"Behold, your mother!"

Introduction

I’m a mommas boy. There is no doubt about it. Other than my wife, she is one of my best friends.

Mother’s Day is a great day but it can also be complex for people.

At the drop of a hat, one single moment can change our view of Mother’s Day for the better or for the worse.

I know some people that avoid church on day’s like today. Understandably so.

How did Jesus feel about His own mother and what can we learn from Him?

John 19:25–27 NASB95

Therefore 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 then 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!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.

In the book of John, Jesus’ mother is only mentioned twice. Jesus’ first miracle at Cana and the passage that we just read. This is interesting to note because John was closer to Jesus’ mother than any other disciple.

Right before Jesus died on the cross for the sins of mankind, John records and exchange between Mary the mother of Jesus and John, “The disciple whom Jesus loved.”

1. Mary followed Jesus to the cross.

Many scholars believe that Joseph, Mary’s husband had died many years before this moment. Mary was depended on her son for two reasons:

He was her son. Culturally, it was the responsibility of the son to provide for His parents after the death of their spouse. She was in her late 40’s or early 50’s.

He was the son of God. While most of the disciples had run away at this moment out of fear of the Romans, Mary kept close to her son and watched Him suffer on the cross. There is not a mother in the world that does not feel this moment.

Mary had fulfilled her end of being the earthly mother of Jesus:

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

. 46 he said to them, “Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of this law.

. 24 He who withholds his rod hates his son,But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

Mom’s are dedicated to their children. When I caught the pass in Clyde.

Mary paints the picture of devotion. She saw Jesus as a Savior more than she saw Him as a son but He was still her baby.

2. Jesus held His earthly mother in a high regard.

The story is remarkable. Even though He was experiencing the agonies of crucifixion, He took care of His mom. He made provision for His mother but entrusting her to the care of His disciple John.

We know in , that He could not put her into the care of His brothers yet.

John 7:2–5 NASB95

Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. “For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For not even His brothers were believing in Him.

Jesus fulfilled His end of being the earthly son to Mary:

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 6

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise),

3 SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.

Proverbs 1:8–9 NASB95

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction And do not forsake your mother’s teaching; Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck.

Proverbs 30:17 NASB95

The eye that mocks a father And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.

Deuteronomy 27:16 NASB95

‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

Jesus stopped for a moment to care for His mother.

I know a lot of people who struggle with knowing what to do for their parents in their elder years. Our parents deserve our respect.

Jesus set the example that we must take responsibility for the people that raised us. This is not just true for our earthly parents.

3. John adopted the mother of Jesus.

The scriptures claim that at this exact hour, John recieved Mary as his mother.

At this time, his father Zebedee and his biological mother Salome were both alive. () Tradition has it that John eventually would come to live in Ephesus.

The traditional sight for Mary’s burial site is Ephesus.

We know from this passage that John was a man of character and that the love of Jesus made him a son to Mary even though this was not true biologically.

Don and Gabi Murray.

The blood of Jesus allows mothers to be mothers to children they never gave birth to.

Sure, my mom might be Sonya, but I’ve had other mothers in other eras of life.

Don’t marginalize your role as mother. The enemy can tell you that today is a happy or sad day, but you can see that when the love of Jesus is in your heart, you can serve as a mother and father to many.

Who in your life needs to be adopted?

Maybe you don’t need a mother or a son. Maybe you need a brother or a sister. Maybe you need to find cousins for your children.

The blood of Jesus creates family.