Beholding His Goodness Part 2
Beholding His Goodness • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Behold His Goodness in Family
Behold His Goodness in Family
Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.
Here we are commanded to embrace and not despise a Father’s musar מוּסָר or discipline and a Mother’s torah תּוֹרָה or law and direction. For if they are from God, they are chen חֵן or the favor of God towards you. They will guide you in God’s goodness.
You could go your entire Christian life and miss the destiny Christ assigned you if you fail to listen and obey Him. Sometimes His purpose is found in simply obeying His instructions rather than bringing yourself to agree with it.
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.
One thing that reflects the goodness of God in a life is that of the grace and patience, the encouragement and optimism of a good mother. I remember my mother helping set up pots and pans in front of the old stereo so I could beat on them along with the worship music playing. I could imagine how horrible it sounded. But til this day I play the drums for the Lord with all my heart. I remember her helping me paint cartoon characters on the bedroom furniture. I could imagine how imperfect and childlike the images must have been. But to this day I have used that talent in ministry. I remember my mother asking me as a child to practice prophesying to her like Dad did. I can only imagine the silly things that must have come out of my mouth. But my mother treasured them as is if they had come straight from the thrown of God. And today I am confident in hearing the voice of the Lord from His Spirit and wisdom. It has guided me throughout my life. This is the goodness of God through a mother that we should cherish.
Could you imagine watching others humiliate, brutally beat, and crucify someone you loved with all of your soul? Mary witnessed this of the one she gave birth to and raised to be the destiny God had promised her. There are people all around you every day that God loves that much that are bound in the vial darkness of sin. Are you able to see their situation as Mary watched her son suffer? Is your heart as heavy as her heart was that day?
In Luke 2:34-35 we see Mary warned of the sorrow to come and the redemption for others through the suffering of her son. “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 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.’”
I could imagine that from the first prophetic word Mary received of the miraculous conception and call of the Christ through her to this point, she had grand visions of her son as the Messiah. But this prophetic word reminds her that He was born to die for us. Jesus cared for and loved his mother and His disciples. Keep in mind that Mary was probably around 17 years old when she gave birth to Yeshua. He died at 33 making her around 50 years old. Now to me, that’s young! Her assignment from God started out as a mother that lasted for 30 years. Then she became a disciple for three years. As she watched the Christ hanging on that cross, not only did she watch her son die, she watched the Messiah bare all of her sins. When Yeshua calls to her “woman”, it was not out of disrespect but out of grace for her sorrow as a mother but also a command from her Messiah.
Concerning Jesus’ command for John to adopt Mary under his care, Charles Spurgeon states, “There was no specific direction given to John to entertain Mary. It was quite enough for the Lord to call his attention to her by saying ‘Behold thy mother.’ How I wish we were always in such a state of heart that we did not need specific precepts, but that a hint would suffice.”
Despite that Mary had other children, Yeshua ensures the best of care for his mother as a disciple among other disciples. He wanted to ensure that she remain in the apostolic fold of the early church being birthed amidst the coming persecutions. This thought process of Yeshua reveals to us some key principles in the way of the Christ that we may be ROCK SOLID in our faith and always behold the goodness of God even in the most difficult moments of life:
1. Relationships: Our relationships in the family of God through the blood covenant (B’rit Hadashah/Renewed Covenant) of the Christ should be even stronger than that of the DNA of biological families.
We often watch a show called Relative Race. Teams of two adopted people race around the country as they discover family they never knew as a result of DNA research. It is amazing how they meet cousins, siblings, and even biological parents that they did not grow up with yet they discover common interest, common hobbies, even common mannerisms such as laughs and even posture. Yet, the attributes of our Heavenly Father and our Lord should be even stronger and most common of those who are His children.
2. Others Focused: Even in the midst of the great agony of His brutal and unjust death, Yeshua was focused on the well-being of others, not Himself.
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
This love in the utmost selfless humility with want for nothing in return is the mark of Christ. As well, it should be the mark of the Follow of the Christ. It should be the standard norm and family practice of those in His family.
3. Courageous: We should have the courage in our faith that the Apostle John had as he stood there with Mary at the foot of the cross while other disciples hid among the crowds.
I cannot help but think that Jesus knew John would be the one standing there at that moment while all the other disciples were scattered. I believe Jesus saw something in John’s level of resolve and devotion that his love would preserver even in the face of fear. John boldly stood there in faith at the foot of that cross, with the Jesus’ mother, publicly identifying with the man on the cross. Knowing he too could be arrested and was a wanted man as a follower of Jesus Christ, yet there he stood. Jesus even calls him out and he did not run. Instead, he embraced the assignment issued from the cross. Does your life reflect that you have, in such bold faith, identified with the man on the cross?
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
4. Keepers: Where were all of Jesus’ siblings? Did they even believe He was the Christ? Yeshua reveals to us the responsibility to not only honor father and mother, but also to be the keeper of our brother’s soul.
Am I my brother’s keeper? You would not be the first to ask this question according to the Scriptures.
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
So, I guess the Apostle Paul kind of sums up the answer there. And Jesus answered it this way:
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
5. Steadfast: There came a time that Jesus foreknew when John would be the only Apostle left. Jesus reveals to us that though we be the only one, hold firm to the faith and the cause of the Christ.
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Through the tough times in life, would you say that your life is emphatically built on the ROCK of Christ?
“Behold your mother! Significantly, Jesus did not need to tell John, ‘Take care of My mother.’ (Make sure you set her up with an annuity? Not!) All Jesus needed to do was describe the new relationship and He knew the rest would follow. In that same way, there are many commands for a holy life that Jesus need not specifically give to us; if the relationship is ordered right, the conduct will flow from it” (David Guzik, Blueletterbible.com; John 19)
Regardless of who or what your mother was, if Jesus Christ is your Lord, follow His instruction and His direction for your life. Is your relationship with Christ in order? Are you waiting on a voice from heaven to come tell you personally the specific areas of your life that are not in the way of the Lord? I think we all know the areas Christ is not pleased with. What will you do about it today?
Finally, what hints has God been giving you to step out in faith and behold what He has destined you to do? Behold the goodness of your God is waiting to be bestowed upon you.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Father is willing, wanting and waiting to lavish His goodness upon you. Behold your Savior and Lord.
