Mother’s Day 2022
Scripture: Ruth 1:8-17; 2:11-12; 4:17; Matthew 1:1; 16; John 19:25-27
Happy Mother’s Day to all of the mothers present here in the sanctuary, who are watching this live stream and who will receive this message via email. You are special in the eyes of God and it is a blessing for me to be able to celebrate this day with you.
I was the fourth son that my mother gave birth to and had she listened to her doctor, I would never have been conceived. Her doctor told her, based on her heart condition, that she should not have any more children after her firstborn son. Had she done that, we would not be in this place today. That one decision that my mother made in 1960 led to this Church being here today and the lives that have been touched by the ministry some 60 years later. I want you keep this in mind because shortly you’re going to hear about a decision that was made by a mother over 3300 years ago that continues to impact the world today.
Mothers hold a very special place in my heart. I was and always shall be a “momma’s boy” even though my mother has been gone from this world for thirty-six years. Six months after my mother died, my last remaining grandmother died. All of the “older” women who were a part of my life and provided some guidance to me as a child growing up are gone. In the short span of 23 months, I lost my mother and both grandmothers. Their deaths left a gaping hole in my life, but can you say, “But for the grace of God!” God used three other mothers immediately to fill that gap – all of them from Nikki’s family. You have heard me talk about her mother and both of her grandmothers. The mothers that God placed in my life after mine died ended up being a part of my life for a longer period of time than my own mother and grandmothers. These mothers truly filled a gap in my life as they took me in as their own.
What happened with me losing my mothers and grandmothers only to have God place others to fill gap is not unusual. You see, God knows what we need and He always provides it. God knew that I needed some mothers with wisdom and He gave me three. These women of God treated me as one of their own and I came to see myself as belonging to them. What is unique, at least to me, is that God used my in-laws to replace my blood mother and grand-mothers. “Parent-in-laws” do not always have the best reputation as it relates to their sons and daughters. You see, in some cases they never accept the person that their child chooses to marry. Then, to add more to the conflict, they are not able to release their authority over their son or daughter once they do marry. They find themselves attempting to give advice where it is not needed or wanted and then getting angry when their son or daughter sides with their spouse versus them. When I was a child there was song we heard on the radio all the time titled “Mother-in-Law” by Ernie K-Doe. Here are some of the lyrics: “Mother-in-law, the worst person I know, she worries me so, if she'd leave us alone, we would have a happy home, sent from down below, mother-in-law. Satan should be her name, to me they're 'bout the same, every time I open my mouth, she says she’s gotta put me out, how could she stoop so low, mother-in-law. She thinks her advice is the constitution, but if she would leave that would be the solution, and don't come back no more, mother-in-law.” For a lot of people, this song represents accurately their relationship with their in-laws. To this day, some people struggle with being an in-law. Although being an in-law is not easy for some people, for some others it’s no problem at all. Some in-laws have the ability to flex and accept their son or daughter-in-law as their own and that makes for a special bond.
Do you remember the story of Naomi? Her name might not stand out much in your memory, but she was the mother-in-law of Ruth. Although she was Ruth’s mother-in-law, she was able to establish such a bond with Ruth that their relationship set in motion a series of events that impacted the world to this day. Naomi was a godly mother and therefore a godly mother-in-law. I am going to read a little of their story so we can see the impact that godly mothers have on their own children and on their “other” children that God places in their lives. For background purposes, Naomi and her family had fled to the country of Moab because there was a famine in their land. She and her husband fled with her two sons. After her husband died, her two sons married Moabite women (Ruth 1:4). After about ten years Naomi’s sons died leaving her and her daughters-in-law alone. It came about that Naomi had heard that the Lord had blessed the land of her people with food again so she decided to return home. She told her daughters-in-law of her decision and that they could return to their homes and find new husbands. Although they both wept at her leaving, one refused to leave Naomi’s side. Let’s pick the story up at verse eight of chapter one.
Ruth 1:8-17 says, “8And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, ‘Go, return each of you to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead, and with me. 9The LORD grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.’ Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voices, and wept.” Naomi asked them to leave her and she blessed them stating that “her LORD” would deal kindly with them and give them rest with their new husbands. She wanted to give them the chance to remarry and have children of their own and Naomi believed that God would bless these two women who were not of her tribe because of how they had treated her and her sons. Let’s continue.
