Biblical, Missional Motherhood

Biblical, Missional Motherhood

*Pray*

I wanted to take a moment to publicly acknowledge each and every type of mother here today in this room. Feeling the joy, or perhaps the gravity of it. Each one experiencing today differently. Each one living in a different season of their life long motherhood journey. Yet each one, just as important as the other. Motherhood is not singular to those who have traditionally birthed their children through to term, and it is most certainly not one size fits all. Whether you're a biological mother, a mother who carried a child they never met, a grieving mother, a foster mom, adoptive mom, stepmom, single mom, a grandmother, a spiritual mentor, or even the mother with a hopeful desire to someday become one…you ALL deserve to be celebrated, recognized and cherished for all you have done and continue to do each and every day in the lives of not only your children, but others as well.

So, before I begin with the word the Lord has given me, I would like to ask, if you fall under and into any of those categories, please stand and allow us to honor you. *Clap*

*Pray*

As many of you know I am a Mom myself. I have two children, Derek-Col and Paizley. I’ve been a mom all of 6 years now and I can tell you with all of that experience under my belt, I felt the task being the one preaching to you today to be quite intimidating…Mothers who have many more years of experience on me, mother’s who have likely given and sacrificed more than me, and even mothers who have lost. I imagine the women I will be talking about today, felt the same way. That they had nothing to give, there were other God could have chosen and yet God took them and their humanity, their offering, and most importantly their willingness and used it.

Motherhood has always been a part of His grand plan!

We were created to bear the image of God, with an eternal purpose.

Adam and Eve’s jobs were to fill the earth with more bearers of that image

Genesis 1:26-28 (ESV)

“Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

You can see here that Jesus intentionally set up his plan to include us; we find this truth set up in the garden, and woven throughout the rest of the Bible.

This plan has and always will include Mother’s and it will continue doing so until the end of days.

Motherhood is Biblical and God breathed.

Proverbs 31 describes a motherhood ..

Proverbs 31:25-30 (NIV)

"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

Throughout scripture we see the examples of lives lived through different types of mothers. We see that every minute of their lives had been numbered by a gracious God who does all things well.

Mark 7:37(NASB)

And they were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even those who are deaf hear, and those who are unable to talk, speak.”

After the fall, we see that life is given as a gift. A gift of grace.

Motherhood represents God’s gift of life despite of our sin.

Romans 5:8-9

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!”

Motherhood is God breathed. Motherhood is Biblical. Motherhood is missional.

God honors differences in motherhood roles

These women, in spite of their imperfections (because no such perfection aside from Jesus has or ever will exist), and despite their difficult circumstances, God blessed them and used them for His Glory.

Some examples of Biblical Mothers:

Eve- Failed to fulfilled

The very first mother.

Gifted to bring forth life

The name “Eve” actually means “life or living,” with the intention that every time someone spoke Eve's name, it would signify life.

Genesis 3:20 (NIV)

“Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother all the living.”

Eve was called as a bringer of life, but became the purveyor of death when she disobeyed God in Genesis 3.

She was created and called to multiply and bear fruit, and yet in spite of Eve’s poor decision God still used her to fulfill her calling.

After Eve brought about death, we read that she was still gifted and blessed with children, and it was through her the earth was populated and God’s plan was carried out.

No matter where you’re at or what you’ve done, you are still the best candidate for your motherhood calling.

I dont know about you, but for me Motherhood is made up of a lot of trial and error. You may feel like you’ve failed here or you failed there, BUT God called you to fulfill your purpose, and if He can use Eve, who literally failed at the very thing she was called to, He can surely use you.

Sarah- The Promise Seeking Mother

Though her womb was closed, God promised nations and kings would come from her.

To make a long story short; Sarah was the wife of Abraham. For most of her life, she struggled to conceive a child. Now the Lord had made a promise to Sarah and Abraham, that she would birth this son.

Genesis 17:15-21

“God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

But, Sarah grows inpatient, and comes up with a plan to use Hagar (their servant) as a surrogate. Their plan works and Hagar births a son called Ishmael, but the story doesn’t end there. At the ripe age of 90 years old God blesses her with the birth of their promised son, Isaac.

After 10 years of waiting on what seemed impossible, God was still faithful.

