Gifts Every Mother Will Appreciate

In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

John 19:26–27 ESV

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

John 19:

Introduction: One day, a mother was walking along with her 5 year old daughter when she picked up a piece of candy from the ground. The girl started to put the candy in her mouth when the mother stopped her and took it away.

“Why?” asked the girl.

John 1

“Because it has been on the ground, and you don’t know where it’s been. It’s dirty and probably has germs,” explained the mother.

At this point, her daughter looked at her and asked, “How do you know all this stuff? You are so smart.”

The mother thought, then replied, “All moms know this stuff. It’s on the Mom Test. You have to know it, or they don’t let you be a mom.”

The girl thought about that new information for a couple of minutes, then she smiled and said, “Oh, I get it! So if you don’t know these things, you have to be the dad?”

The mother said, “Exactly!” and they continued their walk down the path.

I’m not going to ask you dads how many questions you missed on the test, you might take that the wrong way.

Today, of course, is mothers day. It is not necessarily the easiest day for some people and that is understandable.

For a pastor, it is an exciting, but challenging opportunity. Exciting because most churches will be well attended by friends and family members which gives us the opportunity to preach the gospel to some new and occasional faces.

Challenging because pastors run the risk of alienating some of the ladies in our congregations - not intentionally mind you - but because of the wider range of life circumstances that many of our ladies have experienced.

Others of us are experiencing the pain of losing our mothers and we miss them a lot this time of year. Even more for those who have recently lost their mothers.

I felt led to spend our time together today talking about some gifts that every mother will appreciate. Whether you are a mother, or you have a mother...ahem…my subject today is an important one.

Sometimes we struggle with what to get our mom on mother’s day.

Perhaps you have seen the cartoon of the two children talking to their mother saying, Mom, we’ve hired a few people to fill in for you while you relax on Mother’s Day. In the foreground you see about 8 people including a chef, taxi driver, custodian, a nurse, a teacher, a fortune teller, a clown and a minister.

Well, I have some good news for you: The best gifts that we can honor mothers with don't come from a store, they come from the heart.

I want to share with you three gifts every mother will appreciate this morning.

Give Her Attention

“When Jesus saw his mother...”

Have you every thought about the timing of this event?

Picture the scene here. Jesus had just been flogged, tried falsely, condemned to death by Pilate. He had just shouldered the burden of a heavy cross through the middle of an angry mob until he stumbled and someone else had to carry the cross the rest of the way to Golgotha.

He had been nailed to the cross, hands and feet, in between two criminals. The mob jeers, the soldiers gamble, the religious leaders rejoice, and Jesus looks down and sees His mother standing near the cross. By her side is the beloved disciple John.

Scripture records Jesus speaking 7 times from the cross. First, he prayed for the ones who crucified him. Next, he promised the penitent thief paradise. Third, he looks at his mother and says, “Woman, behold your son.” And he looks at John and says, “Behold your mother.”

Why didn’t he do this the night before, in the upper room where they had gathered for their last meal together. Why didn’t he do this after the resurrection? Even after the resurrection before he ascended - he spent a lot of time with his mother and the disciples.

Jesus was performing the most significant act in human history. Yet, suddenly He stopped to make sure his desperate widow mother had somebody to take care of her.

Jesus knew the cross was coming. He was not unaware of God’s plan. Even Mary had some inkling that this was coming. She had been told by Simeon on the day that Jesus was dedicated in the temple that “a sword will pierce through your own soul also.”

While we don’t know for sure, the timing of this act speaks volumes about how God loves us. His love is about more than our salvation, he loves us enough to take care of the smallest details of our lives.

Illus. In the words of the song by Civilla Martin, “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”

Yes, God does care about the smallest detail of your life.

Luke 12:6–7 ESV

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

And for us, there is a valuable lesson. God wants us to love and care for our mothers just as a dying son does for his mother.

Give mom the attention she deserves. Some of us, myself included, know that we won’t always have our mothers with us here in this life.

My mom has been with the Lord now a little over 8 years. I miss her tremendously, but I wouldn’t deny her the pure joy she is experiencing now in heaven to have her back here with me.

Husbands, we ought to give our wives, the mother of our children, the attention she deserves too. Don’t be like the man who said, “I told my wife I loved her 25 years ago and if that changed, I’d let her know.” Don;t take your wife for granted men.

Another way to spell the word love is T I M E. That might be one of the best gifts that you can give your mom today, if you are blessed to still have her with you.

Give Her Acknowledgement

Jesus also gave his mother the gift of acknowledgement. What do I mean by that? From the cross, He was acknowledging and honoring the role that his mother played in his life.

Exodus 20:12 ESV

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

Exodus 12:

Ephesians 6:1–3 ESV

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

Ephesians 6:1-

God instructs us to honor our father and mother. The role of parent is a God-given role. They nurture us. They care for us. They provide for us. We develop our character from their example. They teach us right from wrong.

This was especially true of a Jewish home. The family was the first, and most important line, of Biblical instruction.

Deuteronomy 6:6 ESV

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

Deuteronomy 6:6-8

Deuteronomy 6:6–8 ESV

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. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

Deuteronomy 6:7–8 ESV

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. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

Deuteronomy 6:8 ESV

You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

While the father was the spiritual leader of his household, the system of educating children in the law relied heavily on mothers.

