The Life-Giving Calling of Motherhood - Mothers Day
Main idea:
The calling of motherhood carries a unique power of giving physical life and passing on spiritual life to the world. As christians, we must work hard to cultivate clarity about the glory of motherhood and the false ideas that work against it.
Outline:
1. Motherhood is about giving life
2. Motherhood is about giving spiritual life
1. Fight against distraction and excessive busyness
2. Fight against excessive victimization
Scripture passages:
• 1 Timothy 2:11-15
• Genesis 3:20
• Genesis 3:15
• 2 Timothy 1:5
• Isaiah 66:13
• Proverbs 31:25-29
Key ideas:
• Motherhood
• childbirth
• spiritual leadership
• biblical womanhood
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Abortion war is a war against motherhood. It is the clearest indicator of the position of motherhood.
We live in a world that is at war with the dignity of motherhood.
There are a thousand ways that our thinking is shaped by the culture in ways that we are not fully aware.
The distortions of motherhood come from the right and the left - from strict religious contexts and from secular non religious sources.
We are in need of a restoration to our understanding of the glory of motherhood.
Satan hates mothers and motherhood because he hates human life.
We need to see the glory of it and we need to be aware of the dangers that come against our views.
1. Motherhood is about giving and cultivating life.
Motherhood is about giving life
I don't know what it is about me that always gravitates towards the most complicated/confusing Bible passages. But as we have been approaching mothers day the verse that was stuck in my mind is 1 Timothy 2:15.
1 Timothy 2:11-15
"11 A woman is to learn quietly with full submission. 12 I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed. 15 But she will be saved through childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with good sense."
One of the most puzzling and interesting passages in the NT.
What does it mean that she will be saved through childbearing?
We will have to come back to that.
Notice the main idea here though is that the life of the church and the gender distinctions that are present in the Christian life are derived from the creation order.
The differences between men and women are defined by the Creator and we can see those differences reflected in the original design.
God gives the man the unique role of leadership, protection and provision. The man assumes responsibility.
But the woman is given the unique task of cultivation and nurture.
Genesis 3:20
"20 The man named his wife Eve because she was the mother of all the living."
It's interesting to note the dispersal of power in God's good design.
With all his power and authority and responsibility - man has ZERO power to perform one of the essential aspects of life in the created world - to produce new life.
The woman is the one given the opportunity to create new human life in her body.
The man provides genetic information. But the woman is the one who actually creates and grows new life - her body produces eternal beings - brand new humans that will live on into eternity. It is in her body that God produces a creational miracle - a soul and body created where nothing existed previously.
The woman's body is the only aspect of creation in which the work of CREATION continues - new human life is born, life that did not exist.
God continues the miracle of creation thousands of years after creation is begun in the life giving work of mothers.
We live in a world where the glory and wonder of child birth is distorted in a variety of ways.
On the left, we see a total rebellion against childbirth.
Childbirth and pregnancy is seen as an invasion of the woman's freedom, power and potential.
The power of a woman is measured today not in her ability to give life but in her ability to take it.
From a religious traditional side - a woman is woman is often viewed as a handmaiden and a baby making machine.
The weight and wonder of childbirth is polluted when the main concerns of childbirth are number (have as many as possible) and blind obedience (kids are seen as broken and subjected at all costs).
Traditional religious contexts also distort the power and beauty of motherhood in a neglect of viewing kids are image bearers and the high calling of parenting.
One of the ways this is supported is a distorted understanding of 1 Timothy 2:15 - that the woman's role in childbirth is somehow connected to her spiritual state with God.
Example of John Macarthur.
What does Paul mean in this verse?
Most likely, he is referring to the fact that, just as through the woman, death came into the world in sin - so also, through the woman, redeeming life came into the world in Jesus' birth.
This connects also to the promise given in Genesis 3:15
"I will put hostility between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel."
God himself came into the world making himself dependent upon a woman.
The body of Jesus was created inside the womb of a woman.
Theokotos controversey
The body that Jesus has today is a glorified body - however, it is also a body that has its origin inside the womb of a mother.
We can never overlook the huge significance and power of a woman's ability and calling to give life.
this also connects to the fact that not only is the mother the source of physical life, she is also an essential source of the giving of spiritual life.
Paul says that the woman is saved through the salvation that came from her own body.
Jesus, the Savior of the world was born of a woman - was dependent upon a mother.
In the same sense also however, a mother is called to continually be the source of spiritual life for her kids.
2. Motherhood is about giving spiritual life
Modern feminism cringes at the words of Paul in 1 Timothy 2 because it says that women don't have the official role of being preachers and pastors.
The false assumption here is that because a woman does not preach and teach as a pastor - she is therefore completely cut off from the role of teaching God's truth and bring an essential source of spiritual life to the church.
Notice Paul's words in 2 Timothy 1:5
" I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and now, I am convinced, is in you also."
The same Paul who speaks of the limitation of women preaching and teaching in the church is also the Paul who is reminding pastor Timothy about the roots of his faith.
Timothy was a pastor and teacher in the early church, one of the most important men in the Bible. And yet Paul says to Timothy - "all that you are, your strong faith with which you lead, teach and serve - is a faith that was passed down to you through the mothers in your family - your mom and your mom's mom."
Paul names these women by name in Scripture. The great importance of these women is that their faith was taught and passed down through their mothering, and it is the only reason that Timothy was the man he was.
Here again we see the clear and beautiful distrubution of power and significance in God's design.
