Great Women and Mothers in Scripture

Today I would like to discuss a group of people who never receive the attention or the appreciation that they deserve. I boldly proclaim that if it was not for these people, Israel would have never grown to become a great nation. If it were not for these people, the Church of God would have never survived or thrived throughout the ages. The people that I'm talking about today are the women and the mothers in the Bible. There are over 50 remarkable women mentioned in the Scriptures who left us a legacy of faith and character and commitment. Like all human beings, some had sterling character and were just remarkable in the character that they had. Others had obvious flaws. I only have time today to mention just a few, but I hope you will understand that I'm only touching the surface of the great qualities today of many fine women who made it possible for us to be here today. The way God looks at the role of womanhood is opposite of what we find in our world. I mean, say something to you very frankly, because I don't know any other way to say it, but for thousands and thousands of years, men have done primarily two things. Men my age have rallied all the 20 and 30 year olds together to go out to war for them so they could all mutilate each other so that one kingdom could control another kingdom. That's human history. I think I've told you before my wife says, because I like to watch the History Channel, she says, all they ever have in there is war. I say, well, that's right, because that's human history. All human history has been for thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of years is one group of men mutilating another group of men.

That's what human history is all about. And in the moments when men weren't mutilating other men, unfortunately, most of our cultures have subjected women and treated them as inferiors. Now, we've come a long way in the Western world, and I have to remind you that in many areas of the world today, marriages are still pointed. Young girls as old as 12, 13 years old are told who they're going to marry, usually a total stranger, somebody 15, 20, 30 years older than they are. In many areas of the world, women are looked upon as a possession, like my dog, my camel, my tent. Their identity is so unimportant, they wear a garb, and the only thing you see are their eyes, because they are insignificant. Their identity is unimportant, because they're just a possession, like something that you own.

And unfortunately, the history of mankind has been a history of holding women back and subjecting women to feeling as if somehow they were inferior or unimportant in our societies and in our cultures. And that is not biblical. Let's first go to Leviticus 19, verse 1. Leviticus 19, verse 1. Before we look at some incredible examples of some magnificent women and mothers in the Scriptures today, I think it's good for us to review Leviticus 19, verse 1, a command from God Himself that I think reveals a lot about what God thinks about women.

It says, again, Leviticus 19, verse 1, that the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. Now the next statement He makes is obviously tied into this context of holiness.

Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep my Sabbath's I am the Lord your God. So isn't it interesting when He talks about the context of holiness as important as observing his Sabbath's is respecting, holding in admiration and deep appreciation your mother and your father. And this is interesting in another way, because even in the Hebrew language, as most languages on earth, normally it's the father mentioned before the mother in almost every culture, because the father is considered dominant.

But here, even in the original Hebrew, in this scripture, the mother is mentioned first in human honor and admiration before the father. Again, I want you to notice how the subject of holiness is associated with the deep respect for our mothers and fathers. But the contribution that mothers and wives have made to the people of God is significant. And unfortunately, because of our culture, it's often been downplayed. And it often hasn't been appreciated or drawn enough attention to, because again, as I said before, and I wasn't kidding, if it weren't for women and mothers, Israel would have never become a great nation.

Israel would have forever remained an insignificant group of people who had a small petty kingdom and died out and was never heard from again. As we'll see when we look into the New Testament, if it weren't for the women in scriptures, the women of the New Testament, including those who financially supported Jesus Christ while 12 men without jobs roamed the countryside for three and a half years, the Church of God would not exist today if it wasn't for their contribution to God's people. Let's begin by looking at the first interesting individual in Exodus chapter 15 and verse 18.

Exodus chapter 15 and verse 18 will begin with the sister of Aaron and Moses known as Maryam. Again, I could give sermon after sermon after sermon looking into the lives of these particular individuals. I just chose a few to highlight the point today. I encourage you in your own Bible study, and I'm sure the women in Women's Club will be looking at this in a lot more detail. Tomorrow is Mother's Day. Obviously, that is what sparked the thought in my mind. Unfortunately, my late mother died a couple of years ago, so I can honor my wife as a mother.

But I no longer have a mother in this world. She's dead, waiting the resurrection. But that's obviously been on my mind and part of the reason that I wanted to give this sermon today. Exodus chapter 15 and verse 18. It says, Now we may not often realize it, but she was a prophetess, which was an office of distinction and high responsibility among ancient Israel and the nation of Israel. The prophets held her in the same level of esteem as Moses and Aaron.

