(Click HERE for an audio of this message)
Mark Wheeler
John 19:26-27
Seven Last (pre-crucifixion) Words of Christ: “HERE”
03/17/2019
Lidgerwood Presbyterian Church
Through the Written Word,
And the spoken word,
May we know Your Living Word,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
“Father forgive them for they do not KNOW what they are doing.”
That was March 3rd’s “word” from our Lord. Maybe if they didn’t know, they should be offered grace. Do we do that?
“TRULY I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
TRUTH was last week’s “word” from our Lord. The TRUTH is always bigger than the agony we might currently feel, and Jesus promises paradise in this life and immeasurably beyond this life.
Today’s “word” is HERE.
For this series, because Lent is a season of personal reflection and devotion, we are starting each message with a couple questions to set the stage, questions for you to ponder, and maybe to answer at the close of the message:
- Who has cared for you when you’ve been sad or struggling? How have they done that?
- What is one way you’ve shown care for someone else (not your own children)?
Today’s reading comes from John 19:26-27, Jesus is already on the cross, having endured the pains of betrayal, a late-night arrest, an all-night, illegal trial, a predicted denial, and a conviction resulting in being whipped with a scourge and forced to carry His cross (until Simon of Cyrene stepped in to help) to the place of crucifixion where He was nailed and hung to die.
Hear the Word of our Lord …. —-
26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, HERE is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “HERE is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.”
With these words, Jesus continues some of the most important work He did in His life, even as He’s dying on the cross. With these words He turns people toward each other. Like maybe never before in our nation’s history – and I’m talking even during the Revolutionary and Civil War eras, the 1960s’ Civil Rights, Viet Nam, Sexual Revolution decade – our nation in 2019, our neighborhoods, our families – we need to turn toward each other, with open arms and hearts, with respect and love.
With these words Jesus offers His mother and His youngest Disciple, dearest friend, to each other!
This is what He did when He called His 12 Disciples – Israelite zealots and traitorous tax collectors, business administrators and union member laborers, northern Galileans and southern Judeans, political and theological progressives and conservatives. He taught and trained them and sent them on mission together to proclaim God’s peace and to heal.
This is what He did when His relatives came looking for Him: His teaching drew a big crowd, and someone told Him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you; and Jesus replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And pointing to 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.” (Matt 12:46-50)
And now, from the cross, Jesus sees the two people who perhaps love Him the most, His mother Mary and His dear friend John both in pain, both in grief, both in despair. And with some of His very last words Jesus gives these two to each other. 26 “Woman, HERE is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “HERE is your mother.” (One quick word about Jesus calling His mom “Woman” – He did the same thing at the wedding in Cana, His first recorded miracle when He turned water into wine, He told His mom, “Woman, why do you involve me?” (John 2:4) In our culture that sounds like a super rude way for a son to talk to his momma, but not so in the 1st Century Hebrew culture. “Woman” was a revering term of respect – it was like a non-sarcastic “ma’am”.)
Has anyone ever been “given” to you, like how Jesus gave these two to each other? At our wedding, Jennifer’s parents “gave this woman to this man in holy matrimony”. And they expect me to love her and cherish her “till death us do part”.
When our children were born, they were “given” to us to raise into responsible, loving, caring, productive children of God and members of society.
At every child baptism, we the Church, are “given” these children to help raise in God’s Kingdom.
In today’s story, Jesus knows His mom and His dear friend are entering into deep sadness, real anger, a sense of guilt, and lots of questions that have no good answers. He knows that surviving this loss may be the hardest thing they’ve ever done. As is true with any grief, theirs will be complicated and will remain with them a long time. They will probably “hear His voice” and look for Him; they will prepare His favorite meal and then be overwhelmed with sadness when they remember He won’t enjoy it; they will see His Disciples carry on His work, and wish He could see it; and they’ll see others who ignore His work, and they’ll wish they could make everyone receive Him and believe in Him. Memories of Jesus will consume them some days and other days they’ll be too busy to remember Him and then feel guilty….
Who here relates to this kind of grief? Jack lost Betty one year ago this Thursday. This Wednesday would have been my Dad’s 91st birthday. We’ve all lost loved ones and know the pain of loss.
That’s why Jesus gives Mary and John to each other. 26 “Woman, HERE is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “HERE is your mother.” He is instructing them that “this is where their attention should go”. Looking in on one another does not take all the pain away, but it helps us get through it. Also, this was not the only thing Jesus wanted His mother and John to do. But it was among the things He assigned them to be about.
If Jesus might speak these words to us today, to whom do you think He might want us to turn our attention? Obviously to each other – love one another, as Jesus loves us. And, I think maybe a group of orphans in and around Kiminini, Kenya. I believe with my whole heart that God has called LPC to partner with Fellowship Church so that we might hear Him tell us, “HERE are your children. HERE is where your attention should be cast!”
As Christians, called to love our neighbors, our enemies even, do we grieve with the world’s Muslim community after the massacre in New Zealand last week? Are we called to turn toward them with love?
Jesus offers us each other, brothers and sisters in Christ – He calls us, multiple times, to love one another even when we disagree with each other, to love another. And to know that we are loved, fully, by God, always, and by His Church. Do you know that love today?
26 “Woman, HERE is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “HERE is your mother.”
As we move into our time of prayer, let’s begin with talking about
- Who has cared for you when you’ve been sad or struggling? How have they done that?
- What is one way you’ve shown care for someone else (not your own children)?
26 “Woman, HERE is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “HERE is your mother.”
Resources:
Illustrated Children’s Ministry, LLC; 2019.
lidgerwoodpresbychurch 