Valley Gospel
A Pentecostal church experience.
Valley Gospel
I Arose A Mother In Israel
"A sword will pierce your soul." These prophetic words to Mary foreshadowed the extraordinary journey of motherhood—not just for the mother of Jesus, but for every woman called to arise as "a mother in Israel." This powerful message from Valley Gospel Church challenges traditional perceptions of motherhood by exploring the revolutionary role women play in God's kingdom plan.
From Mary's humble beginnings in rural Galilee to Deborah's battlefield leadership, we discover how God consistently works through mothers to accomplish His divine purposes. Rather than presenting women as secondary characters or support staff in the grand narrative of faith, scripture reveals them as strategic commanders, prophetic voices, and unflinching warriors who stand firm when others flee.
The message confronts modern cultural distortions that diminish femininity while proposing a revolutionary interpretation of Genesis—woman wasn't created as an afterthought but as a divine upgrade, specially equipped with the miraculous ability to nurture life. This spiritual authority extends far beyond biological motherhood, encompassing a calling for all women to speak truth, refuse compromise, and exercise leadership with both strength and compassion.
Through vivid biblical accounts—from Jael's decisive battlefield action to Mary's steadfast presence at the cross—we witness how "mothers in Israel" change history. The sermon challenges church traditions that restrict women from teaching or leadership positions while paradoxically entrusting them with children's spiritual formation, calling for a return to God's original design of partnership between men and women.
Whether you're a biological mother or a spiritual nurturer, this message will inspire you to embrace your God-given authority and step confidently onto the spiritual battlefield. When mothers rise up in faith, nations are delivered, salvation comes forth, and God's kingdom advances. How might the church—and our world—transform if we fully embraced the divine power of motherhood?
But not because of you, but because he is good and you will not have room to receive Him.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, springdale, pennsylvania.
Speaker 3:Our sole mission is to present the living truth of a risen Lord Jesus Christ to a remnant church and a lost world. So let's go into the service recorded live at Valley Gospel Church.
Speaker 4:Since 2006,. I have never been given a traditional Mother's Day message, been given a traditional Mother's Day message, and I've asked the Lord repeatedly to give me something at least reasonably traditional. For years, and even though this morning's message might not be completely traditional, he gave me this topic for this week and, I have to be honest, I was expecting Friday him to tell me nah, I was just kidding, we're not doing this that he might say never mind, but he's allowed me to bring it. So before he changes his mind, let's get to it, chrissy, and look, this is a Christmas message, it's an Easter message, it's a little bit of an Old Testament battlefield message and I have to warn you some graphic violence in this morning's message. It's a Good Friday message. It's a mother's love that loved her son, that loved her nation, that loved her Lord, the mother that at least we'll begin with this morning.
Speaker 4:Her name was Mary, mary, a form of the name Miriam, the famous sister of Moses. Right, the name's really common, especially in that time, among Jewish women. One tradition says that she was born in Jerusalem, the daughter of Joachim and Anna. Other sources say she was born in Nazareth. Yet another says in a little town called Sepphoris. So a lot of traditions. The Bible doesn't tell us explicitly where she was born.
Speaker 4:Sephoris was about a few miles outside of Jerusalem or out of Nazareth, but her life, wherever she was born, her life was centered around a staunch, ultra-conservative Jewish settlement in the hills of Galilee that we do know, not far from established trade routes that linked Egypt and Mesopotamia. The Jews living there were strong and robust people. The hill climate, hot and dry, not a lot of water, always struggling for water. So life was a struggle, but it only made their faith in God that much stronger. And on this journey the Bible records this part of the message this way. So if you'll turn with Chrissy, please, to Luke 1. A little bit of a long reading, but we're laying a little groundwork for today's message Luke 1 and 26,. Today's message Luke 1 and 26,. And she'll be reading 26 through 38. Luke 1, 26 through 38.
Speaker 3:And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin, a spouse to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came unto her and said hail, you are highly favored. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her Fear not, mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the son of the highest, and the Lord of God shall give unto him the throne of his father, david, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Speaker 3:Then said Mary unto the angel how shall this be? Seeing? I know not a man. And the angel answered and said unto her the Holy Spirit shall come upon you and the power of the highest shall overshadow you. Therefore, also, that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God. And behold your cousin, elizabeth. She has also conceived a son in her old age and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren, for with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.
