Dear Christian friends:

Today we honor our mother. That is a good idea to have one Sunday of the year to honor and thank our mothers. God Himself in the Fourth Commandment honors mothers and He commands children to do likewise. "Honor your father and your mother." (Ephesians 6:2)

While we honor mother we should understand that we are also honoring God. We do wrong if we honor mother apart from God. This our text helps us to understand. So let us attend to our text and thank God for mother.

Should we thank God for any mother? Even a mother who does not believe in Jesus? Yes, thank God for a mother who feeds you and cares for you and teaches you right and wrong. Thank God for a mother who by her own example leads you to be good.

But chiefly we thank god for a Christian mother, a mother who believes in Jesus Christ, the Savior for sinners. So,


Our text shows us that God makes a Christian mother. James writes in James 1:17, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." The God who made the lights, sun, moon, and stars, that God makes a mother too.

God makes all mothers, the same as He makes all people. God established marriage and the family. His idea, His command. Because of sin many people do not honor God as their Maker, also many mothers do not honor God as Maker and Savior.

But today we thank God if we have or have had a Christian mother. God makes and gives a Christian mother to you. As God makes all Christians believe in Him, so He leads mothers also to believe in Him. James writes in our text:

"Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." (James 1:18) In other words, it was a happy day for Him when He gave us our new lives, through the truth of His Word, and we became His new family.

The truth of His Word means God's Word in the Bible. The Ten Commandments show us our sins and that we are sinners. Ourselves as we are born from our father and mother we can't do good and can't please God. We do not have love and respect for God and people.

His Word also tells us that Jesus Christ is the only good Man. And He became our Savior. He obeyed the Ten Commandments for us, and then He paid for our sins when He suffered and died upon the cross and then arose on Easter morning.

We have received baptism and are born again by water and by His Holy Spirit. All Christians, also Christian mothers are born again by God's great and merciful power. Jesus told Nicodemus, "“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) Only God's Holy Spirit which comes through the truth of His Word can make a Christian mother. A Christian mother is God's gift to children.

So, if you are a Christian mother, don't feel proud. With a humble heart, thank and praise His great love and mercy today because He made you become a Christian mother. And if you have had or if you still have a Christian mother when you honor her today, also praise and thank God!

If you are not a Christian mother, listen today to the truth of God's Word. Confess your sins and accept Jesus Christ for your Savior. He will make you become a Christian mother. If you are not a Christian mother, you may be a good mother in some ways, but you will never go to heaven and you will not help to lead your children to heaven. You and your children will be lost at last.

Thank God for Christian mothers! He with mercy makes them and gives them to us. He also helps them to be kind and good to their family.

He helps mother listen much to her children to find out what they are thinking and what is troubling them. He helps mother not to scold and nag all the time. And He helps her to be patient and not become angry quickly.

"Dear brothers, don't ever forget that it is best to listen much, speak little, and not become angry! Because anger doesn't make us good, as God demands that we must be. So get rid of all that is wrong in your life, both inside and outside, and humbly be glad for the wonderful message we have received, for it is able to save our souls as it takes control over our lives." (James 1:19-21)

Mothers who blow-up, lose self-control quickly are not good mothers. An angry mother doesn't do what is right as God demands. But a Christian mother learns to be patient with her children as God's Word takes control over her mind and heart. She forgives as God forgives her. She daily reads and thinks about God's Word, she remembers that she has faults and sins, too.

She thinks, "Surprise and wonderful that God loves me and is very patient with me and forgives my many sins!" After she thinks about that she receives God's Holy Spirit and becomes more strong and patient and can forgive her children's sins.

She controls her anger and displeasure and bears much and patiently corrects her children and helps them to improve. She goes to church with her husband and children and by that God makes her stronger, comforts her and supports her so that she can be a kind and wise mother.

When she fails and becomes weary God comes to her through a kind and understanding husband or through a Christian friend or through the pastor and gives support and comfort and encouragement. Mother cannot continue as a kind, wise mother without God's love and support.

Also husbands and children, you can help mother very much by doing your share of the household chores. Don't just (only) honor mother today, and then go back to your lazy, thoughtless ways tomorrow.

So mother, hurry to God for help in your important duties and responsibilities. He has plenty help for you. If you are a good, kind mother, thank God for that today!

And you husbands, if you have a Christian wife thank God for her today and tell her, too! You children, do the same! As we honor mother today, let us not forget to thank God for her!

Amen.