Mothers Day 2025 - Various Scripture

Today, we’re diving into a special Mother’s Day message, exploring the heart of a godly mother through 1 Corinthians 13, Proverbs 31, and 2 Timothy 1:5. We’ll unpack what it means to love sacrificially, teach intentionally, and live anchored in faith in Christ. From the selfless love of 1 Corinthians to the diligent example of Proverbs 31 and the lasting impact of a mother’s faith in Timothy’s life, this message is a call to lean into God’s design for motherhood—and for all of us to reflect Christ’s love. Join me as we open God’s Word, find encouragement, and look to Jesus, our true hope!

Transcript

Mothers Day 2025 - Various Scripture

Intro

• If you have your Bibles please turn with me to 1 Corinithians 13.
  • Today we will be pausing our study through the Gospel of Mark as we celebrate Mothers Day.
  • Today is always a special day as we celebrate and honor our mothers as we consider their impact and we show our appreciation.
• Our time in the Word today will be a bit different than normal as we spend time looking at three places in scripture and end by praying over our mothers that are here today.
• As we consider the role of the mother we will look across three points…
  • A Mothers Love…
  • A Mothers Lessons… Then lastly…
  • A Mothers Lord…
• My prayer as we start in our time together today is that mothers across this room would be…
  • Encouraged by what we see in scripture and challenged to be intentional with how you live your life. 
  • Though our focus will be on those who are mothers, it does not mean that any of us are excluded from being encouraged or challenged by the scripture.  
  • So to that end, I would encourage us all to lean into what the scripture has to say to us today.
• With that into let’s turn our attention to 1 Corinthians 13 and find verse 4 and open up our time together today.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

• If I were to grab one verse that really captures the love that is described in these verses and this chapter I would take you to John 15.
  • On the night that Jesus was betrayed He told His apostles…
    • John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
  • Christ is the perfect example of what it means to really love someone as He demonstrated this perfect love by laying down His own life.
  • Many mothers have loved just like that throughout the centuries, and if one is going to be a Godly mother then she must love in this way.
• This is why we are found in 1 Corinthians 13, this chapter is known as the “love chapter” and exists as a way to define what love is and what it is not.
  • Many people will read this passage and consider it in terms of romantic love.
    • However, it is important to note that because of the context what Paul is really talking about is brotherly love.
  • Love that the church is to show one another in Christ.
• There are many ways we can look at this chapter, and many ways we can test our lives against it…
  • However, today let us use it as a way to define and test…

