1 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:14,400 In Australia, 22% of families with children aged 15 and under 2 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,240 a lone parent families, that is there's just one parent in the 3 00:00:18,240 --> 00:00:22,120 home, 22%. It's nearly 1/4 of our nation 4 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:29,240 doesn't have two parents at home and most of these, around 90%, 5 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,440 are headed by women, that is, women by themselves raising 6 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:38,680 families, running homes, 90% and their mothers. 7 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:46,280 Napoleon Bonaparte said the future destiny of a child is the 8 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:51,520 work of a mother. Doctor John Walvoord tells us of 9 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:56,560 a mother who prayed for her son for 60 years to be saved. 10 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:02,280 One week before her death, the mother received a long distance 11 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:05,800 phone call from his son saying, Mum, I've given my heart to the 12 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,240 Lord. My you and I never give up 13 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:15,480 praying for our unsaved family. My you and I never give up on 14 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:18,720 our brothers and sisters who aren't here today in church with 15 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,280 us. Maybe they're in another another 16 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,440 country. Many of you from overseas don't 17 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:27,160 stop praying. Your prayers reach reach God and 18 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:31,600 they reach your family. Some people can say don't tell 19 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,720 me anything about I don't want to hear, but you can always pray 20 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:38,000 for them. That's the greatest weapon and 21 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,760 ministry of evangelism that you have is your prayers. 22 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:49,240 On a Mother's Day card, a little child's printing appeared on the 23 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:51,680 outside. It was designed by a little boy, 24 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:57,200 and on the front was a drawing of this little boy with his 25 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,680 shoes. Life is united. 26 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:07,080 Scattered around him in disarray was a little waggon, multiple 27 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:11,560 toys, and there were fingerprint smudges over all the card. 28 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:13,840 I don't know if you remember. I remember going to school. 29 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,000 Keith, don't take us too far. When was that? 30 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:22,080 World War One or what was it? But the first, I don't know why 31 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,160 they gave it to us in grade one. We had these pencils. 32 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:30,000 They were huge pencils and they smudged no matter what you did. 33 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,080 Soon as you put your hand on boys pages it was like, Oh my 34 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:35,160 goodness, girls are all nice and neat. 35 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:39,320 But the boys in smudge with these grape and they smudged 36 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,720 everywhere. And so they were smudges all 37 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:45,960 over this card and the card read this, the words of the little 38 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:49,720 boy Mum. I remember that little prayer 39 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:54,800 used to say for me every day. And on opening the inside of the 40 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:58,240 card was the little prayer written in struggle, printing 41 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:03,440 words backwards and upside down. The prayer written said God help 42 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:13,090 you if you ever do that again. A second grade teacher, Year 2 43 00:03:13,090 --> 00:03:16,610 teacher who had given a lesson on magnets, just finished the 44 00:03:16,610 --> 00:03:19,850 lesson on magnets and the kids have played with them, then gave 45 00:03:19,850 --> 00:03:23,920 them a test. What starts with M and picks up 46 00:03:23,920 --> 00:03:27,320 things. Many of the children wrote Mum. 47 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:36,120 On a serious side, it is said that the death of a mother is 48 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:38,920 the first sorrow in the home wept without her. 49 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:42,480 And so the scene before we read it. 50 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:50,320 Jesus is 33 years of age. He's been brutally beaten, so 51 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:55,400 much so it shocked Pontius Pilate, and it was almost 52 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:59,840 impossible to recognise his visit, who he was, such was the 53 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:05,160 the scars and the wounds of his body and his face, his physical 54 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:10,000 appearance. And now here on Golgotha, the 55 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:16,000 place of the skull, Calvary, he now hangs by great spikes that 56 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:19,880 have been driven nailed through his palm, arms and his feet. 57 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,040 And he's suspended. He's hanging on this cross 58 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:28,160 between two thieves, criminals, an innocent man between two 59 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:32,320 criminals. As he hangs, his breathing is 60 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,480 laboured. He's got to push himself up from 61 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:39,720 the little seat that they would put on the cross. 62 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:43,960 And from the pain of his feet, push yourself up to try and grab 63 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:45,360 a breath, because that's how you die. 64 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:46,960 And crucifixion. You suffocate. 65 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:54,200 He's about to die, huddled at his feet at the foot of the 66 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:57,160 cross. There's a small group of women 67 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:01,880 and a young disciple named John. And in that group is a mother, 68 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:06,560 the mother of Jesus. Mary is her name. 69 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:11,560 We know that she is now around about in her mid 40s. 70 00:05:12,840 --> 00:05:19,680 You remember Mary who at the age of 14 to 16 years of age, the 71 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,680 Angel Gabriel appeared and spoke these words. 