I invite you to turn with me to John chapter 19, John 19, as we read together verses 16 through 27, considering together this morning the third word of our Savior from the cross that we have recorded in Scripture, the text being verses 26 and 27, again reading verses 16 through 27. Before we do so, let's bow together in prayer. Father, as we come before You again in this morning hour, with Your Word open before us in our hands, we praise Your name that You have given to us Your most holy Word, that you have revealed yourself and your truth to us through your Word, through Jesus Christ our Lord. And Father, we pray that in this morning hour too, you would not be absent from us, but fill us with your Holy Spirit in such a way that, Holy Spirit of God, you would illumine us, our hearts and our minds, that indeed we might understand these glorious truths of your Word. Strengthen us and help us, O Lord. Give us a right and proper understanding, as only You can do. We ask for Your blessing alone. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Beginning at verse 16, as we hear now the word of our God, Finally, Pilate handed Him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus, Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. Here they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read, Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. And the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, do not write the king of the Jews, but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews. Pilate answered, what I have written, I have written. When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. Let's not tear it, they said to one another. Let's decide by lot who will get it. This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled, which said, They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. So this is what the soldiers did. Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, Dear woman, here is your son. And to the disciple, here is your mother. From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. Beloved in Christ the Lord, when you are suffering, whatever that suffering might be, whether it's sickness, temptation, financial difficulty, whatever severe difficulty it might be, when you are suffering, where is your attention? Where is your focus? In times like that, is your attention on others and their needs? Well, I think if we would all be honest this morning, we would have to say no. Our attention is on ourselves, on our own struggles. Is it times like that when we are suffering that we are the most selfish, that we are the most self-focused. And the truth is, we want attention. We want pity from others. We want them to notice what we are going through and maybe come and be at our help. But not Jesus. In the midst of His suffering and shame, His trial, His beating, the crown of thorns, the severe insults. Not to mention the severe torture of the cross. In the midst of all that, not once Did He draw attention to Himself? And even as He made His way to Calvary, Luke 23, verse 28 tells us that to the mourning, the lamenting women, He says, daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me. Weep for yourselves. And for your children. And on the cross, He prayed on behalf of His crucifiers, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And he said to the repentant criminal, Truly, I tell you, today, you will be with me in paradise. Nothing but selflessness. Yet that's the cross, right? Selflessness. All for his people. They shouted, he saved others, but he can't save himself. But the truth is, beloved, he would not save himself because He was saving others. Now, boys and girls, we know that death by crucifixion was used for the worst kinds of criminals. And the goal of crucifixion, besides, obviously, punishment unto death, the goal of crucifixion was the absolute, total, complete humiliation of the one who was being crucified and how true this was specifically in Jesus' case. As John records what Psalm 22, verse 18 says, that psalm, which is a messianic psalm, pointing to this very time, they divided my garments among them and cast lots from my clothes. And John adds in verse 23 of chapter 19, it says his undergarment was seamless. It was woven in one piece. In essence, it was his underwear. Beloved, our Savior was condemned to a death that no Roman citizen could suffer. No Roman citizen was allowed to suffer it. It was their right. We might say that a Roman citizen was worth more than death by crucifixion. Our Savior was stripped of all of His protection under the law. He was stripped of His rights as a man. He was stripped of all His clothing. Yet never was His thought for Himself. Instead, as God's love for the world was demonstrated through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Jesus displayed His love for those who were nearest to Him as the Savior provides for His earthly mother. And He provided for His earthly mother, first of all, by satisfying for her needs. And I'm specifically pointing to the fact that He sacrificed, or He satisfied, for her earthly needs. And he's satisfied for her needs during Mary's presence at the cross. She was present there at the cross along with many others. There were many Jews there and Jewish leaders there who