her. Many women have done excellently, but you

surpass them all. Charm is deceitful, and beauty

is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to

be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands,

and let her works Praise her in the gates. First

thing I want you to notice, gentlemen, is it

has nothing to do with you. We'll handle that

right in the beginning. You're like, ooh, that

just like took the air right out of the balloon.

A mother's heart for her kids. Listen to your

mother's warnings. Wisdom is found in the lips

of a godly mother, and failure to heed will bring

calamity. Mom has a lot to say. I said this earlier.

My wife's right 90 % of the time. You're like,

what happened to the other 10 %? I can't make

her perfect. But she's usually right. I know

some of you women are saying, what happened to

99 .9? At least there's one 10th left. Sorry,

can't do that. I at least want to be right 10

% of the time. Proverbs 1, 8 through 9 says this,

the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Hear, my

son, your father's instruction, and forsake not

your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful

garland on your head and pendants for your neck.

Proverbs 31, 1 through 9. I want you to notice

a couple things here. It says the words of King

Lemuel, an oracle that his mother taught. This

is his mother's righteous and sound instruction,

not his father's. His mother taught him. Notice

these three things. What are you doing, my son?

What are you doing, son of my womb? What are

you doing, son of my vow? Every single son has

brought terror and white hair to the mother's

head. I'm telling you right now. This is sort

of like this. I'll say it like South Jersey.

What are you, stupid? Are you kidding me? I carried

you for nine months and you don't listen to me

ever. Oh, I gave it to the Lord and you're still

not listening, you crazy nut. If you're Italian,

you know exactly what I'm saying. I mean, it's

three times. First, he reminds him, hey, you're

my son. Second, I carried you for nine months

and you still don't listen. And third, you made

a promise and you're still not keeping your promises.

That's exactly what it means. Do not give your

strength to a woman and your ways to destroy

kings. A mother's wisdom. Keep yourself chaste

until you marry. Because when you give yourself

away, it drains you of your life. That's what

she's saying here. Why? She's a woman. She sees.

She knows. She knows. Notice, she also tells

him, oh, King Lamuel, it's not for kings to drink

wine and for rulers to have strong drink. In

other words, how many moms have begged their

kids not to get drunk or become an alcoholic

or get addicted to drugs? It's going to kill

you. And not only does it kill you, it perverts,

it causes you to forget the law that's there

to protect you. And it perverts and affects the

rights of those around you. That's what she's

saying here. How do I, why do I know this? Because

my mom did the same thing with my brother who

died from a heroin overdose. begged him. Did

he listen? No. Listen to your mother. She knows.

Notice it says, give strong drink to those who

are perishing. For those who just want to continue

to destroy their lives, they will destroy their

lives without any hesitation. When God gives

grace and mercy, latch onto that because God

is giving you life to run away from the thing

that has snatched you. Notice it says here in

verse Seven, let them drink and forget their

poverty and remember their misery no more. Eventually,

they won't remember anything. By God's grace,

if God has given you life, embrace it. Open your

mouth for the mute, for the rights of those who

are destitute. You should be men, you should

be speakers, speaking on behalf of those who

cannot speak for themselves. This is from a mother's

mouth. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend

the rights of the poor and the needy. Take care

of those who cannot take care of themselves.

That's wisdom from a mother's mouth. So I want

you to notice here in this oracle that's been

given to King Lemuel. This is a mother giving

him directions on how to lead. You know who develops

leaders in the home? You know who develops godly

men? Moms. Why? Because when dad's out there

working eight hours a day, guess who's forming

and molding that man into being a man? Their

mother, you come and you lead your wife. She

leads the kids. Notice what it says. Next, biblical

principle. Biblical motherhood starts with how

well she partners with her husband. How you treat

your husband teaches children more than what

you say about how a Christian woman should be.

The greatest gift that you can give your kids

is to love their father. and to treat him with

respect and honor as God has assigned him the

responsibility to be the head of the home, the

leader who leads in service and in servitude.

