Love and a Mother's Unconditional Care

Sermon by Dr. James E. McReynolds at First Christian Church, Weeping Water, Nebraska 

Mother's Day is a good time for mothers listening to their children expressing their love.

Nine year old Alex wrote his mama a note: "Dear Mama, Here is the box of candy I bought for you for Mother's Day. It is really good. I know, because I already ate two pieces."

Ten year old Anna wrote her mother a note which read, "Dear Mama, Here are two aspirins. Have a happy Mother's Day."

Six year old Jill and her five year old brother Tommie presented their mama with a Mother's Day present: a small homely house plant. While it looked ugly, they bought it with their own money. Mom was thrilled. She hugged and kissed her children. She told them how much she loved them for thinking of her. Tommie said, "There were other plants and flowers we wanted to buy for you, but we didn't have enough money."

"Yes," said sister Jill,"they had a nice bunch of flowers at the shop that we were going to buy."

"But I love this plant," said mama.

"I know, mama," said Tommie, "but these flowers would have been perfect for you. They were in a nice wreath and they had a ribbon that read on it, 'Rest in Peace' . . . and you're always asking for a little peace so you can rest."

A school teacher gave her class of third graders a lesson on the magnet. The next day the teacher gave a pop quiz to test their memory. She asked, "My name has six letters. The first one is 'm.' I pick up things. What am I?"

When the test papers were turned in, the teacher was surprised to find that almost half the students answered the question with the word "mother." I guess mothers do pick up a lot of things. Mothers are cleaning ladies, gardeners and care takers, cooks, nurses, doctors, psychologists, counselors, coaches, and chauffers and shapers of attitudes.

Mothers are soft voices saying, "I love you." Mothers are a link to God, a child's first impression of God's love.

Erma Bombeck wrote that on the day God created mothers, He had already worked overtime. And an angel said to God, "Lord, you sure are spending a lot of time on this one." God said, "Have you read the specs on this model? She is to be completely washable, but not plastic. She is to have 180 moving parts, all of them replaceable. She is to have a kiss that will heal everything from a broken leg to a broken heart. She is to be able to function on black coffee and leftovers. And she is supposed to have six pairs of hands."

"Six pairs of hands," said the angel, "that is impossible."

"It's not the six pairs of hands that bother me," said God, "it's the three pairs of eyes. She needs one pair that sees through closed doors so that whenever she says, 'What are you kids doing in there?' she already knows what they're doing in there.

"She has another pair in the back of her head to see all the things she is not supposed to see but must see. And then she has one pair right in front that can look at a child that just goofed and communicate love and understanding without saying a word."

"That's too much," said the angel, "You can't put that much into one model. Why don't you rest for while and resume your creating tomorrow?"

"No, I can't. I'm close to creating someone very much like myself. I've already come up with a model who can heal herself when she is sick, who can feed a family of six with one pound of hamburger, and who can persuade a nine year old to take a shower."

"Can she think?" the angel asked. "Not only can she think," said God, "but she can reason and compromise, and persuade." Then the angel reached over and touched her cheek. "This one has a leak," he said. "I told you that you couldn't put that much in one model."

"That's not a leak," God said, "That's a tear." "What's a tear for?" asked the angel. "It's for joy, for sorrow, for sadness, for disappointment, for pride."

"You're a genius," said the angel. And God said, "Oh, I didn't put it there."

With all this in mind we can better understand a somewhat peculiar Bible story about the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. The boys were nicknamed "the sons of thunder."

Our text is Matthew 20:20-23. What was that odd story about. Why was this story included? Some greed was going on here. In the scriptures are all kinds of insights into the humanity of the apostles. We realize that while the apostles were certainly important, faithful men, they also had basic human emotions and desires. We see their strength and their weaknesses.

Mrs. Zebedee was aware of the teachings of Jesus about the kingdom of God. She was also aware that her sons, James and John, were close to him. They were part of the inner circle with Peter. She wanted her sons to have positions of responsibility and authority.

In the first part of this same chapter, Jesus tells a story that must have disturbed her. It was a story about a landowner who went out to find laborers early in the morning. They agreed on a fair day's wage and started working. Then at noon he went out and found some more, and they started working.Then towards evening he went out and found some more and they started working. Yet, when the Master paid them off at the end of the day they all received the same wage.

It might have caused Mrs. Zebedee to wonder, "Will my sons have positions of authority in the Lord's new kingdom? Will they be rewarded for their faithfulness to Jesus? Or will they be like anyone else to him? So when the opportunity presented itself she came to the Lord. Matthew says that she bowed before him and made this request: "When you establish your kingdom, I would request seats on your left and right hand for my sons."

