Standing Near the Cross

John 19:25-27

As you already very well know, today is celebrated throughout the Christian world as "Palm Sunday" in remembrance of that day approximately 1,973 years ago when Jesus made what is called His "triumphal entry" into Jerusalem.

So enthusiastic were the people in welcoming Him that crowds lined the streets, throwing flowers, and spreading their cloaks on the road as a carpet for Him. And following the traditional method of welcoming kings, they cut palm branches and waved them in the air before Him.

In face of such a wild and tumultuous event, the Pharisees who had been plotting against Jesus cried out in despair, "Look how the whole world has gone after Him!" John 11:19b

But you also know how quickly everything changed. In just a few days the shouts of "Hosanna!" turned into "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" And crucify Him they did.

Crucifixion was a slow and horrible way to die. By Roman law it was reserved for only the worst of criminals, those whose death could serve as an example to the people of the futility of defying Roman might.

Most of the time, as we talk about the cross, we picture the terribleness of that scene. We speak of the nails being driven into His hand and His feet. We see Him hanging there, suspended between heaven and earth, as the crowd passes by laughing and mocking at Him. "If you are the Christ, come down from the cross, and we’ll believe in you then! He saved others, but Himself He cannot save."

But as Jesus hung there, He was not absolutely alone. We are told in the gospels that four women were there with Him. The apostle John says, "Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala" John 19:25

Now I realize that some Bible scholars explain their presence by saying that in those days women were so unimportant that no one took any notice of women disciples, and that therefore these women were running no risk at all by being near the cross of Christ. But I think that is a poor and unworthy explanation. It was always a dangerous thing to be associated with a man whom the Roman government believed to be so dangerous a criminal that he deserved a cross.

No, the presence of these women was not due to the fact that they were so unimportant that no one would notice them. Instead, I’m convinced that they were there because they loved Jesus so much that they were willing to risk their lives to be with Him as He hung there upon that cross.

There is a beautiful old hymn that has deep feeling and reverence titled, "Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross." But I wonder, if you and I had been there, would we have wanted to be near the cross? Would we have dared to climb that hill and stand by Him as He died? Or would we have been where most of the disciples were, hiding, fearful that we, too, might be arrested, and crucified along with Him?

Well, four women were there, and they are a very diverse group. There is one, "Mary the wife of Clopas" that we know nothing about. But we do know something about the other three. So let’s look at them and learn of their love for Jesus.

1. MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS

First of all, there was Mary, the mother of Jesus. We know her story well. We know the angel appeared unto her and told her that she would be the mother of God’s Son, and the promised Messiah.

We know of His miraculous birth and of the amazing events that accompanied it as God protected and provided for His Son. And we are told that Mary "treasured all these things in her heart" Luke 2:51.

She must have looked forward to that day when her son would proclaim Himself to be the long awaited Messiah, the savior of Israel, and then ushered in the great and wonderful "Day of

the Lord" all Israelites longed for. On this Palm Sunday, by his riding into town on a colt, was he doing what she thought? Was he proclaiming himself to be king? The people seemed to think so, but then when Thursday came the events and trial all led to this time at the cross.

Now, everything she had gone through - the gossip in Nazareth, the flight into Egypt, the years of hardship after Joseph was gone, even the loneliness of Jesus leaving home to proclaim His message throughout Israel would be worth it all as Jesus became the divine King of the Jews.

But suddenly her world came crashing down around her. Had she been wrong all along? Wasn’t He really the Son of God? Why then was He hanging upon a cross? God, what is happening? Is this the way it is supposed to be?

Maybe Mary didn’t understand, but Mary could love. Her presence there at the cross was the most natural thing in the world. Jesus might be a criminal in the eyes of the law, but He was her son. And the eternal love of a mother is seen in Mary at the cross.

You see, Mary’s presence there says to us, "If you dare to stand close to the cross, you’ll discover that even though there are times when things don’t go the way you would like for them to go; and times when life seems to be crumbling and falling apart around you; and times when there are burdens that seem heavy for you to bear - that if you’ll not become too discouraged and stay close to the cross, God will take care of you."

2. SALOME: SISTER TO MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS

Then John mentions another woman, but he doesn’t give her name. He simply tells us that she is the sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus. But both Matthew and Mark make it quite clear that she was Salome, the wife of Zebedee, and the mother of James and John, the apostles of Jesus. By the way, this would also tell us that Jesus and James and John were first cousins.

Now, we don’t know a whole lot about Salome. But there is one brief event in the 20th chapter of the gospel of Matthew that shows that she once received from Jesus a very definite and stern rebuff. Once, when Jesus was near the height of His ministry, Salome and her sons, James and John, had come to Jesus to ask of Him a favor, to give her sons the chief places in His Kingdom.

It’s hard to be too harsh on Salome, isn’t it, especially if you’re a parent. I think we have all been in her shoes at one time or another.

