The Mother To Rejoice In

Q: What does the Bible say about honoring mothers?

The Bible teaches that we should honor our mothers and fathers every day, as stated in the Ten Commandments. The Bible emphasizes the importance of honoring parents, as instructed in the Ten Commandments, which state, 'Honor thy father and thy mother' (Exodus 20:12). This commandment is not just for one special day of the year, such as Mother's Day, but for every day. It's a continual recognition of their role and significance in our lives. The call to honor parents applies to all believers and underscores the regard that God has for family relationships as designed in His Word.

Q: How do we know salvation is by grace alone?

Salvation is by grace alone, as it is not based on our actions but on God's promise through Christ. In historic Reformed theology, salvation is viewed fundamentally as a work of God, not dependent on human action. This is evident in Ephesians 2:8-9, which clearly states that we are saved by grace through faith, and this not of ourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. The act of salvation involves God's initiative and grace, which is extended to individuals whom He has chosen, aligning with the doctrine of election and the concept that faith itself is a gift given by God's grace. The believer's response to this grace is not a condition for salvation but a result of it.

Q: Why is understanding sin important for Christians?

Understanding sin is crucial for recognizing our need for God's grace and salvation through Christ. Recognizing the nature of sin is foundational for Christians as it leads to an understanding of humanity's fallen state and the need for salvation. Romans 5:19 states that through Adam's disobedience, many were made sinners. This doctrine of original sin teaches that all humanity inherits a sinful nature from Adam, which underscores the necessity for divine grace. When Christians grasp the severity of sin, they also understand the magnitude of Christ's sacrifice, knowing that it was necessary to redeem us from this fallen state. Consequently, this awareness elevates our appreciation for God's grace and compels us to live in a way that glorifies Him.

Q: What does it mean to be a child of promise?

Being a child of promise means being saved and incorporated into God's family through His covenant and grace. The concept of being a 'child of promise' refers to those who are part of God’s covenant community, as seen in Galatians 4:26 where it states that ‘Jerusalem, which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all.' This signifies that believers, regardless of their backgrounds, are united in Christ and partake in the spiritual blessings promised to Abraham and his descendants. The term emphasizes that our standing before God is based not on our works or lineage but on God’s sovereign choice and His faithfulness to His promises. The children of promise are those who have received this grace through faith and can now call God their Father.

Sovereign Grace Chapel located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. Welcome. to today's broadcast, and may it be that the God of all glory be pleased to bless this broadcast today.

Now, today is Mother's Day. Well, I have a Mother's Day message for today. My text is found in Paul's letter to the churches of Galatia, and it's actually just one verse, and it's found in Galatians chapter four, And my verse is verse 26, where Paul wrote these words. Remember, it's today's Mother's Day. But I wanna read you a passage here that speaks about a mother. Look at Galatians 4, 26.

But Jerusalem, which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all. You see that? Which is the mother of us all. Now, let me just start right off the, Right off the first point here is that when he says the mother of us all, he's talking about all believers, not all mankind, and that's just clear from the context.

So there is no doubt, and listen to me now, there is no doubt that all men and women, young and old alike, that they should honor their mother and their father. not just one day a year, but every day of the year. God's holy law, one of the commandments, one of the 10, the Decalogue, one of the 10 says, thou shalt honor thy mother and father. But listen to what I have to say this morning. Do not be caught up with the error of modern day about this thing of male and female.

Let's see if I can explain that, if I can use an illustration of that. I don't hear it so much anymore, but when I was younger, they used to have a saying along this line, speaking of girls, speaking of females, speaking even of women, of mothers, girls, and they would say they're made of sugar, and spice and everything nice. Then, of course, when it comes to the boys, when it comes to the males, when it comes to the men, when it comes to fathers, you might say, they're made up of what? Snakes and snails and puppy dog tails.