That's how men lead. Men become slaves. What

did Jesus say? Peter, if I do not wash your feet,

you will have no part with me. Treat him well.

Love him well. Be faithful to him, and your kids

will learn what it means to be faithful. First

Peter 3, 1 through 2. Likewise, wives, be subject

to your own husbands so that even if some do

not obey the word, they may be won without a

word by the conduct of their wives when they

see your respectful and pure conduct. What's

interesting about this word subject means partner.

Walk alongside with, work with, together with,

support with, fit him even if he's not a believer.

Don't give up. Proverbs 31, 10 through 12. An

excellent wife who can find. I found one. I know

all of you are saying, well, if you're married,

you have to say the same thing. Because if you

don't, you're in deep trouble when you go home.

So hopefully you can say your wife's excellent.

I do. I don't have a choice. She is far more

precious than jewels. Her value is beyond measure,

and she is priceless. So much more valuable and

priceless than jewels is a wife to a husband.

There is nothing more valuable in my life than

my wife besides Jesus. Nothing. And I say this

to my kids ever since they were little. When

they would mouth off and give mom a hard time,

don't talk to my wife that way. You're going

to grow up, move out, get your own family. I

got to die with her. Leave her alone. Respect

her. Don't talk to my wife that way. Not don't

talk to your mother that way. Don't talk to my

wife that way. She's mine. My gift. Now, thank

you. She does him. Notice what it says here.

The heart of her husband trusts in her and he

will have no lack of gain. There's nothing that

I don't trust my wife with. Nothing. Trust me.

She grabs my phone anytime she wants. Just saying.

She does him good and not harm all the days of

her life. Does she do, do you do your husband

good? Are you working and partnering and edifying

him? Next principle. A woman living biblical

motherhood is never found to be idle. She is

always doing what she was designed to do. Galatians,

I mean, Genesis 2, 15 says, and 18 says this.

For God took the man and put him in the garden

of Eden to work it and keep it. Verse 18, then

God said, it is not good for man that man should

be alone. I will make a helper fit for him. So

I want you to get this, men. She is your helper,

one who works with you in the garden, not someone

you tell what to do. She is not your slave, and

you are not dominant over her. You walk with

her and you guide her. You lovingly care and

protect her and you work together. You invite

her into the work together with her. She's there

to fit you, not for you to control. Biblical

men who lead, lead by being a slave and edifying

his wife so that she's willing to walk alongside

with her husband to accomplish what God has set

for them to do. I could not be the pastor I am

today without my wife's complete and total partnership

and support in what we do. Very important. Now,

Proverbs 31, 13 through 16. She seeks wool and

flax. Notice, she seeks it. She doesn't go to

her husband and say, honey, you know, I need

some clothes for the kids. I got to make clothes.

Is it all right if I buy that? Because if she

doesn't buy it, guess who runs around? Without

clothes on. They're kids. Not good. But notice

what she does. Not only does she do that, but

she also does some other things with it. Look

what it says. She seeks wool and works with willing

hands. She delights in working with her hands.

She finds God's purpose and plan for her life

to be busy doing what God has equipped her to

do. She is like the ships of the merchant. She

brings her food from afar. So not only does she

take care of your clothes, washes them, folds

them, sometimes irons them. She also cooks your

dinners. When you come home from work, what's

the first thing you do? Sit on the couch, hit

your recliner, ask her for something to drink.

Hey, you know what my wife say? Get up and get

it yourself. That's what she would say. I know,

babe. She's helping me get up and get it myself.

No, her job is not to serve at my every beck

and call. What should men do? Men, like Jesus,

go in after a long day's work, see a bunch of

piled dishes, and they do the dishes. You're

like, well, that's not fair. I worked all day.

She did too. She managed your house, cleaned

your laundry, took care of the kids, took out

the dog, made you dinner, made sure they ate

lunch, taught them school all day, and then you

want to come home and act like you're Mr. King.

