Carry Him to His Mother

 

2 Kings 4:8-21

8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.

9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.

10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.

11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.

12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.

13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.

14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.

15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.

16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.

17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

18 And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.

19 And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.

20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.

21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.

Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Intro:  Dreams our to human life, what steam is to the locomotive.  It is the fuel that helps one to finish today and face tomorrow.  Without hope, the bible teaches us that man is most miserable.  It is hope that makes one believe that all things work together for good, for them that love the Lord.  Hope is the key ingredient that keeps many surviving from day to day. It is hope married to your dreams that keeps many of us sane in this insane world.  But what happens when your dreams die?  What happens when the all the plans that you had every intention of fulfilling, suddenly, possibly, tragically are taken away?  That is the question today…

For background let me catch up where we are….The central person of this story is a loving mother, whom the bible calls the woman of Shunem.  She was a great woman who can provide for us some wonderful characteristics of a godly mother.

She and her family lived in the village of Shunem, about 53 miles north of Jerusalem.  Just a few miles from Jezreel in N. Israel.  History tells that it was a beautiful village situated next to a vital spring.

It was here the prophet Elisha would make journey and pass by on several occasions.

One day Elisha passed by and the godly woman welcomed him into her home….Which brings us to a wonderful trait of a godly mother….

Reverence for things that are Holy

 

Vs 8-10 Says she fed the man of God, and recognized he was holy…A godly mother will recognize sacred things and cling to them.  She will invite godly influence into her home.  She will make a place for righteousness in her home, like this woman did for Elisha.

She Desired Children

 

The woman’s husband was old but there still was a yearning in her heart to have children.  She desired offspring.

The Church is a Mother

 

Paul was telling the church at Galatia, that Jerusalem was there mother..or where they were birthed.  This church is to be a mother.  We are in need of child, we are in need of fulfilling our motherly instincts to the lost of humanity.

The Bible speaks of that first church in Acts as our example and it says that..

 

Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Acts 2:47- Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

THE CHURCH MUST BEGIN TO GIVE BIRTH, AND BE A MOTHER TO CHILDREN!!

It’s Time To Grow Up

 

Vs 18 says very plainly that “when the child was grown”. It went out into the fields to begin to learn the labor of harvest. It was a time of maturity, no longer under the same habits, MOMMA wasn’t gonna be there to watch him any more.  The child was to now be responsible.

Souls we give birth to in this church, need the right nurturing, so that they will mature and grow.  SOME PEOPLE NEED TO GROW UP…

1 Cor 13:11- When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Some saints do real good as long as they are close to MOMMA…but as soon as they get out of her presence, they lack the maturity to function.

The Harvest – Real Maturity

 

The Bible says that when the child grew he went to the harvest to become a reaper.  This is the symbolism of our great commission….When MOMMA has nurtured us, taught us, pampered us, and prepared us…We are instructed to become workers in the harvest of our Lord..

Matt 9:37-Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

A sign of real maturity…is taking what you have learned from your mother and applying it…In this case….Winning Souls

John 4:35- Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

Prov 11:30- The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

There is also a danger in not fulfill our commission…SHAME…TO WHO? OUR MOTHER…

Prov 10:5- He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.

Children – The Hope of the Mother

 

All of the dreams that a mother has for the future are embodied in her children.  If there is to be a tomorrow for her dreams, it is going to up to the child she rears.

Fainting in Harvest

But what happens when the dream dies?  What happens when in the middle of labor and doing their best…they fall and faint….It’s happening everyday…There are many wayward children…who have tried and failed. Fallen and died in the field.  What do we do with those who have fallen?  Do we discard them.  Do we leave them there to decay and be buried by worldliness.  Do we ignore them!!

NO! NO! NO!…THAT’S SOME MOTHER’S BABY!!

CARRY HIM TO HIS MOTHER

 

When the child had fainted…and had fallen…the wisdom of the Father, told him not to leave him in the field but carry him to the place where he will find the strength he needs…CARRY HIM TO HIS MOTHER…

In this case MOTHER KNOWS BEST!!!  THE MOTHER IS THE CHURCH!!

WHEN PEOPLE FALL AND ARE WOUNDED…CARRY THEM TO THEIR MOTHER…CARRY THEM TO THE PLACE WHERE THEY WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF….

MOMMA WILL DO ALL SHE CAN FOR HER BABIES…

Not Letting her Dream Die

 

The Bible says that when the child had officially died in her lap…and she could do no more.  She did not buried it, have a funeral, and give up hope.  She put her situation in the hands of God…Listen to the rest of the story..

2 Kings 4:20-35

20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.

21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.

22 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.

23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.

24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.

25 So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:

26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.

27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.

28 Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?

29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.

30 And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.

31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.

32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.

33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.

34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.

35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

SHE WASN’T SATISFIED UNTIL THAT CHILD WAS ALIVE AGAIN!!

THE CHURCH SHOULD NOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL ALL THE BACKSLIDERS ARE HOME…AND EVERY DEAD THING IS RESURRECTED!

IT’S TIME TO GET BACK OUR MOTHERLY INSTINCTS….LET’S BE THE CHURCH GOD WANTS US TO BE….WHEN THE WORLD IS HURT AND WOUNDED…WHEN HELL HAS PRONOUNCED A SOUL DEAD…

CARRY HIM TO HIS MOTHER!!