1. Introduction
a. This morning as we continue our series The Gospel in the Seven Sayings of the Cross I want us to focus on Christ’s third statement made from the cross.
b. Illustration:
Legend has it that a wealthy merchant traveling through the Mediterranean world looking for the distinguished Pharisee, Paul, encountered Timothy, who arranged a visit. Paul was, at the time, a prisoner in Rome. Stepping inside the cell, the merchant was surprised to find a rather old man, physically frail, but whose serenity and magnetism challenged the visitor. They talked for hours. Finally the merchant left with Paul’s blessing. Outside the prison, the concerned man inquired, “What is the secret of this man’s power? I have never seen anything like it before.”
“Did you not guess?” replied Timothy. “Paul is in love.” The merchant looked bewildered. “In love?”
“Yes,” the missionary answered, “Paul is in love with Jesus Christ.”
The merchant looked even more bewildered. “Is that all?” Smiling, Timothy replied, “That is everything.”
c. That story accurately portrays Christ as well. Just as Paul was in love with Jesus, Jesus was and still is in love with us. It was that love that gave Him the power to endure what He did on our behalf.
d. Though He put His Father’s work and purpose first, He did not neglect His mother.
e. Even on the cross, experiencing pain and agony as only human flesh can, only moments away from physical death, He still took the time to ensure His mother would be taken care of.
f. Read John 19:26 – 27—When Jesus 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!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
2. Jesus was not so heavenly-minded that He was no earthly good.
a. Interestingly, only John, the disciple Jesus loved, records these words of Jesus to His mother.
b. There is an old adage that we should never be so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good.
c. This morning’s text reinforces that Jesus definitely did not fall into that category, not even hanging from that accursed tree.
d. Jesus possessed power such that he could have come down from the cross for Mary’s sake so that she would not be left alone.
(1) Yet He practiced what He preached, always putting God’s kingdom first.
(2) Read Matthew 6:33—But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
e. God, in His wisdom, ensured that Jesus’ earthly mother was going to be taken care of; she wasn’t going to be left to fend for herself.
f. In doing so, Jesus also set a standard for us to care for OUR earthly family as well—our biological family, our church family, and our earthly family.
3. Jesus was not bitter about his own brothers’ unbelief.
a. There are some questions likely running through your mind right now. Questions like, “Where was Joseph?” “Where were Jesus’ brothers?” “Why did He place Mary in John’s care and not his brothers?”
b. Let’s address Joseph first.
(1) Tradition holds it that Joseph died somewhere after Jesus’ 12th birthday and before he started his public ministry.
(2) While scripture does not give us the exact answer, the last time it does specifically address Joseph as being present, Jesus was 12 and they found him teaching in the temple.
(3) Joseph is not mentioned again until the day of Jesus’ baptism 18 years later, and then it is only in reference to Jesus’ lineage, not as Joseph being present.
c. Now let’s address Jesus’ brothers.
(1) Scripture supports that Mary and Joseph had children other than Jesus.
(2) Scripture also supports that Jesus’ siblings did not believe in him.
(3) Read John 7:5—For not even his brothers believed in him.
(4) Read Psalm 69:8—I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons.
(5) So Jesus did not entrust His mother’s care to His unbelieving brothers partly because they weren’t present at the crucifixion and partly because He considered John to be closer to her in his spiritual relationship than His own physical half-brothers who were not believers.
d. Jesus wasn’t bitter that His brothers and all but one of His disciples were not at the cross to show their support.
e. However, John was given the privilege of caring for Jesus’ mother partly because of his availability at the cross while other prominent disciples were not there.
f. There is an important lesson to be learned here. We miss opportunities for special privileges and, more importantly, special blessings, by not making ourselves available during times of trouble.
4. A standard is set.
a. While the information about Joseph and Jesus’ brothers is interesting, it is not the focus of this message.
b. The focus is that Jesus set a standard for taking care of family and redefined what family means all at the same time.
c. The Lexham Bible Dictionary defines family as members of a household who may or may not be related biologically. It goes on to say this about Biblical families.
Families in the Bible are varied in structure. For example (Culbertson, Caring for God’s People, 38–41):
• Two parents and two children (Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel) (Gen 3–4)
• A widow and her child (1 Kings 17:12)
• A mother and her daughter-in-law (Ruth and Naomi) (Ruth 1–2)
• A husband, his two wives, his two concubines and their numerous children and servants (the family of Jacob) (Genesis 29–30)
• A community of like-minded individuals who are not biologically related at all (the early church)
d. In establishing a care chain for His mother, Jesus not only reinforced an Old Testament law, but He also set a New Testament standard.
e. Throughout the Septuagint and the Old Testament as we know it, special provisions were made for the care of widows. It was so important that it wasn’t just a recommendation, it was the law.
f. That practice required under the law was supported and enforced in New Testament times as well.
g. So Jesus really was following the very law that He was fulfilling.
h. However, because of statements He had made earlier in His ministry, He was setting a standard for a new practice for believers to observe. He was broadening the previously limited scope of the law.
