Mother’s Day (2025)

Good Morning and Happy Mother’s Day. Pastor Kathy and I both were blessed with great moms as many of you have been as well.

Today, we are celebrating all of the impactful women in our lives who have served us, raised us, loved us, taught us, and, ultimately, mothered us, even if they were not our birth moms. 

We want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of the outstanding mothers who hold space in our hearts. We are grateful for your service and the love you pour out each and every day to help shape us into the people we are today.

In light of this day, we are going to talk about how we live our lives for Jesus can have a great impact—just like these wonderful women around us.

Story

She lived in my neighborhood and played a huge role in Jim’s day-to-day life as a kid. He was the oldest in His family, and in his early elementary years, his parents were swamped with his younger siblings. They did not always have the time to come to every school or extracurricular event. Even when they did, they were usually chasing toddlers around.

This is where Ms. Joanne came in. She was there to look after me and serve me in whatever way he needed. She had older children and extra time. She had love to give and the energy to share. Ms. Joanne would pick him up from school so his mom could stay home to let the babies nap.  She would always have a funny story to share and a snack ready for him. She would come to chorus concerts, basketball games, and after-school events. Ms. Joanne never complained and always led with kindness. She always took the time to make sure he felt special.

Even all these years later, Ms. Joanne sends Jim a card for every birthday and holiday. She knows his children’s birthdays, checks up on his family, and still offers her help. The way she actively lives out serving and loving others is something that has impacted him greatly. Her example is one he will forever hold onto and reflect on. At the time, she might have thought she was just helping out a young family here and there, but she was modeling what it looks like to love people well as a woman of service.

How many of you have had a Ms. Joanne in your life? It could have been an aunt, grandmother, or someone in the neighborhood…

Just like Ms. Joanne left a lasting impact on Jim’s life, Mary Magdalene left a lasting impact on her community by the way she loved and served Jesus. Let’s take a look at this story in John 12:1-3.

John 12:1–3 NLT

1 Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. 2 A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with him. 3 Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.

Before we dive into Mary’s fragrant and generous offering to Jesus, let’s talk about the context and background of what is going on in the text. John told us very clearly that this event was six days before Passover. The timeline is important because it was the week before Jesus was crucified.

Jesus had come to Bethany, where he had previously raised Lazarus from the dead. Jesus was invited to dinner, most likely to celebrate Lazarus’s miraculous rising from the dead. The supper was hosted by Lazarus’s sisters, Martha and Mary, and was attended by a woman named Mary Magdalene.

These stories show us that…

1. The way we live our lives leaves a lasting impact on people.

Now that we have some context, let’s talk about Mary’s fragrant offering. Scripture says, “Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet.”

The idea of washing your houseguest’s feet at a dinner party today might not go over so well, but back then, it was not uncommon to wash a guest’s feet when they entered your home. It was not strange; it was an act of hospitality—an act of love. It was also something the servants of the house usually did. Mary washing Jesus’ feet was a humble offering. The only strange thing about what Mary did was that she washed Jesus’s feet during the middle of dinner, and she used expensive oils and perfume.

One thing that I think is so beautiful about this passage is that something fragrant was used. When you poured out a fragrance as strong as nard in a room, it would fill the entire space with the scent. It was so strong and lasting that the scent would linger long after the source was dry.

If you have ever walked by someone in the airport or on the street and gotten a whiff of their cologne or perfume, you know what I am talking about. Or if you walk into a bathroom or kitchen after someone has deep cleaned, the smell is strong and hangs around for a while.

I bring this up to say that, just as Mary’s physical act of washing Jesus’s feet with perfume had a lasting fragrant impact, so did Mary’s generous acts of service and love.

Acts of service and love had a lasting impact on those who witness it.

Her example in the way she served Jesus made an impact on the people around her at the dinner party. She did not care what anyone said or thought. She was extremely generous in her actions. Not only did she lower herself to wash Jesus’s feet, but she washed them with her hair. That alone was extremely humble because she had to let her hair down in public, which was something Jewish women rarely, if ever, would do. Her sacrifice and choices had a lasting impact.

