Motherhood Exodus 20:12NKJB
We have come together today first and foremost to honor the Lord Jesus Christ with our worship.
This day May 8th is also a time, to honor our mothers, grandmothers and the mothers of our children.
This honor becomes our lifetime task; therefore this honor can’t be confined to a one hour worship service, but we will start here, and now forever.
This is a day for greetings and expressions of love. It is also a day for remembering.
I do not believe that anything can be 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 from God.
It seems to me, that something miraculous happens when a woman gives birth to her first child.
In a way there are really two births. The first is the birth of a child, and the second is the birth of a mother. It is a miraculous gift of creation!
Today’s text comes from, Exodus 20:12NKJB “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
When Moses was given the 10 commandments, it was given to him on two stone tablets. It’s called the laws of the first and second table, today’s text comes from the last six of the ten commandments, state our duty to ourselves and to one another, The first four commandments [Ex 20:3-11] comprise our duties to God—the other six [Ex 20:12-17] our duties to our fellow men; and as interpreted by Christ, they reach to the government of the heart as well as the lip (Mt 5:17).
If you think for one minute this commandment stopped at the end of the Old Covenant, think again. Paul renewed this great command by bringing it into the Covenant of grace~ the New Testament.
Listen to Ephesians 6:1-3TM Children, do what your parents tell you. This is only right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” is the first commandment that has a promise attached to it, namely, “so you will live well and have a long life.”
As Children we relate to our mothers differently through the years.
At age 4, we say, "My mom can do anything!"
At age 12, "Mom doesn't know Everything."
At age 14, "Mom doesn't know Anything!"
At age 18, "Mom is out of step with the times."
At age 25, "Well, mom knows a few things."
At age 35, "Before we decide, 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.”
Some may say, "But my mother wasn't honorable!"
Remember this, The Scriptures are clear there is no qualification, there is no standard to be met, the only requirement to receive honor, is that she is your mother!
It is the only one of the 10 commandments ....with a promise.
Genesis 3:20NIV Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.
Eve was the mother of all living people who have been and who will be. Her name, “Eve,” means “living.” She was the first mother and the first woman to ever give birth to a child.
“I wonder if she knew what to expect when it came time for Cain to be born?”
“I wonder if she was afraid of motherhood… no one had ever done it before?”
“I wonder if she knew what an important and influential job being a mother is?”
Eve had three sons mentioned by name in Scripture: Cain, Abel and Seth. Genesis 5:4 tells us that they had many sons and daughters in their life together, but we focus on these three boys. Cain murdered Abel. Eve is not only the first mother, but also the first mother to lose a child in death.
Hear this word, “You cannot be willfully wrong with your mother and be right with God.”
If your mother is still alive, regardless of your and her ages, you can love her in these 7 ways:
Love her verbally.
Husbands, children, you can’t over communicate to your wife and mom how special she is.
Proverbs 31:10, 28NKJB Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies. 28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:
Tell her she’s special; tell her she’s pretty Etc.
2. Love her physically.
When is the last time you gave your mom a firm hug and a big kiss?
Never be ashamed to she her affection.
3. Love her patiently.
Mothers have an incredible job with no pay. No position in the business world compares to the physical, emotional, and spiritual commitment she has in motherhood.
“Listen to her, be gentle, remember, she’s got 20 different things going on in her head at any given time.” P.H.
4. Love her attentively.
Mothers listen as you pour out your heart. She has a sympathetic ear, and always has. Even as an adult you’ve gone to her when you want someone who will really listen and understand. She’ll always be on your side. Again, Listen to her, show care and concern.
5. Love her gratefully.
An elementary science class had been studying magnets, and how metal objects are attracted to them. At the end of the semester the teacher put on exam this question: 6 letters, starts with “M”, picks up things, what am I? Over half the children wrote ~ “Mother”!
6. Love her generously.
There’s nothing too good for her, we could never repay her, but we ought to die trying before she does! She didn’t spend on herself unless all your needs were met. She could easily do without, and now it’s time for her to have something she wants!
Illustration: A teacher gave a Math question, state your answer as a fraction: If there’s 10 at the table and one apple pie, how much does each one get? One ninth! “Don’t you know your fractions?” The student replied, “Do you know my mother? If there’s that many at the table and only one pie, she don’t want none!”
7. Love her honorably.
When God created mothers
When the good Lord created mothers, 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."
The Lord replied, "have you seen the specs on this order? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic; Have 180 moveable parts ... all replaceable; Run on black coffee and leftovers; Have a lap that disappears when she stands up. Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the mother. "There’s a leak," he pronounced, "I told you that you were trying to put too much in this model."
"That’s not a leak," said the Lord, "it’s a tear."
"What is it for?" asked the angel.
The Lord replied, "It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness and pride."
"You’re a genius!" shouted the angel.
With a somber look on his face, the Lord said, "I didn’t put it there."
How about a hand clap of praise for the crowning jewel of God’s creation: our mothers!
Benediction.
