Larry Siegle
Link to sermon video: Honoring Our Parents – L Siegle
MOTHER’S DAY
“A Mother’s Love”
Series: NONE
Thesis: The Blessing of Motherhood.
INTRODUCTION
1. Today, is “Mother’s Day”—on the ‘Halmark Holiday’ calendar…the reality is that our love and admiration for our
parents should be every day.
2. It was in 1983 that recording artist Christ Christian who wrote a song dedicated to remembering our loved ones:
“They tied our shoes, took us to school
Patched our worn-out jeans
They soothed our tears and childish fears
And listened to our dreams
Somewhere along their golden years
Their hair has lost its sheen
The notes of hymn 110
Crackle when they sing
Now they are alone
No children’s voices
Filling up their homes
We must love, love them while we can
We must love, love them while we can”
3. We get so very busy in our everyday lives that sometimes we lack a sense of devotion to those we profess to love the
most.
THE BIBLE IMPRESSES US WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF SHOWING HONOR TO OUR PARENTS (Exod. 20:12)
1. Moses, in Deuteronomy 5:16 adds a phrase in this commandment, “that it may be well with you in the land”
a. Regarding the importance of having the two elements of proper attitude and proper action the apostle reminds
believers in Ephesians 6:1-4 of the responsibility of parenthood.
b. Not everyone becomes a “parent” or a “grandparent” but most of us have ‘taken care’ of a little one in our
families…
c. ALL of us have had “parents” to some extent who loved us and took care of us in early years of our lives.
2. I was adopted at birth and remember the adventures I had with my adoptive-mother until she passed away when I
was 8. And my adoptive-father who passed away when I was just 12.
3. Later, at age 16 I went to Colorado to live with my birth-mother and a stepfather and enjoyed the love they had for me
Also—Each person here today has a wonderful, unique story to tell about the events that took place in our youth.
4. Someone once observed that (in a sense) “eternal life” is passed along from “generation to generation” in the legacy
of our family tree.
5. There are a multitude of “ancestry” websites that are designed to help families to trace their “roots” in understanding
more about who we are because of those who came before us.
PARENTS IMPART WISDOM TO US AND THEY MAKE MISTAKES
1. Israel was told of the importance of knowing the Lord in connection with our families (Deut. 6:1-3, 6-12).
a. Children listen to the adults around them, and often imitate their words and their behaviors.
b. Children know when we are materialistic (possessions become the most important thing).
c. Children know and hear the language we use and what we say about other people.
d. Children know the depth we as adults have in our love for God and relationship with Him.
2. One of the most common reasons why children do not surrender themselves in obedience to the gospel and the
Lordship of Jesus Christ is because of what they see in our lives—we say but we do not do that which is right.
TRAIN UP A CHILD (PROV. 22:6)
1. Over the years I have heard people quote this verse as though it proves the impossibility of apostasy in our children IF
and WHEN they tend to go “astray”
a. The Hebrew text is more specific: Train up a child according to his way…
b. Every child has a different temperament, personality, intellect, etc. and an intuitive parent realizes the need to
teach children in a the way that best reaches into the innermost parts of their being.
2. In the same sense that God speaks to our lives in different ways, the same is true with how we as adults must
approach the children around us.
3. I enjoy going to nursing homes, and assisted living facilities, or just into someone’s home who is elderly—THEY have
wisdom to share and a story to tell….that will is truly beneficial because of the things they have learned in life that can
be passed down to the “next” generations. Chris Christian continues…
“The folks that taught us our first words
Still have much to say
The silver secrets of this world
Lie beneath those crowns of grey
As they approach the end
They change our role
From children to best friends
Love, love them while we can
We must love, love them while we can
We always thought they’d be around
‘Til the end of time
‘Til one day we wake and find”
4. Life is short, (Psa. 144:3, 4).
IN THE LIVING YEARS
1. TODAY is the most important day of our lives…there is NO promise of tomorrow.
2. Have we become alienated from some of our friends or loved ones?
a. The greatest honor we can have for those around us comes in the form of communicating with them and giving
them our attention, to appreciate their importance in our lives.
b. May we start today to express our love and appreciation for those around us…
CONCLUSION
1. God has blessed us in so very many ways….
2. We need to BE the Blessing for those around us (Acts 20:35).
3. It all begins with our own obedience to the gospel of Christ and surrendering to His Lordship (Rom. 10:9, 10).
Outline (Word document): Motherhood.docx