72 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:26,200 Rejoice holy favoured one, the Lord is with you. 73 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:30,400 Blessed are you among women. When she saw the Angel, she was 74 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:32,600 troubled. This young Mary at his saying, 75 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:35,440 considered what manner of greeting this was. 76 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:39,000 And the Angel Gabriel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for 77 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:42,920 you have found favour with God. And behold, you'll conceive in 78 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:45,760 your womb, and bring forth a son. 79 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:50,680 She'll call his name Jesus. You'll be great. 80 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:54,320 We'll be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God will 81 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:56,440 give him the throne of his father David. 82 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:01,240 It will reign over the House of Jacob important word forever, 83 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,960 and of his Kingdom important words there will be no end. 84 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:11,920 And Mary said to the Angel, How? How can all this be, since I do 85 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:14,120 not know a man, I haven't been with a man. 86 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:18,720 The Angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come 87 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:23,320 upon you, and the power of the Highest will over shadow you. 88 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:27,080 Therefore also the Holy One is to be born, will be called the 89 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:30,880 Son of God. Then Mary said these words, 90 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:37,960 Behold the man's maidservant of the Lord, let it be according to 91 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:41,560 your word. And the Angel departed from her, 92 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:47,280 young Mary, already speaking unselfishly like a mother. 93 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:51,280 Mary at a young age suffered greatly. 94 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:57,560 Her espoused husband engaged to Joseph was going to divorce her. 95 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,200 Even though the ratification of the marriage had occurred in 96 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:06,480 Jewish custom and war, espousal was the same as marriage and you 97 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:08,760 had to be divorced from your engagement. 98 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,600 Joseph heard Mary said I'm I'm pregnant. 99 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:13,840 He said well how does this happen? 100 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:17,840 She tells him an Angel opinion. He's crying a good and he's 101 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:23,160 going to a divorce, but only by the intervention of an Angel 102 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:26,920 sent from heaven. Did Joseph not divorce young 103 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:30,280 Mary? And then her birth of the sorry, 104 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:32,880 the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. 105 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:35,880 It wasn't in a beautiful hospital. 106 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:39,360 It was difficult. She had to ride on the back of a 107 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:46,520 donkey in the last stages of her pregnancy, about 90 miles from 108 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:50,200 Nazareth to Bethlehem. Then she arrives, there's no 109 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:56,080 room, and she's moved over into a dirty little stable. 110 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:58,840 Actually, it's a cave. You can still see The Cave in 111 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:02,680 Bethlehem today. And in the midst of this cave 112 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:07,040 surrounding her, Joseph and where she's going to give birth, 113 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:13,080 our animals tethered. Eight days later, this poor 114 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:18,840 couple with a couple of turtle doves, as was the custom, 115 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:24,520 attended the temple. It was the time of Mary's pure 116 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:27,040 purification. She had to do this. 117 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:32,039 It was the time of Jesus circumcision and it was the time 118 00:08:32,039 --> 00:08:34,559 of Jesus dedication, just like we did this morning. 119 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:38,840 And they couldn't bring a lamb because they didn't have much 120 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:40,799 money. So turtledoves was the offering 121 00:08:40,799 --> 00:08:44,080 of the poor. And there there was a prophet 122 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:49,240 who met them and saw them, a prophet who had been promised by 123 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:52,160 God that he would see the Messiah before his death. 124 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:56,600 His name was Simeon. And Simeon said these words to 125 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,560 this very young mother, holding an 8 day old child. 126 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:04,560 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, Behold, this 127 00:09:04,560 --> 00:09:09,120 child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, 128 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:12,560 and for a sign which will be spoken against. 129 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:17,040 Then he said these words. Yes, a sword will Pierce through 130 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:21,000 your own soul also. That was to Mary, that the 131 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,280 thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. 132 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:29,320 The Greek word, the Greek writing here is that the sword 133 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:32,080 will be a constant piercing in your life. 134 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:36,400 Mary, this is going to be a difficult life, a difficult 135 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:40,600 motherhood. Back at Golgotha we go back to 136 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:45,320 the cross, and there at the foot of the cross, as Mary sat there 137 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:50,440 looking up at his Son Jesus, Simeon's words would have run 138 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:55,880 painfully clear in Mary's heart. Yes, the sword will Pierce 139 00:09:55,880 --> 00:10:00,720 through your own soul. Also, the image of the sword was 140 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:04,840 for Mary alone. Mary would have a life of much 141 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:08,920 suffering. What strange words with these 142 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,680 are piercing sorrow for one highly favoured by God. 143 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:18,240 You see the church, sadly, that is preaching a gospel that's 144 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:23,800 different to the Bible is preaching a lot of self help and 145 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,480 it's only positive stuff to people coming to church. 146 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:29,160 And people say, well, that's what I want. 147 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:30,520 I want to go to a church while I hear stuff. 