Or the religious song, a lot of religious songs, but here's just one. The title of this one religious song is talking about heaven and going to heaven one day, and the title of the song is Tell Mother I'll Be There. There's a lot of other similar songs like that, but poor old dad, he just kind of left out. There may be one, but I'm not aware of one that speaks about a father in that way. But here's my title for this morning. Now think about this. Here's my title for this morning. The Mother to Rejoice In. The Mother to Rejoice In. Again, do not misrepresent what I'm saying.

I'm saying that God's holy law says we're to honor our mother and father. People ought to honor their mother and father. They ought to do so on every day of the year, not just on one day of the year. And I'm not saying it's wrong to have one day in which you kind of pick out the mothers and try to treat them nice and treat them to something special. I'm not saying that. God's holy law says to honor your mother and father.

There's nothing wrong with that day, but we're to do that all the time. But here it is, the mother to rejoice in. Now hear God's word. According to Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the apostle Paul wrote these words. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 22. For as in Adam, all die. Do you see that?

What's he talking about? He's talking about that state into which mankind fail because of the sin of our father Adam. We didn't fall into sin because of Eve's sin. No, we fell into sin because of Adam's sin, our father Adam, not our mother Eve. But as in Adam, all die, that's male and female. What I'm saying is this, if women were not under the judgment of God based upon the fall of Adam, then mothers, women, females would not die.

For as in Adam, all die, but then look, even so in Christ, now there's the key. There's the key, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. There's a sense in which that's true of all humanity in which one day a resurrection will take place of all humanity and males and females and of all ages and all dispensation and all times will be raised to life at a resurrection, a resurrection for judgment or a resurrection for glory.

But that's not exactly what Paul's talking about here exactly in this context. He says, for as in Adam, all die. Think about that. That's my first point for this morning. Now basically just have three simple points this morning, and then I want to just talk to you a little bit. Remember, hear God's word. In Adam, all die. Why do women die? Why do mothers die? Because they're under the condemnation of the fall of Adam, that's why. According to Paul in Romans chapter five, listen to how Paul puts it this way. And this is very pointed. Think about it.

By Adam, Many, that is whoever he represented by Adam, many were made sinners, Romans chapter five, verse 19. For as by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners. Do you see that? Now listen to me, whether it's your mother or your father, whether it would be my mother or my father, For as by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners. He said, made sinners. Now listen, listen to me. This is the preponderant testimony of scripture. Men do not become sinners by sinning. We became sinners by Adam's fall in the garden. And we thus sin because we are sinners.

Now you get that? Now that's male and female. That's mommies and daddies. That's mothers and fathers. Remember the first point, in Adam, All die. Here's the second point. By Adam, many were made sinners. One more time. For as by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners. It wasn't up to us. This was the judgment of God. Somebody said it's not fair, it's not about fairness, it's about justice. We all proceeded from the loins of Adam and the womb of Eve. We all came of that seed, that offspring, and we're sinners and we're made so by Adam's one disobedience. But look at it, for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, ah, here's the glory of God since we fail in a substitute. Since we fail in a representative, we can now be redeemed by one.

Look at, look. For as by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one. Do you see that? Oh, hear it now. Even if you're not reading along, listen to the words. So, by the obedience of one, that's Jesus Christ of Nazareth. So, by the obedience of one, that's God manifest in the flesh.

So by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. In the same way of substitution, representation, that we were made sinners, many is going to be what? Made righteousness. By what? The obedience of one, not many obediences, Not all of our obedience is put together, not all of mine before God, not all of your mother's before God. But by one man's obedience, many shall be made righteous. So again, this is the preponderant testimony of God's word. And I've given you just a couple passages that show this truth. In Adam, all die, male or female, mothers or fathers. Secondly, by Adam, many were made sinners.

It's not a matter of whether you and I like this or not. This is the way it is, you see. It's so sad that some people who even profess to be Christians will read this book and say, but I don't like that. It don't sound right. That doesn't make sense to me. That's not fair. So they begin to twist the scriptures rather than bowing to the truth of God.