If you'll turn to Micah chapter 6 and verse 3, if you'll turn there, we'll see that the prophet Micah held her in the same level of respect and admiration as Moses himself and Aaron. She played a key role in the rescue of the baby Moses when he was put in a basket. And that basket was adrift in the Nile and discovered by Pharaoh's daughter. It was Maryam who was there to see where the basket arrived. It was Maryam who made the suggestion that, Shall I find someone for you to hire, to feed this child, so that the child lives, so that the child can grow up?

And yes, she certainly, like all of us, she had her weaknesses and her problems. Later she was given leprosy because of insubordination, but she was healed because of Moses' intercession. Let's go to Micah chapter 6 beginning in verse 3. Notice what Michael says. He says, All my people, what have I done to you, and how have I wearied you, testify against me?

For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Maryam. So she is held in the same level of respect and distinction as Moses himself and as his brother. But you know, within a few generations, parts of Israel, at the times of the Judges, became in bondage to various Canaanite kings.

It was a repeating cycle throughout the book of Judges, as you study it, that occurred over and over again. Israel would sin. Then they were conquered and they were controlled by pagan enemies. Then they cried out to God. God would feel sorry for them. He would exercise mercy upon them, even though usually they didn't deserve it. He would give them mercy.

He would provide a judge or a deliverer for them so that they could be delivered from bondage. Then once they would get a taste of freedom, they would sin all over again, and that cycle would repeat itself constantly. Let's go to Judges 4 and verse 1 and see a time that existed in which God had a unique judge. It was a judge who happened to be a woman, a rather strong and remarkable woman, someone who obviously was stronger than most of the men that surrounded her. Her name was Deborah. Judges 4, beginning in verse 1, it says, And Ehud was dead. He was the left-handed judge. He was a Benjamite who had died.

The children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. Here's this repeating cycle I was talking about. So the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Cicero, who dwelt in Heroseth, Hagoim. And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, for Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron.

And for twenty years, he harshly oppressed the children of Israel. So once again we see this cycle occurring. Verse 4, now Deborah, a prophetess, again that office of high distinction, someone whom God personally revealed things to. She was the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. And she would sit under the tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. So here was someone who was so wise and respected, they weren't going to some guy to receive judgment. They were going to her, a female, a woman, to receive judgment on what God said was going to happen and what was going on. Verse 6, then she sent and called for Brac, the son of Abinowam, from Kaddish in Napdoli, and said to him, something that he already knew, but he hadn't moved on it. She says, Has not the Lord of Israel commanded go and deploy troops at Mount Taboor? Take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Napdoli and the sons of Zebulun, and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon, and I will deliver him into your hand? Haven't you already been told this? And Brac said to her, If you go with me, then I will go. But if you will not go with me, I will not go. You see, God just saying it apparently wasn't enough. God's saying, I promise to be with you, and if you do this, I'll bless you and you'll have the victory. It isn't enough. But she was so influential. Her respect was so high among the people who went to her to judge them, where he said, Well, I'll tell you what, if you go with me, I have the confidence that we'll win this battle. He says, If you don't go with me, I will not go. Verse 9, So she said, I surely will go with you, nevertheless, there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. She basically says, If you're not man enough, then just listen to the command of the Lord. Then we're going to win the battle. But God's going to give the victory to a woman. And Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kadesh. So here we see a woman occupying the position of a judge over at least these two tribes that are mentioned. She's a secular leader. In today's term, she would also be called the commander-in-chief because she instructs Barak to raise an army and fight against Sisera. Because she's a prophetess and has direct influence with God, her commander doesn't want to do it unless she is present, unless she is there. He's hesitant, even though he knows of God's command. So where he is hesitant and weak, Deborah is strong and decisive. Let's now go to chapter 4, verse 15.

Barak chases the chariots in a different direction. So here is Sisera looking for an escape route, looking for a way to save his life. Because they didn't take many prisoners back in those days, especially if you were a commander. Usually if you were captured, it was a real easy command. Off with your head. It was usually very simple. Verse 17, however, Sisera had fled away and put to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jab and King of Hazor in the house of Heber the Kenite. And Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me, do not fear. And when he had turned aside with her into the tent, she covered him with a blanket. And then he said to her, Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty. So she opened a jug of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him. And he said to her, Stand at the door of the tent, and if any man comes and inquires of you and says, Is there any man here? You shall say, No.