It’s so easy for us to count God out when we have waited, and waited and waited on Him to show up. So easy that we feel like we can do the job for Him, or even better than Him!... And even easier to laugh in disbelief when you’ve already made up your mind to give up.

You may still be looking for the promise to be fulfilled, but like He did for Sarah, He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it.

Leah- Forgotten, overlooked, ignored and unloved mother

A first born, which back then and in her culture carried great significance. It meant you received the first blessing of everything. You had right to all of the inheritances of your parents. This was usually an automatic recieving of things.

However for Leah, this was not the case in her marriage. Leah along with her younger sister Rachel, marry a ,mand named Jacob. Inevitably, Jacob grew favor for Rachel and forgets Leah. He had given his heart to her younger sister.

Have you ever felt this way?...Overlooked,...forgotten,... ignored… maybe even unloved?...Something that should have been yours by right is unfairly passed to someone else?

Leah was constantly competing for her husbands attention and affection. Never first choice, always the afterthought. Im sure he only ever came around for one thing, if he even came around at all.

BUT GOD. When the Lord saw that Leah was hated he opened her womb despite Jacobs disdain, and found her motherhood in the Lord. So, He blessed her despite her circumstances.

Genesis 30:17-21

“So she named him Issachar. Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. Then Leah said, “God has presented me with a precious gift.”

Ladies, You may feel like you are the last on everyone’s priority list, second to the busyness of life, even to the point where you feel unloved, but God sees you right where you are and can provide a pathway of blessing even there. If he did it for one, he can do it for you.

From despair to hope, from pain to praise.

Jochebed (jo-ka-bed)- The Sacrificial Mother;

The Hebrew people had been given a place in Egypt in the Land of Goshen and lived there for hundreds of years. Over time they grew to be a mighty people. The ruler of Egypt, Pharaoh became afraid and angry at the fruitfulness of the Hebrews. So, in his fear, he commanded all the midwives to kill every sons born of the Hebrew women. But jo-ka-bed found another way. Jochebed (jo-ka-bed) chose to sacrifice her motherhood for the sake of her son’s life.

Exodus 2-3 (NASB)

“And the woman conceived and gave birth to a son; and when she saw ]that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus basket and covered it with tar and pitch. Then she put the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.”

Pharaoh's daughter saw the child and took compassion on him.

Because of her sacrifice, not only did the Israelites find freedom, BUT GOD made a way for her to get her son back. In fact, she was the one Pharaoh's daughter asked to be the maid to the boy and fee him, almost immediately.

Exodus 2:8

“Pharaoh's daughter answered her, “Go.” So the young woman went and called the child's own mother. Pharaoh's daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him.”

Motherhood is rooted in sacrifice. The Sacrifice of our bodies, the sacrifice of our time, sacrifice of preferences, sacrifice of sanity even…But God sees every sacrifice we make and He will reward our faithfulness.

Naomi- The Spiritual Mother;

The story of Naomi begins in Israel. Her husband had moved their family to Moab, a country God had advised His people to avoid due to its pagan beliefs. Their sons eventually married Moabite women, but not long afterward, her husband and both of their sons became sick and died.

After the deaths of her husband and two sons, Naomi recognized there was nothing left for her in Moab, so she made the decision to return home to Judah. Believing her daughters-in-law would be better off in their homeland, she encouraged Ruth and Orpah to return to their families as they were young and could easily marry again.

Ruth, however, refused to leave Naomi. In fact, it is written that Ruth clung to Naomi, and insisted on going with Naomi to her homeland in Bethlehem.

Ruth 1:16-17 (NIV)

“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”

This mother experienced the loss of her sons, yet gained a faithful daughter in Ruth, who declared she would stay near to her.

After arriving in Judah, Ruth decided that she could join some of the other women in picking up the leftover grain left behind by the harvesters. She asked Naomi for permission to glean in the fields, and Naomi encouraged her to do so. Ruth, empowered by Naomi’s support, began gleaning in the fields. Not long after Ruth began gleaning, she and Naomi discovered Boaz was the man whose fields she was working in and one of Naomi’s husband’s relatives. Boaz was eligible to be their kinsman-redeemer and take on the responsibility of the family’s property and caring for Naomi and Ruth. Not only was he in a position to help them long-term, but he had already shown significant consideration toward Ruth by ensuring she was able to glean extra grain without any intrusion from others.

