Mothers Day 2017 - "Bad Moms Of The Bible"

You know … for some moms it is hard to figure out the texting acronyms.

One mom texted her son: “Your grandfather just passed away. LOL.”

The son responds: “Why is that funny?”

Mom texts back: “It’s not funny, David! What do you mean?”

Her son is confused – he writes: “Mom, LOL means Laughing Out Loud.”

The mom is now embarassed as she texts: “I thought it meant Lots of Love. I have to text everyone else back.”

There’s another story were a daughter texts her mother: “Mom I got an A in chemistry?”

The mother responds with a simple: “WTF!”

Daughter quickly writes back, “Mom, do you know what WTF means?”

The mom places a smiley emoji and says, “Of course, that means WOW THAT’S FANTASTIC.”

Today, I want to spend a few moments talking about bad moms of the bible.

Have you ever thought you were or had a bad mom growing up?

I think for most people they sometimes question their parents tactics, roles and discipline - but most of us don't think we had the worst.

There were some bad moms in history.

Have you ever heard of Ma Barker? In the 1930s she was seen as one of the highest criminals in America. J Edgar Hoover said, "the most vicious, dangerous and resourceful criminal brain of the last decade” – and she turned crime into the family business.

Her sons Hermon, Lloyd, Fred and Arthur jumped right into the family business. Murder, kidnapping, car jacking, robbery all learned from their mother.

How’s that for bad parenting?

In 1935 she and one of her sons were killed in a shootout with the FBI.

When you think you are a bad mom or you had a bad mom think about Ma Barker.

Or did you hear about Mary Ann Cotton?

This 19th Century nurse, dressmaker, and housekeeper, in England, had a secret hobby: she poisoned and killed 11 of her 13 children, all four of her husbands, two lovers, plus two other people. All for their insurance money. Arsenic was her murder weapon of choice. She racked up a body count of 21 before Scotland Yard captured her.

She died by hanging on March 24, 1873.

Moms, when you think you are a bad mom – think of these two ladies – YOU ARE A GREAT MOM!

African Black Eagle usually lays two eggs, then proceeds to feed only one of the chicks. What happens to the other feathered newborn? Its sibling pecks it to death, while mom looks on ... wow!

Can I tell you again? You are a great mom!

The Bible declares, "Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise … many women have done wonderful things, but you’ve outclassed them all" (Prov 31).

We have some of the classiest moms in the world at Church Unleashed …

When you think you are doing a bad job … understand you are doing an incredible job.

When you feel discouraged – just remember Octo-Mom.

When you think you are failing – just remember Casey Anthony.

You are a great mom! Better than you think …

But there were not just bad moms in history there were some BAD MOMS in the Bible!

Athaliah – following the death of her husband and son, each of whom reigned as king, she massacred all but one of her own family so she could rule over Judah (2 Kings 11).

That’s a bad mom!

Or how about Lot’s daughters? They became mothers by getting their father drunk and having sex with him as he lay in a drunken stupor (Genesis 19).

That’s a bad mother …

Or Herodias, Herod Antipas’ wife. She was responsible for the death of John the Baptist because he told her and her husband they were in sin. She could not get Herod to kill John – so she made her daughter dance sensually to get him to agree to anything she asked (Mark 14:8). Her request … John the Baptist’s head.

That is a terrible mom.

Eve. The mother of every living person. Imagine being remembered as the person who “severed” our relationship with God because you ate something you should not.

Not the greatest decision. Her character, and her husbands, transferred to her children. Two of her sons were part of the first homicide in human history – she was also the first mom to bury a child.

Our decisions affect generations!

Ladies, you are not a bad mom – we have a church filled with incredible, gifted, anointed and appointed moms.

C’mon … let’s give it up for our mothers one more time … we love you all!!!

There were some great moms in the Bible too.

Sarah. The mother of Isaac. She waited 25 years to have a child. She gives hope to every lady who is still waiting to have a child.