Verse 21, Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent peg and took a hammer in her hand and went softly to him, tiptoed softly to him after he fell into a deep, sound sleep. I mean, a real deep sleep. She drove a tent peg into his temple, and it went down into the ground, for he was fast asleep and weary, certainly was now.

So he died. Verse 22, And then, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him and said to him, Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek. And when he went into her tent, there lay Sisera, dead with the peg in his temple. So on that day God subdued Jabin, king of Canaan, in the presence of the children of Israel. Now Jael, obviously, was a woman with tremendous courage.

I mean, this man was the commander of an army. This took a lot of courage. What if you swing that hammer and you miss the top of the tent peg? Your reception isn't going to be very warm or friendly, is it? She was a person who obviously had a loyalty to God, and she was a woman of incredible physical strength. Her name means mountain goat. Now, I've never tried... I mean, in my backyard, I have these little, like, pup tents, and I can't even drive a little piece of wire into the ground to hold the string of the pup tent. I want you to picture this woman so strong that she takes a tent peg and is able to put it through two sides of a human skull and literally drive it into the ground.

Now, I'm not claiming she did that with one blow, but I don't care how many blows it takes. That takes a lot of physical strength to be able to do that, but that is exactly what she did.

We saw here that Judges 4 describes two talented and dynamic women in yet these few verses that we read. Yet, in spite of Deborah's leadership, you know, she didn't give herself titles. Unlike men, she wasn't into president, CEO, chief mucky muck. She wasn't into artificial titles and things that men get so excited about. She wasn't into glorified accolades.

Chapter 5 and verse 6. I want you to notice how she describes herself. There is no greater title in the eyes of God than what she describes herself. In the days of Shamgard, the son of Anaph, in the days of JL, the highways were deserted, and the travelers walked along the byways. Village life ceased. It ceased in Israel. They were under occupation. The Canaanites controlled their civilization. Until I, Deborah, arose a mother in Israel. You see, that was her title. Not CEO, not president, not some self-appointed thing that she gave herself.

A mother in Israel. Translation God's word for today says, villages in Israel were deserted, deserted until I, Deborah, took a stand, took a stand as a mother of Israel. A remarkable example of people with leadership, ability, and strength, and who filled the void when Israel had a need. Now let's go take a look at another example. If you'll turn with me to 2 Kings 22. I want you to notice an example from the time of King Josiah of Judah.

2 Kings 22. Again, this is an example from King Josiah of Judah. He sent a priest to go to the temple to an audit of its finances because it needed remodeled after many years of becoming rundown. And a priest discovered the book of the law. And we'll pick it up here in chapter 22, verse 10. It says, then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest has given me a book. And Shaphan read it to the king. Now it happened when the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Haikam the son of Shaphan, Akbor the son of Mechaniah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asiah the servant of the king, saying, verse 13, Go inquire of the Lord for me for the people and all of Judah concerning the words of this book that has been found.

For great is the wrath of the Lord that is aroused against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book to do according to all that was written concerning us. So this group of men, this group of priests, those who served in the temple, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Sholem the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe.

She dwelled in Jerusalem in the second quarter and they spoke with her. Then she said to them, Thus says the Lord God of Israel, tell the man who sent you to me, thus says the Lord. Behold, I will bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants. All the words of the book which the king of Judah has read, because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands.

Therefore my wrath shall be aroused against this place and shall not be clenched. But as for the king of Judah, who sent you here to inquire of the Lord, in this manner you shall speak to him, thus says the Lord God of Israel, concerning the words which you have heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the Lord, when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, you tore your clothes and wept before me.

I also have heard you, says the Lord, surely therefore I will gather you to your fathers and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place, so they brought back word to the king. So in this remarkable story, I want you to notice that when it comes time to inquire what the will of God is, where do all the male priests go?

They go to a female prophetess. All of these who are supposed to be great men of God, they're priests! They serve in the temple of God! And yet, they go to a female prophetess when it comes time to learn what the word of God is. Brethren, sometimes men can become so wrapped up in titles and rituals and formality that they lose genuine contact with God. Yet, God spoke to the simple and faithful Hulda, who had a relationship with him and everyone knew, including these priests, that if they really wanted to know what God had to say in this matter, that she was the person that they should go to.

