Pastoral Letter 10
Dear Members of St. Andrew’s Uniting Church, Friends and Adherents,
Happy Mother’s Day!
Today we celebrate and honour mothers, although not quite in the usual way that we’re used to. I am sure it is feeling a little strange, as we are not able to gather with the big family to honour our mums, but I hope we will still be able to celebrate and express our thanks and gratitude to them. While we do that, we keep hearing good news that things are getting back to normal, it’s giving us hope that we are on the way to recover from this unprecedented situation. With the anticipation that sooner rather than later, we will be able to worship together in the church, let us keep praying for that day to come soon.
Last week Chris came with an idea to prepare a note to drop in the letterboxes of our neighbours around the church in Longueville, saying we are “Thinking of You”. The note card was drafted, checked, corrected and after a few changes, we printed 400+ copies ready to go on Tuesday. The note read:
At St. Andrew’s Uniting Church, we are thinking of our community during this difficult time of social distancing and isolation. We understand that many of us cannot see family or speak to community members as much as we would like. Our church members are experiencing similar feelings.
We have been looking at creative ways of reaching out to people in their homes.
There is some information on our website and links to groups.
If you need to talk to someone please call us.
We are not social workers or counsellors – only friendly community members.
We have fond memories of participating in activities in our church sanctuary and War Memorial Hall, but currently we are being creative and finding other ways to connect with each other and our local community in Longueville. After the Coronavirus period has finished, we would love you to join us.
Please keep an eye on our church Notice Board.
The letterbox drop happened between Tuesday and Thursday and all the streets of Longueville were covered. Thanks to Virginia, Frank, Chris, Wendy, Ken and myself, the notes were dropped, and we’ve already received two feedbacks.
Ruth says: Bruce and I were having our appointment with our skin cancer specialist this morning and she said: “I had a beautiful ‘thinking of you’ card in my letterbox yesterday and I was so impressed I’m going to show it to my minister”. This is a lady who comes every year to market morning to buy ginger slices. So, well done!
And Virginia: This morning I walked with a Jewish friend who lives in Kenneth St. She was very impressed with the card and thought it a great idea. She said it is not often you get something in the letter box wishing you well in such a caring way without wanting something in return. Well done.
Thanks to all who helped and thanks Chris for the beautiful idea.
Attached you will find this Sunday’s Order of Service, please join us tomorrow morning at 9:30 am by reading the script, the Prayers, Responsive Reading, Bible Readings and sing the hymns and think about all those who are worshiping with you at the same time, but most importantly, let us remember all the mothers. I am attaching the hymns in music and video format to make it easy for you to sing along. Please do not forget to light a candle, if you wish, which represents Christ with us.
Keep on praying and leave everything in the hands of our great God, who is our refuge and strength.
Some prayer requests to you all:
Please pray for Nan, as she is very frail. Wendy was able to visit her earlier this week and told me that she is not well and is suffering. May God be with her and the family in the coming weeks and months.
Please pray for those members of our congregation who are lonely and struggling with many challenges and need our encouragement. If you have time, call them and have a chat.
Please pray for Penny, as she recovers from her operation. She is well, though less mobile, but getting there.
Krikor
Your Minister
Message Summary
Mothers – Lois and Eunice
Proverbs 31:13-35 and 2 Timothy 1:1-14
Happy Mother’s Day! Thanks and heartfelt praise to all our mothers and grandmothers on this, your special day!
In 1996 Hillary Clinton published a book, where she mentioned that the children do not grow mentally and physically by the effort of the parents, rather by the efforts of the surrounding society. All parts of society have their influence on the growing generation. She wrote: “It takes a village to raise a child”.
But this is not entirely true. The truth is; it takes godly parents to raise a child.
Today, more than ever in history, people other than parents are raising their children.
Because of the cost of living and the amount of low paying jobs, it has become almost impossible for a family to survive without both parents being at work full time. Hence most parents are forced to start their children in day-care almost from birth.
The result is that the village (or society) is raising the children, rather than parents.
Someone might say, “Well, what is the harm in that?”
The danger is what our children are being taught by the village.
They are being taught that life’s motto is:
“If something seems to be right, do it. If it feels good, do it, because there is no such thing as right and wrong”.
In other words, they say things like: “There is no truth.” Or “Truth is relative to what you believe.”
The idea that there is no absolute ‘right and wrong’ is really the most dangerous problem facing our next generation of kids today.
Humanism teaches that man is not special and is not made in the image of God. We are simply a complex form of matter. God does not exist, and if anything, we are gods. Many years ago, during my training in the early 1980s, when I was teaching Ethics and Scripture in one of our schools in Lebanon, a girl in year eleven made a very interesting statement. The discussion was about God and us, the humans are created by Him and in His image. He is the creator and we are the creatures. During the discussion, she made the following shocking statement and said: “I am my God”.
This is being taught even at very young ages. In school, kids are taught that they are nothing but glorified apes. And then we wonder why they act like it!
God’s Word assures me that we are not just a gloried monkey, but a person CREATED in the IMAGE OF GOD! But this is not what is being taught in the ‘village’.
