“When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home,” John 19:26-27.
A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE, Pt 3.
I. THERE IS AN EXAMPLE HERE FOR CHILDREN.
“When Jesus therefore saw his mother. . . . ”
1. The Lord Jesus was the perfect ‘child’. He had always honoured His earthly parents. “And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart,” Luke 2:51.
2. This followed an incident in which the Lord Jesus was chided by Joseph and Mary when He had actually done no wrong. Parents had gone off and left Him without checking He was with them. “And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it,” Luke 2:43.
3. He had acted wisely and stayed where He had been left. “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions,” Luke 2:46.
II. AT THE CROSS THE SAVIOUR HAD SO MUCH TO THINK ABOUT YET HE DID NOT FORGET HIS DUTY TO HIS MOTHER.
Ephesians 6:1-3; Zech 7:9-10.
1. He saw His mother. What terrible things were happening at the cross yet the Saviour had eyes for His mother. He was watching out for her. Joseph was dead so provision must be made for Mary. The Lord cares for the widow, Exodus 22:22; Deut 10:17-18
2. He spoke to His mother. He spoke kindly, compassionately.
3. He secured a place for His mother. He was thinking of her wellbeing and her future.
Here is a lesson for all children to remember in their adult years!
Two portions in closing.
Matthew 10:18-21 — the breakdown of family relations in a day of gospel rejection, day of apostasy.
2 Corinthians 12:14 — the duty of parents to care for their children. This order is reversed when children grow up and the parents grow old. Then the children must, like the Saviour, care for their parents.