I have been blessed with a mother who is an excellent example to me. She loves Dad, is humble, submissive and prays nightly with Dad for their family. She is a gardener, a great cook, a good housekeeper, a hard worker and a frugal shopper. She taught me and my siblings the Bible and led us to Christ. She biblically disciplined us took us to church for every service. She encouraged us to serve God, even when it meant we would be apart for years at a time. I praise God for my mother.

This morning we are going to look at a mother in the Bible that I believe was much like my mother. Her name is Salome.

Transition

I want to show you three facts about Salome that made her an excellent example for every mother today.

Salome was a Married Mother

  1. She was the wife of Zebedee
    1. He was a prosperous fisherman in Galilee. (Mark 1:20) “And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.”
    2. She and Zebedee had at least two boys. They were young men when Jesus began preaching. Their names were James and John.
    3. Many today treat marriage as old fashioned and unnecessary. That thinking is not found in the Bible. Marriage is very important. God has always required marriage before motherhood. (Hebrews 13:4) “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”
  2. Benefits of having a married mother
    1. Marriage is blessed by God while He promises to judge de facto relationships (Heb 13:4)
    2. Marriage gives the family a unified name.
    3. Marriage makes the home more stable.
    4. Marriage provides greater emotional security.
    5. Marriage enables the mother to fulfil her biblical role as a submissive completer for her husband.
    6. Marriage enables children to learn from their parents God’s pattern for a biblical home. If children do not see Colossians 3 and Ephesians 5 lived out in the home, they will have not example to follow when they become adults.
    7. Marriage enables the mum and dad to work together in rearing their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
    8. Marriage enables mum to show true biblical love for dad before the children.

Salome was a Godly Mother

  1. She was a disciple of Jesus
    1. She was a god-fearing Jew who believed on Jesus.
    2. She appears to have been a disciple of Jesus from the beginning of his ministry. (Mark 15:40-41) “There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.” Her actions speak louder than words.
    3. She may have been Jesus’ mother Mary’s sister (Jn 19:25).
  2. She had reared her boys to be spiritually sensitive.
    1. Children do not accidently become godly. Someone must guide them. In James and John’s case, their mother Salome certainly had a part.
    2. Salome’s sons answered Jesus’ call immediately. (Matt 4:21-22) “And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.”
      1. To have such an immediate response to Jesus’ call, we know that they were spiritually sensitive young men.
      2. They were obviously god-fearing young Jewish men who were looking for the coming Messiah.
      3. Their mother and father had reared them to be godly young men of character. They had learned to work with their father, but they had also learned to put spiritual things first in their lives.
    3. James and John became Jesus’ closest disciples. They are often mentioned among those privileged to be close to Jesus.
      1. (Matt 17:1-2) “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.”
      2. (Mark 5:37-38) “And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.”
      3. (Mark 13:3) “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,”
      4. (Mark 14:33) “And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;”

Salome was a Sacrificial Mother

  1. She sacrificially allowed her sons to follow Jesus
    1. Zebedee and Salome both allowed James and John to follow Jesus. This was a huge sacrifice. They no longer would be helping Zebedee in his fishing business. It may have lowered their income. This was a major sacrificial decision.
    2. Following Jesus, they would not be able to provide for Zebedee or Salome in their elderly years. As it turned out, this was certainly true.
    3. Following Jesus was not the acceptable thing in the eyes of many people. While it is true that thousands followed Jesus at times, they were still the minority. Most people in Jesus’ day rejected Him.
  2. She had a servant’s sacrificial heart
    1. We saw earlier in Mark 15:41 that when Jesus was in Galilee, Salome was among those who followed Jesus and ministered to Him. The word “ministered” is a word that describes a servant. It was one who serves another’s interests.
    2. She may have prepared food for Jesus and his disciples. She may have given of her income to help provide for Jesus. She certainly gave of her time and energy.
  3. She gave her sons as martyrs for Christ
    1. James was the first apostle to be martyred. (Acts 12:1-2) “Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.”
    2. Being the youngest of the disciples, John may have been the last apostle to be martyred. Tradition claims that he was banished to the Island of Patmos. Whether he was actually killed for Christ, no one knows for sure.

Conclusion

Salome was a married mother, a godly mother, and a sacrificial mother. If you are a mother, God wants you to be that kind of a mother as well. Young ladies, make it your prayer and ambition to be a mother like Salome one day.

Mothers, pray that God will call your children to be missionaries or preachers. Asking God to use your children is the greatest motherly sacrifice, yet one of the best things any mother can do. Serving God may take your children far from you. You may seldom see them and your grandchildren, but if you surrender your children to the Lord, He will be glorified and you will be blessed.

Do all that you can to prepare your children to serve God. Pray that they will trust Christ as their Saviour at an early age. Mentor them spiritually. Teach them to work and develop character in their lives. Do not let them become picky eaters or trendy. Quash selfishness. Promote serving God in your home. Read missionary biographies. Talk about serving God. Pray as a family for God’s servants. Host preachers in your home. Then, practice what you promote by being a faithful witness for Christ yourself.

Song: I Surrender All – 394
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Salome
8 May 2016 AM – Mark 16:1 – Mother’s Day – Scott Childs