(1) Read Matthew 12:46 – 50—While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. [Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to you."] But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
(2) Wow! Surprised? Absolutely! Shocked? Even more so. The big question is why? Why would Jesus make such a statement, which, by the way, is really to our benefit?
(3) This proclamation is loaded with spiritual significance. It marks a distinct turning point in Jesus' dealing with Israel.
(a) Figuratively, Mary and her sons, Jesus’ half-brothers, represented the nation of Israel, Jesus' blood relations.
(b) Up to this point He had limited His ministry largely to the house of Israel.
(c) But it was becoming clear that His own people would not have Him. Instead of bowing to their Messiah, as would have been appropriate, the Pharisees had accused Him of being controlled by Satan.
(4) So Jesus announced a new order of things.
(a) His familial ties with Israel would no longer be the controlling factor in His outreach.
(b) He continued to plead with His countrymen, but this passage indicates a shift in focus from just the Jews to one that included both the Jews and the Gentiles.
(c) If Israel would not have Him, He would turn to those who would.
(d) Blood relationships, that is to say His lineage, were going to be superseded by spiritual considerations.
(e) A new order and a new standard were established; one where obedience to God would bring men and women, Jew or Gentile, into a vital relationship with Him.
(5) So when Jesus said to Mary, “Woman, behold your son:” and to John, “Behold your mother;” he was effectively saying, “I would rather entrust the care of my earthly family to a Christian brother than I would to flesh-and-blood, non-believing brothers.
5. So where are you going with this.
a. You might be asking yourself right now, “Preacher, just where are you going with this.”
b. This would be my answer.
(1) Read Matthew 25:31 – 46.
(2) Earlier in my message I told you that one definition of a family is members of a household who may or may not be related biologically.
(3) While it may be a bit of a stretch, technically speaking, since we all inhabit the earth together, we are in essence of the same household.
(4) Another definition I gave you is two parents, their children, and the following generations. If we hold fast to this definition, then because of Adam and Eve we are all, technically, distant cousins, which is family.
c. So by Jesus’ new standard we are charged with taking care of one another, whether believer or non-believer.
d. And based on the scripture we just read, Jesus even went so far as to say that doing these things for one another is the same thing as doing it for Him. Conversely, not doing them is the same as not doing them for him.
e. So, making provision for family, whether it is our own flesh and blood or it is a total stranger, a person we have never seen before in our life, our approach has to be much like this.
The story is told of a king who desired to know how much his three daughters loved him. The first two declared they loved him more than all the gold and silver in the world. The third said: “I love you better than salt.” The king was not exactly elated and attributed his youngest daughter’s reply to her immaturity. The cook, overhearing, left salt out of the king’s breakfast. Then the father awakened to his daughter’s declaration: “I love you so much that nothing is good without you.”
(1) We must see them in the same light as this youngest daughter saw her father.
(2) We must love them with the skew that “nothing is good without them.” They are, after all, wonderfully made and a masterpiece of God.
6. Closing and Invitation
a. The charge is before you. The standard has been set. The bar has been raised.
b. We must see life as the man in this story and respond accordingly:
One morning R.C. Chapman, a devout Christian, was asked how he was feeling. "I'm burdened this morning!" was his reply. But his happy countenance contradicted his words. So the questioner exclaimed in surprise, "Are you really burdened, Mr. Chapman?" "Yes, but it's a wonderful burden—it's an overabundance of blessings for which I cannot find enough time or words to express my gratitude!" Seeing the puzzled look on the face of his friend, Chapman added with a smile, "I am referring to Psalm 68:19, which fully describes my condition. In that verse the Father in heaven reminds us that He 'daily loads us with benefits.'"
c. Luke records these words of Jesus in 12:48: “…From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
d. So you need to answer these questions for yourself. What will you do with the blessings God has bestowed on you? Will you be a hoarder or will you be a sharer?
e. If you choose to be a hoarder, to what end? Ultimately, can you take it with you?
f. If you choose to be a sharer, what will be your standard of sharing?
g. In the end, are you prepared to face the final reckoning for your stewardship, for what you did with those blessings you received?
