The Kind Of Mother God Chooses

THE KIND OF MOTHER GOD CHOOSES

Luke 1:26-38

INTRO: Today is the day in which we honor the Mothers of our church. A most interesting question is: “WHAT KIND OF MOTHER DOES GOD CHOOSE?” God did choose a mother once, and in Mary of Nazareth we can see what God expects of a mother.

I. GOD CHOOSES AN ORDINARY WOMAN.

Mary was an ordinary woman. We first see her as a young maiden engaged to a common man. She wasn’t from the elite, she was a quiet, simple, country girl. She was no SUPERWOMAN! as we see characterized in our society today (e.g. I can bring home the bacon, cook it up in a pan, etc.). In fact, the only reason we know of Mary is because of Jesus.

When the angel appeared with the message from God, she showed her humility and willingness to serve. She didn’t understand it all, but she accepted it.

Mary’s love for Jesus is shown in the training she and Joseph gave Jesus as a boy. At age 12 every Jewish boy was taken to the Temple to be examined concerning his proper training.

ILLUS: G. Campbell Morgan says: “My dedication to the preaching of the Word was maternal. When but eight-years-old, I preached to my little sister and to her dolls arrayed in orderly form before me. My sermons were Bible stories which I had first heard from my mother.”

God chooses the same kind of woman today. In 1 Cor. 1:26ff, Paul tells us how God has chosen the ordinary person to do great things in His service.

II. GOD CHOOSES A WOMAN OF CHARACTER.

Look at the greeting in verse 28. The words do not mean that Mary was to have a place of honor above other women, but rather she was receiving this honor because of her character. She was pure in the midst of impurity, a woman of beautiful character in the midst of circumstances which were difficult to overcome in making such character.

ILLUS: Billy Sunday tells of a minister who was making calls. He came to a certain home and asked for the mother but the child opening the door answered,”You cannot see mother for she prays from 9:00 to 10:00.” He waited forty minutes to see that mother, and when she came out of her prayer closet the light of glory was on her face, and he knew why that home was so bright. He knew why her two sons were in the ministry and her daughter was a missionary.

Has God changed His mind? Is any mother to be of less character than was Mary? This is a plea for godly mothers, for godly women.

You almost never hear anyone speaking of godly women any more. We hear about all kinds of women—beautiful, career, talented, popular—but not much talk about godly women. YET THIS IS THE WORLD’S GREATEST NEED.

How can a child ever be brought to Christ if the mother who forms his life never walks or talks of her love of Christ? A woman once told her child, “It is God who makes little boys and girls good.” And he answered, “Yes, but mothers help a lot, don’t they?”

III. GOD CHOOSES A WOMAN SUBMITTED TO HIM.

Mary didn’t understand until after Jesus’ death the significance of the child she had borne, but she was willing to place his life in God’s hands. A faith and submission like this in the heart of every home would virtually change our world.

ILLUS: The influence of a godly mother was apparent in the life of the late R. G. Lee, acclaimed in life and death as “the prince of preachers.” One biography of Lee quotes a letter he received from his mother when he was studying at Furman. “We are praying for you every day. I want to live on in my preacher boy after I am dead. So take care of your body. Study hard. Preach your best. I am counting on you. I gave you to God before I saw your face. Don’t rob God of what I gave Him.”

What a perverted misplacement of love it is that mothers will sacrifice in order to give their children more things all the while robbing those children of the wealth of a mother who teaches them to pray, who has the unhurried time to read God’s Word to them, and tell them of salvation.

CONC: Are you an ordinary woman? A woman of character? A woman submitted to God? Are you the kind of mother God chooses?