I think you’d agree: there is something noteworthy about the last words of men and women. Winston Churchill’s last words were reported, “I’m bored with it all,” as he died of a stroke at the age of 90. Maybe the amusing last words were by the king of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, who said, “I’m going to the bathroom to read.”
If we turn from the famous to the criminal, last words take on a somber significance. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice maintains a publicly accessible online record of every murderer that is put to death within or borders. You see the mugshot of 481 persons and read about the crimes that landed them on death row. But perhaps the most interestingly, you can also read their final words. You can read what they said literally seconds before a deadly cocktail of chemicals intravenously flooded their bodies, knocked them out, collapsed their lungs, and stopped their hearts. But, I found it interesting that eight out of ten prisoners choose to say something before they’re dispatched, and reading their statements is a somber and sometimes chilling experience. I recognize we are dealing with somebody’s sons here, so I don’t want any of us to take any of this lightly. Some of their last words are straightforward, such as Lawrence Buxton, who simply said, “I’m ready, Warden.”
The work of Jon Millward has combed through all the data and found the most used words of those who spoke their last words. The most frequently used words were, “love, family, thanks, and sorry” in that order. It wasn’t much different when you examined the most popular three-word phrases from these men as they said, “I love you,” “I would like (to),” “I am sorry,” and “Thank you for…” in that order. I wonder what your last words might be.
Jesus Christ hung on the cross for six agonizing hours before succumbing to the torture of crucifixion through asphyxiation. During that time, Jesus made seven statements on the cross that were recorded in the four gospels of the New Testament. Each one of these statements is significant and worthy of all your mental power.
Today’s Scripture
“When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.’ This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,
‘They divided my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.’
So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 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” (John 19:23-27).
To prepare our hearts to celebrate Easter in a month, I want you to devote your mind and heart to these seven statements of Jesus while hanging on the cross. Today we examine Jesus’ third statement while hanging on the cross: “Behold your son. Behold your mother.”
1. Behold Your Mother
“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son’” (John 19:26)!
Not one of the Gospels contains all seven of these statements of Jesus on the cross. But it is the gospel of John that makes sure we know Jesus’ care for His mother at this critical al moment. All four Gospels mention women who were brave enough to follow Jesus to the cross and witness his c crucifixion. And I do mean brave because most of the men fled from Jesus in the hour of His need. John’s Gospel mentions four women: Mary, the wife of Clopas; Mary Magdalene; Jesus’s aunt (referenced only as “his mother’s sister”); and “his mother” (John 19:25).
In the midst of words of anguish, Jesus has the word of affection for his mother. Let’s pause to consider Mary’s pain at that moment. I wonder what Mary was thinking about as Jesus hung on the cross. We can only wonder because not one of the gospels tell us even one word Mary said while Jesus hung on the cross. Now, I don’t have any definitive insight into the matter, but I wonder if her mind when all the way back to when Jesus was a child in her arms.
1.1 A Sword Will Pierce Your Soul
One scene, in particular, comes to mind as I think about Mary witnessing the gory scene of her Son’s crucifixion. If you “flashback,” Mary would have been a mother for only forty days when Moses’ law told her to appear in the Temple. She walked up into the city of Jerusalem to the Temple Mount to present her infant Son, just one month old. Suddenly an old man appeared in front of them as they moved into the outer courts of the Temple. Where he came from, Mary had no idea. But he was demanding to see the child. When she realized she could trust him and learned that his name was Simeon, it was there Simeon said to Mary: “And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed’” (Luke 2:34-35). “A sword will pierce your soul” was perhaps all she could think about. Surely, this old man was “dead on” in his prophecy.