148 00:10:30,560 --> 00:10:33,560 Good times all the time. But when you actually go out the 149 00:10:33,560 --> 00:10:36,840 door and live the moment you hop in the car, it's not a good 150 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:39,600 time, is it? It's not a good time on the road 151 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:43,440 when your kid goes off to school, it's not well, they came 152 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:46,880 and had a wondrous day today. Everyone was just so nice to me, 153 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:50,840 or the teacher was so pleasant to me, or I did this so well. 154 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:55,800 When you go to work and you're treated roughly or poorly or 155 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:59,840 abused in some manner and you've done nothing, it's a different 156 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:02,360 world out there. And the gospel that you and I 157 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:04,520 need is the true gospel of the Bible. 158 00:11:04,680 --> 00:11:07,800 And it's the gospel that tells us we live in a fallen world. 159 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:11,600 We're going to face problems. But the gospel of Christ is what 160 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,560 you need. It enables you to overcome what 161 00:11:14,560 --> 00:11:23,240 the world throws against you. How unreal it seemed at the time 162 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:27,000 for Mary as she heard those words, holding her infant son 163 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:29,480 Jesus in her arms. Just eight days old. 164 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:33,760 Sword to Pierce me because Jesus rejection. 165 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:37,120 And there's a story behind this as I read it again that I hadn't 166 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:39,720 seen as clearly as this Mother's Day. 167 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:44,720 Jesus rejection would also be Mary's rejection because 168 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:48,840 remember, Mary was the woman pregnant before her marriage. 169 00:11:52,640 --> 00:12:00,360 Jesus was always referred to as illegitimate, and not until and 170 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:05,160 only when the resurrection of Christ occurred would Mary's 171 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:12,480 story be ratified. All that time Mary would have a 172 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:16,920 sword continually piercing her. As she went to the shop, as she 173 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:21,040 went to the market, as she went to the well to get water. 174 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:24,200 That's her. I heard the story. 175 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:31,000 What a joke. Jesus resurrection was Mary's 176 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:37,200 only vindication, yet those words from that old man had come 177 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:40,040 to pass. Now, 33 years later, here at 178 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:43,920 Calvary, at the foot of the cross, as a mother watches on. 179 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:50,320 Think about it ladies, a mother watches on as her son dies 180 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:57,240 before her eyes. Let's read John chapter 1925. 181 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:00,880 Onward. Now there stood by the cross of 182 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:04,720 Jesus his mother and his mother's sister Mary, the wife 183 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:09,400 of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his 184 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:14,880 mother and the disciples whom he loved, that's John standing by. 185 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:18,920 He said to his mother, Mary, woman, behold your son. 186 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:24,160 Then he said to the disciple John, behold your mother. 187 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:29,080 And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. 188 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:31,920 So we get the understanding of what was being said there. 189 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,160 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now 190 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:41,960 accomplished, after this, after these final words with Jesus, 191 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:46,000 with John and with Mark, with his mum, that the scripture 192 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:49,680 might be fulfilled. He said I thirst now a vessel 193 00:13:49,680 --> 00:13:51,920 full of sour wine was sitting there. 194 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:57,120 They filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on his sip, put it 195 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,560 to his mouth. So when Jesus had received the 196 00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:05,360 sour wine, he said with his last breath, it is finished bowing 197 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:09,520 his head, He gave up his spirit. Now the gospel tells us, he 198 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,040 says, into your hands, Father, I commend my spirit. 199 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:14,760 And he died. He gave his life. 200 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:18,520 His life wasn't taken from him. Don't get that wrong. 201 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:24,120 Jesus could have lived forever. He gave his life to die. 202 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:29,080 First point, I'm going to give you 4 points this morning. 203 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,560 They're points for mums, but also points for each and every 204 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:34,280 one of us. A mother's torments. 205 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:39,640 The point is this. God knows our struggles. 206 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:45,040 God knows a mother's struggles. 2025 Mother's Day. 207 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:53,520 God knows your struggles. Man, woman, child, we each and 208 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:58,440 all at different times face torments, don't we? 209 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:03,560 Even the youngest in church, young ones in Sunday school, 210 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:08,040 junior church, it can be a school bully in the early years. 211 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:11,720 I remember in years one and two, there's one kid just on me, 212 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:19,920 crazy kid, foul kid, just on me and on me and on me, tormenting. 213 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:24,320 What are we to do when we're facing such torments in our 214 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:30,480 lives? But a mother's torments are 215 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,400 usually in the secret hours of the night. 216 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:41,240 A mother's tears are not heard by anyone else in the house as 217 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:45,640 the others sleep. We read in Proverbs 31 as 218 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:52,480 prayers are spoken by her, whispered so not to wake amidst 219 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,880 eyes puffy and soaked, cheeks wet. 220 00:15:55,880 --> 00:16:05,000 And she prays for her husband, a son, a daughter, grandchildren. 