God is the Ultimate Parent

I Greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. I want to thank you for visiting this site. The following sermon was preached for Mothers Day, 2008 by the author of "Women Are Spiritual Bridges." I pray that something is written that will help you in your spiritual growth!

Scripture Referencess: Luke 11:27-28; Colossians 1:16

Opening Statement: I never thought much about being a woman or a wife or even a mother, for that matter. Not until I began to encounter the story of women in the Bible through sermons and studying the Word of God. When I attended Hood Seminary, I became fascinated with studying the feminist movement (also known as the Women's Movement or Women's Liberation). I learned that the movement was a series of campaigns on issues such as reproductive rights (including abortion), domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, sexual harassment, and sexual violence, and gender free language, just to name a few. The movement had a profound effect on religion and paved the way for women clergy. The goals of the movement vary from country to country, e.g. opposition to female genital cutting in Sudan or to the glass ceiling in Western countries. Until then, even though I grew up in this 20th century – a century where we women supposedly came into our own, I struggled to learn who I was, why I was born, and what role I was to play by being born a woman here on earth.

But through the Word of God, I learned that the liberation of woman really began long before the twentieth Century. It really began with Christianity when a very young girl – a girl by today’s standards would have been considered too young to bear such an awesome responsibility – was chosen to bear in her body, and to raise the Savior of all mankind. We know her as Mary, the mother of Jesus.

And because Jesus was both human and divine, the Bible tells us that He grew in wisdom and stature. I believe that this means He had to be told of His true identity, at some point. At some point, He had to choose, by faith, to believe that He was, indeed, the Son of God. Mary had the awesome understanding that even though she bore this child in her body, that she and Joseph were really His caretakers on earth – but that Ultimately, God was His Father.

I believe this babe, who was born in a manger, came through a bloody birth canal; and that He received nourishment, by suckling from the breasts of this young human girl. Many times, Mary held His tiny, fragile hands, and smiled down into the very eyes of this helpless, trusting, eternal child.

I believe that Jesus had to go through many childhood experiences, that all humans go through. He had to be potty trained, taught how to dress Himself, etc. His little hands had to be tapped; and he had to be told, “That’s a no-no,” when he reached for something that he should not touch.

I also believe that as Jesus grew, He heard the whispers of the people in the streets. Those, who originally wanted to stone His mother to death when they found out she was unwed and pregnant. [It’s funny how gossip and rumors can die down for a while, but they have a habit of coming back up when you least expect them.]

Much like today, the people wanted to tell Jesus that he was a bastard child. They wanted Him to believe that His mother was a whore who got pregnant by some other man other than her husband. They wanted Jesus to be confused about who He really was. Surely, He must have come running in to His mother one day crying, “Mother is it true?” “Am I a bastard?” “Mother, what’s a bastard?”

Mary had to have an awesome faith. She could not have known the challenges she would have to go through as a mother when she said “Be it unto me,” when the Angel Gabriel told her she was about to give birth, through the power of the Holy Spirit. At some point, she had the awesome task of telling her son, “Listen Jesus, you’re not like other children.”

Surely, as a little boy, Jesus must have run around in the dusty streets of Nazareth; playing and fighting with his half- brothers and sisters. The Bible tells us that James came to believe in his elder brother, but only after His death and resurrection.

After His death, Jesus' brother James became one of the great elders of the church in Jerusalem; he presided at the Jerusalem Council; and was among those awaiting the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. You can read his thoughts about His big brother in the Book of James at Chapter 1, verse 1.

As children go, Mary had to deal with jealousies and hurtful words. She had to separate the boys, and make them learn how to play together. She had to work hard, for she was poor, to provide for her children. We know that she became a widow, and therefore, a single parent.

And when her son grew up, He accorded her with such glory, that down through the ages, she was revered, protected and loved. Women wanted to think of her as different from themselves – better, made of finer, more delicate, clay.

But Jesus dealt with women of all backgrounds in a gentle, kind and loving manner. His very gaze, into their eyes – connected, in the same gentle, compassionate, and loving manner, that he had learned from gazing into the eyes of His own mother. It was a gaze that said, “I understand your struggles; I understand your pain.”

