Jesus' third saying on the cross

Standing close to Jesus' cross were his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there; so he said to his mother, “He is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “She is your mother.” From that time the disciple took her to live in his home.
John 19:26-27

(Preached by Mrs. Irene van Riezen)

Here are Mary and John, looking up at the cross where Jesus was suffering agonizing pain. There are other people there, but these two were maybe the ones that Jesus was closest to on earth.

Consider the extraordinary life Mary has had. Not many girls see an angel and become miraculously pregnant! She had to endure shame and ridicule, and the fear whether her fiancée would abandon her. More incredible things followed. Her husband had dreams in which God gave him messages. People spoke prophecies about her child. Foreigners came to bring expensive gifts to her infant son. The king wanted to kill him. Water turned to wine. Sick were healed. What an expectations she had! What dreams! Her son would be the Messiah, the promised one, that her people were already waiting for for hundreds of years. Certainly this would free the Jews from the cruel Roman oppression, and restore the kingdom of David’s house. How incredible, how wonderful to be part of this!

Consider John. Called the disciple whom Jesus loved, so probably his closest friend. But a hot-headed fisherman, whom Jesus nicknamed, together with his brother, ‘sons of thunder’. Ready to call fire down from heaven when a Samaritan village didn’t want to host them. Ambitious: he asked Jesus to be allowed to be his second in command, while in his kingdom. Jesus closest friend – but he didn’t have a clue about Jesus having to suffer and die. Jesus would be king, of course, and he, John, would share in his power!

All hopes are now dashed. Both people are now at the end of all their hopes, with tears streaming staring up at Jesus, hanging helpless and wounded. Would they still hope maybe, that he would come off it? That there would be a flash and a bang, and there would Jesus be with an army of mighty angels? Every minute they could see Jesus getting weaker, and the change seemed less likely.

Then there is a voice. Weak, croaky, coming from parched lips, struggling for breath. He is in terrible pain.

People among you may know pain. It is very difficult when in terrible pain to think about anything else. The only thing that you can really think of, is that you want the pain to stop. You really don’t want to have a nice conversation with people. Pain doesn’t make you very sociable. But Jesus knew the agony and grief John and Mary were in. He knew that they needed to hear his voice once more, to know that he loved them. He didn’t tell them that all would be well again in three days. He had told them before, and they didn’t believe it, couldn’t understand him. But he comforted them by pointing them towards each other. The two people who maybe knew Jesus best, in their limited way, they needed each other. Mary’s other sons at that time probably didn’t believe in Jesus yet, though we know from Scripture that they did later. If would have been terrible to go back home to people who couldn’t understand her grief.

John could.

We know the rest of the story, and we can rejoice in the glorious events that come after. But it is good to pause at this moment. To think of the enormous price that Jesus paid. We may feel – I certainly do – that God is taking such a long time in returning and establishing his kingdom. How much longer do people have to suffer, how much longer are his believers persecuted, how much longer are girls raped, cities bombed, people dying through earthquakes, shootings, car accidents. How much longer does the world seem ruled by hate and sin?

In Jesus’ suffering we have a proof that God will not forget us. If God would not return, then all Jesus’ suffering would have been in vain. Image God saying to Jesus, ‘sorry son, but I’m giving up on these people, they’re not worth the trouble anymore. I know you’ve suffered quite a bit for them, but that’s too bad.’ No way! It’s unthinkable that a father would say such a thing, and it’s impossible that God would say it. When we are in doubt whether God’s kingdom is really going to come, the new earth and heaven ever going to be there, we can think of Jesus’ suffering.

Therefore on this day, we can rejoice in all that Jesus’ suffering has achieved for us. A relationship with the father. Freedom from sin and death, and the promise of life everlasting, together with him. And Jesus’ suffering is for us the proof that this WILL happen.

Mary and John received abundance of joy three days later. With them we will worship and say,

‘worthy is the lamb, who was slain
To receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
And honor and glory and praise!
(Rev 5:12)

Amen.