221 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:09,800 And she parades each and every one of them before the throne of 222 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,840 God, bringing them, Oh God, I bring him my husband, Oh God, I 223 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:19,440 bring him my son now. And she takes them into the very 224 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:24,200 intimacy of the throne of God. A mother's heart struggling with 225 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:29,040 the love she has, those closest to her because she's being 226 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:32,080 stabbed in the heart by the sorrows that they're facing. 227 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:37,400 A mother often wondering if her heart will burst. 228 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:42,560 I don't know if I can do this. For the burden she feels and 229 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:45,840 carries is often simply too big to bear. 230 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:56,640 But she is a mother and God has created her to do this wonder, 231 00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:59,280 this role. Only she can do it. 232 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:06,000 God has given her a heart that can carry extremes of pain. 233 00:17:06,079 --> 00:17:11,000 How is that? Well, even when they become a 234 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:12,800 mother. In the process of being a 235 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:20,440 mother, pain comes. Labour pains, birth pains. 236 00:17:21,079 --> 00:17:26,760 This is all motherhood, the threshold, the beachhead of the 237 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:30,080 beginning ministry of a mother. It's going to be 1 of pain and 238 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:34,200 sorrow. Years of perseverance follow. 239 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:41,760 And yet mothers still have the sensitivity to fill a massive 240 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:44,440 reservoir with their tears. They don't harden up. 241 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,000 How many days have you cried for me? 242 00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:51,320 How many tears have you dried for me? 243 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:55,760 How many days have you worried long? 244 00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:59,600 How many years have you filled with song? 245 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:05,520 Nobody knows but you, Mother. How many times have I hurt your 246 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:09,200 heart? How many times have we had the 247 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:12,720 part? How many prayers have you said 248 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:16,960 for me? How many miles have you walked 249 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:20,240 for me? Nobody knows but you, Mother. 250 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:26,440 But another knows. There's one other who knows. 251 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:29,880 Psalm 56. Eight says these. 252 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:33,480 You keep track of all my sorrows. 253 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:37,720 You have collected all my tears in your bottle. 254 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:40,800 You have recorded each one in your book. 255 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:46,200 God knows every time a mother has wept, every time you as a 256 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:50,040 believer has wept, God has noted. 257 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:54,440 God has captured and kept. Isn't it amazing? 258 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:59,320 I wonder if we go to heaven, when we go to heaven, we'll be 259 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,960 given there'll be something in that mansion that we have maybe 260 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:06,320 placed on our bed bottles. What are these? 261 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:13,080 Well, it says these are your tears. 262 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,400 And what is this book? Because the Bible tells us when 263 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:20,880 we get to heaven, the books are opened, not just the book of 264 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:23,680 life. Could it be that when we go into 265 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:28,520 our room prepared by Christ for us, that there is a library and 266 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:32,600 we pull out this library and we go, There it is. 267 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:38,560 I remember when I wrote it down, I recorded it. 268 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:46,640 A sword shall peers through your own soul as a mother. 269 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:52,360 Jesus torments were her torments. 270 00:19:54,120 --> 00:19:56,000 Isn't that the same? When you go to hospital and you 271 00:19:56,000 --> 00:20:00,080 see one of your kids in bed sick or at home sick, what is the 272 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:01,720 first thing you want to do as a parent? 273 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:07,880 Swap, isn't it? If only I could swap. 274 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:11,840 And only I could take your place now. 275 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:23,120 Mary sat there and looked as she looked up at her son. 276 00:20:23,120 --> 00:20:27,840 She too was on the rack, stretched until bursting whilst 277 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:33,360 he was on the cross. Her heart bled with his wounds. 278 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:37,720 When your son or your daughter or someone close to you feels 279 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,920 the wound and you feel it too. When someone tells you, oh this 280 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:46,640 is happening, you go, Oh no, you, you feel it. 281 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:54,560 His repurchase fell to on her as they would on all mothers, 282 00:20:54,560 --> 00:21:01,480 because Jesus was His Son. Yet Mary did not wring her 283 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:05,080 hands. She didn't tear her clothes and 284 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,000 say this is not right, this is unfair. 285 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:12,280 She didn't make an outcry. She stood at the foot of the 286 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:14,480 cross. She remained at the cross. 287 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:20,840 She didn't run. She was composed, her friends 288 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:23,440 with her. She was a mother. 289 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:28,160 She would stay. She would continue to be his 290 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:34,280 mother no matter what. How was Mary able to do this? 291 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:37,320 What kept her? Who kept her? 292 00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:43,520 She is all mothers I believe can be was being strengthened surely 293 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:46,600 by a divine power. You and I don't realise this, 294 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:49,840 but we wouldn't make it through a day without God's help. 295 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:56,040 We would fold like a deck of cards, you and I, when we don't 296 00:21:56,040 --> 00:22:02,000 give God the decency of saying hello God, I want to speak to 297 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,200 you, God my day. Thank you Lord, when we do that, 298 00:22:05,360 --> 00:22:11,600 we are so rude and I'll mannered to he who loves us because he 299 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:16,760 keeps you in the palm of his hands throughout the whole day. 300 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:21,680 Your hearts, your heart beats, your lungs move, you breathe, 301 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:24,920 your blood keeps pumping. He's doing all of that. 302 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:35,400 Surely Mary had a full expectation of Jesus 303 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:38,920 resurrection than the rest had. Why would I say that? 304 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,640 How could I say that? Can I back that up biblically? 