Mother’s Day 2015: Elizabeth
Scott Bayles, pastor
Blooming Grove Christian Church: 4/10/2015
Happy Mother’s Day! Have you found that perfect Mother’s Day gift yet? Each year Americans spend roughly $670 million on Mother’s Day cards and another $1.9 billion on flowers. When your kids are younger, it's a day of handmade cards and homemade breakfasts. When they're older, it's brunch and flowers. Mother's Day is always a special day, no matter what your age.
I’m reminded of two little boys who bought their mom a wreath of flowers for Mother’s Day. They were so excited to give it to her because they had used their own money. Mom held back laughter when she saw the ribbon that said, “Rest in peace.” The older of the two boys explained, “We thought it would be just perfect since you are always asking for a little peace and quiet so that you can rest!”
Let’s face it...without our Moms, we'd be a disaster! When you scraped your knee, had a rough day at school, or needed advice, she was always there to give you a hug and listen with love. Moms play an important role in our lives and they also play an important role in the Bible. The Canon Scripture is a roll call of great (and some not-so-great) moms—starting with Eve the mother of us all on down through the centuries to Mary the mother of Jesus.
This morning I’d like to share the story of an often overlooked mom. In Luke 1, the tale is told of an older couple named Elizabeth and Zechariah—the soon-to-be parents of John the Baptist. Elizabeth and Zechariah, however, share the stage in Luke 1 with a younger couple named Mary and Joseph. It’s no surprise that the birth of our Savior often overshadows the no-less-miraculous birth of his cousin John. But on this Mother’s Day, I’d like to focus on Elizabeth and the experience of this expectant mom.
The Bible introduces this couple to us, saying:
“When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.” (Luke 1:5-6 NLT).
As we continue through this chapter, we slowly discover a compelling portrait of motherhood. It’s a picture that I think most moms can relate to. First, for Elizabeth, motherhood was struggle-filled.
• STRUGGLE-FILLED
The very next verse reveals Elizabeth’s greatest struggle: “They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old” (Luke 1:7 NLT). Elizabeth struggled to get pregnant—which was a common problem in the Bible just as it is today. For any couple struggling with infertility, the desire to have a child can become overwhelming. Trying to get pregnant can be an emotional roller coaster that includes depression, anxiety, grief, and jealousy. In Jewish culture, not being able to conceive was seen as punishment from God, so Elizabeth had that added stigma on top of what was already a painful struggle.
Even if you didn’t struggle to have kids, I don’t have to tell you it’s a struggle to raise kids! The point is—all moms struggle. Erma Bombeck once said, “The easiest part of being a mother is giving birth. The hardest part is showing up for it each day...”A mom’s job is never done. When your kids are little, life can often feel like a never ending battle against dirty dishes, piles of laundry, and crayon covered walls. Then there are those days where the kids act like they have been raised by wolves. The days when they look at you with this confused expression as though you are speaking a language they cannot seem to understand, which they demonstrate by doing exactly what you ask them NOT to do! The days when they run and scream throughout the house getting into drawers, climbing on furniture, jumping on the couch, chasing their siblings around, pushing and shoving and screaming and yelling. Some days, your kids just drive you crazy. And admitting that doesn’t make you bad mom; it makes you normal. Dealing with diapers, tantrums, and the terrible twos is nothing compared to the complex inner struggles of being a mother—the concerns about whether you’re doing a good job as a mother, or whether other moms struggle as much as you do, or worrying about your teenager when they’re out two hours past curfew, or constant concern you might feel for your grown children who have left the church or abandoned their faith.
Elizabeth had yet to experience these struggles, but we can be sure she did. They’re common to all moms. But what’s important, I think, is how Elizabeth dealt with her struggles. When the angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah to announce that Elizabeth would give birth to a son, he says, “God has heard your prayer” (Luke 1:13 NLT).
There’s no telling how often Elizabeth brought her struggles to the Lord in prayer, but I’m certain it was frequently. And when the time was just right, God answered her prayers. He’ll do the same for you. So whatever your parental struggles might be, share them with God. Open your heart to him, admit your failings, confess that your kids are driving your crazy, and like a good mother, he’ll listen with love and help you through those struggles. Furthermore, for Elizabeth motherhood was also satisfaction-filled.
• SATISFACTION-FILLED
After Zechariah’s angelic encounter, he returned home. The Bible says, “Later, Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and did not go out of her house for five months. Elizabeth said, ‘Look what the Lord has done for me! My people were ashamed of me, but now the Lord has taken away that shame’” (Luke 1:24-25 NCV).
Someone once said, “A mother’s joy begins when new life is stirring inside, when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the very first time, and a playful kick reminds her that she is not alone.” Elizabeth now knew that joy. Motherhood brought her tremendous happiness and a sense of satisfaction.
By the way, as a side note, as I was preparing for this sermon and I read this verse, my first question was: “Why did Elizabeth go into seclusion for five months?” It seems odd, for a woman that was so happy about finally being pregnant to hide it. We expect to see her announcing it from every rooftop in Judea. There are no cultural customs or clues in the context, and none of the commentaries I checked offered any significant explanations. So I had to use a bit of “sanctified imagination.” But this is what I think happened. Elizabeth was afraid to tell everyone. It’s entirely possible that Elizabeth had been pregnant before, but couldn’t carry the baby to term. She may have had miscarriages in the past; and even if she hadn’t, she probably knew that a pregnancy in her old age could very likely end in a miscarriage. If she announced to everyone that she was finally pregnant, then lost the baby, it would have been devastating. So she kept the news to herself, quietly hoping and praying, until she passed the first trimester and was well into the second. Only then did she feel secure and confident enough, with a basketball shaped belly, to share her happy news with her friends and family.
