Mother’s happiness and father’s happiness
Series: Like you and me | Bible text: Matthew 12:48–50
Jesus said: «For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, sister and mother».»(Matthew 12:48–50). In addition to an appreciation for mothers, the sermon deals with how we ourselves can become mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters to one another. The sermon is peppered with experiences and a lot of motivation to live spiritual family togetherness as a congregation!
Mother’s Day! I especially welcome you mothers and hope that you have the most comfortable seats today! It is said that some men in Christian congregations stay at home on Mother’s Day because the sermon is not meant for them anyway. At present, however, we have a completely different situation. all at home! So I also welcome the men present; as well as any young people, although they may not be thinking about getting married for a long time; and certainly not about becoming mothers or fathers. It’s just good that you’re all here! And I promise you, you will all be in the sermon!
Before we turn to the Bible together, I would like to say something to those who are now sitting in the box seats: You active mothers, who still have children around your ears at home, you are doing such an important job, you simply have to be admired today and hopefully also spoiled a little! You deserve a big round of applause! Like the author Irmela Hofmann, you too can say: «I work in the most important workshop of the nuclear age, where the future is shaped and the present gains its salary: I am a housewife and mother of three children!
Jesus and his family
When Jesus once again had a large crowd around him, someone urged him: «You, your mother and your brothers are standing outside!«Jesus turned to him and said: « «Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?» Then he pointed with his hand to his disciples and continued: «Behold, these are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, sister and mother».» (Matthew 12:48–50 NGÜ).
Interesting! Whoever puts his life into God’s hands and consciously lives with Jesus grows into a new kinship, into a new family! Jesus did everything for this spiritual family. Even on the cross, immediately before his death, he was still forging family ties: «When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple whom he loved, he said to her, «Woman, this is now your son». And to the disciple he said: «This is now your mother». From then on, the disciple took her to his house.»(John 19:26–27 NL). That makes sense to us! The «carpenter’s wife» did not receive an old-age pension at that time and was dependent on someone to take care of her. John took on the responsibility of caring for Mary, the mother of Jesus.
The community family
This example shows very well how being a mother and father, brother and sister takes on a completely different dimension! And that is why it is good that everyone is here in the service: mothers, fathers, singles, young women and men, children, grandmothers and grandfathers, widows and widowers!
We have once again arrived at our annual theme: «I will bless you and you shall be a blessing!«This promise targets two areas of your life:
- For one thing, it applies to everything and everywhere in your ordinary everyday life!
- And secondly, it has great significance for the Christian community; where we are spiritual brothers and sisters, spiritual mothers and fathers to one another.
This spiritual kinship is much stronger and much more lasting than your physical family ties, because it has an eternal character!
How are you doing in the church family? Maybe you are in a situation right now where you feel alone with your faith. You really need a spiritual mother, a spiritual father or a spiritual sister or brother! I can only say to you: Don’t suppress this need! Don’t say: «We can do without! Make your desire your project, your prayer! If God reminds you of someone you could talk to, get in touch!
Another question that everyone between the ages of 8 and 88 needs to ask is: Is there someone in the community who seems to be alone and has little connection?
Look around you with loving eyes. Listen to others with loving ears! Take the first step towards others!
I would like to relate two experiences:
- The first is a teenager who wanted to stand out with everything and be extraordinary: Hairstyle, piercing, clothes, mannerisms and expressions. In short: a teenager who causes trouble everywhere and earns more dislike than affection. Already in Kigo times, this boy gets a prayer godmother who had received a big heart from God for this boy and became a brilliant spiritual mother for him. Again and again she approached him and wanted to know how he was doing and how she should pray for him. This close connection remained throughout all the difficult years. Now married, the young man and his wife keep coming to church.
- The second teenager was a different type, but no less rebellious. Even before graduation, he made a statement to his pious parents: «After graduation, I won’t come to church any more, at most I’ll go to ICF from time to time! But now spiritual mothers from the children’s service had the courage and the confidence to ask this rebellious teenager to join the Kigo. And he said yes! Friends from the church took him to the Praise Camp in St.Gallen. There his life was turned upside down and the rebellious teenager became a valuable spiritual counterpart for the children in the church. And the little «buttons» loved him. Later he invested himself in the teenage group. And today, as a newly married man, he and his wife are responsible for a group of young adults.
Spiritual fathers and mothers are born in adolescence and often remain so for life. Children like to lean on role models who are between 13 and 17 years old! Teenagers to young adults. They love older counterparts they can look up to. Young people in their development are so grateful for all those who take an interest in them and who consciously turn towards them! I know you children’s and youth leaders are aware of the good you do when you involve young people in co-responsibility at an early age!
Biblical example
A beautiful biblical example is Timothy! First we must note that Timothy had two brilliant role models in the faith, namely his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (2Timothy 1:5). The apostle Paul became his spiritual father and drew him into cooperation at an early age! Paul writes to the Corinthians about him: «[…] I have sent Timothy to you, whom I love as if he were my own son, and who is a trusted co-worker with me in my service to the Lord.» (1Corinthians 4:17 NGÜ). What is interesting about a Mother’s Day is that Paul also sees himself as a mother to other Christians, e.g. when he writes to the Galatians: «My children, it is as if I had to give birth to you a second time. I suffer birth pangs once more until Christ takes shape in your lives» (Galatians 4:19 NGÜ). As if he had any idea what a birth is and what birth pangs are! But: Paul himself had a spiritual mother! At the end of Romans he greets a Rufus and adds: «[…] and also greets his mother, who has also become a mother to me»(Romans 16:13).
For me personally, a spiritual mother is a woman who is already over 90 years old and has been supporting me and my family in prayer for decades. So precious!!! Do you have a spiritual mother who supports you and prays for you? Do you have a fatherly friend who understands you and is close to you? I ask this of all generations!
It is interesting how Paul is also maternal in his task as an apostle: «We would have had the right to make full use of our authority as apostles of Christ; instead, we have dealt with you gently, like a mother who lovingly cares for her children.»(1Tessalonians 2:7 NGÜ). Perhaps Paul is not to be trusted with this!
a) Paul learned this from God!
God promised his people through the prophet Isaiah: «I will comfort you as a mother comforts her child.» (Isaiah 66:13 LU; see also Isa. 49:15–16).
b) Or learnt from David. This mighty king and war hero can say to his God in Psalm 131: «I have come to rest, my heart is content and quiet. Like a little child in its mother’s arms, so calm and secure am I with you!»(Psalm 131:2 Hfa).
In summary, I can say that all the examples mentioned have grown on the fertile soil of agape love. God has poured this love into the hearts of his children. He did not put them on a drip! Poured it out! This is part of the blessing of which God says: «I will bless you and you shall be a blessing!«Newly married, Rosmarie and I moved to Pratteln in the 70s. While looking for a church, we came across a very small evangelical church. The first service we wanted to attend was an evening service: even before the service, a woman approached us, saying we were lost! «Are you looking for the young church?» – «No we want to go to the service here!«We stayed and made friends with the people. As the youngest, we could be a valuable counterpart to parents who were in the middle of problems with their teenagers!
God’s love and blessing make it possible for us to live this very different dimension of a spiritual family. And so we are suddenly spiritual fathers and mothers, spiritual brothers and sisters who are interested in others, who approach others, want to get to know them, pray for them, share in their suffering, walk a little way with them… – and that also across generations! Concepts such as mother’s happiness and father’s happiness take on a completely different meaning in the congregation. A family-like, Christian congregation becomes a foretaste of heaven when its members are family with each other!