To the woman with the issue of blood, He said, “Daughter, be of good cheer, your faith has made you whole.” He surprised His disciples, by even speaking to the Samaritan woman.” To the woman caught in adultery, he said “Woman, where are your accusers?” To the woman at the well, He gave the privilege of becoming the first Evangelist.

The Bible tells us that though He was God, He humbled Himself and became obedient – even unto death. I believe Jesus learned compassion and humility from bonding with His own mother. From watching her struggles, watching her strength, and imitating her faith.

In our passage of Scripture today, Mary could indeed be proud of how her Son had turned out. The unnamed woman, intended to compliment Jesus, in saying, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you.” It was common in the first century to praise an individual by praising his or her parents. It’s the same today. First thing someone wants to know when they meet you is “Who are your people?” “Who is your Mama or your daddy?” “Where are you from?”

Even though this unnamed woman interrupted His sermon, this woman was praising Jesus’ upbringing, by giving honor to his mother. No doubt, the words, from His sermon, were burning in her heart. It was just like fire shut up in her bones; and she couldn’t help but cry out!

In responding to this unnamed woman, Jesus did not dishonor his mother. But it was a teachable moment. He took the opportunity to take the spotlight off of Himself – and off of his mother, because He knew that these people viewed Him, only as a human man, standing before them. He wanted to put their minds back on the "God message" that he was delivering, by reminding them of the true source of all blessings.

Jesus was saying “Even though I am the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation; It is the divine image – the God part of me – which is not visible to you now - the divine part, that has created all things in Heaven and on earth – visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things were created by me, and for me. I am before all things (even my own human mother], and in me, all things hold together. I am head of the body, the church; and I am the beginning, I will be the firstborn from the dead, so that I will come to have first place in everything through shedding my own blood on the cross.”

Jesus was saying “Don’t praise the human me, but “Listen to what I say; and go and do likewise!” In effect, he was saying “Don’t praise my human mother, but listen to the Word!”

There are a few things we can learn through reading about Mary and Jesus’ relationship.

First, Mary teaches mothers today to stand for what they believe about God in relation to their Children. Many of us worry about our children, but we can rest assured that God is on the job. He is able today, Church, to take care of them. God allowed us to work out our own testimony - somebody worried about us! And He is doing the same for our children. I write to let you know that God will come through!

Regardless of the odds against our children, and the pressures that tear at their existence, God is there! Many times, our children tear at our hearts. They do things we tell them not to do; they take risks that we never would have taken at their age; and they make us move when we would rather stay in bed. Many times, we want to slap the fire out of them for talking to us in such disrespectful ways. And some of us have done just that. But regardless of our feelings, though, they are ours; and we can’t give up on them.

Now, I know a certain amount of rejection of parental authority is going to occur during the teenage years, regardless of what kind of home a parent provides. Kids are gonna test their wings so to speak. But the Bible says “If you train them up in the way they should go, when they are old, they will not depart from it.

What we, as parents, have to realize, is that God loves our children more than we do! That’s a new idea for some of us. Many of us want to believe that there is nobody that will love our children more than we do! So we fret and we worry. May I remind you that in part of Jesus’ sermon, before He was interrupted by the unnamed woman, He said, “If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit – the Ultimate gift, to those who ask Him?” We humans, can’t love more, or better, than God! God is love! He is the One that teaches us how to love and not smother or squash our children’s God-given gifts and talents.

The Second thing, Mary teaches mothers today is that “Like the mother, the child, really belongs to God”.[1] All things created, visible and invisible, were created by Him. “Mothers (and Fathers), we are our children’s caretakers here on earth.” While we are our children’s earthly parents, God is ultimately their Heavenly Father. He chose for them to be here. In Psalms 139, God is inside the mother’s womb, and sees the unborn child’s form, even before it is shaped. He has chosen, not us.

As Parents, we are entrusted with nurturing, but more importantly, with training our children God’s way, and walking upright before them, so God will be able to use them. “How will they be able to distinguish God’s voice from the enemy’s voice in their life, if we do not expose them to God’s Word?” We need to let them see us pray and cry out to God. They need to know that we are totally dependent on Him. Let them see us praise Him, and show gratitude to Him, for all He has done for us! How else will they learn to love themselves, God and others?

A Third thing that, Mary teaches us is, that God’s will and His power for our lives, and for the lives of our children, is not limited by our feelings, attitudes or beliefs about Him. God is faithful even when we are unfaithful.

