Some Great Mothers of the Bible
Sermon
Doors To God
SPECIAL OCCASION SERMONS
Mother’s Day
A survey of some of the great mothers of the Bible may lead to a finer appreciation of motherhood.
One of the first great mothers of the Bible was Sarah, the wife of Abraham. With her husband’s family she left her own people in Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan. As an old woman, she became the mother of a son, Isaac.
When Isaac became a young man old enough to marry, Abraham sent a servant back to their relatives to find the young man a wife. As the servant was watering his camels at a well near Nahor, there came a beautiful young maiden to the well to get water. It was arranged that this young woman, Rebekah, should return to Canaan with the servant of Abraham to become the wife of Isaac. Rebekah became the mother of twins, Esau and Jacob. With realism characteristic of the Bible it is stated that Esau and his wives made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.
When Jacob became a man he returned to the land of his fathers to find a wife for himself. Although Jacob served his father-in-law for seven years to earn his wife, Rachel, it is said that it seemed only as a few days because he had such love for her. Rachel became the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
During the period when the people of Israel were in bondage in Egypt, a woman named Jochebed became the mother of three famous leaders, Aaron, Moses and Miriam. She knew that Moses had a noble purpose in life, so she lovingly hid him in the rushes from the slaughter of the Hebrew children by the Egyptians. While he was growing up Jochebed cared for Moses in the court of Pharaoh.
During the early period of Israel’s history lived a woman named Hannah who wanted a child so much that she vowed that if God would send her a son, she would devote him to the Lord. Her prayer was answered; she became the mother of the child Samuel; and when he was at an early age she took him to the house of the Lord where he made his home during his formative years.
During the reign of King Solomon two women who lived in the same house came to his court. Both had become mothers of children, but one child had died and each was claiming that the living child was hers. The king said, 'Bring me a sword,' (1 Kings 3:24) and when the sword was brought, he ordered a servant to divide the child and to give half to one of the women and half to the other. The true mother, responding with typical motherly affection, cried out for the king to give the child to the other woman and thus to save its life. Then Solomon knew the true mother and gave the child to her.
The greatest mother of all time is Mary, the mother of Jesus. When Mary discovered that she was to become a mother she uttered those famous words, 'Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.' (Luke 1:38) Her hymn of praise at this opportunity of motherhood is called 'The Magnificat.'
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed,
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
(Luke 1:46b-49)
Christians know of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and how his mother wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, since there was no room for them in the inn. At the time of their purification, Mary and Joseph brought the child to the temple and presented him to the Lord. Then they returned to Nazareth where, as a carpenter’s wife, Mary reared the child. When he was twelve they took him to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of the Passover. When the feast was over the family began the trip back to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed in Jerusalem listening to the great religious teachers of his day and asking them questions. Those who heard him were amazed at his understanding. When his mother told him of their anxiety about him, he replied, 'Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?' (Luke 2:49) 'And his mother kept all these things in her heart.' (Luke 2:51) Mary was among those who went to Golgotha to be with Jesus during his Resurrection. She was with him after the Resurrection when she met with the disciples of Jesus in an upper room for prayer.
A cousin of Mary and the mother of John the Baptizer was Elizabeth. Luke says that she was a righteous woman who lived according to the Law of God. To her it was revealed that her son would be 'great before the Lord… and… be filled with the Holy Spirit.' (Luke 1:15) When Mary came to visit Elizabeth she cried out, ‘‘Blessed are you among women.’’ (Luke 1:42) About the son of this great mother of the Bible the Christ said, 'Among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist.' (Matthew 11:11)
In the gospels is presented Salome, the mother of James and John, who knelt before Jesus asking that her sons have chief seats in the Kingdom. Jesus used the occasion to teach a lesson in humility. Later Salome found a loftier view of life as she followed Jesus serving him. She was one of those who went to his tomb to anoint his body and to whom was revealed the glory of his Resurrection.
The last outstanding mother of the Bible is Eunice, the mother of Timothy, who along with her mother, Lois, transplanted her faith into the life of that notable Christian leader.
In a review of some of the great mothers of the Bible, we today are reminded of some of the noble attributes of motherhood and are called to show our appreciation for our mothers in daily experiences.
Prayer
Eternal God, whose power has created the universe, yet whose love is revealed in a mother’s caress, on this Mother’s Day we thank You for mothers. For their care for us when we were unable to care for ourselves, for their guidance through our formative years, for their encouragement in years of fulfillment and growth we thank You.
Help us, Our God, to appreciate those with whom we live. Grant us patience and wisdom that our relationship may expand rather than wither and diminish.
May our mothers reap the rewards of love and service. Help them to continue to grow in their understanding of and application of the Christian faith. Give them delight to see the fruits of their labors. Enlarge their abilities to share Your love with those with whom they live.