were there only to satisfy their own sinful craving for his death. They were drooling, as it were. They wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world. There were Roman soldiers, many Roman soldiers, who were present most likely out of obligation and duty. But there was also a small group present there who were drawn together by affection and by devotion for that central sufferer. Verse 25 says, Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. The group included Mary, the mother of Jesus. And as well as the text says, when Jesus saw His mother there and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, Dear woman, here is your son. and to the disciple, here is your mother, Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the disciple whom he loved, John, was standing there. And now as we consider the fact that he's satisfying for her needs, we have to have an understanding of the proper focus, and that proper focus, beloved, is not to be on Mary. So many throughout the history of the church have made her the center of attention. For example, on one hand, what pain and torment that she must have suffered for her as a mother to see her firstborn suffer such intense humiliation and shame and pain unto death. How did she feel? There's a song on the Christian radio station that comes out every Christmas season, Mary, Did You Know? It's kind of a nice song, nice tune. Mary, did you know that your baby boy would walk on water, heal the sick, raise the dead, die for the world? You see, beloved, nowhere in the Bible are we told to focus on Mary and ask those kinds of questions. Mary, did you know? Mary, what did you think? Because it's not about Mary in that way. But also those who would make Mary the center of attention say, On the other hand, what comfort and strength that she must have given to Jesus by her presence. Because we all know that the bond between a mother and a son is so very strong. What a comfort she must have been for him. But again, how wrong. Because it was not he who needed her help. But it was she who needed his help. You see, the proper focus, beloved, is to be on Jesus and on what He was doing for her by hanging there. Indeed, He could see Mary's pain and suffering as she watched Him. It was real. And we might say that she, too, suffered her whole life long. She's unmarried and finds herself to be pregnant. And this angel comes and says, what is conceived in you is the work of the Holy Spirit. And because of that, Joseph almost puts her away secretly. How terrible that would have been at such a young age. And then she gives birth in an animal shelter. She has to flee the country with her husband and child for the child's safety. For three days when Jesus was 12, she and Joseph lost him. It's believed that she was widowed at a very young age. She suffered her whole life long, And now as the nails were physically piercing his hands and feet, Simeon's words, those words in the temple when Jesus was eight days old and they presented him. Simeon's words in Luke chapter 2 were coming true. Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul. Isaiah 53 verse 4 says, Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows. And beloved, we need to understand that that was for his earthly mother too. Jesus realized Mary's need, seeing her at the foot of the cross. And although he was hanging there, as it were, uncovered and unprotected and vulnerable, his love went out toward his mother. And he would not leave her uncovered, unprotected and vulnerable. Instead, he is satisfied for her needs by fulfilling his duty toward his mother. As the oldest son, he was the head of the family. He had a responsibility to protect and to provide for her, and He did not shrink back from that responsibility even while He was hanging what seemed to be helplessly on the cross. To the very end, He showed Himself to be both the perfect Son of God and the perfect Son of Man. He had honored His parents. He had always done that, and now we might say He was fulfilling all the righteousness of the fifth commandment to honor your father and your mother as He provides for her needs. Dear woman, here's your son. Here's your mother. Here's your son. As if to say, this one will take care of you as if he had been your very own son. And notice, Jesus gives to her the very best that earth had to offer. He gives to her the disciple whom He loved. John was the best and the most faithful for the job at that time because even Jesus' own brothers did not yet believe on him at that time. And no doubt, what an honor for John to be given the responsibility to care for his Lord's mother. John was one who had proven himself in love and loyalty to Jesus and he even demonstrates it now as the text ends. From that time on, this disciple took her into his home to care for Mary as his own mother. beloved Mary was to now find her support in John, not John finding his support in Mary. Mary was given provision for her comfort in her time of suffering and for her continued support. Mary was the needy one who needed to be cared for. It was not John who needed to be cared for. It is not as some would have us believe that John represents all believers and that here Jesus is elevating Mary as one to help him finish his work and that we, with John, are