Actions that last are actions that are done with incredible intentionality. Mary Magdalene must have known her worship would have been met with cynicism by some. But like any good woman of service (whether mother, grandmother, teacher, youth leader, or friend), it is a risk they are willing to take.

(Consider sharing all of the reasons why some women don’t take the risks to serve other people the way Mary served Jesus.)

Think of Mary pouring expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet. Some women today hold back from serving because they fear the cost—be it time, energy, or vulnerability .

It's like a gardener who hesitates to plant seeds because she worries they won’t bloom. But just like the gardener, we miss out on the beauty if we don’t take the chance!

Mary embraced the opportunity to serve without letting her worries hinder her, reminding us that the return is often worth the risk.

This takes me back to Joanne, and the way she served and showed up for Jim’s family when he was growing up. She was not looking for recognition or payment. She did not care if it inconvenienced her or if it was something she particularly wanted to do. She showed up and served in a way that marked Jim. Her actions were a fragrance that hung in the air.

How many people will we remember forever because they showed up and served us? Who are the people (like Mary) who have done something humble for us that we will never forget? The way we live our lives for Jesus and others matters. It matters because one action could change a life or a perspective.

The way we live our lives leaves a lasting impact on others.

2. Living a life for Jesus will come at a cost.

Look at the rest of this passage and see how Mary’s actions cost her.

John 12:4–8 NLT

4 But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, 5 “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” 6 Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself. 7 Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

Right away, we see how Judas was confused and disturbed that Mary would pour an entire jar of oil on Jesus’s feet. And honestly, I understand that. He argued that those oils were an entire year's wage, and the money could have been given to the poor. Some researchers say nard was so expensive because “the aromatic oil had been imported from India as far back as King Solomon's reign in 950 BC. Because nard was undiluted, it was one of the most expensive perfumes in the world and was called nardinium.”

Mary’s use of these fine oils was uncommon and something most people would see as a waste, especially if used to wash a guest’s dirty feet. And that is exactly what the people around Mary thought at first. Mary’s gift was extreme; it cost Mary to wash Jesus’s feet in the way she did.

The parallel between Judas’s reaction and Mary’s act of service is very interesting. Some of you may know that Judas later betrayed Jesus by handing him over to be crucified. It is possible that he objected to Mary’s gift because he felt ashamed by her act of love and his selfish heart. Mary’s actions and sacrifice shone a light on Jesus. They honored Him. She was not worried about financial loss, public humiliation, ridicule, or loss of reputation. She was only concerned with worshiping her Lord.

A life with Jesus is not all wonders and miracles. Love is costly. Sometimes a sacrificial life of loving people costs us. We know this from the gospel. We know this from the story of Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. For any woman who has ever loved and served you well, just know it was an intentional act, and she counted the cost and found you worth it.

I recently came across an incredible story of sacrificial love.

STORY: On May 2, 1962, Gladys Kidd placed a dramatic advertisement in the San Francisco Examiner. It said, “I don’t want my husband to die in the gas chamber for a crime he did not commit. I will, therefore, offer my services for ten years as a cook, maid, or housekeeper to any leading attorney who will defend him and bring about his vindication.” Vincent Hallinan, one of San Francisco’s best lawyers, saw the advertisement, was moved by what he read, and contacted Mrs. Kidd. He took on the case and won, and the innocent man was cleared of all charges. Afterward, the attorney refused the woman’s offer of ten years of service, saying he was satisfied to have saved an innocent man from death. (Source: The Universal Journalist, David Randall)

Gladys loved her husband so much that she was willing to sacrifice her time and energy for his life. She was essentially giving her life for his. She was willing to commit to any outstanding job that could possibly spare her husband. She was willing to take the risk for representation—not his guaranteed freedom. This is a beautiful example of love costing something. This sacrifice was not free; it took something from her.

One of the most touching shows of humanity is selfless love. Stories of kind-hearted humans helping others with no reward offset the grimness of news and give hope of the good in the world. Yet as Christians, we know a stronger kind of love—a love that gives the ultimate sacrifice.