Speaker 4:Mary was a woman in very rural Galilee. She lived in a small family house, maybe made of stone or mud brick. She, like every other young woman of that time, worked making wool into clothing, grinding grain into flour, crushing olives to oil and grapes to wine. In this tiny village there were always children to look after, and I'll use for a subject this Mother's Day. I arose a mother in Israel. Amen, let's pray, heavenly Father. Lord, wow, I'm inspired, I'm awestruck and, I have to confess, I'm corrected by the straightforwardness of this message that you've allowed me to bring this morning. You've allowed me to see not only your grand plan but to glimpse into your enterprise and how your kingdom runs. I thank you, lord, for this insight. I will cherish it and allow it to expand my teaching to better serve your kingdom. Help me, lord. Help me, lord, to bring the word you've given me with clarity and understanding. Help your children to lay aside any traditions or cultures of men and accept the culture of your kingdom. As we move closer to your return, let today's word be a lamp unto our feet, a light to our path. It is in the name of your beloved son. We ask it. Amen and amen. Please be seated. I arose a mother in Israel. Just to give you a glimpse of life in that time, daily Mary would carry water from Nazareth's well. Incidentally, that well is there today. It exists in Nazareth today and it's called Mary's Well. That's amazing.
Speaker 4:From the people of Nazareth Mary learned about life. Nazareth had very few visitors. No one wanted to go. It was not a destination on anybody's card. Nobody visited there. It wasn't cultural, it wasn't wealthy. It wasn't wealthy, it wasn't intellectual. But how many of you know? Just like droplets of rain, they contain a wealth of living organisms, and ever you learned that in your science class. So was Nazareth. Just like that Contained a wealth of life. Mary knew the joy, she knew the sorrows. Children were born, young people were married, people died, mothers cried, and from these things life's deepest lessons are learned.
Speaker 4:They knew they were God's chosen people. It was ingrained in them from tiny children. They were descendants of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. They knew that God was the deed holder of the land of Israel and he decreed it to them when Moses freed the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage. They knew the great works of their kings and their prophets and they could quote David, solomon and the great prophets by heart. Even though Rome controlled the land that the Jews lived in, they believed that God would free them from their enemies and would send the Messiah. All their lives, they awaited their Messiah. They lived in a war-torn land even before Roman occupation, conquered by Babylon, by Assyria, persia, greece. Despite the wars, the riots, the Jews remained a subject, people under oppression, being taxed and bullied by all the conquering entities. Mary and most in the land there realized they were powerless on their own, but God could and would raise up the lowly, and their faith was the deepest.
Speaker 4:When Mary was in her early teens, her parents arranged for her to be married, which was the custom and tradition of the day. They chose Joseph of Nazareth, a carpenter. The engagement took place. A carpenter, the engagement took place. Mary went home to wait about a year before she could move in with her new husband, joseph. But something happened. Something happened, verse 30. And the angel said unto her Fear not, mary, thou hast found favor with God and, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son and shalt call his name Jesus. What kind of news is this? Good news, we say. Don't know how Mary saw it. Wow, he says don't be afraid, listen, I've got something I want to tell you. Listen to this, mary. You're highly favored. And Mary responds what you've said. Let it be done with me.
Speaker 4:Mary was about to fulfill her destiny of becoming a mother, as are all women, whether you have children or not. I'll explain that in a minute, whether you have children or not. But listen to me, my double X sisters, listen closely. You are not a birthing person, amen. Don't let liberalism or the media or today's culture shift define you. Don't culture shift define you. Don't Look the heels on your shoes, the makeup you may wear, the stylish clothes that you wear don't define you. They don't define you. You are a woman, not a cis woman, not a breastfeeding human Pardon my language, hallelujah. You are a woman with all the attributes, qualities, nuances that God gave you at creation. You are exactly as he intended Deep inside. He planned and formed you to be a mother, just like Mary. Let me go a little bit farther. I might as well get in trouble with all my, with my boys here. Huh, in Genesis 3,.
Speaker 4:So many define the creation of a woman in Genesis 3 as an afterthought. An afterthought that, okay, we're going to make a woman now for Adam, for Adam. This is for Adam, a little something, something for Adam. You weren't created as an afterthought or an add-on. You, no, no, no. You weren't created to be someone that Adam could hang around with. That isn't it? In fact, I think I could make the argument that it was an upgrade, amen, that it was an improved version. Adam. God looked at Adam and went you know I could tweak that a little.
Speaker 4:I could do that a little bit better. Hallelujah. Better built, better equipped, a super sport. It's like from a Willys to a Grand Cherokee. Glory, you think. Well, he's talking out of school here. Think about it.
