MOTHERS
Gen 2:22-24, 3:13, 16, 20, Exodus 1:22-2:3, Luke 1:26
MOTHER’S DAY VIDEO / She answers to the name “Mom”. What a great thought! For most of us, Mom was and is the big deal in our lives. I love Bill Cosby musings about this connection with mom and the little boy football players. After Day had worked, pushed, prodded, taught, practiced, and gone to bed give out from throwing the football, his boy winds up playing major college ball and after his first collegiate touchdown, turns to the TV camera and says, “Hi Mom!” What’s up with that?
Every Mother’s day I struggled with the message. Why? Because there is such a great temptation to be “sentimental” instead of speaking and preaching the gospel truth. Mothers are an integral part of our lives and development both present and future. For most of us, Mom is the BIG number.
Scripture mention many mothers and the many attributes of mothers. There are good moms as well as the not so good moms. Yet the Bible gives us several Characteristic of moms. Let us look at 4 attributes this morning and then end with 3 tools which every mom needs. Mom’s Are;
1) CREATED BY GOD - Gen 2:22-24 & 3:20 – Eve
> Of all the good ideas which God has ever acted on and used, the idea of a “Mom” has to head the list. He put Adam into a deep sleep and created for him a “help-meet”, which means “someone suited exactly to my needs”. Adam’s response was
> You’re right, God”, one translation records Adam as saying “this is IT!” However, we must remember that Eve was the 2nd name given to this woman. Let’s Read in Genesis 2 and 3. The first name was “Woman” as the name indicates, she taken “taken from man.” She cost him a rib. She was presented as his compliment, his companion, and even his co-heart.
> Let me stir you mind today. We have read this passage for years and thought little about it. Verse 24 says, “this is why a man will leave his father and mother and bonds with his wife..” Here’s the question; How did Adam even know what a father and mother was? Neither he nor the woman had parents.
> By the way, at this point (Genesis 2), she doesn’t have the name EVE which actually means the “mother of all things.” I have personal belief and that is God know Eve was something special. She was indeed the mother of all living things.
> One of the truths we have to deal with is this; the people with the most promise are the people who face the greatest trouble. In exactly the same way when Satan wants to pull down a church, community, & the gospel, he targets the deacon, the pastor, or the lay-leaders; he targeted woman for a fall. As you read the temptation, you see the unholy trinity used as a trap.
> In the aftermath, God exacted judgment. He began with the serpent and ended with Adam, but He didn’t pass up EVE.
2) CURSED BY GOD - Gen 3:13, 16 - He begins with a direct question. To see Him question a WOMAN reminds me that He is Jehovah God?
Mother – Pg 2
> On a more serious note, let’s look at verse 16 together. The word curse does not appear but clearly God is exacting judgment on this trio. The serpent and Adam were given their judgment and in the midst God turns to the woman with exacting words which she and her gender will carry for all of time. At another time, we’ll review the curse place on the serpent & the servant, but let’s visit the woman.
> The Woman’s curse is basically 2 parts. (one preacher made that statement and the woman on 2nd row said, “yea, children & husbands”) Actually, she is closer to right than one might think. Pain comes not in the children themselves but the Childbirth to get them. Can you imagine childbirth without pain? Also, God gave the woman a desire for husband to “rule” “dominate” and even “lord” over her life. Now I realize this is not a particularly popular message, but it is un-questionably biblical. Paul writes that the hus-band is to the wife what Christ is to the church. When we understand these truths, we realize that feminism is the rejection God’s plan and design.
> And the reason there is so much strife is in this modern day culture can be traced to fighting the design of God. Why do we do this? That’s kind of like asking “why do we sin?”
3) COMPELLED BY GOD–Exodus 1:22-2:3, Exodus 6:20, Num 20:59
> When we speak of the design by God for the male and female most think it is a “put-down”, yet the truth is rather, it is an affirmation. Mom’s have an instinct, an inner compelling given to them by God himself which no man can know or understand. This is seen in the mother of Moses, Jockebed by name.
> Since names are important, in Exodus 6:20 her name is listed in the genealogy and her name means “Jehovah He Glory”/
> In the words of Jack Taylor, Moses was borne in a time when it wasn’t popular for a boy to be borne. With out the protection of His mom, he’s dead. Let read our scripture. These words show the heart of a mom which is compelled by God. She saw her son was “beautiful”, she refused to obey the laws of the land (literally risk her life), and she even placed him in a life-threatening place and prayed for him. The Maternal Instinct is God’s Highest Call. (ILLUS: DEB) Mom is God’s special Gift to families and possesses a 6th sense of protection.
> This maternal, mothering, instinct is given at birth, through creation to females of all species.
4) CHERISHED BY GOD – Luke 1:26-35 records the story of the one who is arguably the most bless mother of all times. Her name is Mary and her son is Jesus. Gabriel’s message is “you are not only well thought of, favored, but highly favored”. This could almost be construed to mean “a woman of God’s dreams.” Someone to whom, God could entrust His only Son. From my understanding of scripture, Mary was a pure, chaste, young lady, who had qualities like innocence, humility, and the like. Because of these qualities God chose bless her. Jesus took time from dieing to make sure for His mom. Why God cherishes Moms? Because He made them special.
Mother – Pg 3
RECAP. To close today let me give what every Mom (and dad) needs. These 4 tools will assist you in becoming a good parent.
1) Saving Faith – This would be a faith in Christ Jesus. I hate to say this so abrupt on Mother’s Day, but just being a mom won’t get you to heaven. Mom’s, convey to you family that it is not attending church, teaching SS, Children, or teenagers, that get you to heaven. All come by the cross. Your saving faith needs to be easily transferable.
2) Strong Prayer Life – There is an Old Gospel Song which says, “If I could only hear my mother pray again.” Mom’s have your children ever heard you really pray? Many are the kids who testify, I was in trouble and I remembered Mom’s prayers.
> I’ll suggest to you this; in the Luke 15 story of the prodigal son, the dad was watching and the mom was praying. A thought; let’s not wait until a time of crisis or decision to pray for someone.
3) Steadfast Bible Study –Have we forgotten the NEED to study and know God’s word? There is a difference in Study and a cursory reading. Mom needs EVERY spiritual principle in her arsenal.
4) Servant’s Heart – When we consider all the mother’s highlighted in the Bible, our own mom’s, our friend’s moms, it seems that every good and Godly mom has within her the attitude of a servant. Today, we don’t care for being challenged to have this attitude, but it was the attitude of Jesus and is the characteristic we are called to have.
> CONCL; During WWII the Hollywood stars were entertaining the trainees who were about to go into battle. They gave a great show with song, dance, jokes and the like. They even gave motivational speeches. One speaker asked them, “what do you want me to do?” The response was; “we’re going to front lines, will you tell us how to die?”/
> The Speaker didn’t know what to say, however, this is why Mom’s and Dad’s are so important.
