(Slide 1) I begin this morning with the reading of several passages out of the books of Luke and John and as I do so, I invite you to find a common link to the passages:
First Luke 2:15 – 19
‘When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often.’
Now Luke 2:41 – 51
‘Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, because they assumed he was with friends among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there.
Three days later they finally discovered him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son!” his mother said to him. “Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”
“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “You should have known that I would be in my Father’s house.”
But they didn’t understand what he meant. Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them; and his mother stored all these things in her heart.’
Now our main text for this morning, John 19:25 – 27
‘Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Woman, he is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “She is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.’
What is the common link? The common link that I want to point out is that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is featured in each of the accounts just read.
An increasingly popular Christmas song these days, at least in church circles, is ‘Mary Don’t You Know?’ It is a song that asks a series of questions to Mary about her newborn son, Jesus, who He is, what He will do and what will happen to Him.
Mary, don’t you know these things? As we reflect on the texts that have just been read, we are told that both at Jesus’ birth and then as He became of age in a dramatic and even scary way, these events became a part of the ‘treasured memories’ which all mothers have of their children.
You know what I am talking about, right? They are the stories that all mothers have, and publicly share when you sometimes wish they wouldn’t. But they are treasured memories and no matter if they are embarrassing or not, moms have a right to tell them. (Oh, yeah, dads have such stories as well and we like to tell them, too.)
I think that one of my mom’s treasured stories is a July date, I cannot remember the date but she can, on which the first church I served voted me in as their first full-time youth minister. That is a treasured memory for her. It was an important day for me, but not in the way it is for her.
Mary had her own treasured memories of Jesus and His life and as moms here can attest, they serve an important role as good reminders of a deep bond as life moves forward and their relationship with their children changes. The gospel writers remind us of this importance as we have read.
Little is known about Mary other than what we read in the Biblical accounts. In addition to what we have read already, John in his gospel account notes that she was present at the wedding in Cana where Jesus performed the miracle of changing the water into wine as we read in John 2:
‘The next day Jesus’ mother was a guest at a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother spoke to him about the problem. “They have no more wine,” she told him.
“How does that concern you and me?” Jesus asked. “My time has not yet come.” But his mother told the servants “Do whatever he tells you.”’
I chuckle at this interchange between Mary and Jesus. I can imagine that upon hearing the wine had run out (a very embarrassing situation) that Mary hunted Jesus down and said, because she knew her son could do something about it.
I can see her in my mind’s eye scanning the crowd looking for Him and when she saw Him she made her way quickly and efficiently (as mothers do when they are on a mission) to Him and said, ‘They have no more wine.’ Now translated this statement means, ‘Jesus, they have no more wine and you need to do something about it.’ It was a mother’s request of her son.
Then there is Jesus’ response. It is almost a ‘so what, mom?’ kind of a response. ‘How does that concern you and me?’ (A very interesting question, isn’t it?) ‘It’s not my time yet.’
Is Jesus being disrespectful? Some might argue that He is but what about the suggestion that He is responding as a son who is doing the necessary identity separation and development that all children need to do in order to become responsible adults? Furthermore, He is also reminding His mother, as He did many years earlier, that His agenda is not what she thinks that it is. Mary, as mothers sometimes do, ignores this line of questioning, ‘Do what ever he tells you (to do),’ she says to the servants who are probably at their wits end about the beverage situation. This mother knows something about her son is different and powerful and wonderful. “Mary did you know?’
Then a year or so later we read in Matthew 12 about Mary again. ‘As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers were outside, wanting to talk with him. Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you.”
(Have you ever though what it was about? Maybe Mary and the family thought that Jesus was getting more and more ‘weird’ or maybe He had not been back home enough and they decided to pay Him a visit? Or that they had important news or needed His input on an important decision and they decided to show up?)
Matthew continued, ‘Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “These are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”’
Many people, especially Christians, I think have trouble with this passage because it appears to them that Jesus does not care for His mother and family, one bit. But He does care for them as He also cared for those He was speaking to.
His comments are about larger and deeper matters that go beyond the important and valuable family bonds. As we read time and again in the gospels, Jesus is there to establish the new covenant in which the old rules and practices no longer apply.
It is a faith issue. It is a spiritual issue and when He hears that mom and the family want to have a chat He uses the opportunity to make a very important point about ultimately loyalty.
He ties the very important social concept of family into a very important spiritual concept because the new covenant that would occur with His death and resurrection is about the larger community of humanity for which He is concerned and for which He comes to redeem.
(Slide 2) Then there were those moments at His crucifixion. I wonder how many of these scenes we have just reviewed Mary remembered and pondered in heart, grief stricken and torn even shocked perhaps at what was happening to her son, (her son!) as she stood watching Him die. ‘This should not be happening! It is not supposed to be this way! Sons are to bury their mothers not the other way around!’
But Jesus, in great and terrible pain, recognized that his mother, who had miraculously conceived and given birth to Him, need to be cared for and as a good son does, did exactly that. Mary did you know?
Now the gospel accounts do not indicate that Mary was among the other Mary’s who went to the tomb that Resurrection morning. But in Acts 1:14 we read that, after Jesus ascended back to heaven and the disciples returned to Jerusalem, ‘They all met together continually for prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.’
Mary was not just the mother of Jesus she was a follower of Him as well! You would have thought that she would have wanted to be at the tomb that morning. Maybe she went the day before or later in that day after hearing reports of an empty tomb. We don’t know. But I believe that she was mourning as a Jewish mother would properly mourn the death of a child.
But, then I ask, ‘When did she know beyond doubt that Jesus was alive? When did she realize that what He had said to her and about her in Jerusalem, at Cana, and in Capernaum, became very clear and understood?’ Maybe Jesus appeared to her at some point or at another time when she was with the disciples. We don’t know, but Acts 1:14 leaves no doubt that Mary believed in Jesus!
My point is this: Mary serves as a role model of faithfulness. I think that Mary had motherly concerns about Jesus throughout His life on earth. I think that as we have heard this morning, was concerned about Jesus as a good mother is concerned about her kids. I think that we get glimpses of this in the gospel accounts.
But, she was faithful. One of the comments that I read about her as I prepared this meditation was that for 30 years (actually 33) she did the simple and important tasks of motherhood. Even when the angel appears with incredible news of what is about to happen to her, she believes and says, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true.”
As we face a new year with unknown challenges but also unknown opportunities, I encourage you to remember Mary and her simple but important faithfulness to the purposes of God. By some she is venerated, held in very high esteem. By others she is simply thought about once a year and then forgotten. But her story, her actions, her life, serves us as a reminder that faithfulness to the simple and important roles in life, when done in service to God and for others in His name, matter.
(Slide 3) As we prepare for communion, let me encourage you to recommit to the Lord for 2008 willingness, as Mary expressed it so well, ‘to accept whatever he wants.’ Amen.
Power Points for this sermon are available by e-mailing me at pastorjim46755@yahoo.com and asking for ‘123007slides’ Please note that all slides for a particular presentation may not be available.
