Mary, Mary, and Mary

Here we are with another Mother’s day passing by. We have been going through Hebrews and we will pick back up next week. This week, I thought we would take a look at Mothers. It is a really interesting thing when we start talking about mothers, fathers, genders in relation to heaven, angels and even God. We are so limited by what we know that we assume that everything parallels our knowledge and beliefs. If we have men and women, mothers and fathers, then the same must be true of heaven. There must be male and female angels and then we run into this brick wall of God…the Father. Our Father, who art in heaven. He is referred to throughout the Bible as Father and Him. There is a specific gender that we associate with God according to the Bible, which we believe that God the Father, Himself divinely inspired man to write. So surely that settles it right? God is male. Well, in fact, we need to understand that the reality of it is that God is just God. He is not a male or a female, He is merely God. Now trying to understand that in our limited minds will be of utmost difficulty but I promise that it will be clear one day.

(NKJV)

(NKJV)

27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

As if we couldn’t get a little more confused. God created man in His own image, God created him, male and female He created them. From this we can discern that male and female are made in His image. Let’s look at another passage.

(NKJV)

5 This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created. (1 Cor 11:7…hmmm)

He created them male and female, blessed them and called them mankind. After we look at what God created with male and female, we can continue to Paul’s letter to the Galatians where he tells us in (NKJV) 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

5 This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created.

Sons and Heirs

We are also told that in our resurrection, we will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Look at (NKJV) 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. There is no male and female in heaven or at least not a gender need for it there. This also indicates to us that angels are not married but it doesn’t definitively tell us if there are male and female type angels.

Finally, in dealing with gender and God, let us not forget that Christ is considered the Bridegroom and the Church (us) are considered the Bride. If you want to read about that, you can find it in .

25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

OK, we have gone a long way down a short trail to get to talk about how special Mothers are for us. We find the term mother used 248 times in the Bible. Mothers, along with Fathers are mentioned in the Fifth Commandment, the only commandment with a promise attached to it. (NKJV) 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. Further in , God commands that anyone who strikes his father or mother or if they curse their father or mother, that they should be put to death. Why does God take the position of parents so strongly? Because both father and mother are images of the position of God Himself. They are the earthly representation of our heavenly parent, God.

While women are naturally nurturers and nesters, men are prone to be protectors, hunters, builders. It makes for a great system.

If we look at all the attributes of men and women, we can find those same things in God. God is the ultimate, all-in-one parent. He provides, He protects, He nourishes, He loves, He instructs, He cares, and the list goes on and on. We tend to think of God as this All-Powerful, Overbearing figure, but He is also a caring and tender God who wants only the best for His children. , He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (NIV)

God is both protector and nurturer. He is both disciplinarian and compassion giver. He is the consummate parent, perfect in every way.

We see this even in scripture. (NKJV) As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. And (NKJV) I taught Ephraim to walk, Taking them by their arms; But they did not know that I healed them. 4 I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them. So, we see this compassionate soft, tender side of God the Father and yet we see the protector and disciplinarian side many times also.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

13 As one whom his mother comforts,

3 “I taught Ephraim to walk,

Isaiah 66:13 NKJV

As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”

Mother’s Day is a bit different for everyone. Some are mothers, hopefully everyone here HAD a mother. Mother’s Day can be a day of mixed emotions. While some mothers are still with us, some have passed away, some are sick, some are just not around and some may have never even been known. It can be a very difficult day for women who have longed for children and were never able to have any.

This is always a hard thing to talk about because I promise that within this church today there is someone who has a less than favorable memory of life with mom. And it gets hard to talk about honoring someone in that situation. But God’s Word is not about how good mom and dad are or were but instead about what they represent. We need to remember that “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Just as our parents may have let us down, we have let God down also. How would it be for us if God didn’t still care for us as the creation that He made? Just the same, we honor those that had the earthly part of our creation regardless of their actions later.

So I will comfort you;

Taking them by their arms;

So today, let us remember mothers. All those from the beginning of time until now. They have not all done everything right, but then again, who of us has? It is still God’s command for us to honor them, because they are a part of His design and are His representatives on earth. Let us remember, that honor is not just about what they have done, but also about what we do or have done.

Some men were sitting around in prison and looking at a magazine and one prisoner said, “I wish my mom had that car”. The next prisoner said, “I wish my mom had that house”. This went on and on as the magazine was passed from prisoner to prisoner; each one wishing his mom had some nice thing. Finally the magazine came to Bill and he hung his head and was quiet for some time. Then Bill spoke and said, “I wish my mom had a good son”. My mother died almost five years ago. I’m glad that I got to be with her in her final hours here. Although she couldn’t respond, one of the last things I said to her was, “Please forgive me for anything that I may have done to hurt you or dishonor you.”