A Mother’s Love

• As we do, let us first note that across these four verses, or even across this broader chapter we learn that love is not a feeling.
  • Instead, love is an action that we choose to take.
    • Consider these verses that we just read, we will walk through them together in a few moments but just think broadly with me to start…
      • When it comes to love, notice that the definition is in regard to how a person behaves and not necessarily how they feel.
      • Paul tells us that love acts in a certain way…
        • It is patient and kind…
      • Then he also tells us what it is not…
        • It is not rude or arrogant…
    • In all of that we see that the way the Bible defines love is by the actions we take and not the way we feel.
  • Consider our Lord for a moment as we think about this point…
    • We know that He loved us because of what He did for us.
      • He died in our place, bearing our sins upon the cross and enduring the wrath of the Father.
        • That is why His love should never come into question.
          • Romans 5 verse 8 makes this clear…
        • Romans 5:8 - “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
      • Knowing that He showed His love for us in this way we could drive this point home by asking, did He feel like going to the cross?
    • Scripture tells us that though He willingly went to the cross and willingly laid down His life for our sake, He did not feel like doing it.
      • The night He was arrested He pleaded with the Father to let the cup pass from Him.
        • This cup being the wrath of the Father that He was about to be subjected to.
      • He was so overwhelmed with dread that Scripture says He sweat drops of blood.
    • I think it is safe to say that He did not “feel” like going to the cross…
      • Yet, out of His love for us and His obedience to the Father He laid down His very life.
  • Again, it is important we remember that love is not a feeling, it is a choice.
    • We choose to show love to one another…
  • This chapter that we are found in defines real love and furthermore it exists as a test to see if we are acting in love toward one another.
• Again, this chapter could be used to test any manner of relationships but let us turn back to the text with motherhood in mind.
  • So as we read through these verses again I want our mothers to ask…
    • Am I loving my child in this way or not?
    • With the goal of being encouraged and challenged by the scripture.
  • Before we read this passage again and consider what it means to love, let me point out that none of us are perfect in this regard…
    • All of us, at times, will act in ways that are unloving and so the goal is not perfection but instead it is sanctification.
    • It is moving in the direction of holiness and in the case of today…
      • Mothers, the point is not to make you feel bad but rather to be reminded of what loving your children can look like.
      • Furthermore our time together today is meant to be an encouragement to keep acting in love even if you do not feel like it at the moment.  
  • Let’s read the first part of this passage once more…
    • 1 Corinthians 13:4-5a - “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude…”
• Using these verses let us walk through this definition and test our actions against what scripture tells us that love is…
  • First, we learn that love is patient…
    • What an interesting place to start with a definition of love.
      • To be patient is to show love and we know that children have a way of putting our patience to the test.
    • This word used in this way can even be described as being “even-tempered while enduring trying circumstances.”
      • Any mothers this week have to endure “trying circumstances”?
        • The reality is that being a mother is one of the most important tasks but it is also one of the most trying tasks.
        • There are circumstances faced by mothers across these rooms that are difficult and trying.
      • So mothers consider some of the situations you are found in, let me ask…
        • Would you be considered “even-tempered” through them?
      • We do not often consider that being patient with a person is considered loving but scripture is clear at this point.
    • Mothers, you will show your children that you love them by choosing to be patient with them.
    • Then we are told that… 
  • Love is kind…
    • This speaks to being gentle, to be warmhearted and considerate, to being sympathetic.
      • It is also important to note that this word is used only in this verse and is not found anywhere else in scripture.  
    • To be gentle, to be warmhearted and considerate, to be sympathetic is often a mark of what it means to be motherly.
      • For example if you were to look up some synonyms for the word motherly you would find words like…
        • Affectionate, comforting, kind, gentle, loving, warm, sympathetic, and others like it.
      • To be described as being motherly is often a reflection of being kind.
    • Considering that today let us ask our mothers…
      • Are you kind to your children? 
      • Remember that in being kind you are acting in love toward them.  
  • Then we are told many things that love is not…
    • Love does not envy…
      • That is to say that you are not a rival with your child or that you are not jealous of your child.
      • You are not in competition with them, and if you feel as you are and act in that way then that is not a loving thing to do.
    • Love does not boast…
      • Another word for boast is brag, love does not brag about what you have done.
      • Love does not lift you up but rather lifts us your children.
    • Love is not arrogant…
      • Here Paul continues talking about lifting up yourself, and thinking much of yourself.
      • He reminds us that love does not lift oneself up but rather lifts up those around us.
    • Love is not rude…
      • This word means to “behave indecently” or to “disgrace oneself”.
• We could go on defining these terms but the point is we need to see what it means to act in love, specifically mothers toward your children.
  • Mothers, I would ask you to consider at this time not if you have loved perfectly but rather is there a consistency of love found in the way you act toward your children?
    • I do not think that there is any other role that requires as much of a person as being a mother, but you have been tasked with it by God Himself.
    • Therefore I urge you to consider it, think about it, and be not only encouraged by the scripture but also be subject to it.
  • Now, let us move forward as we look at…

A Mother’s Lessons

• Please turn with me to Proverbs 31 and find verse 10.
  • This is perhaps the most turned to text on Mothers day, here we learn a mothers lesson by example.
  • As you turn there I want you to know, mothers, that your children will not only know if you love them but they will also do what you show them.
    • That is to say there is a discipleship competent in being a mother.
    • Your children will look to you and do the things that you are found doing.  
  • As you think on that…
• Let’s read these verses together…
  • Proverbs 31:10-31
• Let us consider several lessons we see put on display across these verses and apply them to lessons a mother can teach.
  • First lesson, a mother is to Serving Sacrificially.
    • We see this across several verses…
      • Verses 11, 12, and 21.  
    • These verses are meant to display all that this woman is doing and how she is adding to her family, not taking away.
      • Her motivation is to better her family, to honor her husband, to teach her children.
    • Therefore she serves sacrificially with her time, her resources, her talents.
      • In short, she gives of herself for the wellbeing of her entire family.
      • These verses set the stage for the rest of this passage as she is motivated by loving her family.  
    • The remaining verses tell us how she does just that…
  • She Works Diligently…
    • Did you notice what all this woman was involved with?
      • To see this, let's read it again…
        • Vs. 13-19, 24, 27
      • Making and selling clothes, dealing in real estate, providing food for her household… 
    • This in many ways is an unrealistic picture…
      • Verses 15 and 18 show us this by talking about how she rises before the dawn and her lamp does not go out at night.
        • The point the author is making can be found in verse 27.
      • This is a woman who is not idle but works wherever she is found.
    • Again what we are talking about here is the lessons that a mother is to teach her children by her actions.
      • Here she is showing them how to work diligently.
      • Her children do not just witness her working though…
  • They also see her Giving Generously
    • Vs. 20
      • To possess all other qualities in this chapter and to leave this one out is to lack a very important quality, compassion.
    • We cannot miss this verse here, she is compassionate to those around her.
      • She pays attention to those who are in need and she willingly shares with them what God has blessed her with.
    • Along with that she is also one who plans ahead….
  • She Prepares Earnestly
    • Though this is expressed in a few verses I love what we see in verse 25.
      • Vs. 25
    • “…she laughs at the time to come.”
      • Why does she laugh? 
      • It is because she has planned ahead, she has prepared.
      • She is seeing her hard work and planning paying off, she has no fear of what is to come.
    • To prepare is not to just consider clothing, food, finances but also spiritual matters.
      • Mothers, how are you investing in your child for eternity?
        • I want you to know…
        • That to plan out the physical wellbeing of your child for 18 years while neglecting their spiritual well being that lasts into eternity does not make sense…
      • Which brings us to the last characteristic…  
    • A Godly mother…
  • Teaches Intentionally
    • Vs. 26
      • She wisely teaches when she opens her mouth, she is intentionally preparing her children for the future.
    • With wisdom and kindness, how is this to be?
      • Vs. 30
      • Her priorities must be in order, not trust in charm or beauty but must fear the LORD.
    • Here we are reminded even of the purpose of the writings of Proverbs.
      • Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
    • Mothers, are you being intentional toward your children, and to those who look to you as a mother?
      • This means you must be living these qualities and then intentionally teaching them.
    • This is not a passive exercise but a deliberate decision whether or not you are going to pour into your kids.
• I want to remind you that this time is meant to be an encouragement but also a time of challenge.
  • Be encouraged in the work that you do…
    • As you serve, as you give, as you disciple…
  • Be challenged if you are lacking in an area but know that God is not through with you and will see you through.
    • Yield yourself to Him.
• Let us now turn our attention to our final and most important point…

