Honoring Your Mother

Honoring our Mothers

Matthew 20:20-28

Disclaimer: This was prepared by prayer and thoughts from Sermon central contributors

Introduction-

Matthew 20:20-28 Read

This is a unusual Scripture for Mother’s day.

We see this as a scripture about two people that wanted to be exalted to the highest position.

To sit on the right and left of Jesus Christ.

Look at the mother’s side:

Here is a mother who loves her boys enough to approach Jesus and ask that they have the special honor of sitting of each side of Him.

This unnamed mother (could of been one of you).

She wanted three things for her boys.

1. Wanted them to be in the kingdom of God.

2. Wanted them to be active in the kingdom of God.

3. Had a high expectation for them.

Matt. 20- has the mother kneeling at the feet of Jesus.(Our text)

Mark 10- doesn’t pick up the story with the mother, but just the two sons before Jesus.

Mark’s account:

we see the worldly ambition of the two disciples. James, John, the sons of the unnamed mother.

Matthew’s account:

we see the compassion of the mother.

Matthew did not want to show the disciples guilty of worldly ambition and put the request into the mother’s mouth.

Just like mom to be the spokesperson for the family.

This unnamed mother presented her sons to Jesus because they were close to Jesus. (Cousins)

We know this later as in all 3 accounts of Jesus at the cross. Matt, Mark, John, the mother of the sons of Zebedee are mentioned.

The passage reveals a few things.

It tells us that the boys had their own ambition. They were thinking personal reward and personal distinction.

The mother for her children was thinking the security of having Jesus in the center of their lives.

The other 10 disciples , looking at it as .....I don’t care if your cousins, I want to be next to Jesus also.

I realize this morning all are not mothers, but we honor the women in our lives who have stood with us, those who have gone the extra mile to help us be all that we can be.

I have great respect for my mother, as I get older, I realize the sacrifices that she did to raise two boys (all boy) by herself.

Illustration-

Calvin and Hobbes comic strip:

Mother being woken by her son on Mothers day up in her bedroom. Mom wake up I made you a card for Mother’s day. I did it all myself. Just for you.

She begins to read.

I was going to buy a card with hearts of pink and red.

But then I thought I’d rather spend the money on me instead.

It’s awfully hard to buy things when one’s allowance is so small.

So I guess your pretty lucky I got you anything at all.

Happy Mothers Day. There, I’ve said it. Now I’m done.

So how about getting out of bed and fixing breakfast for your son.

I’m deeply moved..said his mother. Did you notice the part about my allowance?

Being mom doesn’t always come with respect and due honor.

Ephesians tells us to honor our fathers and mothers. “That it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Notice it does not say- honor your mother because she has been perfect and never made a mistake.

It says that children obey your parents because the Lord says it is the right thing to do.

It is difficult to be a parent. It is difficult to be a mom and the responsibility that falls to them.

Most of the time running the house as well as working outside the home.

They are called by God to stand in the gap for their children.

The mother is the one that carries the baby to term and has the privilege in sharing in the guidance of that child.

The internal bond of a mother to their children. I believe only the love God has for us is stronger.

Illustration-

I love this cartoon that shows a mother in her home. Her hair is in disarray, kids are everywhere, and the house is an absolute shambles. Then her husband comes home from work all neatly dressed in coat and tie, carrying his briefcase. She takes one look at him, and he looks at her with a big question mark on his face. She tells him, you come home every evening and ask what I do all day. Today I didn’t do it, and here it is

So what can we learn from this mother of two sons?

Mothers are teachers, disciplinarians, cleaning ladies, cooks, nurses, doctors, counselors, chauffeurs, coaches. They develop personalities:

If my attitude was not right, my mother was willing to shape and develop my attitude.