Mother Knows Best

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Mother's Day, Sunday morning the 10th of May, 2020 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Today is Mother's Day.  There is one thing that we all have in common:  we all have a mother.  Our mother may still be alive with us, or she may have gone on to the next life and her eternal rewards.  But every human being ever on the face of this earth was born of a woman.  Even our Lord Jesus.

Now that isn’t to say that the woman who raised us was necessarily the one who gave birth to us.  Sadly, not all women survive childbirth, and not all who do are really cut out to be mothers.  And sometimes it might actually turn out that a Dad is also a Mom.

But I’d like to think we all had someone, some dear person, who “mothered” us when we needed it most.  And didn’t that person, that “Mother” seem especially wise, maybe not then but certainly now, in retrospect?


I mentioned that even Jesus had a mother.  And Mary was indeed wise.  She had been told who her Son truly was and what He would become, and she could see that He needed to step into the role God had set before Him.  God had given her a duty, a responsibility - to raise His Son – and her wisdom showed through in accomplishing that task.

Please listen and follow along to the events at a certain wedding, as recorded by the Apostle John in his Gospel account, from chapter 2 verses 1 through 12, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”

11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.

--John 2:1-12 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for our mothers.  Thank You for those who gave birth to us and for those who raised us.  Thank You for giving them the wisdom to see us through our formative years.  And thank You for making us the home of Your Holy Spirit.  Please give us the understanding to keep His house firmly established.  And please help us remain strong in our faith, no matter what the future holds.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us this day.  Speak to us of how we can best serve You.  And speak to us of love, of Your love given to us through our mothers.  This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Pastor and author John Killinger wrote the following affirmation in his book, Lost in Wonder, Love, and Praise:

I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the loving God, who was born of the promise to a virgin named Mary.

I believe in the love Mary gave her son, that caused her to follow Him in His ministry and stand by His cross as He died.

I believe in the love of all mothers, and its importance in the lives of the children, they bear.  It is stronger than steel, softer than down, and more resilient than a green sapling on the hillside. It closes wounds, melts disappointments, and enables the weakest child to stand tall and straight in the fields of adversity.

I believe that this love, even at its best, is only a shadow of the love of God, a dark reflection of all that we can expect of Him, both in this life and the next.

And I believe that one of the most beautiful sights in the world is a mother who lets this greater love flow through her to her child, blessing the world with the tenderness of her touch and the tears of her joy.

Isn’t that a beautiful testimony to love?  I believe in the love of all mothers and the importance of that love in the lives of their children.  This love is exemplified by Mary, whose love caused her to follow her Son even to the cross.  Love that is stronger than steel, yet softer than downy feathers and more resilient than a green sapling.  A mother’s love can close and heal wounds with a kiss, can melt away disappointment with a smile.

And yet this love, even at its best, is no more than a mere shadow of the love God has for His children.  But He gives us a glimpse, reflected in our mother’s eyes.


In our scripture reading, Jesus and His disciples were invited to a wedding that His mother Mary was also attending.  In those days, wedding were big deals, usually lasting many days, and going through much wine.  But at this wedding, the wine ran out early, which would reflect badly on the host.

Mary took pity on them and mentioned it to Jesus.  And His reply was one I think we can all relate to.  “What’s that got to do with Me?”  Jesus was basically saying, “It’s none of My business.”  And don’t you just love how Mary responded to that comment?  She completely ignored it and instructed the servers to do whatever Jesus tells them.

We can see from the rest of John’s account that this was indeed the right thing to do.  It was the beginning of the signs that Jesus did, the first of His miracles revealing His true glory.  And it was Mary’s wisdom – along with ignoring her Son’s initial refusal – that made it happen.  Because after all, mother knows best.


You know, there are some folk who will take a verse or two from the Apostle Paul’s letters and proclaim that women should have no say in the church, should not even speak up.  Well, our Bible is full of stories of strong female characters serving God and His people.  One of my personal favorites is about the Samaritan woman at the well who helped bring her entire village to Christ.

Women have been playing prominent roles in the church since its very beginning.  Take, for example, Priscilla, who along with her husband Aquila fully explained the Gospel to Apollos.  Hear what the Apostle Luke tells us in his Book of the Acts of the Apostles, from chapter 18, verses 24 through 28…

24 A Jewish man named Apollos came to Ephesus. Apollos had been born in the city of Alexandria. He was a very good speaker and knew a lot about the Scriptures. 25 He also knew much about the Lord’s Way, and he spoke about it with great excitement. What he taught about Jesus was right, but all he knew was John’s message about baptism.