Being Mother's Day, let's take a deeper look into those words uttered by the mother of Jesus' best friend John. We know from the Bible that Jesus was close to John. However, Peter and James were not too far behind we are often told. Jesus loved James and John. It would make sense that he would love their mother as well.

Was their mother greedy? She wanted a high position for her sons. But her statements could be taken in other ways.

We need to begin by taking note that while Jesus did not grant her request, neither did he deny it. He simply reminded her of the cost of being seated on the right or left and then told her that it is the Father who determines who will be seated there.

What was this mother asking for? Let us take a closer look. What are some good things about her request?

First, she came to the Lord, asking that her sons might be a part of his kingdom. There's no more important work of motherhood than that: to seek to ensure that your children are a part of the Kingdom of God. I know that many mothers pray, sometimes they pray out of necessity. Sometimes they pray because motherhood is not easy.

Psychologist James Dobson tells about a time he came home when his son, Ryan, was a small baby. It had been a terrible day for Shirley, his wife. Ryan had been sick and had cried all day. Shirley was changing his diapers after a bowel movement when the telephone rang. Shirley reached over to answer it before fastening his diapers. Just then Ryan had another bowel movement. She cleaned up that mess and put him in clean, sweet-smelling clothes.

She then took him into the living room and fed him. As she was burping him, he threw up all over himself and her and the couch. Dobson writes, "When I came home I could smell the aroma of motherhood everywhere." Shirley cried out to him, "Was all this in my contract?"

Being a parent is not easy. Parents hope with all hope that their children will have a relationship with God.

Mrs. Zebedee gives us a valuable example here. She prayed that her sons would be part of God's kingdom. My mother often reminds me that she is praying for me. I believe her words are connected to my soul, and my subconscious mind, on a deep spiritual level.

We need that concern for children today. I pray that in the heart of every mother and father here today there is a burden on you to go to the throne of God and pray for your children. This is the best thing you can do for your child.

Second, Mrs. Zebedee had big expectations. She did not pray that her sons would be doorkeepers. She wanted them on the right hand and left hand of Jesus. In any kingdom, there are no higher positions than that. We can admire her boldness. She is fighting for her children. She wants the best for them. There is nothing wrong with wanting your children to be successful.

Look at her motives. She knew that her sons loved Jesus the Christ. She knew they were excellent disciples. Church history notes that James died for his faith in Christ as a martyr. And John was exiled to a remote island because of his faith. These two men were up to the task. And their mother knew it. She believed in these men. Were it not for James and John, we would not have Christianity today.

She was trying to get her boys to strive for excellence. Jesus calls us all to be his disciples.

Third and finally, we see Mrs. Zebedee doing something candid here. The scripture says that she came with her sons, and she spoke up for them.

She spoke up for her boys. She interceded for them. She was on their team. And they knew they had her support. Mothers, this is a gift you can give to your child. Give your children the security that you are always on their side. You are in their corner.

When the going gets tough, that's when the tough mothers get going. There is a lesson here for sons and daughters. Your mother has spent a lot of time working on your behalf. From cleaning your bottom when you were a baby to listening to you vent your anger during your adult years. Your mother deserves your respect. The Bible teaches in the Ten Commandments, "You shall honor your father and mother."

The word honor is powerful. It doesn't mean to be nice. It means to die for your parents if required. It means to ensure your parents' dignity all the way to the grave. They took care of you . . . now it's your turn. Honor your parents.

Solomon Rosenberg, his wife, their two sons, and his mother and father were arrested by the Nazis. They were placed in a concentration camp. It was a labor camp. The rules were simple: "As long as you can do your work, you are permitted to live. When you become too weak to do your work, then you are exterminated."

Rosenberg watched his mother and father being marched off to their deaths, and he knew that next would be his youngest son David, because David had always been a frail child. Every evening Rosenberg came back into the barracks after his hours of labor and searched for the faces of his family.

When he found them they would huddle together, embrace one another, and thank God for another day of life.

One day Rosenberg came back and didn't see those familiar faces. He finally discovered his oldest son, Joshua, in a corner, weeping. He said, "Josh, tell me it's not true."

Joshua turned and said, "It is true, Pappa. Today David was not strong enough to do his work. So they came for him."

"But where is your mother?" Rosenberg asked.

"Pappa, when they came for David, he was afraid and he cried.

"Mama said, 'There is nothing to be afraid of, David.'

"And she took his hand and went with him."

Friends that is a mother's deep love. Amen.

(Sermon tapes are available of each of Pastor Jim's sermons.) Services at 10:30 a.m., Sundays at the First Christian Church, Weeping Water, Nebraska.

Dr. Jim's mother and father are now in the hospital in critical condition. Mama is in the Kingsport Rehabilitation Hospital with a broken hip. Dad is in Bristol Regional Medical Center at age 88, weak and praying for peace, grace, and joy.