We have come together today ......First and Foremost ... to honor... the Lord ... Jesus Christ.
Yet ... This day... May 14th.... is also a time, ...to honor ...our mothers, ...grandmothers ...and the mothers ... of our children.
Worship ...... and Motherhood ...... are lifetime tasks, ...neither of which ......could ... or should be confined ...to a one hour ...Sunday morning service.
There is a poem which I saved ... that speaks to Motherhood:
"Some may climb Mt Everest, ... in search of thrills galore,
But I scale peaks that rival it, ... just past the laundry door:
Slopes of socks and underwear, ... sheer cliffs of shirts and pants.
Oh, yes, I live in mortal fear; ... of a laundry avalanche" (Long Pause)
Mother's Day ... is a day.... for greetings...... expressions of love....... And ... It is also a day.... for remembering.
I do not believe ... that anything has ever been said ... or ever will be said ... that is eloquent enough, ...or expressive enough ......to articulate ...the true value ......of a mother.
Motherhood ...is a special gift ... a gift from God.
And it seems to me, ...... that something miraculous occurs ...when a woman gives birth ......to her first child.
For ......In a way ... there are really ... two births.
The first of course ... is the birth ... of a ... child.
The second ... is the birth ... (Slow) of a ... mother.
It is a miraculous gift ... that God has allowed us to share in ... that is the gift of ... creation.
And I have found ... as Children ... we relate....... to our mothers ...differently .... through the years.
At age 4, ...we might say... "My mom.... She can do anything!"
At age 12, ... "Well ... Mom ...she doesn't know....... Everything."
At age 14, ... "My Mom ... doesn't know... Anything!"
At age 18, ... "Mom is out of step ... with the times."
At age 25, ... "Well, ... mom.... Actually knows some things."
At age 35, ...... "Before we decide to do that, ... let's get Mom's ...opinion."
At age 45, ...... "I wonder what mom would say ......about this?"
At age 65, .... "I wish I could talk ... with my mother."
A mother... can have the angelic voice ... of a member in the celestial choir.... as she sings Brehm's lullaby ....to the babe ... held lovingly.... in her arms.
Yet this same voice ...can dwarf the sound of an amplifier ... when she calls her children in... for supper, ...or cheers them on ...at a game. (Pause)
So many times, ... mothers display patience ...when many a man ... would have given up.
Do I hear an ... Amen! (Long Pause)
Speaking of patience.
There was a mother ...pushing a shopping cart ...through Wall-Mart.
Her daughter... was riding in the cart, ... and was continually screaming.
Her mom kept saying ... "Now Calm down, Ellen.
It will be all right, Ellen.
It's almost time to go home, Ellen."
One of the checkout clerks ...saw this and said ... "Maam, you are to be commended ... on how patient you are.... with little Ellen."
The Mom said... "Lady, ... I'm ... Ellen!"
Mothers seem to have ... much more patience than most men. (Pause)
I have also noticed ... that most Mothers are also gifted with exceptional ... intuition.
It is difficult ...to get something past ... your mom.
A Television show in Cleveland Ohio ... that I watched... when I was a child ......called Captain Penny.... would always end the show.... With these words:
"You can fool some of the people.... all of the time, ....and all of the people ... some of the time, ... (Slow) but you can't fool ... mom."
Beloved ... To Honor... our Fathers ......and our Mothers.... Is a command from our Lord.
In fact, ... It is a commandment ... with a promise.
Hear God's Word: BIBLE "Honor your father and your mother, .......so that your days ... may be (Slow) long in the land...." END Exodus 20:12
Honor your mother and father ... So ... your days on earth may be long.
Yet ... I am sure there were days ... that my mom and dad ... wanted to shorten mine.
Paul echoed these Old testament words ...in his letter to the believers ... Yes, to the believers gathered in the great city of Ephesus:
BIBLE "Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), "that it may go well with you ... and that you may live long ... in the land." END Ephesians 6:2-3
Some may say, .... "But my mother wasn't honorable!"
Well ... that may be true ... and if it was ... I pray that you were able to ... learn from it.
