Mary proudly holds her newborn baby boy as she and her husband enter the temple court. Only forty days ago she gave birth to her firstborn Son. Today they have made the short trip from Bethlehem to dedicate her firstborn son to the Lord. As they make their way through the crowd, an elderly man spots them. His name is Simeon. God has revealed to him that he will not die until he sees the Messiah. Now that day has come.
To Mary’s surprise, Simeon takes her baby in his arms and praises God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).
The old man’s words amaze Mary and Joseph. But Simeon is not finished. He looks at the boy’s mother and says, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.”
Then Simeon says something Mary never forgot. “And a sword will pierce your very heart.” (See Luke 2:21-35.)
Fast forward 33 years.
Now Mary understands Simeon’s prophecy. The little baby that she had once held in her arms is now hanging on a Roman cross. And her heart is pierced.
The sign above His head reads, “This is Jesus of Nazareth.” But Mary weeps as she thinks, “This is my Son.”
She remembers kissing her boy’s brow as she put Him to bed. Now that brow is marred by a crown of thorns. She remembers guiding his tiny hands and feet as He learned to walk. Now those hands and feet are nailed to a cross. She remembers rubbing His back to consol her crying Son. Now that back is bloodied and beaten.
As Mary surveys the heartbreaking scene, her mind goes back to a happier visit to Jerusalem. It was 22 years ago. Jesus was twelve. It was his first time Mary and Joseph had taken Jesus on their pilgrimmage from Nazareth to observe the Passover. She recalls how excited her Son was to see the temple. But most of all, she remembers the journey home. Jesus was missing. In a panic, she and Joseph rushed back to Jerusalem. They finally found Him in the temple. “Son,” Mary scolded Him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”
Jesus replied, “Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Mary didn’t understand what He meant. But as the years passed by, she began to realize that His life would be shaped by His Father’s will, not His mother’s dreams. (See Luke 2:41-50.)
Now as Mary stands beside her Son’s cross, she understands that Jesus is finishing the final piece of His Father’s business. But still, her heart is pierced.
She had experienced the sorrow of losing Him for just three days. Now she is losing Him to death.
John 19:23-27
23When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
24“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said,
“They divided my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.”
So this is what the soldiers did.
25Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” 27and to the disicple, “Here is your mother.” From that point on, this disciple took her into his home.
Is there a connection between the seamless undergrament and Jesus’ words to Mary from the cross? Maybe. It is possible that this garment had been made by Mary, sewn with a mother’s love. And now as the Roman soldiers gamble for this garment, Jesus’ eyes turn to Mary.
LAST WORDS OF LOVE
The Gospel writers record seven statements Jesus made from the cross. These statements could be called the last words of Jesus.
• “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
• “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
• “Dear woman, here is your son. Here is your mother” (John 19:26-27).
• “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34).
• “I am thirsty” (John 19:28).
• “It is finished” (John 19:30).
• “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46).
Last words often reveal the true character of a person:
• “Hey, fellas! How about this for a headline for tomorrow’s paper? ‘French fries’! Who: James French, a convicted murderer. He was sententenced to the electric chair. He shouted these words to members of the press who were to witness his execution.
• “Why, yes, a bulletproof vest.” Who: Domonic Willard. Just before his death by firing squad, he was asked if he had any last requests.
• “I’m bored with it all.” Who: Winstin Churchill, before slipping into a coma and dying nine days later.
• “The sadness will last forever.” Who: Vincent van Gogh, Dutch painter
• “Don’t you dare ask God to help me.” Who: Joan Crawford. This comment was directed towards her housekeeper who began to pray aloud.
• “I shall be with Christ, and that is enough.” Who: Michael Faraday, British scientist. He was asked, “Have you ever pondered by yourself what will be your occupation in the next world?”
One thing we learn about Jesus from His last words is that He was always helping of others. Usually when we experience sorrow and pain in our lives, we are concerned only with our own problems. But even as He was dying, Jesus didn’t stop thinking of others.
• When He said, “Father, forgiven them,” He was thinking of His enemies.
• When He said, “Today you will be with me in paradise,” He was thinking of the criminal by His side.
• When He said, “Dear woman, here is your son,” He was thinking of His mother.
At the time of Jesus’ death, Mary was probably between 45 and 50 years old. And since we never read of Joseph after the visit to Jerusalem when Jesus was twelve, it seems that Mary was also a widow.
As the oldest son, Jesus made sure His mother would be cared for after His death. He looked down from the cross and saw Mary and John (“the disciple whom he loved”). He spoke first to Mary. “Mother, I’m leaving you now and I’m not going to be able to take care of you after I’m gone. Mother, John will now be your son. He will take my place.” Then Jesus addressed John. “John, My mother will now be your mother. Take care of her. Provide for her as I would if I were still alive.” (When Jesus said, “Here is your son,” He was referring to John, not Himself.)
LESSONS FROM A DYING SON
In Jesus’ words to Mary and John we discover two important lessons:
1. A person should never stop HONORING his mother and father.
Jesus honored His mother and father when He was young. “Then [Jesus] when down to Nazareth with [Mary and Joseph] and was obedient to them” (Luke 2:51). However, there came a time in Jesus’ life when He no longer lived in obedience to His mother. When Mary asked Jesus to do something about the shortage of wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, He mildly rebuked her. Their relationship had changed. He was now obeying the will of His heavenly Father, not His earthly mother. But even as an adult, Jesus never stopped honoring His mother. We see this in the provision He made for her from the cross. He never stopped obeying the fifth commandment: “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12).
There comes a time in life when we no longer have to be obedient to our parents, but we should always honor them. “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8).
How can we honor our parents?
• You can honor your parents by making sure they know that you love them.
• If your parents are no longer living, you can honor them by remembering them.
• If you are unable to speak good about your parents, you can honor them by refusing to speak evil of them.
2. Followers of Christ form a spiritual FAMILY.
Why didn’t Jesus ask His own brothers to care care of Mary? John 7:5 tells us that His brothers “did not believe in him.” Both Mary and John were believers. During His life Jesus taught that the bond between His followers is to be even greater than the bond between family members. (I know that sounds like heresy on Mother’s Day.)
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:31-35; cf. Luke 11:27-28)).
Jesus’ reply was not meant to reject His natural family but to emphasize the higher priority of His spiritual relationship to those who believed in Him.
Peter said to him, “We have left everything to follow you!”
“I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life” (Mark 10:28-30).
How are we going to receive 100 brothers, 100 sisters, 100 mothers, and 100 children in this life? Answer: in the church, the family of God.
Followers of Christ are to care for one another as brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, and children. “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10). (The early church was especially interested in helping Christian widows.)
Jesus looks at each of His followers here today and says to us, “Here is your son. Here is your mother. Here is your father. Here is your brother. Here is your sister. Here is your child.”