Raising kids isn’t easy. They can be quite a challenge. But the Bible constantly assures us that children aren’t meant to be a burden; rather, they’re a blessing. I imagine one of Elizabeth’s favorite verses was, “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him” (Psalm 127:3 NLT). That’s how Elizabeth felt about her son. He was a gift from God. This little bundle of joy would soon fill her house with life, love, and laughter.
Moms, I know your kids can stress you out, but never forget that they are a gift from God. They’re meant to be a blessing. When they are small, they are so cute, so fun to play with, so gratifying to watch as they grow and learn. They can provide endless hours of enjoyment if we are willing to take the time. As they grow they help us develop a more Christ-like character. When you pray for patience, God doesn’t just zap you with patience; he gives you a two-year-old and then a teenager! The love a parent feels for a child is like nothing else in the world and it helps us to understand a fraction of God’s love for each of us. The love and trust our children have for us is so precious and can have such an effect in softening hearts. And as they get older, their abilities multiply, making them even more of a blessing. Older children can help with all household tasks, can be a big help in caring for younger siblings, can help with animals, a garden, or with a family business. One of the things I love most about our superhero/costuming ministry is doing it as a family. I’ve watched my son and daughter grow into marvelous little evangelists. They politely hand out our gospel comics at conventions and engage strangers in spiritual conversations. It’s surprising to see how positively people respond when a kid is the one striking up a conversation.
I could go on forever, but the point is—children are a gift from God and they can bring such joy and contentment to our lives. Every one of you here today is a gift from God to your mom. And I’ll acknowledge that not every mom deserves that gift. Maybe you didn’t have the best mom. Maybe that’s an understatement. But I’m reminded of a Dennis the Menace comic strip from way back. Dennis and his little friend, Joey, are leaving Mrs. Wilson’s house with their hands full of cookies. As you may remember, Dennis is not always very considerate toward the Wilsons who are his next-door neighbors (especially Mr. Wilson).
But Joey says, “I wonder what we did to deserve this?”
Dennis answered, “Look, Joey, Mrs. Wilson gives us cookies not because we’re nice, but because she’s nice.”
What’s true of Mrs. Wilson is true of our God. He doesn’t give gifts because we’re good, but because he’s good. So moms, treasure your kids. See them as the gifts they are. Let them fill your heart with satisfaction. That’s what Elizabeth did.
Finally, for Elizabeth motherhood was also Spirit-filled.
• SPIRIT-FILLED
As we flash forward to the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, her cousin Mary pays her a visit. Mary had just received a visit of her own from an angel, who told her she would give birth to a son, whom she would name Jesus.
Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum. Elizabeth was “very old” and well beyond child bearing years, yet God worked a miracle in her womb. Mary on the other hand was only about 15 years old and was still a virgin, yet God worked almost the same miracle in her womb six months later! The angel told Mary about Elizabeth, so Mary hurried off to the hill country of Judea to visit her great-aunt Elizabeth.
As Mary arrived, the Bible says, “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the unborn baby inside her jumped, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Luke 1:41 NCV). This was a miraculous moment—a supernatural indwelling of God’s Spirit. The Holy Spirit inspired Elizabeth, allowing her to prophesy and identify her own unborn Savior in Mary’s belly. But I have a feeling that Elizabeth never let go of God’s Spirit within her.
I think Elizabeth practiced Spirit-filled parenting. And because she did, her son John grew up to become the last great prophet who paved the way for the coming of Christ. John was a Spirit-filled preacher who led countless Jews to renewed faith and repentance. John never could have become a Spirit-filled preacher if not for the influence and upbringing of his Spirit-filled parents.
Did you know that each one of you received God’s Holy Spirit when you accepted Christ as your Savior? Peter proclaimed on Pentecost, “Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38 NCV). Unfortunately, most of us are built like colanders; rather than cups. God fills us with his Spirit and before long we’re spiritually dry once again. That’s why the Bible also commands Christians: “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts” (Ephesians 5:18-19 NLT). Through prayer and praise, we must continually return to the well of God’s Spirit and drink deeply.
This is particularly important for parents; for moms. When your heart is filled with God’s Spirit, your home will be filled with the fruit of God’s Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. How important those qualities are in raising our children!
Growing up in a Spirit-filled home will not only lead to happier and healthier children, but holier children too. Children learn to love God when they see God in the hearts and lives of their parents. So I want to encourage all of our moms here at the Grove to follow in Elizabeth’s footsteps and let your life be filled with God’s Spirt.
Conclusion
Moms, we cannot thank you enough for all that you have done and continue to do in our lives. My prayer for you is that your hearts and homes would be a little less struggle-filled and a little more satisfaction and Spirit-filled.
Maybe you’re not a mom, or maybe you didn’t have a super mom growing up. I think that’s one of the reasons God gave us the church. When Jesus’ disciples told him that his mother and brothers were looking for him, he responded by pointing to the room-full of believers and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:49-50).
Invitation:
The church is God’s eternal family—and he wants you to be a part of it! If you’d like to know more about that, or you’re ready to be born again into God’s family, then please come talk to me while we stand and sing.
