“A Woman of God”

There’s no better way to honor the women of Eagle Rock Church, and our guests on this very special day, than to lift up some of the great truths of the word of God. Truths that God inspired His Men to write long ago for us in this present age, to bless and encourage us.

Would you agree with me that Satan has pointed all of the artillery of hell at the home? Think about it:

Immorality / adultery / fornication / homosexuality / abortion / militant feminism / juvenile delinquency / sexually transmitted diseases…these are all sins hatched in hell, and they all have 2 things in common:

1. They are: On the rise 2. They are: Aimed at destroying the family

Good news today: God has a plan! “When all else fails, read the directions” (men aren’t the best at this…but this is for the ladies today anyway! Notice the word “become” in verse 1. Ladies: have you ever told someone their outfit was very “becoming?” The word become in v. 1 literally means that she “beautifies” sound doctrine. v. 10 “adorn”…this word in the Greek is the word from which we get “cosmetics” in English. If you really want to be beautiful, not just outwardly, but also inwardly…more than you need Mary Kay, you need to live God’s way, according to God’s plan. Put on the lipstick of a kind tongue / blush of purity and innocence / foundation of Godliness / eyeliner of compassion / mascara of sincerity

Let’s look today at the things which adorn / become / beautify sound doctrine. And I hope that every woman here today will leave w/ a bag full of spiritual cosmetics, with an irresistible spiritual attraction that will ‘catch the eyes’ of a lost world beyond our doors.

I. Her Mandate (v. 1-4) “teach the young women”

1.The Responsibility of the Younger Women

   A. To listen and to learn

       1.Listen to and learn from the “aged” women, and to avail themselves to

          their wisdom.

       2. The young women of Eagle Rock Church where and are supposed to

            learn about Christian Womanhood, not primarily, from this pulpit, this

            preacher…but rather from their elders right here.

2. The Responsibility of Older Women

    A. Our “aged” women have a God-given responsibility to teach the younger

          women . Teach them what?

         1. How to be good wives / mothers / homemakers.

    B. Who is teaching the younger Christian women of today? Who is shaping

         their family values?

         1. The world! I’m afraid that in many cases it’s someone like Oprah.

         2. The world is sending all kinds of negative messages to our younger

             women:

         3. “If you’re not happy / satisfied w/ your marriage, just get out. “aged”

              women need to step up and say, you need to try your best under

              all circumstances to keep your commitmnet / vow before God!

             It’s not your love that sustains your commitment, it’s your

            commitment that sustains your love! (Learn to Love)

      4. The world says: “If this pregnancy is unplanned, then simply destroy the

           evidence.”(Older women must respond: “the circumstances which  

           surround a pregnancy do not determine the value of the child.)”

    C. There’s probably not a woman in this place today that appreciates the

         old English word used here, “aged”!

        A. We’re not talking about the elderly…But those of you whose

              children have left the house, or soon will leave.

            1. If you fit that category, the Bible today reminds you of your

                “mandate“.

            2. It’s not a suggestion, it’s a command

            3. If you are not investing your life into the lives of  women then you’re

                not fulfilling all of your God-given responsibilities as a woman.

II. Her Motive* (v. 5) “That the Word of God be not blasphemed”

     1. Simply put, one of the best things a woman of God can do to improve

         the influence of this church

        A. Help build strong families!

            1. Every time the community sees a family fall apart in God‘s church,

            2. It contradicts, undermines, and marginalizes what we teach and

                preach here…it hurts our influence.

            3. We’re preaching that Jesus is the answer to the world’s problems

                that Jesus is the solid Rock on which to build a marriage and

                home…but for the most part, the world doesn’t listen to what we

               say…but oooooooh how they watch what we do! And Paul is

              saying that when we allow homes in our church to disintegrate, or live

              ungodly lives, the Word of God is blasphemed.

III. Her Manner of life (v. 3) “as becometh holiness”

       1. “behavior” fragrance…you should have the fragrance of holiness

           emanating from you.

          A. In the OT, the priest went into the holy place to burn incense

             1. Even when he departs the tabernacle and rejoins the others, the

                 fragrance is still on his garments. And anyone who gets around him

                 knows, he’s been in the holy place…he’s been with the Lord!

           B. There’s an ora, a glow about a Godly woman, as the beauty of

                Christ just radiates from her life!

   2. “not false accusers”

       A. Literally: not a gossip (I Tim. 5:11-14)

   3. “much wine”

      1. “Teach” (to train by example) What, is she to teach younger women.

         A. To be sober / discreet serious minded, level headed, good judgment

         B. No wonder her husband safely trusts her in (Prov. 31:10-12 27-31),

             he trusts her to make good decisions, run the household well, and use

             her time wisely.

   2. “Love her husband”

       A. Teach to love? Learn to Love? Do wives really have to learn to love

            their husbands?

       B. Remember how it was back then in Bible days. Today we fall in love

           and get married…back then, it was reversed, arranged by parents!

          They got married then learned to love one another.

    3. “Love her children”

        A. Do you really have to learn that? (tough love)

        B. Many modern day mothers today say, I love my child too much to

            spank them.

           1. She needs to be taught what real love is. (Prov. 13:24)

    4. To Be discreet, chaste,

        A. Old-fashioned purity (pre-marital purity / post-marital fidelity)

        B. Sex education is not up to the school!!!

            1. Older women are to teach the younger women, by example, and in

                word, how to be chaste!

     2. Mothers are to do the same for their daughters.

  5. “Keepers at home” (2 Greek words: one meaning home, the other

        meaning worker…home workers!)

        A. Homemaking is a God-ordained / God approved occupation

             1. There is no higher calling on the face of the earth, than to be a wife

                 and mother.

            2. Many mothers have to go to work, but make sure you’re working

                 for needs, and not greeds

            3. Working for a higher standard of living is not worth the trade-off to

                 your home

The home is under attack today. And so, when all else fails, read the directions. Aren’t you thankful today for mothers / women of God? As Mother’s Day, today is a day to honor them…but as the Lord’s day, it’s a day to glorify God…and what would glorify Him more than for women to recommit themselves today to their mandate, to teach, and learn from each other, to have the irresistible glow of Godliness, the attractive scent of one who’s been w/ God, the fragrance of holiness!

Lost: God’s way for the woman is-- #1, that she be born again. It would be wonderful to have a woman saved today…perhaps a mother’s prayers would be answered today and her child would be saved!

I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the loving God, who was born of the promise to a virgin named Mary..

I believe in the love Mary gave her son, that caused her to follow him in his ministry and stand by his cross as he died.

I believe in the love of all mothers, and its importance in the lives of the children, they bear. It is stronger than steel, softer than down, and more resilient than a green sapling on the hillside. It closes wounds, melts disappointments, and enables the weakest child to stand tall and straight in the fields of adversity.

I believe that this love, even at its best, is only a shadow of the love of God, a dark reflection of all that we can expect of him, both in this life and the next.

And I believe that one of the most beautiful sights in the world is a mother who lets this greater love flow through her to her child, blessing the world with the tenderness of her touch and the tears of of her joy.