Behold Your Son Series

Behold Your Son

Our text for today is found in John chapter nineteen. Please follow along as I read:

Standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" From that hour the disciple took her into his own household. John 19:25-27 (NASB)

This is the third saying of Jesus as he hung on the cross. A crowd has gathered near the cross to watch the goings-on. Among the crowd was Mary - the mother of Jesus. When Jesus saw his mother there he said to her, "Woman, behold, your son!"

As we consider this particular statement, it is interesting to note that the first three of Christ’s sayings regarded the needs of others. The first was a prayer of forgiveness:

“Father, forgive them” —thinking of his enemies.

The second, a promise of redemption:

“Today you will be with me in Paradise” —thinking of the criminal by his side.

The third, a word of provision for His mother.

“Woman, behold your son” —thinking of his mother.

Jesus died as he lived—thinking of others.

A. W. Pink once wrote:

"The Lord Jesus was dying as the Savior for sinners. He was engaged in the most momentous and the most stupendous undertaking that this earth ever has or ever will witness... Nevertheless, He does not overlook the responsibilities of natural ties; He fails not to make provision for her who, according to the flesh, was His mother."

Family ties are very important.

Just short of a year ago I made my way back to Arizona. It is the state where I grew up. A special celebration was going to take place. It was my mother's 90th birthday. Cathy had arranged for all of our sons and their families to go along. (We have four sons that live in Osage county.) I think we ended up taking four cars and two days getting there. Mom now lives in an independent living facility. She has come to like it there even though she went in there kicking and screaming. It really only took a short time to come and enjoy the place. She has kind of a small apartment there with a bedroom, bathroom and living room with a kitchenette in it. She doesn't do much cooking because she goes down the hall to the dining room for breakfast and lunch.

I don't get to see my mother too often since she lives in Arizona and I live in Kansas - but every time we get together it is a special time. A few years ago while I was still in the Army - stationed at Fort McCoy, WI - I had to go to Arizona for some training. I took a couple extra days and went to see my mom. I arrived in the evening and sat and visited for awhile. My mom asked me if I could come back in the morning and eat breakfast with her before I had to go and catch my flight out. I said, "Sure." Then I suggested that I wear my uniform so that we could have "show and tell" at breakfast. She thought that would be great and we had a fantastic time.

When her 90th birthday came up my older brother had made all the arrangements for the party and it was a great event. Ten of the Kansas clan ended up going to Arizona. We ended up taking four cars. We met with the Arizona clan which included my brother and his family. There were cousins there from Arizona, Ohio and Texas. I saw people there who I had not seen in years and some of them I had never seen before - yet I was related to them. It was a grand time.

We had a big celebration for my Mom. We had the party in a large room with lots of tables set up in it. It took mom a few minutes to come down to the room - because she doesn't walk too fast any more. My brother John had arranged the catering. There was a big sheet cake with yellow flowers on it and the words - "Happy 90th Birthday Rita." We all had a good time. Near the end of the party - residents from the home came down to enjoy cake and punch and it was then that mom could do her "show and tell". She likes doing "show and tell". She was smiling ear to ear.

Just a couple days ago I looked back on the pictures that were taken that day. Do you know what I saw in that picture? I saw my Mom with gray hair around her temples. Her face was etched with the passing of the years. I saw a 90 year old woman - with two sons. One of them 62 - the other one 60 - and that made me smile.