“10And they said unto her, ‘Surely we will return with you unto your people.’ 11And Naomi said, ‘Turn again, my daughters: why will you go with me? Are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have a husband also tonight, and should also bear sons; 13would you tarry for them till they were grown? Would you refrain from having husbands? Nay, my daughters; for it grieves me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.’” Naomi was pleading with them to return to their homes so that they could rebuild their lives. Naomi was past child bearing years which meant that since she could not provide them with another son to replace the ones they lost as the custom was at the time. Also, in this situation, they would end up taking on the role of an elder son whose responsibility it was to take care of his mother when her husband dies. This was not the life that Naomi wanted for her daughters-in-law. So she makes her case by telling them that even if she could find a husband that night and had sons surely they wouldn’t want to wait until those sons were old enough to marry them. She made a strong case for them to return to their families. Let’s continue reading.
“14And they lifted up their voices, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clung to her. 15And she said, ‘Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return you after your sister-in-law.’ 16And Ruth said, ‘Entreat me not to leave you, or to return from following after you: for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge: your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17Where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.’” One of her daughters-in-law, Orpah, left her and returned to her family and to her gods. However, Ruth refused to leave Naomi’s side. As a matter of fact, Ruth denounced her family and her gods and chose Naomi and her God. She confessed that she would remain with Naomi and wherever Naomi was buried, that is where she would be buried.
What would cause Ruth to make such a declaration? A godly mother-in-law! In the ten years that Ruth had been a part of Naomi’s family, she had learned from Naomi’s faith even during a time of sorrow and great bitterness. Ruth watched as Naomi dealt with the death of her two sons after losing her husband. She watched as Naomi continued to serve her God without anger or bitterness over her situation and how her faith was not destroyed based on life’s circumstances. If you read the rest of the story of Ruth, you learn that Ruth’s care of Naomi caught the attention of Boaz, a kinsman of Naomi’s husband. In Ruth 2:11-12 Boaz tells Ruth, “…..It has fully been shown me, all that you have done unto your mother-in-law since the death of your husband: and how you have left your father and your mother, and the land of your birth, and are come unto a people which you knew not before. 12The LORD recompense your work, and a full reward be given you of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to trust.” In chapter three Naomi watches out for Ruth and instructs her wisely in how to deal with Boaz who eventually marries her. Ruth and Boaz had a child whose name was Obed. Ruth 4:17 says, “And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, ‘There is a son born to Naomi;’ and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.”
Naomi was a godly mother and a “great” mother-in-law. She could have been one of those mothers-in-laws that the song talked about that terrified their daughter-in-law and treated them harshly because they replaced her in the eyes of her son. But that was not Naomi. She walked as a servant of God and because of her faithfulness, Ruth chose Naomi’s God as her own. Ruth saw in her a faithfulness that she had never seen before and she came to believe in the God of Naomi. Naomi was obedient in how she lived and Ruth loved and trusted her and followed suit. Had Naomi been anything other than what she was, David, a man God said was after His own heart, would not have been born. We do not know all the things that God is doing, but we can trust that when we are walking with Him and doing our part, His plan will succeed. It might be painful for us, but God knows how to turn a situation around for the good. Lastly, in this story, I want to read from the first chapter of the book of Matthew. Matthew 1:1, 16 says, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham…..16And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” According to the prophecy that Nathan gave David in Second Samuel chapter seven, about his kingdom lasting forever, Jesus’ birth fulfilled this. When Naomi loved and treated Ruth as a daughter, she did not know that through this relationship a King would be born that would save the world. This happened because a mother decided to love the daughter that her son married and that daughter-in-law had a mother-in-law that believed God and walked with Him!
There is one more story that I want to mention this morning and it’s the story of Mary, Jesus’ mother. Mary was a virgin and was pledged to a man named Joseph when she was visited by the angel Gabriel who told her she would have a Son (Luke 1:31). Mary wondered at how this could happen since she was a virgin and Gabriel told her it would be God’s Son. There were many responses that Mary could have had, but she accepted the responsibility. She went and told her cousin Elizabeth, was pregnant with John the Baptist, and Elizabeth proclaimed “……Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” (Luke 1:42b) Mary believed God would fulfill His promise not realizing exactly how He would do it or how it would change her life. When it was known that she was pregnant, Mary was thought to have committed adultery and Joseph had thoughts of putting her away privately and thus ending the engagement (Matthew 1:19). An angel of the Lord put a stop to this and Joseph married Mary. Joseph and Mary knew the truth, but no one else did. Therefore, Mary, before and after she gave birth to Jesus, was always under a cloud of suspicion in the eyes of some until after Jesus was resurrected.
