Trail Blazer’s
Happy Mother’s Day

With Bishop Ronald K. Powell

Today’s Text

• 1 Thessalonians 2: 7-9
• 7 On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children.
• 8We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.

Introduction

• Today is Mother’s Day 2019.
• I asked the Lord to show me what He wanted to speak on and the word Trail Blazer came into my mind.
• I asked Him to give me Scripture and when I turned to 1 Thessalonians 2:7-9 the Words jumped off the page at me.
• Paul is using a metaphor to show Church leaders how to lead the Church.
• Paul’s Metaphor is one everyone will be able to embrace and understand. (Paul’s Metaphor is a Godly mama)

A Metaphor By Definition

• Simple metaphors make a direct comparison between two things, saying that one thing is the other.

“Paul Raises the expectation of Spiritual Leaders”

• He does this by telling us that if you want to Lead the Church right lead the Church Like your Mama led you!
• So Scripture offers leadership by example and directing Instruction on the very subject of Spiritual Leadership.
• So effective Spiritual Leadership is a combination of Character and Activity, “Who you are and what you do!”

Character is presented in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6

• Paul presented us with the exemplary Leadership Virtues in a Mothers Life;
• 1-Tenacity – the quality or fact of being very determined,
• quality or fact of continuing to exist; persistence.
• 2-Integrity – the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.
• 3-Authority – the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience.
• Paul presented us with the exemplary Leadership Virtues in a Mothers Life;
• 4- Accountability – The obligation of an individual or organization to account for its activities, accept responsibility for them, and to disclose the results in a transparent manner. It also includes the responsibility for money or other entrusted property.
• 5- Humility -freedom from pride or arrogance : the quality or state of being humble. Low self-regard and sense of unworthiness. In a religious context humility can mean a recognition of self in relation to a deity.

1 Thessalonians 2: 7-9 ( A Spiritual Mother)

• 7 On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children.
• 8 We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.
• 9Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
• 10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed.

Character of an Approved Spiritual Leader

• In Verses 7-10 Paul views the outward function of and Approved Spiritual Leader.
• So in order to display these functions he Is going to use a Metaphor and the Metaphor is going to Mom!
• Galatians 4:19 -20 – 19 My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.… (Can You Hear a Mother’s Heart)

1 Corinthians 4:15 ( A Spiritual Father)

• 14 I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.
• 15 Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
• 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.…

Oswald Chambers Said…

• Jesus said to Peter — “Feed My sheep,” but He gave him nothing to feed them with.
• The process of being made broken bread and poured-out wine means that you have to be the nourishment for other souls until they learn to feed on God.
• They must drain you to the dregs. Be careful that you get your supply, or before long you will be utterly exhausted.
• Before other souls learn to draw on the life of the Lord Jesus direct, they have to draw on it through you; you have to be literally “sucked,” until they learn to take their nourishment from God.
• We owe it to God to be our best for His lambs and His sheep as well as for Himself.
• Has the way in which you have been serving God betrayed you into exhaustion?
• If so, then rally your affections. Where did you start the service from?
• From your own sympathy or from the basis of the Redemption of Jesus Christ?
• Continually go back to the foundation of your affections and recollect where the source of power is. You have no right to say — “O Lord, I am so exhausted.” He saved and sanctified you in order to exhaust you. Be exhausted for God, but remember that your supply comes from Him. “All my fresh springs shall be in Thee” (PBV).*

AS A Mother

• AS Mother’s are absolutely essential to the well Beings of their children, so Spiritual Leaders who minister should minister with a mother’s Gentleness, Intimate affection, Sacrificial Love, and unselfish Labor.
• These Characteristics are essential for the Life and Health of the Church.

The Family & the Church

• The Family
• So if my family is going to be healthy, I need to a spiritual mother to my children.
• The Church
• If my Church is going to be healthy I need to be a Spiritual leader that resembles the Character of a Spiritual Mother.

Gentleness

• There’s another word in our text…. It’s Gentleness.
• It means to be kind and understanding with people. It encompasses a host of other virtues as well like:
• Acceptance, respect, passion, Tolerance of imperfection, patience, loyalty, and tenderness
• I want to discuss one of these virtues with you > Tolerance of imperfection.

• There’s another word in our text…. It’s Gentleness.
• It means to be kind and understanding with people. It encompasses a host of other virtues as well like:
• Acceptance, respect, passion, Tolerance of imperfection, patience, loyalty, and tenderness
• I want to discuss one of these virtues with you > Tolerance of imperfection.

Motive:

• The Motive here is Deep Love and is not found anywhere else in the New testament.
• Our text says she cared for them with fond affection
• That means to long for someone passionately and earnestly.
• Being linked to a mother’s love is intended to express an affection so deep and compelling as to be unsurpassed.
• It’s like the Mother who says I can’t love you anymore than I do!

When a woman becomes a mother:

• Salvation is in child Bearing.. Definition of childbearing
• : of or relating to the process of conceiving, being pregnant with, and giving birth to children.
• Mothering loses the self absorbed character of a woman’s past.
• It picture one that goes from an attitude of all about me to all about them.
• Sucking life from you till the can suck life from Christ Himself
• Giving all that I can give!!!

Closing

• What is the Holy Spirit saying to you in this message Men and women of God.
• Is He pointing a light on you Character?
• Is He shining a light on something that is missing in your leadership Ability?
• Is He telling you that if you are tired and exhausted to go back to the source of your call and suck life from Him.
• Let’s pray!