Mary was to have the greatest of all privileges but also the greatest of all sorrows as well. What anguish must have been hers when she learned of Herod’s purpose to destroy her infant’s life! What trouble was given her when she was forced to flee into a foreign country and live for several years in the land of Egypt! She must have laid awake hours on end wondering why the scribes, Pharisees, and the religious teachers of her nation hated her Son so much. Now, all these years later, how could anything hurt so bad as to see your Son unjustly crucified? She had seen Him heal the sick, raise the dead, and give sight to the blind. She had to wonder, “If He can turn water into wine, why can He not prevent this ‘kangaroo court’ of injustice of the last twelve hours?” “Surely, His life doesn’t end this way, does it?” he sobbed. Surely she was baffled by the whole scene in front of her. She was the first to plant a kiss on His forehead where now only a crown of thorns was cruelly placed. Who can measure those six hours of sorrow and suffering as the sword slowly and repeatedly pierced her soul? The crowds were mocking, the thieves were taunting, the priests were jeering, the soldiers were indifferent, the Savior was bleeding — and all the while His mother witnessed the horrible mockery. Yes, “a sword [had] pierce [her] soul.”
1.2 Jesus’ Mother
But, not even in the tragedy of this terrible moment, Jesus did not forget His mother: “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son’” (John 19:26)!
No mother in history ever had a Son like Mary did. Never did son love His mother like the Son of God loved Mary. Jesus is about to enter into a spiritual “no man’s land,” and yet, He takes one last opportunity to ensure His mother is taken care of. It’s remarkable. Now, Jesus was perfect in every way conceivable. Now, we witness one more piece of His perfection as He cared for His mother as He was breathing His last.
1.3 Caring for Your Family
Jesus continues to be our model here. If Jesus can continue to think of His family while being staked to a cross, surely we know we are to care for our families. Yes, we are to care for our loved ones. The Bible gives a stark warning to those who fail to provide for their families: “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8). God wants you to care for your physical, biological family.
Again, Jesus is our model here.
1.3.1 Your Spiritual Family
“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son’” (John 19:26)!
Nearly everyone agrees that the “the disciple whom he loved” in verse 26 is the disciple John. John isn’t Jesus’ biological family. Jesus tells His spiritual brother to care for His spiritual sister, who is also His biological mother. Did you know that when you embrace Christ, you are given a family, a forever family? The early church called one another brothers and sisters even though they were not blood-related. These early Christians saw themselves as a family. But they were a family with one important difference, they weren’t a blood family but an eternal family. I want you to see that a new spiritual family is forming around Jesus and the gospel. The Bible speaks of the importance of your spiritual family in Ephesians 2:19: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God…” (Ephesians 2:19). This new family will complement and even supersede our biological family. This family is thicker than blood. Yes, your spiritual family is thicker than your biological family. So no matter what kind of family you’ve had in the past, you now have a new family. You have new brothers and sisters! Your spiritual family is more important than your physical family. Why? Because your spiritual family will last forever. Physical families may not last as important as they are. But your spiritual family lasts forever and ever. Again, Jesus is our model even on the cross with His mother.
1.3.2 Jesus’ “Real” Family
One of the most surprising episodes of Jesus’ relationship to His mother, Mary was this one: “Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, 'Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.' But he answered them, 'My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it'” (Luke 8:19-21).
Jesus says His real family is those who hear the word of God and do it. In the presence of His mother and brothers, Jesus speaks of the importance of our spiritual mothers and brothers.
1.3.3 Charles Colson
Politics in our day is a dirty business, but some of you may remember a time when it was just as heated and ugly, the days of President Richard M. Nixon ( 969-1974). Inside President Nixon’s office was a man named Charles Colson. Because of the illegal activities of the President’s team, Colson served prison time for his role in Watergate. Just before he went to prison, a businessman named Thomas L. Phillips shared the gospel with Colson. Colson said no one in his family had ever read the Bible. As Colson was introduced to the story of the gospel, he trusted Jesus Christ while sitting in the car of the driveway o Phillips. He then joined a men’s group of Democratic and Republican senators and congressmen. One man, in particular, stood out in the life of Charles Colson: Al Quie. He was a former state senator, nine-term congressman, and governor of Minnesota. Seven months into Colson’s prison term, Colson was facing a pair of family crises, but at the top of the list, his son had been arrested for selling marijuana. Congressman Quie called and said he was going to ask President Gerald Ford if he could serve the rest of my prison sentence. Colson rejected the kind offer, but he later said, “I was overwhelmed. His willingness to lay down his life for me was a turning point: I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ was real.” More important than serving in Congress, Al Quie was Charles Colson’s brother in Christ.