Learn from it ... So that you may be looked on with honor ... from your children ... your grandchildren ... and if fortunate enough ... from your great grandchildren.
And if you have no children, ... grandchildren or ...great grandchildren ... then be honorable to those that God has placed ... in your life.
Beloved ... You are a ... new creation in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Jesus honored his mother Mary... even as he hung ...on the Cross.
One of the last things Jesus did on earth ......was to care for ...His mother!
Even in the dying moments.... of His life, ......He never stopped ... loving her.
He never stopped ...caring for her.
He never stopped ......honoring her.
Hear God's word from the Gospel of John
BIBLE "..., standing near the cross of Jesus ...were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary ......., and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother ...and the disciple whom he loved ... standing beside her, .... he said to his mother, ... "Woman, here is your son." 27 Then he said to the disciple, ... "Here is your mother." ... And from that hour ... the disciple took her ... into his own home." END John 19:25-26
Near the Cross ... was Mary the mother of Jesus ...His mother's Sister ... Mary... Mary Magdalene and one other person ...... the disciple... whom Jesus loved.
Now, ... the traditional thought ....is that this disciple that Jesus loved ...might be ... the apostle John the writer of this text.
Though others are convinced ... as I am ... that the disciple Jesus loved ...was Lazarus ...the one whom Jesus raised from the dead.
For in Matthew's telling, God's word states that all the disciples deserted Jesus and fled. (Matthew 26:56)
When the term disciples ... is used in scripture ... it can mean the twelve apostles ... or it can mean all those who called themselves followers of the Christ.
Since there is a disciple, the disciple that Jesus loved ... at the cross.
It would seem to indicate ... that when Matthew states ...... that all the disciples deserted Jesus and fled, ... he is speaking of ... the apostles.
And later in John's own Gospel ...Lazarus ... is the only male referred to by name ...... as the one that quote... "Jesus loved". (John 11:3-5)
Jesus went on to tell.... this disciple ...that his mother Mary was now his mother... and in turn ...he declared .... That this man ... was now...her son.
Jesus makes an oral testament ....in front of witnesses, ... which beloved ... at that time ... made it binding.
Jesus' ... while hanging from the cross ... formally places his mother ...under this man's protection... requiring him ...to provide for Mary...after his death.
And the oral tradition of the Messianic Jews living in Jerusalem is ... that Mary lived out her life with Lazarus in Jerusalem .. for eleven or so years.
Beloved ... there is hardly a thrill in life ...that can compete with ... pointing to that wonderful woman ....and be able to say ....to all the world:
"That's my mom!"... "That's my mother".
My mother passed away some time ago ... yet I still honor her, ...remember her ....and love her.
Mothers can leave ...a wonderful imprint ... on the lives ...of their Children.
Their lives .... Their actions ... speak volumes. (Long Pause)
Four pastors......were discussing the merits ...of the various translations... of the ... Scriptures.
One liked the King James Version best ...because of its simple, ...yet beautiful.... English Prose.
Another liked the New International Version ... because of its ...modern language.
The third preacher liked the.... Message Version ......since it was paraphrased.
The fourth pastor was silent. ....... When asked to express his opinion, ...he replied ... "I like my mother's translation the best."
The other pastors asked, "Your mother translated the Bible".
He Replied ... "Oh Yes, ... yes ... she certainly did,".
"My Mother translated the Bible.... into her everyday life, ...and it was the most convincing translation ... I ever saw." (Pause)
Thank God for women ... who live in ....and proclaim the faith ...of Christ Jesus.
Moments with mothers ... and with grandmothers.... Often become the foundation ...of memories.
Memories ... that in turn ... become stories ... that are shared with the family... for years to come. (Pause)
Grandmothers too .... Can be ... extra special.
What is a Grandmother? ... Here are some responses by some third graders.
A grandmother ...is a lady ... who has no children of her own...... She likes being with other people's little girls and boys.
Grandmothers are old ... so they should not play too hard ... and they should never ... run.
It is enough ...if they drive us to the market ...where the pretend horse is, ....and have a lot of quarters ready.