Loving God and loving others are not always free of charge.

To live a life humbly at the feet of Jesus may cost us. It may cost us friends, comfort, time, or money. Following Jesus is not a smooth path without bumps along the way, but living a life for Jesus is worth it.

Ephesians 5:1–2 NLT

1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

3. Despite the sacrifice, living a life for Christ is worth it.

Jesus was and is the ultimate sacrifice. He knew what was coming when he went to the dinner party with Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. He knew his death was rapidly approaching, and he went to dinner anyway. Most people would not be thinking about socializing and celebrating with others when such sorrow and suffering were approaching. But Jesus showed up selflessly. His presence was a fragrant offering.

The call to action in Ephesians 5 is to walk in love, just as Christ loved us. I want to focus on the “as Christ loved us” part for a moment. First John 4:19 says it another way.

1 John 4:19 NLT

19 We love each other because he loved us first.

God sent His only son to Earth for each one of us. He led a life of ministry, miracles, love, and service. He was tempted but still lived a perfect, sinless life. He worshiped God and loved others fully. We get to experience love on this Earth and in heaven because of the sacrifice of Jesus. He died on the cross for our sins so we could live and love. Because Jesus loved like this, we are called to love others. Mary understood this and lived it out for all to see.

Jesus modeled what service and ministry can look like here on Earth. Because of His life and death, we get to serve others—and what a gift that is! We get to help our neighbor down the street. We can stand up for those who need us. We get to stand in the gap for those who are hurting. We get to show up for those we hold dear. A life of service is a life of worship and joy. Our service and sacrifice have the power to change lives.

When we say yes to serving others, we allow space for God to work.

The Holy Spirit is alive and well inside all of us, and He guides us where we need to go. A life walking with Jesus will always be worth it.

Illustration: There is a wonderful poem I came across that captures the heart of a woman of service on this Mother’s Day.

She said her hands were ugly, and she tried to hide them, too.

But in God’s sight ‘twas different, for He knew what they could do.

They were busy hands for Jesus, doing tasks for Him each day.

They washed and ironed and sewed and scrubbed in the most willing, cheerful way.

They kept a clean and shining home. They cared for a family,

And did the humble, homely jobs in a manner sweet to see.

They were ready to help others whenever there was a need.

And those ready, willing hands of hers were a source of help indeed.

She said her hands were ugly, but not so, in His dear sight.

For they labored for the Master—morning, noon, and night.

When we labor for the Lord, it is always worth it. Today, as we honor all of the mother figures around us, I want to remember their sacrifice. A faithful mother lives a sacrificial life of service. She gives up her body, her physical space, her time, and her mental capacity. Sometimes she has to sacrifice her dreams or plans she once had for her life. To be a mother costs something. It is definitely not free. Diapers are expensive! Motherhood takes and takes. But the joy and purpose that a mother finds in her children will always make every sacrifice worthwhile.

Any way that a woman of service blesses others is worth celebrating today.

Conclusion

As we celebrate mothers, some may be grieving their mothers or missing their mothers. Others may long to become a mother. I pray that the Holy Spirit is present. I pray that we see others in a new light, and that we see opportunities to serve the people around us and recognize the sacrifice of others in our own lives. I pray that our love for Jesus leaves a fragrance of abundance wherever we go. I pray that we love Jesus and love others as we go out of these doors and back to our routines. I pray that we will be a blessing to others.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for your love and your sacrifice. Thank you for the example of your Son. Thank you for the examples you give us in our own lives of sacrifice and faithfulness. Thank you to everyone of the people who has cared for us and led us. Thank you for the mothers who are with us today and the mothers who have marked us with their love. I ask that your presence be near to us. I pray for every person in this room. I pray that they will experience your closeness and tenderness. I pray for new hope and new life in this place. We love you and we bless you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Discussion Questions

Who has left a fragrance of impact on your life?

What can you learn from Mary’s acts of service?

What does following Jesus cost you?

What are some tangible ways you can start serving others?