Mary, Didn’t You Know?
Luke 2:41-52
Psalm 127:3
3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.
(NIV)
Here’s how several elementary school students answered the following questions about moms:
Why did God make mothers?
• She’s the only one who knows where the Scotch tape is.
• Mostly to clean the house.
• To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?
• He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
• Magic, plus superpowers and a lot of stirring.
• God made my mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.
What ingredients are mothers made of?
• God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world. . .and one dab of mean.
• They had to get their start from men’s bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
• We’re related.
• God knew she likes me a lot more than other people’s moms like me.
Don’t believe for one minute that children will always compliment their mom:
When first-graders were asked to complete the sentence, "My mother cooks the best . . . ," one boy supplied "that she can."
For all of those moms who drive endless miles back and forth to dance, gymnastics, soccer, basketball, church, school and friends houses...
For all of those moms who’s "second job" begins each night after the kids are tucked neatly in bed...
For all of those moms who feel like a wipie is permenantly attached to your hand...
For all of those moms who know every program on television from 12-5AM...
For the moms who have spent many nights crying and praying over their children...
For the moms who guard and protect their families each day from harm...
Happy Mother’s Day!
I pray that every weed (I mean flower) your child brings you...every rock drawing on the side of your brand new mini-van...every drawing on your wall (are you seeing a pattern here!)...every crayon picture...every hug and kiss...every moment with your kid reminds you each child is a treasure to be treasured!
Even though you treasure them, sometimes they won’t remember you:
One day Susan called her mother and got her answering machine: "If you are a salesperson press one. If you’re a friend, press two. If you’re my daughter, Susan, who never calls, press 9-1-1 because the shock will probably give me a heart attack."
Today we are going to look at Mary, the mother of Jesus, and see from her story God’s purpose behind motherhood. Mothers must never leave their children to be nurtured in things of God by another. You are to be “keepers” and “conveyors” of truth!
Luke 2:1-7
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
3 And everyone went to his own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
(NIV)
Mary, the mother of Jesus, knew Jesus was no ordinary baby. Mary gave birth to other children after Jesus, but no other pregnancy was confirmed by an angel! Her second-born son was not visited by stinky shepherds or wisemen dressed in silk. None of her other children caused a King to get so mad that he would order executions of all the boy babies born in that city at that time! Joseph may have pocketed the gifts given by the Magi and used them to fund their escape to Egypt, but Mary put those memories away in her heart. Mamas know that someday that child will need that information.
But somewhere between the diapers and the decisions, somewhere while step-brothers and sisters were entering the household of Joseph and Mary, in those busy days of the daily of motherhood, Mary lost something…or Someone!
Luke 2:42-51
42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom.
43 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.
45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.
46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?"
50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
(NIV)
Twice in this chapter it is recorded that Mary TREASURED all these things in her heart (vs. 19 & vs. 51). Mothers are the KEEPERS of vital information! Ask any mother in this Sanctuary and most likely they can tell you how much each baby weighed at birth and how long each baby was. Mothers remember the vital details about each child: when they had childhood diseases, names of their pediatricians, names of their school teachers, etc. Moms remember thing that most children wish would be forgotten. Dads rarely remember those things, but Moms do! Why? Because God has so equipped Mothers to be the keepers of vital information. Someday along the path we call growing up that important information will be needed and Mom will have it ready!
It is often interesting to listen to one half of a conversation between a Mother and her daughter. Jonda, our oldest daughter, called the other day, and was talking with her mother. Hearing only my wife side of the conversation, I was reminded of a Mother’s role as keeper of vital information. Ronda said something to Jonda about a friend Jonda had had in preschool and how Jonda had loved her and cared for her. This little girl had a artificial leg. I had long forgotten Jonda’s friend, but my wife! Why? God has so equipped Mothers to remember those kinds of things because one day the child will need it.
While Mary may have remembered all the facts about Jesus’s birth, somehow she lost the reason. Maybe she was frustrated that Jesus had “ditched” His parents. Maybe she was mad at Joseph for forgetting Jesus. Maybe she thought Jesus was with Joseph and Joseph thought Jesus was with Mary. Normally, when folks would travel in those days, they would only go a short distance, since they had to pack up before they left and journey to their first stop. The women and children would venture ahead of the men since they usually walked slower because of the children. When Joseph caught up with Mary and the other kids, Jesus was nowhere to be found. No wonder frustrated, frantic Mary forgets!
Note what Mary says when she finds Jesus:
Luke 2:48
48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
(NIV)
And notice His answer:
Luke 2:49
49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?"
(NIV)
Mary, Didn’t you know that your oldest son had to be about His Father’s business? Have you forgotten that it was for this cause He came into the world?
A mother’s job is to REMEMBER that each child is born with a God-ordained purpose.
Don’t ever forget, moms, that God has given you a unique gift in that child of yours! That child who drives you nuts, who does not seem to want to mind, who seems disinterested in the things of God, STILL has a purpose! God does not make mistakes and don’t you dare call any child a mistake. Every child has a God-ordained mission, a purpose, and it is Mama’s job to remember that because…
Mothers are also the CONVEYORS of vital information! It is mother’s job to REMIND each child of their God-ordained purpose.
Mothers are the first to teach the children. Those kids will mimic you; that’s how they learn.
A wife invited some people to dinner.
At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said,
"Would you like to say the blessing?"
"I wouldn’t know what to say," the girl replied.
"Just say what you hear Mommy say," the wife answered.
The daughter bowed her head and said,
"Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?"
It will be mama who trains them with how to do all those important things like proper restroom behavior and how to brush their teeth and manners they should use and how to tie their shoes. And it is also mama who needs to remind that child that God is not accidental nor haphazard in His work. God has a unique purpose for each and every individual who walks the face of the earth!
Listen to the commitment in Psalm 78:
Psalm 78:4-7
4 We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.
5 He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children,
6 so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.
7 Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.
(NIV)
Mothers, did you not know that your children are to be taught the things of God so that your grand children, even yet unborn, will put their trust in God? Did you not know that what you teach the child on your lap will be conveyed to the child on their laps? Mothers, you hold the future of Christianity in the words you say to your children! Christianity is only one generation from extinction. What you tell your children will be conveyed to their children.
Mothers, would you commit yourselves today to remind your children that they were born on purpose? Will you promise God to love your children like He loves them? Will you do it for the children?