305 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:48,800 Yes I can, because you remember Mary was told, we read it out. 306 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:54,800 The words of Gabriel said this. He will reign forever. 307 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:04,120 His Kingdom shall have no end. She had been told this. 308 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:09,080 We often don't know what we can bear, do we? 309 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:14,080 Till we have been tried and then we find something else. 310 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:18,160 That Paul realised. He prayed 3 times for something 311 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:23,080 and God said no. Lord, can you remove this thorn? 312 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:26,160 It's hurt, it's painful, it's difficult. 313 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:30,840 No, no, no. And then God said this, here's 314 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:33,240 my here's the answer. Paul, stop praying. 315 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:36,080 You're going to keep it. I've allowed this. 316 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:45,560 My grace is sufficient. You see, only when we go through 317 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:54,320 times of trial do we understand and then do we learn because you 318 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:57,080 don't know about grace. We think we do, but we don't. 319 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:03,120 We learn that God's grace is sufficient when even though the 320 00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:08,200 doctor says it's not good, even though we're in the intensive 321 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:10,920 care waiting room and it's it's not good. 322 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:16,120 We learn there and then at that time, God's grace is still 323 00:24:16,120 --> 00:24:23,560 sufficient, does not give up. You see, God's grace is 324 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:26,600 sufficient. Do you understand that in your 325 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:29,400 life now? Do you realise that God's grace 326 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:31,680 is sufficient in your life this morning? 327 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:37,000 His grace is sufficient. How can that be? 328 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:42,920 Because God is enough. In the book of Colossians, Paul 329 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:44,720 has been teaching us and teaching us. 330 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:47,680 God is enough. Jesus Christ is all you need. 331 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:49,280 You don't need the Jehovah Witnesses. 332 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:52,000 You don't need the Mormons and any other cult because they're 333 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:55,280 still scratching and itching and trying to get everything else. 334 00:24:56,280 --> 00:25:01,800 Jesus Christ is enough. God is enough. 335 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:06,240 Followers of Christ and especially mothers who endure 336 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,760 enormous pain and suffering at times for their loved ones. 337 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:14,560 God is your champion in time of your greatest need. 338 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:19,000 How can I say that David wrote these words? 339 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:22,960 Yeah. Though I walk through the valley 340 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:27,360 of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. 341 00:25:29,360 --> 00:25:31,320 Why? Because you were with me. 342 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:39,120 Your rod and your staff tell me you're in control, that you're 343 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,400 over all of this. They comfort me. 344 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:47,080 Paul wrote to the church in Corinth and said, Blessed be 345 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:50,800 God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of 346 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:54,160 mercies, and the God of all comfort. 347 00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:02,640 Psalm 146, nine says the Lord preserves the strangers, He 348 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:04,720 relieves the fatherless and widow. 349 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:10,200 So we've seen a mother's torment and now .2 we see a mother's 350 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:13,920 pain, you and I, not just mums. We all suffer pain, don't we? 351 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:16,400 We get pain in our lives, our lives. 352 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:21,880 A pain is a disease, a condition actually, where people don't 353 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:24,920 feel pain and it's difficult for them to live because they can 354 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:28,160 break a bone, they can be stabbed by something. 355 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:29,880 That's part of the problem with leprosy. 356 00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:32,120 And they, they don't know they're wounded. 357 00:26:32,120 --> 00:26:33,840 They don't know they've got a broken arm. 358 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:38,920 Like they don't feel pain. Pain is a source and a help from 359 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:42,000 God. In the book of Genesis chapter 360 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:46,720 4, you know the story, Cain is speaking to the Lord of the Lord 361 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:51,400 is speaking to Cain, and God says to Cain, Cain, why are you 362 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:56,640 angry? Why has your countenance fallen? 363 00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:58,200 I can see you're just angry, man. 364 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:01,560 What's up with you? If you do well, will you not be 365 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:03,480 accepted? Because he was upset about his 366 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:08,560 sacrifice, remember, not being accepted, and Abel's been 367 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:12,200 accepted. God says if you do not, well, 368 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:16,800 sin lies at the door and it's desirous for you, but you shall 369 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:20,240 rule over it. Now Cain talked with Abel, his 370 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:22,680 brother, and it came to pass when they're in the field that 371 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,680 Cain rose up against Abel. His brother killed him. 372 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:30,480 First murder. Then the Lord said to Cain, 373 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:35,520 where's Abel, your brother? Cain said, I don't know. 374 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:37,800 Am I my brother's keeper? He's a liar. 375 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:42,640 See, it's just it's starting to unfold sin, its roots are 376 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:47,480 happening, bursting. And God said, what have you 377 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:50,240 done? The voice of your brother's 378 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,240 blood cries out to me from the ground. 