So, it's Mother's Day. So, we want to take some time in the message this morning in particular and honor mothers. So, we're going to do that. Exodus 20 and and verse 12 says, honor thy father and thy mother. That thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Repeats that in Ephesians chapter six as well. It's the first commandment with promise that your days may be well upon the earth and long upon the earth and so the Bible strongly emphasizes the need to honor our parents not only when we're young by being respectful and obedient which of course most young people do struggle with at times but particularly as we get older and leave home, we still need to honor and thank the Lord for the parents that he gave us and let them know that we are thankful and grateful for them and so, we're going to speak on honoring motherhood this morning and we'll get to fatherhood here next month but honoring motherhood. Sadly, many in our world today have sunk so deeply into the morass of sinful perversion calling good evil and evil good that they have that they brazenly attack the God ordained institution of the family and so also, motherhood without shame. The family is being attacked today from every quarter. In government policy, in the overall public education system, particularly in popular entertainment and culture, sometimes even in pulpits, and particularly in places of higher education.

The concept and institution of the family is under attack by the one who wants to destroy the family and destroy humanity and that is our enemy, the devil. It is under such attack today so much so that motherhood is seen by many young people today only as a hindrance to reaching one's full potential. In life. This is why the abortion issue, among other reasons, is such a hot button issue for so many. Because motherhood to so many young people is something that's just a hindrance to being all they want to be.

Rather than a privilege and a blessing. Abortion supposedly provides people the means to escape both the consequences and responsibilities of their actions and that is the world. Sadly, in which we live. People want to sin but do not want to face the what? The consequences of sin do not want to take on the responsibilities that come with the decisions they make and so they seek to find shortcuts in order to escape those rather than face those.

The gospel is based upon us facing our sin, facing those consequences, dealing with the judgment of God, coming to him for redemption and salvation from our sin but the devil doesn't want that. So, he destroys lives. He destroys lives. Some before they are even want. Before they were even born.

As God has been written out of human history, the human story today, the home, the God ordained family is being written out as well. It is being defined solely as a social contract and attacked as a racist institution. Hopefully, you don't listen to a lot of the news, it will make you very depressed. But it is good to have some idea of what's going on in our world today. And sadly, that is a true statement as to what many are saying about the family.

It is under attack. Since evolution is deemed as the cause and not the sacred design of almighty God, the definition of family is also evolving into an institution which does not mirror in many ways the design and purpose of its creator and we do believe in its creator, in our creator. Families are increasingly single parent or broken since divorce has become more common than till death do us part. Increasingly, young adults see no reason to get married today at all just to live with one another in defiance to God's command. While many young couples are opting not to have children at all, others plan to bring children into homes where no father is present.

We see both of those today. The stats of reproduction today, we're no longer reproducing at the same rate in which we're dying. In most of the places in the western civilized world today because people see having children as an obstacle to getting everything out of life they want. Children are raised and reared more by non parents than the parents who bore them, whose careers and pursuit of pleasures are more important. More and more children are raised by two mommies or two daddies.

And sad to say, that used to be unheard of and extremely rare, But not so much. Today, it is changing. Our society is indeed falling apart at the seams and the failure of the family as God designed it is at the very center of the destruction of our society. This is sad but true. The family is under attack and motherhood is under attack.

The world we live in today seems rather to despise motherhood than to honor it, particularly as a blessed privilege instituted by God. Sadly, we cannot reverse in a moment the godlessness of the society in which we live but we can see to it by God's grace that it does not change who? That it does not change us and that we continue to be the salt and the light that we are called to be. So in respect to that, being the salt and light that we are called to be, I'd like to answer this question. So how do we honor mothers and motherhood today?

How do we who know the God who made marriage and the God who made the family and the God who created motherhood? How do we honor that today? Not only in our service but in our home. And to our mothers and our wives. Just a few thoughts for this morning.

Number one, we do so by honoring the institution of the family as God created it. A man and a woman committed to one another for life. Who Lord willing reproduce children who are raised to know the Lord who made them. Go all the way back to Genesis. Chapter two of Genesis, God made Adam and who?

Eve. And he put them in the garden. And he blessed them. With their relationship with him, with relationship with one another, they were the first husband and wife. But they did what in Genesis three?

They sinned and sin came into the world and so did death and other consequences that sin brings. Their relationship with God changed because of it. Requiring a redeemer which one day would come as the seed of the what? As the seed of the woman as God said in Genesis three fifteen And despite Adam and Eve's failure in the garden, they clearly taught their children about God, as reflected in the lives and faith of at least two of their sons, Abel and Seth. Genesis four twenty five and twenty six.

