LOVE FROM START TO FINISH
MARY’S STORY
John 19:25-27
25 Standing near the cross were Jesus' mother, and his mother's sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, "Dear woman, here is your son." 27 And he said to this disciple, "Here is your mother." And from then on this disciple took her into his home.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation
MARY’S GRIEF
Everyone will experience death in their family. The lost of a mother, the lost of a father, the lost of a relative. You would think Mary the mother of Jesus would have been spared the grief. The Angel Gabriel said at Jesus conception she was highly blessed, After the age of 12, Joseph, Jesus earthly father does not appear in the narrative. So Mary had suffered the lost of her husband.
To watch her son. Jesus die a horrible death on the cross must have pierced her heart. To add insult, to see a Roman Soldier pierce His side with a sword to make sure He was dead was shameful to her.
Mary’s fairytale life would change forever with the death of her oldest son. Jesus dying on the cross added another dimension or level of tension to her grief. Jesus looked down from the cross, assigned John as her son and she as his mother. Mary moved into John’s home. At first glance, this
Command of Jesus seems to ignore her other sons and daughters.
Jesus had several sisters and four brothers; Matt 13:55-56
Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? 56 And his sisters, are they not all with us.
MARY’S TRANSFORMATION
The question is why did Jesus think it necessary to assign John rather than her own children? God does not tell us. But Mary didn’t see it as a problem because she did as He commanded her. God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.
There is no indication that any of Jesus' siblings were His disciples during His earthly ministry. In fact scripture indicate they thought Jesus was out of His mind
Mark 3:20-21
20 One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn't even find time to eat. 21 When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. "He's out of his mind," they said. New Living Translation
Mary, being obedient to Jesus, moved into John’s home. It is probable that Mary ’had not told her children that Jesus was conceived in her by the power of the Holy Spirit and that He was the living Son Of God.
Point 1. When you are grieving over the loss of a loved one, surround yourself with people who can emphasize and sympathize with you. Stay away from People who cannot understand what you are going through, especially people who are opposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus may have wanted to save Mary from the questions of his brothers and sisters of why she did not tell them the story of who Jesus was and
How He was conceived. Mary was grieving and didn’t need the family
Tournoil that could occur.
Jesus' brothers and sister may have heard and believed the the Jewish Religious leaders' opinions about Jesus. They knew and may have witness
The miracles he performed and may have understood only what was said about Him.
Mark 3:22 But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, "He's possessed by Satan, the prince of demons. That's where he gets the power to cast out demons." Holy Bible, New Living Translation
Jesus may have chosen John because His Mother, Salone was believed to be Mary’s sister and was a supporter of Jesus' ministry. John was single and never married. John’s father Zebedee was a prosperous fisherman. Living with John’s family ensured provisions and support for Mary
POINT 2 Avoid pretentious religious folk, they change with the direction of the winds.
There were many who came to hear Jesus speak to be entertained. They came to see the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the sick healed and demons casted out. On one occasion Jesus fed 5000
Men plus women and children with a few fish and a few biscuits. On another Jesus fed 4000. They claimed Jesus to be the one who came in the name of the Lord, Lord save us.
But doing His trial they joined the crowd saying crucify Him. Given a choice by Pontius Pilot, they chose to release Barabas, a known criminal who did nothing for nobody over Jesus, an innocent man who did everything for everybody.
Mary was placed in a safe environment with believers who meditated on the Word and prayed continuously.
Point 3 Surround yourself with people of like minds, people who comfort one another.
On the Sunday morning the day after the Sabbath a group of women joined together to anoint the body of Jesus. Early in the Sunday morning they headed to the tomb. Mary the Mother Jesus was not with them but certainly in their hearts.
Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the (mother) of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him.
They saw an angel 6 And he saith unto them, Be not amazed: ye seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who hath been crucified: he is risen; he is not here
Mark 16:7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter,
God used the women in Mary’s circle to bring her and the disciple good news and joy.
Point 4 Comfort one another in times of Grief Psalms 30:5
Weeping may endure for a night, but there is joy in the morning
For those who love the Lord, God has a message of hope. We do not
Grieve by ourselves, but we grieve as a community. God put us together to share grief and joy together.
1 Thess 4:13-14
13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. New Living Translation
MARY’S ROLE AS THE SPIRITUAL MOTHER
Death Should not Separate us but draw us together
We should not hide our fears but share our victories.
Mary’s role in the church as the Spiritual Mother Began
No one knew Jesus more than Mary. She was given the message of him blessing the world before anyone else. She endured His birth, his growth into manhood, His ridicule and His death and resurrection. She had to make decisions to keep Jesus real identity secret to guard His safety and the safety of her other children.
