"WHAT MOTHERS DESERVE"

INTRODUCTION

1. Mother’s Day, is a national holiday in the USA, on the second Sunday in May Honoring mothers. Is Frequently celebrated by... Flowers, cards, presents, given to mothers, People attending church with their mothers

More importantly, what do our mothers deserve from us, not just on Mother’s Day, but every day?

I. HISTORY OF MOTHER’S DAY

A. IT’S ORIGIN...

1. In 1907, Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia started the campaign to honor mothers,

two years after her own mother died

2. In 1910, West Virginia became the first state to recognize Mother’s Day

3. A year later, nearly every state officially marked the day

4. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed Mother’s Day a national holiday for the second Sunday of May [Today, many mothers are happy to receive flowers, cards, gifts, etc.

But mothers certainly deserve more than that, especially from a biblical perspective...]

II. WHAT MOTHERS DESERVE

A. OBEDIENCE...

1. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this right.” Colossians 3:20 (NKJV) Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. 2. As Solomon counseled his son in: - Pr 1:8 “...do not forsake the law of your mother”

3. Even Jesus obeyed His mother as He was growing up - Luke 2:51 (NKJV) Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.

4. Of course, this pertains mostly during the period of child raising, but certainly thru life to a certain extent.

-- Do we give our mothers the OBEDIENCE they deserve?

B. RESPECT...

1. “Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise: that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” -Ephesians 6:2 (NKJV)  "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: of long life.

2. Solomon warned of grave consequences for those who cursed their parents -Proverbs 20:20 (NKJV)  Whoever curses his father or his mother, His lamp will be put out in deep darkness. 

3. A Chinese proverb says, “Respect for one’s parents is the highest duty of civil life”

4. Common decency demands that we respect our parents, especially mothers

-- Do we give our mothers the RESPECT they deserve?

C. AFFECTION...

1. Elisha demonstrated the affection properly due parents -1 Kings 19:20 (NKJV)  And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, "Please let me kiss my father and my mother,

and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?"

2. And why not, when they gave us so much affection as children?

3. Such affection can be given in words (“I love you, Mom!”), hugs, gifts, etc.

-- Do we give our mothers the AFFECTION they deserve?

D. WISDOM...

1. “...a foolish son is the grief of his mother.” -Proverbs 10:1

”bitterness to her who bore him.” Pr 17:25

2. Jesus increased in wisdom as He grew from childhood to adulthood- Luke 2:52 (NKJV)
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

3. Mothers worry enough for their children, we should not give them unnecessary grief

4. Much wisdom can come from the advice mothers themselves give us

-- Do we give our mothers the WISDOM they deserve?

E. RIGHTEOUSNESS...

1. The righteous bring joy and gladness to their parents –Proverbs 23:24-25 (NKJV)
²⁴ The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise child will delight in him. ²⁵ Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her who bore you rejoice.

2. More important than any other achievement, is that of righteous character

3. Nothing makes a mother prouder than to have a good (righteous) son or daughter

4. Today, true righteousness comes through faithfully following Jesus - cf. Romans 3:21-22 (NKJV)
²¹ But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, ²² even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.

-- Do we give our mothers the RIGHTEOUSNESS they deserve?

F. CARE...

1. Parents, especially widowed mothers, deserve our care - 1 Timothy 5:8 (NKJV)
⁸ But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:16 (NKJV) If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.

2. Indeed, children are to be their parents’ “social security”

3. They deserve the best care we can afford to give them

-- Do we give our mothers the CARE they deserve?

CONCLUSION

We may choose to give our mothers flowers, cards, gifts on Mother’s Day

But every day they rightly deserve our…a. Obedience b. Respect c. Affection

d. Wisdom e. Righteousness f. Care

Are we practicing true godliness and pure religion by giving our mothers what they deserve…?

Invitation: There is not a mother alive or dead that would not want their child to be saved from hell. So how about you? Do you know Jesus as your personal Savior? If not, now is the time not only for your mother’s sake, but for your own! Ask Jesus to forgive your sins against God and invite Him to take charge of your life. He will give you a home in Heaven when this life is over!