Notice what it says here. She rises while it

is yet night and provides food for her household

and portions for her maidens. Now, I don't have

any slave, but I will tell you, there are many

times my wife usually goes to bed really late.

I know because anyone who talks and texts her

at night, I know you. I'm in bed. My wife's still

up. So she's busy preparing. How many times has

she prepared food the previous day in order to

make sure you had food for the next day? Or that

you have lunch to take to work? That's your wife.

She's managing and running the house. She considers,

she devises and purposes a field and buys it.

Notice, she doesn't go to her husband and ask

permission to buy a field. You're going to notice

something here in a minute. Why? Why does she,

on her own, devise plan and purpose to buy a

field? Because she has to feed her family. Look

what it says. With the fruit of her hands, she

plants a vineyard with the field she just bought.

Do you know what that means? Not only does she

provide food, grapes for her family, she's provided

revenue. Because vineyards are very expensive.

They produce wine and other things that she gets

to sell. Isn't that interesting? She is always

looking for ways to care and provide for her

family. She is fulfilling the work mandate as

prescribed and commanded by God in Genesis 2.

She's fulfilling what she's supposed to do as

a wife. If I trust her, I need to trust her with

the money. I only trust you but this far because

I need to manage it all. We do it together or

it don't get done. The beauty of a woman living

biblical motherhood is not in attire that draws

the eye. It's not in what she wears that draws

the eye, but she is clothed in strength and dignity.

1 Peter 3 -6, chapter 3 -6. Do not let your adorning

be external, the braiding of hair or the putting

on of gold jewelry or the clothing you wear,

but let her adorning be the hidden person of

the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle

and quiet spirit. She's not demanding, pushy.

She partners, she works together, she communicates

clearly. She's not screaming at the top of her

lungs because in God's sight, it is very precious,

that gentle and quiet spirit. For this is how

the holy women who hoped in God used to endure

themselves by submitting to their own husband.

As Sarah obeyed Abraham. This word obeyed means

honored. As she honored him by calling him Lord,

by calling him dear, by calling him my love,

by calling him my king. Not my master slave,

but master husband. And then, and you are her

children if you do good. And do not fear anything

that is frightening. Why? Because she is sure

in the hands of her God and her husband. Proverbs

31, 17 through 25. She dresses herself. She girds

and prepares herself with purpose. She gets ready

on purpose. I got a mission. What does she dress

herself with? With strength. And she makes her

arms strong. This makes her arm strong is God's

symbol of strength for her family and those in

her life. I am getting myself ready to walk alongside

you, partner with you, work with you. I got work

to do. That's the idea. She perceives, she knows

with confidence that her merchandise is profitable.

Think about it. I mean, she just bought a field.

She's making wine. She's like, I can make some

serious money. She perceives, she knows with

confidence that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night. She works

and continues to work. She puts her hands to

the distaff and her hands hold to the spindle.

She's the one doing the work when you're busy

doing other things, dad. She opens her hand to

the poor and reaches out her hand to the needy.

She is always compassionate to those who are

less fortunate. She is not afraid of the snow

for her household. Why? Because she's already

prepared them for the clothing she needs. For

all her household is clothed in scarlet. She's

given them the best of what she has. She makes

bed coverings for herself. You notice she doesn't

forget about taking care of herself. She takes

care of herself also. Her clothing is fine linen

and purple. Her husband is known in the gates

when she sits among the elders of the land. Notice,

she makes her husband popular. When a wife partners

with her husband and they are busy accomplishing

what God has set out for them to do, everyone

knows them. We are no greater than the women

that God has given us. She makes linen garments

and sells them. She delivers sashes to the merchant.