Many of us are suffering now because of things we did when we were young parents and still in the world. We now see things we should’ve done, or things we should’ve said. I know because I was one of those young parents. I was once filled with guilt because I still have a son in prison. Satan kept beating me up and keeping me in the past about how bad a mother I was. For years I was driven by these feelings of guilt. I can honestly say that I was one of those clever young mothers who thought I knew everything. I was sassy and more than a little bit disrespectful when others tried to talk to me. I call it spiritual dyslexia. I saw everything backwards. I seemed to believe I did not need to learn from my elders about how to be a parent. By the time I knew better, I had already made lots of mistakes and I am sure my children suffered because of it.

Where was the church when I was a young wife and mother? The church couldn't help me because I wouldn't go - not consistently anyway - and I wouldn't listen. I was hurting so badly by life (worries about being rejected, abandoned, fear of not having enough money, loneliness, no job security, etc.) that I could not fully focus on the needs of my children. Oh, I took care of their physical needs, but I was not there for them emotionally. My healing started to come when I faced these facts. I had to learn to get beyond my mistakes. Not become so paralyzed by regret that I could not enjoy the time left with my children and grandchildren and help them get over the spiritual and emotional humps they would encounter in life. God had need of my experiences - as painful as they were; otherwise what benefit would come of them? I had to learn that what the devil meant for evil God mean for my good and the good of my family!

Fortunately for me, God sent me a Godly woman who visited my home, and helped me understand that God’s plans for my children are bigger than my mistakes! That He will see my children through. Just like he took care me, when I was in rebellion, He will take care of them? When our children are not quite there yet – when they are running around in the street, doing drugs, and doing God-only-knows what else, we have to realize that they’re in God’s hands if we pray and intercede on their behalf. Let God allow them to work out their testimonies – the same way he kept us and allowed us to work out our testimonies! I was blessed to receive support but only because I was willing to listen; but so many other mothers don’t have that support.

In times like these I want to remind you that, “We will faint in the land of the living without the Holy Spirit to sustain us!” Mothers must know they can pray for their children and believe that God answers prayer. They can pray over their children, anoint them, speak protection and God’s blessings over them. Mothers must know that the Holy Spirit can go across the ocean to where our children are fighting in a war; He can go into prison cells and into hospital rooms. He can search the streets for them; intercede in broken homes and intercede in the school house and in the court room! God is able to do anything but fail!

we must believe the Holy Spirit is able to comfort, to advise, to protect, and intercede on their behalf. Oh mother, where is your faith? God is the ultimate parent, and He knows how to take care of you and your children!

On the other side of the coin, a Fourth thing Mary teaches us, is to never assume that we’ve got it all together. It’s a privilege to serve God and raise His children. Some parents steal God’s glory in our children’s lives by making the children believe we are God. We should never forget that we are raising God’s children. He wants us to meet a need in their lives. Their ultimate need is to be in relationship with Him! Children need to be raised in a Godly home, with a Godly example. Then, they will recognize the voice of their ultimate parent, when He speaks to them. Then, they will respect authority, and know their purpose for being in the world [come on, somebody!].

God invites us to raise our children, His way. Some parents need to get out of God’s way! I’ve seen babies not quite walking good, weighed down with heavy “bling bling” necklaces, tight clothing, and brogan shoes! The TV is their babysitter and they become insensitive to violence, cursing and baring their little bodies. I’ve heard mothers cursing their children in stores and restaurants! It was all I could do not to interfere, knowing I would only make their anger worse towards their children.

As parents we must learn the difference between wisdom decisions vs. flesh decisions. True wisdom comes from God. Parents have the power to break their children’s spirits, and cause them to rebel against God. If so, they will become God’s enemies. And it would be tragic to raise up children who will eventually be destroyed because of disobedience.

When these children grow up, they are not so much rejecting God, but rejecting their parents who treated them harshly – and now you want to tell them about the love of Jesus? Come on, now! Let’s be for real? We must learn to walk humbly before our children; admit our mistakes, and teach them how God picked us up; turned us around, and placed our feet on solid ground! That’s why we have a testimony!