379 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:59,240 Now we know that story, but I want to bring up Cain's mum Eve. 380 00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:04,560 Abel's mum Eve. The pain and suffering that Eve 381 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:09,000 would have undergone with her son Cain murdering her other son 382 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:11,160 Abel. It's called fratricide. 383 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:18,160 How that must have ravaged her heart and drained her tears dry. 384 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:22,320 Man, Can you imagine how she would have felt? 385 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:29,800 Talk about guilt. Oh, look what I've done. 386 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:32,120 Look how I. And now look what's happened 387 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:43,680 from paradise to fratricide to having a son who you love. 388 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:46,920 Kill your other son who you love. 389 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:52,800 Yet we find Eve later having another son after a period and 390 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:58,080 naming him Seth when Adam was 130 years of age. 391 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,760 And Seth means appointed 1 it says. 392 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:04,400 And Adam slept with his wife again, and she gave birth to 393 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:08,400 another son, She named him Seth. For she said, God has granted me 394 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:13,320 another son in place of Abel, the one Cain killed. 395 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:21,200 And men, it says after that again began again to call upon 396 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:24,520 the name of the Lord. What happened there? 397 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:29,120 Could it be that Adam and Eve taught, nurtured Seth in the 398 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:32,280 things of the Lord? Could it be especially that Eve, 399 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:35,800 those suffering the pain as of a mother in a way that would have 400 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:39,960 been like a a sword piercing through her own soul, had found 401 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:42,080 that the grace of God was sufficient? 402 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:45,280 Let's have another son. If she could have gone, I'm not 403 00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:47,560 ever having another child. This is too hard. 404 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:55,520 She could have done that, but God's grace, God's grace moved 405 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:59,400 and let's have another son. I'll call him Seth. 406 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:02,080 See how? See how God's grace is working. 407 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:07,080 It kept her. God's grace was sufficient. 408 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:09,800 It held her up to have another child. 409 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:13,520 Seth. God's grace is sufficient is the 410 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:19,000 Greek word archaeo, which means it possesses an unfailing 411 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:21,320 strength. God's grace will never fail you. 412 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:26,320 I believe all godly mothers have the ear of the Lord intimately. 413 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:29,960 Oh, more than others. Keith, is that what you're 414 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:35,200 saying? No, but I am saying they as 415 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:38,360 mothers are in the ear of the Lord more than others. 416 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:42,680 Get me? They're the keepers of the 417 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:45,360 night. They're the prayer watchers of 418 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:49,680 the family. This is why so often it is women 419 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:52,800 who dominate the attendance at prayer meetings. 420 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:54,280 Why is that? You haven't noticed that? 421 00:30:54,600 --> 00:31:00,600 Why is that? Because they know pray, they 422 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:05,160 know it works, and they know that this is the most important 423 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:12,720 thing they can do as a mother. Proverbs 3115. 424 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:16,000 She also rises while it is still yet night. 425 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:19,840 Verse 27. She watches over the ways of a 426 00:31:19,840 --> 00:31:23,520 household, does not eat the bread of idleness. 427 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:28,480 Mothers are the whisperers of the evening, whilst all others 428 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:32,640 in the house sleep oblivious to her prayers, which are more like 429 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:37,200 silent weepings and soulful moanings as she intercedes as a 430 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:42,360 mother for her family over and over, hidden by her smile, her 431 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:48,560 busyness, her cleaning, her washing, her cooking, while all 432 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:55,480 others are free to vent their frustrations, their hurts, their 433 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:59,560 pains. But a mother, No, she must still 434 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:03,520 be a mother, even though the sword is often driven into a 435 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:06,560 heart. There's no closing the door and 436 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:09,320 abandoning the ship, no shutting up shop. 437 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:13,280 She's a mother, a mother's torment, a mother's pain. 438 00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:17,080 Who cares for those special Saints of the night Who carries 439 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:20,000 such hidden loads, who pray and pray? 440 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:23,160 Yet nobody is aware of a hurts but one is. 441 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:26,200 And that is thirdly, Third Point. 442 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:29,440 God cares for mothers. And I want to tell you all this 443 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:35,080 morning that God cares for you. In John 1926, when Jesus 444 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:40,320 therefore saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing 445 00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:43,280 by, he said to his mother, woman, behold your son mum. 446 00:32:44,040 --> 00:32:52,160 Now John take John like a son, look after him and 21 Jesus was 447 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:55,360 watching all the people come to the temple and they're giving. 