You don't do that. I don't know about you, but

this woman is making some serious cash. Strength

and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs

at the time to come. She has no fear. She has

contempt for what's coming. It's a joke. It doesn't

matter, she says. Women living biblical motherhood,

as God designed, commands praise and respect,

especially from her family. Do you respect? your

mom? Do you respect your wife? Do you proclaim

and give praise and honor to the woman that God

has put in you? This life giver. Psalm 127 verse

Psalms 127:3

3. I want you to hear this. This is huge. Psalm

Psalms 127:3

127 verse 3 and Proverbs 14 .1. Proverbs 14 .1

is going to wreck a lot of men's ideas. It's

just amazing. Behold, children are a heritage

from the Lord, the fruit of the womb, a reward.

The only reason why we as men can claim that

we have arrows in the quiver is because our wives

give them to us by God's grace and his will.

But I want you to notice something else. Proverbs

14, 1. I want you to hear this, men. Pay attention,

gentlemen. The wisest of women builds her house.

But folly with her own hands tears it down. A

woman can make a house successful, strong, and

powerful if she's partnering alongside with her

husband and they are walking together for the

glory and edification of God and the accomplishment

of bringing up godly children. But she, in the

same breath, can tear it down. There is nothing

worse than a scornful woman. But there's nothing

greater than a woman who does the will of God.

and obeys him. Proverbs 31, 26 through 27, no,

31, sorry. She opens her mouth with wisdom. Notice

that. Your kids get their wisdom from their mother.

And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

How well should you care for her? She looks well

to the ways of her household and does not eat

the bread of idleness. I can tell you that for

sure. I wake up in the morning. I don't know

about you. But my brain isn't working. I need

like an hour and a half. I've sat down for like

45 minutes. My wife comes out and says, what

are you doing? I said, I just woke up. She said,

45 minutes ago. I said, I need another hour.

What does she do? Right in the kitchen starts

working. I'm like, oh my goodness. Showing me

up. I'm like, sometimes I just sit and enjoy.

Because I'm just like, my brain is like, ooh.

She allows me. She allows me. Look what else

it says here. She looks well to the ways of her

household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her

husband also, and he praises her. Do you understand

how blessed you are with the woman that God has

given you? The life giver that God has given.

It's the greatest gift that the next salvation

God could ever give is your wife. There is no

greater gift. that you could give your kids to

love your wife in front of them. My kids get

gross when I go, hi, honey, and give her a little

hug and kiss. She's like bugging out. They're

like, ew, that's gross. I'm like, you're 19.

Give me a break. Many women have done accidentally,

but you surpassed them all. A charm is deceitful

and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the

Lord is to be praised. Give her. of the fruit

of her hands, and let her work. Praise her in

the gates. There's one more mother I want to

be able to talk about, and that is a mother who

is single. Didn't do this in first service, but

I will do it here. I grew up with a mom who was

single. I want you to think about that. She raised

two boys. By God's grace, God redeems one and

calls him to ministry. The other, not so much.

But my mom was a life giver. There are two types

of single moms. Ones where their husbands don't

have enough gumption, don't have enough gumption

or guts to continue to love their family and

lead them and guide them and walk with them.

The second are those who lose their husbands.

It's our responsibility as the church, as best

as we possibly can, to come alongside those women.

It's hard enough to try to raise kids with parents.

It's harder to raise kids without them, at least

one. The burden that single moms have is greater

than I could ever imagine. And my mom worked

her rear end off. So remember those whose fathers

are gone, who are left alone, who we must come

alongside and walk with and be the support that

she needs until the Lord provides another. Father,

I want to thank you so much for your goodness

and faithfulness. Thank you for your grace and

mercy. Thank you, Lord, for the moms, the life

givers. Thank you for the moms that continue

to work hard. partnering with their husbands,

walking side by side, accomplishing your purpose

and your plan and your task. She is a gift. Thank

you for the moms who are alone, still raising

kids, walking with their children, teaching them

their ways. I pray, Lord, that you would continue

to remember them, provide for them as the church

comes alongside them. I pray that you would be

honored and glorified in all things. Lord, we

praise you and thank you for your faithfulness

to be honor and glory forever. In Jesus' name,

amen.