Again, Jesus speaks of the importance of our spiritual mothers and brothers. Do you pray and give thanks for other believers in your life? Do you pray for other believers constantly?
1.4 Mary and John
Let’s return back to the cross again, if you will. Jesus said, “Behold your son. Behold your mother,” while dying on the cross. Jesus may have been the breadwinner in His family and cared for His mother. Now that He’s gone, where will Mary turn? Remember, there’s no such thing as social security in Jesus’ day, and a widow’s needs often made them desperate. The disciple whom Jesus loved would take His place in caring for his mother after Jesus died. He would do his best to protect her. He would do his best to provide for her as a son.
1.5 Forgiving Your Family
I know this is hard for some of you to listen to. You have been mistreated by a family member. You have been ostracized, disowned, or left out completely. It may be that you have tried to love some family, and you have been rebuffed. Still, the gospel of Jesus Christ calls on you to make an effort to forgive, love, and ca e for.
1. Behold Your Mother
2. Behold His Family
“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son’” (John 19:26)!
We notice that Mary is at the cross, but where is Joseph, who acted as Jesus’ father?
2.1 Where’s Joseph?
Remember, Joseph is Mary s husband. Joseph is nowhere to be found in any of the four gospels when Jesus is dying on the cross.
2.1.1 Joseph’s Last Known Whereabouts
The last time we know anything for sure about Joseph is when Mary and Joseph cannot find Jesus for three days. Jesus was only twelve years old at the time (Luke 2:41-52). After that instance, the Bible is silent on Joseph. The most common explanation of where Joseph went is that Joseph simply died. Joseph is famous for his obedience to God when the angels gave him the message of Jesus’ birth and Mary’s supernatural pregnancy. Our Roman Catholic friends even have a feast in honor of Joseph on March 19 of every year (which was yesterday!). So everyone agrees Joseph is the best o the best! He’s a five-star Christian if I ever saw one. So Joseph is gone and now Mary is alone at the foot of the cross.
2.1.2 Two Josephs
I find it interesting that two men named Joseph were important to Jesus at the bookends o his life. One Joseph was important at the beginning of His life and another Joseph at the end o His life. Of course, Joseph was there to guide Mary to Bethlehem and take care of a thousand other details for the family. And the other Joseph at the end of His life on earth, Joseph of Arimathea (John 19:38–42). The first was there for His birth, while the second was thereafter His death. Remember that Joseph of Arimathea was the one who allowed Jesus to be buried in His tomb. The first was poor while the second was rich, but both of them were God’s chosen servants. Joseph was likely dead when Jesus was crucified.
2.2 Why Not Mary’s Children?
It’s curious that Jesus didn’t turn to Mary’s biological children to ca e for her. Jesus has stepbrothers, or better yet, “half-brothers.” Joseph and Mary were natural husband and wife after Je us’ birth. They acted like any good married couple would do. They had other children besides the virgin-born Jesus. Again, they are recorded as having been present when Jesus was being crucified. They may have been up north in their hometown of Capernaum at the time rather than at Jerusalem with Jesus and Mary. Perhaps they didn’t want to see their “fool-hearted” brother be crucified because they were embarrassed of Him. Or perhaps they didn’t want to see the gore of the crucifixion itself.
2.2.1 Jesus’ Family’s Lack of Faith
One important aspect is the half-brothers’ faith here, or their lack of it. It’s here I want “to chase a rabbit” if you’ll permit me. The Bible tells us that Jesus’ half-brothers did not believe He was the Messiah: “For not even his brothers believed in him” John 7:5). Again, the Bible says that Jesus’ brothers did not believe their older brother at this time. Now, nobody knows you like your siblings, right? You cannot put anything by your brothers and sisters! If anyone in all of Scripture could “dish up the dirt” on Jesus, surely his kid brother would have no shortage of youthful indiscretion to share. Would any of your brothers or sisters mistake you for the sinless Savior of the world?
