Pastor Jim’s Mother’s Day Sermon helped us to think about God’s characteristics of love and provision that we see modeled in the example of our mothers.
- The sermon opened with a video about Anna Jarvis who helped instute Mothers Day. To view the video and learn other interesting facts about Mother’s Day, read This Post.
- The scripture was from 2 Timothy 1 and Isaiah 66. Open the below Drop Down box to read the passage…
Scripture Reading
2 Timothy 1:3-73 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, 5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. 6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.========================
Isaiah 66:10-14
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, And be glad with her, all you who love her; Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;
11 That you may feed and be satisfied With the consolation of her bosom,
That you may drink deeply and be delighted With the abundance of her glory.”
12 For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed;
On her sides shall you be carried, And be dandled on her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you;
And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”
14 When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall flourish like grass;
The hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants, And His indignation to His enemies.
Click the following “Play” button to start the recording of the sermon (from the 11:00 AM service).
1: Honor
The 5th commandment tells us:
Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)
The 2nd Sunday of May serves as a reminder for us in the United States to stop and recall this commandment and to say “thanks Mom” for all of your hard work throughout the year and the years. For those of us whose Moms are no longer with us, we still obey the fifth commandment.
Is it fair to say that we probably don’t say “thanks” frequently enough?
A man was feeling guilty because he had not been very attentive to his wife. He decided to change. On his way home from work he bought a box of candy and some flowers to surprise his wife. He walks up the the door and rings the doorbell. She opens it, and there he stands, candy in one hand, flowers in the other, singing, “Have I told you lately that I love you?”
Instantly she starts crying, big old tears just gushing out of her eyes. She sobs, “Oh, Harry! Everything went wrong today. We had a leak in the plumbing. The kids were terrible. The house is a wreck. And now you come home drunk!
Knowing how to honor someone becomes difficult when we’re “out of practice.” Reception of those expressions of honor are greeted with suspicion if we step outside of our normal behavior to honor someone.
And yet, Godly Moms- and God Himself- honor us with their love continuously. They serve as models that we should study, live, and imitate.
God provides for our every need and loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die for us. Here’s a humorous analogy of a powerful truth:
Moms are honored in the little things. God is honored in our obedience.
2: God’s Protection
In Isaiah 66:10-14, we are reminded by the prophet that God wants us to KNOW Him…
“Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice greatly with her,
all you who mourn over her.
For you will nurse and be satisfied
at her comforting breasts;
you will drink deeply
and delight in her overflowing abundance.”For this is what the Lord says:
“I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”When you see this, your heart will rejoice
and you will flourish like grass;
the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants,
but his fury will be shown to his foes.
As we honor motherhood today, it is good to remind ourselves of how God uses motherhood to describe Himself here in Isaiah and throughout the Scriptures.
“The image here is of a God demonstrating a maternal love. While we may demonstrate a strong love here on earth, human love is but a shadow of the infinite love of Jehovah.” Charles Endicott (19th century English theologian)
Isaiah reminds God’s people that “Jehovah will comfort His people just as a mother comforts her child. Clement of Alexandria commented, ‘Comfort’ can connote bringing it’s people home, rebuilding the ruins, or transforming the waste places into a virtual paradise.”
Isaiah gives us many examples of how God protects and comforts us.
And, we can also reflect on Jesus’ words of Matthew 23:37…
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.
Deuteronomy 32:10-11 uses the same language to demonstrate this love…
In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste.
He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye.
Like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young,
that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions.
Mothers give us similar examples. The next time you are surrounded by the embrace of a loving wife or mother; or the next time you recall the love and comfort once given to you by anyone, remember that it is only a model of the immense love and protection God has with you.
3: God’s Presence
Consider the mother’s touch. In the family, it’s usually the mother who is desired by the child who is hurt or sick to “kiss the pain away.” It is the mother who is first willing to stay up all night to comfort the fevered child.
Consider the touch of Christ. When you have time, do an analysis of how many times Jesus “touched” people in order to heal them. Here are but a few…
Matthew 9:20-22- Mark 2:1-12
- John 9:1-7
- Mark 7:31-37
- Luke 17:12-17
- John 11:1-44
- Mark 5:21-43
- Luke 7:11-17
Lessons to Remember
God has used motherhood many times in scripture to describe Himself; and it’s no wonder!
I thank God for my mother, who gave me life, and for the mother of my children who gave them life and continues to be a Godly example for them. I also praise God for all of the Godly women who have helped me and assisted me in my journey thus far.
But most of all, I thank God for providing us with Jesus Christ, who has given us eternal life!
Remember the good things from Mom. Also remember God. Then, pass it on.
Quiz Time!
As you reflect on what you’ve just heard/read, give this quiz a try. If you don’t understand an answer (or if you disagree with the “correct” answer, post a comment)…
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