Havasu Christian Church
May 12, 2024
2 Kings 4:8–37
A Godly woman… and a Mom too!
INTRO: It’s Mother’s Day!!!! YAY! The Bible is full of Mothers…. After all, everyone who’s ever lived on the planet was given birth to by a woman.
We could talk this morning about the very first mother, Eve. After all, we all came ultimately from her. Or we could talk about Noah’s wife. Again, she’s everyone’s grandma… We could look at the life of Sarah, the mother of the Jewish people, or we could talk about Solomon’s wives…. Maybe not. Then there’s Samuel’s mother, Hannah.
There are also some really BAD examples that we could learn from. Jezebel, the wicked queen of Israel, who worshipped Baal, and tried her best to kill Elijah. There’s also Herodius, who convinced her daughter to ask for the head (minus his body) of John the Baptist.
We could talk about Jesus’ mom, Mary, or even Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. There’s also the “Virtuous woman” who’s described in Proverbs 31.
But today, I want to focus on a lady that we probably aren’t so familiar with. She was a woman who lived during the time when Elisha was the main Prophet of God in Judah. We’ll see what we can learn from her today.
8 Now there came a day when Elisha passed over to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman, and she persuaded him to eat food. And so it was, as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat food.
9 She said to her husband, “Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God passing by us continually.
10 “Please, let us make a little walled upper chamber and let us set a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; and it shall be, when he comes to us, that he can turn in there.”
11 One day he came there and turned in to the upper chamber and rested.
12 Then he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” And when he had called her, she stood before him.
13 He said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have been careful for us with all this care; what can I do for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the army?’ ” And she answered, “I live among my own people.”
14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Truly she has no son and her husband is old.”
15 He said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.
16 Then he said, “At this season next year you will embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God, do not lie to your maidservant.”
17 The woman conceived and bore a son at that season the next year, as Elisha had said to her.
18 When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father to the reapers.
19 He said to his father, “My head, my head.” And he said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.”
20 When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her lap until noon, and then died.
21 She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door behind him and went out.
22 Then she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and return.”
23 He said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.” And she said, “It will be well.”
24 Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, “Drive and go forward; do not slow down the pace for me unless I tell you.”
25 So she went and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel.
When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, there is the Shunammite.
26 “Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’ ” And she answered, “It is well.”
27 When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away; but the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is troubled within her; and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.”
28 Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?”
29 Then he said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand, and go your way; if you meet any man, do not salute him, and if anyone salutes you, do not answer him; and lay my staff on the lad’s face.”
30 The mother of the lad said, “As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” And he arose and followed her.
31 Then Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the lad’s face, but there was no sound or response. So he returned to meet him and told him, “The lad has not awakened.”
32 When Elisha came into the house, behold the lad was dead and laid on his bed.
33 So he entered and shut the door behind them both and prayed to the LORD.
34 And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands, and he stretched himself on him; and the flesh of the child became warm.
35 Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth, and went up and stretched himself on him; and the lad sneezed seven times and the lad opened his eyes.
36 He called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, “Take up your son.”
37 Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and she took up her son and went out.
- This woman had faith in God.
- We know this by looking at her actions!
- Faith always inspires action!
- She showed hospitality to Elisha and his servant.
- At first, she simply offers a meal to travelers.
- But soon, she realizes he is much more than a weary traveler. “I perceive that this is a holy man of God.” she wants to help the Prophet do the Ministry that God has given him.
- She had no expectations of being rewarded for what she did. “what can I do for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the army?’ ” And she answered, “I live among my own people.”
- She doesn’t want a reward.
- But soon, she has her husband build a “casita” on the roof.
- When her son dies, she had faith that God could restore her son to her.
- She showed that faith by going and finding Elisha so he could help her.
- She would not be deterred from her mission by anyone or anything.
- Her husband wants to know what she’s up to, but she just gives him a vague answer.
- Her faith was not a way to “get something” from God.
- Many religions, and many “religious” people, then and now, think of their “g” god as some kind of cosmic vending machine.
- I put in the right amount of dollar bills and quarters, and out pops what I want.
- That isn’t how things work.
- She didn’t do well by Elisha to “curry favor” with him, or with God.
- When Elisha asks “what can I do for you?” she responds, “I live among my people.”
- I really don’t need help is what she’s saying.
- She seems to have a genuine hunger for spiritual things.
- He husband asks her “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.”
- Apparently, this isn’t the first time she has traveled to be with Elisha.
- She desperately wanted to be a mother.
- She wanted this so badly that she wouldn’t put her wish into words.
- When Elisha tells her she will have a son, she thinks he’s teasing. “No, my lord, o man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!”
- She is afraid to even want this after so long.
- She wanted one of the greatest responsibilities on earth… Raising a child.
- It is a responsibility that can make a HUGE difference in your life, and the lives of others.
- Mothers certainly make a difference.
- By what they do.
- By what they don’t do.
- By their presence.
- By their absence.
- By their approval.
- By their disapproval.
- By their discipline.
- By their lack of discipline.
- By their love.
- By withholding their love.
As a young man, George Washington wanted to join the British Navy. Why didn’t he join the British navy? His mother disapproved and convinced him not to.
Think of how different our world might be if he had. His loyalties might have been very different, he might have even been a ship captain or an Admiral in the British navy, instead of being the General who led our nation. He might not have become “the Father of our Country.”
- The woman of Shunem made a difference in the life of her son.
- He was responsible.
- He was in the field with his father.
- When he fell ill, she cares for him.
- When he died, SHE goes for help!
- She could have sent a servant,
- She could have just “hoped for the best.”
- But she put forth the effort to find the Prophet, and get his help!
Conclusion: What can we learn from this lady today? (besides an appreciation for moms)
- We should follow her example of faithfulness.
- A faith that follows God.
- A faith that serves God.
- A faith that serves God.
- A faith that helps others.
- We should follow the example of her attitude.
- Not “What can I get out of God”
- Instead, genuine worship!
- God knows what’s best for us.
- God knows the desires of our hearts.
- We should follow her example of being concerned for the next generation.
- We should love them.
- Part of loving them is teaching them.
- Part of loving them is to disciple them.
- That kind of love includes accountability!