Brethren, there are dozens of other examples I could mention from the Old Testament, including Sarah and Ruth and Naomi and Abigail and Esther, Hannah, Zipporah, Rachel, Rebecca, the unnamed Proverbs, 31 virtuous women. But for the sake of time, I have to begin moving on to the New Testament. But there are many, many other examples of leadership, of women of tremendous courage and strength, those who had deep, abiding relationships with God that we could yet study in the Old Testament.

Turn with me, if you would, to the book of Luke, and we'll begin there looking at the Mother of Jesus Christ Himself. Luke, chapter 1, beginning in verse 26. We're going to begin here in the New Testament and see a few remarkable examples of godly women and mothers. In this first one, through a series of miracles, Elizabeth was pregnant with a son, who would later become known as John the Baptist, and she was about six months pregnant, and at this time the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary of Nazareth.

And we'll pick it up here in Luke, chapter 1, verse 26. Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to the city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women. But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying and considered what manner this greeting was.

All right, she says to herself, what's the catch? You're a perfect stranger. You walk in here. You tell me I'm highly favored. I'm blessed among women. Are you selling the vegimatic or what's this all about? She obviously has a little anxiety. She's concerned about why this individual is so nice to her. Then the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus, Savior. He will be great, and will be called Son of the highest.

And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom there will be no end. Then Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I do not know a man? She obviously was a virgin. She wasn't married yet. Verse 35, And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the highest will overshadow you.

That's what God's Spirit is. It's the power of the highest, the power that comes from God. Therefore also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age. And this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.

And brethren, indeed with God, nothing is impossible. God is working in our lives in ways that we don't even yet understand or comprehend. He's always five to six steps ahead of where we're at in any given moment, all orchestrating events and opportunities to get us to the place that he wants us to be, to prepare us to be able to serve his family forever and ever. Mary here was a very special and righteous woman to be given terms like highly favored. That isn't a term that you find often in the Bible referred to anyone. Highly favored. Blessed among women, another compliment. Favored with God is another phrase that the angel Gabriel uses.

She would be the mother of Jesus Christ and she would be his primary caregiver, especially as a teen when it appears that Joseph was out of the picture, perhaps, because of his death. But his mother would be the first one to teach Jesus the fundamental things of God at home.

What are the things that mothers do? Well, they nurture. They're normally the first one to teach us the words that we learn, the first one to begin to teach us moral concepts of right and wrong and not being selfish. Mothers normally are the ones who take the majority of the nurturing and development role in a home, and this would have been no different in the home of Jesus Christ. Let's now go to John 2, beginning in verse 1. John 2, beginning in verse 1. I always find this story of the first miracle of Jesus Christ rather interesting. Some people think that Jesus was rebuking his mother, and I've never felt that way at all. I think that they had the kind of relationship where they oftentimes would tease and say things to one another in a very loving but candid way.

Let's go to John 2, verse 1, the very first miracle that Jesus performed. It says, on the third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and a mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding. When they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to him, so here's Mom talking to him, They have no wine.

Hint, hint, end of sentence. Do you get my drift, son? They have no wine. I wonder how they're going to get wine. I wonder how wine could show up at this wedding. And Jesus said to her, Woman, what does your concern have to do with me? My hour is not yet come. So Jesus implies, this is not the time or the place, Mom, for me to do a miracle, for me to do something like create more wine.

This just is not the place to do it. Verse 5, I always get a kick out of that. And his mother said to the servants, Whatever he says you do, just do it. In other words, a way of Mom knowing he's going to do it. Because I'm his Mom. So Jesus puts up a slight protest, What concern do I have over this wine? My hour is not yet come. And his Mom says, Whatever he tells you to do, go ahead and do it.

Everything will be fine. Verse 6, Now there were set there six water pots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews containing twenty or thirty gallons of peace. Jesus said to them, Fill the water pots with water, and they filled them up to the brim.

And he said to them, Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast. And they took it. And when the master of the feast had tasted the water, that it was made wine, he did not know where it came from. But the servants who had drawn the water knew the master of the feast called the bridegroom.

So the wine is such high quality that the master can't believe it. Wow! This stuff is really good! This is top-notch, high-quality wine. He says, I've got to talk to the bridegroom. I can't believe this. So he calls the bridegroom. 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.