A Mother’s Lord

• We are going to look at one verse in 2 Timothy 1, so when you get there find verse 5.
  • As you are turning there, allow me to remind you about a few things…
    • Paul is who wrote 1st and 2nd Timothy, they were written to the man that these books are named after, Timothy.
    • Timothy ended up being the pastor at the Church at Ephesus, a church that played a major role in the 1st Century.
    • As far as his heritage was concerned…
      • Timothy was Jew through his mothers line, and a Gentile through his fathers. 
      • Beyond that we know very little, but we know enough in this verse to make our point today. 
• Let’s read it together
  • 2 Timothy 1:5, let us quickly consider three things in this verse…
• First, the importance of a Mothers faith
  • Not just Timothy’s mother but also Timothy’s grandmother.
    • Paul is saying here – I know your heritage, and the faith that dwells in you began with your grandmother, and then your mother, and now is alive in you.
  • All of us that are in Christ, without exception, have spiritual heritage – Timothy’s happened to be his own mother.
    • Mother’s, know this,  if you are teaching your children by word and by example then one day they may look back and say the same about you.
    • Do not neglect the importance of your role, remember we are talking about a child who will have an eternal home.
      • And your faith, your devotion, your Lord is important.
  • What is important to you will be important to your children.
    • So if you are devoted to Christ if your faith is found in Him and He is your Lord and God…
    • Then your life will reflect and your children will imitate that.
  • Your faith is so important and not just for the sake of your children for you do not know the impact that you may have.
• Second thing, the Impact of a Mother's faith.
  • Do you think Timothy’s mother or grandmother knew the impact that they would have?
    • They are known globally, these two books that bear the name of their son and grandson find its beginning, in part in their faith.
    • Here is what I mean – If they were not faithful and Timothy was not saved then these books may not have been written.
      • But… They were written and their impact has spanned time, culture, and location.
  • Likewise, mothers you do not know the impact you will have living your faith before your children.
    • So I urge you to practice your faith daily in Word and in Deed thereby showing your children that Jesus is Alive.
    • May they be able to look back and say…
      • “Jesus is Lord and this I first learned because of the life of my Mother.”
  • So we have seen the importance, we have seen the impact, now lastly let us see…
• The Inadequacy of a Mothers faith
  • This is really two-fold…
    • First, if you as a mother are overwhelmed at the thought of living this way before your children then I think you understand what is at stake.
      • You cannot do this on your own, if you just try and be Godly it will only end in being overwhelmed.
      • Where this must begin is with your submission to the Gospel.
        • You have sinned and you are in need of forgiveness.
        • There is a debt you cannot pay on your own.
        • Jesus who is God came clothed in humanity and lived a perfect life and died upon the cross paying for your sins so that you can be forgiven.
      • I urge you to place your faith in Him, Repent of your sins, and be forgiven.
        • This is where being a Godly Mother, a Biblical Mother finds its start, it’s not with you it’s with Christ. 
      • Now I told you it’s two-fold, the second part of this point, the inadequacy of a mothers faith, is this… 
    • The world in which we live there are many spiritual orphans.
      • There are many children who are needing a spiritual mother, it may be someone in your family, it may be someone in your neighborhood or someone in the church.
      • So I urge you to open your eyes and be a mother to the motherless.  
      • There is great work to be done and a great need for Godly Mothers to take seriously the task they have before them.  

Closing

• It is here we will close out our time together.
  • I hope you have been encouraged and challenged during this time…
    • I want to leave you with one final thought.
      • Mother’s I hope you can see that the greatest gift you can give your kids is a relationship with Christ.
      • I pray you have that today, but if not I want you to know that it is available to you.
      • You have heard the Gospel and if you have never placed your faith in Christ I urge you to do so today.
  • Let’s pray.