THINK TOGETHER.
Do you know any older people who might need help?
READ TOGETHER.
John 19:25-27. 25but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
The day that Jesus died on the cross is the same day that Jesus took care of his mother, Mary. Even while dying on the cross, Jesus was thinking of others and not himself. From the cross, Jesus told John, the disciple whom he loved, to take care of his mother. And, of course, John would do that very thing – from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
Does your family have aging grandparents that you help take care of? Lots of families do. Children are commanded by God to honor their parents, and that command does not have a time limit on it. Even adult children need to honor their parents. Jesus yelled at the religious leaders of his day for not taking care of their aging parents. In the New Testament, Paul tells Christian children and grandchildren to take care of the elderly in their families.
1 Timothy 5:4. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.
Today, it is much easier for older people to take care of themselves. We have life insurance and health insurance, and retirement accounts, and social security. (You can ask your parents about what these things are) But none of these things can stop a person from getting older, sicker, and weaker as time goes by. In the end, everyone needs help as they get older, and God gave us the family and the church to offer that help.
As her oldest son (family) Jesus was responsible for his mom, who was a widow. But Jesus knew that he was not going to be around much longer. Even though he will rise from the dead, he will return to Heaven and Mary will be alone. That’s why Jesus asked John (the church) to take care of his mother.
All of this proves that Jesus was always loving and always obeyed God’s law. Even while he was in great pain and suffering on the cross, Jesus never stopped being obedient. He never stopped honoring his mother. And that’s good news. Why? Because we can tell that even to the very end Jesus was perfect. And if he is perfect, then he can die for our sins. Sins like failing to care for our parents and grandparents when we should. Sins like ignoring the widows in our churches.
None of us cares as much or as well as Jesus. But with Jesus in our hearts we can practice and learn how to care much more than we already do.
Because of Jesus we are forgiven for failing to care like he does.
With Jesus we can care for the older generation, especially those in our families.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Is there an older family member or church member that you could visit this week and help take care of or encourage? Make a plan as a family to visit someone this week and regularly after that.
PRAY TOGETHER
Father, you gave me my family and my church family as a gift. Help me to care for them as Jesus did his own mother and everyone else too. Amen.
TLICfamily 