Honoring Mom

Leviticus 19:3

“The twelve greatest women in the United States are women who have never been heard of outside of their own homes.”


Thomas Edison’s teacher to his mother: “Your child is dumb. We can’t do anything for him.”


Thomas Edison’s teacher to his mother: “Your child is dumb. We can’t do anything for him.”◦ His mother wrote back, “You do not understand my

boy. I will teach him myself.”


Thomas Edison’s teacher to his mother: “Your child is dumb. We can’t do anything for him.”◦ His mother wrote back, “You do not understand my

boy. I will teach him myself.” ◦ We all know the results.

“Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” (Mt 20:26- 28, ESV).

So many in Scripture honored their mothers.

So many in Scripture honored their mothers.◦ “Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on

behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right” (1 Ki 2:19, ESV).

So many in Scripture honored their mothers.◦ 1 Ki 2:19. ◦ “Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and

his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 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” (Jn 19:25-27, ESV).


his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 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” (Jn 19:25-27, ESV). Jesus, hanging in agony on the cross, knew that his earthly

ministry was over.


his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 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” (Jn 19:25-27, ESV). Jesus, hanging in agony on the cross, knew that his earthly

ministry was over. Yet, dying for the sins of the world, he was concerned

about his mother & made provisions for her.

Notice the text’s universality.

Notice the text’s universality: “Every one of you shall revere his father and his mother.”


Not all mothers are good mothers.


Not all mothers are good mothers.◦ What about Rebekah?


Not all mothers are good mothers.◦ What about Rebekah?◦ What about the prostitute who awoke in the middle of

the night to find her son dead & then stole a fellow prostitute’s son?


Not all mothers are good mothers.◦ What about Rebekah?◦ What about the prostitute who awoke in the middle of

the night to find her son dead & then stole a fellow prostitute’s son?

◦ What about Andrea Yates or Susan Smith?

Why would I mention on Mother’s Day—of all days—that not all mothers are good mothers?

Why would I mention on Mother’s Day—of all days—that not all mothers are good mothers?◦ Because those mothers illustrate just how universal

this command was.


this command was. No Israelite could say, “But, God, I have a horrible

mother!”



mother!” God still expects all his people to honor their mothers.




“You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt 19:18-19, ESV).




“You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt 19:18-19, ESV).

Pagan homosexuals were “disobedient to parents” (Rom 1:30, ESV).


this command was.◦ This all points to the blessings of motherhood.



Motherhood is such a blessing that all mothers deserve honor.




Motherhood is a blessing, for it’s God who gives children.




Motherhood is a blessing, for it’s God who gives children. “I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led

him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac” (Josh 24:3, ESV).




Motherhood is a blessing, for it’s God who gives children. Josh 24:3. “Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me

are signs and portents in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion” (Is 8:18, ESV).

Many women have understood the blessings of motherhood.

Many women have understood the blessings of motherhood.◦ “When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, . . .

she said to Jacob, ‘Give me children, or I shall die!’” (Gn 30:1, ESV).

Many women have understood the blessings of motherhood.◦ “When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, . . .

she said to Jacob, ‘Give me children, or I shall die!’” (Gn 30:1, ESV).

◦ “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head” (1 Sm 1:11, ESV).

God calls upon every Israelite to honor their mother.

God calls upon every Israelite to honor their mother.◦ KJV: “Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his

father.”

God calls upon every Israelite to honor their mother.◦ KJV: “Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his

father.”◦ The idea here is not one of “fear,” but it’s one of

reverence, respect.


The Hebrew term can mean to “be afraid,” but it’s also used to mean “to hold in awe.”


The Hebrew term can mean to “be afraid,” but it’s also used to mean “to hold in awe.” ◦ “On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of

all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life” (Josh 4:14, ESV).


The Hebrew term can mean to “be afraid,” but it’s also used to mean “to hold in awe.” ◦ Josh 4:14. ◦ Fearing God even carries the idea of obeying him: “Be

not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil” (Prov 3:7, ESV).

This broad passage has to do with personal holiness.

This broad passage has to do with personal holiness.◦ “The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to all the

congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy’” (vv 1-2, ESV).

This broad passage has to do with personal holiness.◦ “The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to all the

congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy’” (vv 1-2, ESV).

◦ The Israelites were God’s people. Because God was separate from sin (i.e., holy), they were to be separate from sin (i.e., holy).

The Lord was driving out of Canaan peoples who were not holy.

The Lord was driving out of Canaan peoples who were not holy.

“Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants” (Lev 18:24-25, ESV).

God’s word to us is that we are to be different from everybody else around us—we are to be separated from sin as he is & that involves the way we treat our mothers.

“Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God” (Lev 19:3, ESV).

“Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God” (Lev 19:3, ESV). ◦ It’s intriguing to many that honoring one’s parents is

here paired with keeping the Sabbath.


here paired with keeping the Sabbath. ◦ It’s also intriguing that “mother” comes first in this

passage, whereas “mother” is typically mentioned second.


here paired with keeping the Sabbath. ◦ It’s also intriguing that “mother” comes first in this

passage, whereas “mother” is typically mentioned second.

◦ Yet, for me, the most intriguing part of the text is the last part: “I am the LORD your God.”

Why should the Israelites honor their parents? Why should the Israelites keep the Sabbath?

Why should the Israelites honor their parents? Why should the Israelites keep the Sabbath?

Because their God was the LORD.

Thus, honoring mom is wrapped up in who God is.

Thus, honoring mom is wrapped up in who God is. ◦ That’s why the Israelites were to keep the Sabbath.


“In six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Ex 20:11, ESV).


“In six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Ex 20:11, ESV).

The seventh day was not picked randomly to be a day of rest for the Israelites; it was a day of rest under the Law of Moses, for God himself had rested on that day.

EVERYTHING!

It was God, after all, who created motherhood.

It was God, after all, who created motherhood.◦ After God made Adam & Eve, he said to them, “Be

fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Gn 1:28, ESV).

It was God, after all, who created motherhood.◦ After God made Adam & Eve, he said to them, “Be

fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Gn 1:28, ESV). ◦ After God destroyed the world in the Flood, he said to

Noah & his sons, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Gn 9:1, ESV).

We can listen to Mom.

We can listen to Mom.◦ “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” (Deut 6:6-7, ESV).

Scripture also urges us to listen to Mom.

Scripture also urges us to listen to Mom.◦ “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake

not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck” (Prov 1:8-9, ESV).

Scripture also urges us to listen to Mom.◦ “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake

not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck” (Prov 1:8-9, ESV).

◦ “My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching. Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you” (Prov 6:20-22, ESV).

“Those words deal with children obeying their parents when they’re at home. They don’t apply to me.”


Not so fast!


Not so fast!◦ Solomon likely wrote the Proverbs for a son about to

leave home.



leave home.◦ Like it or not, we are all the product of the teaching we

received in the home.



leave home.◦ Like it or not, we are all the product of the teaching we

received in the home. If we were blessed enough with godly parents, it

serves us well to remember what we were taught.

We also honor Mom by caring for her as she ages.

We also honor Mom by caring for her as she ages.◦ “If a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first

learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God” (1 Tm 5:4, ESV).

We also honor Mom by caring for her as she ages.◦ “If a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first

learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God” (1 Tm 5:4, ESV).

◦ God expects his people to care for their parents as they age & are less able to do things for themselves.

Honoring Mom

Self Improvement