So they said at the traditional wedding, normally the good stuff is set out first. Then after people have had a little too much wine, they'll drink about anything and think it tastes good. Now you could put grape-flavored Kool-Aid in a glass. Oh, yeah, that stuff's really good! He says, So that's normally the way it works.

He says, But you have kept the good wine until now. He says, What a remarkable thing! So here's the very first miracle of Jesus Christ. Mary acknowledges and recognizes that Jesus has the ability to perform miracles. She knows there's something very special about her son, Jesus Christ. Notice that Jesus appears to resist his mom's request, but then he goes ahead and does it anyway.

Because his mom asked him to do it. It was very important to Christ. He loved his mother. He understood it was important to her, and if it was important to her, it was important to him. She perceives that her son is a unique gift from God. And even if she doesn't publicly acknowledge him as the literal son of God, and there were risks involved in doing that publicly because she was his mother, even though she may not publicly acknowledge that he is the literal son of God, she obviously is supporting him in the way that she can. Let's now go to John, all the way to chapter 19 and verse 25. John, go back to chapter 19 and verse 25.

It says, Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, his mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Cleopas and Mary Magdalene. And when Jesus therefore saw his mother and his disciple whom he loved standing by, he said to his mother, Woman, behold your son. Then he said to the disciple, Behold your mother. And from that hour that disciple, which is John, took her into his own home.

Now first we have to realize what an incredible act of love this is. And I think this helps explain why when his mother sat at the wedding at Cana and asked him to do something that even though he originally resisted, he did it because of the great love that he had for a mother. I want you to think about this. He is in incredible pain. He has been crucified. He is dying. He is bleeding to death. He is hanging on a stake every cell in his body, throbbing, just in incredible pain. He has the weight of the sins of mankind on his soul.

And with all of that on his mind, what does he do? He looks down and he says, from this point on, Mom, this is your son, John. This is your mom. In other words, in spite of all else that he has on his mind, he thought of his mom's welfare. He wanted to make sure that she was taken care of. That's how much he loved this remarkable woman.

And she became a part, a very active part, of the early church. Let's go to Acts 1 and verse 10 and see where she played an active role in the early church of God. Now, we know through doctrine, we don't believe in Catholic tradition. We know that she was not a perpetual virgin. The Scriptures very clearly say that Jesus had half brothers and that he had half sisters.

We know that after Jesus was born, that her and Joseph had natural, normal, human, sexual relations together. We understand all that. We don't have a Catholic view that somehow she was perpetual virgin or the mother of God, so to speak. It's some part of the Godhead. But we also appreciate and understand, indeed, what a remarkable woman she was. Acts 1 and verse 10, it says, And while they looked steadfastly towards heaven as he went up, Jesus is ascending to heaven after being with them for a number of days past his resurrection.

It says, And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying. Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James, the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. So we see in the book of Acts that his mother was actively participating in the New Testament church.

However, you know, Mary wasn't the only woman present to support Jesus during his ministry or when he was in need of comfort. Let's go to Luke chapter 8. We're going to go back, obviously, during his ministry before he's crucified to take a look at a scripture here that tells us a lot about the faithfulness of women in the church of God. Luke chapter 8, beginning in verse 1. Luke chapter 8 and verse 1.