Here's the third thing for this morning. Remember, I just have three points, and then I want to just talk to you a little bit. Here's the thing. First, in Adam, I'll die. Second, by Adam, many were made sinners. Thirdly, even in the lineage of Jesus, okay? Even in the lineage of Jesus, some women are noted. And I'm not gonna take time to do it, but you go back to Matthew chapter one, read that list of that lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

You have Tamar, you have Rahab. Now these are the women that are mentioned. You have Tamar, You have Rahab, and then it puts it this way. It doesn't give the name, but it says, her that had been the wife of Uriah. If you're listening to me and you know anything about the scripture, you know anything about these three women, you see these were women of some noriety. They were not your upstanding women.

No, it's Tamar. the one who played the harlot. Now, listen to me. I know this is going to be blunt. I know this is going to be brash, but it's Tamar, the one who played the harlot. so that she could have her father-in-law get her pregnant because her father-in-law had refused to obey the law and give her a son to marry. Tamar, Rahab. Do you remember Rahab? She is often called Rahab the harlot.

And then you have her that had been the wife of Uriah. That woman that King David had committed adultery with, even had her husband killed in battle, all. What am I pointing out? Why does the scripture mention that? And in the lineage of Christ, all men, all males, all fathers. But what it mentions, the mothers, who does it mention? Now there were many other mothers. Tamar, Rahab, and her that had been the wife of Uriah.

Why? Because we're all sinners. because it's not this sugar and spice and everything nice for females and snakes and snails and puppy dog tails. We're all corrupt in Adam. We all fail in Adam. We all died, now died, we died spiritually. In the moment that Adam ate of that fruit, he died spiritually. Thus, when we are conceived and we're in the womb and we're brought forth, we're brought forth, the scripture says speaking lies. We're sinners.

You see, that's the three things I want to point out. Yes, I know it's Mother's Day, and I encourage you to honor your mother today. Take her out and treat her special. Do something really nice for her, whatever it might be, whatever she likes, something that gives her a happy day and an enjoyable day. But your mother and my mother are sinners. We're sinners, you see?

Women, now listen to me. Now let me just turn to this. I'll turn to the passage, then I'll make the statement, and my passage will be found in Acts chapter 16. That's the passage I will read from. Now remember my three points. In Adam all die. By Adam, many were made sinners. And even in the lineage, we have three women mentioned. but they were all notorious sinner women. Why? Because we're all sinners. We were made sinners, not by what we do, but by who we're associated with. That is our father, Adam. and Adam all died. By Adam, many were made sinners.

And even in the lineage of our Lord Jesus Christ himself, it's Tamar, Rahab, and her that had been the wife of Uriah, we've all sinned and come short of the glory of God. As I said, women must be saved by the free grace of God in Christ, just like men are.

And listen to one account of one here. Acts chapter 16, verse 14. and a certain woman named Lydia. Do you see it? A seller of purple. And we will find out if you read on in the context, she was a mother. She had a household. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira.

Now look at how Luke in this book here, listen to how Luke describes her, which worshiped God. Do you see it? That's far more than some mothers do, which worship God, nevertheless, even though that was true. Now look, heard us, whose heart the Lord opened. Do you see it?

Whose heart the Lord opened. Whose heart, get it, her heart had to be open just like anybody else's heart. Here you've got a Tamar, a Rahab, harlots. Here's a woman who was a worshiper of God, but yet her heart had to be opened just like anybody else's did.

Do you see what I'm saying? Do you see what this book is teaching? Which worship God heard us, whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. Paul had preached the gospel to all these women that gathered by this riverside to pray. And here was one, at least one. Now, if there were others, we're not told of it, but we're told about this woman and this mother.

She heard it and God, what happened? God did something for her. This wasn't about her doing something for God. Salvation is not about your mom doing something for God or what your mom is doing for God. Lydia worshiped God, but her heart had to be open.