Later on we read that Ruth is not only redeemed by Boaz her husband, but she also becomes an ancestor to the future king of Israel, and a savior to her people.

A Teacher and a mentor, Naomi gave Ruth specific instructions that set her up for success. Naomi and Ruth became family by faith.

Many of you here have had children and are now empty nesters. There are even possibly some here who have never had children of your own. Whatever your situation or season, God can call you to be a mother to someone who isn’t yours biologically. To lead them down the narrow path of righteousness, to help them find not only God, but their purpose in Him. To empower them and to guide them when they might be in foreign territory.

It was due to the esteem Ruth had for Naomi that Ruth took the counsel of her mother-in-law. Ruth knew Naomi had her best interests at heart. She held Naomi in high regard.

Titus 2:3-5

“Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness”

Mary- The mother of The King;

A virgin and not yet married, who was found to be with child from the holy spirit.

The motherhood of this blessed women was more than the continuation of a family name, but a means for God to bring the savior into the world, to save His people from their sins.

In the OT, God’s continuing presence to the people of Israel was manifested in different ways– a cloud, a soft breeze, the tent, and, eventually, the Temple. The Incarnate God replaced the tent and even the temple with a real human nature, assumed from a woman, in order to dwell among his people. Emmanuel, God with us.

Luke 1:30-32 (NIV)

“But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.”

Mary was the only one in the Upper Room who would have recognized the feeling of having carried the Holy Spirirt inside of her. She got to carry her baby twice... She became the temple of God incarnate the first time, then the temple of God in Spirit the second time, both of which empowered her to then serve the King.

We have a unique opportunity to carry within us the Spirit of God which empowers us to serve Him.

*Call to Action*

These women paved the way for all women representing the various ways one can be called mom.

Just like them, you and I play an important role in the stories of generations to come.

Motherhood has this effect, that while we are teaching we are also learning. When I talk to both my biological and spiritual kids/my mentees about consequences. I tell them all the ways that doing this one thing will lead to this thing.

In the same way we need to talk to ourselves about the consequences of neglecting God's word. As moms we are good at neglecting our own needs. To put our children and husbands or even the needs of others before ourselves, all while ignoring the deepest need we have which is to abide in Jesus!

He is the only thing that will sustain and move us through the varying seasons and feelings of motherhood.

He is the only thing that moved them to fulfill their God given callings.

Sisters in Christ, whatever season we are in, and whatever kind of nurturing work we are doing, and however long our season lasts, life in Christ is our God given mission. Abiding in Him, in His word so that we can fulfill the mission.

From the very beginning of the bible, and all the way through, we can see the pivotal roles God placed these women in, that impacted not just current but future generations. Eternal purpose with a lasting impact in the walks of our children.

With Christ’s joy as our strength, we can rejoice that the thousand deaths to self that we die each day are our servants—midwives that are bringing us gain, an eternal weight of glory.

God’s life giving promise is to empower each and every woman as she makes disciples in her home, in her neighborhood and around the world.

Missional Motherhood is….

Missional Motherhood is….Like Eve; A Mother who refuses to allow failure to negate God's call. Failed, but Fulfilled.

Missional Motherhood is….Like Sarah; A Mother seeking out the promises made to her Missional Motherhood is….Like Leah; A mother forgotten by man but not by God

Missional Motherhood is….Like Jochebed (jo-ka-bed); a Mother who selflessly sacrifices

Missional Motherhood is….Like Naomi; A Spiritual Mother who guides women to their purpose

Missional Motherhood is….Like Mary; A mother supernaturally empowered to serve the King

God has ordained all of our mothering seasons and moments “for such a time as this” and all the way through, until Jesus returns.

*Closing*

Call up all the mothers to the front

I want to invite all mothers, of every type and at every stage up to the front…

Now for everyone else here I am charging you to pray for them, you may stay seated, or come up beside them in love and support. But the example to follow here is very simple.

Proverbs 31:31

“Give her the reward of her labor, and let her works praise her at the city gates.”