A Fifth thing, Mary teaches us is to consider what types of biases we are bringing to the relationships that we have with our children? Did you know that 7 out of 10 parents who were abused as children - verbally and physically – abuse their own children in the same way? As African Americans, we are still suffering from the ill-treatments passed down to us by our fore-parents, who were abused? This same society causes us lots of stress that we may not be aware that we are taking out on our children. Where is the church in all this? If a parent is in church spewing venom on everybody, don’t you know that parent is doing the same thing at home to their children? Christian women, as hard as it may be to do so, we must surround this mother with love so that our example will help her to start treating her children right. Don't turn away or she and her children may be lost.

She must learn as we had to, that only through the Holy Spirit can we get our moods and emotions in order. Thus, creating a God-fearing family environment through which God can work to save the entire household. But first, we must be willing to surrender our worldly ideas and attitudes. Stop believing that we must be equal with men; or that we can do it all by ourselves! “All by ourselves” leaves the Holy Spirit out! We must stop weighing God’s Word against the cunning ways of the serpent, who is a part of this world. Emancipation of Women is good. I don’t have anything to say against anyone who is trying to make it better for women in this world. However, God’s way is best!


Sixth, Mary teaches us that as parents, we are pregnant with the power to deliver our family through Jesus Christ. From little bitty things, we have our children's trust and their ears. We must make the most of it while we can and before the world and their peers get a hild of them. In pain (sacrifice), we are able to deliver them from the jaws of sin and death by teaching them about Jesus Christ. He may not come when we want Him to, But He’s always on time. But we must believe God - teach our children about Him and stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.

Seventh, Mary teaches us that the way our children see us respond to other people, especially authority figures – and even more critically to the head of household – has a direct influence on how they respond to people and how they handle authority - at school, with the police, a boss on a job, and even in their own future relationships.[2] It is unrealistic to expect them to respond positively if they have seen disrespect for authority modeled in their own household. The world is unfair. They must learn to sometimes recognize unfair treatment, and at the same time, learn positive ways of dealing with it. Ways that will not destroy their self-esteem or God’s plans for their future.

Eighth, Mary teaches us to speak those things that are not as though they are. We can’t always see God working behind the scenes for our children. But we must believe through faith that he is there, and that He has the best plans for our children’s lives. Always speak positively over your children. Renew your mind! We must understand that our words are powerful.

Ninth, refrain from discussing grown up matters in front of or with them so that they will not become embittered and confused emotionally. A child is developing and they don’t have the capacity to understand grown up situations.

And finally, the Tenth , parents influence their children’s own relationships and eventual marriages through how they deal with others. They teach their children how to be loving, and how to handle conflict: walk out or turn it over to Jesus? Let them “Learn how to walk through adversity!” “Let them see you pray and cry out to God! “Share breakthroughs when God blesses you or answers prayer.” “This is how they will learn humility and how to praise God in the midst of their storms.”

One of the greatest ways we show them how to respect and treat us is through how they see us deal with our own mothers. The relationships we have with our own mothers and mothers in law, for better or worse, will have a direct bearing on how our children and their spouses, learn to treat us after they become adults. Sometimes, we need to submit to what we perceive as unfair treatment! Turning the other cheek can take on a whole new meaning to you when you understand that it is not all about you. But it’s about what God wants to do with your children through you. The most sacrificial thing you can do, is love your husband’s mother.

Conclusion: That unnamed woman’s heart, was burning with the words of Jesus that day. I can understand why because one day, He picked me up; turned me around and set my feet on solid ground. When I think about the goodness of Jesus in my own heart, my soul cries out . . . Hallelujah! I thank God for saving Me.

A prayer for healing: God help us to respond to you in submission and in obedience. We give you glory and honor because your Word teaches us that you are the ultimate parent responsible, for our very being. Create in us a clean heart Oh Lord. Help us, at the very least, to understand that we don't know what we should know and to pray for understanding in all that we do.

Benediction: God is the Ultimate Parent because all things created, invisible and visible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things were created by Him and for Him. I am before all things (even my own human mother], and in me all things hold together. Through my Word, “Listen to what I say,” and go and do likewise.

And now to Him who died, was buried and was raised again; to Him who has washed us in His own blood and is able to make us stand faultless before His Father in Heaven; to Him be power, glory and dominion forever and ever – Let the church say, “Amen!”
[1] Psalm 139:13; Ezekiel 18:4
[2] Romans 13:1