The First Mother

This Sunday is Mother's Day. This is a day to honor those in our congregation who are mothers now. This is a day to honor the memory of our own mothers. Motherhood is an exalted profession in the eyes of God. You will do well to value motherhood in the same way.

Today, take a look back to the first mother. When the LORD God created this universe, He also created human life. The first man was Adam and the first woman was Eve. Eve also became the first mother. Look in Genesis 3:20:

And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. (Genesis 3:20, NKJV)

This study of Eve will look at a number of Bible verses that reveal the life of this first mother.

You will see how the nature of God is partly revealed through the life of a mother.

You will see how Eve succeeded and how she failed.

As you go through these examples in Eve's life, you can also consider the example of your own mother.

Most importantly, you can learn important lessons from the life of Eve even if you are not a mother!

Outline:

Motherhood is a special gift from God that:

Reveals to you His power to create life.

Challenges you to relate to each person according to his or her unique needs.

Teaches you to trust Him and depend upon His grace.

1. Motherhood is a special gift from God that reveals His power to create life.

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the LORD." (Genesis 4:1, NKJV)

Eve's name in Hebrew means "life" or "living." This is an appropriate meaning for her name because it really signifies the role of Eve as a mother.

A. Giving Credit to God.

Note that Eve gave God the credit for the birth of her son: "I have acquired a man from the LORD" (Genesis 4:1, NKJV). Though Eve had sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, she later turned to God for forgiveness. We know that because she gives glory to God for her firstborn son.

Everyone does not share this special blessing of children. Motherhood is a special gift from God. It demonstrates God's power to create life.

You may be in the difficult circumstance of being unable to have children. My heart goes out to you. It is frustrating to see women who desire children but are unable and other women who have children but do not want them.

But know for certain that God loves you and has a definite plan for your life. His plan may or may not include children. His plan will definitely include using you to impact His world for Jesus Christ.

Not having children may seem to be a terrible situation. But it does give you and your husband great freedom to serve God. You can serve in the local church. You can serve as missionaries to other parts of the world. Never let the lack of a particular blessing from God keep you from serving God.

B. Dignity from God.

Also, note that through Eve, all people on earth would be born. Genesis 5:4 tells us that Adam and Eve had many sons and daughters. This chapter gives an account of their descendents through the generation of Noah.

The Bible reminds us in Acts 17:26 that God made from one blood all the peoples of all the nations. So you and I can rightly claim Adam and Eve as our very distant grandparents! We all have that connection to one another.

People today speak of different people groups as different races. As a result of making such distinctions, many people are led into a sin called "racism." Racism is the denial of dignity and respect to another group of people because they are different from you in some respect: in color of skin, national origin, or culture.

But this was not what God created. God created one race of people, the human race. Through the first mother, Eve, we learn that all people are on an equal level with each other. Every person is a member of the human race through Eve. Every person is entitled to dignity and respect.

Eve, as our common "mother," should remind you to respect one another. For every person is "made in the image of God" (Genesis 1:27, NIV). If more people kept this truth in focus, more people would begin to show dignity and respect to all people. How about you?

So motherhood is a special gift that can only come from God. The first mother, Eve, reveals the power of God to create life, in fact all of human life. We can all be thankful that Eve accepted the gift of motherhood. We can and should be thankful also to our own mothers for taking on that same responsibility.

2. Motherhood is a challenge from God to relate to each person according to his or her unique needs.

Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. (Genesis 4:2, NKJV)

A. Understanding the differences.

Why is it that the same two parents can have two children that are so very different? This is what Eve learned as she had her second child.

Cain was a farmer like his father, Adam. Abel was the first shepherd. Cain had no interest in spirituality. Abel loved the LORD. Cain and Abel had the same godly mother, Eve. Yet the two sons were very different in personality, preferences, and even religious expression.

Anyone who has lived in a family with more than one brother or sister knows the problems those differences can cause. The mother has the challenge of learning those unique qualities of each child. This can only happen as the mother spends time with her children.