If they take us for a walk, ... they should slow down ......past things like... pretty leaves and caterpillars. ...They should never say ... "Hurry up!"
Usually grandmothers are fat, ... but not too fat ...to tie your shoes.
When they read to us ......they don't skip parts of the story ... or mind...... if it ... is the same story ...over again.
Maybe the most touching:
Everybody should try to have a grandmother ... especially ...if you do not have television, ...because they ... are the only grown-ups....... (Slow) who have time. (Pause)
Most of us ... have fond memories of family ...mothers, ... grandmothers ... and of home.
My mother has been gone for almost 21 years (June 30, 2002), yet many precious memories ... flood my soul.
Being a mom at times ...... in fact most times ... is hard work.
And sometimes as husbands ... we do not fully comprehend the impact ... that mothers have ... on the household.
One day ... a man came home from work ....to find ...total mayhem ... at home.
The kids were outside ... still in their pajamas ... playing in the mud.... and the muck.
There were empty food boxes ... and wrappers... all around.
As he proceeded into the house, ... he found an even bigger mess.
Dishes on the counter, ... dog food spilled on the floor .... a broken glass under the table, ....and a small pile of sand ...by the back door.
The family room was strewn with toys ...and various items of clothing, ... and a lamp had been ... knocked over.
He headed up the stairs, ...stepping over toys, ....to look for his wife.
He was becoming worried ...that she may be ill .... or that something ... had happened to her.
He found her in the bedroom, ... still in bed ... with her pajamas on ... reading a book.
She looked up at him, ... smiled, ....and asked ... "How was your day the office honey?"
He looked at her bewildered and said, ... "What happened here today?"
She again smiled ... and answered, ..."You know every day ... when you come home from work ...and ask me ... what did I do today?"
"Yes," was his reply."
She answered, ..."Well, today ... I didn't do it!" (Pause)
Mother and home ... when you mention one ... you just automatically ... think of the other.
And when most of us think of home ... we forget the troubles that may surround us ... and remember the sounds ... the sights ... and the smells ... of home.
Of screen doors banging ... in the summertime, ... the aroma of cookies or bread just out of the oven, ... or the smell ... of our favorite ... meal.
Home...... we enjoy ... a sense of acceptance there, of being loved. (Pause)
Few things are more powerful ... than the tears ....and the prayers ... of a mother.
Few things are more tender ...than a mother's hug ...or a.... compassionate touch.
Yes ... a Godly Mother ... A Godly Grandmother .... A Godly Woman ... translates the Scriptures........ into her everyday ... life.
A Godly mother ... a Godly woman ... pours herself out ... every day.
She empties herself ... so the Lord ... can fill her a new.
Beloved......The best thing that we can do for our children ... our grandchildren ...our friends...is for each of us... to be personally right ... with God.
To walk in the way ...of the Lord.
To never be satisfied ...... but to continually seek to be transformed ... to be conformed ...into the image of Christ. (Pause)
We need to Honor our mothers .... and ... to honor each other ... every day.
So maybe ......this is the day ... today is the day....to tell your mother .... Your grandmother... and for us husbands ... the mother.... of our children ...that you appreciate her... care for her...honor her....and love her deeply.
Jesus honored his mother ... even as death approached on the cross.
We cannot... we must not.... do less.
You are ....... a new creation in Christ Jesus.
And because we are a new creation we are called.
Called to Love ... called to Honor ... And To shower Grace ... on every person ... on every soul ... that Our Lord Places ... in our Lives.
What and Honor ... what a privilege ... we each have.
Beloved be the best translation of the Scriptures that anyone has ever seen.
Amen! .... and Amen!
(Another Illustration below)
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ILLUSTRATION
A little girl ...was sitting ...and watching her mother as she did the dishes ...at the kitchen sink.
She suddenly noticed ......that her mother ......had several strands of white hair...... sticking out .... on her brunette head.
"Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?" ... she asked.
Her mother replied, ...."Well, every time you do something wrong ... one of my hairs turns white."
The little girl pondered about that for awhile, ... then asked, ......"So why ... are All of ... Grandma's hairs white?"
