MOM’S LAST PRAYER
John 17:6-19 Acts 1:6-11 1 Peter 4:12-14 5:6-14 Psalm 68:1-10, 36
May 12, 1997

I. PRAYERS CAN BE CONFUSING

A. Lunch - Cara & a Friend
After Easter, a prayer of mine was answered. I was able to be with my parents in Memphis. On Saturday, a friend of my sister, Cara and I went out for lunch. After we had ordered, Judy, Cara’s friend said that she didn’t know what to get her mother for Mothers Day. This reminded me that I hadn’t even thought of what I would do for Mother’s Day. Now I don’t really enjoy shopping and I am not good at buying presents so I asked Cara.
“Do you want to go in together to get Nadine a Mother’s Day gift?”
Car replied, “That’s ok but I don’t know what to get Mom either!”
“Well, what’s Dad getting Nadine?” I asked.
“I think that Ernie is buying her some flowers and taking her out to eat.” answered Cara.

By this time Cara’s friend Judy was totally confused. “Who, pray tell, are you guys talking about?”

B. Explanation
Sometimes over hearing some one else’s conversation can be confusing. Cara talks about “Mom and Ernie” and I talk about “Dad and Nadine.” Overhearing some one else’s prayer can also be confusing. In the Gospel lesson we overhear Jesus’ last prayer for His disciples before He is betrayed, interrogated, tortured and killed. Jesus’ prayer can be confusing and misleading if you don’t read it carefully.


II. MOM’S PRAYER for STEVE & I

A. Mom’s Gifts
In the Children’s sermon I had asked them what was the best gift their Mom had given them. Now its your turn. What is the best gift your mother has ever given you. For me, I remember several gifts my Mom gave me.

B. Steve & I
I only knew my mother for ten years but I remember the love and the prayers she shared with us. Mom loved us and prayed that we would love each other. Unfortunately Steve, who is two years older than me, and I used to fight like cats and dogs. Steve & I used start many games together, but because we were both so competitive, as soon as I would start to win, Steve would accuse me of cheating. Of course, if Steve started to win, I would accuse him of cheating. I think that you can count on one hand, how many games Steve & I finished without fighting.

C. Dairy Queen
I know that mom loved us & frequently prayed for our unity as a family and that we would love each other. I specifically remember one nice warm sunny spring evening. After supper, Dad didn’t have to go back to work, so he volunteered to help Mom with the dishes. The only automatic dishwasher we had was Tom, Steve and me. Mom had told us that when they were done with the dishes, that for a treat, we would go to Dairy Queen for desert. So Steve & I decided to play some one on one football. We had only played for 10 minutes. Then one of us got ahead and the one behind accused the leader of cheating. “You were off sides!” “Was not!” “Was too!” Thinking back, I can’t figure out how the offense can be offside in one on one football.

This went on and on until Dad came out. Then I knew that we were in trouble. I wish that he would have sent us to our rooms, or given us some other punishment. But all he said was, we’re not going to Dairy Queen. Mom is in the bedroom crying & praying because you boys are always fighting. That was a powerful lesson.


III. MOM’S LAST PRAYER

A. Re - Marry
Now one prayer of Mom’s that really stands out above all the others was her last prayer that I remember. I was ten years old. It was the last week of June and school was out for the summer. Grandma Krueger was staying with us to take care of us. Grandma Krueger was staying with us because Mom was in the hospital with pneumonia. Mom had ahsma and emphysema but now it was much worse.

I still remember how Dad told us about that morning. Dad went into Mom’s hospital room . When he entered the room, Mom was quietly talking. Dad asked, “Who are you talking to?” There was no one else in the room. “I was praying.” “What were you praying?”
“I was praying that if I die, that you would re - marry so that the boys would have a mother.”


B. “Jesus, I’m Ready
Later, in the afternoon Dad again went into Mom’s room and again she was praying. Dad again asked her what she was praying and Mom said that she was praying to Jesus, She was ready to go home. The next day, Mom died.

C. Explanation
For me, I don’t remember this as a mournful or sad story. For me, it shows the power of prayer and the love behind prayer. Mom loved us and Mom loved Dad. Mom wanted to make sure that Dad was happy & that Tom, Steve & I were protected, loved, and properly raised. Mom loved Dad so much that she gave Dad permission to re-marry. Mom loved us so much that she gave us permission to have a new mom. In a way, Mom’s prayer was even more than that, she not only gave us permission, she encouraged us to love again and to live.

Mom’s prayer that Dad would re - marry, was answered. Dad married Marge Zimmerman. I gained a step mother, two step sisters and a step brother. What better gift could my mother have given than her prayer for us, and her sharing that prayer with Dad.

Mom’s prayer also changed the way I think about life and death. Mom had done what God had sent her into this world to do. Mom lived her life and loved her family but Mom also knew that there was a time to go home to God. Mom’s last prayer taught me the meaning and value of faith hope and love. Not just faith, hope and love in your family, but faith hope and love for Jesus.





IV. JESUS’ PRAYER


In today's Gospel, Jesus was also praying. This is Jesus’ final prayer in the Gospel of John. The next day he would die. Jesus’ prayers are in the reverse order of my Mom’s prayers. First Jesus prayers for himself. Jesus prays that he would be glorified. He prays that he is ready to go home to God.

The second part of Jesus’ prayer is for his disciples. Jesus prayed for the disciples unity as a Christian family and for their joy. In less than 18 hours Jesus would be executed but now he is still thinking of others. Jesus true love for all of us really comes out. Jesus gave the gift of prayer. This gift of prayer was so important that the Holy Spirit inspired John, years later, to record this prayer.

Jesus prayed that the family would be one. Jesus knew that His family of disciples would become a blended family. The family would soon include Jews and Samaritans, and Africans and Greeks and Romans, and one day even northern Europeans and eventually North Americans. And Jesus not only gave permission for the family of believers to grow, Jesus encouraged and commanded us to reach out to others and to invite them into the family.



V. THE OTHER LESSONS

A. Acts 1:14
This gift of prayer was also important for the early church. Pray, prayer, praying etc. is mentioned 37 times in Acts. In our first lesson, specifically, in Acts 1:14, we learned that Jesus’ followers, including his mother and other women, were constantly praying.

B. 1 Peter 5:7
Then, in the second lesson, 1 Peter 5:7, we read that we are to cast all of our anxieties on Him, because He cares about us.



CONCLUSION

Today, on Mother’s Day, I remember & cherish my mothers prayers. And my prayer for you today is twofold.

1. I pray that all of you can have a positive memory of your Mother. A memory that will be a blessing to you as my Moms last prayer is still a blessing for me and Jesus’ prayer is still a blessing for all of us.

2. I pray that you would pray for your mother. By mother I mean your birth mother if she is still alive, but mother could also mean your grandmother, the mother of your children, the mother of your grandchildren, the mother of your nieces and nephews or the mother of your friends. So everyone has a mother to pray for.

Pray that all mothers would love & nurture their children. Pray that mothers would continue to pray for their children.

And most importantly, pray that mothers would teach their children about the love of God, shown in Jesus. Jesus loved us so much that Jesus prayed for us, even the day before He died.


Remember, Prayer is not only a nice wish or idea like some Hallmark card, prayer is a loving gift that changes a lives!


Now, may the peace and love of God
a love which surpasses our understanding of even motherly love,
keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.