Imagine the mother that Mary was. She must have carried the weight of knowing what would eventually happen to her Son. When she presented Him at the temple the prophet Simeon gave her a prophecy. Luke 2:34-35 says “And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against. 35(Yea, a sword shall pierce through your own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.’” Simeon told Mary that a sword would pierce through her heart also – he was speaking of the pain she would experience when she witnessed the brutal crucifixion and death of her Son. Mary knew her Son was special and she did everything she could to make sure He was protected and had what He needed to fulfill what he was called to do. Now I want you to see something. Leap forward some thirty years to Jesus being on the cross.
When you think about the story of Jesus dying on the cross, what stands out most in your memory? Is it that image of the nails hammered in His wrists? Is the image of the hole in His side where they pierced Him with the spear? Or maybe it’s the crown of thorn that was pushed down on His head. What do you remember most about Jesus dying on the cross? On this Mother’s Day I want you to remember the love that He had for His mother. As Jesus was dying on the cross, He gave the disciple He loved a lifelong assignment relating to His mother. Turn with me to John 19:25-27. It reads, “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He said unto His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ 27Then said He to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’ And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.” (John 19:25-27)
As Jesus hung on the cross, He looked down and saw His mother standing there. At that moment, Jesus tells His disciple John to take care of His mother. Jesus was so concerned about the welfare of His mother in His dying hour that He wanted to ensure that she would be taken care of. We do not know why Jesus made this request of John, but we do know that His earthly father Joseph was now dead and His brothers were not yet convinced that He was the Messiah so they are not mentioned as being at the crucifixion. Think about this for a moment, Jesus is dying but before He takes his last breath He takes care of His mother. Have you ever thought about why He did this? Can you imagine the love that Jesus had for His mother that He would make this request of John? When Jesus asked John to take Mary into his home and care for her as her elder son, John did that for the remainder of her live. John took Mary into his home and treated her as she was his own mother. Jesus loved His mother to the point that He did not want to leave it to chance that she would be cared for when He was gone.
The story that started with Naomi was completed on the cross. Three mothers, separated by over 1300 years, each made decisions that changed the world. The first mother, Naomi, made the decision to love God and follow Him. In that decision, she lived her faith as evidenced in how she treated her daughter-in-law Ruth. The second mother, Ruth, made the decision to stay with Naomi. She saw “God” in Naomi and chose Him over the gods of her family. She left everything and everyone she knew to stay with Naomi and her God. Her decision led to her marrying Boaz and having a child that would be the grand-father to King David. At the time of her decision, she did not know what the future held – but she did come to believe in the God of Naomi. Finally, 1300 years later, we have Mary. A virgin who believed God and was willing to do exactly what He asked of her. She was engaged to a man whose bloodline led back to Ruth. That engagement fulfilled a prophecy that she did not understand at the time – but she chose to accept God’s promise. In the end, when her Son was on the cross, He made a request of John to care for her for the rest of her life. Mary, the mother of Jesus, received a “replacement” son to care for her for the rest of her life. Why? Because she was a godly mother who answered “Yes” when God called upon her.
When my mother and grandmothers died, God had already aligned my life around three other mothers – all in-laws. These mothers loved me and provided counsel to me. Nikki’s grandmothers taught me several life lessons that will remain with me and that I have shared with others. These women of God made decisions that impacted my life. Mothers are special. They can do things that fathers cannot do and we need to recognize that. Mothers, what decisions are you making today for the Kingdom of God? You might not know the impact of a decision that you are making today will have years from now, but God does. That’s why we must choose to walk in His guidance. We do not always understand what God will do but I want to leave you with this thought: trust Him!
Give God some praise for your birth mother, adopted mother, godly mother-in-law, and all of the other mothers God placed in your life to enrich you!
Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers!
Until next time, “The Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
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