Speaker 4:A woman is a being that can carry a second life within her, love it, nurture it and feed it while it's still inside. You want to talk about AI? Huh, they talk about AI. This little grain of a sand robot that can go in and do brain surgery. You read about any of that. This little artificial intelligence this was supernatural intelligence that can grow another human being within another one. My, my, my no. Genesis says a woman was created. Asa, solution to a problem. Hallelujah, let me make a few improvements to Adam and then we're good to go. You are what God made you to be Glory. All right, let's move on.
Speaker 4:Judges, judges, and again it gets a little graphic here. I'm not going to read it all, but you can read it all Judges 5. Judges 5, 6. 5 and 6. In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travelers walked through byways, the inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel. Until that I, deborah, arose, that I arose, a mother in Israel and chose new gods. Then was war in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among 40,000 in Israel? And I'll just stop there and please, I encourage you to read that five and six on your own and get the full scope, but I'll give you the cliff notes here.
Speaker 4:It's the account of Deborah, the mother to Israel, powerful woman of God. Through Deborah, god sent a message to Barak. Barak was the military chief of Israel, he was the Patton, the Eisenhower of Israel, and she tells him that she'll go into the most dangerous land where enemies await. It was called no man's land and that no one should go there. It was too dangerous, it was too no man's land, and not that no one should go there. It was too dangerous, it was too fortified, it was too powerful. She tells Barak that she'll go into this land and she will deliver the enemy. She will force the enemy into Barak's hands. That she would lead I think their leader was named Jabin and with all of his firepower that he would that she would push him into the Kishon River and win the battle for Israel and deliver him into your hands. Now, this is a promise. That was the deliverance of Israel from 20 years of slavery and oppression. Barak responds and says if you go with me, I'll go. Now, this is Eisenhower, this is the military leader. If you go with me, deborah, I'll go. And Deborah says I will. However, I just want you to know God's going to deliver the enemy to your hands, but through a woman, but through, actually through another mother. He's going to deliver this fortified troop through another mother.
Speaker 4:The army that Israel faced was large, powerful 900 chariots, 40,000 footmen. And God said to Deborah take only 10,000 of Israel's sons. This is amazing. He gave a mother a word. He gave a mother a word. The entire army, all the chariots, all the horsemen, all the footmen, foot soldiers, got stuck in knee-deep mud in the Kishon River, couldn't move, shut it down, ended it.
Speaker 4:Sisera, the leader of the opposing army. Sisera runs on foot and flees. He flees to the tent of a mother, another woman. Her name's Jael. You know about Jael. This is where it gets graphic and a little messy, a little violent. Where it gets graphic and a little messy, a little violent, sisera falls asleep actually doesn't fall asleep. Jl kind of puts him to sleep, feeds him warm milk and gives him a whole lot of food and he passes out. Jl then drives a tent stake through his head. And JL then drives a tent stake through his head. You think, oh, god is a God of love and mercy. Jl, on the order of God, drives a tent stake through his head.
Speaker 4:I believe, I believe, as I think I heard it from several sources this morning it's time for mothers to rise up. Time for mothers to rise up. Call that. For a long time, women in the church have been put to the side and restricted from teaching and preaching and taking part in church leadership, and I always get a big charge out of it. Well, you can teach Sunday school. We're going to trust you with the least among us, with our most vulnerable, but you can't come up here, have mercy. I think you see, by our platform, we don't subscribe to that, amen. I think it's time that mothers rise up. You've been called. Call it for a time such as this Hallelujah. He's calling all mothers, all women, to step on the battlefield, no longer in the back seat or in the pew or in the basement, On the battlefield. This isn't a message of man's territory or man's position or in women's position. It's all God's territory position or in women's position, it's all God's territory.
Speaker 4:Israel's leader, barak, didn't see Deborah as competition or well, she's just a girl, didn't see her that way. He saw her as a strong woman of God, a partner, a partner in this fight of freedom, glory, speaking with the authority of God Almighty. In fact, it was Deborah who gave the battle cry. Yeah, look it up. Today, brothers and sisters, there's a demonic attack Not only on femininity, but on masculinity as well. They're telling men not to be fathers, where they're telling women not to be mothers. But it's through the family, it's through the mother-father relationship, through partnership, walking in unity. Men and women, one unit under God, one unit, luke 2. I got to tell you some pastor acquaintances that I have. I don't call them, I don't have any pastor friends, but pastor acquaintances, ooh, they'd be upset. They're going to be upset when they hear this message. Amen, amen, luke 2 and 1. I'll get there.