As I watched the basketball playoffs on television last week, I noticed when the cameras zoomed in on the parents of the players. Sometimes they smiled with pride, and at other times they scowled as the referee made a call against their son. You’ll see all kinds of facial expressions as they let their feelings be known. They were not hesitant in expressing them, either. Most of them have probably been doing it for a long, long time.

I wonder how many times when their sons were back in the 7th and 8th grades those parents went to the coaches office? I wonder how many times they said, "Just give my boy a chance. I know he can do the job for you if you’ll give him a chance. Let him start tonight. I know he’ll excel."

We have all felt that way, haven’t we? And Salome did something about it. She said, "Lord, when you come into your kingdom I think you could find no better assistants than my boys, James and John. I know they would be faithful to you. Just put one on your left and one on your right."

But Jesus had rebuffed her request, and tried to teach her how wrong such thoughts of selfish ambition were. Instead, he told her that His way was going to be the way of the bitter cup. And now, as she stands by the cross, maybe for the very first time, she is beginning to understand the cup which Jesus had spoken of. Jesus had asked, "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" "Sure, no problem," they had answered.

But now she sees the cup, the same cup that Jesus prayed would be removed in the Garden of Gethsemane. It’s the cup that contains the sins of humankind. Every war that has ever been fought; every murder that’s ever been committed; all the atrocities of human history are in that cup. It’s the most putrid elixir you have ever seen.

And here at the cross, for the first time, Salome realizes what she was asking when she asked, "Would you let my sons be seated one on your left and the other on the right?"

But in a way haven’t we all been like Salome - wanting the blessings without the burdens - wanting a crown but not a cross? Like Salome we have wanted the benefits but not the responsibilities that come with them.

Jesus had rebuked her and yet she was there at the cross. And her presence there says much for her, and much for Jesus. It shows that she had the loving humility to accept a rebuke and to love on with undiminished devotion. It also shows that Jesus could rebuke a person in such a way that His love even shone through the rebuke.

3. MARY MAGDALENE

Then there is Mary Magdalene. Her name is familiar to us, but we don’t know very much about her. Yet what we do know tells us a lot. For example, we know that she was a follower of Jesus, and that on resurrection morning she was at His tomb long before any of the apostles. Mark 16:9 tells us, "When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had driven seven demons."

Now there is an interesting statement. "...Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had driven seven demons."

Folks, if you believe the Bible and you believe in God you must also believe in Satan. If you believe in angels you must also believe in demons, because they are the counterparts of angels. They are the workmen of Satan in the realm of evil, and into Mary’s heart and soul and life they had come seven of them.

Then one day Jesus came, and commanded those demons to come out of her even as He had commanded the demons to come out of the man called "Legion" because he was possessed with so many demons that they couldn’t even be counted.

They must have come out of her much as they came out of him. And for the first time she was free. For the first time her burden of sin was lifted, and she was free to become the person God had created her to be, and to realize there is something beautiful and good and worthwhile in life.

So Mary Magdalene gladly became a follower of Jesus. Jesus had redeemed her and cleansed her and saved her. And now, at the cross, she was seeing just how much her redemption was costing Him.

Do you think that God just snaps His fingers and we’re redeemed? Do you think God just waves a magic wand and all our sins are gone? No! It’s not that easy. It cost God everything that even God has to give to make it possible for you and me to be redeemed from our sins. And Mary Magdalene at the cross stands as a eternal testimony to the love of God and His willingness to forgive us today.

This morning we come to a time of decision. If you stand close enough to that cross, it’ll change you. That’s the reason I asked at the very beginning of this message, "Are you sure you want to stand there?"

Maybe you’re comfortable with the way you are, and you would like to stay the same. But if you’ll draw near to Jesus, He’ll make you new inside and out. I hope you want that this morning.

An old Christian drama depicts a little boy working in his parent’s carpentry shop in first century Jerusalem. He protests his chore, which is to assist in building a cross. The parents insist that he help because Rome has given them a contract for construction of crosses.

In another scene the boy is weeping. "What is wrong?" his parents ask. He responds, "I went to the market place & I saw Jesus of Nazareth, the Man we love to hear preach, & He was carrying my cross! They took Him to Golgotha and nailed Him to MY cross."

The parents insist, "Oh no, son, that wasn’t your cross. Other people in Jerusalem build crosses. That wasn’t your cross." "Oh yes, it was! When you weren’t looking, I carved my name on the cross I was making. When Jesus was carrying His cross, He stumbled right beside me, I looked, and my name was on His cross!"

I hope you realize this morning that each of our names was on that cross. When Jesus died it was for my sins, it was for your sins. I hope you want the grace and the forgiveness and the mercy of God that He purchased for us on that cross.

When we look at the horror of that Friday, how can we have hope? Well, because it was Friday, but Sunday was coming… (Video clip Friday but Sunday’s Coming…)

It is my hope that if you have never, ever reached out to receive the gift of forgiveness and eternal life from Him, that you’ll be moved to do that, that you’ll respond to His invitation, and give Him your heart and your life.