While there are many great women and mothers in the Bible, we want today to take a look at four great mothers and their roles with their children.

But they did not know that I healed them.

And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”

Let’s stop now and pray for the mothers.

4 I drew them with gentle cords,

With bands of love,

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The New King James Version Chapter 2

2 And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. 2 So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.

In the midst of great danger, Moses’ mother made sure, she did all that was within her power to protect her son. God had great plans for Moses and she trusted the Lord to take care of her son when he was marked for death from the beginning. Godly mothers protect their children in so many ways. They will protect them with their lives, they try to protect them morally emotionally and spiritually. All the ways that God would want to protect us, godly mothers will move heaven and hell to protect their children.

And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.

In honor of Mothers Day, I want to briefly talk about three women in the Bible. I just heard yesterday that according to the Social Security Administration, the #1 girl’s names for babies last year was for the first time, Isabella. Isabella beat out 2008’s winner Emma. Just to satisfy your curiosity, the number one boys name, Jacob, for, believe it or not, the 11th year running.

I stooped and fed them.

Mary, which was a leading name for many years didn’t even make the top 100 last year. A very common name for women in the New Testament appears to be Mary. Three of the women named Mary have a lot to teach us about how to relate to our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. From three Marys, we can find three great examples.

I. AN EXAMPLE OF LEANING - MARY, MOTHER OF OUR LORD

Second: The Supportive Mother

Mary leaned on God in faith. Mary, the mother of Jesus is one of our greatest examples of leaning on and trusting in God. When her life was shaken, she trusted in Him. In - When Mary was told she would be Mother of the Messiah, she trusted God. There was no hesitation, even knowing that she would have trouble in her life, she said, (Luke 1:38) “I am the Lord's servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.””

Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh. And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD. 27 For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. 28 Therefore I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there. The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Hannah was one of two wives of Elkanah. His other wife had many sons and daughters but Hannah was barren and she longed for a child. She prayed earnestly to the zlord that if He would grant her a son, that she would give him to the Lord all the days of his life. The prophet Eli saw her praying and asked God to grant her petition and sure enough, Hannah conceived a son and his name was Samuel.

In at the wedding in Cana, when there was a need for wine at a wedding, she trusted Jesus. She had a problem and she looked to Jesus to solve it. Even when He asked her why she was asking Him, she just told the servants…“Do whatever He tells you”. She had no idea what Jesus would do to solve the problem, but leaned on Him with her trust. We should learn from that. We want ALL the answers before we commit to trust Him. Mary trusted Him with none of the answers.

II. AN EXAMPLE OF LOVING - MARY OF BETHANY

We should all know the story of Mary and Martha. They were the sisters of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. When Jesus came to their house for dinner, Mary sat at His feet and listened to every word from Him and stayed in His presence, but Martha fritted about the house trying to “do” all that she could. She tried to get Jesus to rebuke Mary for not helping, but Jesus defended Mary and said, , “Mary has chosen what is better.”

In – Mary of Bethany expressed her love for the Lord by anointing the Lord's feet. She seemed to be the only one who “got it.” In , Jesus said, “Leave her alone,”...”Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (NIV) These guys have no clue what’s going on. Jesus has been telling them that He was to be killed and it’s like they never heard Him. Mary on the other hand, knew what was about to happen. I believe that it was her close connection with Jesus that allowed her to see.

III. AN EXAMPLE OF LIVING - MARY MAGDALENE

In We read about Mary Magdalene, whom Jesus drove seven evil spirits out of. Here is a woman who was under the bondage of sin. It is believed that she was a prostitute and some believe that it was her at the house of Simon who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried it with her hair. A woman that was spoken of as being a “sinful woman.”

Regardless of the specifics, we find that Mary Magdalene’s life was changed by Jesus and she followed Him from that point forward. We find her at the crucifixion and she was blessed to be the first to encounter Jesus after His resurrection.

The Lord Jesus changed her life. We speak of sin and we speak of missing the mark….. Here is a woman who was changed and she lived her life accordingly. It was obvious to others that she was not the same as before. Her words at the tomb show that she followed Him and believed in Him even beyond death as she told the angels, “They have taken MY LORD!” She went on to live for Him. We don’t read any more about Mary Magdalene, but as she was the one who returned to the disciples to tell them He was alive, you can bet she was one of the people at Pentecost and that she continued along with the others in ministry throughout the New Testament.

Conclusion: We can learn a lot from the three Marys. Learn how to lean, love and live.