Sermon preached on Sunday 15th March, 4th Sunday of Lent - Mothering Sunday

By Rev Mark Payne

 

READINGS

Colossians 3.12-17

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As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ[g] dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

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Luke 2.33-35

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And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’

 

TALK

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I want to talk today about the values that Paul mentions in his letter to the Colossians and, afterwards, allow you a little time to chat together. Before we do that however I thought we could all take part in a short quiz.

 

Q1. Who was the first person to witness Christ’s resurrection?
A1. Mary Magdelene – various other women are mentioned in the different Gospels, but Mary Magdelene is the main character at the tomb.

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Q2. How many women named Mary are mentioned in the New Testament?
A2. It slightly depends on if you think some are actually the same person (as some people have throughout the ages) but generally the answer we settle on is 6. They are Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdelene, Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus, Mary the mother of James (Acts) Mary the mother of John Mark (Acts) and the Mary Paul addresses in his letter to the Church in Rome.

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Q3. How many women does Paul name in his letters?
A3. Again, can be contested but a good answer is usually 18.

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Q4. How many prophetesses (women prophets) are there in the whole Bible?
A4. There are 4. 3 in the Old Testament (Huldah, Miriam, Deborah) and 1 in the New Testament (Anna).

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Q5. What was the name of the foreign woman who becomes one of Jesus' ancestors?
A5. Rahab – at the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel he lists the genealogy of Jesus and Rahab is listed as a direct ancestor.

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So what is the point of this quiz? With all the tales of male priests, judges, kings, prophets, and disciples, it is easy to forget that the Bible is full of female stories and, often, they have a strong theme of family. Take for example Ruth who was prepared to leave everything behind to stay with her mother-in-law after she was left without anyone to look after her or the story of Jesus’ mother Mary who was prepared to risk shame and humiliation to bring Jesus into the world and followed him all the way to the foot of the cross.

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The Bible highlights the critical role that women play in God’s story and plan and especially notable is the way women throughout the Bible care for those around them. I think that is a particularly important thing to think about today on Mothering Sunday.

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This got me thinking about the qualities of the women who have cared for me over the years and, when you consider the words Paul wrote in his letter to the Colossians, they seem to me to be a pretty good summary of some of those key qualities.

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Paul starts by saying that we should clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. This list speaks of a personality that is prepared to serve in the background, quietly and with love. Not seeking their own glory but living out their lives for someone else. 

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Now, we must acknowledge that there will be those whose experience of the women in their lives has not been like this but, for those of us fortunate enough to have experienced this kind of care, I am sure that at least some of these values were on display in our mothers, grandmothers or any other women who have been there for us in our lives.

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Next Paul highlights the importance of forgiveness, something I know my own mother had to show me on numerous occasions! He then goes on to say how all of these virtues have a foundation in love, “above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony”.

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In its full context, this passage in Paul’s letter to the Colossians is set in a section where Paul is explaining how the members of the church in Colossae can live their new life in Christ, putting aside sin and taking on those character traits that most honour God, something that is especially important to consider during Lent. What is key for me is that we can see these values lived out, especially in the women that have spent significant portions of their lives caring for us or for others and why should we not let these examples both guide us and inspire us?

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So, may we be reminded of the important part women play in the way God reveals himself to us through the Bible and may the words of Paul remind us of some women in our lives (or that perhaps we have heard or read about) that we would like to give thanks for.

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Perhaps you would like to turn to each other now and spend a few minutes talking among yourselves about how you might use the example of the women you have brought to mind to help you to, as Paul puts it, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him, by embracing the virtues that we heard in our reading.

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Once you have had a chance to chat, we will come back together to pray.

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I hope you have found this time for reflection useful and that you can now leave here today ready to follow the examples that the caring women in our lives have set you, clothing yourself with love and so binding everything together in perfect harmony.

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Let us pray:
Mother God,

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Throughout your story in the Bible you have given us the example of incredible women, to teach us and to set us an example of love. Through your servant Paul you have taught us what it takes to honour you, something that many of us can see in the women that have cared for us.

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Most of all Lord you have taught us that love is everything and that you are love. We give you thanks now for all the women that have shown us love throughout our lives.

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Amen