Happy Mother’s Day! We’re glad that you can be with us today as we take some time to honor the mothers that God has given each one of us. Although Mother’s Day was first recognized as a holiday in 1914, the concept of honoring our mothers and fathers is a biblical concept.
Deuteronomy 5:16 (NIV) Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you …
That’s the fifth commandment. In the NT Jesus quotes it and Paul notes it as the first commandment with a promise. The promise is a long life and that things will go well with you. God is the one who created mothers and gave them to us as one of his good gifts. A godly mother’s love is a representation of God’s love for us. A godly mother is an example and hero for others to emulate
Today we begin a new message series called “Heroes of Faith.” In this series, we’re going to be looking at biblical characters who are heroes of faith.
Hebrews 6:12 (NIV) We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
So God’s Word gives us stories of people of faith who are examples to us, to encourage us to be everything that God created us to be.
Today, my message is entitled “Being a Faithful Mother.” The Bible has stories about many faithful mothers. Women like Hannah, Ruth, Mary and many others, who believed God and received blessing for themselves and their families. What is a faithful mother? First of all, a faithful mother is a mother who is full of faith. The Bible tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. So, a faithful mother is one who believes what God has said and doesn’t doubt. She believes, not only for herself, but for her husband and children. When times are tough, in times of crisis, she believes God to meet her needs.
Secondly, a faithful mother is a mother who is faithful in following God in her life. She doesn’t give up on her faith when there are difficulties. She keeps on praying, she keeps on seeking God, she has the patience to endure through any obstacle until God comes through and fulfills his promise for her.
If you’re a mother here this morning, then God wants to encourage you to grow in being a faithful mother. God is there to strengthen you in your role as a mother, whether your children are small, teenagers or gone from home. If you’re not a mother, I believe that the principles we’ll see today about being a faithful mother will also apply to being a faithful man or woman of God. Every one of us, with no exceptions, has a mother for which we can be thankful to God for. If your mother is still alive, be sure to express your thanks to her as well, for the things she has given to you and blessed you with.
Listen to or watch my April 13, 2012 message Being a Faithful Mother.