Even a King Bows Before His Mother (Proverbs 1:7-9)
Pastor Tan Thai · May 8, 2011
This Mother's Day sermon draws on the example of King Solomon bowing before his mother and Jesus obeying his earthly parents to encourage children to honor and respect their mothers. The message emphasizes that the biblical family is the first foundation of education, and a mother's teaching is a lifelong treasure.
This sermon was delivered on Mother's Day Sunday in 2011, based on Proverbs 1:7-9. The pastor opens by noting the global significance of Mother's Day, observed in over 81 nations, and affirms that the mother-child bond is one of the deepest and most expansive forms of love God has given to humanity, transcending all religious and cultural boundaries.
The first major section examines King Solomon's act of honor toward his mother Bathsheba in 1 Kings 2:19. Though the wisest and wealthiest king in Israel's history, Solomon rose from his throne, bowed before his mother, and seated her at his right hand — the position of highest honor. The pastor emphasizes that no matter how educated, credentialed, or successful children become, they have no reason to despise or be ashamed of their mothers. The example of Jesus at age twelve (Luke 2:41-51) is also cited: despite His superior wisdom, He returned with His parents to Nazareth and lived in submission. Even in His final moments on the cross, Jesus did not forget to entrust the care of His mother Mary to His beloved disciple John.
The second section addresses the biblical family's responsibility to raise children. The pastor affirms that God's design for the family requires both father and mother, and that parents are a child's first and most important teachers — not schools or Sunday school classes. A child's habits, character, and faith are primarily shaped within the home. The case of Timothy, whose faith was passed down from his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14-15), is highlighted as a powerful testimony to the spiritual role mothers play in leading children to faith in Christ.
The third section calls children not merely to hear but to practice their parents' teaching. The pastor uses the Vietnamese poem 'Lời Mẹ Dạy' (A Mother's Teaching) by poet Phùng Quán and the story of the true mother in 1 Kings 3 to illustrate a mother's sacrificial love. The sermon concludes with an appeal from the Fifth Commandment and from Proverbs 23:22 and 30:17: honor your mother even when she is old, sick, or difficult — and never despise or mock the one who carried you and raised you.