It says this, and Adam knew his wife again and she bear a son and called his name Seth. For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed, and I believe that is in reference to that promise in Genesis three fifteen. For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also that was born a son, and he called his name Enos, then began man to call upon the name of the Lord. Eve was not a perfect mother but she was a mother and a mother who raised her children to know who?

To know God. As we see in the lives of Abel who brought a sacrifice honoring the Lord, acceptable unto him, a blood sacrifice, and also Seth who took his place and became the line of the Messiah who would one day come into this world. We honor motherhood by entering into the blessed union of marriage, serving the Lord together, and having children, and teaching them the way of the Lord as Adam and Eve did. We honor motherhood by choosing to do things whose way? God's way.

God's way. In the confines of marriage and we honor those who do their best to do things. God's way. First Corinthians seven two and three says, Paul wrote, nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife and every woman have her own, what, husband. It does not say boyfriend, does not say girlfriend, does not say partner, it says what?

Husband and wife. Let the husband render unto the wife benevolence, and likewise the wife unto the husband. The sexual relationship between husband and wife which often results in motherhood and fatherhood is ordained and blessed of God. But that same relationship outside of marriage commitment is contempt by God. Marriage is honorable.

God says, and the bed undefiled but whoremongers and adulterers, God will judge. So, how do we honor mothers? We honor mothers by doing things whose way? By doing things God's way. As he created it.

Having said that, do ever, does everybody follow that today? Does even every Christian always follow that today? No. Having said that today, many do air in this regard. So, how do we deal with them?

Do we just throw them to the wolves? Do we simply condemn them? And do no more? Do we suggest as much of the world does that they just go kill their unborn babies to be free? Of the consequences?

No. No, we also honor motherhood by doing all we can to assist those who find themselves in difficult situations. We do honor mothers by helping young ladies who get pregnant out of wedlock or unexpectedly. There are many pregnancy ministries and clinics even some in Pinellas County that are particularly started and developed to help ladies who find themselves in this predicament. We help them.

In the New Testament, there was a lady caught in adultery that was drugged before Jesus and they said, should we stone her? As the law says, or do we let her go? And Jesus rode in the sand and said, let he that is guiltless cast the first stone. He forgave her and he sent her out and he said what? Sin no more.

We should help them, support them, show them the mercy and love of God, show them the way of salvation and that their life and that of their child is of great value to who? Is of great value to God. That life can be fulfilling. Despite the difficulties. That we may face.

That is the way of the Lord. Speak the truth in what? Love. We are called to do. Galatians six one and two, brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness.

Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear you one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. It would be nice if none of us ever sinned and none of us ever failed. But we do. And when we do, we need someone to help, to steer us in the way of the truth, to help us to turn our hearts towards the Lord, to show us the love of Christ.

We honor mothers by helping those who find themselves in such traits as well. Number two, we honor mothers by encouraging and exalting motherhood and those who choose to become moms by honoring them as God did. If you're in Proverbs chapter 31, I'm going to read a few verses out of Proverbs chapter 31. And we're going to start in verse 10. God says, God says, who can find a virtuous woman?

For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband does safely trust in her. So that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil. All the days of her life.

Look down if you would at verse 24. She maketh fine linen and selleth it and deliverth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honor are her clothing. She shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

She looketh well to the ways of her household and it eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up and call her blessed. Her husband also and he what? Praises her. Many daughters have done virtuously but thou excelest them all.

Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give of her the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates. How do we honor motherhoods today? We honor motherhood by praising and encouraging the wives and mothers. That God has given to us.

By showing them increasing gratitude for the incredible work they all do. Being wives and mothers. While many often employees or employers. At the same time. They are worthy of our praise.

And so we do praise them today. And God does praise them in his word. But let us praise them tomorrow. And the next day. We honor motherhood by husbands encouraging motherhood.

And doing all that is possible to make motherhood less burdensome and more joyful. By husbands taking their responsibility to care for their wives, their children, not counting on their wives to do everything or neglecting them or leaving them when times get tough. Sad to say, we see a lot of the opposite today. Let that not be the case in Christian homes. Where God is Lord.

Let us instead follow the scripture and the example of our savior. In Ephesians five, we read husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. How do we love our wives? Well, number one, by being faithful to them. Again, something that is going more and more lacking all the time in our world.

By being available for them, wives and mothers need a husband who is there. And who is available. By being affectionate towards them. It says, husbands, what? Love your wives.

That means not only going out of your way to care for them in their physical needs, in their financial needs but also in their emotional needs. Also by serving them while also leading them in the way of the Lord. By encouraging them and by helping them. The responsibility of nurturing children is not solely the job of the mother. It is also the job of the father.