448 00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:58,040 And many were just oh, look how much I'm giving. 449 00:32:58,040 --> 00:32:59,520 Woo Hoo. I believe this Big Bang. 450 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:02,920 I'm I'm giving my offering now. And he looked. 451 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:05,800 It's funny that Jesus tells a story that he watched his people 452 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:09,760 gave. That means God watches us when 453 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:13,080 we give. And he looked up and saw the 454 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:14,960 rich putting their gifts into the treasure. 455 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:17,840 And he saw also a poor widow putting in two mites. 456 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:23,520 And he said, truly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in 457 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:27,640 more than all, for all these out of their abundance have put in 458 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:30,960 offerings for God. But she out of her poverty put 459 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:33,080 in on all the livelihood she had. 460 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:37,680 I believe that the poor old widow, widow that Jesus saw had 461 00:33:37,720 --> 00:33:42,720 all her needs met, that a table always had food and a home 462 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:48,080 always God's protection. We can think of Sarah, but 463 00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:51,120 Hannah as well. One of the widow in the city of 464 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:54,880 nine whose only son was died and Jesus came to the funeral, 465 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:58,840 raised him in the coffin. One of the Canaanite mother who 466 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:00,720 pleaded for her daughter to Jesus. 467 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:03,240 But just some bread, some crumbs off the table. 468 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:07,840 Jesus, just help my daughter in all those stories of those 469 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:12,040 ladies, all mothers were ministered to personally by God. 470 00:34:13,400 --> 00:34:16,440 Jesus with his mother Mary. He had supported her for a 471 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:20,920 number of years because Joseph had died before Jesus began his 472 00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:25,080 public ministry. Jesus was the eldest and 473 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:28,000 therefore he had been responsible for helping raise 474 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:32,159 his half brothers and sisters. Her relation to him had been her 475 00:34:32,159 --> 00:34:35,040 maintenance. Now he was dying. 476 00:34:35,199 --> 00:34:37,760 What would become of her? And she finished. 477 00:34:39,199 --> 00:34:42,520 God will meet a mother's practical needs always. 478 00:34:43,080 --> 00:34:47,239 So Jesus arranges for her to be provided for practically. 479 00:34:47,400 --> 00:34:50,560 Because you see, love always is an action. 480 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:54,040 It's not a warm feeling. Love is always an action. 481 00:34:54,480 --> 00:34:58,960 Jesus says to John in verse 27. John, look after my mother Mary 482 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:01,440 now as if she was your own mother. 483 00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:07,280 It's a divine arrangement. Sometimes when God removes 1 484 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:09,000 comfort from us, you know what he does? 485 00:35:09,160 --> 00:35:13,240 He raises up another. Perhaps we've not looked for it. 486 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:18,240 Sometimes the one whom he wants us to care for is right 487 00:35:18,240 --> 00:35:21,080 alongside us. Maybe in church even today, 488 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:24,640 right under our nose. I remember preaching at a youth 489 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:28,200 camp and I was preaching on the Holy Spirit and praying for the 490 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:31,160 kids to be filled with the Holy Spirit there and then at the 491 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:33,160 camp. And as I was praying, I said, 492 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:35,920 let's pray and ask God just to fill you with the Holy Spirit. 493 00:35:36,160 --> 00:35:39,000 And I felt a tugging on my jumper and there was one of 494 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:42,080 their children tugging and said I could you pray for me. 495 00:35:42,080 --> 00:35:47,760 And I had overlooked that one. Sometimes the very one that God 496 00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:50,360 says I want you to care for is right next to you. 497 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:56,000 Do your nose perhaps we've not looked for it. 498 00:35:57,600 --> 00:36:01,520 That shy young person, that struggling young mum you see in 499 00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:06,200 church, that one who has never known the love of a mother when 500 00:36:06,200 --> 00:36:09,080 we're focused on the Lord and he says look who's next to you. 501 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:12,480 I remember writing out and the first time I did this and the 502 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:15,040 notice of intended marriage. It's the form you've got to 503 00:36:15,040 --> 00:36:19,160 complete to get married. And I said to the to the bride, 504 00:36:19,160 --> 00:36:22,600 I said now your mum's name you got to put unknown. 505 00:36:22,600 --> 00:36:26,960 I have no idea. So I got I had to write unknown. 506 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:35,160 Think about that. When Elijah was sent by God to 507 00:36:35,160 --> 00:36:39,440 the widow and Zarephath, you remember the story One king 17, 508 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:41,640 she was collecting wood with her son. 509 00:36:41,880 --> 00:36:44,240 They're going to make enough wood for a fire for the last 510 00:36:44,240 --> 00:36:45,600 meal. Then they're going to lay down 511 00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:46,960 and die. They were starving to death. 512 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:51,920 Elijah turns up and he says to do not fear, Go and do what I've 513 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:55,440 said. Go and make me a small cake from 514 00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:59,840 the last bit of food that you have, and then after make some 515 00:36:59,840 --> 00:37:04,760 for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord God of 516 00:37:04,760 --> 00:37:08,080 Israel, the bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the 517 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:11,520 jar of oil run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the 518 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:18,960 earth. You see, sometimes we think, 519 00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:24,920 man, that's a bit bit harsh to what Elijah said. 520 00:37:26,240 --> 00:37:29,840 Cook for me first. But she went and did it and God 521 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:34,320 honoured what she did. Jesus didn't stop there, but 522 00:37:34,680 --> 00:37:37,600 with Mary did he for in the next verse. 523 00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:41,000 But for those of us who have mothers, something else is 524 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:45,200 divinely spoken of. Point for the last point, God 525 00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:49,840 promises to provide for the comfort of mothers and to bring 526 00:37:49,840 --> 00:37:54,600 comfort to us all when we're in need of His comfort. 