Pause and think with me, moms and dads. Don’t you imagine Mary shared with them the stories of the angels visiting both dad and mom? Don’t you imagine Mary shared how Jesus taught in the villages, healed the sick, raised the dead, and even turned the water into wine? Yet, the half-brothers did n t believe. They didn’t believe when Mary told them how Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, Israel’s teacher: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Some of you have children who are grown and refuse the most precious gift you want to give them, faith in the Lord Je us Christ. You feel like a failure. Get this now: Had you met James just after he graduated from high school, he might have said, “Don’t listen to my brother. He thinks He’s Jesus! He thinks He’s the Savior of the world! What does He know! He’s always been my mother’s favorite.” Can you imagine the brothers of the very Son of God don’t believe He is the very Son of God?
Look afresh at Mary, the mother of Jesus. Even Mary, as great as she is, cannot automatically get her children to believe in Christ for a long period of time. You can pray, and you can teach, but you cannot make anyone believe. Believing moms everywhere, take comfort in the “failure” of the best of all mothers! Keep praying! Keep teaching until your children trust Christ.
2.2.2 The Conversion of Jesus’ Brothers
What’s interesting is that as you turn the pages of your Bible from the Gospel of John to the book of Acts, we discover that Jesus’ brothers believe: “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers” (Acts 1:14).
Now how did this happen? How did they go from unbelief to belief in a matt r of days? Paul has a whole list of people the resurrected Jesus made appearances to, and then Paul says, “Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles” (1 Corinthians 15:7). While there’s a number of “James” running around in the New Testament, there is no doubt that Paul is referring to Jesus’ brother, James here. How did his family final y believe? Plain and simple: it was the resurrection. Jesus’ biological brothers worshipped Jesus as God only because they were convinced Jesus rose from the dead. They were nowhere present when Jesus was dying on the cross. Jesus turned to the disciple John and said, “Behold, your mother!”
1. Behold Your Mother
2. Behold His Family
3. Behold Your Savior
“and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:19-20).
We all know Jesus didn’t stay on the cross. On the third day, the stone was rolled away to show everyone that Jesus was no longer dead. He was alive.
3.1 Jesus’ Ability to Take Care of You
If Jesus cared for His mother on the worst day of His life, He will not abandon you in the best days of His life, my dear Christian friend. If Jesus could take care of the needs of his family at the moment of His deepest need, surely He can take good care of you now that He is seated at the right hand of the Father! He’s in a much better position to care for you now that He is on this side of the cross and He has ascended to the right hand of the Father!
What does this mean for believers today? Not only is this a word to remind us to care for our loved ones, but it’s a reminder of how Jesus ca s for us. Again, not only is this a word to remind us to care for our loved ones, but it’s a reminder of how Jesus cares for us even now.
Look again at Ephesians 1:19- 0 with me. The Bible says that God’s “immeasurable greatness of his power” is at work in those w o believe. The Bible says the very same “immeasurable greatness of his power” that was worked to raise Jesus from the dead is in us believers today. It is the very same “immeasurable greatness of his power” that work to raise Jesus from the earth into t e heavens. The power that got Jesus Christ out of the grave 2,000 years ago is that very same power that can deliver you and me out of the mess we are in today.
Paul layers three words together to describe the amount of power at work here. First, he says the word “immeasurable” is partially the Greek word “huper,” and we get our word super from this word. This is “super” power or “immeasurable” power. But Paul doesn’t stop there. The next word he uses is the word “greatness,” ad the Greek word is “megethos,” and we get our word mega from this. This is “super” power or “immeasurable” power. This is “mega” power or “immeasurable great” power.
But Paul doesn’t stop there. The word “power” is the Greek word dynamis, from which we get our word dynamite. Of course, dynamite wasn’t invented for another 1,000 years after our New Testament. Yet, when they later witnessed the inherent power of dynamite, they chose this very word for “power.” This is “super” power or “immeasurable” power. This is “mega” power or “immeasurable great” power. This is “dynamis” power or “immeasurable greatness of his power” kind of power. This is no ordinary power.