Why? So she'd hear the gospel. so she'd heed to the gospel, so that she would listen to the gospel. Do you see it? Whose heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, why? Because her heart was opened.

She believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as the Lord Jesus Christ. She didn't believe on Jesus as her personal savior. She had bowed to him and believed in him as Lord. And he says, be baptized in my name. She was, do you see it? She was. And when she was baptized, and her household, do you see it? So she was a mother.

And her household, she besought us. Now, here's what happens. And here's what must happen. But here's what happens when God saves a father or a mother or a son or a daughter. or a brother or a sister or a cousin or a uncle or a aunt, whatever it might be, look at it. And when she was baptized and her household, she besought us. In other words, she begged them, look, look, saying, if you've judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there.

And she constrained us, you see it. I can't let you go. What you have to preach, Even more, who you have to preach is so important to me. Don't leave me. Don't leave me alone. You see it? And she constrained us. So again, I say, women, yes, even mothers. Mothers must be saved by the grace of God, just like men must be saved by the grace of God. Just like fathers must be saved by the grace of God. So that's my three points.

Remember, in Adam, all die. We all died physically back there in the garden. That's when we were, according to this second point, by Adam many were made sinners. We were made sinners back there in that garden. And when we're conceived, and when we grow in the womb, and when we're brought forth, we're brought forth speaking lies. We're sinners.

We've gotta be saved, male or female, mother or father, and even in the lineage of Jesus. Some women are noted, but note those women. Tamar, go back and look it up in the Old Testament. Rahab, look her up in the Old Testament. And her that had been the wife of Urias, look her up in the Old Testament.

We're all sinners, we're all sinners, but remember, Remember what we read from Acts 16. When a sinner is saved, it's an act of God. It's not an act of the sinner for God. Now, yes, the sinner will act. The sinner will do when God has acted upon them. Whose heart the Lord opened that she attended of the things which were spoken of Paul. And she was baptized and said, hang around for a while. Hang around for a while. I need to hear more about this one you've just preached to me.

Well, think about it. All who are saved, by God's grace. I know this statement is gonna be misunderstood when I first make it. And it's certainly true in two aspects, but I'm speaking, I am emphasizing because of my text this morning, I'm emphasizing one aspect of it. Now think about it.

All who are saved by God's grace have a mother. Now that's true physically. If you're saved today, you got a mother. Okay, but all who are saved by God's grace have a mother. They have the mother to rejoice in, and that's why Paul wrote these words. But Jerusalem, which is above, is free. which is the mother of us all. Do you see it? That's why I say, all who are saved by God's grace have a mother. That mother is God's free grace from above.

And let's then now read the whole context of this statement by Paul that I've read as my text, Galatians 4.26. Let's look at the whole context. Let's start in verse 21 for the context. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law. And he's talking to believers who have been called by the gospel. Do you not hear the law?

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. Here's two mothers, do you see it? Two physical mothers, okay? But he who was of the bond woman was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was by promise.

That is, Abraham was married to Sarah, and Sarah was barren from the get-go and couldn't have a child. But God had promised that Abraham, you and Sarah are gonna have a child, I wanna give you one. And they didn't see it happen right away. And Sarah said, well, go to Hagar, your handmaid, our servant. So he married, Abraham married Hagar and had a son by Hagar.

There's two mothers. But the one was by a bond woman, was born after the flesh, that is by human action. Look, but he of the free woman was by promise. Abraham was past the age of siring the child. Sarah never was able to bear a child, and now was past even the age of bearing, in spite of all that. And yet, when Abraham came together with Sarah, she had a child, because God had promised it. God was the one that created this miracle. Do you see it?