Now it came to pass afterward that he went through every city and village preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him. And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna, the son of Shouza, Herod Stewart, and Susanna, and many others who provided for him from their substance. I'm going to read that to you from the translation God's word for today, beginning in verse 3. Joanna, whose husband Shouza was Herod's administrator, Susanna, and many other women, they provided financial support for Jesus and his disciples. Now why was that important? Well, it's important because whatever work you're doing costs money. Whatever you're doing costs certain things in order to be able to provide for your needs. Until Jesus began his ministry, he worked from age 13, the time when any good Jewish boy was taught a trade, until 30, as a carpenter. He had a trade, and those experiences that he learned by being a carpenter trained him and helped him to prepare for the ministry. The other disciples, most of whom were fishermen, but some were tax collectors, some had other trades. They all had trades. They all had skills before Jesus called them into the ministry, and those skills prepared them to be better ministers, prepared them to serve in the ministry of Jesus Christ. But once Jesus began their ministry, their full-time occupation began to bring glad tidings of the kingdom of God. They needed financial support. You had 12 men going around the countryside, ministering, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and they needed financial support. Do you think Jesus accepted anyone's tithes? The answer to that is no. He wasn't a Levite. If he would have accepted tithes, he would have broken the law and could not be our Savior. So the way that his ministry was funded and financed, where individuals like these faithful women provided financial support so that Jesus and the 12 men who were with him could conduct the ministry that they did. So you see, they put their money where their mouth was. They gave financial support to help Jesus and the men so that they could do the job that they needed to do. What a remarkable example of faith and commitment to the ministry of Jesus Christ and to the church of God were provided by these very women. Let's go now to Matthew 27, verse 50. Matthew 27, verse 50. Now again, we're going back to the crucifixion, which we touched upon a little bit earlier. But again, I want to highlight who are there when in his time of need, who's there to encourage Christ, to pray for him, to gaze upon him and ask God to be merciful, to utter a few words of strength or encouragement during a very difficult time that he was going through. Matthew 27, beginning in verse 50.

Now it's important to appreciate the contrast here. A few hours earlier, Jesus had to wash his disciples' feet to teach them humility. This occurred after an argument that they had about who was the greatest. So in the Passover, he had to wash their feet to teach them a lesson of humility.

Yet we see in contrast to this in verse 55, the women are described in verse 55 as those who ministered or served him. Not who stood around arguing all day about how great they were or who was next in line if Jesus is knocked off. They were more interested in serving him than worrying about their roles, worrying about their positions. So again, we see another example of faithful, dedicated people to support the ministry of Jesus Christ, to be there at his time of need and to support him.

Let's go to Acts 16, verse 11. I'd like to take a look at an example of a faithful convert as a result of Paul's ministry that is mentioned in Scripture. Acts 16, verse 11. Luke actually writing about the adventures of Paul. Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Nipolis and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days.

And on the Sabbath day, we went out of the city to the riverside where prayer was customarily made. And we sat down and spoke to the women who were there. Now a certain woman named Ledea heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.

So she persuaded us. So by these scriptures, it appears that Ledea appears to be a single woman. She was an entrepreneur who sold purple dyed garments in the city. And that probably was the fashion thing of the day. You get tired of wearing white in beige all the time, and she found some way to make garments purple. You know, they would stand out. They were beautiful. So she was selling these in the city, and the impression is she did quite well. She's so influential that she inspires her entire household to be baptized. It's implied that she was a woman of wealth who owned her own home, and encouraged the disciples to stay at her home while they were in Philippi.

Just another remarkable example of a woman serving the Church of God with faith and dedication. Now let's go to Romans chapter 15 and verse 30, and take a look at a deaconess. Romans chapter 15 and verse 30. Romans chapter 15 and verse 30. Paul writing to the congregation in Rome, Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, that I may come to you with joy by the will of God and may be refreshed together with you.

Verse 33. Now the God of peace be with you. Amen. I commend to you, Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant, and that word is often translated deaconess. We see what the word deaconess means, servant. Who is a servant of the Church at Centria, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and a sister in whatever business she has need of you.

For indeed, she has been a helper of many and of myself also. Greet Priscilla, another female leader within the Church of God. Her and her husband Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers, and Paul had met them earlier in his ministry. They shared the same profession together, so he created a quick bond with Priscilla and her husband Aquila. My fellow workers in Christ Jesus, verse 4, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. It is generally believed that Phoebe was introduced by Paul in the letter to the Romans, because she literally brought this letter to the Roman congregation.

Paul wrote it, he gave it to Phoebe, and she literally hand-delivered it to the congregation and said, this is a letter from Paul. That was the reason that he introduces who and what she is, and how helpful she was, and what a dynamic servant she was in the Church of God.

I'd like to give a final example of two faithful women who can teach all of us the importance of nurturing our children in the faith and the work of God. If you go with me to 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 2, this is the final example that I'm going to focus on today. 2 Timothy chapter 1, beginning in verse 2.

Again, regarding people who were converts of Paul, and what he had to say about their example, their influence, their leadership, their nurturing. 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 2. Paul says to Timothy, a beloved son, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

I thank God whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers day and night. He was praying for Timothy. We don't know the exact issue, but Timothy was kind of in a rut. His ministry had hit a wall. He was discouraged. He was going through some things that Paul knew about that doesn't go into tremendous detail here, but Timothy was struggling. Paul writes this letter to encourage him. He says, So, brethren, here we see the value that mothers and grandparents have in nurturing the next generation of believers.