26 Apollos started speaking bravely in the Jewish meeting place. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him to their home and helped him understand God’s Way even better.

27 Apollos decided to travel through Achaia. So the Lord’s followers wrote letters, encouraging the followers there to welcome him. After Apollos arrived in Achaia, he was a great help to everyone who had put their faith in the Lord Jesus because of God’s kindness. 28 He got into fierce arguments with the Jewish people, and in public he used the Scriptures to prove that Jesus is the Messiah.

--Acts 18:24-28 (CEV)

The love Priscilla held for her Lord led her to not only approach Apollos, but to also offer him instruction so he could better understand the full truth of Jesus.  And in turn, he took that gift of knowledge she gave him and used it to help others see the truth, the Light that is Jesus.


And let’s not forget the women – in addition to Mary – who followed Jesus during His ministry on earth.  They helped Jesus in His walk, even selling some of their possessions to provide funds for Him and His disciples.  Hear what Luke shares in the first three verses of chapter 8 of his Gospel account…

1 Soon after this, Jesus was going through towns and villages, telling the good news about God’s kingdom. His twelve apostles were with Him, 2 and so were some women who had been healed of evil spirits and all sorts of diseases. One of the women was Mary Magdalene, who once had seven demons in her. 3 Joanna, Susanna, and many others had also used what they owned to help Jesus and His disciples. Joanna’s husband Chuza was one of Herod’s officials.

--Luke 8:1-3 (CEV)

Did you catch that last part?  One of the women who followed Jesus and who used what she owned to help Him, was married to an official of Herod.  This was Herod Antipas – the same Herod who had John the Baptist beheaded, the same Herod who tried Jesus and handed Him over to the Romans for execution!  The wife of one of his own officials followed Jesus and helped with His ministry!


Let me give just one more example of women in our Bible, of mothers showing their love.  These had followed Jesus and helped Him.  And they were there at what seemed to be the end, as He hung from the cross, breathing His last.  The Apostle Matthew looked out upon the scene and noted this, in the 27th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 55 and 56…

55 Many women had come with Jesus from Galilee to be of help to Him, and they were there, looking on at a distance. 56 Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John were some of these women.

--Matthew 27:55-56 (CEV)

Mary Magdalene was there, who Luke told us had been freed of seven demons by the touch of her Lord Jesus.  And Mary was there, the mother of Jesus and His brothers James and Joseph.

Those women looking on from a distance also included the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, the Sons of Thunder.  When we first met James and John, the beloved disciple, they were with their father Zebedee at his boat, tending the nets. Jesus called them to discipleship and they left everything behind to follow Him.  We are not introduced to their mother, who remains unnamed, until much later on, as we near the end of Jesus’ ministry.

Do you remember?  She asked a request of Jesus.  She wanted her sons to sit at His sides in heaven.  She loved her sons so much that she also followed Jesus.  She loved them so much that she dared ask special privileges for them.  She loved them so much that she stood with them at the cross, when they so needed her.


A mother’s love is special.  And it doesn’t matter if it was the woman who gave birth to us or someone else who smothers us with love, who mothers us.  A mother’s love is God’s gift to us.  And it is a peek at God’s own love, the love that led Him to sacrifice His Son so that our sin could be forgiven.

To all our mothers out there, and up there, thank you.  Thanks be to God, our loving Father.  Blessed be Jesus our Christ, our brother in God!  In the glorious name of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for giving us our mothers.  Through them and their love we get a taste of the love You have for us.  You  gave us this beautiful garden to live in.  You gave us mothers to love and nurture us.  And You gave us Your own Son, to offer redemption of our sin and to show us how we should live so that we can be seen as righteous in Your eyes.  Thank You for making us the home of Your Holy Spirit, to guide us and be our ever present Companion.  Please help us stay strong in our faith no matter what we may face.  Help us place all our trust in You, because You are fully trustworthy.  And help us be better servants for You and Jesus.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, even as God, You knew the love of a mother, who nurtured You and raised You, and who followed You even to the cross.  She loved You.  And if we truly love You, we too will follow You, even unto the cross.  We will obey You and do what You say.  Thank You, Jesus, for loving us so much that You offer us salvation if we would only believe in You and follow Your voice.  Please help us show Your love to the world by the love we share.  Help us love them as a mother loves her child, giving of ourselves for them.  And please see us through the trials of these times, that we may grow ever more righteous in God’s eye.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.