527 00:37:56,240 --> 00:38:03,200 Verse 27 John 19 John John, look after Mary now as if she was 528 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:06,920 your own mother. It is by no coincidence that the 529 00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:10,880 first commandment with a promise is this Honour your father and 530 00:38:10,880 --> 00:38:13,720 mother. It's the first commandment with 531 00:38:13,720 --> 00:38:17,440 a promise that it may be well with you and you may live long 532 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:25,400 on the earth. So often we sin and worry, don't 533 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:27,360 we? We worry or we don't have enough 534 00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:32,840 or how are we going to get by and we forget the words of God. 535 00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:37,040 You know, worry is a sin. It is I worry and I sin and I 536 00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:40,720 have to ask God to repent of that because worry is saying 537 00:38:40,720 --> 00:38:42,040 this. God, I don't think you're going 538 00:38:42,040 --> 00:38:50,560 to get me through it says in verse 25 here of Matthew 6. 539 00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:54,200 Therefore I say the unto you, do not worry about your life, what 540 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:56,440 you'll eat, what you'll drink, nor about your body. 541 00:38:56,440 --> 00:39:00,280 What you'll put on is not life more than food and the body more 542 00:39:00,280 --> 00:39:02,840 than clothing. He says, so why do you worry 543 00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:07,640 about clothing? Therefore Jesus said, do not 544 00:39:07,640 --> 00:39:09,360 worry, saying, what shall we eat? 545 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:14,040 What shall we drink? God looks after the birds of the 546 00:39:14,040 --> 00:39:16,640 air, the flowers, For your heavenly Father knows that you 547 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:20,000 need all these things. Seek first the Kingdom of God. 548 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:23,880 Was John's mother dead? Salome? 549 00:39:23,880 --> 00:39:26,760 We don't know. Maybe there is a mother needing 550 00:39:26,760 --> 00:39:30,600 someone's care in our church who has no family. 551 00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:37,720 Mary live, we know, with John at Jerusalem for 11 years and then 552 00:39:37,720 --> 00:39:40,480 she died, it's believed, around the age of 60. 553 00:39:40,720 --> 00:39:43,280 And when you go to Ephesus, they believe they can show you where 554 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:47,520 Mary lived and where she died. Or maybe you're saying, Keith, 555 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:50,640 Surely God wouldn't know or care about me. 556 00:39:50,640 --> 00:39:54,000 I mean, he's busy, isn't he? He's got far more important 557 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:59,400 things than to bother with me. God has a heart for mothers and 558 00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:03,040 he takes the time always. Are you too busy for your kids? 559 00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:05,400 Ever done that? Say kids, another time, another 560 00:40:05,400 --> 00:40:06,880 time. Be careful. 561 00:40:08,160 --> 00:40:12,840 Be careful when your son or your daughter or someone comes to you 562 00:40:12,840 --> 00:40:15,200 and it's about the things of the Lord and you go, I'm too busy. 563 00:40:16,680 --> 00:40:20,240 You'll note that Jesus at this time is dying on the cross, 564 00:40:20,240 --> 00:40:22,720 right? He's dying for the sins of the 565 00:40:22,720 --> 00:40:25,440 world. He's done nothing wrong, He's 566 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:29,440 hurt no one, He's in absolute agony, He's in incredible pain, 567 00:40:29,680 --> 00:40:32,760 and he's busy saving the world. Literally. 568 00:40:32,760 --> 00:40:37,560 Isn't that what he's doing yet as he's dying on the cross, 569 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:42,240 saving the world, the lamb, the sacrifice that's been promised 570 00:40:42,240 --> 00:40:44,880 before the foundation of the world world was laid. 571 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:49,120 Yet in the middle of this, he takes time in the middle of this 572 00:40:49,280 --> 00:40:52,160 to care for his mother and for John. 573 00:40:53,120 --> 00:40:56,840 Think about that. You could have said mom. 574 00:40:57,160 --> 00:41:06,440 John got a fair bit on it, man, even before his own discomfort. 575 00:41:06,960 --> 00:41:10,040 As John tells us in the following verses, he cries out 576 00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:14,680 the thirst only after verse 28. Now all these things 577 00:41:14,680 --> 00:41:18,840 accomplished only after he's got mum sorted and he's got John 578 00:41:18,840 --> 00:41:22,120 sorted. So let's wrap this up. 579 00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:30,800 God knows a mother's torment. God knows a mother's pain. 580 00:41:32,280 --> 00:41:39,120 God hears a mother's prayers. God comforts a mother's heart. 581 00:41:39,920 --> 00:41:45,720 God meets a mother's needs. He's never too busy to heed 582 00:41:45,720 --> 00:41:50,400 their cries, and he will never, never, never leave you alone. 583 00:41:51,680 --> 00:41:55,640 Mothers, don't give up praying for those for whom you love. 584 00:41:56,040 --> 00:42:00,240 It is those prayers that reflect more than anything, the very 585 00:42:00,240 --> 00:42:02,240 heart of God. Because God doesn't give up on 586 00:42:02,240 --> 00:42:07,800 you. What is a grandmother? 587 00:42:08,120 --> 00:42:12,600 As we close 1/3 Grader wrote this little poem. 588 00:42:13,680 --> 00:42:15,640 It's not a poem, actually. It's a little story. 589 00:42:16,640 --> 00:42:19,920 He says A grandmother is a lady who has no children of her own. 590 00:42:21,920 --> 00:42:24,360 She likes other people's little girls and boys. 591 00:42:25,480 --> 00:42:27,680 A grandfather is a man grandmother. 592 00:42:29,040 --> 00:42:32,520 He goes for walks with boys and they talk about fishing and 593 00:42:32,520 --> 00:42:35,840 stuff like that. Grandmothers don't have to do 594 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:39,400 anything except be there. They're old, so they shouldn't 595 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:44,080 play hard or run. Or if they take us for walks, 596 00:42:44,080 --> 00:42:47,120 they should slow down past things like pretty leaves, 597 00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:51,040 caterpillars, and they should never say hurry up. 598 00:42:52,520 --> 00:42:57,160 Usually grandmothers are a bit big, but not too big to tie your 599 00:42:57,160 --> 00:43:00,800 shoes. They wear glasses and funny 600 00:43:00,800 --> 00:43:04,920 underwear. They can take their teeth and 601 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:09,400 gums out too. Grandmothers don't have to be 602 00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:14,200 smart, only answer questions like why isn't God married and 603 00:43:14,200 --> 00:43:19,120 how come dogs chase cats? Grandmothers don't talk baby 604 00:43:19,120 --> 00:43:23,920 talk like visitors too because it is hard to understand. 605 00:43:24,360 --> 00:43:28,600 When they read to us, they don't skip or mind if it is the same 606 00:43:28,600 --> 00:43:33,520 story over again and again. Everybody should try to have a 607 00:43:33,520 --> 00:43:39,600 grandmother, especially if you don't have television because 608 00:43:39,600 --> 00:43:42,280 they are the only Grown Ups who have time. 609 00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:50,040 On this Mother's Day as we close, maybe all bring a 610 00:43:50,040 --> 00:43:52,480 blessing to those who have the ministry of a mother. 611 00:43:53,080 --> 00:44:00,720 It's difficult, but God knows. God knows your struggles, He 612 00:44:00,720 --> 00:44:07,520 knows you suffer pain. God cares for you, and God will 613 00:44:07,520 --> 00:44:10,000 provide the comfort that you need in your hour of need.