So, with these things in mind, is it really best that the ‘village’ does not raise the children?
Of course, day-care centres are going to be necessary, and the cost of living is not going down anytime soon. But this does not take away the responsibility of parents in the life of their children.
What is needed today, is godly mothers and fathers who will stand and say:
“This is right, that is not – and not because I believe it, but because the Bible says it!”
In our text today, we see two examples of godly mothers: Lois and Eunice, the mother and grandmother of Timothy, who was a young minister of the Gospel, a student of the Apostle Paul as well as his close friend and co-worker. He served with Paul on some of his missionary journeys. He was Paul’s representative to churches and he also served as the pastor of the church Ephesus.
In his second letter to Timothy, Paul gives insight into the root of Timothy’s faith saying that it first “dwelt in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice”.
This is an important note within the text, because it gives insight into the role of a godly mother in shaping her child to do what is right and encouraged by Timothy’s response to their teachings.
Let us note few things about Timothy’s mother and grandmother:
- Timothy was taught as a child to seek God.
3:15b “…from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures…”
This verse indicates that he had received a religious education as a child. This education did not come from a priest, a Pharisee, or a pastor, but from Lois and Eunice.
How many times have we heard Christian parents say: “Well I am not going to push my beliefs onto my child, when they are old enough, they will make their choice on their own”.
These are usually the same parents who choose what sports their children play, what activities they participate in and which college they should attend. But belief in Jesus as Saviour, the most important decision a person can make, is left up to chance.
Godly parents should begin teaching their children about the things of God from a young age.
Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it”.
The word ‘train’ does not just mean ‘teach’. You can teach your child something, and someone can teach them something else. This word indicates ‘to prepare for a contest’.
Someone once said: “Have you ever wondered why so many parents tie up their dog, but let their children run loose?”
Satan is in a contest for the souls of people. He knows what is in store for him and wants as many as possible to share his fate. He influences society to influence people, and young people are the most influenced of all.
Parents have to prepare their children for that influence.
Most statistics show that a child’s behaviour is formed in early adolescence and world views concerning morality and ethics and religion are formed in the early teenage years.
The only way for the parent to know is for themselves to have a vibrant, personal relationship with God.
- Timothy saw God’s influence in his mother’s and grandmother’s life.
1:5 “I have been reminded of your sincere faith which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice”.
It is obvious that Paul knew these women and had seen their faith in action. It could have been that he and Barnabas led them to faith during his first missionary journey. They had understood the Scriptures well enough to see that Paul was a true man from God and trusted in the Gospel that resulted in a life that showed forth in faithfulness.
Godly parents cannot just train their children in the way they should go – they must lead the way.
Sadly, today we see empty churches. Parents should be leading the way to church.
Let me ask you a few questions:
- Do your children see God’s influence in you?
- Do they see His love, His discipline, His grace, His mercy?
- Are you an example of godliness to your children?
You may say, “Krikor, nobody is perfect!”
I am not saying that we never make mistakes.
Have you ever seen a little girl go searching through her mother’s clothes and makeup and put it all on so that she can be like mum?
I have seen one. Probably you too.
She is simply following mum’s example.
Lois and Eunice were examples of Christian living to Timothy, which above the society influences, showed him how to live a godly life.
For sure Timothy had other influences in his life. As a young boy he probably had friends whose parents were not Christians. And I am sure Satan tempted him to follow sins of the flesh and improper behaviour. But Timothy always had his mother and grandmother at home as a guide.
Do our children and grandchildren see us as a godly guide in their lives? Someone who is steadfast in faith that they can look to us as an example of godliness.
We will never shield our children from all that life will throw at them, but we can be a light in the darkness that leads them through by being an example of God for them.
Our children need godly parents and grandparents who will step out in faith and declare ‘Thus Says the Lord’. But God never intended that children be allowed to go blindly into life without any knowledge of Him, but that godly parents would guide their children into that knowledge.
If you are a parent or grandparent, I urge you, spend time with your children and tell them about God and His love for them.
I know in the current situation we have to abide with social distancing, and we have done that and still do, until things ease soon. Then, it will be a good time to see them, hug them and have one of the best chances to talk to them and in a way show that we are Godly people, parents, mothers and fathers.
Illustration: A cartoon pictured a little girl asking her mother an important question: “Mummy, what is a Christian?” The mother thought for a moment and then replied, “A Christian is a person who loves and obeys God, loves their friends, neighbours, and even their enemies. They are kind and gentle and pray a lot. They look forward to going to heaven and think that knowing God is better than anything on this earth. That is a Christian!”
The little girl took a couple of moments to contemplate what her mother had said, and then asked: “Mummy, have I ever seen a Christian?”
Parenting involves modelling Christ-like behaviours, disciplines, and attitudes for our children because they need far more than a Christian’s description, they need an example of one.
If we have godly mothers, we should thank God for them – if we are mothers or grandmothers, we should be doing our best to be an example to those little ones who look up to us.
Thank God for giving us Godly or God-fearing mothers.
And thank God if we are Godly or God-fearing mothers like Lois and Eunice.
Happy Mother’s Day!