It takes time but both mother and father can learn to raise and discipline a child. But when the next child is born, it seems that nothing you learned works with the next child. Raising children is indeed a challenge.

Be sure to remember to praise the LORD today for your own mother. Your mother had the challenge of giving you birth and raising you as best she could.

B. Dealing with the differences.

Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. (Genesis 4:8, NKJV)

Genesis 4:3-8 tells how the two brothers, Cain and Abel, became enemies. Anger, envy, and hatred arose from inside Cain because of the differences. God was not pleased with Cain's offering but He was pleased with Abel's offering. Since Cain could not change Abel, Cain violently killed his brother.

Rather than work things out, Cain ended up murdering his brother. Imagine all the family conflicts that Eve had to endure with these two sons!

The lesson Eve had to learn is an important lesson for any family. There will be differences among children. We can approach those differences in two ways:

We can despise the differences, which will lead to hatred and fighting.

We can appreciate the strengths and compensate for the weaknesses in each other.

One of these two ways will prevail in the family. Since the mother tends to be the one who spends more time with the children, the mother will have the greatest influence on the children.

It is critical for mothers to teach children to understand the differences in each person. In a family, we must learn to appreciate and use the strengths in each member of the family. What you see as an irritating trait may actually be a good trait in many situations.

Likewise, we must learn to be patient and compensate for one another's weaknesses. The Bible tells us:

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. (Romans 15:1, NIV)

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2, NIV)

A mother's challenge is our challenge also. God gives each person in the family a unique nature. So the family turns out to be a wonderful place for discipleship. Take advantage of the opportunities to learn how to love each person according to the unique needs you see.

3. Motherhood is a test from God that teaches you to trust Him and depend upon His grace.

And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, "For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed." (Genesis 4:25, NKJV)

The loss of a child is devastating for any parent, mother or father. It is especially hurtful when it comes to your faith. Questions spring up:

Why did God do this?

Why did God allow this to happen?

These are honest questions in a painful time. Eve surely had these thoughts as she grieved the loss of her son, Abel.

Perhaps it was at this time that Eve realized again the painful consequences of her own sin. God had warned Adam from the beginning that death would be the penalty for sin (Genesis 2:17). Eve may have even blamed herself for the death of Abel.

Yet Eve conquered this guilt by faith in the LORD God. As she said, "For God has appointed another seed for me" (Genesis 4:25, NKJV). She had faith in the goodness of God.

Charles Spurgeon, famous Baptist preacher in the 1800’s, said of God’s goodness: "When you can not trace His hand, trust His heart."

The first mother not only continued as Adam’s wife but had many more children. Eve had courage to face the past loss of her son because she trusted in God, in His goodness, in His mercy, and in His wisdom.

Through the ages, people have often treated women as inferior to men. This is partly due to Eve being the first one to sin. The Bible clearly places blame on both Adam and Eve. Yet the Bible gives this specific promise to women:

The woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control. (1 Timothy 2:14-15, NKJV).

This promise does not say that a woman will go to Heaven just because she gives birth to a child. The word "saved" refers to being spared the shame of Eve’s sin. God granted to women the awesome privilege of multiplying the human race.

So a woman demonstrates her salvation by continuing "in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control" (1 Timothy 2:15, NKJV).

The lesson to learn from Eve at this point is her courage to follow the LORD God. Even when times seem dark and confusing, learn that you can trust God.

God is always good (Psalm 107:1) and always wise (Job 12:13). You can trust Him in the darkness because of what He has shown you in the light.

Reflect on YOUR Life:

Eve was the first mother. Her path took a serious wrong turn when she disobeyed God. Yet she turned back to God, finding grace and forgiveness. God loves you and has extended grace and forgiveness to you also through His Son, Jesus Christ.

The Bible has a command for us: "Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12, NIV). Your own mother is always worthy of your honor and respect because she is your mother. Today, and every day, keep that in focus.

Proverbs has a passage that honors the ideal mother. It is appropriate to honor the mothers here today, and the memory of our own mothers who are not here with us, with these fitting words:

She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. (Proverbs 31:26-31, NIV)