John 19:26-27. 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.
When Jesus died on the cross there were two groups of people there to watch. The first group was those who mocked and insulted Jesus. The second group was those who loved Jesus. The Bible tells us that this group was mostly women who had followed Jesus over the years. One of these women was his mother, Mary. Can you imagine how sad Mary must have been watching Jesus be put onto the cross?
Jesus was sad too, but even in his sadness Jesus was taking care of his mother. Mary was a widow (her husband Joseph had died) and so, as the oldest son, it was Jesus’ job to take care of his mother. And that is exactly what he does. The Ten Commandments tell us to “honor our father and our mother.” Even while being crucified, Jesus obeys the law of God, and he honors his mother, Mary. How? By making sure that she will be taken care of after he is gone. And so Jesus tells John his disciple to adopt Mary as his mom and take care of her from now on. And he does – And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
But Jesus isn’t just obeying the old law of God; he is starting something new. A whole new kind of family. A spiritual family. We call it the church. How do we know that this is what Jesus is doing? Because Jesus had brothers and sisters. Did you know that? But Jesus didn’t ask one of his brothers, James or Jude. He asked John.
Jesus is teaching us that our spiritual family is even more important than our physical family. Listen to these words of Jesus:
Matthew 12:46-50. 46While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Hopefully, your family is both your physical family and your spiritual family. By spiritual family I mean that they also trust in Jesus. Everyone who trusts in Jesus is made part of God’s great big spiritual family. And that’s the family Jesus is creating here from the cross.
All who trust in Jesus are welcomed into the family of God. We are now brothers and sisters in Christ. John does for Mary what every Christian is asked to do for each other. Loving. Caring. Welcoming. Being kind. We need to treat each other like we are a family. We need to treat each other like we are all God’s children.
This is what John himself will write years later:
1 John 3:18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in his heavenly home so that where he is we may be also. Until then let us love one another as the family of God and the brothers and sisters of Jesus. May our homes be places of kindness and safety for one another. And may our hearts be open to all who need to find the resurrection family of God.
You: Are you part of the family of God? How do you know?
You with Jesus: Is there someone that is hurting or alone that you could welcome into your home and heart?
Prayer: Father, you have placed me into your family and I am very thankful. Teach me to love and care for my Christian brothers and sisters as I trust in my home with you. Amen.
TLICfamily 