In this super practical sermon on parenting from the book of Proverbs, Pastor Mark talks about how to raise kids you don’t simply just endure but actually enjoy, delighting in them instead of focusing only on discipline.
John 19:25-27 – “standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”
I will never forget the look on my wife’s face each time she held one of our newly born five children. The look of love, devotion, concern, and affection radiated from her. Holding each of our babies, she counted 10 fingers and 10 toes. Jesus’ mother Mary likely did the same thing, not foreseeing that one day those same hands and feet would be nailed to a Roman cross.
Hanging, perhaps at eye level, Jesus and Mary were in anguish. Since her husband Joseph is not mentioned after the earliest years of Jesus life, many think she was a widowed single mother. Although Jesus has half-sisters and brothers, none are mentioned to be present at His death. Standing with Mary is her sister who is Jesus’ aunt. These are the only members mentioned from Jesus’ biological family.
Standing with them watching in horror, are Jesus’ spiritual family members. Mary Magdalene was a woman devoted to Jesus’ ministry. Also present was John, Jesus’ best friend and the “one whom Jesus loved”. John was the epitome of Proverbs 18:24, “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” The fact that Jesus assigned John to pastor His mom tells us everything we need to know about the care and character of John.
Judas stopped following Jesus. Peter followed Jesus at a distance. But, John followed Jesus closely until the end. Writing John’s Gospel as an older man many years later, he was the last living disciple and remained faithful to His Friend and Lord until the end. John serves as an example and encouragement that you can follow Jesus faithfully as a friend.
What do you think the hardest part was for Mary to watch Jesus die on the cross?
Is your heart tender toward God, family, and friends? Forever is a long time, and God invites us to change our hearts today so that we can prepare for the perfect, healthy, and loving relationships we will enjoy in eternity. As we study God’s final words before four-hundred years of silence that preceded the coming of Jesus at the first Christmas, you can experience the Father heart of God and share it with family and friends to experience healed relationships.
Are you a generous person with your words, works, and wealth? The key to a healthy relationship with God is to understand that He has generously given you His only Son as the greatest gift that could possibly be given. As you grow to appreciate that God is a generous giver, you will be freed up to be a more generous giver to God, family, and friends. Learning this lesson will improve all of your relationships and bring joy to your soul.
When tough times come into your relationships, are you the kind of person who is more likely to hang in there or hang it up? In every relationship, there are times when we want to give in and give up. This is especially true with family members, including our spouse. But, when we learn to persevere through hard times with God, family, and friends, the long-term blessings outweigh the short-term burdens.
Do you consider yourself a good listener? One key to every healthy relationship is being a good listener. Sadly, sometimes believers don’t like what God is saying, so they choose to listen to a bad teacher who tells them what they want to hear rather than what God has said. As you grow to heed God’s Word and hear God’s voice you will be able to walk in the destiny that God has for you and your family.
Do you need to learn to honor God’s authority over all aspects of your life? Like every good parent, God is a Father who needs to be respected if you are to learn, grow, and mature. As you learn to honor God’s authority you then become healthy both in and under human authority. This makes you a better Christian, spouse, parent, child, employee, and leader so that your life is blessed by God and a blessing to others.
Do you need to learn to be more loving? God is a Father and His heart is filled with love for you. Your relationship with God begins with His love for you. Understanding and experiencing this love allows you to become emotionally healthy and love God, family, and friends with the love that God gives you to share.
Are you suffering? A loved one suffering? Learn the secret to Jesus’ suffering so that your woeful days can be used by God in wonderful ways.
Are you ready to mature and see God change your family? In this Sunday’s sermon, “Maturity for Your Family”, you will learn how you can mature like Jesus did and have a family that fulfills their destiny.
If you had a few days to live, what would you say and what would you do? In the final week before His death, Jesus Christ came into a holiday crowd to reveal Himself as a peaceable King and teach us that the most important thing in life is to learn how to lose our earthly life so that we could gain eternal life.
Who do you know and care about and are concerned because they do not know Jesus? Which family members are you concerned about because they do not have a healthy relationship with God and assurance of eternal life?
There is hope for your family to be found in the story of Jesus’ own family. In John 7:5 we read, “not even his brothers believed in him.” For a season, Jesus’ own family, including his half-brothers, did not believe in Him or support His ministry.
Thankfully, after Jesus’ resurrection, His family began believing in Him and serving in His ministry. We read that His mother Mary was part of the early church (Acts 1:14). Jesus’ brother James became a leader in the early church and wrote a book of the Bible bearing his name. Jesus’ brother Jude became a pillar of the church with Peter (Galatians 2:9), helped oversee an early church council (Acts 15), and also wrote a book of the Bible bearing his name.
Sometimes, people grow up in a godly home and are exposed to lots of healthy teaching and modeling but do not embrace all of it for themselves. This was the case for Jesus’ own family. There is great hope, however, for your family members in the story of Jesus’ family. Eventually, they came around to deep and true Christian faith and once they did they remained devoutly devoted to Jesus for the rest of their life. Don’t lose hope, but keep on praying for and speaking to those you love in hopes that their story is like the story of Jesus’ family.
Make a list of the people you care for, starting with family members, who you can be praying for and speaking to about Jesus.