MARY A TOWER OF FAITH
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, Mary could share the complete story of Jesus to the young Growing Church. Perhaps through her the true light of Jesus could be revealed. She was probably relieved to share her story. No need to keep any secrets. No one rejoiced more in Jesus resurrection than Mary. In Him she could see the whole story of man redemption and restoration played out. Mary could share revelation from the Angel Gabriel, her conception by the Holy Spirit. She could share the
Visit by wise men from the east and the gifts given her by them. She could share the protection by God from the terror of Herod the great.
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, all of His brothers came to Christ and became active in the Church. James became a leader in he church. What joy to Mary to see all her sons come to faith in Jesus. She had to wait many years for that day. Acts gives the conversion of Jesus’s half brothers
Acts 1:13-14
13 When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
GOD’S DIVINE INTERVENTION IN MARY
I think we have some insight as to why John was called the disciple Jesus loved. Jesus knew John’s heart and the spiritual insight and revelations of heaven and hell he would be given. He would be obedient enough to look after Mary until her death.
God puts people in our lives for a reason and a season. Joseph was put into the life of Mary to be the earthly father of Jesus. Mary birthed Jesus
To make her a tower of faith and inspiration to all believers and I believe
Especially to all mothers. Mary's sons and daughters were put into her life to show all parents the differences in children and how we must rely and wait patiently on God for guidance and their growth and development.
John was put into Mary’s life to ensure love, financial support and family unity. The other mothers were put into Mary’s life for emotional support, prayer, devotion and worship. No one can identify with a mother like another mother.
THE IMPORTANCE OF MARY IN OUR LIVES TODAY
Mary was put into our lives to show parenting is a life long commitment
That requires faith in the Word of God and confidence in all His promises. Mary’s life exemplifies real life struggles that requires us to trust God in
All situations and wait patiently on His guidance protection and provisions.
Life is but a few days but fill with many problems. In the midst of life we are given Jesus' joy and abundance of peace. Note this,because of her faithfulness, Mary didn’t have to rely on her children. God had a better plan.
A. Mary’s Humbleness
She humbly reverenced the Angel Gabriel and accepted His divine message that she would be the mother of our Lord and Savior.
It took courage to give up her plans for marriage for God’s Plan
True humility chooses God over self.
B. Mary’s Faithfulness
Araham is known as the father of Faith. Mary in my opinion should be known as the MOTHER OF FAITH. She was grateful to allow her
Body to be used as an instrument of the Holy Spirit conception
She risked being ostracized or stoned to death by being pregnant
Before marriage. Her faith was stronger than the fear of the unknown
She immediately began acting as the Mother of Jesus by traveling 90 to 100 miles to learn parenting and to be comforted from her older cousin Elizabeth. She faced the music by traveling back to Galilee 3 months pregnant. God showed her favor with marriage of Joseph
C. MARY EXERCISED HER FAITH CONTINUOUSLY
Mary orchestrated the first miracle of Jesus at a wedding feast.
She informed Jesus that the wedding party had run out of wine.
She commanded the servants to do as Jesus commanded as He
Turned water into wine. She walked by faith and not by sight
D, MARY’S OBEDIENCE
Mary was obedient to God the Father, Joseph her husband and to Jesus. Our Lord and Savior
Mary’s obedience was the start of God’s redemptive action for mankind. God chose a virgin teenager between 13-15 years of age to be His vessel. Mary showed unusual maturity for her age.
E. MARY’S DISCIPLESHIP
Mary was the first disciple of Jesus and the first member of the Church. Before there ever was a church, the seed of discipleship grew in her. She was the first believer in Jesus Christ. Mary’s discipleship is poof that you are never too young to serve God.
F. MARY’S WISDOM
Mary made thoughtful God led decisions. Her life provides guidance and moral insights for all believers. She knew when to keep things hidden in her heart and when to speak up
Her quiet strength shows how faith upholds us terrifying and uncertain moment in life.
G. MARY’S PATIENCE
She endured the challenges of life with calmness and complete trust
In God. Scripture records no complaints from Mary of how treat throughout Jesus lifetime. No complaints from her giving birth among animals, no complaints for the trip to Egypt to avoid the murder of Jesus by Herod, No complaints as she watched her son die on the cross. Her devotion to God the Father sustained her.
H. MARY’S PRAISE
Mary praised God for favoring her from the start of her commission.
Luke 1:45-55 is known as her song of praise. The praise of God went up and blessings of God showered her throughout her life span.
Mary teaches us praise before problems, praise during problems and praise after problems. Praise should never cease from your mind and lips.
THE DEATH OF JESUS ON THE CROSS DID NOT SHAKE HER FAITH
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