Speaker 4:And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed, and this taxing was first made when Cyrenius, governor of Syria, was governor of Syria and all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city, and Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, under the city David, which is called Bethlehem because he was the house and lineage of David to be taxed, with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child.
Speaker 4:And so it was that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered, and she brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn, and there was, in the same country, shepherds abiding in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night.
Speaker 4:And lo, an angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore, afraid, and the angel said unto them Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord, and this shall be a sign unto you. You'll find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. The babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. God once again acted through a woman, through a mother, forty days after Jesus's the husband and wife team that ran the temple, anna and Simeon. They speak to Mary, the mother of this 40-day-old baby, the mother of this 40-day-old baby. And Simeon says Mary, you see this child, he's destined to be the rise and the fall of Israel. And Mary a sword will pierce your soul.
Speaker 4:Mary, the mother of Jesus, had no prominent role in his ministry. She didn't have a special place. She wasn't called the mother of the church, she was called the mother of Jesus, amen. She didn't hold office or an elegant position, didn't have a special chair on the platform where she sat. In fact she didn't even see him much At a reunion of sorts, at the marriage feast at Cana you all know about that she prompted him to perform his first miracle, turning water to wine.
Speaker 4:But she mostly remained at a distance. In fact people would tell her what he did and what he was saying, where he was traveling. She tried to travel with him, but it was difficult. She had other children. Her role seemed to be that of a follower and a supporter and a believer. But the bible makes clear that she treasured in her heart and tried to understand what was going on. She followed her son from town to town when she could, and on that final trip to Jerusalem for Passover, mary kind of knew the dangers that awaited, as did other members of the family, other members of the family, just really quickly, so you can see it John 19, I believe it is. Hmm, yeah, 19 and 25.
Speaker 4:Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, his mother's sister, mary, the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. It's kind of interesting all three of them are named Mary, but they're the only ones there at the cross. All of his disciples fled. Mary stood with him, even though she was helpless to do anything. When he died, she took him from the cross. She held her boy, she held her son. But three days later she was one of the women who saw her son risen from the dead and her cries of grief turned to joy. She was staying with the apostles, waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised would come.
Speaker 4:Some traditions say that she lived for a while with John, but she was always a believer, always a mother. She expected, as any woman of God, she expected resistance. She accepted no compromise, not in her life, not in the lives of her children and not in the lives of those that she would minister to. Strength and dignity were her clothing. Her mouth was filled with wisdom and compassion. Her children called her blessed. You know, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem and Mary, they were going in for Passover and Mary was at some position. That's what the people shouted. Blessed is he who came from your womb.
Speaker 4:Blessed Mother's Day to everybody here. Amen, amen. I'll ask all the women in the church not the mothers, not just don't. Well, I don't have a child, doesn't matter. Really important point here but I'll ask all the women in the church stand, please. We honor you on your special day. This morning we pray. Our God lifts you up, he strengthens you, gives you the desires of your heart. We have a little. It is just a token, but you know Mother's Day is a perfect occasion to offer honor and love and prayer and gifts, to show our gratitude for all that you've done. I think the opening prayer and Zach's words today testify to that. We honor you for everything that you've done and so if everybody will stand, we'll dismiss and.
Speaker 4:I'll just ask you to stop on your way out.
Speaker 3:Thank you for listening to this week's podcast. We pray it was an encouragement and a blessing to you. You can contact us at Valley Gospel Church, 1069 Butler Logan Road, Springdale, Pennsylvania, 15144. We invite you to listen to this week's worship service that follows and tune in for next week's podcast hallelujah and Israel will say amen, oh, oh, they do.
Speaker 1:Oh, hallelujah, hallelujah, oh, hallelujah, hallelujah.
Speaker 2:The seal of God has consumed me and it burns in my soul, a driving force that cannot be stopped, a fire that cannot be quenched. Oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, hallelujah, oh hallelujah, hallelujah. Let's sing it. Oh hallelujah, hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah oh, hallelujah, oh, hallelujah, oh, hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, hallelujah, oh hallelujah.
Speaker 1:Yes, lord, we glorify your name. Jesus, you are the rock of our salvation. Lord, give him all the praise this morning. Hallelujah, oh hallelujah.
Speaker 2:Hallelujah, oh hallelujah, morning hallelujah, hallelujah, sing it again, oh hallelujah, hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah.