God's Word this morning as it is found in Genesis chapter 3 as well as Titus chapter 2. Genesis chapter 3 first of all. We read verses 9 through 24 of Genesis 3. 9 through 24. The text is verse 20 of Genesis 3. Genesis 3 verse 20. That's our text this morning. Let's read 9 through 24 and then we'll turn to Titus 2. Genesis 3 verse 9, hear the word of the Lord. The Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him, where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the fruit of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the field. Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception, and sorrow thou shalt bring forth children. And thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it, curse it as the ground for thy sake, In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground. For out of it was thou taken, for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." And Adam called his wife's name Eve. because she was the mother of all living. And to Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothe them. And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us to know good and evil. And now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever, therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man and he placed to the east the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life. Now we turn to Titus chapter 2, 3 through 5. Titus 2, 3 through 5. Read this as one of the applications of the text in Genesis. 3 v. 20 today, Titus 2 v. 3-5, we read this about the women in the church. Titus 2, 3-5, the aged women likewise that they be in behavior as becometh holiness. not false accusers, not given too much wine, teachers of good things, that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. We read that far in God's holy and inspired word. The text is verse 20 of Genesis 3, and Adam called his wife's name Eve because she was the mother of all living. Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, today many celebrate what is called Mother's Day. And it is not a church holiday. We're not required to commemorate this day or observe it. And yet many Christians do well, not only on a Sunday in May, but every day to thank God for godly mothers. The sermon this morning is technically not a Mother's Day sermon, although it applies. It is part of a series of sermons that I have been preaching about biblical manhood and biblical womanhood. And in God's providence, according to my plan, it fell on this day that I'm preaching on this text, in this order, on a woman as mother. We've had four sermons thus far on biblical manhood, and two so far on biblical womanhood, and today we return to that womanhood part of it. Regarding biblical femininity, we have seen that God created the woman as a helper. We saw that in Genesis 2, a helper or a help meet for him. Adam was first formed, you remember, as the primary worker. and leader in the home and the woman was formed after him, that order is important, out of his rib to be his helper, that is fit for him, complementing him in that work as he leads. We have seen secondly that a biblical woman, a woman of God, is one who is of beauty, not first of all of physical beauty, but one of a spiritual beauty, 1 Timothy 3, we've seen, of a meek and a gentle spirit, which is before God of great price or value. And this morning, I assert on the basis of God's Word, the third sermon on biblical womanhood, that all godly women are mothers. If you are a woman as God would have you be, then you will have the character of a mother. Whether you are married or unmarried, single. Whether you are with child or barren. Whether you are presently raising children or are past, even far past the years of raising biological children, all godly women are of a motherly character. God has revealed that in the way through general revelation, as we say, through His creation and how He has created a woman with the necessary parts, especially the womb, to bear a child. But more importantly than general revelation and how He has created a woman, Through special revelation, God's Word, as we see this morning, God has shown us that a woman is to have this virtue of a motherly character. Now, as you hear that, you know that many Women and men in this world would bristle at that idea, that assertion. And some in the church, perhaps some even gathered here, might feel a little annoyed and angry that I would dare say such a thing. It feels demeaning. Some would interpret, or I should say misinterpret me saying that women are now to be objectified and used for reproduction. That's not what I'm saying. Some think of this, and many, a career woman today, as they would call themselves, would retort, I am not going to run around barefoot and pregnant half my life. That would be a misinterpretation of what I am saying. Such reactions, however, prove something. They prove that the world looks down on women who are mothers. They devalue motherhood. And sadly, the church today, the church world is affected by this mentality. And due to the fear of men and due to the fear of other women, the church and many women in the church would despise and avoid motherhood as much as possible. That's what's going on today. But in despising motherhood and rejecting the motherly character, they are rejecting and rebelling against God's design for a godly woman and despising what God himself values and shows he values in his word. The true godly woman is a woman of a motherly character. Let us stop taking mothers for granted. Let us cease from treating them as our slaves, children, even though they serve us as slaves of Christ, we may not treat them as such. And let us, as Proverbs 31 says, let her children rise up and call her, that means use your mouth, and call her blessed and her husband also, he praises her. A godly woman does not necessarily have a, The character of a mother in this sense that she has biological children. Sometimes in God's providence as part of a trial for a woman she cannot have children or does not get married though she desires that and so does not have children. And yet godly women even without children, biological children can be very motherly. That's what I'm talking about today. And on the opposite extreme, some women who have biological children are not motherly at all. Today we're emphasizing the spiritual character of a godly woman. Her maternal love, based on Genesis 3, verse 20. Consider with me biblical womanhood, her maternal love, first of all, her spiritual nature, Secondly, her teaching responsibility, and then finally, the effect that has upon the church, her great effect upon the church of Jesus Christ. To discover and to gain insight in the woman's spiritual nature, a godly woman's spiritual nature, the best place to start is Genesis. That's where you find the beginnings of all these things and where the woman was made and where the woman is named. We've seen in past series how the names that God has given to Adam, Man, we saw that just last week. And even to woman, tell us who a man and a woman is and what God has made them to be. And so today we get to another name given to the woman, which helps us understand God's design for her. And that name is Eve. Eve. The name Eve points us to the character of the woman. Adam called his wife's name Eve, our text says, because she was the mother of all living. Now before we get to the meaning of the name Eve, we have to consider the context in which Adam names her Eve. The context is very important and informs us what Adam is thinking about as he calls her Eve. The context is the fall of mankind. That is striking. The fall of mankind through the instrumentality of the woman. That's what we see in Genesis 3. God had created Adam from the dust of the ground. God had given to Adam the breath of life, and to this head of his wife God had given direction to obey, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die. And so Adam had the obligation to lead his wife to obey God's commandments so that they do not die. And Eve was supposed to follow him and help him so that they do not die, but live. But through the deception of Satan, we saw A couple of weeks ago, Adam neglected his leadership, and there was a role reversal, and Eve led, and Adam followed, so that they died. The consequence was physical death. Soon to come, we read about that, dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou return. But it was also spiritual death. We can describe the fall this way, though it's not a comprehensive description for the purpose of this morning's sermon and this text in verse 20. Eve became an instrument or tool of Satan to bring Adam and the human race to die, death. Adam wasn't right in blaming her because he was responsible, he was to take responsibility for his fall, but the truth is also that Eve led in bringing death. But in the midst of his curse of the serpent, In the midst of God explaining the curse and the consequences on mankind, we see the gospel. This is the context, still part of the context of Adam calling Eve the mother of the living. In the midst of death, in the midst of the curse, God spoke the gospel of life to Adam and Eve. Children, you remember the gospel first pronounced in verse 15 of Genesis 3. Genesis 3, verse 15, God is actually speaking to the snake, the serpent, to the devil, but he includes in this the promise, the first promise of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I will put enmity Between thee, the snake, and the woman. Between thy seed, snake, and her seed. And it, meaning the woman's seed, shall bruise, shall crush thy head, though thou shalt bruise his. The woman's seeds heal. In this curse, God speaks of his love for Adam and Eve, and his love for his people, and how would he love them? He would bring Adam and Eve and all of his people back to his side so that there would be enmity between his side and Satan's side. Enmity, not friendship. They would be in the covenant of God and then the most exciting part of the promise, Adam and Eve would bring forth children. You can already see what my direction is, where I'm going with this. Part of the first promise of the gospel is that Eve is going to be a mother. And it's her seed that's going to be the Christ. The seed of the woman is going to come and he's going to crush Satan's head for the salvation and the eternal life of Adam and Eve and all of God's people in the middle of The fall and death and the consequences of sin. God promises this gospel, beautiful, she would have a child. Eve would be a mother bringing forth children so that the Christ would come. 1 Timothy 2, verse 15 gives us commentary on this text. We referred to 1st Timothy 2 before when we were talking about the man's spiritual leadership two weeks ago and how the man was supposed to take the lead but there was a role reversal and that shows that the woman is not supposed to lead in the church and in the home over the man. But after speaking about the fall through the leadership of the woman instead of the man, Paul continues in 1st Timothy 2 verse 15 with these words, notwithstanding she Notice the singular there. She, the woman, especially Eve, but not only Eve, shall be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. First application is to Eve, though not only to Eve. She was instrumental in bringing about death. But God says He uses her. He will use her. to bring salvation. That doesn't mean that Eve herself or any woman would die and atone for her sin or do good works or through her labor earn salvation for herself. That's not what the text is saying, but she shall be saved in childbearing, meaning she would be an instrument of God to bring forth a son. who would save sinners through his atoning work. She would bring forth Christ. In other words, God is promising to Eve, even though she deserved death, that he would graciously save her from death and more would graciously use her as a mother of the one, Jesus Christ. who would bring eternal life. It's in this important context that Adam names his wife Eve. Eve means literally life or living. The inspired scripture explains why Adam calls his wife life. Verse 20, because she was the mother of all the living. That's striking because this is a very big contrast to what Adam had done before. When God confronted Adam, Adam had pointed to his wife and said, it's her fault. She's to blame. She brought us to death. And now something has been worked in Adam through the promise that's been preached to him. God has worked his spirit in Adam. He has changed Adam's heart. He is repentant. And now he sees Eve in different light, not as the one to blame for leading to death, but as the one that God was going to be using as an instrument for life. And so he calls her Eve, the mother of all living. Adam, remember, was an insightful, intelligent man. We saw that earlier in the series in Genesis 2 when God brought to Adam all the animals and Adam with his theological mind as well as a mind of a biologist. and the mind of a linguist able to form words, Adam would name all the animals. Seeing their character, knowing what God wanted, he would name all the animals with his intelligent, insightful, theological mind. Of course, after the fall, His abilities are weakened but since Adam is a child of God and Adam has been regenerated, Adam again now uses the gifts though in a limited capacity to evaluate the woman that's standing before him. He sees her makeup, yes bodily, emotionally too. He sees her in light of what God had just promised in Genesis 3 verse 15. He's a theologian. He's a biologist. and he calls her what God wants him to call her, the mother of life, the mother of the living. So to sum all this up, three points, three points about the meaning of this name very briefly. To sum it up, first, the woman as mother is the source of physical life, instrumental source. God, of course, gives life, but he uses the woman to make life continue. Adam and Eve would die, but their generations would continue. The human race would continue. Physical life was what he would use the woman or the mother for. Secondly, the mother or woman as mother would be instrumental in the development of spiritual life. She would bring forth children, but being a mother, as we are going to emphasize today, is not just conception and birth. But she would labor through her care, through her nurture, the spiritual life of her children, so that she's called the mother of the living. Not just physically living, but the mother of the spiritual living, the seed of Christ. She would be the one to nurture them, their spiritual life in the home. And third, the woman as mother would be instrumental in bringing forth the Messiah. the very one who would give eternal life. And some of you might be asking a good question in your mind right now. Well, even the Old Testament women were, of course, instrumental in bringing forth the generations that led up to the coming of Jesus Christ. But what about the New Testament women? Christ has already come. They're not gonna be used by God to bring forth this life giver, Jesus Christ, are they? Well, in a sense, they are. The application is to you, too, ladies in the New Testament. That's what 1 Timothy 2, verse 15 is talking about, not just ladies of the old, but those of the new. And this is how Jesus will return, remember, only after the last elect child is born. He's not going to come back. He has already come the first time, but He's not going to come in His second coming until each of His chosen people, which we call the body of Christ, has been born and born again. How's that going to happen? Well, He'll bring forth children through mothers. It's the only way, right? His elect children will come forth through mothers. Those mothers will seek the spiritual care of them. And He will in that way gather His church so that Christ may come the second time to give the resurrection and the life, mothers of life, the mother of all living. It's what a name, a name that we cherish, a name that we celebrate today, a name that reveals the spiritual nature of all the daughters of Eve in the church. He does use your motherly care, ladies. He does. Don't misunderstand that. With conception and birth, you bring forth a son or daughter who is by nature spiritually dead. It's not that because you're a believer that that somehow causes the child that you conceive to be conceived spiritually alive. No, we're conceived in sin. That's Psalm 51, verse 5. But God, by his regenerating spirit and according to his covenant promises in his time, according to our time, works regeneration in the hearts of our sons and daughters and uses us as mothers, not only to bring them forth physically, but uses us to care for them spiritually and to develop that life, a spiritual life within them. It should be obvious at this point that I'm not speaking only of the work of mothers of conception and birth, but much more than that. It does involve motherhood, daily toil, And pain involves keeping the home, it involves potty training, it involves caring for the children, cooking, cleaning and things like that. But especially I want to emphasize this morning the spiritual care, the spiritual nurture of children. And I want all the young ladies especially to notice with me in verse 20. Even if you're not mothers yet or have never been a biological mother, notice verse 20. This takes place before Eve becomes pregnant. This takes place before Eve has a child. Eve is not a biological mother yet, and Adam calls her mother of the living. That's so important. Because Adam is not then only talking about her physical capacity, he is talking about her spiritual character. Godly women are, even before they have a baby, mothers. Two biblical words that especially describe many, many, many characteristics of a godly mother that I don't have time to list and expound on. But first, a godly mother is a A person who is self-sacrificial. Maternal love is a self-sacrificial kind of love. The virtuous woman imbued with the Spirit of Jesus Christ, you see, will show forth the same self-sacrificial love as Jesus Himself. As that woman is united to Christ and trusts in this Christ who has sacrificed for her far more than she will ever sacrifice, in thanks she will then take up her cross and follow Him. That's evidence when a godly woman is willing to sacrifice in pregnancy, physically. Enduring pain and discomfort, labor and delivery. This is part of the sacrifice of a godly woman willing to endure that process even many times for the bringing forth of God's children into the church. And often while a woman sacrifices physically, she continues to have to labor, do all the labors in the home. And there is, especially in this modern American culture, this kind of sacrifice, as the world looks on and criticizes her, looks down on her, on her appearance perhaps, and on her as being lesser, because she doesn't have a career like everyone else. She's willing to sacrifice her reputation, sacrifice of Even money for the spiritual nurture of her children. Luke 1.38, Mary said this, it best expresses the sacrificial mindset from Mary, the mother of Jesus. Luke 1.38, behold, the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word. But again, it's not only a biological mother. It's what every godly woman has, this selfless, sacrificial love. A teenage girl who cares selflessly for her younger siblings is already showing this sacrificial love. The woman in the church who doesn't have biological children but tends to the other younger lady. The younger children shows this sacrificial love. Secondly, she's tender hearted. Another characteristic of a motherly woman, sacrificial and tender hearted. There's a patience, there's a compassion, there's a pity that a motherly woman has toward others. That's her gift, often better, not all the time, but often better than her male counterpart. She has feelings. Feelings are not of themselves wrong. Feelings and emotions, an ability to sense things that a man cannot sense and to sympathize and empathize with others, better often than a man. And like her understanding high priests in heaven, who is touched with all the feelings of our infirmities and understands us when we pray, a woman reflects that in her compassion, in her understanding heart. When children crowd around her, they know she understands. They can sense her tenderness, her care, her understanding spirit. So valuable and important is this motherly tenderness that God actually compares himself to a mother. That's striking. Of course, that is not to say in any sense that God is feminine, as many liberals today may want to do. But the point is that as he compares himself to a woman, he wants us to see that characteristic of a tenderness. and a compassion that he has even greater than any mother on this earth. Isaiah 66 verse 13 is one place. We sang of one in Psalm 131 today, but Isaiah 66 verse 13 says, as one whom his mother comforted, so will I comfort you. That's what he says to his church. I will comfort you as a mother comforts her child. Of course, that is not to say that God is in the image of the woman or the mother, but rather the opposite. And a mother, too, in her motherly character is created and renewed in this image of God with a tender, sacrificial love. When asked, what do you want to be when you grow up? It is very proper for a young lady to say, I want to be a mother. It is womanly. It is for a godly woman to say, yes, I'm going to go through life and even go to college, not because I want to pursue a career like every other man, but because I want to prepare and develop in my mind and my heart. to care for the children of my home, the children of the school, and the children of the church. And her responsibility is teaching. Again, reflecting Christ, reflecting His prophetic work especially as one who taught, so a virtuous woman uses her gifts especially to teach, to teach. And that's Titus 2. Notice the key word in that Titus 2, 3 through 5 passage is the word teach. Verse 3, she's teacher of good things. Verse 4, that they may teach the young women. These are descriptions of the older women in the church, of course. We'll get to that in a moment. But the point of the passage is to show that a woman who is of this motherly character is a teacher, a teacher. One example that is concrete in the Scriptures is the mother and the grandmother of a man named Timothy, you remember him? The grandmother's name was Lois and the mother's name was Eunice. 1 Timothy 1 verse 5 describes these two mothers this way, I call to remembrance the unfeigned or the genuine faith that is in thee, Timothy. I remember your faith, Timothy, Paul says, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and in thy mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that it is in thee also. If you looked at another, the next chapter or two chapters after that in 2 Timothy 3, you find this description of what the mothers did. To Timothy, these mothers taught from a child. From a child they instructed him according to the scriptures, the inspired scriptures. That's what mothers do. They take the Word of God and of course they know the Word of God themselves, they're first partakers and they seek to take that Word of God and instruct their children from a child and yes through the teenage years onward as much as possible so that they are immersed in God's Word. She sings and teaches her children to sing that word of God. She disciplines, bringing not only the law of God to rebuke her children, though that too, but also the gospel to comfort her children. She leads them in devotions when her husband is not around. She teaches them to pray. She is present. She is present, mothers. Not too busy with her phone or the to-do list to talk to them and answer their questions. She's cultivating within them a God consciousness so that even when she is not looking, they remember God is looking. She's training them to work in the home, to do chores so that they develop godly hardworking characteristics. She's a model of modesty and true beauty. and sexuality before her children. She is an example of a motherly character. Children, I speak to you who are under your mothers. You know your mothers have authority, right? Yes, the father is the head of the household. And fathers, we better make sure our children know this. We read in the fifth commandment, mothers have authority to honor your father and your mother. Mothers don't have authority over the husband, the father, but they have authority over the children, very really. Look at 1st Timothy 5, verse 14. 5, verse 14 says, I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, and guide the house. And the words there, guide the house, means rule the house. Literally, it's house despot. House despot. That's a strong term to refer to a woman who does have authority, not in a tyrannical, cruel sense, of course, but in a real authoritative sense. And children, yeah, young men, you too, in the home, still under the roof of your parents, you honor your mother along with your father. You obey. You may not say, I'll listen to my dad, but not my mom. Honor your father and your mother. God has given her authority along with your father. And she is supposed to use that authority to teach you, to help you learn. And so you submit to that instruction. And you thank her for it today and every day. That's a priority. She is one who teaches with tenderheartedness and her self-sacrificial character. She teaches with authority. And so full of maternal love are the daughters of Eve that they seek to give this life-giving care and instruction, not only to their biological children in the home, but also to the other members of the church, particularly the younger women. That's what we find in Titus chapter 2. In other words, women, ladies listen, After you are past childbearing years, and they say the nest is empty in the home, you're not done being mothers. It's supposed to continue in your care for the younger ladies in the church. Think about it. When Eve was done having children, Eve was not to say, that's no longer my name. It's still her name. It's still her character. Ladies are supposed to make up a ladies ministry in the church of Jesus Christ. Along with those who are widows, those who are single, those who don't have biological children too. And it doesn't have to be official, but it has to be real. Titus 2 is not optional, it's a calling. This is kingdom work. First by example, verse 3 of Titus 2, that the aged women, or the older women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness. That's their behavior, that's their example. They're supposed to live as examples, as models of holiness before the other ladies, the younger ladies especially in the church. And young women are not supposed to ignore the older ladies, but the younger women are supposed to observe the older women and take their advice. Notice verse 4, that they may teach the young women. Teach the young women. That's verbal instruction. To be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands. Those older women have experiences. They've learned very often from past mistakes. They know God's Word and how it applies to particular situations in the home and in the church. And so, these older women are to be bold to develop relationships with the younger women and to seek to care for them as mothers toward the younger women. The word teach in verse 4 is very unique. The word teach refers to sharp. even striking lessons. In the original, the phrase, teach to be sober, in verse 4, teach to be sober is one word, and it means train to be sober, all in one word. Train to be sober. And you should think of a picture here, the older woman comes to a younger woman who is not sober, and maybe you're allowed to picture a younger woman who's filled with Alcohol. Who's drunk. And the picture here is of a younger woman who is not thinking clearly and is drunk. And the older woman comes to this younger woman and trains her. She shakes her. Come to your senses. You need to wake up. You need to think clearly. Stop this. Turn to Jesus Christ. Turn to his word. There's a sharpness here. And of course, an older woman's not always going to be sharp, but that's part of her teaching and training sometimes. That's what this text shows us. The word sober means clear thinking. And you should know that someone is not thinking clearly when they're filled with wine, but that's not the only occasion when someone's not thinking clearly. Often. Emotions and worries and anxieties can make someone not think clearly. Technology and entertainment and social media can make a woman not think so clearly. You know that. And so, when an older woman sees a younger woman caught up in pursuing the immodesty of the world, caught up in wasting her time in social media, neglecting her care for her husband and her children, then the older woman is supposed to come to the younger woman with, not with a haughty spirit, I'm better than you, but with this tender heartedness, this willingness to sacrifice, to teach and give godly instruction from his word. What's the effect upon the church as the mothers of the church live as Eve's, daughters of Eve? The church prospers. The life of Jesus Christ, you see, is reflected in the mothers, and then it affects others to live as such as well. The Dutch often have a reference to the church, the institute church, as being the mother. The church is our mother. I'll even say, I will not leave my mother. And there's a lot of truth to that. The church is like a mother that cares for her children. Here's the point. Apply to our text today. The literal mothers, the godly mothers of the church have a great influence upon the institute church as a mother. And so that if women are not living as mothers in the church, then the whole church is not going to be very motherly. The negative is in our text and we have to point that out first and then we'll get to the positive. The negative effect upon the church of women not living as mothers and younger women not being taught is that the church dies spiritually. The church dies spiritually. I'm not talking about the universal church. God will always preserve his people, but the point is that the institute church has the potential of dying when mothers are not living according to that name. Eve, remember Eve means mother of the living, and living does not refer only to physical life, but spiritual life, mother of the spiritual living. But if mothers are killing their children, calling it abortion, Instead of having children physically, the church is not going to exist for very long from generation to generation. And if mothers perhaps have children but are not training them up spiritually, then sons and daughters are going to grow up not wanting to stay in the church, not wanting to be godly mothers themselves. And sons are not going to grow up, men are not going to grow up to be godly husbands and office bearers in the church. The church institute dies and that is what is happening today. And it's not just the mother's fault. There are other realities and other things that influence it, but this text shows us that one of the worst effects of women not taking their places, mothers in the church, is the dying of the church spiritually in a place like Pittsburgh. Verse 5 says that the word of God be not blasphemed. That gives us another negative effect. The word of God be not blasphemed. Paul is saying that in the churches of his day and in Titus' day when mothers and older women were not teaching the younger and the younger went forth and gossiped and got drunk and did not live sober lives and do their duties in the home. What happened was the world blasphemed the name of God. Even the world knows. I have some unbelieving uncles and aunts in Singapore and they know what a mother is supposed to be like. Even though many reject it, they know what a mother is supposed to be like. When they see in the church, that a woman is not living a godly life as a mother. They will use that to speak against the name of Jesus Christ and the name of God. Positively, as mothers live to care for their children with this tenderheartedness, sacrificial teaching, And there are godly young men and women raised in the home and in the church. There's a discipling that takes place of older women to younger women. And there is the glory of God's name. The church is built up spiritually, numerically, and God's name is glorified. May that be the case in our church and churches that this motherly character is shown forth in our women. You want that, don't you? Young men need to want that and date and marry young women that have this godly character. Bring them into the church. This church. You want your savior Jesus Christ, ladies, who died for you. You want what he wants, don't you? Not what the world wants, but what he wants. One passage is very applicable to close. Jesus said to Peter, but ladies, you should hear Jesus saying this to you. Ready? Do you love me? Remember that? He said, he asked Peter that three times, do you love me? And Jesus had just shown his great love for Peter and for the church by giving up his life for them. Now in response to that, do you love me? And Peter says, yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. And Jesus' first response was, Feed my lambs. The younger sheep especially in the church as godly mothers. Feed doesn't just mean give them food, but pastor them. That's the point. You are female pastors in your home. pastors to the younger women in the church. Seek first his kingdom, Jesus said. Of the children, he also said, of such is the kingdom of God. I pray you hear his word today. I pray you hear not just the first Adam calling his wife Eve, but I pray you hear the second Adam, Jesus Christ, calling you Eve, the mother of all living. And may his life-giving word work in you to live according to your name, not for the glory of Eve, that name, but for the glory of the seed of the woman. Jesus Christ who has come and will return. Amen. Let's pray. O gracious covenant God, we praise Thee that Thou has this tender love, this sacrificial kind, this teaching love that is reflected though in a small way is reflected really in godly women, daughters of Eve, in our families and in this church. Continue, O God, to show forth Thy character through us together. We pray that the Gospel and Thy Word may so mightily affect us that Thy name in particular is not blasphemed in our account but rather glorified. For Jesus' sake we pray these things. Amen.