Jesus on the Cross Loves

When people are suffering, they generally have a hard time thinking about others. We can be such self serving individuals. Jesus was not that. In the midst of his suffering on the cross he thought of others. Today we are going to review some of the passages we’ve already covered and then head to the book of John.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen times in my life where all I thought about was myself. Many of those times were when I was in pain or had crazy turmoil around me. All I could see was the trouble and the God who could provide in that situation. Rarely would I consider the needs of others around me.

That is what makes today’s passages so compelling. Jesus was in the midst of suffering and thought about others.

In Luke 23:34 he says this:

Luke 23:34 NIV

34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

He was speaking of those who were there. Those who accused him. Those who hurled insults. Those who beat him. Those who nailed him to the cross. He offered them forgiveness. He prayed for their forgiveness. Not only them, but also for those of us who live in the here and now. He thought about others as he prayed.

A little later in Luke, Jesus has a conversation with the two men that hung on crosses on either side of him. The first demands Jesus get them out of the situation and the second recognizes Jesus as the Son of God and rebukes the first. Toward the end of their conversation, Jesus says this to that man:

Luke 23:43 NIV

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

What a wonderful promise for us. That when we breathe our last, we will be with Jesus in paradise. Yesterday we celebrated the life of Heather Shephard and I was struck by the immense grief of the loss coupled with the immense joy and hope because of this very promise.

This promise is not for everyone though, it is for those who trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Through his death on the cross, his resurrection and return to heaven, he has made a way for us to be forgiven just like this criminal on the cross.

I am amazed by how Jesus loved. Turn with me to John 19:16. We’ll start at the beginning of John’s account of the crucifixion.

John 19:16–22 NIV

16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

This title King of the Jews was a reference to the prophecy in Jeremiah

Jeremiah 23:5 NIV

5 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.

And the wise men went looking for Jesus and referred to him as king:

Matthew 2:2 NIV

2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

This is one of the goals of this series of messages is to help you see where prophecy has been fulfilled through what Jesus did on the cross. Let’s keep reading

John 19:23–24 NIV

23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.” This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said, “They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” So this is what the soldiers did.

This is also prophecy fulfilled from Psalm 22:

Psalm 22:18 NIV

18 They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.

Up to this point, this is review of things we’ve covered in previous weeks. The next passage here is John is unique to John’s gospel...

John 19:25–27 NIV

25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 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.

First, let me point out the comparison that John gives us here. He just finished talking about the soldier’s disregard for Jesus as a person when they divided up his clothing as if what they were doing didn’t even matter. No we have contrast to these four women and the disciple, John, near the cross, close enough to hear him speak, and they are likely terrified by what they see and saddened by what it means. They are there to say good-bye and show their love for Jesus.

And while they are there to express their love, Jesus pours out his love on them.

His mother was losing a son. She had other children, but according to historical records, they did not live nearby. Jesus knew she would need physical support and care. This is a model for us as the church that we look after those who need care. Those who do not have family near.

Also, it is a model for those who are able to take care of others that we adopt each other as family. John had no need for a legal mother as he was an adult. Mary, Jesus’ mother had no need to adopt a son, but Jesus takes these two individuals that meant much to him during his life on earth and he puts them together as family.

Jesus is caring for others even in the midst of his own stuff going on. I get that he’s Jesus, but he did the things he did that we might love like he did.