I. Introduction
A. As I was growing up there was a lot of turmoil in my family and my mother and I were not very close. We got along ok, but never really got to know one another. I left home when I was 13 and my mom moved back to Tennessee so that she could be closer to here family after she divorced her second husband. It wasn’t until about 8 years ago that my mom and I really started to get close. She was very ill and so I took a year out of college to take care of her. There was also the chance that she would not live very long, only about a year. So, I thought it was time to get some things strait and reconcile with my mom for things that had happened when I was young. I got on a bus one day and road for 5 days to get to Tenn. And over the next few months the lord softened my heart and my mothers also. I shared the Lord with here several times and about six weeks after I returned to Eugene she called me up and told me that she had excepted Jesus and there was some real physical and spiritual healing that took place in our lives that day. My mom and I are very close. We talk about all sorts of things and she is so much of an encouragement in my life now.
B. Emerson once said that "men are what their mothers make them." I don’t exactly know how true that is, but I do know that our mothers and those that are mother figures in our lives contribute greatly to the success we have as people once we have grown up. And that’s what we are going to talk about today. The title of this sermon is "Behind every great man there is a mother” now I don’t want to limit this to just every great man. There are great women throughout history to and that is probably to the credit of their mothers
II. BODY
A. Portrait of three Mothers
1. Mother of Moses - Jochebed
"The virtue of the mother shall be visited on their children as well as the sins of their fathers." This was very true in the case of Moses and Samuel. We don’t know much about Jochebed the mother of Moses. We can tell from the passage found in Exodus 2 that she cared for Moses a great deal. Moses’ mother was a Hebrew from the tribe of Levi. When Moses was born she recognized that he was "no ordinary child". He was a child that was set apart to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. At this time Pharaoh, the king of the Egyptians, called for the first born of all the Israelite males to be cast into the Nile River. She hides him for three months. she wanted to protect him for as long as she could. after a while though she could not protect him any longer. So she sent him down the Nile at the same time that Pharaoh’s daughter was bathing knowing that he would be found by her. Later the mother of Moses is hired by the Pharaoh’s daughter to nurse Moses. Moses’ mother had a great love and for her son which enabled her to not let Moses be killed. Moses went on to be the man that led God’s people out of bondage and into freedom.
2. Samuel’s mother - Hannah
Hannah was a barren woman that desperately wanted to have a child. She spent most of her time in torment because of her husbands other wife, who had already given birth. She was so upset sometimes that her appetite left her and she wept a great deal. Even in the midst of the bitterness of her soul she still went to the Lord and prayed. She made a vow to God that if He were to give her a child that child would be dedicated to the Lord for all the days that he is alive. The Lord answered her prayer and she bore a son, who was called Samuel. Samuel went on to work mightily for God. He was the one that represented God during this period of transition. Samuel was the one the anointed the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. Samuel was the one that kept a convenient continuity during the transition from the rule of judges to that of a monarchy.
3. Jesus’ Mother - Mary
Mary was probably the most remarkable because of the child that she carried. Jesus the Savior of the world the Creator of heaven and earth. She was blessed by the Holy Spirit and conceived a son. Mary was very humble and knew the great privilege it was to be caring the most high. While Mary is caring Jesus in her womb she sings a song that Is also like the song of Hannah in Exodus 2. Mary knew that she was not any different then you or I, but God choose her to be the Mother of the Christ, the Messiah. So she sings of God’s awesome Glory and Power. She saw Jesus grow from and baby to a young man that was gaining stature in the eyes of God and man (Luke 2:52). Scripture also says that she treasured all of these things in her heart. Today we have tape recorders and video cameras. Mary had none of these things, she had to deposit all of the memories into her heart so that she would not forget. There was a deep bond between Mary and Jesus, so deep we will never know. I don’t think she completely understood all that Jesus had come to do, but I would guess there was a great sense of pride that she felt for the work that Jesus had been doing. I think that’s why when Jesus was crucified it came as such a terrible blow to her. She went through terrible anguish at the site of her first Son dyeing such a hideous death.
B. Insights For Mothers (two insights)
1. All three mothers knew that there was something special about their children. Moses mother noticed that he was a "find child" he was set apart for some divine purpose. Hannah knew that the Lord had shown favor on her and that God would use her child in some way that would be glorifying to Him. And Mary, wow look at her. It’s not every day that someone is impregnated by the Holy Spirit. God must have some amazing purpose for her Son, oh if she only knew. Guess what moms your in the same position. Your children were created for a wonderful purpose.
2. All three women gave their children up to the Lord. The scriptures does not give an account of Jochebed actually devoting Moses to God, but I think that the act of placing the baby in a water proof basket was a good sign that she hoped God would show favor and spare her sons life. Hannah and Mary took their sons to the temple and gave them up to the Lord to work in His service. Moms do you want your children to grow up Godly then continue to give them to the Lord. Teach them, pray for them, encourage them to seek the Lord and His direction for their own lives and also model it to them with your lives.
C. Encouragements to Mothers (Mother figures)
There is a poem that I found that I thought would be very appropriate for this morning and I would like to read it to all of the mom with us today.
1. The Noblest thoughts my soul can claim
The holiest words my tongue can frame,
Unworthy are to praise the name
More sacred than all other.
An infant, when her love first came -
A man, I find it just the same;
Reverently I breath her name,
The blessed name of Mother
(George Griffith Fetter)
III. CONCLUSION
A. Moms thanks for all that you have done. for all that you have sacrificed, thanks for your caring and for your love that never failed. Thank you for the Joy that you bring to our lives.
