Mother's Day

Mother's Day

May 14, 2006

Introduction

Somebody’s Mother

by Mary Dow Brine

The woman was old and ragged and gray, And bent with the chill of the winter’s day.

The street was wet with a recent snow And the woman’s feet were aged and slow.

She stood at the crossing and waited long, Alone, uncared for, amid the throng

Of human beings who passed her by Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eye.

Down the street, with laughter and shout, Glad in the freedom of “school let out,”

Came the boys like a flock of sheep, Hailing the snow piled white and deep.

Past the woman so old and gray Hastened the children on their way.

Nor offered a helping hand to her-- So meek, so timid, afraid to stir

Lest the carriage wheels or the horse’s feet

Should crowd her down in the slippery streeet.

At last came one of the merry troup, The gayest laddie of all the group:

He paused beside her and whispered low, “I’ll help you cross, if you wish to go.”

Her aged hand on his strong young arm She placed, and so, withou hurt or harm,

He guided the trembling feet along, Proud that his own were firm and strong.

Then back again to his friends he went, His young heart happy and well content.

“She’s somebody’s mother, boys, you know, For all she’s aged and poor and slow,

“And I hope some fellow will lend a hand To help my mother, you understand,

“If ever she’s poor and old and gray, When her own dear boy is far away.”

And “somebody’s mother” bowed low her head

In her home that night, and the prayer she said

Was, “God be kind to the noble boy, Who is somebody’s son, and pride and joy!”

Today is Mother's Day. It is a day that has been set aside to remember our mothers, and there are all kinds of things that one can talk about and think about when we talk about Mother's Day.

Did you know that the idea for Mother's Day was born in a small Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia?

It was 1876 and the nation still mourned the Civil War dead. While teaching a Memorial Day lesson, Mrs. Anna Reeves Jarvis thought of mothers who had lost their sons. She prayed that one day there could be a "Memorial Day" for mothers.

The prayer made a deep impression on one of Mrs. Jarvis's eleven children. Young Anna had seen her mother's efforts to hold the war-split community and church together. As she grew into adulthood, the younger woman kept her mother’s dream in her heart. On the day of her mother's death, Anna was determined to establish Mother's Day in her honor.

On May 12, 1907, a local observance was held which later spread to Philadelphia. By 1910, Mother's Day was celebrated in forty-five states, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Canada, and Mexico. Elated, Miss Jarvis told a friend, "Where it will end must be left for the future to tell. That it will circle the globe now seems certain."

On May 8, 1914, President Wilson designated the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day "for displaying the American flag and for the public expression of love and reverence for the mothers of the country."

We’ve looked at some of the ways that people have chosen to honor mothers, but we need to remember that God is the One Who designed the human family with a father and a mother.

Body

I. Why do we have a “memorial day” for mother’s?

A. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is one who reminds us of the sorrow that mothers can experience.

(Luke 2:34-35 NKJV) Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against {35} "(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

1. Mother against Drunk Drivers was formed by a mother who lost her son to a drunk driver.

2. I’m thankful to be able to say that I cannot say I know what it is like to lose a child. I know some of you have, and it must be very tough.

3. But good mothers pay the price of caring for her children, and it is this care and tenderness that we remember.

B. We think warm, soft, kind thoughts usually when we think of mothers, but we need to understand that mothers are not just automatically kind and loving.

(Titus 2:3-5 NKJV) the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; {4} that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, {5} to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

C. Paul warned of a time coming when people would be without natural affection.

(2 Tim 3:1-5 KJV) "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. {2} For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, {3} Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, {4} Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; {5} Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

794. astorgos, as'-tor-gos; from G1 (as a neg. particle) and a presumed der. of stergo (to cherish affectionately); hard-hearted towards kindred:--without natural affection.

II. But we should also remember the training that was provided by our mothers.

A. Children are to honor their parents in their obedience to their parents.

(Prov 1:8 NKJV) "My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother;"

1. Fathers are the ones who are responsible for the discipline of their children.

Ephesians 6:4 (NKJV) And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

B. There needs to be the training of children by their mothers to know and love God.

1. The great example of Timothy's mother.

(2 Tim 1:5 NKJV) "when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also."

2. The example of Moses mother.

(Exo 2:11 NKJV) "Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren."

He knew who he was--He was a Hebrew, not an Egyptian.

Our children need to know they are God's children, not children of this world.

C. God fearing mothers produce a nation of God fearing children.

Conclusion

· Today is Mothers’ Day, but time for some serious questions.

· What have we taught our children?

· Moses mother had Moses for only a short time, but she apparently taught him things he never forgot.

· We have our children for a shorter span of time than we sometimes realize -- will we have taught them in such a way that they will always be true to God?

· Will they have the care for other people that was instilled in the heart of the young man with which we began our thoughts day?

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