Which things are an allegory, for these are the two covenants. That is, one pictures the law, one pictures God's free grace. That's what he's talking about. Which things are an allegory, for these are the two covenants. The one from Mount Sinai, that's what I said, the law, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia. Now, Paul's not saying they weren't real, that these people weren't real historical people, but he's saying they picture something, they illustrate something, you see it? For this Agar, or that is Hagar as it's pronounced in the Old Testament, For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem, which now is."

That's the one over there in the Far East right now. They have all of this trouble going on. Okay, it was answereth to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children. Ah, but here we have our text. But Jerusalem, which is above, is free. which is the mother of us all, for it is written, rejoice thou barren that bearest not, break forth and cry thou that travailest not, for the desolate hath many more children than she with hath a husband.

Now we brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise, that is born again, gospel called believers. Now we brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. Now look at it though. But as then he that was born after the flesh, okay, that was Ishmael, born after Hagar, but as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit, And I don't know if you know the account, but if you do, remember that when they were weaning Isaac, that Ishmael was over there laughing and making fun. Now look, remember, even so it is now. Nevertheless, what saith the scripture? Now this is what Sarah then said to Abraham.

Cast out the bondwoman and her son. A mother and her son. Do you see that? Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. Why is this, this seems so tough? Why, because God's gospel will be honored even if it's in, even if it's in an allegory. Do you see it? This is how vital this is to God's holiness and God's greatness and God's justice.

This for the son of the bond woman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. So then brethren, we are not children of the bond woman. but we're children of the free. And that's why Paul has said, of course, but Jerusalem, which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all. So again, all who are saved by God's grace have a mother, but they have, yes, they have a mother physically and a mother that they ought to honor and love and adore, but they also have a mother spiritually.

Do you see it? God, now listen to me. This ought to be clear from right here in this passage. But yet I know men stand behind podiums just like this one and lie every Sunday, Sunday night, every midweek service, every revival service, whatever it is. God does not save all men nor all women. God saves whom he will. And that's where these preachers are lying on God.

The only pure, now listen to me, the only pure, unfailing, perfect mother is this Jerusalem Paul speaks of that is of promise, that is free, and that is above. This is, of course, a figure of speech. But what a figure of speech, because it's grounded by reality. Not only the reality of these historical characters, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Hagar, Ishmael, do you see it? Not only is it grounded by these historical things, but it is an allegory of the true. The fact that God is purposed to save people by promise. And what God promised, God's able to perform. God doesn't leave it up to us. God doesn't have to save your mother. And if you're a mother out there, God doesn't have to save you. No, sir.

This is, as I said, a figure of speech, but what a figure of speech. Listen to how the Lord Jesus Christ himself put it. I have just a few minutes left. Listen to the words of Christ himself. If you think I'm being hard, listen to what Christ said. Verse 32 of Matthew 10. These are the words of Christ. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father, which is in heaven.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword. Do you hear his words? For I am not come to set. pardon me, for I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

What's he talking about here? Priorities. He's saying you will confess and worship and bow to me and me alone, or you will be condemned. You don't put your mommy and your daddy on the same level with me. That's what he's saying. Look at it, this is what he says. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Do you see that? That's how important Jesus Christ is. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. He that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. He that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

So there begs the question on this Mother's Day, where does my devotion lie? Where does my real devotion lie? Where does your devotion lie? Treat your mother special today. I'm encouraging you to do so. By all means, do so. Treat your mother special today. But our devotion must be with Christ. You hear what I'm saying? Our devotion must, now listen to what I'm saying here in the last few seconds. Our devotion must be with Christ. But it's more than that. Our devotion must be with Christ over and above and on top of all others. Amen.

The Mother To Rejoice In

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about honoring mothers?

How do we know salvation is by grace alone?

Why is understanding sin important for Christians?

What does it mean to be a child of promise?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

The Mother To Rejoice In

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about honoring mothers?

How do we know salvation is by grace alone?

Why is understanding sin important for Christians?

What does it mean to be a child of promise?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

More from Walter Pendleton

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Suggested for You

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book