Our Duty to Each Other is to Love

Our Duty to Each Other—To LOVE

Mother's day Sermon (May 8, 2022)

Joh 19:25-30— Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. 28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

INTRODUCTION

• How appropriate it is that we should witness such a tender moment between Christ and Mary during Christ’s crucifixion—which was the single greatest act of love ever committed. (John 3:16; 15:13)

• God did not just GIVE his son as a babe in Bethlehem, but gave Him as a ransom for us! Mt 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

• Despite His excruciating physical agony, Jesus was concerned about the welfare of His mother and the pain she was experiencing. With His thoughts on Mary’s future security and protection, Jesus entrusted her into the care of John, His beloved disciple.

• The single greatest theme of motherhood is the same as with Christianity—LOVE.

Ro 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

1Jo 4:7 ¶ Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

1. TO BE THERE

Both Mary and Jesus illustrate true love, by the very scenario at the foot of the cross. We find Mary who though most of the others have fled for their lives can be found with Jesus. Simply being there can most often be the greatest act of love.

John 19:25—_Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. _(Mary stood by.)

Matthew 27:55—And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

What were they doing there? Merely, waiting for an opportunity to help.

2. TO BE ATTENTIVE

“BEHOLD” to see to be aware of

Christ was attentive to Mary’s needs as a widow and as his mother while suffering greatly on the cross. Christ charged John to be attentive to Mary’s needs and care for her as his own mother. Mary is found attentively at the foot of the cross waiting for the smallest opportunity to minister to Jesus and is entrusted with John as her adopted son.

Jesus’ charge to John is not one of worship. Mary isn’t even mentioned in the Scripture after Acts chapter 1. She as a person is not pertinent to Christian doctrine. Our salvation rests no place in the person of Mary, but entirely in Jesus Christ. Christ’s words here are a practical and personal charge. Grassroots Christianity—“You are responsible for each other! Pay attention to each other’s needs.”

It seems we could be found guilty more often than not, of doing everything we can to “SAVE THE WORLD (and rightly so), but at the same time pay little or no attention to the needs of those closest to us.

Galatians 6:10—As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Psalm 32:8—I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

3. TO BE SELFLESS & TO SACRIFICE

With no regard for what might happen to her, Mary isn’t found hiding under a rock for her life, but is found with Jesus.

Christ is dying upon the cross and crucifixion is unquestionably the most horrific way to die at the time. But Christ expends his final energies with six selfless expressions. Christ’s last words were:

1. “Forgive them, for thy know not what they do.” Words of Forgiveness for his tormentors.
2. “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1) To His Father expressing the deep heaviness and darkness of His atonement. That pain Christ felt of separation from the Father, was mine, not his to suffer.
3. “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” A promise of eternal life for the thief.
4. “I THIRST” (Psalm 69:21),

A SOUR WINE. This vinegar must not be confounded with the vinegar and gall mentioned Mt 27:34, and Mr 15:23. That, being a stupifying potion, intended to alleviate his pain, he refused to drink; but of this he took a little, and then expired, Joh 19:30.

5. “Woman, behold thy son! …Behold thy mother!”
6. “IT IS FINISHED” (Father’s Will) Fulfilling every Scripture

Do we forego our own security for the well-being of others?

• (8 in 100,000 women die in child birth in the US.) Abortionists get most of the attention, but there are many and anonymous mothers who have willingly sacrificed their life that their child might have life. Their names and stories are rarely known, but that is immaterial. They died not to be remembered; they died so another could live.

• COUNTLESS NEWS HEADLINES: Mother Dies Protecting…

• MARCH 6, 2011—A woman in Louisiana died while trying to protect her daughter from a tornado Saturday morning. The 21-year-old mother perished while sheltering her child and a tree fell on their home. The daughter escaped injury.

Even greater in number and even less recognized are our mothers who sacrificed health, comfort, girlish figures and endured great pain to bring us into the world. Child birth is not without pain!

Mothers have taught us over and over: It hurts to love, but our own hurt should be non-essential.

4. HONOR & RESPECT – “WOMAN”

Christ’s words convey no idea of idea of disrespect or detachment as is commonly supposed, but more so words of urgent compelling. Man! And Woman! Were titles of as much respect among the Hebrews as sir! And madam! are to us. Adam Clarke states about Christ’s words in this verse, “This was the language of pure natural affection.”

• "Woman" Amplified bible "Dear Woman"

It is too often the wrong people get recognized and the real heros go without thanks. Let us not be guilty of this!

5. TO CARE FOR

It is most likely that Joseph, Mary’s husband is dead at the time, and Christ’s securing of Mary’s well-being is done so for his mother and widow.

Mark 12:40 — Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

They Devour Widow's Houses Scribes and Pharisess often instead of caring for the widows, they demanded gifts and salaries from them. There are definite times when we should not make ourselves burdensome on others, but the opposite should be the case. It would be more right that the scribes and Pharisees should have given of their salaries to help the widows. (Mark 12:43,44)

1Ti 5:3 ¶ Honour widows that are widows indeed.

1Ti 5:16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Ga 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

John 19:27—…And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home._

This charge is given to the disciple whom “he loved” The greatest care possible. Christ entrusted Mary to the disciple most marked for his tenderness and devotion. Jesus knew that John would care for Mary as he would have done. Can the same be said for us, to whom Christ has entrusted the most precious of His creation?

CONCLUSION --- HOW ARE WE LOVING OUR GENERATION?

It is the testimony of Christian love that pierces the darkness.

Lu 23:47—Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

Mt 27:54—Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

It is the person who loves, who best imitates Christ.

Eph 3:17—That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Luke 6:32—For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

Luke 11:42—But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.(agape—unconditional love; love feast)

2 Cor. 2:4—For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

2 Cor. 12:15—And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

Ro 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Ga 5:13 ¶ For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

1Th 4:9 ¶ But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

1Jo 3:11 ¶ For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. {message: or, commandment}

1Jo 4:7 ¶ Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Thank God for the great illustration of Christian love we see in mothers!