“A Mother’s Love Request”
By
Pastor M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
Matthew 20:20-20:24 “Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping [him], and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but [it shall be given to them] for whom it is prepared of my Father. And when the ten heard [it], they were moved with indignation against the two brethren”.
Mark 3:17 “And James the [son] of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder”.
A Mother's Love
by
Helen Steiner Rice.
A Mother's love is something that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion, sacrifice and pain,
It’s endless and unselfish and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it or take that love away . . .
It’s patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining, it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendored miracle man cannot understand another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand.
First I want to Thank God for my Mother Sharon Maughmer. She is a mother above all mothers as far as I am concerned. My father taught me how to me a man my mother taught me how to be a compassionate man. To my mother on this Mother's Day I say I Love You and thank you for all that you have deposited in me. I Love You Mom.
OPENING:- Mothers are very special creations, their love is unconditional, their patience unsurpassed, their understanding remarkable. Mothers have x-ray eyes that can see through walls and doors where the children are playing or are being especially quiet and are able to tell just what is going on. Mothers have, although you can’t see it, more than one set of hands, so that she can do many things for the family all at one time. Mothers have big hearts that allow her to love her family no matter what. Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the backyard instead of the drawer. Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids.
Mothers have the energy of a nuclear reactor that appears to never get tired, because she can work all day at a job, fight traffic to get home, and when she gets home, she miraculously transforms into a cook, teachers, chauffeur, maid and wife. Mothers are doctors and nurses without ever going to med school, because she knows how to kiss the hurt away and nurse a weak man back to health. Mothers are minister that keeps the family before the throne of God, and she constantly intercedes for wayward family members, and through it all she is able to keep her sanity and good looks. Mothers know that a child's growth is not measured by height or years or grade, It’s marked by the progression from Mama to Mommy to Mom. Mothers have the ability to know that something is wrong with their child eventhough they may be separated by thousands of miles of ocean. Mothers sometimes ask, "Why me? in a moment of despair" and get a smile put on their face when their answer comes from a little voice says, "Because I love you best."Mother’s are teachers even without that college degree, disciplinarians, and miracle workers, psychologists, counselors, chauffeurs, coaches, fan clubs, attentive audiences, listening ears, and awesome supporters. Mothers are the architect of personalities, crafters of vocabularies, and developers of attitudes. Mothers are soft voices saying, "I love you." and yet a firm hand that guides correctly. Mothers are a child’s first impression of God’s love.
Mothers are all of these things & much, much more. A Mother’s Love is so special that in the book of Isaiah God said “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.” Isaiah 66:13.
Because a mother is what she is, a mother, and the love she has is such a special kind of love it will cause her to sacrifice for and of herself in-order that her children will have. She will request the best for her children regardless of what society may think of them.
We have either seen it on television or have experienced it personally, a child has committed a horrendous crime and the mother pleads with the judge & jury “that’s my child please spare his life- I know he may have done some wicked stuff, but that’s my child”. That’s a special kind of love – that’s a Mother’s Love. Only a mother can look beyond all the bad and wicked and still see that little child that she carried for so long.
On this Mother’s Day I want to talk about a Mother’s Love Request.
In one of our passage scriptures James and John were called “The Sons of Thunder” Mark 3:17 “And James the [son] of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder”. Now because the Bible says the sons of Zebedee we automatically assume the name has to do with Zebedee; however, when I looked at the interpretation of the name Sons of Thunder it got me to thinking about thunder.
Thunder is something that is not seen, but it is heard. Salome, the mother of James and John, there is not a lot written about her, Mark is the only gospel that mentions her name. Her name means Peace and that is so befitting because a mother is one that brings peace in a family.
We know she was a follower of Jesus Christ, one of the women that ministered to the needs of Jesus. She was at the crucifixion and one of the women that went to the tomb on the great resurrection morning. Not much else is noted about her except for a rumbling that she caused amongst the Apostles. She didn’t do anything wrong but the sound she made caught their attention and sent a rumbling through these chosen men of God.
WATCH THIS:- There is nothing wrong with thunder, but it does get your attention. Have you ever been sleep and a mighty crack of Thunder happens that wakes you out of your sleep. That thunder did something - it got your attention, so based on that I want to talk about the Sons of Thunder mother - Salome.
Matthew 20:20 – 24 says “Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping [him], and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but [it shall be given to them] for whom it is prepared of my Father. And when the ten heard [it], they were moved with indignation against the two brethren”.
Some might very well criticize Salome for her presumptuousness to ask such a question of favoritism. But since today is Mother’s Day, maybe we ought to think for a few moments concerning some positive things about Salome.
She was first and foremost a mother, giving birth to 2 boys who eventually grew to become one of Jesus’ twelve, men whose lives became that which a mother is proud of. Perfect men, NO, passionate and purposeful men of God, YES! I look at my own Mother and compare her to Salome. My Mother raised 3 boys none of us are perfect, we all have skeletons in our closets there were times when my mother cried tears because of the choices her sons were making in their lives, but I can truly say today perfect men she did not raise, but passionate and purposeful men of God we are. All 3 of us are Ordained Elders preaching the unadulterated Word of God.
LIKE SALOME THE QUESTION BECOMES - HOW DID SHE DO IT? The answer is in how SHE lived her own life. We understand that children are a product of their environment they learn so much from the example that their parents are in their lives, rather good or bad. Salome’s devotion to Christ and His ministry are evident as she is one of the women who stands at the foot of the cross during the crucifixion. The Bible says in Mark 15: 41, “In Galilee these women had followed Him and ministered unto Him.” The 40th verse of that same chapter, just the verse before, tells us that Salome was one of these women. She loved Jesus. She was an example to her sons. She stayed devoted and clearly was not one to sit around or busy with others things. At a time when others were running scared and in fear for their lives, she continued with steadfastness along with a few other women to finish what needed to be done. Salome was one of the women who were present at the tomb that great resurrection morning. Salome was a wonderful mother and a perfect example to her sons.