Strengthen all of us, mothers, sons and daughters, that increasingly we may perform Your will in the practical experiences of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
A survey of some of the great mothers of the Bible may lead to a finer appreciation of motherhood.
One of the first great mothers of the Bible was Sarah, the wife of Abraham. With her husband’s family she left her own people in Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan. As an old woman, she became the mother of a son, Isaac.
When Isaac became a young man old enough to marry, Abraham sent a servant back to their relatives to find the young man a wife. As the servant was watering his camels at a well near Nahor, there came a beautiful young maiden to the well to get water. It was arranged that this young woman, Rebekah, should return to Canaan with the servant of Abraham to become the wife of Isaac. Rebekah became the mother of twins, Esau and Jacob. With realism characteristic of the Bible it is stated that Esau and his wives made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.
When Jacob became a man he returned to the land of his fathers to find a wife for himself. Although Jacob served his father-in-law for seven years to earn his wife, Rachel, it is said that it seemed only as a few days because he had such love for her. Rachel became the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
During the period when the people of Israel were in bondage in Egypt, a woman named Jochebed became the mother of three famous leaders, Aaron, Moses and Miriam. She knew that Moses had a noble purpose in life, so she lovingly hid him in the rushes from the slaughter of the Hebrew children by the Egyptians. While he was growing up Jochebed cared for Moses in the court of Pharaoh.
During the early period of Israel’s history lived a woman named Hannah who wanted a child so much that she vowed that if God would send her a son, she would devote him to the Lord. Her prayer was answered; she became the mother of the child Samuel; and when he was at an early age she took him to the house of the Lord where he made his home during his formative years.
During the reign of King Solomon two women who lived in the same house came to his court. Both had become mothers of children, but one child had died and each was claiming that the living child was hers. The king said, 'Bring me a sword,' (1 Kings 3:24) and when the sword was brought, he ordered a servant to divide the child and to give half to one of the women and half to the other. The true mother, responding with typical motherly affection, cried out for the king to give the child to the other woman and thus to save its life. Then Solomon knew the true mother and gave the child to her.
The greatest mother of all time is Mary, the mother of Jesus. When Mary discovered that she was to become a mother she uttered those famous words, 'Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.' (Luke 1:38) Her hymn of praise at this opportunity of motherhood is called 'The Magnificat.'
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed,
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
(Luke 1:46b-49)
Christians know of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and how his mother wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, since there was no room for them in the inn. At the time of their purification, Mary and Joseph brought the child to the temple and presented him to the Lord. Then they returned to Nazareth where, as a carpenter’s wife, Mary reared the child. When he was twelve they took him to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of the Passover. When the feast was over the family began the trip back to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed in Jerusalem listening to the great religious teachers of his day and asking them questions. Those who heard him were amazed at his understanding. When his mother told him of their anxiety about him, he replied, 'Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?' (Luke 2:49) 'And his mother kept all these things in her heart.' (Luke 2:51) Mary was among those who went to Golgotha to be with Jesus during his Resurrection. She was with him after the Resurrection when she met with the disciples of Jesus in an upper room for prayer.
A cousin of Mary and the mother of John the Baptizer was Elizabeth. Luke says that she was a righteous woman who lived according to the Law of God. To her it was revealed that her son would be 'great before the Lord… and… be filled with the Holy Spirit.' (Luke 1:15) When Mary came to visit Elizabeth she cried out, ‘‘Blessed are you among women.’’ (Luke 1:42) About the son of this great mother of the Bible the Christ said, 'Among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist.' (Matthew 11:11)
In the gospels is presented Salome, the mother of James and John, who knelt before Jesus asking that her sons have chief seats in the Kingdom. Jesus used the occasion to teach a lesson in humility. Later Salome found a loftier view of life as she followed Jesus serving him. She was one of those who went to his tomb to anoint his body and to whom was revealed the glory of his Resurrection.
The last outstanding mother of the Bible is Eunice, the mother of Timothy, who along with her mother, Lois, transplanted her faith into the life of that notable Christian leader.
In a review of some of the great mothers of the Bible, we today are reminded of some of the noble attributes of motherhood and are called to show our appreciation for our mothers in daily experiences.
Prayer
Eternal God, whose power has created the universe, yet whose love is revealed in a mother’s caress, on this Mother’s Day we thank You for mothers. For their care for us when we were unable to care for ourselves, for their guidance through our formative years, for their encouragement in years of fulfillment and growth we thank You.
Help us, Our God, to appreciate those with whom we live. Grant us patience and wisdom that our relationship may expand rather than wither and diminish.
May our mothers reap the rewards of love and service. Help them to continue to grow in their understanding of and application of the Christian faith. Give them delight to see the fruits of their labors. Enlarge their abilities to share Your love with those with whom they live.
Strengthen all of us, mothers, sons and daughters, that increasingly we may perform Your will in the practical experiences of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