to look to Jesus through Mary. Not at all. Jesus provided for the protection and the provision of His mother for her earthly needs. And what a demonstration, beloved, that He is the protector and the provider for His people. He alone knows the needs and satisfies the needs of those who continue to gather around His cross. As He hung on the cross uncovered, our Lord covered Mary with compassion and care. And as He lives and reigns today, beloved, He provides all that we need for body and soul. Indeed, He provides for His people our physical needs of life. He is the one who gives us our daily bread. And He uses means. He uses the means of His people to provide for His people. He uses the means of children honoring their parents, as Paul says in 1 Timothy 5, verse 8, but if anyone does not provide for his own and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. But not only was he satisfying for Mary's physical need and our physical needs, but more importantly, he satisfies for our spiritual needs bodily. Has he satisfied for our greatest need and hers to be right with God? To have sins paid for. And still today, for those who believe in Him, He satisfies, He continues to satisfy for that need as the Holy Spirit uses the preached Word and the sacraments to nourish the faith of His people. He uses godly counsel and admonition, and He uses faithful Christian instruction to strengthen us in our walk with the Lord. You see, Mary also needed spiritual attention. And therefore, the Savior provides for His mother in the second place by sanctifying their relationship. You see, beloved, having earthly needs met means nothing without a sanctified relationship with Jesus Christ, without having a right relationship with Jesus Christ. And that's the need, the ultimate need, that he was filling. And here our Lord Jesus Christ, with his word to his mother, is sanctifying their relationship through surrendering human relationships. You see, this was the time for which Jesus had come. He was occupied in the most awesome work ever done in the universe, under a burden that no mere creature could endure. He was at this moment the object of Satan's fiercest hatred as he was suffering the wrath of God and was about to be separated from his Father. He was doing what he came to do as the angel said he will save his people from their sins. And therefore he needed to surrender human relationships, including his human relationship with his earthly mother. He calls her dear woman. That's not a title of disrespect in this case. It's a title of honor and respect. Some say that he may have been saving her pain by hearing him call her mother, maybe. But we do know that as He is sanctifying their relationship, He is instructing her in a new relationship. You see, theirs would no longer be a mother-son relationship. It couldn't be. Mary was no longer to see her son suffering, which would only bring sorrow and suffering for any loving mother, but she was to see her Savior suffering for her, which alone would bring eternal joy and gladness. you see beloved on the cross Jesus moves away from her that she might see salvation hers and the world's in the death of God's son on the cross through which he satisfies our greatest need and sanctifies our relationship setting apart his people setting believers apart from unbelievers his death on the cross beloved made an end of all natural ties as they had been before. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 16, Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh, even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. From now on, His link to believers would be a spiritual relationship much closer than before as He lives in the hearts of all believers through the Holy Spirit. And Mary's place. Mary was not to be elevated. Mary slips into the background. She's only mentioned one other time in the New Testament. In Acts, other than the Gospels, Acts 1, verse 14, these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and with His brothers. His brothers came to believe. But what happened to Mary? What we are being told there in Acts 1 is that Mary takes her place among the congregation of believers, not over them. Mary is a part of the family of God. Mary was indeed privileged to be called upon to be the mother of our Savior. Yet she too was a sinner saved by grace. And she was to see in Him her Savior and Lord. And she was to see that she had the price of her adoption by the Father paid for. by the blood of her son. She, like every other believer like you and me, is a sister or a brother of Christ. But not only did our Lord sanctify His relationship with His mother, setting it apart by the cross, but He sanctifies all believers' relationships with God. By the cross, beloved, He has removed the disharmony and the enmity that existed between God and His people because of sin. He provides us with eternal life. He protects us from eternal harm. And those who are justified by the blood of Jesus, those who enjoy the forgiveness of all of their sins and the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, are set apart as holy and dearly loved people of God. Set apart from the world of unbelievers who are still enemies of God. And those who are set apart in Christ Jesus are being made holy