"And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living." Ge. 3:20
I believe it was Gypsy Smith that said, “If we are to ever beat the Devil, we must beat him with the cradle. How true! And since the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand of Motherhood, therefore mothers hold in their hands the supreme opportunity of moving the world for God.
Another said, "Give me a generation of Christian mothers, and I will undertake to change the face of English society in twelve months."
I can remember as a child that my mother urged me to never drink liquor, gamble, use tobacco (I failed her in these for many years.) And yet now I see that she was much wiser than I was. She knew the heartache that each of these would bring to my life. All of that can be accredited to a mother’s concern for her son.
We are celebrating Mother’s Day today. This day should be more than just recognizing all the mothers present. It should be more than having a dinner in honor of the mothers. It must be more than giving flowers and cards to the mothers. We must understand that it is more than saying, “Mom, I love you.” It must be realized and recognized that Motherhood is at the top of God’s list of importance.
Motherhood is an office appointed from God. It is a responsibility that each mother must take with all seriousness. To look at Motherhood with any other objective is to lower the position that God has given it. There are many mothers in the Bible. We can learn from each story that has to do with Motherhood. I have chosen a few of the more familiar reports for our message today. I trust that each of you will benefit from God’s word to us today, not just mothers only, but each person present.
I. EVE - A DECEIVED MOTHER
A. Everyone here knows the story of Eve and the Garden of Eden.
1. Her confrontation with the Serpent, the Devil.
2. The reason she was deceived was she was not under the protection of her protector, which was her husband, Adam.
3. When a woman removes herself from her protector, she is opening herself up to be deceived by the Deceiver.
4. "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." cf Ep 5:22
a. “Submit” means to stay under his control and authority.
b. It is more than just cooking breakfast and dinner two or three times a week.
c. When this submission to the husband is not present the wife is opening herself up to an attack from the Deceiver.
5. Had Eve been beside her husband, Adam, during these moments of temptation she would not have been deceived.
B. She Was Deceived About The Word Of God. cf Gen. 3:1-5.
1. She accepted another interpretation of God’s Word, and it brought about spiritual death to her and to her husband.
2. Satan is the author of confusion.
3. He made Eve believe that she could not understand the Word of God without his interpretation.
4. He caused her to think that he could improve upon what God has said.
5. When doubt concerning the truth and principles of the Word of God comes - then trouble follows.
C. She was deceived about the Sovereignty of God.
1. He caused her to believe that God might be wrong in His demands on them.
2. But God is Sovereign!
3. He is God and He is over all!
D. She was deceived concerning the wrath of God.
1. He deceived her into thinking that God would not carry out His promise of death.
2. That is the way that Satan always works.
3. “Ye shall not surely die”.
4. What a deceiver he is. What a liar he is. What a home destroyer he is.
II. SARAH - A CARNAL MOTHER
A. She Was Unwilling To Wait Upon The Lord. Gen. 16:1-3.
1. There is a very important principle in this story that we must see.
2. Look at Gen. 18:9-13. Notice that Sarah’s laughter brought a reprimand to Abraham from God.
3. God didn’t speak to Sarah, rather to Abraham.
4. Abraham was responsible for her spiritual condition.
B. She Was Willing To Give Up Her Morals To Get What She Wanted.
1. She gave Hagar to Abraham to bare a son.
2. She didn’t want to wait on God.
3. She took the matter out of God’s hands and into her own power.
4. When that happens only trouble and sorrow can result.
5. We all have known people like that.
a. They were raised in a godly home.
b. They knew what was right.
c. They knew what God expected of them, but when they left home they left their teaching home also.
d. They wound up with their life a wreck and one day they will wake up and say that life has been cruel to them.
C. Sarah was a very carnal woman.
1. Because of her carnality, her thinking was irrational.
2. Carnality never thinks in behalf of God.
3. Carnality always opposes God.
4. Carnality will always laugh at God.
5. Carnality will always exalt self will above God.
6. Carnality will always attempt to overrule God’s plan.
III. Hannah - A Godly Mother cf 1 Sam. 1:9-23.
A. Hannah was barren, as was Sarah.
1. She approached the Lord in a godly manner.
2. She prayed and promised the Lord that she would raise her son in a godly manner.
3. God answered her prayer.
4. She even named the son according to her prayer: Samuel means = “Asked him of the Lord”.
B. Hannah was willing to put Motherhood above family tradition.
1. She was willing to put Motherhood above her own pleasure.
2. You see, at the yearly sacrifices they saw all of the kinfolk.
3. They could compare how much each one had grown, and how each one had gained weight, lost hair, etc.
4. She certainly could have shown off her new baby to all the Jewish nation to see, but she kept him at home until he was weaned.
5. She stayed home and cared for her son.
C. God is looking for mothers who will be godly.
IV. Jochebed - A Trusting Mother Ex. 1:22-2:3.
A. Jochebed’s baby, Moses, was born in troubled times.
1. He was to be thrown into the river to be destroyed.
2. How did Jochebed cope with this situation?
(1 Pet 5:8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
3. There stands one waiting for your son.
a. There stands one waiting to devour that precious little one that God has given you.
b. Unless you are like Jochebed, and unless you leave the safety and rearing to the ways of the Lord, you will lose your child.
c. The time will come when you can no longer keep your child by your side.
4. Jochebed put her son in the ark of safety.
a. The Ark of safety for us today is the Ark of Christ.
b. The same God who gave wisdom to Jochebed will give you wisdom to care for your child.
c. If anyone needs Christ it is the mothers of today.
d. You, mother, cannot bear your burdens apart from Christ.
B. Jochebed knew there was a God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
1. She knew He would take care of her son in the most fearful and dreadful times.
2. You cannot raise your child apart from Christ.
3. May you be strong and wise like Jochebed and give your child to God to be used of God in His manner.
C. Moses became a mighty man.
1. The man that God would use to bless the entire nation of Israel
2. Suppose Jochebed had tried to care for Moses in her own way, she would have lost him.
3. Who but God, knows what would have happened then.
4. Mothers, as you rear your children, rear them as unto the Lord.
5. Follow the teachings of the Bible, and you will produce a child that can and will be used by and for God instead of against God.
V. Mary - A Rejoicing Mother
(Luke 1:46-48) And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
A. Why Did Mary’s Soul Magnify The Lord? (Luke 1:30-35)
1. Mary was to become the vessel that would bring the Saviour to the world.
2. Mother, you are the vessel that God will use to bring your child to the Saviour.
B. What Does Her Joy Guarantee Us Today?
1. Mary’s rejoicing was that ALL MEN CAN BE SAVED.
2. Mary’s rejoicing was that SALVATION HAS COME TO ALL MANKIND.
3. Mary’s rejoicing was that HER SON, JESUS CHRIST, IS THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD.
4. Mary knew the end from the beginning.
5. She knew that the birth of Christ was not the end, but that some day He must die for the sins of the world.
C. Mothers, you have your children at your finger tips from birth until school age.
1. Those early years are so important in their training.
2. During those years you can mold them into godly children.
3. Children are trained to be obedient and godly.
4. They will be disobedient and ungodly naturally.
5. Mary’s rejoicing did not exalt herself but rather the Saviour.
Because Mary had something to rejoice about allows you and I also to rejoice about the same thing. We can rejoice that our names are written in heaven. Is your name written down in heaven?
Are there any mothers here who are not going to heaven? Are there any homes here today that will be separated when the rapture occurs?
Won’t you come to Christ today?