3.2 Jesus’ Better Position
Again, if Jesus cared for His mother on the worst day of His life, He will not abandon you in the best days of His life, my dear Christian friend. So let me say again: Jesus is in a much better position to care for you right now that He is on this side of the resurrection, and He has ascended to the right hand of the Father! And to take care of you, He places the very same power inside the Christian that made His Son rise from the dead.
This Holy Spirit power is available to defeat your temptations. This Holy Spirit power is available to encourage your darkest days. This Holy Spirit power is available to empower you to live for Christ despite demon c attacks. This Holy Spirit power is available when your boss doesn’t understand, your customers are overly-demanding, and your family has abandoned you. This Holy Spirit power is available to love your family even when everything in you says, “I can’ love him! I can’t love her!”
God wants you to know He has power in reserve.
This is sin-killing power. This is sin-stopping power. This is chain-breaking power. This is a power that will corrode your selfish tendencies. God’s power is made available to you to make you good, to make you moral. Christ makes His power available to you.
You give me the fingers of Mozart, there is no tune I cannot play.
You give me the arms of Mike Trout, there is no home run I cannot hit.
You give me the legs of Michael Jordan, there’s no dunk I cannot make.
You give me the mind of Einstein, there’s no mathematical formula I cannot unravel.
And you give me the life of Jesus Christ, there is no moral and spiritual victory I cannot achieve.
The very energy that powered Jesus from the grave is offered to believers every day. The very energy that powered the first Easter is available to believers every day. The Bible is telling you that the power that moved Jesus from the grave to the right hand of God, the Father is available to you. Jesus said to John, “Behold your mother.” Jesus is still taking care of those who are His family.
3.3 Noah and the Ark
If you want to really care for your family – really care for them – you’ll talk to them about Jesus and the gospel. At the end of Jesus’ life, He told us this: “For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:37). Jesus said that His return will be just like the days of Noah: “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:38-39). Jesus says that if you want to know what it will be like just around the time, He returns back to earth, look no further than the days of Noah. There was a time of sudden panic. Everything was going just fine: “they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.” God told Noah that a flood was coming to destroy the evil world.
Now, it took Noah several decades to finish his work on Ark. Can you imagine in that day a little boy, before it began to rain, coming to his father and saying, “Daddy, can I talk with you?” “Yes, Son, what do you want to talk about?” “Daddy, you know crazy Noah, the one everybody’s laughing about, the one that is building a big boat?” “Yes, Son, I know old Noah, crazy Noah. Yes, I know him.” “Well, Daddy, I was over there, and he stopped working on that boat, and he talked to me for a while, and he said God is going to destroy the world with something call d a flood. Daddy, what is a flood?” “Well,” he said, “Son, I’m not sure exactly what a flood is, but don’t worry about it.” “Well, Daddy, Noah says that everybody that’s not in the ark is going to drown, and Daddy, Noah seems very sincere. He seems to know what he’s talking about. Daddy, frankly, I think we ought to go and ask Mr. Noah if we can get on board that boat.” “Now, S n, listen. Excuse me for laughing, Son, but wait a minute, Son. The reason I’m laughing is this: when I was a little boy, I went out there, and old Noah was building his boat back then. You wouldn’t believe it. And Son, the reason I’m laughing—I’m not making fun of you, Son — but I felt just like you did. And, do you know what, Son? I went home, just like you came home to me; I went home to my daddy, and I told my daddy what you’ve told me. Now son, here’s the funny part: My daddy, your granddaddy, said that old coot had told him the same story. Son, don’t you worry. Noah is a religious fanatic. Pay no attention to Noah.”
I’m telling you there’s an Ark of Safety and today the Ark’s name is spelled J E S U S. And, if you will come to Him, put your faith in Him, I promise you on the authority of the Word of God, He will change you, He will transform you, He will give you joy unspeakable. You better get your family in the Ark. If you care for your family just as Jesus cared for His mother while dying, you’ll ensure they are in the Ark. Jesus is the Ark of Safety, and if you’ll put your faith in Him, He will save you. You need to be born again. Jesus may come this afternoon.