And mothers today need to realize more than ever their own huge role in passing on spiritual life - teaching their kids who God is and what it means to follow him.
God himself draw a parallel with the power of the love and presence of a mother to his own redeeming love.
Isaiah 66:13
"As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you..."
God draws a parallel between his own love and the love of a mother.
Or we can flip it around also - a mother's love and care is a key way that God shows us himself and his own love for us.
God communicates his character and his grace to us through a variety of ways. And motherhood is one of the essential ways that he has given for the communication of his eternal truth to souls that will live forever.
If we think it's a big deal that a physical life comes through the body of a woman, think about the even greater implication of the fact that motherhood is the work of shaping and crafting that eternal soul.
It is in the home that some of the most important formation happens that influences the rest of the life.
Yes the labor is hard - but we constantly need to see that in her life, in her love, in her instruction - the call of a mother is to pass on the grace and love of God into the souls of her kids.
It is hard because it is powerful and eternally important.
"What the pastors explain with words, women sing with hot food, with welcoming homes, with love and joy that spills out into everything they touch and that draws people irresistibly to the truth that is being embodied. It’s not that men are supposed to be involved in teaching theology and women aren’t—it’s that men are to teach it one way and women are to teach it another."
Merkle, Rebekah. Eve in Exile and the Restoration of Femininity (pp. 173-174). Canon Press. Kindle Edition.
Satan hates the soul crafting work of mothers and he works very hard to derail it.
How does that happen today?
• Distraction and excessive busyness
technology, chores, plans, too much work outside the house
These are all ways that a mother can loose track of her life giving work. She becomes shallow. She becomes distracted. She becomes unable to give and be present in a deep spiritual way to her kids.
The drive to have more and make more has always been present - it is not a new issue.
The issue is not that moms are never allowed to do any kind of work besides cooking, cleaning and taking care of their kids.
Proverbs 31 describes that godly mother engaging in a number of kinds of work and activities outside of the house.
The critical difference is that any work she does outside the house is still limited and focused on the cultivation of the home and the hearts of those in the home.
excessive busyness and distraction are an enemy of the modern mom - they suck her soul dry to make her shallow and weak - unable to be a present source of spiritual life and love.
But social media doesn't just distract - it also brainwashes us. Mothers are no exception. Instagram mom is a whole world on IG - even if a mom NEVER posts a single post.
One of the big messages on mom culture in IG today is an excessive sense of victimization.
• A mentality of victimization
The world seizes on the fact that motherhood is really hard - and makes that the banner and excuse for all sorts of sin and wrongdoing.
Motherhood is hard. And moms are heros no matter what.
There's a whole movement on IG of moms posting pictures of themselves crying, posting their suffering, posting their empty bottles of wine that they apprently have to consume to stay sane.
The message is "poor you because this is hard. poor you and the world owes you. don't ever feel any guilt for anything becuase you are doing your best"
Of course we want to support and praise moms for their hard work.
But this doesn't mean you get a free pass on sin in your heart. What if you aren't doing your best? What if you are neglecting your kids and your callings?
The danger of a victim mentality for moms especially is that it can begin to eat away at her heart in the midst of all her intense daily work. It can begin to poison her heart with anger, discontentment and envy.
It can see her kids are enemies of her freedom.
this are all dangerous and deadly sins that bring spiritual ruin, not just to her life - but to the lives of those she loves.
Proverbs 14:1
"Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands."
Not all moms are life giving to their kids. Some moms bring spiritual destruction into their homes because their own heart is poisoned with lies.
Moms - your job is hard because it is glorious and beautiful and has eternal value. You are not a victim. You are a spiritual warrior within your home. God has given you his strength to do this work.
Notice how the biblical image of motherhood pushes back against weakness and victimhood, how it pushes back against shallow motherhood.
Proverbs 31:25-29
25 Strength and honor are her clothing,
and she can laugh at the time to come.
26 Her mouth speaks wisdom,
and loving instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the activities of her household
and is never idle.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also praises her:
29 “Many women have done noble deeds,
but you surpass them all!”
This applies to us all in important ways.
• Promote deep, strong and healthy femininity and motherhood
As a church community we want to support and promote strong, deep healthy motherhood.
We want to equip mothers to grow spiritually and theologically. Healthy biblical femininity is not femininity that "does not need to learn and study" because your "just going to be a wife".
Paul says the women are to LEARN just like the men.
Satan wants moms to be shallow, foolish and distracted.
What is your view of the spiritual calling and importance of motherhood?
Thank God for moms in your life. Encourage them.
If you are a mother - be aware of the importance of your calling and the specific dangers that are in your life today that seek to derail you from that calling.
For mom's who's kids are grown up - realize that your work of being a source of spiritual life is NOT over. As long as you have breath, you are called to pursue spiritual wisdom and maturity so that you may be a constant source of godly grace to your community.
• Learn to lean on Jesus as our truest source of strength and comfort
Our God came into this world, making himself dependent upon a mother - so that his compassion, his love and his care may extend to all.
No mom can ever be perfect. The only fuel of motherhood is to learn to drink deep of the strength, love and presence of Jesus.
He is the one who lived a perfect life that we can never live. He died the death so that we might be fully accepted to God. He loves us and cares for us like no mother ever could.
Some people have grown up without mothers - or with absent mothers.
Almost every mother will battle with her own weaknesses and failures.
The answer is not to be overcome with guilt or bitterness. It is to learn to lean on Jesus as the one and only source of comfort and strength.