Most likely, Timothy's father was a Gentile and a non-believer. So all the religious education, as is often falls in our society today, falls upon mom. We have a lot of single mothers in the Church of God due to various circumstances. And oftentimes, even the fathers in the Church leave most of the religious training to the moms. That also occurs in the Church of God today as well.

But Timothy was able to be used by God because of the love and the faithful dedication of his mom and his grandmother who taught him the ways of God. And brethren, even if our children don't initially show an interest in the faith, even if they grow up to be adults and they don't show an interest in the faith, I want to encourage you to realize that it's still there. God has a plan. And when the time is right, when God says that the time is right, he's going to bring that back into their heads. He's going to give them a yearning and a longing to want to know the ways of God again.

You just have to have faith that God has a plan and that God is absolutely going to work it out. And they're going to end up where they need to be. That is blessed by God and part of his family. Our job as moms and dads and grandmothers and grandfathers is to teach, is to love, is to nurture knowing that when the time is right, that it will open up and they will respond and they will understand.

Let's now go to the third chapter of 2 Timothy 3, verse 14. Again, emphasizing the nurturing and love that Timothy would have received as a young boy. Paul continues, he says, but you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, from a little boy, because of the teaching and the example of his mother and his grandmother.

He was able to learn and understand the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. Verse 16, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. So again, brethren, much like I said about the Old Testament, I could continue and give other fabulous examples of godly women in the New Testament, including Dorcas and Martha and Mary, Mary Magdalene and Priscilla and Elizabeth.

And I could go on and on. I could create a number of sermons regarding the remarkable example these individuals were. Many times, week after week after week, we highlight significant men in the Bible. And it has not been my intention today to put men down in any way. But frankly, women have had a very difficult time in the history of human culture. Women have been oppressed. Even in our world today, in many major segments of the earth, women are treated as less than human. And that is not God's way. That is not what God ever intended.

God, throughout history, has oftentimes, against his own will, allowed things to occur that he didn't think were best. As Jesus said, because of the hardness of hearts, he allowed divorce in the time of Moses. God allowed slavery in the Old Testament, even though that isn't what God really wants. He allows human societies and cultures to do the things that they're going to do.

And he oftentimes allows that, even though it may be against his personal will. A lot of things in our world are against his will. That's why Jesus said to pray every day that thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Because it's rarely done on earth as it is in heaven. Our own cultures and our own societies, we do the things that we want to do.

We treat people the way that we want to treat them. And that often is contrary to the way of God. One final scripture, Galatians chapter 3 and verse 26. Because I think it's important for us to understand this scripture. We are all part of the family of God. In God's eyes, we have equal salvation in spite of our physical differences. Yes, we are still physical. And I don't want anyone to read this scripture and take more out of it than Paul intended.

Galatians chapter 3 and verse 26 he says, Again, brethren, I want to emphasize that we all have equal salvation and worth. And I want to emphasize that we all have equal salvation and worth and love in the eyes of God in spite of our physical differences. And they still exist. There are still Jewish people and Gentile people in the world. There are still free people in this world. And there are people in parts of Africa today that literally are slaves. There are still males and females. There are wealthy people. There are poor people. There are light-skinned people. There are dark-skinned people. There are short people. There are tall people. There are slender people. There are portly people. Physically, our differences remain. And this includes different gender roles and responsibilities that we have acquired because of our culture. But in Christ, there are no inferiors due to physical differences or gender. There are no second-class citizens in the kingdom of God. There are no sub-family members in the kingdom of God. We are all in Christ. We all have the same salvation, the same love, the same honor and distinction in the family of God. There are no inferiors due to physical differences. Spiritually, we are equal and we are all full members of God's family. So, tomorrow is Mother's Day. And I think it's an appropriate way to honor our mothers and wives for all that they have contributed to our culture and especially to the church. So, I will be celebrating Mother's Day. And to all the moms and to all the wives throughout the generations of the Church of God, I say thank you.

God bless you for your example of nurturing, of faith, of commitment, and most of all, the spiritual strength that you have given the Church of God. God bless each and every one of you. I hope you have a wonderful Sabbath.