We learn respect for authority first by honoring our father and mother

Illus. Yiddish Proverb: “One mother achieves more than a hundred teachers.”

Illus. “I learned more about God from my mother than from all the theologians in England.”—Charles Wesley

His mother not only instructed him in the Law as a child, she nurtured him and prayed for him. Even today, Jewish mothers are known for their dedication to prayer for their children.

Illus. I found this little tidbit on a Orthodox Jewish Website that talked about the role of Jewish mothers.

A Jewish Mother will negotiate with G‑d on your behalf—and win.

Some call it prayer, but Jewish mothers are known to talk to the Master of the Universe much in the same manner as they talk to their husbands.

Perhaps you’ve heard of the Jewish mother who took her child for a stroll on a windy day along the seashore. The temperature being below 60F, of course the child was neatly bundled in a warm coat, comfy boots, a scarf, gloves and a woolen hat.

Suddenly, a great wave roared in, soaking the mother and viciously sweeping away her little child into the sea.

The mother raised her arms to the heavens and cried out, “Oh my G‑d! How could you take my little boy away! Shall the Judge of the entire world then not do justice?”

Immediately, another wave came and swept the child back to shore.

The mother checked, and yes, the child was fine. His coat was fine. His boots were still on his feet, his gloves on his hand, his scarf … but, hold on.

The mother raised one hand up to heaven, the other pointing down to the child, and yelled, “He had a hat!”

Illus. “Praying mothers are America’s greatest assets.”—Theodore Roosevelt

We should always acknowledge the role our Mother played in our spiritual upbringing. Remember what Paul said to Timothy?

2 Timothy 1:5 ESV

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

“Pastor Darrel, what about abusive parents? Do I have to honor them?”

I’m going to say yes, but your honor may look different in that kind of situation.

First and foremost, ask God to give you the grace to forgive. A willingness to forgive honors both God and your parents. There is no need to fear being honest with God. If you find it difficult to forgive your parent’s behavior, talk to God about it.

Also, pray for the abusive parent(s). God may change their hearts as a result of your prayers…but also pray that God will help you accept that your parents are flawed just as you are. Also, focus on what your Parents did right.

Above all things, remember, you have a loving perfect Father in heaven who has promised to be a father to the fatherless.

Give Her Affection

Then he said to his disciple, “Behold, your mother!”

Jesus cared for his mother so deeply that he wanted to show his love by providing for her future care.

Remember, Mary was an impoverished widow and now, she was losing her first-born Son who bore the primary responsibility of caring for his aged mother. In those days there were no Social Security or pension plans. No nursing homes or assisted living. Your family was your backup plan.

From the cross, Jesus is fulfilling the most basic and sacred obligation that any son ever had by living out the 5th Commandment. Even though Jesus had brothers who should have taken responsibility for her, he entrusted her care to the “disciple whom he loved.”

Even though Jesus had brothers who should have taken responsibility for her, he entrusted her care to the “disciple whom he loved.”

John was the disciple that Jesus was closest to among the disciples and he knew he could trust John to care for her.

John was the disciple that Jesus was closest to among the other disciples and he knew he could trust John to care for her.

Mothers spend so much of their lives caring for their children out of love. Shouldn’t the children return that affection?

Mama carried you in her womb for nine months, then made it her first priority to hold you after you were birthed.

Mama wiped your snotty nose and changed your dirty diaper.

Mama cleaned your face with the best that she had, mama spit!

Mama sat up with you late at night when you were sick and cleaned up your sick afterward.

Mama doctored up and kissed all your boo-boos with tender love. Dad stood back there and encouraged you by saying, “Walk it off…You’ll be alright.”

When you called out at 2:00 AM because you had just had a bad dream, you called for mama.

Mama made sure us boys wore matching clothes and you girls had pretty bows in your hair.

Mama made sure to ask if you were wearing clean underwear when you left home, in case something happened.

Mama listened to you cry when that first boyfriend broke your heart…while daddy loaded the gun.

Mama was there making sure your cap and gown looked just right as you prepared to walk across the stage to receive your High School Diploma.

I think you get the idea. Show your mother the affection she deserves. Show the mother of your children the affection that she is due.

Closing, I want to close by dispelling some myths of motherhood. These are not original to me. IN fact, I’m not sure who wrote this but it’s all true:

Somebody said that a child is carried in its mother’s womb for nine months. Somebody does not know that a child is carried in its mother’s heart forever.

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you’ve had a baby. Somebody doesn’t know that once you’re a mother, normal is history.

Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct. Somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.

Somebody said being a mother is boring. Somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver’s permit.

Somebody said “good” mothers never raise their voices. Somebody never came out the back door just in time to see her child hit a golf ball through the neighbor’s kitchen window.

Somebody said you don’t need an education to be a mother. Somebody never helped a fourth grader with his math.

Somebody said you can’t love the fifth child as much as you love the first. Somebody doesn’t have five children.

Somebody said a mother can find all the answers to her child-rearing questions in the books. Somebody never had a child stuff beans up her nose.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery. Somebody never watched her “baby” get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten.

Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married. Somebody doesn’t know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother’s heartstrings.

Somebody said a mother’s job is done when her last child leaves home. Somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don’t need to tell her. Somebody isn’t a mother.

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