She came to Jesus Christ with a question from her heart. She didn’t ask for anything for herself. She didn’t ask for fortune or fame. She didn’t ask that her name go down in history. However, she loved her sons so much that she requested that they be given the positions of authority and responsibility in the Kingdom of Heaven. That’s love. A good mother will put here desires and aspirations away so that her children will have everything that they need. A good mother will deny herself so that her children may have. Salome could have asked that she be remembered in His kingdom, she could have asked that she be given a special place, but a Mother’s Loves made her Request something for her children and not for herself.
The request that she made caused the Apostles to become indignant. They had feeling of anger because they felt that the request was unjust or unworthy, but what they failed to understand was this was a Mother’s Love Request. The request was like Thunder in the atmosphere of the Apostles. It caught their attention and it stirred an emotion within them against her sons. Nevertheless; Salome was showing a Love for her sons.
WATCH THIS:- Although the disciples became indignant look at what Jesus did. Jesus did not grant her request, neither did he deny it. He simply reminded her of the cost of being seated on the right or left then told her that it is the Father who determines who will be seated there.
The love of a Mother caused her to look at God manifested in the flesh and make a Love Request for her sons.
I want to point out a few good things about Salome although not much about her is written we see some wonderful things about her and the love that she had as a mother:
I. SHE PRAYED THAT HER SONS MIGHT BE A PART OF THE KINGDOM
I know that many mothers pray. Sometimes they pray out of necessity. Sometimes they pray because motherhood is not easy. Sometimes mothers pray just out of the frustration of it all. Many nights I know my mother has prayed Lord keep and protect my children. When we were not saved I know she prayed Jesus save them before it is entirely too late. Just think about it for a minute when you were to stubborn and hardheaded didn’t want to listen and felt you were grown and could handle life on your own, the only reason you were not killed and sleeping in your grave is because your mother was somewhere late in the midnight hour crying out your name to the Lord saying Lord that’s my child. I know they think they can handle it, I know they think they are grown, I know they think they are invincible, but Lord Oh Lord keep them from harm and protect in their stupidity.
II. SHE PRAYED THAT HER SONS WOULD BE A INTEGRAL PART IN THE WORK OF HIS KINGDOM
Not only did she pray that her children would be a part of His kingdom, but she prayed that they would be actively involved in the work of His kingdom.
She understood that there was more to this Kingdom than just being a part of it she wanted them to be actively involved. Churches are full of people comfortable and content just to fill a pew on Sunday mornings. There are plenty of people that sit back and ride the coattails of those that are actively involved in the work and they become nothing more than spiritual thieves receiving the blessings, but never getting involved doing any of the real work of the church. So she set the example by working/ministering to the needs of Jesus.
I truly believe one of the reason all 3 of us are preachers is because our parents, but since this is Mother’s day, my mother prayed from the time we were in her womb Lord make them to be productive in your Kingdom. And because of that prayer and being living examples the anointing and desire to be actively involved in the work of the Kingdom became part of our DNA.
III. SHE HAD GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Salome had big expectations. She didn’t just pray that her children would be doorkeepers. She wanted them on the right hand & left hand of Jesus, these places represent authority, power, and responsibility and that’s what Salome wanted for her sons. Thank God for the boldness of a Salome she wasn’t settling for mediocrity in her sons.
Today in so many churches people are settling for just getting by. If I just go to church and warm a bench and put a few dollars in the offering plate then that’s good enough. But I learned from my mother how to have compassion for the Lord. My mother taught me how not to settle for mediocrity and encouraged me to be effective in the Kingdom work. She taught me to strive for spiritual excellence. She had great expectations for her sons.
Thank God for Salome and Thank God for my Mother.
IN CLOSING:- I want to end with this wonderful story of “When God created Mothers” by Erma Bombeck.
Erma Louise Bombeck was an American humorist who achieved great popularity for her newspaper column that described suburban home life from the mid-1960s until the late 1990s. Bombeck also published 15 books, most of which became best-sellers.
She tells a story of God in the act of creating mothers. She says that on the day God created mothers He had already worked long overtime.
He was into his sixth day of “overtime” when an angel appeared and said, “You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.” And the Lord said, “Have you read the specs on this order?
• She has to be completely washable, but not plastic;
• Have 180 movable parts... all replaceable;
• Run on black coffee and leftovers;
• Have a lap that never disappears when she stands up;
• A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair;
• And six pairs of hands.”
The angel shook her head slowly and said, “Six pairs of hands... no way.”
“It’s not the hands that are causing me problems,” said the Lord. “It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have.”
“That’s on the standard model?” asked the angel.
The Lord nodded. “One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks ’What are you kids doing in there?’ she already knows. Another here in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn’t but what she has to know, and of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say, ’I understand and I love you’ without so much as uttering a word.”
“Lord,” said the angel, touching His sleeve gently, “Go to bed. Tomorrow...”
“I can’t,” said the Lord, “I’m so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick... can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger... and can get a nine-year-old to stand under a shower.”
The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly. “It’s too soft,” she sighed.
“But she’s tough!” said the Lord excitedly. “You cannot imagine what this mother can do or endure.”
“Can it think?”
“Not only can it think, but it can reason, persuade, and negotiate,” said the Creator.
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. “There’s a leak,” she pronounced. “I told You You were trying to push too much into this model.”
“It’s not a leak,” said the Lord. “It’s a tear.”
“What’s it for?” said the angel
“It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness, and pride.”
“You are a genius,” said the angel.
The Lord looked and said. “I didn’t put it there,”.
A Mother’s Love Request.
Pastor M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