by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit that we might more and more reflect the holiness of our Heavenly Father. But there's also another relationship that is sanctified and that is the relationship that God's people have one with another. Christ sanctifies, sets apart believers' relationships with each other in the Lord. You see, in Him we are made members of one family, the family of God, by what we have in common, which is the cross. The only way to the Father, through salvation in Jesus Christ. Christ is the head. We are brothers and sisters indeed with Christ. We are also brothers and sisters with each other in Jesus' name. We are a family of God here in this place and with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore, we are to see each other as holy unto the Lord. And we are to treat each other as holy unto the Lord with love, compassion, encouragement, respect, kindness, selflessness, not bitterness, anger, envy, hatred, trying to gain an advantage over one another, trying to hurt each other, not bickering and complaining. Why are we to see and treat each other as holy unto the Lord? Because this reflects an understanding. It is evidence. It reflects an understanding that Jesus did not simply hang on the cross for the next person, but He did it for me too. And He powerfully provides for my only salvation through His cross, which is mine by faith. But the same token, it reflects an understanding that Jesus did not simply hang there for me, but He hanged there for all who would believe on Him. Beloved, our Savior pushed Mary away that He might pull her and all who believe closer through His redeeming love. Mary came to the cross that day as His mother, but she would leave seeing Him as her Savior and Lord because only then would His terrible, indescribable agony and suffering be glorious because of its purpose. That purpose to satisfy the wrath of God against sin. And only then would her anxiety and anguish be transformed into adoration. Beloved, we are to look at the cross of Jesus. And as we do so, we are not to be filled with pity for poor, poor Jesus. But we are to be filled with awe and adoration and thanksgiving as we see the Savior's exclusive work for us, for those who believe. His complete selflessness. He gave His all for His people. And for those who see only Christ's defeat in the cross and therefore reject Him and His provision, they will understand one day and for all eternity what it means to be defeated by the cross of Jesus. As they will be forever cut off from the eternal provision of God. And that, beloved, is why we are called to spread the good news. of Jesus Christ and a saving love of His provision. As Jesus suffered the shame of the cross, He did not earn the Father's punishment against those who believe in Him, but He earned the Father's forgiveness and compassion. He earned a place for you and me in the Father's home. He earned for us eternal provision of security and blessing. He satisfied our eternal need, beloved, and He sanctified our eternal relationship with God by giving us the very best that He had to offer Himself. That we might be forgiven, and that we might be given His perfect righteousness, and thereby become children of God. Beloved in Christ, He did not leave His people uncovered, but He covers our sin with His blood, and He covers us with His perfect righteousness. He did not leave His people unprotected, but His omnipotence, His all power is on our behalf. And He did not leave His people vulnerable as not even Satan is able to separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus. This word from the cross is the last earthly provision of love in regard to those who are nearest to Him. And now, as it were, with His earthly house in order, the Savior turned to face the wrath and the rejection of God so that we might never have to. And instead that we might have life, that we might have it abundantly. Beloved, we come to the cross as sinful enemies of God. But because of the provision of the Savior, the all-sufficient provision of the Savior, we leave by the transforming grace of God as saved children of God. Alleluia. What a Savior. Let's pray together. Dear Heavenly Father, so often we like to think that we are self-sufficient. That we can take care of ourselves, that we can provide for ourselves. Sometimes we even slip into thinking that this is true when it comes to our relationship with You. But we praise Your name for Your simple reminder through this simple word from the cross of our Lord to His earthly mother, that He indeed is the great provider. He is the great protector. And indeed, O Lord, You have satisfied for all of our needs in Jesus Christ. You have brought us into a particular relationship with Yourself, that You are our Father. We are Your children for Jesus' sake, and You are the one who provides for us for this life and the next, for body and soul, that we will never again be in want. And Father, we praise You that You care for us as only a Heavenly Father can. We thank You for Your love, so rich, so free, so generous. And may we live in praise of Your glorious name, because of your grace poured out on us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Hear us, we pray, O Lord, for Jesus' sake. And in his name we pray. Amen.