God says so, Ephesians six four, and you fathers provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. It is also the responsibility of the father to help the mother. In raising the children So too, the upkeep and maintenance of the home. So too, the growth and intimacy of the marriage relationship. First Peter three seven says this, likewise, you husbands dwell with them according to knowledge, give none or under the wife is under the weaker vessel and is being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindered.

God says, husbands, if you don't honor your wives, take time to learn, to understand, to support, and to be there for your wives, then your prayers will likely be what? Hindered. So, how do we honor our mothers, our wives, the mothers of our children by being the responsible, loving, caring, husbands and fathers that we ought to be and praising them each day for being the mothers. That they are called to be. Number three, we honor motherhood by holding those in great esteem in history who were great mothers.

We already mentioned Eve from the Bible. How about Sarah? From the Bible? Who followed her husband and the Lord, left her homeland, trusted God, eventually had a son well past the age in which it should have been at all possible. How about Moses's mother who nurtured him, protected him, shrewdly gave him up trusting God would find a way for her to remain in his young life and she did.

Ruth and Hannah Now, when we first meet Ruth and Hannah, are they mothers? The answer is no but already, we can see the faith and the selflessness that would one day make them wonderful mothers. As those who had faith in God, and those who were faithful to him and in his service. Like Mary in the New Testament. Take for instance, the trust that God placed in this young lady, probably a teenager.

When God sends an angel to her to tell her that she is to become the mother of who? The son of God, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God entrusted her with being the mother of a little baby who is the son of God and the son of man. He entrusted her with nurturing, nurturing, and teaching, and taking care of this little boy who would grow up to redeem all of us. What an honor.

What a responsibility. And what a blessing. It is to our shame in Christian circles that we so often revere great missionaries and don't know the names of their wives. Their partners in the ministry and the mothers of their children. A few of few of us know the name of Jim Elliot's wife.

Who would that be? Elizabeth. How about Adoniram Judson's wife? His first wife's name was Anne. She died ministering with him.

Second wife's name was Sarah. She also died. Ministry with him. How about Hudson Taylor's wife? Her name was Maria Jane.

How about DL Moody's wife? Anybody know her name? Her name was Emma. We honor mothers by remembering those and honoring those who are great mothers In Christianity. I'm glad to say that when you look at our list of missionaries, it doesn't just lift the name of the man but also his wife.

Because they are both missionaries in service of our Lord and they deserve our honor. We honor motherhood by teaching our children to obey their parents and appreciate their mothers. By teaching young people that God created women to be wives and mothers and looking on that is special. And exalted calling. Men and women are not the same.

We are not equal in every respect In this respect, mothers and women are blessed. To be to the ability to bring children into the world and to nurture them as mothers. This is not a lower calling. It is a what? It is a higher calling.

And a calling of God which this world today is sadly trampling upon. Let us not do that. Let us honor what God has created and finally, we honor it by taking care of our mothers when they are older and treating them with great honor and respect that they are due. I am thankful for my mother. Today, I will call her and I will thank her today.

But I hope that I will remember to thank her next week. And the next week. Uphold her in my prayers and be there if she should need any help because she is worthy. Not because she was a perfect mother, though she was a very good one. But because she is worthy of that honor.

We honor them Motherhood is special. Mothers who did their best to raise their children right are worthy of great reward and honor. Today, we honor mothers, we honor motherhood as a special gift from God, humanity, and we honor the God who made it this way. We can honor both God who made us and the mothers who bore and nurtured us also by living each day in service of our Lord. Thus, bringing glory and honor.

To them both. Proverbs chapter 23 verse 25. Let your father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you rejoice. By honoring and serving the Lord and I pray that we will leave this place today not only encouraged to honor the mothers that God gave us. But to honor and serve the Lord.

Who made us? And if you're here today and you've never trusted that Lord as your savior. The one who made you, created you, gave you parents, also gave you a savior via his mother, Mary. And he died on the cross for you. So, as we close with the hymn of invitation this morning, if the Lord has spoke to your heart, talk to him about it and if you've never trusted Christ, please meet me up here.

And I'll share with you how you can be safe today. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord for this wonderful day. Thank you for the mothers that were able to be with us. Pray for those who were not, that you'd raise them up soon.

We think of Deanna and we think of Marilyn in particular today. We think of Lorraine and others that are still ill with COVID. And we thank you Lord. For all of them. And all the mothers that you have given to us.

And we pray Lord if there is one here. That have never trusted Christ as savior that they would come today. And trust you. In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen.