In my last post I said I would be preaching on Rahab, a subject which seemed out of sorts for Mother’s Day. I gotta agree but that was not the reason for my changing heart Saturday night.
After a 21+ ride and a quick run to Walmart with Jo we started talking on the way back to the house. She expressed a concern about the source of my topic for Mother’s Day. So even though I was planning a fairly relaxing evening, I worked until almost 9:30 on a sermon and an outline for the Sunday bulletin.
It was still on Abounding Grace but I decided to use Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1:1-16 as my Scripture. I’m sure most, if not all of you, know the story behind this passage. There are 5 woman in the lineage of Jesus who are anything but pristine and represent God’s grace in spades.
Tamar– Her complete story is in Genesis 38. Dressed up as a prostitute to seduce her father-in-law, Judah.
Rahab– Her complete story is in Joshua 2 and 6:22-25. A prostitute.
Ruth– a Moabitess (they came from an incestuous relationship between Lot and his daughters after Sodom & Gomorrah). Also a Gentile.
Bathsheba– an adulteress.
Mary– a teenager carrying a baby out of wedlock, one in which the man she was “married” to, was not the father.
Not a very “clean” lineage. Lots of black marks in those five ladies. But God showed them incredible grace and used them in bringing to pass Jesus’ birth.
Grace abounding. For them. For me. For you. Makes me appreciate His grace even more. I’m glad I serve a God of such magnanimous grace.
I love this for Mother’s Day! So many of us mothers feel we aren’t that perfect mother we wish we were. These women show us God can use us anyhow! And that our children can turn out well even when we have faltered.
Thanks Pam. That is exactly what I wanted to show. Mother’s Day should not just be about mothers but all women.
I think you made a perfect choice for the Mother’s Day sermon, Bill. The Bible is chock full of men and women who are not “clean” whatsoever, yet uses them mightily for His purposes through His unfailing grace.
Blessings!
Thanks for the confirmation Martha. And you are right…chock full.
I love that it shows the sovereignty of our Father Who can turn ugly into beauty. It’s miraculous really… and all of us who’ve received His grace get it…
Beauty from ashes is a perfect picture of what he does. Thanks Floyd