May 8/9, 2011 sermon by Pastor Paul G. Eckert

May 8/9, 2011 - Easter 3 - Sermon by Pastor Paul G. Eckert
Various texts - they are printed in the body of the sermon
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Mother’s Day does not have a place on the church year calendar like Christmas or Good Friday or Easter or Ascension or Pentecost, church festivals that emphasize the greatness of what God has done for us. But that does not mean that we cannot in church talk about mothers on Mother’s Day. After all, God’s Word has plenty to say about them.
For our sermon today then, instead of using just one main text I have chosen to use a number of Scripture texts, texts that have something to do with mothers, texts that also show a connection with our Savior. So in a little different format today let us talk about JESUS AND MOTHERS and consider 12 subjects, starting out with
1. JESUS AND THE FIRST MOTHER
Genesis 3:20 Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.
1. We did not come from the foolishness of evolution. We all go back to a common mother who had no mother, who was created to be the first mother by God’s amazing wisdom and power.
Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
2. This first mother did not stay perfect as God had created her with her husband. Eve with Adam chose to disobey God, and sin was now a part of their nature, and with sin dying came into the picture.
3. That sinful nature has been passed on, also to us. That is why death is a part of our lives, and why hell is what we all deserve.
2. JESUS AND A PROMISED MOTHER
Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
1. God’s love took over right away. He would conquer the devil by using the offspring of a woman, of a mother who would give birth to the promised Savior. He would get struck in the heel, get hurt terribly on the cross. But He would end up crushing our old evil foe.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
2. God in advance revealed much about this promised offspring of a
mother, including the fact that He would come by a virgin birth.
3. JESUS AND ANCESTRESS MOTHERS
Matthew 1:1, 5-6 A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: --- Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.
1. Here is more detail about the promised Savior’s genealogy.
2. Notice the inclusion of Rahab, a sinful woman from Canaan, and of Ruth who also was a foreign woman, from Moab.
3. Do you see what this tells us? Jesus is not ashamed to have a public sinner in His genealogy, or women who were not from Israel.
4. And what does that tell us sinners and Americans or whatever background our nationality is? - Jesus is not ashamed of us either.
4. JESUS AND HIS FORERUNNER’S MOTHER
Luke 1:39-41,45 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. --- "Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
1. God had also foretold a forerunner, John the Baptist.
2. Elizabeth, his mother, knew about that, and spoke to Mary about that, Mary who believed God when He told her about her role.
5. JESUS AND HIS BIRTH MOTHER
Matthew 1:18, 22-23 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. --- All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" - which means, "God with us."
1. Remember the promised offspring, the virgin birth foretold?
2. It happened, and Mary became Jesus’ promised birth mother
6. JESUS AND MOTHERS BRINGING CHILDREN
Luke 18:15-17 People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have
him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.
But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little
children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of
God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will
not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter
it."
1. There are people, there are mothers who, like these disciples, don’t see the importance of bringing their children to Jesus, the Savior, mothers who sad to say at times may not be the best mothers.
2. Mothers here, don’t ever be like that. Don’t concern yourself about the best of everything for your children but neglect bringing them to the Savior in Baptism and bringing them up in His Word.
3. Instead may all of us be "like a little child" when it comes to believing, for adult-like thinking that rejects Jesus means eternal loss.
7. JESUS AND A PRAYING MOTHER
Mark 7:24-30 Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs." "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs." Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter." She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
1. Mothers, be persistent in your prayers for your children.
2. If at first answers you want don’t come, maybe Jesus is giving you, like this woman, a chance to exercise your faith. Remember, He loves us and will give only the answer to prayer that He knows is best.
8. JESUS AND A GRIEVING MOTHER
Luke 7:11-15 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out - the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don’t cry." Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said,
"Young man, I say to you, get up!" The dead man sat up and
began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
1. Grief comes into mothers’ lives today too, even death.
2. Here Jesus showed a mother His power in a special way, a power that will be evident for all believing children on resurrection day.
9. JESUS AND MOTHERS WHO WEPT
Luke 23:27-28 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children."
Mt. 27:55-56 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
John 19:25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
Mark 15:47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.
1. Here are examples of mothers who wept at Jesus’ crucifixion.
2. Mothers today have to do a lot of weeping for other things.
3. But weep because of the crucifixion, because of the fact that Jesus atoned for our sins with His perfect life and innocent death? Certainly not for that! For His victory, His forgiveness, we rejoice!
10. JESUS AND ALL WHO REJOICE
Mark 16:1-6 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. "Don’t be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him."
Matthew 28:8-9 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said.
1. They came in sorrow, but heard a message of victory, of a living
Savior, of someone who had accomplished all He had promised.
2. I don’t think it took long at all for them to wipe any tears from
their eyes, to have a smile of wondering, and finally when they later
saw the risen Jesus to give each other some high fives.
11. JESUS AND CHILDREN OF MOTHERS
Ephesians 6:2-3 "Honor your father and mother" - which is the first commandment with a promise - "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."
1. We have looked mainly so far at mothers, mothers who were somehow connected with Jesus, our Savior.
2. Now let’s look at children, at God’s will for children of mothers.
3. That will of God is that children give their mothers honor and respect - and not just on Mother’s Day.
4. Not doing that, sin of any type, will lose God’s blessings.
5. But for doing that, God even promises special blessings
.12. JESUS AND ALL OF HIS FAMILY
Matthew 12:46-50 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you." He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
1. Today we may think in a special way of mothers.
2. But whether a mother or a father, a son or a daughter, a brother or a sister, the important thing is to be a part of our Savior’s family, family members who give evidence of that in their lives.
3. And that is by faith in our Savior who alone is our forgiveness, our daily source of strength, and our sure hope of eternal glory.
4. And so, to stay in that family, let’s keep doing what the early Christians did.
Acts 1:14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
To all mothers here today, "Happy Mother’s Day!" To all of us, may God keep us united as members of Jesus’ family!