Mother's Day 2022

Diana Allen nicely sums up the sentiment of many mothers in a poem called “I Quit.” After explaining the hardships of parenthood, she concludes, “There will be days when I’ll still hunt through the yellow pages for the number for the Mother’s Resignation Hotline … or my heart will feel as though it has been shattered into a thousand pieces. One thing is sure, however: I have to hang on, to stand firm, to fight the good fight. The souls of my children and the quality of the lives they live here on earth is at stake—and so is their eternity. My children are too precious for me to do anything but persevere.” You cannot give up, call it quits, or pawn off your kids on someone else – it is a Godly calling, not taken lightly, with its potholes, speedbumps, and sharp turns, it is rewarding in the end.

Billy Ricks summed up today’s message perfectly - There are generations of children that need to be rescued from wrong ideas and attitudes toward motherhood and womanhood. That begins by recognizing that God has the right to rule and have the last word on every issue.” This should and would include the definition of woman and mother and the rights, responsibilities and obligations of each.

What is God’s design for Mothers and What does He say about Motherhood?

I. God designed woman to be a helper

Genesis 2:21-24 – So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

One man – one woman in marriage completes the image of God –

· God took from rib –

o not from head to rule over man

o not from the foot to be ruled by man, under Him

o rib from side to be a partner

They become 1 flesh, the image of God.

Pastor Alistair Begg said, “What we see with God making Adam first is priority. God made Adam first because he was giving him the responsibility to lead the partnership of man and woman in a God centered God glorifying direction. Priority does not mean superiority. Man is not better than woman. In fact, women you are 100% better a being a woman and a mother than a man. Men you are 100% better at being men and fathers than a woman.” Contrary to what current societal thoughts are – women are 100% better at being women and moms then men are.

God created man and He created woman, His plan was for man and woman to complement each other.

II. God designed moms to reproduce His Image

Psalm 127:3 – Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

Women have certain traits from God while men have other and when they come together, they complete the image of God.

· Physically we can see the difference,

· during an argument or “discussion” we can hear the difference,

· we can feel the difference in the way love is demonstrated and received.

Regardless of what current science says, no man is capable of doing this.

· Our bodies are not created to serve this purpose nor do they produce the genetic material women produce

· Our emotional and logical abilities are different than woman and not created for that

III. God designed moms to nurture their children

Mom you make any house a home – house is structure brick, mortar, wood – home love, safety, instruction, discipline – where needs are met

Oxford defines nurture as to care for and encourage the growth and development of,

And Merriam-Webster defines is as – the training, upbringing with proper focus during early development

A. Care

Isaiah 49:15 – “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

Isaiah 66:13 – As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

Nurture also includes discipline –

B. Discipline

Proverbs 13:24 – Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

Proverbs 29:15, 17 – The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

v17 – Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.

IV. God designed moms to help instruct her children

Proverbs 1:8-9 – Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.

Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 31:25-31 – Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

Deuteronomy 4:9-10 – “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children— how on the day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 – And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Proverbs 6:23 –

For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

V. God designed husbands to love their wives

We are equal partners in this – one is not better nor worse – one desires love, one desires respect – both are needed.

Husbands love you wives –

Colossians 3:19 says – Husbands love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Ephesians 5:25-29 – Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church

Do you love her like Christ loved the church? Putting aside your needs, your desires, your dreams – for hers?

Proverbs 31:10-12 – An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life

Proverbs 18:22 – He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.

Proverbs 19:4 – House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

VI. God commands children to love, obey and honor their mothers.

Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Paul quotes this in Ephesians 6 and reminds us that this is the first commandment with a promise

Proverbs 31:28 – Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

Proverbs 6:20 – My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching.

Proverbs 10:17 – Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.

Leviticus 19:3 – Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.

When you as a woman, live out God’s plan and will for your life, you are a living example of Scripture – you live out in front of the eyes of your kids and community Titus 2

Titus 2:3-5 – Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

And people will talk about you like Ezekiel says –

Ezekiel 16:44 – “Behold, everyone who uses proverbs will use this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’

And you get to rejoice –

Proverbs 23:25 – Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.

3 John 1:4 – I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Think about your parents – did they live Biblically, completing the image of God, mom being the complement and helper to dad? How can you replicate that in your life? If not, what changes can you make to leave a living legacy for your kids?

How did your mom transform stick and plaster into a home?

How did your mom nurture you?

Why do you think care and discipline are both part of nurture? What happens when you have one without the other?

Husbands, do you love her like Christ loved the church? Putting aside your needs, your desires, your dreams – for hers?

Husbands, how do you show your love and appreciation to your wife? Have you recognized her love language so she knows when you show love and appreciation or do you just expect her to know?

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