Mothers Day 2024

“Mothers the Closest to the Cross”

Origins

Origins of Mother's Day

The custom of honoring mothers goes back at least as far as 17th-century England, which celebrated (and still celebrates) Mothering Sunday.

Mother's Day in the United States has rots dating back to 1872 with Julia Ward Howe, a writer, abolitionist, and suffragist who wrote the words to "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

It was a woman named Anna M. Jarvis who first suggested the national observance of an annual day honoring all mothers because she had loved her own mother so dearly. At a memorial service for her mother on May 10, 1908, Miss Jarvis gave a carnation (her mother’s favorite flower) to each person who attended.

Within the next few years, the idea of a day to honor mothers gained popularity, and Mother’s Day was observed in a number of large cities in the U.S. On May 9, 1914, by an act of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. He established the day as a time for "public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country."

Today this is a very sensitive topic. This should not be, but with the moral decay and the dismantling of the family it has become a challenge to many women.

Some Sayings

Go over List

To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. —Maya Angelou Never say anything on the phone that you wouldn't want your mother to hear at your trial. —Sydney Biddle Barrows

Youth fades, love droops, the leaves of friendship fall; a mother's secret hope outlives them all. —Oliver Wendell Holmes (1775-1817)

What I learned from my Mother

• My Mother taught me LOGIC: "If you fall off that swing and break your neck, you can’t go to the store with me," as well as, "If everyone else jumped off a cliff would you do it too?" • My Mother taught me MEDICINE: "If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they’re going to freeze that way." • My Mother taught me TO THINK AHEAD: "If you don’t pass your spelling test, you’ll never get a good job!" • My Mother taught me TO MEET A CHALLENGE: "What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you... Don’t talk back to me!" • My Mother taught me HUMOR: "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t come running to me." • My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT: "If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up. • My mother taught me about GENETICS: "You are just like your father!" • My mother taught me about my ROOTS: "Do you think you were born in a barn?" • My mother taught me about the WISDOM of AGE: "When you get to be my age, you will understand," or, "I will explain it all when you get older." • My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION: "Just wait until your father gets home." • My mother taught me about RECEIVING: “You are going to get it when I get you home.” • And the all time favorite thing my mother taught me, JUSTICE: "One day you will have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you. Then you’ll see what it’s like! I can’t wait!"

Statistics

85 million Estimated number of mothers of all ages in the United States.

2.0 Average number of children that women today can expect to have in their lifetime.

4.7 Average number of children that women in Africa, can expect to have in their lifetime.

About 3 1/2 million Number of women who have babies each year in the United States. Of this number, about 415,000 are teens ages 15 to 19, and more than 100,000 new moms are age 40 or older.

3% The odds of a woman delivering twins.

This comes from babycenter .com Noah & Emma The most popular baby name for boys and girls, respectively, in 2024.

Mom’s - your amazing. All the rest of you - You were knit together in your mothers womb. It does not says a women’s womb like you are a by product of a living test tube - it says Mothers womb. That sanctified God honored place. So at the moment of conception you begin motherhood and you start knitting together a precious life. What a responsibility and an honor - AMEN

Text

John 19:26–27 ESV

26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Mothers Closest to the Cross

‘ Mothers the closest to the cross”

Even at the toughest time in his earthly life Jesus recognizes the closest person to Him on earth…His Mother

It is a picture of Endless Love. Mary is an example of a favored Mother. Much can be learned about her.

It starts with Character and ends with Committment

1. She started as a favored daughter

Luke 1:30 ESV

30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Wouldn’t you like to have favor with God ?

It means

Grace. It come from the notion of sweetness, charm, loveliness, joy, delight, like words of grace, The notion of kindness is in it also, especially of God toward men as here.

2. She was favored by her Husband

Matthew 1:19 ESV

19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

The meaning is that he was kind, tender, merciful; that he was so attached to Mary that he was not willing that she should be exposed to public shame. He sought, therefore, secretly to dissolve the connection, and to restore her to her friends without the punishment commonly inflicted on adultery.

She could have been stoned

3. She was favored among Women

Luke 1:42 NASB95

42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

Elizabeth spoke to her and said And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

An interesting Point is brought out by a Theologeon

MARY

It is remarkable how with prescient caution she never is put forward during Christ's ministry or after His departure.

Meek (John 2:5), and humble, making her model the holy women of old (Luke 1:46), yielding herself in implicit faith up to the divine will though ignorant how it was to be accomplished (Luke 1:38), energetic (Luke 1:39), thankful (Luke 1:48), and piously reflective (Luke 2:19,51), though not faultless, she was the most tender and lovable of women, yet a woman still.

If we look at today’s standards

Thank God Mary didn’t believe in abortion

Thank God Joseph stayed married to Mary

Thank God as Parents they raised their Son right

Thank God they listened and understood God

Remember I aid it starts with Character - It ends with Commitment

The Song of Mary (Magnificat) -

The Song of Mary Lk 1:46-55

Luke 1:46–55 ESV

46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Conclusion

Some of you in this room want to be mothers some day and you want to do it right

You start with a Commitment to God

Are you willing to stand with the Lord and let him lead you and guide you in this life.

Some Moms in this room might have failed or felt like they failed and you want another chance to step up and be there at the cross with Christ. You know there were other women at the cross. In the end they did it right

What about the men in the room. Are you willing to be at the Cross like John and be privileged to taking care of a great women in your life that God has given you?

What about the children here, are there some who want to Honor there parents because they know it is right.

Commitment and Honor - two amazing words.